The Highs and Lows of the 5th Doctor's Era

[The Thinker]

Now, the Fifth Doctor, like all others has had his high points, low points and points in between. For me Doctor number 5 was at his best in stories like 'The Caves of Androzani' whilst at the other end of the scale are stories like 'Time Flight'. Meanwhile going on the level plain such stories would have to be ones like 'Terminus' in my opinion.

Now, what about you?

[Eryx]

I think, with hindsight, the 5th Doctor's stories went up and down like yo-yo. Some were fantastic, others rather dire, with most being on middle ground.

[Dominic Smith]

I think Davison's era was very good on the whole, although there was the odd story which fell a bit flat, 'Time Flight' being the main example, although it might have worked a bit better had the budget not run out when it came to be made.

My personal favourite story would probably by 'The Caves of Androzani', such a wonderfully bleak tale and a fine end to Davison's Doctor.

[davisonera]

Highs
1. The Caves Of Androzani
2. Davison himself
3. The returns of the cybermen and the daleks, silurians and sea devils oh and the master
4. The Black Guardian Trilogy
5. Kinda and Snakedance
6. Castrovala
7. The two parters - Black Orchid,The Awakening
Lows
1. Time-Flight
2. Adric
3. John Nathan-Turner

[The Thinker]

'The Caves of Androzani', has to be the best regeneration story of the lot!

[Massimo]

No Davison adventure was ever broadcasted in Italy so I'm watching them in DVD, which means that it's still hard for me to make a ranking of the stories.
Regarding "The Caves of Androzani", I watched the DVD recently and I have to say that it left me a bit cold. The story seems a bad copy of Dune mixed up with the phantom of the opera. Well, every story with Peri is a good story by definition ;D so I don't want to criticize Caves but I prefer "The Parting of The Ways" as regeneration story and I've seen "The Tenth Planet" recon, which is a milestone in DW story so it's difficult to put it into the right perspective.

[The Thinker]

There's a nagging feeling in me that says that if Davison stayed on a little longer the show might not have ended so early. Just a feeling.

[Eryx]

johnlumicdavros said:

There's a nagging feeling in me that says that if Davison stayed on a little longer the show might not have ended so early. Just a feeling.

IMO, one of the problems with Dr Who has been that for the most part the actors playing the Doctor decide to do 2-3 seasons and then quit. These days shows run for 7 seasons a lot of the time (an American thing I guess) and the actors stay for all of that.

What makes Dr Who different that they want to go after just two years?

[jove]

Doctor Who is such a distinctive show, and such a distinctive character, that the actors are afraid of getting typecast. They don't want to be trapped the rest of their careers reliving their glory days as the Doctor at conventions. That was the first story I heard explaining Eccleston's early departure, though since then I've heard that wasn't true. Who knows, but it makes sense to me. They should find another old actor to play the Doctor, one who isn't worried about the future of his career.

[The Thinker]

Speaking of typecasting, Tom Baker played the role for 7 years and he has managed to avoid being typecast.

[Dominic Smith]

johnlumicdavros said:

Speaking of typecasting, Tom Baker played the role for 7 years and he has managed to avoid being typecast.

I wouldn't say that, he's the single actor most identified with the original series. Doctor Who is the one show for which he was most remembered until Little Britain came along in recent years.

[The Thinker]

Well actually, what I mean is Tom Baker has been able to find himself TV and film roles other that the Doctor after 1981 and so not find himself stuck as one particular character for the rest of his life.

[Dominic Smith]

Take a look at this website:

www.aggedor.com/

Some of the actors who have played the Doctor have had fuller careers than you might think

[Ice Warrior]

I was under the impression that Peter Davison was the most successful outside of DW.

Anyways, I don't care about the highlights and lowlights of the stories, I enjoy this Doctor for who he is... and probably because he centered around cricket!

Also I think that his opening story with all of the impressions of the previous Doctors was fantastic!

[The Thinker]

The only programme that I know Davison did after Doctor Who was the ITV show 'The Last Detective' in which he played the main character.