A one off poll... The Tenth Planet vs The Moonbase

[Wayne]

Both incomplete stories coming to dvd this year, but which one are you looking forward to the most?
Or simply, Which one do you rate the most, and why?

(Not sure if I know exactly how to do a poll on here, so I hope this works)

[Wayne]

Moonbase for me.

Tenth Planet has bags of atmosphere, and I love the cloth-faced Cybermen, but it's a bit slow-going even for a 4-episode story. Basically the Cyber scenes are good, but there's some wooden acting amongst the humans.

Moonbase though has my favourite Cybs. I've always found them really chilling. Some people have issues with the voice, but for me it just adds to it. Really eerie. More effective than the slightly comical Tenth Planet voices.
These Cybermen almost float around.... almost like metal ghosts. And the story, whilst not the best ever, is better than TP I think.

[Si Hunt]

The Moonbase is a marginal improvement. I expect it's reputation will go up when the episodes come back, as the missing two are the best ones. The Cyber designs are much better and Troughton in lively form is, it has to be said even by a Hartnell devotee like me, better value than poor ailing old Hartnell who hardly does anything in The Tenth Planet. Let's face it, sadly Hartnell's swansong is a rushed bit of old tosh with annoying, blustering Robert Beattie. Moonbase has better monsters, a lunar sequence, Ben, Polly and a far more refreshing air, even if it is a bit hackneyed.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

annoying, blustering Robert Beattie

Oh, General Cutter and his son are an absolute pain, aren't they? I think the Cybermen were more right than they knew when they said 'You do not care for them!'

Si makes a lot of good points. Both stories have dodgy science, but the Moonbase is closer to being vaguely believable. In fact, it scores on several fronts. The defeat of the Cybermen is far more satisfying; there's a character called 'Bob' who has NHS Specs; there are funky bee-hive hats; there's that fabulous scene in the med-bay where they work out where the Cybermen are hiding.

What's more the iconic Moonbase redesign would last for generations in various different forms. The latest 'Nightmare In Silver' Cybermen are closer to the original Moonbase style than their predecessors, so they must have got it right.

[Larry]

The Moonbase is a marginal improvement. I expect it's reputation will go up when the episodes come back, as the missing two are the best ones.

Si.

Sadly it's the same for The Tenth Planet, with it's missing episode being the best . `My vote goes to The Moonbase, from what I've seen of it's 2 missing episodes there seems to be a lot more action going on.. The Tenth Planet, [along with The Daleks] was a game changer for Doctor Who having said that take the Cybermen and regeneration out and The Tenth Planet is a pretty dull story.

[Nyder]

I have very rose-tinted specs when it comes to The Moonbase because it was the first Target book I ever read (I'm going to re-read and do the audio soon!). However from what I've seen of TP I'm happy to keep those specs firmly wedged on :-)

[Terry Leptil]

I've gone for The Tenth Planet as it's an iconic story in Doctor Who's history (first Cybermen and regeneration) and the closest we've got to a complete story from Season 4.

[Stuart Wallis]

Aren't they the same story though? Do you see what Wayne's done here?;p

I have very rose-tinted specs when it comes to The Moonbase because it was the first Target book I ever read

Same here, so I'm voting for Moonbase.

[Andrew Curnow]

Me too I'm afraid. Although I also have fond memories of the day I was given an extra 10p (or whatever it was) so that I could get the books of both Tomb AND Tenth Planet, 'Doctor Who and the Cybermen' was an even earlier read, and I have a feeling it's the only Target I had/have with the 'original' (ie, pre-diamond) logo.

As for the story, I have a feeling I've only seen The Tenth Planet once, and that about 20 years ago, but it didn't leave much of an impression. As a story, definitely, the Moonbase is the better and gets my vote.

If we were voting for the best Cybermen, mind you, it would be a different story...

[Jeff]

Tenth Planet is perhaps more important because of the regeneration, but it is a bit boring. Moonbase is simply more entertaining.

[SiHart]

They are both very silly stories. It's just that The Moonbase is far more fun than The Tenth Planet. I don't know what it is, but most of the stories directed by Derek Martinus, despite being rather stylish and slick feel rather cold and detached.