SIXTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL! BOOK OF LISTS: FIVE OPINIONS I HAVE ABOUT DOCTOR WHO THAT ACTUALLY LINE UP WITH POPULAR FAN CONSENSUS

Another year under the belt! 

If you go back to the Five Year Anniversary Special (https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2020/03/book-of-lists-five-unpopular-opinions-i.html), you'll see that I did a fun little BOOK OF LISTS essay about some of the opinions I have about Doctor Who that don't line up at all with Popular Fan Consensus. Some of it was genuinely scandalous (but absolutely true - I really don't think Genesis of the Daleks was a particularly good story!).    

Not agreeing with how the fans feel is nothing unusual for me. I try to go with my own tastes and not really care much about what others think. However, I did think it might be fun for this anniversary to do the total opposite of last year's list. Let's actually share some opinions I have on the show that do agree with the majority of fans. 

THE LIST:

Having proudly borne the nickname of "The Great Contrarion" for many years, I feel I should take an opportunity during my Blogiversary (that's a word, I've just decided it) to show that I'm not that contradictory, after all. I have compiled a list of five things that I like about Doctor Who that agree with General Fan Opinion. Given how unique and different my opinions usually are, I thought this might be fun. 

Enjoy this while you can, folks. Once this entry's over, it's back to my old ways of claiming Colin Baker is the best Doctor, Chris Chibnall is producing great Doctor Who and Roger Delgado was merely a decent-but-over-rated Master. 

Here we go:

5. PATRICK TROUGHTON WAS AN AWESOME DOCTOR 

This is a pretty easy one. Even someone who negates Popular Fan Consensus as much as I do would not argue with this idea. Patrick Troughton was an amazing actor even before he got the part. As a performer, myself, I'm actually familiar with some of his techniques and methods and employ quite a few of them when I am at work. 

Of course, I didn't really look into him until I learnt that he played the Doctor. But what I saw of his portrayal immediately impressed me. Which prompted me to investigate other roles he's played and his background, in general. In fact, I'd go so far to say that there are few actors to have played the Doctor who I have researched more thoroughly than Patrick Troughton (I looked into Peter Davison a lot, too. As I also enjoy a lot of his technique). 

It was those incredible acting chops that got us to move past the most radical change the show ever made in its formula and caused us to fall almost-instantly in love with Doctor Two. Troughton clearly put a lot of thought into how he would play the role and gave us a new interpretation that was just as engaging as his predecessor (perhaps even more!). There are all sorts of beautiful layers to his Doctor that he evokes with the deepest of conviction. It's entirely possible that if anyone else had been cast in the role the show would have died.  

Some, of course, have a hard time with his actual stories. Admittedly, they do look very clunky compared to modern-day standards. But part of what lifts his episodes is that he is just so damned watchable. You start to forget about the wobbly sets, poor plot construction or incorrect science because Troughton is an utter delight. 

I will never deny the greatness of this man. Patrick Troughton kicked ass as the Doctor. I am glad he came back so many times after The War Games. His return appearances were always such fun!   

4. CERTAIN CLASSICS REALLY ARE CLASSICS 

Since, in my last Anniversary Special, I picked on certain stories that fans all claim to be awesome but I don't like much, I thought I'd do the exact reverse. This time, we'll look at stories that most fans adore that I am in agreement with. 

Way back in the 18th Century, I did compile a list of my Top Ten all-time favorite Who Stories (Here's the first on the List if you want to see what I like. Just continue from there: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-10.html). Many on that list are considered to be absolute Classics by people who enjoy the show. 

I won't bother to go into any of those, here. No point in repeating myself. So, instead, I'll put up a few more that don't quite make it into my Top Ten but are still amazing:

Inferno

Oh, Glorious Season Seven. If only your format had continued through the rest of the Third Doctor Era. I might love that incarnation of the Doctor as much as everyone else seems to. But, instead, you became so painfully formula-driven and a bit flat and uninteresting. 

Oh wait, I'm not supposed to be stating the stuff that disagrees with Popular Fan Consensus! Come on, Rob. Focus. 

