Sunday Roast: The Story of Doctor Who

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Time to bore you with my Doctor Who obsession — again.  🙂  I found this 2003 documentary, and I thought you might enjoy the old cheese factor of the earlier shows, as well as interesting details about regeneration and the evolution of the various bad guys.

Enjoy!

Part 1 of 6 (each about 10 minutes long)

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4 — Tom Baker!

Part 5

Part 6

134 thoughts on “Sunday Roast: The Story of Doctor Who”

  1. Formula One at night! History is being made as the F1 series runs after dark for the first time ever. The race is starting at about 7am, central time, but in Singapore, it’s Sunday night. Normally I have to stay up late, but being a night race puts it at the usual starting time for the European races.

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  2. Having not watched any Doctor Who since the early 70’s, I have become a big fan again with the newest Doctor Who. I’ve downloaded the first 5 seasons of the new series, and am halfway threw the first season.

    I know Who fans have their favorite Doctor, but would be interested in what hardcore fans think of the new doctors and series.

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  4. That list could be refined: bounty hunter should be generalized to hired thug, and something needs to be said about the warlords who would be doing the hiring.

    Haiti: Libertarian paradise of the Western hemisphere.

    Somalia: Libertarian paradise of the Eastern hemisphere.

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  5. David Axelrod is the first guest on This Week, with McChinless to follow (I just rewound the DVR). First question is about the end of the settlement moratorium in Israel. Halfshaft dodges the question, so Amanpour switches to the recession. Now he can’t clear his throat so his voice is rough and it’s a distraction, which prevents me from focusing on his answers. He does take a swipe at the Repub’s Pledge, saying it would cut education by 20%, and that “education is the defense budget, the economic defense budget of the 21st century”, and the Repubs want disarmament. It’s a prescription for economic surrender. Now that he’s leaving, he starts to fight the war of words!

    Amanpour brings up Patraeus’ ‘spin doctor’ comment about Axelrod, and he responds that he felt the General meant it as a compliment!

    Granny McChinless says to get the economy going, you have to, first, not spend money to keep teachers and policemen on the job, and second, you have to get the economy going! And if you increase taxes, the recession will go on forever! Amanpour asks him what programs would he trim, and he passes the buck to the catfood commission!

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    • I’m guessing Granny McChinless is Mitch McConnell…?

      I guess if you say anything with enough authority in your voice, the truly vapid and clueless will buy it.

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  6. Granny McChinless says to get the economy going, you have to, first, not spend money to keep teachers and policemen on the job, and second, you have to get the economy going! And if you increase taxes, the recession will go on forever! Amanpour asks him what programs would he trim, and he passes the buck to the catfood commission!

    McChinless doesn’t have to worry about Social Security because he probably doesn’t qualify. He will get a Government pension and he married well. So far, Cindy is willing to share her millions with this misogynist.

    And a big Happy Day to everyone.

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  7. Oh, I got the McChinless wrong. I was thinking McCain because he never misses a chance to be on Sunday talk shows. McConnell is a better fit to the visual profile. Anyway, my comment stands because McCain lost his Maverickiness and walks lock step with McConnell.

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  8. The Roundtable – George Will, Donna Brazile, Ron Brownstein of the National Journal and Matthew Dowd, former Bushie.

    George ‘First Question’ Will says the reason the new Pledge to Pillage sounds like old Republican ideas is because “Republicans are acting like Republicans”! (So that would be to say one thing, and then do something else, if they were to be back in charge again.)

    Dowd says the only person who read the Pledge is the one who wrote it, and maybe the one who printed it! It’s not going to have any effect on the election. The country does not trust either party to control spending, he says. Spending went up under Bush, and more with Obama. (Of course, for Obama to have reduced spending would have made the economy worse, but that isn’t what Dowd wants to highlight here.)

    At the end, George Will says the Bob Woodward book, Obama’s Wars, distracted attention from the fact, that a corrupt government elected by a corrupt election, presided over another corrupt election, in Afghanistan. (Wow, sounds like the US around 2000!)

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    • Thanks, House.

      So, in a nutshell, both parties are bad and we can’t trust them, but we already knew that about the Republicans, so this looks really bad for the Democrats.

      BTW, does the Idiot Will have some evidence that the 2000 election was corrupt?

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  9. I started with the Doctor with Jon Pertwee, the Dandy Dr. and my favorite, Tom Baker. I’ve recently started up with the new series and love it.

    The one thing I miss from the older programs is the cheesiness. Modern special effects make it more real but for me half the fun of the Doctor was the obviousness of the villains being people in funny suits.

    Still, I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the new series. Series 5 is in my Netflix queue and I still have a number of episodes left with the 9th Dr.

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    • My favorite episodes with the 9th Doctor are “Father’s Day” and “Boom Town.”

      The episodes I love best with the 10th Doctor & Rose are “New Earth” and the two-parter “The Impossible Planet” & “Satan’s Pit” (even though Billie looked like shit in the 2-parter).

