From: rock@lakes.trenton.sc.us (rock)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho
Subject: Re: Sixth Doctor         
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 11:47:13 EDT
X-Maildoor: WaflineMail 1.00r

M >From: HISC9016351D@LUST2.LATROBE.EDU.AU (MAMMONE,Robert)
M >In <1992Sep5.004949.23384@mercury.cair.du.edu> mwasserm@diana.cair.du.ed
M >
M >> 
M >> That's just it.  Colin Baker was a good Doctor to be
M >> sure and had enough classic arrogance and grouchiness
M >> to be Hartnellish.  But Hartnell always showed
M >> generosity per episode.  He often was very kind and
M >> granfatherly (for instance, when he left Susan on
M >> Earth), understanding and could recognize his
M >> mistakes as mistakes (such as in Unearthly Child).
M >> Baker had the arrogance and grouchiness but dind't
M >> ever temper it with a nice side (he even tried to
M >> strangle Peri).  Rarely did he appear generous,and
M >> rarely did Baker's Doctor ever think he made a mistake
M >> or admitted it.  With Trouhgton that was funny.  With
M >> Baker it got annoying fast.
M >
M >>So what's wrong with being arrogant and grouchy?  I'd presume that the 
M >reason why the Hartnell incarnation had flashes of being nice was as a
M >concession to the children who watched it at that time.  After all, it
M >was meant to be a children's show. Having their hero always acting like
M >the grandfather from hell would not do anything for the shows following.
M >By the time Colin Baker arrived, the show had well and truly left that
M > audience type behind.  Kids are more mature, and the adult audience
M > was larger.  So you'd expect a more "realistic" touch to the Doctor's 
M >character.  Also, how would you expect the Sixth Doctor to behave
M > after coming closest to death than all his previous incarnations?
M >  That'd have to have some sort of adverse effect on his character.
M > Trying to tamper with it by having him be nice all the time to an
M > essentially whinging American would be out of character. The sixth
M > Doctor brought a touch of maturity to the show, and though arrogance 
M >and violence aren't particularly good attributes, they gave the show
M > more depth, and a different persepective from which to look at.
M > After all strangulation and bathing in acid can't be all that bad, sure
M > (joking!) Cheers.  
M >                                                                        

Besides all this, Colin was funny.  He was cocky and arrogant and
overconfident, and I really liked him, especially when he screwed up and
Perri got to tell him 'I told you so.'  Colin's Dr. reminded me far more
(and I'm putting on my asbestos suit here for the flames sure to come from
the holy priests of whoism) of TOM Baker than anyone else.  The Fourth
doctor was always acting as if he knew more than he did, and it was very
pleasing to see him squirm when Romana pinned him down and forced him to
admit he'd screwed up, and even more pleasing when he turned out to be
right in the end.  Perri was hardly Romana, but the character interaction
was certainly reminiscent of Doc Four and Romana.  (Only Tom never tried to
strangle his companions...which episode was that one in, by the way?  I
really don't recall it.)
Rockerboy, digital artiste' (rock@lakes.trenton.sc.us)
---
 * Amiga-Reader V2.00 * Unstable!?  Unstable?! ---The Doctor
                                                               
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