android invasion?

[phileverest]

Hello.

Been busy of late, but I did watch the '75 story 'The Android Invasion' on video recently.
Lis and Tom were in fine form with real chemistry  and banter that made me smile.
Compared to drought ridden Australia, the lush greenery of the Oxfordshire countryside was soothing as well.
A story well liked as a lad.

I hear the Doctor Who Restoration crowd claim that they'll get all the classic stories out on dvd in the next 4 years?.
I think the Android Invasion would make a good dvd release, but I see the schedule for this year is already determined.
Perhaps next year then.

Does anyone know anything about the prospects for this story or any others with Lis in in in the medium future?.
I hear some commentaries may have been done with Lis stories but these things take time .
Finally the new 4th series  of Dr who is now aired here in Australia.
Its being well received compared to the rot usually served up on the telly here (especially by the commercial stations).
The Ood story is on this coming Sunday night.

See you in Devesham.........

Phil

[Stardoe]

I too hope all the Sarah stories come out on DVD. I hear Brain of Morbius is next which really pleases me. I just watched the end of the Ood story tonight on ABC and was pleased to see that we are finally getting the Confidentials, al beit cut down. I have seen all the latest series of DW and watched the Confidential of the last 2 eps. The finale. Really cool. I am glad that SJS is having a revivial and when you see the finale you will see that Sarah does play a pivotal part more as a kind of Doctor, rather than a companion. Go Sarah!!!!! I do not watch DW each Sunday as I have them all on DVD already ..........thanks to modern technology, but I'm glad I caught tonight's Oood one as that is quite pivotal in the whole series prophecy concept.

I love the android invasion and only watched it a couple of days ago. My old videos from 4 yrs back when they ran all the eps from the start just before they began the new series of DW. Of course i still have videos from reruns in the 80's but they are in special storage. When I was watching my DVD of Pyramids of Mars, one of the producers/directors or whoever said something like this...." I'm not putting down the current Doctor Who but I do think that Lis and Tom had the best relationship of all." I do agree. I really think they were the best together and I've had a real problem with the modern series with the romance and kissing garbage etc. I just don't think that's DW. Also i watched Revenge of the Cybermen just yesterday and when the Doctor comes and rescues Sarah....there's real caring there and gladness that they are seeing eachother again and yet there's no hugging or kissing like there is today. But you still see the affection. I think Sarah and the Doctor were at their best and I don't think their relationship compares to any before or since. I think the Rose/Doctor thing was forced by both the media and producers and I resent that. It turned me off Rose, who I liked at first.

Anyway, let's hope that Sarah's revival gives all us SJ fans more DVDs of her stories. Bring them all on, I say.

[phileverest]

Thanks for your thoughts Stardoe,

I'm of the same mind when it comes to the forced nature of the romantic angles pushed in the Dr who of recent years.

I can recall in the '70's there were times when there was real affection and relief when Sarah etc was glad to see the Doctor (usually escape some horror), such as Death to the Daleks or in Monster of Pelodon (note: those two Pelodon stories would make ideal dual release on dvd  akin to the recent k9 combo),  but the forced romance of today is unseemly and disliked by many worldwide.
I live in Tasmania, and people I speak too also feel of a similar mind on this issue.
Rose and Martha overall in the pantheon of assistants will be in the same company as Tegan, Ace and Peri (annoying and mediocre compared to 'greats' like Sarah-Jane or Jo).

Sadly I missed the complete run of Dr who on the ABC in recent years (life's a struggle), but
'tis good to know that the whole lot will be out in the next few years.
Fortunately I know a few friends who have these copied to DVD's so I'm alright there.

I also agree with you Stardoe about the Baker- Sladen relationship, clearly the era when the show was at its peak and after that, things never seemed the same.
The ending of the Hand of Fear of the freeze frame Sarah, is especially poignant, as a snapshot of the show at its peak and then its on the decline.
Recently listening to Terrance Dicks on Horror of Fang Rock commentary, even he agrees that the latter years of the Tom Baker era, the rot had set in and figures were down compared to just a few years earlier.

