Six-part Classic Who serials . . .

[promethia_tenk]

whhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Comments

[elisi]

Alternative gif.

[promethia_tenk]

Kill me.

[elisi]

I take it Colony in Space proved that you jinxed things when declaring that you liked this season?

[promethia_tenk]

I told you it was a mistake.

No matter; it's over now. And I almost survived.

[elisi]

[promethia_tenk]

No, let me rot here. There's more of them coming up. If I expire I won't have to watch any more of them.

[elisi]

[promethia_tenk]

I thought of hunting that one down to use, but Hannibal waiting ominously with murder in his heart seemed to equally fit the mood.

[elisi]

Yes, Hannibal seemed more... suitable for your mood, I agree. (What I have gleaned from your comments, which are obviously only part of the story.)

[promethia_tenk]

I guess Colony from Space wasn't bad. I was enjoying it for at least three episodes, lots of meaty stuff about colonization and resource exploitation and unscrupulous companies, etc., etc., but *tears face* I have yet to see a six-parter that merited the running length. The most I can say for them is that some of them would make a really good and pacy four-parter rather than the usual slightly anemic and padded-out four-parter.

At least in the Tom Baker years they confined themselves to one six-parter a season. You could brace for it and recover again afterwords.

[elisi]

Found the perfect gif. :)

[promethia_tenk]

That episode's just the right metaphor for so many things.

I know Four had the longest run, but Three is five seasons. That's only a slightly smaller mountain. And it's made of bigger boulders, so to speak ; )

[elisi]

Yes, I was thinking that too... GOOD LUCK. Although you seem to be making good progress now.

[elisi]

You are a hell of a bird and no mistake! :D

[promethia_tenk]

[elisi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV77DRApxvk

[st_aurafina]

Ahahaha, oh dear.

[promethia_tenk]

At least I survived the seven-parters in season seven. But. This is what eternity feels like.

[maia]

This is why I've never gotten into Classic Who. I've tried, several times, but I always feel like I'm wading through molasses, and...yeah...

[elisi]

Depends where you start.

I decided to watch backwards (i.e. Seven, then Six, then Five, and now I'm about to start Four), so you acclimatise, and it works very well. Also, watching stuff in order (rather than 'THIS episode is great!) made a huge difference. I'd watched bits & pieces before and never took to it. But watching it unfold, seeing characters come along and grow and change, story lines unfold - that works. ♥

(Subliminal message: WATCH FIVE! You should definitely watch Five. I have a list and everything that I could send you of where to find the episodes online. Five is ♥ in every way possible and just LOOK at his itty bitty companions. *points to icon*)

[maia]

I decided to watch backwards (i.e. Seven, then Six, then Five, and now I'm about to start Four), so you acclimatise, and it works very well. Also, watching stuff in order (rather than 'THIS episode is great!) made a huge difference. I'd watched bits & pieces before and never took to it. But watching it unfold, seeing characters come along and grow and change, story lines unfold - that works. ♥

That's an interesting idea! Backwards and forwards at the same time...time travel!! ♥ ♥

[elisi]

And with every new (old) Doctor you lose a layer, it's fascinating.

[promethia_tenk]

I'm just gonna second everything elisi said. Seven is just much more modernly paced to begin with, and many of his stories are only three episodes long. It's definitely still an adjustment, so you have to be a bit patient, but once you've gotten through those seasons you're far more acclimated to the pacing and other allowances you need to make to watch old tv and it's easier to go farther back. Also Seven's episodes have a lot more of the meaty character stuff that you expect from the new show (mostly for the companion, rather than the Doctor, but it's good stuff), and a solid percentage of the stories have just really stellar trippy, poetic, ideas-packed things going on.

Picking and choosing random stories is the worst way to get into Classic Who, and I wish somebody'd told me to just pick and era and watch it in order years ago.

And Five is the best thing since Twelve, basically. It's less in-your-face, but if you want modern Who kinds of self-reflective psychological complexity in your Doctor, you want Five. I kinda went into Classic Who figuring that I'd very much enjoy watching the Classic Doctors, but not that they'd actually be, you know, ~interesting. But oh. I was wrong.

[maia]

Pick an era and watch it in order...sounds like I need to try that. Thank you, promethia_tenk!

[owlboy]

But you're finally watching them. I'm so proud of you. Gold star

[promethia_tenk]

YAY ME.

(Owls, what happens when I run out? It's going to happen in the foreseeable future. It's very scary.)

[owlboy]

Then there's the endless extended universe for you

[promethia_tenk]

I bought the first series of Gallifrey when it was on sale around Christmas.

I just watched The Time Monster last night. I know everybody hates it, but what a masterpiece. Complete love.

[masakochan]

Yeahhh. And then there's the 12 part First Doctor serial 'The Daleks' Master Plan'. x_X

[promethia_tenk]

*swears and crosses self*

I did make it through The War Games and felt quite proud of myself for that, but I've never heard anybody claim that The Daleks' Master Plan just wizzes by, completely belying its length.

[masakochan]

Yeah- it definitely doesn't go by quick. Though it is the one serial where one of the parts is complete nonsense + William Hartnell telling everyone "Merry Christmas!" And iirc- it's the one where Nicholas Courtney made his first appearance before playing the Brig.