Taking sides: 1960s WHO vs 1970s WHO

who's next = concept alb the korrekt successor to j.pertwee (cover = band members peeing on a tardis)

won't get fooled again = "tom baker is ovverrated"

60s Who: All I really know are the existing stories from Hartnell's first season, "The Mind Robber", and "The War Games". I really like these stories a lot, particularly "The Mind Robber"; the scene with the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe spinning off into nothingness on a floating TARDIS console is staggering. I wish more Troughton stories existed, as it seems that they're fantastic. Ian and Barbara are two of the best companions ever in Who history and probably the best of the "signature companions" (although Sarah Jane and Tegan come very close).

70s Who: First off, Tom Baker was a genius. Ultra-hammy, yet absolutely perfect. He's one reason why the show thrived in the 70s. The other reason is Jon Pertwee. His fey, sarcastic Doctor with his love of gadgets and hand-to-hand combat was also excellent. Minuses have to be levelled against some of their companions, though; Jo was absolutely irritating 75 percent of the time, K9 became the ultimate cop-out, Romana II was about as thrilling as a soggy block of wood (only less emotive), and Adric had a promising start but dissolved into a petulant, steamy mess (as well as a fine patina on the Earth's crust, but that's unrelated). On the other hand, there were some truly inspired companion pairings in this era: Liz Shaw and 3rd; Sarah Jane and 3rd; Sarah Jane, Harry, and 4th; Romana I and 4th; Leela and 4th. It also helps that 4th Doc is so quotable. ("HARRY SULLIVAN IS AN IDIOT!")

80s Who: Davison's era is deeply, DEEPLY underrated. Only two stories from the three seasons don't work ("Time-Flight", "The King's Demons"), and one of them has one of the greatest endings in Who history ("I thought you were going with them." "....So did I.") Janet Fielding is so underrated it ISN'T FUNNY. She and Davison may not have gotten along on a personal level, but their characters were made for each other. Davison also boasted some of the best departures of the series (Tegan, Adric, and Nyssa all have good ones, while Turlough's is decent but anti-climactic). Colin Baker never had a chance, unfortunately; most of his stories are really very good (of special note are "Vengeance On Varos", "The Mysterious Planet", "The Two Doctors", and "Revelation Of The Daleks"), but his coat ruins them. Also, Melanie Bush was completely misconceived from the get-go. If she had been a little less shrill and a little less mainc, she'd have been great. Sylvester McCoy... let's just say there was a lot of potential in those stories. "Paradise Towers" could have been one of the greatest stories in Who history had the director been shot before he got onto the set. Many of the Ace stories are brimming with good ideas, but are plotted so murkily that they're difficult to follow and mixed so poorly with the background music blots out important dialogue, causing the impression that crucial revelations are pulled out of the Doctor's ass at opportune moments rather than as a carefully-orchestrated plot put into motion by the Doctor before the villian even knew he was there. Even stories that largely work ("The Greatest Show In The Galaxy", "Battlefield") are undermined by poor choices made by the actors/directors which deflate key scenes of their tension. Still, I can't be completely down on an era that has Kate O'Mara doing a really mean imitation of Melanie Bush.

The 90s and beyond: The Who franchise has metamorphosed into a successful book series, an audio play series, a comic strip series... it just keeps going on and on. I only follow the book series, and my main comment here is that all of the book companions are light-years better than the television companions. Grant, Bernice, Chris, Roz, Sam, Fitz and Anji all have benefitted from appearing as novels in characters, where more emphasis on developing them as interesting beings can be worked into the larger story. Also, some of the writers for the book series are flat-out incredible. (Names that come to mind immediately include Lawrence Miles, Dave Stone, Kate Orman, and Justin Richards, although are many, many more who are very good and none are complete hacks.) Wow, did I really type all that?

Just so you can place me on the map. Here's where i differ. Romana II easily better than Romana I. Basically 4th and Romana II = best combo evah! (City of Motherfucking Death!). Also vast majority of Colin B awful (especially Vengeance on Varos and The Two Doctors).

