Dr Who Review, Part 5 – The Tom Baker Era
Even for a Jedi, there comes a moment to sit back and simply watch. So join me, Jedi Master Derk Popwalker, as I dive into a galaxy of Trailers, Featurettes, and even the occasional Full Movie or two in The Weekend Watch — a little corner of the cosmos where the popcorn is warm, the lightsabers are dimmed, and the fun begins.
The fifth episode in my ongoing series of reviews, with analysis, of the BBC science-fiction show, Doctor Who.
In this part, the era of the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, is considered. We explore the ‘Golden Era’ of Doctor Who, looking at how the show developed into a far darker and scarier version, influenced by the Gothic Horror genre, and the resultant backlash from self-appointed ‘moral guardians’. We also consider the economic troubles of the late seventies and their effect on the show before its regeneration just in time for the eighties. Along the way, three stand out stories are looked at in depth with plenty of clips from the full seven-year Baker tenure!
Chapter Selection:
0:00 An actor’s legacy
1:17 The state of the show
2:29 Philip Hinchcliffe
3:33 Casting the Fourth Doctor
6:20 Tom Baker
10:23 The Fourth Doctor
14:44 Robot
15:11 First Impressions
16:12 Changes
19:39 Choosing a favourite
21:08 The Daleks
23:43 Genesis of the Daleks
33:48 A successful first year
36:07 Pyramids of Mars
43:07 Farewell Sarah-Jane
44:06 Fandom
45:23 Mary Whitehouse vs the BBC
48:48 The Williams Era
52:52 JNT
54:02 Season 18
55:54 Warriors’ Gate
59:24 It’s the end…
The place for informed discussion and analysis of film and media! My name is Richard D. Carrier and when I’m not teaching English, Media or History, I like to read, watch and study. This is the result!
