Magic Moments

[Andrew Curnow]

Is the best moment in The Reign of Terror the appearance of Ronald Pickup as the Physician?

[Jason Thompson]

No, the physician is a very dull part.

The best moment is when the Doctor arranges Barbara's escape from the prison. After being reunited, the Doctor simply tells her to wait a few minutes, then just walk out of the prison. He then goes out, dressed as a regional officer of the provinces, and talks to the jailer, convincing the dimwit that letting her go and having her followed would lead them to her accomplices. Well, not exactly convincing him but actually leading him to have the idea himself. Since the jailer is not very clever he fails to realise no-one has arranged to actually have her followed, so Barbara comes out of the room and (probably with a rather bemused look, though we can't tell now) does indeed just walk right out of the front door of the prison!

It's a great example of the Doctor running rings around a less intelligent enemy, and it took over twenty years for this to be turned on its head in the scene from Dragonfire where the guard turns out to be very well versed in the field the Doctor was hoping to bamboozle him with.

[shada pavlova]

Thank God we got that out of the way.

My favourite bit of Planet of Giants is the cliffhanger at the end of part one. You know, the one with the cat. When Susan screams, I laugh. Every time.

[Andrew Curnow]

You certainly like your cliffhangers SP - and for Jason's Reign of Terror. Excellent choice.

DioE next anyone?

[shada pavlova]

Cliffhangers made doctor who great - you can't very well deny that, can you?

Well, cliffhangers and fascistic pepperpots. Now that was a stroke of genius.

[Andrew Curnow]

Well, Dalek Invasion of Earth has a great first cliffhanger containing a fascistic pepperpot...

...however, my Magic Moment from DioE follows just a few moments (or a whole week) later. Specifically, the confrontation between the Doctor and the Dalek which ends with the Dalek heading into camera with the grim declaration, "We are the masters of Earth.... we are the masters of Earth.... we are the masters of Earth."

Back in 1986 the BBC made a big thing of their 60th anniversary, with lots of archive shows and old clips, et al (at one stage there was a rumour they'd repeat the whole of The Chase, I believe). The 'riverfront' scene ("Conquer the Earth, you poor pathetic creatures, don't you realise...") was shown, and I found that shot of the Dalek totally compelling. Imagine 1964, and watching that - we get used to alien invasions now, but in 64 it must have been such a shocker.

So, magic moment, the Dalek on the riverbank having dared to defeat all living matter! "We are the masters of Earth....."

[Si Hunt]

I love the first scene of "The Rescue" where Ian and Barbara are creeping around the control room and the Doctor is asleep. It's unusual - we've never seen him alone in the TARDIS with them before - and this re-inforces how 'together alone' they both are out in space. It marks the scene where Hartnell's Doctor really softens, as he wakes up and scolds himself for sleeping through the landing. Later on, I love the way he wonders aloud to himself if he can convince Ian that he landed on Dido deliberately! It's the start of the Hartnell Doctor we all really love.

Si.

[SiHart]

Top moment of The Romans has to be the Doctor's wonderfully funny and unexpcted brawl with Ascaris the Assassin. Hartnell looks like he's having a whale of a time using whatever's to hand to get the better of the assassin, and when Vicki joins in, it just makes it a great little scene. Ever so memorable!

Si xx

[Stephen Morgan]

But what about the bit at the beginning of The Romans, where they are all relaxing in the villa, enjoying a little well earned rest from everything that they've gone through. Nothing is happening, Ian and Barbara are enjoying grapes and wine. There's a nice little scene where Ian and Barbara actually seem to be flirting with each other. The calm before the storm so to speak.

[Jason Thompson]

OK, The Web planet. Not an easy one to find good things to say about. It's generally rotten, with dodgy sets, plodding plot, awful costumes, terrible direction, etc. But in the middle of all this rubbish is a lovely little scene in the temple of light, in which Prapillus delivers a quite moving monologue about the Menoptra having no instinct for war, but how events, his imprisonment and the removal of his wings has taught him a new way of looking at things, and how they must trust Barbara, for she has never had wings and can teach them how to live without them.

