Dr. Who is outside

xpost Steve - no camera unfortunately

Apparently, it's being done for some local news thingy so there won't be any actual new episodes featuring me staring gormlessly from an office window as the Doctor regenerates into MOODY AND INTENSE C. Eccleston.

The 7th Doctor worked much, much better in books than he did on screen, and even then I think his stories would have been vastly improved with halfway decent editing (and a couple of them, like "Remembrance of the Daleks" and "Ghost Light", work despite this handicap).

The most underrated 7th Doctor story is "Paradise Towers". In the midst of all of the camp nonsense lurks a genuinely creepy story.

The 7th Doctor would have benefitted greatly from executive support rather than executive sabotage.

Behold the heretic!
http://www.current.org/cm/cm622mg.gif

I think Happiness Patrol was the Bertie Bassett one. Paradise Towers had some kind of swimming pool dwelling monster.

(many xposts)

I much prefer the same season's "Delta and the Bannermen"; a rather enjoyable romp through 50s cliches and with a solid plot. McCoy clearly starts to improve here. And Ken Dodd's cameo is actually pretty good and in keeping with the whole thing.

Maybe I need to watch them again then (although McCoy is the least represented in my 'off the telly' video collection). He always seemed to me to be the most cynical, and never appeared to be someone you could trust.

I should get some of the Virgin and BBC books, I guess.

On the other hand, a weekend trip to Blackpool is U&K now the Who exhibition is back there (not far from where I saw it as a kid in the 70s) following the demise of Longleat.

I see what you mean about #7 being better in books though. I'm reading Lungbarrow. It's enjoyable, and #7 Doctor is well-realised, but christ it's hard to sustain interest. All the political Gallifreyan nonsense. I don't give a pants about crappy bloody Time Lords talking shite in meeting rooms.

Troughton's still my fave, and I like McCoy a lot, despite his distinct non-acting.

Virgin 7th Doctor novels I recommend:

Nightshade
Transit
The Left-Handed Hummingbird
No Future
Falls The Shadow
Set Piece
Sanctuary
Human Nature
Head Games
The Also People
Just War
Sleepy
Christmas On A Rational Planet
Damaged Goods
So Vile A Sin

Thanks for the tips. I've not seen a Virgin book in like forever, but I'll print your list and keep my feelers out. Human Nature's free on BBCi so that'll be next I rekkin.

Recently I've been [furtively] picking up some BBC books. Currently reading Halflife and it's quite good. Crooked World is excellent too. Mark of Gaderene is next because I want to see what Mark Gatiss can do outside League of Gentlemen. Shalka is pointless but curiously entertaining.

Also _The Crooked World_!!!!!! Steve Lyons also rules (and he wrote _Head Games_). He explores similar themes in _Conundrum_, only from an alternate universe angle.

Link to free joy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/ebooks/

Ahhh. So nice to talk about Doctor Who books on a nongeek forum. All my friends give me weird looks and change the subject.

Meh. This time next year they'll be begging me for a lend.

can i do my TERRY WOTAN joke yet?

Author shout-outs:

Lawrence Miles
Dave Stone
Ben Aaronovitch
Jim Mortimore
David A. McIntee
Lance Parkin
Rebecca Levine
Daniel O'Mahoney
Simon Messingham
Jonathon Morris
Paul Cornell
Kate Orman
Steve Lyons

He gets the names of all his guests wrong. "And now, V Graham Norton."

Dan: Mark Morris any good? I found Deep Blue new for AU$4, which is a bit of a steal.

Speaking of incredibly grim graphic violence, check out Mick Lewis's BBC books, too (esp Rags).

Star Trek crossover? Urgh.

I didn't have a problem with the eighth Doctor, it's the crap movie built around him that sucked. And his dialogue. And his stupid half-human nonsense. And harrassing strangers about their future. And the wacky TARDIS interior. And the snogging. And the wig. And the Master. And the plot. And the credits.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/books/images/173/tomorrowwindows.jpg

Can't say more lest I spoil the book, innit.

I've just crossed the halfway mark, and I feel like taking tonight off just to finish it. Books rarely have that effect on me.

I found that one a bit disturbing.

Jonathon Morris is a complete and total star, Adam; have you read _Fesitval Of Death_ or _Anachrophobia_?

Ahahaha. As luck would have it, they're the other two Jonathan Morris books I have, and I've not read either. Having seen no Tom Baker at all since I was about 10, I can't remember what he's like at all, so I'm holding off on Festival of Death until our local telly network gets to him [reruns four nights a week; currently they're 1/3 through the Pertwee stuff].

I've not read Revolution Man, and after those sterling reviews I don't think I will now. :)

Timeless next. I've a real soft spot for Steve Cole's prose, even if his plots don't always deliver.

I've started rereading the Virgin books and it's kind of staggering (overall) how much more ENJOYABLE the first few (barring the completely horrifying _Timewyrm: Apocalypse_) are than the recent BBC 8DAs. COME BACK JOHN PEEL, ALL IS FORGIVEN etc etc.

Loving the Alien: Robots. Things go blam. Giant ants. 5/10
Ancestor Cell: blah blah Rassilon blah blah Castellan blah blah. Politicofanwank. 4/10
Legacy of Daleks: Shit. 2/10

I didn't LOL as much as I was expecting but I think that's because I've been very very tired this week.

The best part is, the range has since maintained that high standard. I'm officially hooked on these bloody books.

I have high hopes for Synthespians; Craig Hinton has long been on my "most underrated Who author" list (and I just started rereading his first NA, _The Dimension Riders_).

And the range just gets better from there. What a brilliant year. I can't wait for the final Eighth Doctor book, sounds incredible.