Finally the Pertwee- Sladen relationship was oft overlooked, with Jon in his book saying that when Lis came along, her presence on the show now was a positive in the consideration whether he stayed or left.
Ultimately he left, but knowing Lis was the assistant, must have given him some pause for thought to continue.

I'd like to see more of these Pertwee- Lis stories on dvd perhaps next year too after The Time Warrior is out and very polished.

Good to chat with you Stardoe, I wish you good health (I've got a mild head cold in recent days so I'm about as quick as Bloodaxe).

Phil

[Stardoe]

Thanks for the health wishes. So far so good. Tassy must be a bit nippy this time of yr. Got any snow? I'm in western NSW. Bit fresh here too.

I do agree that the relationship between the Pertwee Dr and Sarah was lovely. He was a lovely man and it seemed to shine through. He was very fatherly to her. I know Sarah is one of the few [probably the only] companion to know 2 and now 3 doctors and I think what perhaps some recent fans don't realise is that Sarah sees the Doctor as ONE man. She seems to have adjusted to this young doctor and sees him as the same man as the JP and TB Doctors. To her they are all the same and she feels the same, however, even though Rose has seen 2 doctors, she seems to only "love" [ if I must use that word] the current Tennant Doctor. This shows very true in the last ep of this DW series. Incase you haven't seen it I won't say anything about it but, really Rose is just hung up on this one doctor and if he changed then so would her feelings. Sarah's feelings have stayed the same through all 3 doctors and this was evident in School Reunion when she was jealous of Rose. Even when she got over that jealousy, there was still some evidence of it in this latest DW finale. I'll elaborate on that once I know if people have seen it or not.

I would really love the DW people to stop with the revisiting of old companions and move on, but I would really love the Doctor to turn up in SJA, just him by himself and work with her as a team and let them have some old banter and  interaction. I hope to get that new DW magazine and read about her views of being in that DW finale but they don't seem to always stock them. I think I'll have to order that one; and it comes out here about 2 months behind UK so that is always a pain.

[phileverest]

Good to hear from you Stardoe, I hope you're well. ( I appreciate wellness even more in recent times as I've been laid  low with the 'flu , which is rare for me indeed- I'm a bad patient suffice to say).

There is some snow on the mountains here (such as Mt Wellington above Hobart) but it is melting.
Overall, cold and dry with rain greatly needed here to end the drought- but we need it in quantity!.

We seem to be of a similar mind vis a vis Pertwee and Sarah, Baker and Sarah, etc.

Sarah Jane does seem to have a more mature appraisal of the Doctor, but that was clear even in the '70's, where the relationship was based on friendship.

I must admit to being dissatisfied with Rose and Martha as assistants and I hear there is quite a number who feel similarly. I'm hoping that Donna assumes a more traditional assistant role  compared the the last two, so far she's keeping her head above water, and
adding a certain depricating element to the Doctor in the Tardis.
Better than the last two in my view.....

Your observations on Sarah and Rose, interest me too Stardoe.
Yes I can see the jealousy there, but it seems to be emanating from Rose mainly.
I recall in School Reunion, the moment the Doctor appears with Sarah in the corridor, Rose is immediately catty with "Who's she then"?.
Sarah does respond, but the whole story is one of Rose as an immature girly feeling threatened that her Doctor has had past affiliations .
I dislike the whole Rose/Mickey/Jackie clan recurrances, but for once Mickey was right with the wisdom that the Doctor is like any bloke, like birds and over time has gathered quite a few of them in his travels.

So although I haven't seen the current series final stories, I have heard SJS does come back in them, but from what I saw in School Reunion, the issue is with Rose as the jealousy subject, however I concede others with more informed knowledge are better to judge.

Without giving too much away, Stardoe, could you develop  your point?.
Perhaps I'm biassed, but I thought Sarah handled herself better than the petulant Rose.

Thanks for a informative discussion  and I may see you on Karn.
Phil