Favorite Episode - 5th Doctor

[librarylover]

If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only have one episode starring Peter Davison, which one would you choose, and why?

[clocketpatch]

This is hard, because, while Fivey is not my favourite Doctor, for various reasons, he has some of my most favourite episodes of the whole series (and also some of my least favourite, he's very hit or miss Fivey is).

I think it falls to a tie between Enlightenment and Kinda, both of which are rather surreal. Enlightenment might win for the Turlough content (I love it when he gets shouty at his crystal...)

*brain thought* *random inspiration*

If anyone has lots of Turlough clips lying around, I'm thinking a vid with him to this song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzdDcZpZWZc Seriously, this is like... his theme.

Er... we were talking about episodes right? Back on topic. I like the social commentary on colonialism done in Kinda, also, the one-liners are snappy. And apparently I just really like Who when it's being as cracky and bizarre and dream-sequencey as possible.

There's also Caves which is quite good, though poor Fivey gets put through the ringer. And the Visitation, which has that amusing highwayman, and, and... Yes, I like quite a few of them. The weird thing with Fivey is he'll go from sheer awesome to sheer bad very, very quickly without giving you time to prepare. Case in point: Frontios to Resurrection. Bad form Fivey, it's not cricket to spring that much fail on someone so soon after so much awesome.

[magnusgreel]

Castrovalva has Davison with more personality as the Doctor, all the Dr's personalities actually, a topsy turvy reality, the Zero Room, Five being carried around in a box, I don't know, just lots of interesting things.

[lynda]

This one would have to be Caves of Androzani. A really intense, frightening story where Five, who I'll admit to thinking is a bit bland, shows some real heroism, and you manage to forget that Peri's in it. Actually, Peri was pretty good with Five; it was Six that brought out the worst in her. And this story has some really good cliffhangers; people knew it was Five's last story, so they took advantage of this and made every cliffhanger seem like Five's last.

[Stripes]

The one where he was in Amsterdam.

[IMForeman]

Most of Five's tenure was pretty unappealing for me, but that said, there were a few good stories. Ones that've already been named for the most part - Caves of Androzani, Enlightenment, Kinda (although that story makes me feel a bit odd, like some weird dream I've had). I like Black Orchid, too. It's a nice change from all the Gray Corridor(s) of Science Fiction the show became so fond of.

Is it weird that I often prefer the commentary to the actual stories? This era's commentary with the cast are always hilarious. They're also endlessly cruel, which just makes it all the funnier. Janet Fielding tears the stories to shreds, when she's not commenting on her hair or clothing, Peter Davison tries to remain diplomatic and say something nice, but usually goes back to making fun of it, and Sarah Sutton and Matthew Waterhouse will sometimes throw in a pithy comment or two.

[clocketpatch]

I know. The funniness of the commentaries almost makes me want to buy some of the more regrettable stories just for the lulz. Their narration on Warriors of the Deep (as I've said many times before and will no doubt say many times again) had e just in stitches. EVERYONE on that commentary was all 'well, this sucks doesn't it' 'oh look, a wobbly set!' 'oh look, the Merka'

O.o

Apparently the Black Guardian trilogy is supposed to come out sometime this year (about time!) and I can't WAIT to hear the commentary on Enlightenment. Seriously, Tegan's creepy boyfriend, her random wig, Turlough bondage moment... O.o (that episode is just made of all different sorts of win)

[magnusgreel]

May 23, 2009 7:25:16 GMT IMForeman said:

It's a nice change from all the Gray Corridor(s) of Science Fiction the show became so fond of.

I could really use some running up and down the same grey metallic space ship corridor on new Who right about now... A nice looking control room or cockpit too, instead of a boiler room in space or something.

[jjpor]

Caves of Androzani is a cracker, actually; old Morgus doing his soliloquies straight to camera for one thing. It shouldn't work, but it does; you find yourself laughing with the scumbag rather than at him. And Sharaz Jek is like...I suppose you only really realise just how creepy he is in all sorts of different ways when you watch it as an adult, but some of it must have gotten through subconsciously, because I remember being petrified of him when I saw it as a kiddie. And he's the most sympathetic of the guest characters!

My favourite Five though, while not claiming it's the best by any stretch, is the Five Doctors, as some of you may have picked up from the way I seem to mention it all the time. It really does have a lot of flaws, but it's such good fun (mainly down to Troughton - again! - and Anthony Ainley in one of his three or four best performances as the Master) that you find yourself willing to forgive it a lot. And the Raston Warrior Robot, which needs to be seen to be disbelieved...

[magnusgreel]

Androzani has always puzzled me a bit, its popularity anyway. I should love it, it's Robert Holmes. The tone of it is very welcome. I enjoy grimness. Somehow I fail to connect much though. Jek is the Phantom of the Opera. I know DW reused such cultural icons very creatively, but I didn't see anything new being added to the Phantom here. Jek hates his enemy and is irrepressably creepy toward Peri. I know it must be an interesting character, but I don't see it yet.

[gondorgirl]

Since Five is one of the only Doctors I've seen all of the episodes for I can actually post on this thread

Resisting the urge to give you my commentary on every single episode I'll narrow down my list
Kinda - it seems to be a general consensus that this one was tons of fun, gotta love evil Tegan
Black Orchid - This one was just good fun, Cricket, Costume Parties and the Charleston
Enlightenment - The Doctor and pirates, you can't get much better than that
Frontios - I have a strange fondness for this one, Turlough really grew on me during Frontios despite his hyperventilating
Caves of Androzani - I'll admit that this one and Castrovalva were pretty great but they were also like the first ones I watched so I don't remember much of them.

Overall I'd have to say that Enlightenment was my favorite, Turlough is such an amusing character, Tegan didn't complain as much as usual () and the Doctor was awesome as always.