Tom Baker, best Doctor ever?

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[MCH]

Pry,
Thanks for the kind remark about my wit. I don't imagine myself as a witty person at all but occasionally it pops up out of nowhere and surprises me. Once I was so shocked that I started laughing hysterically in my car. I was alone at the time. Imagine the looks I got from the other motorists! I did notice one car inching as far as it could away from mine. I thought it was because they couldn't wait to zoom away when the traffic light changed but... Well, I'll never know will I? It was kinda sad that no one else got to enjoy the mirth as well. I don't remember what it was that was so funny. Funny that.

As for the Doctor remembering his age. Maybe after 900 years he doesn't care how much older he gets. Like no matter how many birthdays I have coming up I'll always be 39 and counting. Or some such, lol.

It amazes me how our bodies can run as long as they do. Such complex systems that can only function in a narrow tolerance range. The right ph, the right temperature range the right amount of chemicals in the correct place. So much can go wrong at any given time. And yet we survive for many years. Pretty cool.

And our minds. I'd like to know how our minds differ from our animal brethren. Why are they different? How did they get that way? Why aren't there other animal species that have the same capacity? We have an "animal brain" almost identical to the other mammalians. But there is a difference too. Oh, sorry, I'm on a ramblin' tangent here. Just thinking you know, lol.

MCH

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[MCH]

That's very true Clara,
But they can't build trains, planes or automobiles. They can't build a craft that can fly to the moon and back. And pave roads, and build buildings and solve complex equations. As a part of building buildings we make ones for almost every need. How many animals do you know that build hospitals for themselves and other animals?

Further more how many animals will go out of their way to help another one of it's kind or a different species? And even if they could try they would be limited. For example, a dog might come to the aid of a human in distress. The dog could go and find help or endeavor to comfort the human. But, the dog cannot bind a wound or give CPR or carry the human to a hospital. Now it might be argued that it can't do stuff because of physical limitations and has nothing to do with the mind. But it is the capacity of the human mind that reaches beyond what other animals can achieve. There is a difference.

Yes, I agree that the animal kingdom is outstanding and very complex and there is so much that we don't know. But there is arguably a difference between humans and other animal Ken.

MCH

[metalheadjay]

I've got a question. Why is Paul McGann considered one of the Doctors while Peter Cushing isn't? Cushing did make two films as the Doctor. Also McGann's film had nothing to do with the British tv series. It was mostly an attempt to revive "Doctor Who" in America. Was just wondering about this.

Jay

[Prydonian]

Jay,


the reason is easy enough to answer. The TV Movie did try to keep continuity with the original TV series by having the previous TV Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) appear in it for a regeneration scene. It featured the Master, one of the Doctor's arch foes from the classic series. And tons of merchandise (books, audios, comic strips) would eventually use the image of the TV Movie Doctor (Paul McGann).

EDIT: Still, this has not stopped some fans of both classic and new Who from not counting McGann or the Movie as binding on the rest of the Whoniverse at large, more like a one-off.


However, the argument usually used for why the Cushing Doctor is not granted the same status is flawed at best.
In 1965 and 1966 when the films were made, it had yet to be revealed that the Doctor was not human or had two hearts or was from Gallifrey. So the Cushing films were similair in spirit to what the Hartnell Doctor was doing at the same time. But some people ignore this based on later revelations made with subsequent Doctors.

Hope this helps.

Prydonian

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[MCH]

Clara,

What perspective are you basing your arguments on?

MCH

[tch]

Cushing is only counted as a kind of alternate Doctor, as his movies deviated from TV show continuity, while Mcgann's stayed in continuity with the show.
There's nothing in the McGann movie that contradicts the TV show or that had to be fixed for the new show.

Plus, he had the greatest Tardis console room. Man, I love that thing. Drives me nuts that we ended up with that coral thing in the new show.

and even though, I don't see the Cushing movies as 'cannon' I do think they are fun and so bummed they never got to do a third, as it would have been a big screen version of 'the Chase.

[Clara Listensprechen]

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