Happy Birthday Mr Baker! The best Doctor of them all! (Well in my humble estimation anyway).
I cannot believe that he is 73 - wow. He's holding up pretty well isn't he? I love his voiceover on "Little Britain" and it's great that he's still with us.
And his swansong Dr Who story is just about to come out on DVD! Hoorah! (I had to get that in somewhere didn't I?)
I think it’s inevitable that people in their thirties will plump for either Tom Baker or Peter Davison as their favourite Doctor while those in their forties go for one or other of the first three. It’s a shame that Hartnell always comes off poorly in opinion polls and it’s because most fans are in their mid-to-late thirties rather than really reflecting the true quality of the show’s earliest stories.
It is hard to believe Tom is now 73 just as it’s hard to believe that that other “Starman” David Bowie turned 60 the other week! Many more fruitful years to both of them!!
True, it's a generational thing. You tend to prefer the Dr you grew up with. (Thank goodness I wasn't a youngster when Sly McCoy was Dr!! Although maybe I might have ended up liking him!) From the episodes and clips I have seen, Hartnell really did give an authoritative and comanding performance as the Dr and was an excellent first choice for the role.
Yes you tend to think of these people remaining the same even though time marches on! Tom still has his commanding eccentricity and that wonderfully rich, fruity voice that makes him so distinctive an actor.
I have a gut feeling that each time the Doctor regenerates, brilliant concept though it undoubtedly is, the programme moves further away from what made it unique in the first place and more towards the commonplace. Thus, each new Doctor appears less inventive than the one before, even if you warm to them initially. But, despite this generalisation, they’ve all had their good and bad moments, ups and downs.
I believe the programme depends more on quality of script and production, than performance of an individual actor, with regard the success of each story, season or even era. For me, Simon, McCoy was fine if the story was strong enough to carry him. I appreciate he’s not the world’s greatest actor! And, Stuart, your choice of Eccleston over Tom surprises me, knowing how much you enjoy season 12. Or do Tom’s later seasons, under Graham Williams, undermine his earlier quality, for you?
Happy Birthday Mr Baker! The best Doctor of them all! (Well in my humble estimation anyway).
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that he is 73 - wow. He's holding up pretty well isn't he? I love his voiceover on "Little Britain" and it's great that he's still with us.
And his swansong Dr Who story is just about to come out on DVD! Hoorah! (I had to get that in somewhere didn't I?)
I think it’s inevitable that people in their thirties will plump for either Tom Baker or Peter Davison as their favourite Doctor while those in their forties go for one or other of the first three. It’s a shame that Hartnell always comes off poorly in opinion polls and it’s because most fans are in their mid-to-late thirties rather than really reflecting the true quality of the show’s earliest stories.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe Tom is now 73 just as it’s hard to believe that that other “Starman” David Bowie turned 60 the other week! Many more fruitful years to both of them!!
True, it's a generational thing. You tend to prefer the Dr you grew up with. (Thank goodness I wasn't a youngster when Sly McCoy was Dr!! Although maybe I might have ended up liking him!) From the episodes and clips I have seen, Hartnell really did give an authoritative and comanding performance as the Dr and was an excellent first choice for the role.
ReplyDeleteYes you tend to think of these people remaining the same even though time marches on! Tom still has his commanding eccentricity and that wonderfully rich, fruity voice that makes him so distinctive an actor.
I'm 37 and I'd put the Doctors in order as
ReplyDeleteHartnell
Pertwee
Davison
Eccleston
Tom Baker
and then the rest in a bit of a guddle.
Bowie being 60 is just scary though!
I have a gut feeling that each time the Doctor regenerates, brilliant concept though it undoubtedly is, the programme moves further away from what made it unique in the first place and more towards the commonplace. Thus, each new Doctor appears less inventive than the one before, even if you warm to them initially. But, despite this generalisation, they’ve all had their good and bad moments, ups and downs.
ReplyDeleteI believe the programme depends more on quality of script and production, than performance of an individual actor, with regard the success of each story, season or even era. For me, Simon, McCoy was fine if the story was strong enough to carry him. I appreciate he’s not the world’s greatest actor! And, Stuart, your choice of Eccleston over Tom surprises me, knowing how much you enjoy season 12. Or do Tom’s later seasons, under Graham Williams, undermine his earlier quality, for you?