[Stephen Morgan]

I know The Web Planet isn't a favourite here on PS, but for those of us who saw it at the time it was quite innovative, featuring as it did alien creatures and virtually no human cast. For this reason it has stuck in my mind for over forty years and whenever I see it it brings back so many many wonderful memories.

Moving on, my favourite bit in The Crusaders (surely one of the best dialogue driven Dr. Who stories ever) is the bit where Joanna has found out her brother's scheme to marry her off to Saladin's brother Saphadin in order to bring the war to an end, the argument she has with Richard is a truly evocative scene with both actors giving their all. Richard raises his hand to strike Joanna, she barely recoils, the argument continues, but with all the emotion going on you actually think he will strike her.
I love The Crusade, I think it's real edge of the seat stuff, wish there was more of it to be seen.

[Andrew Curnow]

I think that moment in The Web Planet was one of the clips on Did You See back in 1982 (after Earthshock had brought back the Cybermen) - "The Menoptra will be no more" and all that. At the time, me being 10, it looked like some old TV recording dredged up from the age of the dinosaurs**.

And that Crusade scene is very dramatic isn't it - I especially like the way Douglas Camfield 'follows' the action as the two royals march around the palace set. Very 'modern' I always think, bit like The Bill!!





**No offence Steve!!!

[Jason Thompson]

So has The Space Museum got everyone stumped then?

[Pip Madeley]

The Space Museum

I love the scene in which the Doctor hides in the Dalek casing - nice to see our hero having a little joke with himself.

[SiHart]

The best moment of The Chase isn't hard to chose, because most of it is so woeful. Almost by default it becomes the departure of Ian and Barbara- two of the finest ever companions going home together, and fortunately not burnt out cinders floating in Spain. I love the way Hartnell plays it- unable to say a fond goodbye, hiding behind his gruffness instead, and the whole montage when they actually get home is touching and lovely- just what they deserved. Stylish and different to any other departure this a great ending for the characters and the story.

Si xx

[Antony Cox]

Just going back to The Space Museum for a moment...

Although I don't have a copy of the story and haven't seen it for years, I do fondly remember the scene where he's being interrogated and he conjours up the picture of himself in a Victoria bathing costume!

[Stuart Wallis]

The Time Meddler

William Hartnell and Alethea Charlton's opening scene together - a lovely bit of acting.

[shada pavlova]

The bit in the TARDIS at the beginning was quite deep and meaningful, and gave us a nice insight into the First Doctor's tender, caring side.

IMHO, of course.

[shada pavlova]

And while I'm at it, I would also like to say that my favourite bit of Galaxy 4 is this bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A13tT0yhYzE

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

Just going back to The Space Museum for a moment...

Although I don't have a copy of the story and haven't seen it for years, I do fondly remember the scene where he's being interrogated and he conjours up the picture of himself in a Victoria bathing costume!

I think in that same scene the Doctor is asked how he got to the museum. In response he conjures up a picture of a penny farthing bicycle

[Stephen Morgan]

My original memory of The Space Museum is of a weirdly, surrealistic first episode which influenced my childhood games a lot. Sadly the rest of the story doesn't live up to it.

[SiHart]

Mission to the Unknown:

Got to be the scary possession and ulitmate change into a Varga Plant. It sounds scary on audio at least!

Si xx

[Stephen Morgan]

Mission to the Unknown:

Got to be the scary possession and ulitmate change into a Varga Plant. It sounds scary on audio at least!

Si xx

It certainly does. Episode twelve sounds just as creepy too with the constant howling and ticking of the Time Destructor as it winds down to certain death for Sara Kingdom.
It took DWM a few years back to remind me of the scenes of Sara's death, which were quite harrowing for me as a ten year old back then, and listening to the audio reminds me of how eerie it was.

Don't expect me to comment on The Massacre as I have very little memory of that one, apart from a conversation Steven was having with The Doctor about Hugenots, which I remember thinking was some kind of alien creature or race. I'm not sure I liked the historical stories at this time, after an epic Dalek story The Massacre would have been a disappointment, which is why I love Celestial Toymaker so much, and why the memory of that one is so vivid, but strangely recall nothing about The Ark before it.

[shada pavlova]

So I gather The Myth Makers doesn't count then?

[Stephen Morgan]

So I gather The Myth Makers doesn't count then?

Says who?