Inferno is the crowning jewel in a really fantastic season. Any person that doesn't love that "So, Free Will isn't an illusion, after all" line probably has something seriously wrong with them. It's truly a high point in the entire history of the show. The Doctor is, basically, having one of his most triumphant, life-affirming epiphanies. 

Of course, there's more to Inferno than just that sequence. It's one of the best jobs any sci-fi series has ever done with the alternate reality trope. Even though it's that standard "We're all a bit more fascist" storyline that we see done so often when this type of device is used, the execution is still beautiful. It is also just so surreal to see the Brigadier as a snivelling coward and complete asshole! 

We should address the Elephant in the Room: Inferno is a bit longer than it needs to be. But we really only feel a bit of padding somewhere around Episode Five. And, even then, we don't feel it much. For the most part, this is super-compelling drama that explores some really fascinating themes and concepts. It's also very intense and quite eerie. Even if people are running around in bad werewolf outfits!!! 

The Sunmakers

I love the basis of inspiration for this particular story. Essentially, Robert Holmes got screwed over really badly on his income taxes and decided that he should satirise the whole thing. Aliens that oppress society through taxation becomes one of the most utterly brilliant premises the show has ever undertaken.   

Sunmakers is, for the most part, loved by all. But I am actually a bit shocked that fans don't go on about this story more. This is some really clever stuff that still remembers to tell an exciting action story. It's not just Holmes bitching about taxes, it's a very well-rounded tale. It's also done during that period where Tom Baker's Doctor is becoming more whimsical but still isn't, for the most part, taking the comedy too far. There's a great balance, here. On so many different levels. 

In fact, nothing in Sunmakers ever seems to skew too far in any direction. I even love how the rebels are not entirely the most likeable of people. They're in a very difficult situation and this has made them pretty cold. Only as the Doctor begins to offer real hope do they become characters that we are rooting for. 

Of course, the absurdity of the villains is another really fun point of this story. Both the Gatherer and the Collector are portrayed masterfully. How can we not love all the titles Hade comes up with to compliment his pay-master?! It's utterly hilarious. 

Oddly enough, the ending of this story is ridiculously satisfying. The rebels do triumph over the tyranny that has been controlling them (quite cool that the Doctor uses a bit of propaganda to move the process along). But, as they bust into the Collector's palace with guns blazing, the Doctor beats the Usurian at his own game. Rather than taking him out with blunt force, a slight adjustment of the economy sends the evil being into permanent retreat. The whole story is just so damned clever from beginning to end. 

It's great stuff and I love it!

 

Curse of Fenric 

This is one of many stories from those last two seasons of Doctor Who where I found myself saying: "I can't believe TV could be this good!" It is a genuine tragedy that the whole Classic Series is going to end only a few episodes later. Things were going so well! 

A street-smart kid who likes to make her own explosives was already a great premise for a companion. But the fact that the production team really makes a concerted effort to flesh Ace out and give us a three-dimensional character who is also a fun gimmick makes her all-the-more awesome. There are several stories that do this with her, of course. But none do it better than Curse of Fenric. 

We know, as soon as Ace mentions that her mother has the same name as the baby, where things are going to go. She is going to be forced to resolve some of her mom issues. And I really do love how she cries out: "Mum! I'm sorry!" as she stands in the firing line. Those last few moments of the story as she dives into the water and we get all this beautiful healing symbolism is really impressive. It's all great stuff. 

But it isn't the only type of growth that we see in Ace during this adventure. Ace distracting the guard by flirting rather than chucking Nitro 9 at him is another great moment that shows she is evolving and growing. It's this sort of attention that the writers are giving her that will eventually inspire other authors to create such great companions for us when the show returns in 2005. 

But there is so much more to Curse of Fenric than just Ace-development.  This whole secret ongoing battle between Fenric and the Doctor that has been raging for multiple seasons comes to its ultimate fruition in the most epic of manners. I mean, really, defeating one of the most powerful forms of evil in the Universe with a confusing chess move should be completely ludicrous. But we love it. Especially the scenes where Fenric stares at the chess puzzle and is consumed with frustration. It all looks so great! 

