Doctor Who 2011

[Power fan]

(Apologies for mistyping "episode") - thank goodness that serial exists - its loss would have been at least as great as that of Tenth Planet Part 4. Because of its surreal nature, and the fact that the next story can be seen to follow on from the preceding one, there are those who say that it should only be thought of as the doctor's dream, and that it's not part of the canon of his actual adventures. (I liked the picture puzzle - Jamie is "safe" and "well"!)

[tony ingram]

The Mind Robber...the small budget extra epsiode added to the beginning...

That was THE greatest Dr Who episode in those days! We were obessed with it at school! Looking at it now, it's obvious it's in the studio, but in 1968(?) you couldn't tell what was going on! Genuinely exciting! For some reason i always think of the song 'Those Were The Days' by Mary Hopkin when reminded of that episode. Ah, simpler times.

It's still the greatest Doctor who episode...for many reasons.

[alanultron5]

"Fury From The Deep" For its time was genuinly scary! The most creepy bits were the people taken over by the seaweed who had blackened tongues and exhaled gas from their mouths! I can only go by memory-but by gosh, that story really scared me back in 1968.

[tony ingram]

"Fury From The Deep" For its time was genuinly scary! The most creepy bits were the people taken over by the seaweed who had blackened tongues and exhaled gas from their mouths! I can only go by memory-but by gosh, that story really scared me back in 1968.

Ironically, that scene is basically all that still exists of Fury from the Deep. They junked the story, but that scene was saved because an Australian broadcaster had snipped it out before transmission for being too scary...

[alanultron5]

That is Ironic Tony! The Australian censors were `very` strict! At one time only an Australian copy of an episode of "The Faceless Ones" existed-and it really was affected by such cuts! Thankfully a full copy did turn up. The scenes cut were pretty mild by UK standards even back in 1966.

Re "The Mind Robber" again. The `White Robots` were actually from an episode of "Out of the Unknown" can't recall which episode, but it was in the third series I think! The `White` on them was actually yellow. This I know as I saw colour photos that had been taken on the set of the `Mind Robber` and they were yellow! Of course in B/W it looks white!

[Shaqui]

Re "The Mind Robber" again. The `White Robots` were actually from an episode of "Out of the Unknown" can't recall which episode, but it was in the third series I think! The `White` on them was actually yellow. This I know as I saw colour photos that had been taken on the set of the `Mind Robber` and they were yellow! Of course in B/W it looks white!

I think the 'Out of the Unknown' episode was 'The Messiah'?

And there were two reasons for the robots being yellow (I think one was a greenish-grey though - I know the photos you mean!). One was so they didn't disappear against the white backdrop on b/w, and other was because pure white can bleach out if overlit by studio lights and cause cameras to catch that flaring.

[NP]

... pure white can bleach out if overlit by studio lights and cause cameras to catch that flaring.

In 405 line black and white days, white was never used on a moving object or person onscreen because of this very problem. If you see pictures taken at TV studios in the 60s, everyone is wearing pink or blue shirts because white could flare and look black temporarily. My debut TV appearance was in December 1969 and I had to wear a yellow shirt. It doesn't fit me now.

[philcom55]

My debut TV appearance was in December 1969 and I had to wear a yellow shirt. It doesn't fit me now.

Don't tell me you were one of those hapless extras who 'beamed down' along with Kirk, Spock and McCoy? Surely one of the most thankless jobs in the whole of Star Fleet (one imagines anxious crewmembers drawing straws for the dubious privilege! ).

- Phil Rushton

[tony ingram]

My debut TV appearance was in December 1969 and I had to wear a yellow shirt. It doesn't fit me now.

Don't tell me you were one of those hapless extras who 'beamed down' along with Kirk, Spock and McCoy? Surely one of the most thankless jobs in the whole of Star Fleet (one imagines anxious crewmembers drawing straws for the dubious privilege! ).

- Phil Rushton

As I recall, it was the red shirts who always got killed. Starfleet Security must have an appallingly high staff turnover.
'McGuffin, go check over behind that rock'.

'Aw Captain, do I have to?'

'Don't argue, man. It's perfectly safe'.

'Aaargh'.

'Hmm. OK fellas, we're not going that way...'

[Jay]

The Mind Robber...the small budget extra epsiode added to the beginning...

That was THE greatest Dr Who episode in those days! We were obessed with it at school! Looking at it now, it's obvious it's in the studio, but in 1968(?) you couldn't tell what was going on! Genuinely exciting! For some reason i always think of the song 'Those Were The Days' by Mary Hopkin when reminded of that episode. Ah, simpler times.

It's still the greatest Doctor who episode...for many reasons.

I recently bought the DVD of The Invasion and there is a bit where several members of U.N.I.T. cannot resist a sly glance at Zoe's shapely bum while she's wearing that same catsuit.

[alanultron5]

The "Mind Robber" is one of those instances where a great piece of work is made in circumstances of adversity/necessity. Many great Films (Casablanca) or Rock Lps (Band on the Run) were created in similar circumstances!

[Digifiend]

According to Digital Spy, no full series next year. Take it with a pinch of salt.

[alanultron5]

Its certainly a change from the 1960s when seasons were about 40 weeks long. Having todays show such a Stephen Moffat driven series will have this happen as there is seemingly no one else able to take over while he is busy elsewhere!

[colcool007]

Its certainly a change from the 1960s when seasons were about 40 weeks long. Having todays show such a Stephen Moffat driven series will have this happen as there is seemingly no one else able to take over while he is busy elsewhere!

It's not just that. When you look at production values, the BBC cannot afford to turn out an episode of DW every week as that would be £52million per annum and they are struggling to break even on it as it is. Even with the high sales of DVDs and merchandise, it's still a close run thing between diluting what we see and keeping to the high standard of effects that we get.

[tony ingram]

According to Digital Spy, no full series next year. Take it with a pinch of salt.

All the BBC have said is that 14 more episodes have been commissioned (which is to be expected as they commission them in blocks of 14) and most of them will air in 2012-indicating that some possibly won't. Unfortunately, online fandom being what it is, they're all now up in arms and convincing themselves that this means 14 episodes is all we'll get over 2012 and 2013! Personally, given the split series this year, I'm thinking this is a transition back to the old 1970s format where a series would begin in the Autumn of one year and end in the Spring of the next. And I'd also put money on them commissioning a further block of 14 episodes to begin in Autumn 2013 in time for the 50th Anniversary. The 23rd of November falls on a Saturday in 2013, they'd have to be idiots not to capitalize on that given the opportunities for exploiting the anniversary.