Magic Moments

[SiHart]

It's one of the changes in the optional CGI effects version, so you can choose which version you want to see.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Ah!! I wondered why there hadn't been a furore! (Although what an odd thing to do, RT!)

[Andrew Curnow]

So who's going to be brave enough to tackle the many magic moments of Terminus...

[Stuart Wallis]

For want of anything else to comment on, it'll have to be Nyssa removing her skirt; Nyssa laying on the floor of the recovery room; Nyssa straddling Olvir; and Sarah Sutton suggesting on the commentary that she may not have been wearing a bra - not that I'd noticed myself... *cough*

[Jason Thompson]

Surely Nyssa's departure is the best bit of Terminus. 'You're a very brave person'.

Enlightenment

The end of part 1, where the perfectly normal ship we think we've been on turns out to be one of a fleet floating in space.

[Andrew Curnow]

Maybe a bit obvious, but my magicest moment from The King's Demons is the cliffhanger - my brother had already rumbled the identity of Sir Gilles (I vividly remember him mouthing 'it's the Master' to me during episode 1 back in 1983) but it's still just a beautiful reveal. Plus the Master's "Oh my dear Doctor, you have been naive" is somehow an amazing, instantly-legendary bit of dialogue.

[SiHart]

The Five Doctors
The whole thing!
Oh, OK, if I have to, my favourite bit of all is Pertwee driving Bessie down the country lanes with the black triangle chasing him... "Great balls of fire!" and all that. Great music on that bit too!

Si xx

[Stuart Wallis]

Warriors Of The Deep

"There should have been another way." Not that choosing a moment was that difficult.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

Being a TARDIS fan, I love all the TARDIS interior stuff in part one of warriors of the deep.

[Jason Thompson]

The Awakening

For all the wrong reasons, and mainly because it's the only bit I really remember, it's got to be the mini-Malus hanging onto the TARDIS wall, vomiting green goo with BBC Micro CGI stars flickering around it.

[Stuart Wallis]

Frontios

The Doctor's realisation that the TARDIS had been destroyed.

[Andrew Curnow]

Resurrection of the Daleks next then - my favourite moment of this one is probably Tegan's departure. Not just for the tearful farewell, with its haunting music, but also because of how good Davison is in the scene. He's really bitter when he marches back into the TARDIS with a "It appears I must mend my ways". A rare moment of the title character getting a bit of 'personal development' if you like.

Maybe Tim would like to choose his favourite bits of Planet of Fire next...

[Stuart Wallis]

I think we've done it for him...

Other than that, it's great that Turlough finally gets some character development the moment he's shown the door. Antony Ainley's "dying" acting is very convincing as well.

[SiHart]

Caves of Androzani
The regeneration is pretty damn good isn't it? At the time I was really disappointed as I loved seeing the vaces changeover, but it's really grown on me down the years. I love the way the old companions swirl around the Doctor's head and the Master taunting him to die. Excellent stuff... and then Colin sits up and is excellent too.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

It's the thread that just won't die!!

The Twin Dilemma - I've got lost of favourite moments in this one, but for today it's going to be the bit near the end of part 2. Suddenly in an instant Colin is so perfectly the Doctor, when he improvises an escape from the imminent explosion. Specifically, just the way that he explains his plan to Peri - it's quick, because time is of the essence, but it's not rude or abrasive. It's just, to me, a very strong moment, when suddenly there's no bluff or OTT extravagance in this new Doctor - it's akin to the moment in TCI where, under attack from a Christmas tree, the Doctor suddenly awakes to save the day; here, with his friend and himself about to be blown up, he's all business, all genius, all Doctor.

Whether you like it... or not!

[Stuart Wallis]

Attack of The Cybermen

Even though it's slightly dragged out, Flast's revelation that she's dying, and that she doesn't care that much what happens to her as long as the Cybermen are done away with, is handled touchingly.

[Rob McCow]

Vengeance On Varos

The bit where the Governor says that Sil's malfunctioning translator is one of his few bits of amusement. It's a great character moment that shows he's still human and still has a sense of humour even if it is as warped as everyone else's. It also comments on aliens that have a funny way of talking.

[Antony Cox]

I've got lost

I think you have, Andrew, if you've come to this thread to post about The Twin Dilemma...