There is so much more about this story that I could go on about. There just isn't enough space, here. It did almost make it into my Top Ten. It was so close. Because it really is some of the most magnificent television ever made. 

Waters of Mars

In a Sea of Disappointment that is The End of the David Tenant Era (careful, Rob, you're starting to express unpopular opinions, again!), Waters of Mars was a true ray of sunshine. 

Really, after Turn Left, I found myself enjoying little of what the show was offering until Moff took over. The Tenth Doctor's angstiness and RTD's indulgence was just getting to be too much. But then, suddenly, Waters of Mars came along. For one brief episode, everything that this period of the show was doing was actually working. 

From a purely fannish standpoint, it is great what this episode does for the lore of the show. A very important rule about time travel is firmly established. One that we have suspected since the First Doctor lectured Barbara in The Aztecs, but has never been quite so clearly articulated until this point. 

Watching the Doctor deal with the fact that he cannot interfere with this event is some truly gripping drama. For once, the angst is working. We really feel his pain as he must walk away from the whole tragedy and allow it to take its course. The fact that he then changes his mind and becomes the megalomaniac he has always fought chills us to the core. Tennant really sinks his teeth into this one and does an incredible job with the excellent material he's been given. This is truly a shining moment that stands head-and-shoulders above the rest of the content that was created around it (Rob! You're doing it again! Lots of people love the end of Tennant's era. Stop provoking them!)

The Flood is also an absolutely terrifying concept for a monster. The idea of just one drop of water being all it takes to turn you into some horrible zombie-like creature is very effective. It's especially great that one character on Bowie Base One actually gets taken out that way. 

The Doctor's Wife 

A love ballad for the TARDIS. How can we not adore this one? 

The episode is, essentially, stating how we've always felt about her. This wonderful magic box that has been taking us on adventures for so many years. It was a beautiful episode where, at last, the Doctor could speak to her and thank her. We also got to learn that she loved him just as much. 

When someone like Neil Gaiman gets commissioned to write an episode of Doctor Who, there's a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders. Impressively enough, Gaiman lives up to his reputation and gives us an incredible script. Not only is there some serious fan love with tonnes of obscure references going on (ie:The actual title of the story alludes to a prank JNT played on a fanzine writer back in the 80s) but it's a legitimately solid story. 

The plot isn't too complex. Which is just fine. It allows for plenty of time for banter between the Doctor and the TARDIS. This is what The Doctor's Wife was really meant to be about. For just one moment, this long-standing relationship between a Time Lord and his quasi-sentient time machine can be properly explored. It's absolutely beautiful stuff. As Matt Smith sheds a tear at the end, so are we. 

I suppose it might have been possible for a casual viewer to not think much of this tale. But, for a real fan - even one as contradictory as myself - there's no way I couldn't fall madly in love with it. Can someone truly call themselves a fan if they don't like Doctor's Wife?!   

3. ROBERT HOLMES WAS THE BEST WRITER FOR DOCTOR WHO 

Admittedly, I have a certain knee-jerk reaction to fan favorites. Everyone claims that Tom Baker was the best Doctor from Classic Who and David Tennant is the most-loved  incarnation from the Revived Series. I think they're both a bit over-rated. In fact, both finish pretty near to the bottom in my rankings (to read the outrageous things I claim about them, you can go here: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/11/book-of-lists-doctors-from-worst-to.html. Be ready to be furious with me!). As mentioned earlier, I do love Roger Delgado's Master a lot - but also think he's over-rated. The Philip Hinchcliffe era is considered to be the "Golden Age" of the show. I see a period where there were some great stories, some mediocre ones and some bad stuff. Just like any other era. So, once more, his reign as producer is ... you guessed it ... over-rated!   

Not so with Robert Holmes, though. He deserves all the hype he gets. 

He is a beloved writer from the Classic Series who also served as a script editor during that famous Golden Age I just talked about. Whether writing scripts of his own or editing the works of others, his work was exemplary. His stories were always richly-layered with solid plots, amazing characterisation and cracking dialogue. A lot of his stuff was sheer poetry. 

