View Poll Results: How would you rate Doctor Who and the Silurians?

Voters
12. You may not vote on this poll
  • 10: This our planet. We were here before Mankind

    1 8.33%
  • 9: The knowledge I shall gain is worth any risk!

    2 16.67%
  • 8: Yes, well, I've got no time to talk to under secretaries - permanent or otherwise.

    2 16.67%
  • 7: She was found in the barn, paralysed with fear.

    5 41.67%
  • 6: I never report myself anywhere, particularly not forthwith

    0 0%
  • 5: What d’you mean? Huh?

    1 8.33%
  • 4: I take it you're yet another member of the UNIT team?

    0 0%
  • 3: That's murder...

    0 0%
  • 2: I'm beginning to lose confidence for the first time in my life

    1 8.33%
  • 1: It’s not worth 50 million pins if it doesn’t work, is it?

    0 0%
Results 1 to 16 of 16
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bracknell, Berks
    Posts
    29,744

    Default Rate and Discuss: Doctor Who and the Silurians



    There's trouble afoot on Wenley Moor. Mysterious disappearances, problems with the new Cyclotron and people hospitalised with strange primal symptoms... Could it be something to do with the Dinosaur sighted in the caves or something more primal from the dawn of the Earth?

    What do you think of Doctor Who and The Silurians?
    Last edited by SiHart; 3rd Aug 2012 at 10:13 AM.

    I've just got my handcuffs and my truncheon and that's enough.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Exeter, UK
    Posts
    1,318

    Default

    I almost love this story. The only fault really is that it does go on for far too long, and some of the episodes that are stuck inside the research centre can be a little dull. Having said that, the location work is amongst the series' most atmospheric, the Silurians are an ingenious creation, and it's a really strong continuation of the series after Spearhead. So an 8, but not far short of a 9...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Downstairs by the PC
    Posts
    13,267

    Default

    I'll probably come back to this thread later, because it strikes me there's so much to discuss about this story - it's very strong, and unlike some later Pertwee six-parters I don't ever really find it dragging. Its more sedate pace allows the story to build gradually, and the script takes full advantage of this, using the extra time to, amongst other things, build up the suspense as to the appearance and nature of the creatures beneath the ground.

    The book, of course, is even better than the TV version, which is saying something, but the two really are (for me anyway) quite separate - lots of the emphasis in the book is very different, with (from memory anyway) a lot, lot more made of Dawson & Miss Quinn & the 'captive' Silurian (not to mention the prologue, and... well, and lots of stuff).

    One bit that always makes me shiver is when the Doctor tries to warn the Silurian at Quinn's cottage. He says "The humans will destroy you" - reinforcing that the Doctor is still at this time very much an outsider, he's not an honorary human all pally-pally with UNIT and a part of the system, he's a frustrated exile stuck where he is, and most importantly he's an alien from another world, and to him the humans are (almost) as much another race of beings as the Silurians are. It's a subtle but brilliant bit of scripting, IMHO.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
    Posts
    17,652

    Default

    I think Doctor Who And The Silurians is a wonderful story. There is a question of whether 7 episodes was too many, but I think in the 1960's and 70's audiences were used to longer multi-part serials. It might be too much to watch the whole of The Silurians in one sitting, but it works extremely well on a week-by-week basis. Malcolm Hulke in particular had plenty of experience writing for this format.

    Plus, if you fast forward through the title credits it's shorter than Avatar!

    It's still a shame that we don't have a full-colour copy of the story. Despite the Restoration Team's brilliant efforts, the colour is still a bit wonky. It does detract from the viewing experience a bit, because everything seems a little more drab and muted. There's no point where the action is unclear, but it gives the whole story a bit of a grimy atmosphere. The same is true of Ambassadors of Death and The Mutants, both of which could do with being a lot sharper.

    The story itself is great. The Silurians are intelligent and mysterious, with their internal bickering making for some great dramatic moments. It was a brilliant idea to set the Doctor at odds with UNIT too. No matter how cozy things became later on, there would always be an underlying tension between the Doctor and the Brigadier after this story.

    I love the way the focus of the story keeps changing track - in the first half, it's about the monsters in the caves and then the stakes are upped as the Silurians try various different methods to wipe out humanity. The plague sequences in particular are very memorable and eerie.

    The quality of monster / alien* design continues to improve too. There was nothing as good as The Silurians or the Autons in Troughton's last season! The Silurians may have immobile faces, but they still look superb.

    *yes, I know the Silurians are neither monsters nor aliens!
    Pity. I have no understanding of the word. It is not registered in my vocabulary bank. EXTERMINATE!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    4,996

    Default

    This is one story that I think goes over my head a little. To me, it's the outlier of Season 7. I adore the other three stories, but have never quite been able to get into this one.

    As both Steve and Andrew have already pointed out, there's a LOT to like here.

    It's obvious that the Third Doctor doesn't quite trust humans (and why should he? We're a warlike and fairly barbaric lot at times), and that really shows. It's a far cry from the Tenth Doctor's "HUMANS! AWWWW! I LOVE HUMANS!" attitude. My wife's idea on fiction is that she likes to think that there's always a grand plan to everything, even if she knows that the authors just made it up as they went along. In her mind, this is a wonderful continuation of the mistrust of the First Doctor towards humans, and much truer to the Doctor's character in general than any way in which the Tenth Doctor acts towards humans.

