New Doctor Who Series

[shrunkenhead]

A lot of non-who fans don't realize how big an impact the show has been to some recent movies.

 

For instance, the "Matrix" was a complete rip-off from the the 1976 episode titled "Deadly Assassin". The Master had created the matrix (as titled in the show) to trap the Doctor in a web of illusions. The Doctor had to be connected into a machine in order to exist inside of the matrix. If he died in the matrix, he would die in real life. The matrix was made up of numbers and equations just like the movie.

 

Another film that took a lot of ideas from Doctor Who was the "Terminator". The whole idea of going back to the past to prevent the future, but winding up actually causing it was first introduced in the 1972 episode "Day of the Daleks". The daleks had invaded and taken over the earth in the 22nd century, and the future human rebels had stolen their time machine to travel back into the past to kill the person responsible for causing WWIII and making the earth an easy target for the daleks to invade. However, since the rebels had the wrong information, they wound up causing WWIII by killing most of the world leaders in the process. The Doctor called it a temporal paradox..

 

Just to nitpick...

 

Can't believe I'm about to defend the Matrix, as I'm not the hugest fan, but in all fairness those films owe much more to Baudrillard's book Simulations and Simulacra, and Hilary Putnam's "brain in a vat" philosophy than to Dr. Who. Not that there's no Dr. Who in there, but I wouldn't call it a primary source by any means.

 

 

And as far the Terminator, that one's lifted from an Outer Limits episode called "Solider", I believe. In other words, before 1972.

[shrunkenhead]

Erp, someone beat me to it, sorry to be redundant!

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

shrunkenhead:

 

Already covered the OUTER LIMITS part earlier in the thread, but good point about the book sources for MATRIX.

[skybolt]

A lot of non-who fans don't realize how big an impact the show has been to some recent movies.

 

For instance, the "Matrix" was a complete rip-off from the the 1976 episode titled "Deadly Assassin". The Master had created the matrix (as titled in the show) to trap the Doctor in a web of illusions. The Doctor had to be connected into a machine in order to exist inside of the matrix. If he died in the matrix, he would die in real life. The matrix was made up of numbers and equations just like the movie.

 

Another film that took a lot of ideas from Doctor Who was the "Terminator". The whole idea of going back to the past to prevent the future, but winding up actually causing it was first introduced in the 1972 episode "Day of the Daleks". The daleks had invaded and taken over the earth in the 22nd century, and the future human rebels had stolen their time machine to travel back into the past to kill the person responsible for causing WWIII and making the earth an easy target for the daleks to invade. However, since the rebels had the wrong information, they wound up causing WWIII by killing most of the world leaders in the process. The Doctor called it a temporal paradox..

 

Just to nitpick...

 

Can't believe I'm about to defend the Matrix, as I'm not the hugest fan, but in all fairness those films owe much more to Baudrillard's book Simulations and Simulacra, and Hilary Putnam's "brain in a vat" philosophy than to Dr. Who. Not that there's no Dr. Who in there, but I wouldn't call it a primary source by any means.

 

 

And as far the Terminator, that one's lifted from an Outer Limits episode called "Solider", I believe. In other words, before 1972.

 

Great info. I need to check out that "Solider" episode.

 

One question I've always wanted to ask. It seems like every sci-fi series (Star Trek, Doctor Who, etc.) I've seen has a race called Dracs or Draconians. What's the deal?

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

Just a nice sounding word? Implies a martial race, potentially threatening, although the WHO Draconians were actually a pretty benevolent race if you weren't on their bad side.

 

I also nominate them to return in the new show, they were a great bunch of aliens with makeup that was excellent even back then and would only need a tweak to bring them up to today's visual standards.

[skybolt]

Just a nice sounding word? Implies a martial race, potentially threatening, although the WHO Draconians were actually a pretty benevolent race if you weren't on their bad side.

 

I also nominate them to return in the new show, they were a great bunch of aliens with makeup that was excellent even back then and would only need a tweak to bring them up to today's visual standards.

 

Too bad Roger Delgado (original Master) died during filming of the Draconian "Frontier in Space" storyline, since the concluding "Planet of the Daleks" show was pretty lackluster. The Draconians were lost in the shuffle after that.

