Old School Doctor Who Episodes Love Meme

[doyle]

I've run memes like this before for companions and for ships (and I'm trying to dig up links to those) and decided it might be fun to try one for all the episodes of old school Doctor Who. In the comments are threads for every story from An Unearthly Child to The TV Movie (actually, The Curse of Fatal Death, because I couldn't leave Lumley Doc out); reply to these comments with what you loved about the episode, whether it's favourite lines, moments, squee for the rubbish dinosaurs, character love, shippiness, screencap picspam, or just 'best episode ever'. No harshing others' squee, please - there are 160 serials linked, there must be some you loved... Loving on stories generally derided by fandom is positively encouraged.

For some help navigating, this wiki page has the serials in order.

If any have been missed, feel free to stick them on at the end - I've just realised The Myth Makers isn't there...

Comments

The Sontaran Experiment

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Sontaran Experiment

[sneakyangel.livejournal.com]

Old school Sontarans! I quite like the 2 parter episodes. Shame there wern't more.

Genesis of the Daleks

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Genesis of the Daleks

[alto2.livejournal.com]

Best dilemma for the Doctor EVER. I love Four for that moment at the end where he just can't bring himself to play God and wish Rusty had taken notes. It's also a great exploration of the things people can be convinced to do even when it goes against their better nature.

Revenge of the Cybermen

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Revenge of the Cybermen

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

Dude, that rockslide has the best old series incidental music. By a LOT. And Four being scary and using coercive methods of getting information, Harry taking the time in a crisis to insult Sarah's ankles and Sarah taking the time in a crisis to yell at him about it, the fact that this was one of my first Four's and that part near the beginning where after Sarah and Harry get his arm out of the door he leans against the doorway with this heavy-lidded expression and says "thank you" in an incredibly low voice and I realized how unbelievably hot Tom Baker is and had to pause to take the time to scream at people about it.

Terror of the Zygons

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Terror of the Zygons

[invaderwitch.livejournal.com]

Harry proves again what an awesome companion he was. His not going on with them in the end was unceremonious and sad.

Planet of Evil

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Planet of Evil

[usuallyhats]

The forest design looks very good, and Sarah being described as "the alien" is great.

Pyramids of Mars

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Pyramids of Mars

[alto2.livejournal.com]

This is one of the first stories I ever saw, and I was awake all night with that Sutekh mask planted in my imagination. Not sure which freaked me out more--Sutekh, or the mummies. And Sarah Jane gets to shoot a gun!

The Android Invasion

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Android Invasion

[velvetfascism.livejournal.com]

I've got to give Android Invasion some love. It's great. huggles it*

The Brain of Morbius

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Brain of Morbius

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

"You mean you still practice teleportation? How quaint! Now if you got yourself a decent forklift truck..."

The Seeds of Doom

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Seeds of Doom

[alto2.livejournal.com]

Harrison Chase gives me the creeps. And that composting machine gave me nightmares when I was a kid! If you look at it the right way, it's also an interesting commentary on the way we take care of the planet, since most of us ignore a lot of the vegetation we come into contact with.

The Masque of Mandragora

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Masque of Mandragora

[livii.livejournal.com]

While not my favourite, it did include the Doctor twice mounting a galloping horse quite brilliantly, an emphasis on science and reason and keeping one's mind open to outrageous possibilities, and Giuliano and his hilarious hair and, er, companionship with Marco (which even my husband picked up on, as it were).

The Hand of Fear

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Hand of Fear

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

"I liked her. Didn't like him." Sarah/girl!Eldrad OTP! Joss Whedon nicked her for Illyria.

And love Sarah's reaction to finding out she's not in the right street, or even in Croyden - "he blew it!" and walking away whistling.

The Deadly Assassin

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Deadly Assassin

[stunt-muppet.livejournal.com]

Four's Poet Shirt.

This story may not make much sense and its portrayal of Gallifrey is kind of out of line with The War Games/The Three Doctors, but the Poet Shirt makes everything better.

The Face of Evil

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Face of Evil

[alto2.livejournal.com]

One of my all-time favorite old!Who tales. It's one of the only times we truly see the effects of the Doctor's meddling, and it's only right that he should have to sort it out. Leela also rocks, as does the wya he insists that she use terms like "Computer control center" rather than "inner sanctum."

The Robots of Death

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Robots of Death

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

One of my favourites. D84, the hats of command, Dask's inexplicable Wolverine hair - everything dovetails beautifully.

The Talons of Weng Chiang

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Talons of Weng Chiang

[pinesandmaples]

I love the way Leela doesn't fit in this episode. Also the costumes were a happy time.

Horror of Fang Rock

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Horror of Fang Rock

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

100% bodycount FTW!

The Invisible Enemy

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Invisible Enemy

[pimpmytardis.livejournal.com]

Contact has been made. :D

Image of the Fendahl

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Image of the Fendahl

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

"Call London, tell Hartman we need a team down here..." Y HALO THAR, TORCHWOOD.

The Sun Makers

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Sun Makers

[alto2.livejournal.com]

Brilliant social commentary. Robert Holmes at his best.

Underworld

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: Underworld

[livii.livejournal.com]

Yes, it has interminably long scenes of people walking through incredibly dodgy CSO caves. But if you can look past that, it's actually quite good.

The Time Lords' mistake with Minyos is fascinating, the spaceship being the core of the planet is great, and then the "quest is the quest" (I got a sore chest from repeatedly banging it, hard, along with the Minyans because it was too fucking funny) was well done. It's an old plot, trying to save the future of a planet with race banks / people in stasis / miniaturized people / etc, etc but a good one, and the guest characters played well. And Leeeeeelllllla.

The Invasion of Time

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Invasion of Time

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

Borusa's never seemed as impressive as when he's sitting in the TARDIS bathroom sipping that drink,totally unconcerned by the Sontaran invasion.

The Ribos Operation

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Ribos Operation

[sneakyangel.livejournal.com]

ROMANA!!!!!! Mary Tamm, looking gorgeous as ever, putting the Doctor in his place. Love it!

The Pirate Planet

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Pirate Planet

[alto2.livejournal.com]

Douglas Adams + really iffy makeup and special effects = fabulous fun.

The Stones of Blood

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Stones of Blood

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

How can you not love an episode with effects as classic as this?

The Androids of Tara

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

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Re: The Androids of Tara

[sneakyangel.livejournal.com]

My favourite KTT story. Theres nothing I don't like about it, especially the Taran Wood Beast!

*waits for the return of the Taran Wood Beast*