      My favorites with the 10th Doctor and Donna Noble are “Planet of the Ood” and “Turn Left.”

      With the current Doctor and Amy, my favorites are “Amy’s Choice” and “Vincent and the Doctor.”

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  10. The ‘Idiot Will’ was talking about Afghanistan, Zooey. I made the reference to the US, because that’s what it sounded like he meant until he said the last word.

    I may have to give up on Face the Nation, it’s all teabagger, for as Nicole Belle said at C&L, (and I called her out on it) the ‘whole hour’ (it’s only a thirty minute show).

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  12. It was interesting to hear what the purpose of the Dr’s companion was originally and what it evolved into. The new series brings this out better than the old did. I’ve come to see the companion as not just the source of the questions the audience wants answered but in most instances as a humanity anchor for the Doctor.

    (I especially liked the clip in this show where Tom Baker scares the crap out of his companion with his spooky ‘I control the Key of Time bit. Hilarious)

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  13. From Face the Nation (yeah, I watched it anyway)

    Boy Rubio has really done a 180 on Social Security, since he realized Florida operates on it! He just said his mom, who is 79, would be having a hard and difficult life, without it. I guess that’s because he is so deep in debt between his two houses and his law school student loans, that he couldn’t help her. There should be a lesson there to learn, but he misses it.
    Rubio’s 3 wishes for Social Security:
    (1) No benefit reductions or changes for current retirees or those close to retiring
    (2) Wants Social Security to be around when he and his children’s generation retires
    (3)Wants to ensure that the longterm problems in Social Security don’t bankrupt the country

    Rubio includes people up to twelve years from retiring in (1), but says people his age, 39, would have time to realign their finances soon enough. (I thought he said he wanted it to be around for his children?)

    Rubio says Arizona has a tenth amendment right to usurp Federal Authority on immigration. If the Federal Govt. had been doing the job, there never would have been an Arizona law.
    Didn’t Lindsey Graham bail on immigration reform because of energy reform? So when it comes to solving the problem, who’s really in the way?

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  14. For me, the most puzzling thing about the whole Social Security complaint from the Right is what they bitch about is pretty much what we have. The retirement investment industry exists and people who can afford it can use it. And do.

    They are just whining because there is a huge chunk of cash that goes into the insurance aspect of it that they can’t get their greedy mitts on every day. And that it has managed to do a good job despite repeated raids on the cookie jar.

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      • My question to teabagger-types regarding the abolishment of Social Security — which always goes unanswered — is what would they like to see happen to all the people who are, and will always be, dependent on Social Security? With no social safety net, what is their alternative?

        *crickets*

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  16. 2ebb was moving to her new place, and said she would be without a computer for a while. I expect if she can get something to run and an internet connection, she’ll be back on.

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  17. Zooey, is there someplace online to watch Season 5 of the Doctor? The kid is getting antsy. The DVD is queued but you know how impatient kids are.

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  18. I’m such a geek. I just ordered a sonic screwdriver purely for the giggle factor of using it when I go out to fix a machine. Should be interesting to see if anyone recognizes it.

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  22. I can’t stand Doctor Who. My revulsion stems from the early 80’s when my husband was obsessed with this show and spent hours contructing a miniatue tardis (sp?) instead of working on the house we were building.

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  23. Sorry to hear that, Outstanding. Back then my wife had a similar problem with me only I wanted to build a full size Tardis. Looking back, if I had done it, I would still have my Tardis. (I don’t think she would have asked for it in the divorce)

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  24. My husband still has me, we sold the house, and the tardis went up in smoke when he accidentally burned down his workplace. Husband’s current obcession is to store every movie and TV show known to man on hard drives in the basement. I love him anyway.

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  26. On Social Security: The thing I had against it all the years I paid into it was that the RepublicaiNos kept saying that when I retired, there would be nothing left and I’d get nothing. Now that I’m retired and enjoying the fact that my SS ‘due’ is deposited in my account on the fourth Wednesday of every month, rain or shine, I’m liking it. A lot.

    But I don’t like RepublicaiNos much anymore.

    Don’t know why that is.

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  27. Just had a random thought. Wouldn’t it be interesting if Discovery or the Hysteria Channel did a pair of programs along the lines of ‘The World without Humans’ only do a nonpartisan ‘The US Without Republicans’ & ‘The US Without Democrats’? Flip a coin to decide which airs first.

    More appropriate naming would be Conservatives and Liberals.

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  28. Can I just say as somebody who has never watched even one episode of Dr. Who I am feeling left out. …sniff, sniff… OK, if nobody wants to play with me anymore I’ll understand. waaaaaahhhhhhhh

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  31. S’ok Shayne. One thing about areas of interest is one can either join in or smile tolerantly. I sometimes just scratch my head about House’s love of racing but then just think, I’m glad he has a hobby he loves. I don’t really understand it but I can enjoy his enthusiasm.

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  32. “With no social safety net, what is their alternative?”

    The 2nd Amendment Solution.

    hey, that would make a good movie title….

