Doctor Who: The Library of Carsus discussion
The Doctor's Infinite Library
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Random chat
Travis wrote: "Written by Nigel Planer...Neil from the Young Ones is writing for Big Finish?"Sure. Okay.
Travis wrote: "... Also a sad reminder that we've lost a lot of Who people, so there's a limited pool to draw from."True. But they’ve been doing these things for years, and it still amazing who they already have involved. That they’ve had William Russell (no relation) and Carole Ann Ford involved on many productions. And I’ve just recently listened to several with Jean Marsh recreating her character of Sara Kingdom from Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan which was tons of fun.
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "Written by Nigel Planer...Neil from the Young Ones is writing for Big Finish?"Sure. Okay."
That's like finding out the guy that played Joey on Friends wrote an episode of Star Trek.
Feels a bit surreal.
Travis wrote: "That's like finding out the guy that played Joey on Friends wrote an episode of Star Trek. Feels a bit surreal."Wait ... please tell me you’re just making that up.
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "That's like finding out the guy that played Joey on Friends wrote an episode of Star Trek. Feels a bit surreal."Wait ... please tell me you’re just making that up."
I am.
Just trying to think of an example of something on the level of Nigel Planer writing for Big Finish
Travis wrote: "I am. Just trying to think of an example of something on the level of Nigel Planer writing for Big Finish"Oh thank Loki, I feared I might have had to turn in my gold-pressed-latinum Star Trek Fan Certificate of Authenticity.
Macra Terror: that was really good. The colony has a low-level creepy vibe, like the Village in the Prisoner and the Macra are suitable scary and interesting.Lots of aliens got introduced in the Troughton era that should have been used more.
Animation does them more justice they what you see in the snippets of surviving live film.
only complaints was it could have used a fifth episode, the finale is very rushed.
and the writers seemed to have trouble writing for a crowded Tardis.
Once Jamie showed up, they didn't seem to know what to do with Ben and Polly is cute, but very damselly.
Part of the problem with the Troughton/Polly/Ben/Jamie team in that Jamie wasn’t intended to be a companion. In interviews they’ve stated that he was written as a single story character, but Troughton & Hines got along so well (they’d worked together before) and initial viewer reaction was overwhelmingly positive for Jamie, so they asked Hines if he’d like to join the regular cast. He agreed. They reshot the closing of The Highlanders, having Jamie jump aboard the TARDIS at the last second instead of just waving goodbye. Then they had to rewrite the next couple of arcs as Jamie wasn’t originally written in them. Which is why he’s in the infirmary for quite a bit of The Moonbase, and Ben & Polly lost some dialogue to Jamie in those stories as well. Also I’ve heard that one of reasons Troughton left the show was that he wife was sick of him cavorting all over the universe with “that boy” (meaning Hines). 🙀😹😹😹 I find THAT enormously hysterical.
Rick wrote: "Part of the problem with the Troughton/Polly/Ben/Jamie team in that Jamie wasn’t intended to be a companion. In interviews they’ve stated that he was written as a single story character, but Trough..."I know there was juggling going on and Anneke Wills (polly) was stirring up some drama, but I care more about what's on the screen and that needed work.
I get having two young guys it would be tricky to find a voice for each one, but two to three companions has been the norm for the shows history.
So, have we all seen the teaser for the new companion?And are you as annoyed as I am?
I’ve not seen it. Where is it? Does it give away spoilers for the New Years Special? Should I disappear until I’ve seen the Special?
Rick wrote: "I’ve not seen it. Where is it? Does it give away spoilers for the New Years Special? Should I disappear until I’ve seen the Special?"Technically, the teaser has no spoilers, but you have to have seen the end of the special to know why it's annoying.
So, you probably want to wait.
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And are you as annoyed as I am?"
While I did see the new companion ... I honestly don't know why you're annoyed. I thought he was Hugh Grant at first! That would've been rich irony.
Lori S. wrote: "While I did see the new companion ... I honestly don't know why you're annoyed. I thought he was Hugh Grant at first! That would've been rich irony."Hugh ... 😹 ... Grant ... 😹 ... 😳 ... 😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹
Lori S. wrote: "Travis wrote: "So, have we all seen the teaser for the new companion?And are you as annoyed as I am?"
While I did see the new companion ... I honestly don't know why you're annoyed. I thought he ..."
The only Doctor in new who history that isn't allowed to have just a girl from now, is the girl.
Not a good look.
It feels like somebody freaked over an all girl Tardis.
Now, I know nothing about the actor, he may be lovely, but everything thing we've seen is so damn boring.
If you had to rush and get a guy in there we couldn't get an alien, or historical or a tin dog...we get get generic, working class, good looking white guy from now.