Of course, the Great Contrarion will steal rear his ugly head in some way. Tales written by Holmes that fans love don't always do so well in my book. Caves of Androzani, for instance, has a fairly seriously-flawed fourth episode. And I have no idea why everyone is so in love with Talons of Weng Chiang. It's an okay story, at best. 

There other stories where fans think he missed the mark a bit (he did write a lot of episodes, he was bound to have an off-day now and again). But I have considerable affection for these tales. 

The Ribos Operation does an excellent job of laying the foundations for the Key to Time season and is a delightful little romp. This story also contains one of his famous double-acts. I totally feel that Garron and Unstoff are a much more lovable pair than Jago and Litefoot could ever hope to be. 

I also feel that The Two Doctors gets picked on way more than it should. It's a fun-yet-morbid little adventure that takes multi-incarnation banter to its greatest heights. Shockeye of the Quawncing Grig is also an utter delight. How can you not love a character who has dialogue like: "I'm not interested in the belief of primitives. Only in what they taste like!"  

Whatever you feel about his adventures, he is the most brilliant author to write for the show. It's a pity he passed back in the 80s. It would be awesome if he had been able to contribute to New Who. 

2. WE NEED MORE PAUL McGANN   

Like most fans, I do feel Doctor Who - The Movie had its problems. I also feel that, in some places, it was quite good and showed enormous potential for an interesting series. I would have loved for the show to come back for even just a few seasons in the 90s. 

Sadly, this was not the case. Paul McGann really only got his one shot. 

Yes, Big Finish did some great audio dramas with him. There were also the EDAs and some nicely-done comic strips in Doctor Who Magazine. There was even the incredibly-brilliant Night of the Doctor webisode that sent most of us into a Nerd Frenzy when it came out. But it's just not the same as "proper" televised episodes. 

Almost any time his name comes up in a conversation among fans, we hear someone say: "I wish they would do a special series for Paul McGann. He needs, at least, a few seasons of his own!" I can't agree more with the sentiment. The performance he gives in the backdoor pilot and webisode are truly magical. There were just so many things he could have done with the character that were never properly explored. 

More than likely, we won't get that crazy console room back (I think 90% of the budget was blown on that thing!). Nor do I think Eric Roberts will be returning. But as long as we get the Eighth Doctor with some good stories that stay true to the character we first encountered way back in 1996, we'll all be happy. 

I just wish people at the BBC would stop saying nonsense like: "It would be too confusing for viewers if there were two Doctors on at the same time". I think we can handle the concept, guys. 

1. RTD DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF BRINGING BACK DOCTOR WHO 

I have been hearing a lot of nostalgia for the RTD era, of late. Many people who were kids when he revived the series are now adults. This is the Doctor Who they grew up with. And, like most fans, nostalgia has influenced their opinion. 

Personally, I'm only so fond of what he did. Series Four and the Specials were quite troubled, in places. Series Two was, for the most part, really weak. I can forgive him for a lot of this, though. The show was trying to find its feet back then. There were bound to be some teething problems. 

Having said that, however, Series One was utter brilliance. Even the stuff with the Slitheen farts!   

It was clear that when he brought Doctor Who back, RTD had put a tonne of thought into what he wanted the show to be. That first season was magically-crafted with the sort of love that only the most devoted of fans can have. He also wrote some great scripts and assembled an excellent group of writers to help him. And casting Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper was brilliant. 

What he did with that first season cemented the show's success and gave it a whole new lease on life. No one can ever deny him of that. Regardless of where he took the show in the three seasons after that, he did an incredible job of turning Who back into an institution. And I appreciate him deeply for that. 

Well, those were some painful confessions! I'm glad to have gotten them out, though. And I still managed to say some pretty controversial stuff along the way. So, in the end, I still feel good. 

Thanks, as always, for enjoying this ride with me. Some of you have been reading quite regularly since Day One. Others may have only found me more recently. Whatever the case, I'm grateful for whatever support you have shown me. 

Here's to another year....