What would've been better in or out of Season 18?

The two obvious stories for me are Meglos and Nightmare of Eden - the former would've been a lot more fun in season 17 where it would've benefited enormously from an injection of Douglas Adams humour and the latter had serious intentions and some potentially gritty material that was utterly ruined by sloppy production and too much larking around. A more serious Nightmare and a less pompous Meglos would both stand in much higher regard.

What else would benefit either from a move into season 18 with the gloss and the attentions of Bidmead or by a move out of season 18 to a time more suited to its strengths?

Terminus could be a great season 18 story, with a much darker view of the Vanir and Garm and Lazars, a bit of proper science, and perhaps a resolution where ejecting the fuel creates or opens the CVE for the TARDIS to fall through.

In reverse (and apologies to Si) I'd move the Leisure Hive into season 19 - Davison old man could be teamed with Adric using his maths to try to save him, while Nyssa and Tegan do the tourist bit and run foul of the Faomasi.

Shada of course was mooted for a remount in season 18 - that would've been a better fit than you might think because although Shada seems to exemplify the silliness that JNT and C. Hamilton Bidmead wanted to remove, I can see Adams and Bidmead getting on quite well. Though Adams may not have had time to work on the scripts and Bidmead might've ruined them in editing them down.

On the other hand, State of Decay was originally scheduled for the 15th season. I can see it being a more straightforward gothic vampire story in s15 as I suspect all the stuff about computers and science vs superstition was added by Bidmead (it would be an enormous coincidence if it wasn't given that it's in most of the other stories in the season).

This isn't really relevant, but as a kid I remember really enjoying the 'Brothers Grimm' bit in State of Decay - first on TV, and then hearing it retold on the Pickwick reading by M. Baker. It's a lovely scene - but then years later I'm sure I read that Terrance hated it, and actually it was added by CHB. Did I imagine that or can somebody back me up on that? I just found it very surprising.

I'm fairly sure Terrance Dicks has criticised it in one of the DVD extras as a bit of interesting trivia which doesn't really need too much explanation or add anything to the drama.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lissa

Nightmare of Eden

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Wierd ... I had to look this up. I have no memory of this story, or ever reading about it in any Doctor Who story encyclopedia/synopsis. It's like it exists in a whole in my mind!!! Spooky ...

We need a "totally shocked " emoticon!!