Just a lot of layers of not great.
He may surprise me and win me over, but it's gonna be an uphill battle.
Travis wrote: "... He may surprise me and win me over, but it's gonna be an uphill battle."As long as they don’t make tRump a companion, I’m happy.
Rick wrote: "TRAVIS! Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League
🙀🙀🙀😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻"
In these dark times, every now and then, we are given a little spark of magic...
or to put it another way...
took them long enough. I've only been waiting 35 years!
Rick wrote: "I already put in my order. 😹😹😹"You're a bad influence on me.
I just pre-ordered it.
Now I just need to read the novelization of the first one. Where did I put that anyway? I only have two copies of it.
Have you read any of the Buckaroo comics from Moonstone?
Yes, most of them. I think a couple sneaked by me though.
The first mini 'Return of the screw" is brilliant.The rest are crazy hit or miss.
Moonstone did not have a great stable of artists, so they are good story ideas that looked a mess.
Rick wrote: "Have you read the film adaptation: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai across the Eighth Dimension?"Oh yeah. Love that book!
Love all the little footnotes, referring to 'past adventures'.
Travis wrote: "... Love all the little footnotes, referring to 'past adventures'."Oh, yeah, right, I think you mentioned that before.
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "... Love all the little footnotes, referring to 'past adventures'."Oh, yeah, right, I think you mentioned that before."
It is one of the prizes of my book collection, so I have probably bragged about it.
Also the proud owner of the marvel comic adaption.
Travis wrote: "It is one of the prizes of my book collection, so I have probably bragged about it.Also the proud owner of the marvel comic adaption."
Yep, got that too. I loved the movie from the first time I saw it in the theater. And I grabbed anything I could get my hands on. There was both a 2-issue miniseries adaptation and a Marvel Super Special magazine-sized version. I’ve got both versions stashed away somewhere.
At some Space: 1999 convention in the late 80s there was a group of us standing in a large hallway planning our afternoon, all of a sudden I heard the music from the end credit march/scroll and I looked around and there was a group of guys, one carrying a boom box playing the theme music. They were marching through the hallway just like the Hong Kong Cavaliers in the end credits, I just wanted to leave my friends and start marching with them. I was seriously just seconds away from doing so. It was like a siren song. Then I literally shook my head and the spell wore off. The marchers rounded a corner and the music faded. It was a glorious moment though.
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "It is one of the prizes of my book collection, so I have probably bragged about it.Also the proud owner of the marvel comic adaption."
Yep, got that too. I loved the movie from th..."
Had both, but the magazine version got trashed in one of my moves.
Still have the two issue mini.
Rick wrote: "At some Space: 1999 convention in the late 80s there was a group of us standing in a large hallway planning our afternoon, all of a sudden I heard the music from the end credit march/scroll and I l..."I miss going to cons. My wife and I had gotten back into attending when 2020 hit.
One of my favorites was a guy cosplaying as Jack Sparrow who had a pirate girl that followed him around the con, playing his theme tune on a violin.
Some more random: the Wanda Vision series on Disney + is crazy good!Don't know if there are any comics/MCU fans here, but it needs to be said.
So, BF has done spin offs on Gallifry and Kaldor.Where would people like to see them go next?
My wish list:
Peladon ( I will settle for the space federation set up in the Pertwee years)
The Sontarion/Rutan war ( this needs more love and attention)
the alien refugee street from 'Face the Raven"
Faceless ones: Wow, that was fun.Love seeing the first two Doctors in modern settings.
The chemistry between Troughton and Frasier Hines is so good, the airport was a great setting, liked the aliens (shame we never see them again), liked the tryout new girl, Sam and while I was sad to see Ben and Polly go, they had a sweet little leaving scene.
Just an all around solid, fun story.
Travis wrote: "Some more random: the Wanda Vision series on Disney + is crazy good!Don't know if there are any comics/MCU fans here, but it needs to be said."
I’m a fan. I haven’t seen the show yet though. Don’t have Disney+ ... yet.
Travis wrote: "My wish list:Peladon ( I will settle for the space federation set up in the Pertwee years)
The Sontarion/Rutan war ( this needs more love and attention)
the alien refugee street from 'Face the Raven" "
I like all three of those. Big Finish has returned to Peladon at least twice.
Doctor Who: The Prisoner of Peladon
Doctor Who: The Bride of Peladon
Prisoner was pretty good, I just got a copy of Bride.
Travis wrote: "Faceless ones: Wow, that was fun.Love seeing the first two Doctors in modern settings. ..."
