Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast discussion
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Doctor Who
THE TWO DOCTORS
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Tony
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May 29, 2024 06:02PM
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Christopher Eccleston recently said that he wasn't keen on multi-Doctor stories because he found them "a bit of a cash-in, and a bit of exploitation." I kind of agree, up to a point. They should be an occasional treat, not standard fare.This story, when first broadcast, was too soon after the twentieth anniversary story "The Five Doctors", yet subsequently became more important after the death of Patrick Troughton. This was his last Doctor Who story so, in hindsight, I'm glad it was made.
It's easy to see that it's a Robert Holmes story. There's plenty of violence, and a strong message from the vegetarian Holmes. Much of the violence was muted on screen; understandable given the show's main target (sorry!) audience. It's not muted here though, in Holmes' only novelisation of a Doctor Who story.
This is, I think, the last time we have to endure the Season 6b nonsense, here apparently given credence because Patrick Troughton wouldn't wear a wig, nor would he allow his hair to be dyed, as he was appearing in another TV series at the time.
Thankfully, there is no hint of Season 6b in the book.
All the characters are recognisable and some, such as Shockeye, are improved. The Sontarans are improved by not seeing them at the tallest they'd ever been, and I was able to imagine them as they recently appeared in The Flux, the same as in this story, but considerably shorter.
There's one peculiar error that leaps out to me though. While Holmes gets the character of the second Doctor right, he seems to have dressed him as the first, complete with starched wing collar and string tie.
There may well be other flaws and errors. If there were, I didn't spot them. I was too busy enjoying the book.