 

Returning villains should also feature: the Master, Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, Omega, and the Black Guardian.

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

Actually he had completed his work on that one just fine and died much later - during the airing of "The Green Death" I believe, which was the second story aired following "Frontier" - but before he was to ever take part in another story. Big loss.

 

The Daleks are already back in three episodes of the new series, and the Cybermen are a strongly rumored possibility.

[skybolt]

Actually he had completed his work on that one just fine and died much later - during the airing of "The Green Death" I believe, which was the second story aired following "Frontier" - but before he was to ever take part in another story. Big loss.

 

The Daleks are already back in three episodes of the new series, and the Cybermen are a strongly rumored possibility.

 

Arnold, if you ever teach a course about the history of Doctor Who, I'm right there.

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

Sorry, but you hit the one subject on which I'm guaranteed to geek out to the nth degree!

 

I've actually been contemplating suggesting a media studies course involving Doctor Who at the university where I teach the comic lit. course, but I just haven't had time to put something together yet. But I will, oh yes!

[skybolt]

By the way Arnold, what were your top 3 favorite episodes.

 

Growing up my favorites were:

 

Revenge of the Cybermen (not many people like that show).

Pyramids of Mars

Death to the Daleks

 

As far as the Doctors were concerned, the best to worst were:

 

4th, 3rd, 5th, 2nd, 6th, 1st, 8th, 7th. Even though the 8th Doctor was in only one below average movie, he was still better than Sylvetser McCoy and his RRRRRRRR's.

[Foolkiller]

I actually thought for an entire story series, the Key to Time was one of my absolute favorites.

 

Anthony Ainley (sp?) did a fine job as the Master later on...

[skybolt]

I actually thought for an entire story series, the Key to Time was one of my absolute favorites.

 

Anthony Ainley (sp?) did a fine job as the Master later on...

 

I agree.

[Aces]

The Daleks are already back in three episodes of the new series, and the Cybermen are a strongly rumored possibility.

 

 

Exterminate! Exterminate!

 

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

Tough one, as it changes from time to time but *a* top three might be:

 

Caves of Androzani

The Daemons

Robots of Death

 

My favorite Doctor is Peter Davison as the Fifth, with Jon Pertwee's Third as a very close second and sometimes flipping with Davison as first.

[Foolkiller]

I liked Peter Davison, but I never felt like I got a defining moment as him as the Doctor... it's been a while since I watched his episodes, perhaps I ought to go back and watch again.

[skybolt]

Tough one, as it changes from time to time but *a* top three might be:

 

Caves of Androzani

The Daemons

Robots of Death

 

My favorite Doctor is Peter Davison as the Fifth, with Jon Pertwee's Third as a very close second and sometimes flipping with Davison as first.

 

Oh no, don't get me started on "Robots of Death" and the Will Smith "I, Robot" movie. Talk about similar plots.

 

Interesting choice with the Daemons.

[skybolt]

I liked Peter Davison, but I never felt like I got a defining moment as him as the Doctor... it's been a while since I watched his episodes, perhaps I ought to go back and watch again.

 

I felt the same way. It was almost like he was afraid of Tegan or something. Jon and Tom played the role much more commandingly.

[Foolkiller]

Of course, maybe the producers wanted someone drastically different than Jon and Tom hence choosing Peter....

 

I never liked Tegan or Adric. Thought they were two of the worst assistants.

 

 

 

I liked Peter Davison, but I never felt like I got a defining moment as him as the Doctor... it's been a while since I watched his episodes, perhaps I ought to go back and watch again.

 

I felt the same way. It was almost like he was afraid of Tegan or something. Jon and Tom played the role much more commandingly.

[skybolt]

Of course, maybe the producers wanted someone drastically different than Jon and Tom hence choosing Peter....

 

I never liked Tegan or Adric. Thought they were two of the worst assistants.

 

Don't forget Turlough.

[shrunkenhead]

 

Caves of Androzani

The Daemons

Robots of Death

 

 

I liked the Daemons. I even remember reading the paperback novel of that one in the 6th grade. Wow, what a dork I was.