Yep. I like that one too. 😻
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "Some more random: the Wanda Vision series on Disney + is crazy good!Don't know if there are any comics/MCU fans here, but it needs to be said."
I’m a fan. I haven’t seen the show ..."
I live with a Disney obsessed woman, so we had to have Disney+.
Great show.
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "My wish list:Peladon ( I will settle for the space federation set up in the Pertwee years)
The Sontarion/Rutan war ( this needs more love and attention)
the alien refugee street fr..."
That's cool.
Didn't know they did sequels
I was thinking more a Doctor-less spin off.
Rick wrote: "Travis wrote: "Faceless ones: Wow, that was fun.Love seeing the first two Doctors in modern settings. ..."
Yep. I like that one too. 😻"
Bummed the fanfic site that let me write Doctor Who went away, as I was going to do some Hartnell Doctor stories set in modern (for the show) times.
Travis wrote: "I live with a Disney obsessed woman, so we had to have Disney+. Great show."Yeah, I’m a Marvel Zombie, but I live alone. So no one to share the expenses with. And if truth be told, I need both Disney+ AND BBCAmerica
Travis wrote: "That's cool. Didn't know they did sequelsI was thinking more a Doctor-less spin off. "
They do all kinds of crazy stuff.
Space 1999: Breakaway
Space 1999 Volume 1
Breakaway was a pretty good updated adaptation of the first episode. I’m looking forward to the “Volume 1” next month (I think it’s next month).
My review of Breakaway 
Space 1999: Breakaway by Nicholas BriggsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
First off - I was, and still am actually, a HUGE fan of the original series from which this is updated and adapted. That said this was always going to be a tough sell for me. One of the aspects that I love so much about the original series is the dark nature of the show, it’s actually a science fiction series that has an almost obsession with the gothic. And that makes it a true oddity in the world of sci-fi. Gothic-science-fiction is a very unusual combination. And often a tough nut to wrap your head around. Second - the original series is not at all scientifically accurate. Not. At. All. Which really makes it more fantasy than sci-fi, but the lack of magic (at least obvious magic) again makes it a difficult series to categorize in a tidy little genre niche, actually almost impossible to do. So this new adaption? It’s different. By no means did Big Finish just try and remake the original opening story. Yes, it is an adaptation and it’s updated. So it’s quite different from the gothic-science-fantasy that it had been. The characters are also not slavishly translated. These are now not characters stuck in the 1970s perspective of what the year 2000 was expected to be like. And this actually left me with a bit of uncertainty on how to accept it. Being such a fan of the original, I’m really attached to the characters and those actor’s interpretations of the characters is such an important part of the series for me. This isn’t that Space: 1999 at all. So what had been a series about what if the future were to be like this, is now what might have happened if the space advances from the 1960s had continued at the same rate instead of stagnating under the reign of Ronald Reagan and austerity cuts and it actually ends up becoming a kind of alternate history thing. The end result is one that I didn’t love. It’s not my Space: 1999. That’s clear. But I did enjoy it. This new adaptation is limited as it doesn’t have the visuals, but it does make the characters work in more believable ways. And the pseudoscience works a lot better as it’s been updated as well. Oh yes! And the music! How could I forget, the original music by Barry Gray! This was a huge part of that original series. This new production uses a lot of the musical cues and reworks the theme music in really nice ways. The sound design is even more important now, in an audio production, so getting the sound right, which this does, is crucial. By no way is this a slavish adaptation, this is a new conceptualization that works in completely different ways. Here’s hoping that this does sell well, and that it can continue as a series, because that’s were the true strength is going to show that this new updated adaptation works.
View all my reviews
So, my Troughton run is done, for awhile, back to Tom Baker:Talons of Weng-Chiang: Aside from Tom taking the whole thing really seriously, this is a near perfect one.
Like the blend of historical and sci-fi, love the..."homages" to other victorian literary characters, the atmosphere and of course...Jago and Litefoot!
There's a reason BF gave these guys their own series.
Travis wrote: "Bummed the fanfic site that let me write Doctor Who went away, as I was going to do some Hartnell Doctor stories set in modern (for the show) times."😾
Travis wrote: "So, my Troughton run is done, for awhile, back to Tom Baker: Talons of Weng-Chiang: Aside from Tom taking the whole thing really seriously, this is a near perfect one. ..."Yeah, one of my favorites or Tom Baker’s years. I’ve just started to get into the Jago & Litefoot stuff at Big Finish. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve heard so far. These’s sooo many sets though. 😹😹😹 More to collect. 😼
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Doctor Who: The Library of Carsus
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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While I'm going forward with my massive rewatch, I'm still working to fill the gaps in Who history.
Missing about 8 stories from Hartnell and ten from Troughton.