Don't think Davison is really under-rated is it? Often comes seconds to Tom B. Though some of the stories are the BEST (Cave of Androzani), some are good but hugely over-rated (the praise that Kinda gets baffles me).

I have time for McCoy, but he is often embarassing and some of the stories were dreadfully conceived and appallingly executed. I'm not into that whole post-TV virgin/bbc books canon thing. I know a lot of people that are though. (THat is an understatement.)

Have you ever seen EastEnders with Leela in? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahaha

Highest behind the sofa rating - The Yeti (Troughton) and The Sea Devils (Pertwee).

("Pertqwee"???)

http://www.themacplace.btinternet.co.uk/images/tvoffal/gaydalek.j pg

70's who rocks, naturally, but really the best stuff for me spans the seventies and eighties: the occasional patches of lucidity in Dalek and Time Lord/Gallifrey stories where we see hints of CONTINUITY! God I would love someone to work it all out. That would be ace.

70s WHO is a magnificent dippity doo-less beast, but it's no use denying that the best bit of 'Quadrophenia' is the short burst of 'The Kids Are Alright'. It sounds like a sudden gust of freedom.

'Behind Blue Eyes' is a major leap forward, I think. A case could be made for the 70s WHO being superior songwriters to the 60s WHO, but I can't be arsed.

Dr WHO is total bollocks.

Keith is currently appearing on the B&S website with his 1993 Bowie Top Ten.

I'm off to split-kick and windmill through "Bargain".

It was Keith's lifelong ambition to create a shortcut on his computer keyboard so he could type "The Who" complete with the arrow on the "o".

Can I sit on the fence here, please?

I mean, say 1965-71?

Apparently the rise and rise of LED ZEP led to The 70s WHO introducing a healthy does of BOMBAST.

I didn't mean to make Keith look mental, I just wanted to give credit where credit's due. There is plenty of 70s WHO without BOMBAST, like Blue Red and Grey and I'm One. Well, 'plenty' is a bit of an exaggeration, I suppose.

and plant wings where daltrey mings as all kno

I'm glad this thread is edging away from the telly series. You can stick your Tardis up your arse (but only if your arse is like a Tardis?).

I am not really interested in either if this is not true.

Lucinda Leicestershire?

I also heard they spelled it "Led" rather than "Lead" so people wouldn't pronounce it "leed" and think it was the zeppelin the other zeppelins follow.

Keith Watson, Noted early period Sinister contributor & renowned 70's Who lover

That site can't be found today: have you all overloaded it, or just embarassed the author?

Now, what was it we were supposed to be talking about?

And he has lovely hair, & beautiful dress sense.

I thought it was Sweden or somewhere like that.

Your plan is working, Peter :)

Who are you going to target next: Roddd or Chris Lynyrd?

In celebration of ten years of Peter and I talking shite about The Wh♂'s undisputed golden period, the '70s, I dug up this thread up. Here is a picture of John Entwistle dressed up as a skeleton.

http://www.thewho.org/photos/pdvd_000.jpg

I'm not sufficiently cognisant of the history of the World Health Organisation to offer an informed opinion.

I was going to make that joke. It was actually what I thought of.

I have been reading too many public health journals.

He looks much the same now! Xpost *3

What a great thread.

I have ordered a new WHO t-shirt, but it is 60s WHO. I have seen some quite good Live at Leeds t-shirts, which make you look as if you are dressed in plain brown paper.

lol at over-earnest me (and wow I still agree with all of that)

I can't believe you derailed this into a Doctor f***ing Who thread! Doctor Who is more like 60s Who.

Sinker and Dastoor made this into a Doctor Who thread before I got involved!

Oh, you may be right. I will haul them up about this the next time I see them.

Keith, you shoulld get this month's Record Collector, as it has a good feature about WHO rarities in it, compiled by the world's number one WHO collector.

I saw that, right enough, in HMV; however, it appeared to have a picture of 60s WHO on the front. Still, I think in looks/fashion terms, you have to come down on the side of dippity doo.

Pleanty of 70s, 80s and beyond WHO inside, Keith.

90s WHO? Nice.