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Doctor Who, as it turns out, is perfect for an mp3 player like this. And with Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor) involved, this led to some great discoveries on my part that built off of the better work he did in the original series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, a warning: I know it’s tradition for Doctor Who reviews to assume that you’ve seen every episode, spoil literally everything about the original episodes, spoil the plots of the audio dramas, and make sure to specifically include the villains and how they’re defeated. This is objectively stupid and defeats the idea of actually experiencing something for yourself, so I think I’ll stick with recommending things and telling you why I like them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For those of you just turning in after the 60th<\/sup> Anniversary Specials, or the fantastic 15th<\/sup> Doctor premiere \u201cChurch on Ruby Road\u201d starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, check out this guide to the original series’<\/a> format, style, and some of the terms you might run in to if you’re talking with a Doctor Who fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything I’m recommending here is based much more on the storytelling of the original series. That means stories are divided to 4-6 half-hour episodes, have a deliberately slower pace, and tend towards a more psychological horror. And the audio dramas have a plus: no special effects budget to make a script unfilmable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tom Baker had a remarkable seven-year run, but as the production team changed over time, so did the series. So I want to run you through what material I actually like from the Fourth Doctor, so you have context for why I’m recommending these particular audio dramas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His earliest seasons (Seasons 12-15) had Robert Holmes as head writer, and every writer afterwards has been in his shadow ever since. His partner, producer Philip Hinchcliffe, was always pushing the boundaries of what could be done with special effects, costuming, and kid-friendly horror. They were an incredible team. It’s no stretch to say that he was the best writer the show ever had, with comparisons to his scripts being made today. Russel T. Davies, current Doctor Who showrunner and one of the giants of British television, had this to say about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take The Talons of Weng-Chiang\u2026 watch episode one. It’s the best dialogue ever written. It’s up there with Dennis Potter. By a man called Robert Holmes. When the history of television drama comes to be written, Robert won’t be remembered at all because he only wrote genre stuff. And that, I reckon, is a real tragedy.<\/p>\nRussel T. Davies<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n These seasons include the iconic companion Sarah Jane Smith, a journalist whose teasing, gentle humor led to a warm and friendly side to the often mercurial Doctor, sold these stories with a humanity that was never really replicated in the original series. She only makes an appearance in one story on this list, but she is wonderful and a perfect pairing with the Fourth Doctor. Her live action spinoff series from 2007 is excellent too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAn almost-not-quite review of the Fourth Docto<\/strong>r, sort of<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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