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  40. I had never heard of Dr. Who till I wandered into the zoo. Haven’t had TV for six or seven years (haven’t missed it, either) so I’m not up on any of the current shows, including even Dancing with the Stars, or Are you smarter than a fifth grader. Scintillation in my life has been redirected, i.o.w.

    Never was much for science fiction, either. Not since 1953 when I had to run home from the theater after having watched The Day the Earth Stood Still. Klatuu Borada Nicto, I mumbled as I ran past the park.

    Then there was Alien, of course. Sigourney Weaver looked far more decent in her undies than the monster looked naked, but nothing new there. That was the last sci-fi I saw, far as I can recall. ‘Cept for the Maher thing with O’Donnell on evolution. That was pretty good.

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  43. frugal, I think you would probably like the Doctor. Particularly the early shows.

    As to the italics, I have tried reversing the polarity of the neutron flow but it had no effect.

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  57. Can I be in the other group too? As I mentioned earlier, I hate Dr. Who. Seriously though, it’s good that folk are different. My son was quite amused today by the fact that people eat hotdogs with different condiments. He always phrases everything as a question that either begins “What would happen if?” or “How would you feel if?”. Today it was “What would happen if I put mustard on my hotdog?” I assured him it would be ok. We all like different things.

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  59. “I put spicey brown mustard on my veggie burger”

    Elitist!

    (said with a smile, I can’t make the smiley face things)

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  60. Outstanding, so glad that you can join Shayne and I in the “other group”. Your son has an inquisitive mind. Sometimes the best way to phrase something is in the form of a question, such as, “Does Rush Limbaugh really prefer young boys?”

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  62. Well Cats, my son doesn’t know anything about sex, or Rush, but if he saw a picture of the man I would imagine he would ask “How would you fell if Rush tried to mate with the big pigs?”.

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    • It’s ignorant, Shayne. No wonder you don’t get it. 😆

      I guess the new SyFy is trying to appeal to a wider audience than just SciFi geeks. They could just change the name…but no….

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    • Shayne, I was at my friend’s house and she had SyFy on, cuz likes those horrible movies they make. I noticed the difference in spelling and had to look it up when I got home.

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  73. No, no: for once I don’t feel culturally illiterate, because I do watch, and am a fan (but others don’t, so I feel superior now.)

    The genre is Scifi, the channel is SyFy. I guess the decided five letters was too complicated. And yeah, whatever …

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  75. The channel pays for its good series with the revenues from its cheesy movies. I occasionally stare at one when I’m visiting friends with cable. I seldom make it all the way through because I can frankly only take so much.

    But Battlestar Galactica, the Stargates, tell some pretty good stories.

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  78. Dr. Parkinson declared:
    “I’m not surprised to see you here,
    you’ve got smokers cough from smoking
    Brewers Droop from drinking beer…
    I don’t know how you came to get those….
    …Betty Davis… knees….
    but worst of all young man
    you’ve got Industrial Disease!”

    He wrote me a prescription,
    he said: “You are depressed…
    I’m glad you came to see me,
    to get this off your chest..
    Come back and see me later,
    next patient please…
    send in another victim of Industrial Disease!”

    Mark Knopfler
    “Industrial Disease”

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  79. Hello Raven, I don’t think we’ve ever met here before. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that you are the Raven that MrPee or one of his sock puppets at TP has asked me if I am.

    You know he’s crazy because I keep telling him I’m a (handsome) dragonfly.

    I’m wondering if you like Poe?

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  80. Greetings noble dragonfly… well met!
    I’m known as noseeum at Think Progress.

    If Pee and or another of his ilk even pay me any heed I’d be surprised.

    I like Poe well enough, my moniker here reflects my penchant for observation and mischief and a respect for the cultures of the First Americans.

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  83. Just thought I’d stop in and disgust everyone with my favorite hot dog fixin’s: chili, dill pickles, and cole slaw. Seriously, try it.

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  84. Nothing wrong with that, Outstanding.
    Tonight’s fare for me was tamales sans sauce and a summer squash.
    Good night all, I’ll be out in the field for a couple of days.

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  85. Baked chicken breast (boneless, skinless, coated with French’s crispy onion rings (crushed) a couple tsp of flour, and generous helpings of fresh ground pepper, rosemary, sage and cayenne),

    and spinach cooked with a diced poblano pepper, cooked in some EV olive oil, seasoned with crushed red peppers and something called “Canadian Chicken” seasonings.

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  88. I know Who fans have their favorite Doctor, but would be interested in what hardcore fans think of the new doctors and series.

    I like the Classic Doctor Who series, but I also enjoy the 9th and 10th Doctors, as well. My favorites are Tom Baker and David Tennant, to be honest.

    Not really impressed with Matt Smith, at this point, though. Maybe after another series I’ll warm up to him. Took me a bit to warm up to David Tennant, too.

    Thanks for posting this. I hadn’t seen it before.

    Regards,
    Doctor Goon

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