1) The Caves of Androzani - Predictable but so stunningly
good in every way
2) Enlightenment - Practically perfect Who, atmospheric and
fascinating
3) Frontios - One of the strongest conceptual stories,
packed with strong moments
4) Snakedance - A stunning culture conjured up and great
characters too
5) Earthshock - Dramatic and action packed, terrific
direction and moments
6) Castrovalva - Unlike anything else in Doctor Who,
beautiful and lyrical
7) The Five Doctors - Hugely nostalgic, it's a miracle this
is as good as it is
8) Resurrection of the Daleks - Meaty and stylish if utterly
incoherent
9) Black Orchid - Understated and quaint, gorgeous location
work and characters
10) Mawdryn Undead -
Time travel, moral dilemmas, top notch concepts
http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2013/11/mawdryn-undead-written-by-peter.html
Kinda - Pantomimic production, shockingly original script
http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/kinda-written-by-christopher-bailey-and.html
Kinda - Pantomimic production, shockingly original script
http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/kinda-written-by-christopher-bailey-and.html
11) Terminus - Far higher on the list than it would have
been five years ago
12) Planet of Fire - A stylish affair, packed full of embarrassing
moments
13) The Visitation - Bog standard history, occasionally
exciting
14) The Awakening - Needs an extra episode and far more
explanation
15) Warriors of the Deep - The trashy Davison stories start
here...
16) Four to Doomsday - A tragic first step into the Davison
era
17) Time-Flight - An manifold of embarrassments
18) The Kings Demons - Just the pits, I can't imagine Who
sinking much lower
15 comments:
Ironically Davison is my favorite BF Doctor. I love his raspy voice, and resigned attitude as the paradoxes keep piling up...He's a bumbler, the sort of Doctor who shoots Archduke Ferdinand by accident. How droll that this most peace-loving of Doctors would have the biggest body count. 'The story changes but the ending stays the same.'
I'm deliberating over allowing Snakedance to be screened at home, if only to see Martin Clunes in action (we love us some Doc Martin, or at least I did until this latest season...but that's another rant!). How am I supposed to explain the costumes worn by these regulars?
I was surprised to find that I liked Time-Flight. It really glued me to the screen for the first forty or so minutes...
...until the Master turned up. I still haven't the foggiest idea what he was doing.
The really sad part is, a Mandarin wizard snatching stuff out of time actually makes more sense. It's the sort of thing I expect from the new series (over-plotted mess).
De gustibus non est disputandum, and all that, but I'm surprised to see the King's Demons at the bottom. I know it's not the best regarded story (I probably like it more than most do,) but I find it hard to think that it's the worst thing the Davison era was capable of. If nothing else, I like it considerably better than Arc of Infinity... Which I now see has been omitted from the list (I don't blame you for wanting to forget its existence :P)
Anyhow, keep the lists coming! Lists are cool!
I'm afraid I think you're totally wrong about "The Awakening", Joe...but it's your blog. List away... :)
Perhaps you should state why, Daniel, instead of just saying you are wrong. That's no kind of constructive argument. It's no kind of argument at all.
Well, I could...if you'll teach all three of my grade 10 courses at the moment to give me time to write a proper review...but I'd never torture you so... ;)
But let's say this: I read two review sites I rely on...yours, and Phil Sandier's TARDIS Eruditorum. Sometimes you both agree, and other times you are miles apart (particularly on the Colin Baker era...now there is the great whiplash of opinion...wild, but damned entertaining). Sometimes I agree with you...at other times I agree with him. On the matter of "The Awakening", I am in his camp, as opposed to yours.
That said, I agree with you completely on "Attack of the Cybermen"...which, I believe, makes us one of a very small number of such connoisseurs. :)
Davison has 20 stories - where's Arc of Infinity?
Is Kinda tied with Mawdryn Undead?
Stephen
"Phil Sandier's TARDIS Eruditorum"
He's very good on the production history, political subtext and so on. I also enjoy his mythological take on the classic series. But when he starts applying that approach the shows coming out today, including Sherlock and New Who, it turns into a lot of mental masterbation... it's almost like a cult, that Eruditorum. The Chruch of Moffat, with Phil and Jane as the priests. (Jack is more of a loose cannon.)
I find Phil Sandifer a little too pedantic for my tastes. My second fav reviewer after Joe is "Styre" from Audioreviews.org.uk (despite him reviewing only audios). I still have to find another reviewer for the TV series I like, after Joe
Arc of Infinity? Gave Kinda no number..
Season 19
1. Earthshock
2. Visitation
3. Kinda
4. Black Orchid
5. Castrovalva
6. Time Flight
7. Four to Doomsday
Still watching with an open mind. Great for nostalgia, too much Roger Limb.
Season 20
1. Enlightenment
2. Snakedance
3. Five Doctors
4. Mawdryn Undead
5. Arc of Infinity
6. Terminus
7. Kings Demons
A very consistent season, the top 6 stories compare very highly with the seasons before and after.
Season 21 Davison
1. Caves of Androzani
2. Resurrection of the Daleks
3. Planet of Fire
4. Frontios
5. Awakening
6. Warriors of the Deep
The best and worst in the same season.
Top 5 Davison
1. Caves of Androzani
2. Earthshock
3. Resurrection of the Daleks
4. Enlightenment
5. Snakedance
Worst 3
1. Warriors of the Deep, criminal and no excuses, should have been postponed.
2. Four to Doomsday
3. Time Flight.
Warriors is one of the main reasons for the show ultimately getting cancelled. The producer should have left after s23 but could have been sacked after this. The director should never have ben used again yet he was.
Some real gems, the top 5 just about covers the stand out best, the rest are fairly consistent and enjoyed Mawdryn, Visitation and Kinda this time round. Terminus was also a nice surprise. The two part format has not stood the test of time.
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