    Likewise, the very idea that there were already a race of intelligent, bipedal creatures here before humanity, who basically just want their planet back from these usurpers, is just a brilliant concept. And why shouldn't they? If we were dormant for many millions of years, to find that an intelligent, bipedal species had evolved from cockroaches, we'd probably want to find a way to wipe them all out, too. And that's the real crux here, isn't it? These creatures are not designed to be villains, but to give the story an ambiguous morality - which to me seems to be the point of the final three stories of the season.

    Despite this, there's something about this story that just doesn't quite "click" for me. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but I just don't enjoy it nearly as much as the rest of the season. A lot of the time, it just feels like it's treading water to me, waiting for the big climax. Things thankfully speed up a little when the Silurians unleash their virus.

    That's the thing. This is a brilliant concept. I should love it. But I don't. And I really don't know why. It's not a story I'm ever clamouring to put on. I don't think it's the length - I love both Ambassadors and Inferno. This is a story that I desperately want to love, but I just never seem to enjoy it. I can't rationalise why. To me, it just comes across as a distinctly average story, and it gets 5/10 from me. Perhaps there's just not enough Darrow.

    Watchers in the Fourth Dimension: A Doctor Who Podcast
    Three Americans and a Brit attempt to watch their way through the entirety of Doctor Who
    ----
    Latest Episode: The WOTAN Clan, discussing The War Machines
    Available on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and Podbean
    Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @watchers4d

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Sawbridgeworth
    Posts
    25,127

    Default

    It's a really good story, with a great guest cast. We have Fulton McKay AND Geoffrey Palmer AND Peter Miles.

    I think the storytelling is the star - the way to plot evolves and unfolds. Pertwee is at his very best here, trying to broker a peace in the face of his scientific curiosity.

    I have to disagree with Steve though, the Silurians let things down because they are so rubbery. They needed to be more slimy and scary, they haven't employed dancers so they clod around a bit. It dates the story a little.

    Si.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Loughton
    Posts
    11,593

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob McCow View Post
    Plus, if you fast forward through the title credits it's shorter than Avatar!
    Only just though!

    Whatever the story's called this week, it's a pretty good one. They manage to add a new plot device in just as the seven episode length looks as though it's going to feel even longer. Yes, the Silurians (or whatever they're called this week!) look rubbery at times, but they're still reasonably designed. Indeed, the dinosaur's the only point where the design really falls down. the acting's fine too.

    8/10

  8. #8

    Default

    A lot of people say that seven part stories drag on especially this and The Ambassadors of Death. However, I like this story. It's strong, tragic and memorable what with scenes like the people dying from the plague in Episode 6 and featuring many notable cast actors like Fulton Mackay, Geoffrey Palmer and Paul Darrow.

    10/10

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Wokingham
    Posts
    7,947

    Default

    apart from it's length I can't really find fault with it.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Loughton
    Posts
    11,593

    Default

    There's no answer to that!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Whitton
    Posts
    1,880

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob McCow View Post
    Plus, if you fast forward through the title credits it's shorter than Avatar!
    No!!!!! This is simply not acceptable!
    I feel it's my duty to personally destroy anyone that fast forwards any title or end credit sequences. This is a heinous crime!

    Oksana gets so annoyed with me as I won't switch any TV show off until the last credit has rolled. As far as I'm concerned if someone has taken the time to compose and perform theme music and to create credits on the screen then I want to listen to the music and read the names!!!
    I know; I must be pretty unbearable at times!!

    Oh, oh yes, Doctor Who and the Silurians - erm ......well I like it!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Downstairs by the PC
    Posts
    13,267

    Default

    I absolutely agree, Andrew - and it drives Zel mad as well!!!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Whitton
    Posts
    1,880

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Curnow View Post
    I absolutely agree, Andrew - and it drives Zel mad as well!!!
    My word; are we agreeing again?
    It shouldn't be allowed you know!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Loughton
    Posts
    11,593

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ian Lethbridge-Stewart View Post
    I know; I must be pretty unbearable at times!!
    There's no answer to that!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Whitton
    Posts
    1,880

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stuart Wallis View Post
    There's no answer to that!
    Watch it Wallis!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
    Posts
    3,200

    Default

    Better than Spearhead but I'm still not overly keen. I've voted 7/10 but meant to click on 6/10. I just have a downer on the entire season and none of the stories here will score highly with me. I don't remember seeing any of these on first transmission, I was only 4 years old at the time. Maybe I should get the VHS tapes out and watch them in order to see if my view changes.
    I’m being extremely clever up here and there’s no one to stand around looking impressed! What’s the point in having you all?

Similar Threads

  1. The Day of The Doctor - Rate and Discuss
    By Rob McCow in forum 50th Anniversary
    Replies: 73
    Last Post: 24th Nov 2021, 8:01 AM
  2. Rate and Discuss: The Name of The Doctor
    By Rob McCow in forum The New Series
    Replies: 100
    Last Post: 2nd Jun 2013, 3:06 PM
  3. Rate and Discuss: Vincent and the Doctor
    By SiHart in forum The New Series
    Replies: 97
    Last Post: 6th Jul 2010, 11:15 PM
  4. Rate & Discuss 4.14: The Next Doctor
    By Pip Madeley in forum The New Series
    Replies: 85
    Last Post: 25th Jul 2009, 11:08 AM
  5. Rate & Discuss 4.6: The Doctor's Daughter
    By Martin Curnow in forum The New Series
    Replies: 161
    Last Post: 19th May 2008, 3:34 AM