British Comedy Guide

Doctor Who... Page 463

Quote: Godot Taxis @ May 6 2010, 5:22 AM BST

Saward came to his senses just before the end. He fell out with JNT over theTrial scripts didn't he? I remember reading an interview where he said he went down into the BBC archives and watched some old tapes for the first time. He couldn't believe how much better stuff like Talons of Weng Chiang was. This was the time that Robert Holmes died. He'd got close to the writer and that capped it all for him.

Yes, the ailing Bob Holmes had written the outline for the final part of Trial and then died, so Saward was determined to honor his memory by not messing with the story, but JNT insisted on changing the ending, so Saward quit (if I recall correctly) and took away the script (wouldn't let the BBC use it), leaving JNT to recruit Pip and Jan Baker to hastily write the final episode. Trial wasn't too bad apart from Bonnie Langford, the Vervoids and carrot juice.

And yes, Terrance Dicks really should be commissioned to write a new episode.

Quote: Kenneth @ May 6 2010, 8:47 AM BST

And yes, Terrance Dicks really should be commissioned to write a new episode.

Definitely.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ May 6 2010, 5:22 AM BST

You forgot about me. Most of those shows are toilet.

They're brilliant. In my opinion, of course. But I wouldn't have expected you to say any different. :)

Quote: Kenneth @ May 5 2010, 11:12 PM BST

Eric Saward

Lives a couple of doors down from me.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 6 2010, 8:58 AM BST

Lives a couple of doors down from me.

Have you trundled over to his house then, asking him to sign your collection of Who DVDs and books on which he worked?

Quote: Kenneth @ May 6 2010, 9:37 AM BST

Have you trundled over to his house then, asking him to sign your collection of Who DVDs and books on which he worked?

Good lord no, I would never do that. I only know he's there because I've had my mail left there a few times, knocked on his door, and there he was. Bit of a surprise the first time I saw him.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 6 2010, 9:39 AM BST

Good lord no, I would never do that. I only know he's there because I've had my mail left there a few times, knocked on his door, and there he was. Bit of a surprise the first time I saw him.

Make sure you've got that off pat by the time the stalker hearing comes up in court.

Quote: chipolata @ May 6 2010, 9:40 AM BST

Make sure you've got that off pat by the time the stalker hearing comes up in court.

I'm not a stalker. I am wearing his skin right now though.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 6 2010, 9:39 AM BST

Good lord no, I would never do that.

You should. By all means chat first and become friends and buy him some drinks. But get him to sign your copies of his novelisations.

Quote: Kenneth @ May 6 2010, 9:50 AM BST

You should. By all means chat first and become friends and buy him some drinks.

We did have a chat about the size of my letterbox the other day. Fascinating, hey?

I am getting weary of climbing onto my chair and then perching precariously on a lower shelf to retrieve my Target novelisations of the Who stories from the second layer of the topmost shelf, but have just done so and can tell you that Eric Saward did the novelisations of Attack of the Cybermen and The Visitation. I'd be over to Eric's house in a shot to get them signed if he lived nearby.

Meh. A disappointing episode, saved mainly by William Hartnell's library card.

Next weeks looks good.

Quote: chipolata @ May 8 2010, 6:45 PM BST

Meh. A disappointing episode, saved mainly by William Hartnell's library card.

Yes, that was good.

More annoying stuff for people to tell me not to worry about. ;)

1. Why did the alien/vampire son die when the sunlight him him? He'd been walking around all day, hiding from the sun by putting his hand up. Did his hand stop that much light getting through. Stupid.

2. An 'Off switch' on the aliens' roof top gadget. Why?

I did enjoy a lines scattered throughout the show, but overall it was poor.

And yes, next week's looks good :)

EDIT

Oh, and 3. All the hissing became annoying, I was waiting for Louis Spence to pirouette into shot.

It wasn't good but some lines were funny. That is all.

Oh, I thought it was rather good. First episode aside, I probably liked it more than the other one episode stories so far this series. Quite amusing episode, lots of funny bits. I liked the addition of Rory too.

Yes, next weeks does look very interesting.

Quote: Nil Putters @ May 8 2010, 7:01 PM BST

2. An 'Off switch' on the aliens' roof top gadget. Why?

Well, most machines do have an on and off swith, don't they? Otherwise how would you start and stop them?

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