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From: fish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell)
Newsgroups: net.tv.drwho
Subject: Re: Nuke Adric, Teegan, Nyssa and Pertwee
Message-ID: <265@ihu1g.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 27-Mar-84 17:15:50 EST
Article-I.D.: ihu1g.265
Posted: Tue Mar 27 17:15:50 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Mar-84 01:58:29 EST
References: <174@siemens.UUCP> <139@looking.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 35

Adric and Tegan (note single "e") should definitely go.  Adric
should have stayed in E-space, and The Doctor should have just
fixed Tegan's flat and sent her on her way.  As for Nyssa, she's
rather comely and not nearly so lacking in brains as some of The
Doctor's other past associates.  She's no Romana, though.

Pertwee's characterization of the Doctor is by no means inferior
to Baker's, and better by far than Davison's.  Pertwee does not
provide the amusing repartee one comes to know and love with 
[Tom] Baker, but he makes up for it in sincerity, elegance, and
something neither Baker nor Davison have brought to the role:
sensitivity.  Pertwee's Doctor has feelings.  Witness the touching
scene in which we see the last of Jo Grant.  Pertwee is genuinely
crestfallen by the departure of his sidekick, and you get the feeling
that he is more than a bit jealous.  Contrast this with Baker's pique
when Leela abandons him on Gallifrey for a young Timelord.  Only
Baker's ego is a bit bruised, and he gets the last laugh by popping
a duplicate K-9 out of a crate.

Davison, in contrast to both Baker and Pertwee, is too superficial and
callow for the role.  His introspective soliloquies remind me of
Spider-Man's rantings -- in fact, the whole Davison series so far
(We've seen six full episodes in Chicago) reminds me a bit of a 
comic book.  Mind you, I still like the show; the special effects
are much improved, but characterizations have suffered on all counts.

I prefer the Baker *series* over Pertwee's largely because they got
away from that adolescent "U.N.I.T." business.  However, I find
Pertwee's Doctor every bit as engaging as the fellow with the
scarf, albeit in a different vein.  Besides, he's better at Venusian
Karate.
-- 

                               Bob Fishell
                               ihnp4!ihu1g!fish