Doctor Who Club of Australia

Greg · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:54 pm Post subject: Season 15 favourite story poll

Which is your favourite story from the 1977/8 series?

Greg · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:57 pm Post subject:

I've gone for the lovely Horror of Fang Rock, although Image of the Fendahl is quite good.

meglos · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 668 Location: Perth

Horror of Fang Rock. The last three stories in that season were a little weak in my opinion.

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 898 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

Yes I would have to vote for HoFR. Although Graham Williams' first story as producer, it has a very Holmes/Hinchcliffe feel to it. (Holmes was still SE at the time wasn't he?)

Although Image is quite good, I always felt the Doctor never had enough direct involvement in the story. And yes, I know Revelation of the Daleks is accused of the same, but the Doctor did come face to face with the protagonist in the end, whereas the Doctor never faced the Fendahl in its full gestalt form at all.

I also enjoy Invisible Enemy, Sun Makers and Invasion of Time in this season.

But I prefered Leela's original costume (dark brown as opposed to light).

Greg · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:41 am Post subject:

Wester · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 610 Location: Brisbane

I loved Horror of Fang Rock - very claustrophobic and scary.

Beatly · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 375 Location: London

Yeah, can only be Horror of Fang Rock. In many ways, it's very different from most other Doctor Who serials. The fact that it's set inside a single building, over a relatively short period of time, and with a mostly unseen terrible monster lurking outside, much like a lot of the better horror films, and much like Ghost Light, definitely lends it some class.

Much of the rest of this season, like the preceding two, hasn't hung around in my memory much, but what I do remember is the daftness of The Invisible Enemy and the fact that The Invasion of Time was pretty boring. The other three serials bring nothing to mind, so it had to be this one getting my vote. Smile

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4260

Image of the Fendahl as it was quite creepy when I saw it again on the ABC.

As for Horror of Fang Rock , I should made note that in the DVD commentary Uncle Terrance slights at Tom for saying lycanthropy even though as an actor he was just following what was in the script.

Another thing that strikes against the Fang Rock DVD is the on-screen notes. It mentioned a Lon Chaney film when it was actually a Lon Chaney, Jr film. When Skinsale mentions (Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of) Salisbury and Bonar Law, notes explains who they were but it failed to mentioned one significant fact and that is they both served as Prime Ministers of Britain. Finally it presented Paddy Russell grievances with Tom which I don't think it appropriate as it unfairly prejudiced against him.

Tom N. · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 144 Location: Sydney, NSW

I voted for Image of the Fendahl. The glowing skull and the creepy atmosphere make it more memorable to me than Fang Rock, probably the only other contender.

John Lucantonio · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 58

Fang Rock by a mile

rundoctoritsthegatherer · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:29 pm Post subject:

I can not believe The Sunmakers has barely rated a mention in this thread.

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 898 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

rundoctoritsthegatherer · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:12 pm Post subject:

Hiruma · Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Australia

My favorites would be Underworld and the Sunmakers from this era. Underworld primarily because it shows why the Timelords act the way they do and dont go around helping people. Otherwise they get treated like gods and well.. everyone likes to blame god for their problems...

Sun makers i liked because of the unusual story concept and because Vila was in it! Thats a bonus of itself

Matt

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4260

StitchInTime · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 34

That's tough, since I didn't like many of those all that much.

Hmm.

I'll have to go with, The Invasion of Time, for now.

Sulp Niar · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:44 am Post subject:

This season was plagued by the "let-down of crappy monsters" syndrome. I loved Horror of Fang Rock - until the Rutan. I don't care if it is the main enemy to the Sontarans or it can shapeshift - it still looks stupid. Same goes for that awful Taxxon-like thing in Image of the Fendahl (although the Fendahl herself looks very cool) and, worst of all, the prawns from the Invisible Enemy (they even go so far as to have a cliffhanger with one! Bah...)

While the monsters in this season are truly terrible, the more humanoid enemies are far more impressive. As I said before, the Fendahl is awesome, and in my opinion even the whisker-esque facial makeup of the "Contact has been made" things from Invisible Enemy (I forget their name) look alright.

But for the best story of the season, I voted the Sunmakers. It has a plot relatively unheard of in Doctor Who until that point - commercialism instead of world domination (wait, it's the same thing...) - and the villian is very memorable, being very obviously a big influence for Dr Evil (even if Mike Myers may deny it). It's good to see Leela in a situation where violence barely helps at all, because this is about commercial gain, and finally it's good to see K9 actually doing something past his terrible debut.

So yes, Sunmakers all the way.