View Poll Results: Which do you prefer?

Voters
14. You may not vote on this poll
  • The Robots of Death

    7 50.00%
  • The Talons of Weng-Chiang

    7 50.00%
Results 1 to 19 of 19
  1. #1
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    Default Robots or Talons?

    The final two stories of Season 14 are absolute Titans amongst fans everywhere - both considered to be masterpieces, both regularly featuring in top 10s.

    So, denizens of Planet Skaro, I pose the question to you - do you prefer The Robots of Death or The Talons of Weng-Chiang?

    Remember that there'll be a thread dedicated to Talons coming up soon, so don't discuss it in too much detail here

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  2. #2
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    Easy choice. Both 10/10, but still an easy choice. Talons.

  3. #3
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    Both are excellent stories, among the best the series ever produced. But due to its brilliant Victorian atmosphere, Talons wins it for me.

  4. #4

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    Both 10 I agree. The two stories are the main reason people used to constantly go on about Tom Baker to Sylvester McCoy's late 80's face.

    But I'm going with Robots. Genesis, Pyramids, I like them, but this is ultimate Tom Baker Doctor Who. Talons was even remembered from original broadcast.
    But I was a child more interesting in playing with toys than watching the TV.

    I went with Robots in the end. Despite the massive costume faux pas that was pointed out about Robots in the poll thread.
    I had no idea what the poll result was by the time I clicked my vote.

  5. #5
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    I love them both, 10/10 stories but Talons gets my vote by the shear way of making a 6 parter not drag where as a 6 part Robots would have dragged badly.
    And I've always been a sucker for Victorian gloom & horror.

  6. #6
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    I voted Robots!

    As I said on the Talons thread, I found Talons, while undoubtedly very good, to be a disappointment - due to being SO hyped up before I saw it.

    Robots, on the other hand, I saw before exposure to online fandom. My father never saw it, either - thus, I absolutely loved it.

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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anthony Williams View Post
    I voted Robots!

    As I said on the Talons thread, I found Talons, while undoubtedly very good, to be a disappointment - due to being SO hyped up before I saw it.

    Robots, on the other hand, I saw before exposure to online fandom. My father never saw it, either - thus, I absolutely loved it.
    I saw both of them before exposure to online fandom (along with the rest of the original series!), so I can't use that as an argument! Neither of these stories were hyped up first time I saw them...

  8. #8
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    Both are classics, but Robots gets my vote. It shorted, so does not suffer from padding in parts, and just is such a beautifully plotted story, it's probably one of my favourites of all time.

  9. #9

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    I think Robots is making up for losing out to this draw from last year. http://www.planetskaro.org.uk/forums...ead.php?t=5512
    Robots Of Death would of won the World Cup.

    Are there any plans for an Olympic related Dr Who forum? Not one against two, but five or six random stories, both new and classic, great and bad, and just put them all up for one polling vote only. Whoever survives less than 2 eliminated, then another poll etc.
    You could have a poll of six random stories and then an evening poll based on the same with different stories.
    I've not explained it that well, have I?
    The World Cup was based on two different stories and was faultlessly done. (Apart from Robots Of Death losing out on penalties) But to symbolise the olympic event, the decatetelon I don't know, I don't watch the olympics.

    Wait! Bobsleigh events! Whenever there is a bobsleigh event on, same story there is a selection of randomly put togther, but the poll closes in 12 hours or less. Now if you thought Robots Of Death losing out like that was traumatic, imagine the horror of the olympic victories and defeats.

    But so? We all know the best Dr Who is Athletic.

  10. #10
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    Oh, do stop asking silly questions I couldn't possibly answer!

  11. #11

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    It's Talons for me as it's one of the greats of Doctor Who. Unfortunately, Robots I found to be quite dull on watching it some years back.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Terry Leptil View Post
    Unfortunately, Robots I found to be quite dull on watching it some years back.
    Heretic!

  13. #13
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    No swearing Wallis!!

  14. #14
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    "Robots" every time.

    I can recognise the worthiness of "Talons", largely because Hinchcliffe seems to have chucked a lot of money at it, rather selfishly lumbering his successor with balancing the books... and the dialogue is exquisite. The Doctor is practically a poet, and Tom is at the height of his powers. But, I don't know, it just fails to grab me. It all seems a bit inconsequential. There's the hunt for a cabinet, which for some reason Weng Chiang has never bothered to get back before, even though it's sitting in the house of a bloke down the road. Then a missing carpet bag. Then a disastrous monster and a battle in a laundry. And that's sort of it. It looks and feels gorgeous, but a few more twists and turns would have been nice.

    "Robots" on the other hand, is steeped in tension and atmosphere. The heartbeat music is among Dudley's best, and this story is a lesson for so, so many others. Namely, we get to KNOW the crew of the Sandminer. We know their names. How many other stories are crying out for a pack of characters like these to transfer in?

    The first scene in particular works the viewer like a puppet. In hindsight, every line is expertly crafted to hint at later events or explain something. It tells you so much, yet on first viewing appears to be empty chit-chat. For example "They're unbeatable commander!" (Dask thinks Robots are superior). The relentless, eyes-glowing robots are genuinely terrifying, and would have sent any child into a sleepless frenzy of nightmares. Best of all, the whole thing grows and culminates in a manic, exciting Part 4 with the devastating robots over-running the ship and hunting down the crew members one by one. Effortlessly ace.

    Si.

  15. #15
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    You're a cheeky scamp whose been at the Christmas port, Mr Hunt
    Bazinga !

  16. #16
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    And never offered up a drop!

  17. #17
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    Would Ebenezer Wallis?

  18. #18
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    Ebenezer's never wallised in his life! cheeky pup!

  19. #19
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    Can't vote, won't vote

    two of the greatest stories ever and followed by the first story of the next season

    This is the pinnicle of DW

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