Mark of the Rani

I love the opening sequence in this story,; it's full of atmosphere from the music and camerawork, even though the eventual accents are a bit of a mixed bag!

Oh, and any scene with Luke in is a magic moment in itself, of course...

[Pip Madeley]

The Two Doctors

One of my favourite moments from this story was the scene where Troughton's Doctor argues with Dastari and Jamie watches on admiring his "diplomatic skills"

"Dastari, you have more letters after your name than anyone I know, enough for two alphabets. How is it that you can still be a stupid, incorrigable and thoroughly objectionable old idiot?!"

[SiHart]

Timelash
Well, OK, it's not good, but I do like the cliffhanger. This is possibly the one time that Paul Darrow's delivery is spot on. "Must people depart with a (pause) scream!"

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

Revelation of the Daleks

So many to choose from. But I'm going to go for Davros' wily manipulation of Tasembeka. He's done all sort of nasty things in the past, and now, here he is, manipulating a lonely woman! How low can you get?

"If someone had treated me, the way he has treated you, I would have killed them!" he states, after making her watch a recording of Jobel cuddling another woman. Almost without thinking she replies "Oh no, I couldn't do that..."
But then realises that this is exactly what Davros is intending.
"No......?"
Davros goes on to say how Jobel has turned down his offer of power and she is vengeful once again.
"He's a fool then, as well as being arrogant!"
Davros then makes the same offer to Tasembeka and, as a Dalek eyestalk swivels round in her face, she realises she has no choice.

It's just pure character - the villain is twisting the hurt of the poor woman to get her on side by showing her a video of her lovers infidelity - like some black soap opera, though everything, the music, the gentle words, the wide-eyed hatred of Tasembeka - is all so real, and not soap-like at all. It's fascinating stuff, and Davros is as icy-cold and devious as Tasembeka is helpless and doomed. That's why this story is so engaging and one of the series' best.

Si.

[Stuart Wallis]

Now how are we going to do TTOATL - as one whole story, or by dividing it up into sections, same as Target did?

[Andrew Curnow]

I'm sure across those fourteen episodes we can scrape together (at least) four magic moments, so I'm going to suggest we split it in the traditional (albeit WRONG) way!!

And therefore, I'm going to buck (no, buck) tradition again, and choose TWO from The Mysterious Planet (or parts 1-4):

First is a bit of a no-brainer, it's that moment in 1986 when DOCTOR WHO IS BACK!!!! That opening moment, the music, the effects shot, VERY exciting indeed!

As for my 'proper' moment, it's the scene with the Doctor and Peri in the tube station in part 1, as they begin to realise that the only possible explanation is that they are on a ruined Earth. Peri's naturally emotional, and the Doctor is at the same time both alien and yet very comforting: "You've been travelling with me long enough to know that none of this really matters - your Earth is safe" he says (or words to that effect); but then goes on so beautifully: "Planets come and go. Stars perish. Matter disperses, coalesces, forms into other patterns, other worlds. Nothing can be eternal"

The writing is lovely, it's a nice little 'character piece' without being an obvious 'ooh, let's put a little speech in here Bob' moment. And Colin is just absolutely perfect, a mellower, more easily-likeable, still brilliant sixth Doctor.

[shada pavlova]

For Mindwarp, I'm going to plump for two moments as well. Firstly, Colin's gurning at the end of part 3. (all right, seven. Happy?) It's just classic stuff, and for somebody watching for the first time, you really think that Peri's dead!

Secondly, the scene in part four (yes, FOUR! And I don't care what anyonme says!!!) with the Thoros-Betan receptionist, and the way he's like an eighties version of Griffin, the Chef. (That's right Curnow, I'm just as picky about commas as I am about hyphens!)

[Jason Thompson]

The best bit of Mindwarp for me is in the final part: after the chaos and distrotion and noise of Yrcanos bursting into the lab and blasting everything in sight when he reaises his future bride has been taken from him, the screen whites out, and in silence fades back to the court room, where the Doctor slowly stands, his eyes still fixed to the screen. Quietly, disbelivingly, he says: 'you... killed Peri.'

Colin's delivery of those three words is absolutely perfect, and never has his Doctor seemed so totally stunned and vulnerable. It's a wonderful moment, and if I'm in the right )or wrong) mood at the time can make me well up just a little.

Now if I can only think of one for Terror of the Vervoids.....