Classic Who Showrunners

[elisi]

So, my head is full of Good Omens (which is why I've not been around much - well, that and the fact that life has been BUSY), but as I am still slowly making my way through Classic Who (Four is endless and forever) I have been trying to work out an easy way of remembering the different eras. The problem is that people throw names around (JNT, Hinchcliff, Holmes, Terrance Dicks) much the same way we go on about RTD or Moffat, but what the names signify is not as straightforward. So - I made a spreadsheet! :D (I love spreadsheets when it comes to organising stuff.) And then I asked the other half of my brain to help with the earlier years and to make the 'Tone' column a bit better, and so - ta daa - here you go. For anyone who wants a simple guide, from elisi and promethia_tenk:



Annoyingly it's not as big as it should be (on DW, on LJ it looks fine), but if you click on the little magnifying glass (or download i, it should be A4 again. :)





And now back to my ineffable husbands. <3

Comments

[auroracloud]

That's brilliant. Loving the summaries of the Seventh Doctor era, especially. Also, "cuddly, but with monsters" - ha, no wonder the Two era is the era of my heart.

[elisi]

Yay! I was hoping people would like it. And the descriptions are ALL Promethia, who is a genius. (Also I haven't watched One - Three yet, except the odd episode, so can't make informed declarations.)

[enevarim]

I probably vaguely knew most of that, but the tone column is an utter delight.

One of the joys of Doctor Who: Scratchman is that it's written from the Fourth Doctor's point of view (reasonably enough, as it started life written by Tom Baker), and it has a charming and more nuanced view of how the Doctor sees Harry and Sarah. (That said, “Shut up, Harry”, is a good summary of what we got on screen. :) )

Also, the acknowledgement, supposedly from the Fourth Doctor but really from Tom:

I would like to mention Ian Marter as a friend and a good egg.

is also wonderful.

[elisi]

I probably vaguely knew most of that, but the tone column is an utter delight.
I added it, because it's a helpful thing to know - and then Promethia filled it out in the most fantastic way.

I need to read that book... at some point. Have torn through Good Omens in a few days, but brain unable to cope with anything more right now. Also feel I should probably WATCH all of Four first. :)

I would like to mention Ian Marter as a friend and a good egg.
Brilliant. (No idea who Ian Marter is, but appreciate the sentiment.)

[enevarim]

It happens to be true that Ian Marter was the actor who played Harry Sullivan, became a friend and someone who bounced ideas around over the script (back when this was going to be a movie), and died far too young of a heart attack in 1986, but you're right, you don't need any of that to appreciate the sentiment.

[elisi]

Oh I see. Sorry, never caught his name, he was just 'Harry'. Also didn't know he died young, that's very sad. :(

[promethia_tenk]

I'm not sure if I've actually got anything, properly, against Harry himself (how would I feel about him with Three and the UNIT family? I wonder.) But something about his presence just torpedoes Sarah Jane's character and the Four'n'Sarah dynamic, so sorry, Harry: ya gots to go.

(I realize there are people who would say exactly the opposite: that the Four/Sarah/Harry dynamic is a highlight of season 12, but these people are welcome to make their own spreadsheet find their own friend who will let them hijack their perfectly nice spreadsheet.)

[elisi]

but these people are welcome to make their own spreadsheet find their own friend who will let them hijack their perfectly nice spreadsheet.)
This just made me laugh out loud. <3

[promethia_tenk]

I was literally typing 'make their own spreadsheet' and then realized the certain hypocrisy of the statement . . .

Anyway, you're a good friend. Think I'll keep you.

[elisi]

I was literally typing 'make their own spreadsheet' and then realized the certain hypocrisy of the statement . . .
Heh. Although it's a shared effort, so...

Anyway, you're a good friend. Think I'll keep you.
Feed meta regularly. Will produce fic and pretty imagery.

[watervole]

srs brns ?

[elisi]

Ah crap. Should be 'srs bsns' (i.e. Serious Business)

AH WELL. I'll try to go back & edit... Didn't really proof-read it, so much as glance over it.

ETA: No it's fine! (Thank goodness, twas awkward to export). Just too small on DW.

[promethia_tenk]

=D

The size is actually good for me on DW (though I do view all comment pages in site style) and small on LJ. So it's not inherently borked; I think you just have a situation with individual viewing conditions.

[elisi]

=D

Interesting. Well, am glad it works - and seems to work for others as intended. I.e. informative and amusing.

[promethia_tenk]

*spreadsheet high five!*

[elisi]

They make everything better! :D

[sea_thoughts]

"They tried"

The Doctor is Merlin is one of my favourite eras.

[elisi]

"They tried"
Amazing, isn't it? That one's all Promethia. I did the basic stuff and then she went in and made it awesome.

The Doctor is Merlin is one of my favourite eras.
He's sooooo good. And it's great on diversity and all kind of other stuff too. <3

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

That is so cool! And it explains the shifts in stories and ideas so, so much!

*HUGS*

[elisi]

Good, isn't it? And I haven't found anything like it, so... here it is! :)

[kaffy_r]

Time traveling from six years in the future to say that this is marvelous!

[elisi]

LOL

And yeah, I am working on a New Who version... (slightly different of course)

[kaffy_r]

I'll be waiting, with bated breath!

[elisi]

It's like... 80% done. But I am wondering if I should wait until this season is finished so I can accurately describe it...

[masakochan]

It is! And the 'serious and violent' note for Five's last run is beyond accurate. Even with everything else that happens in the show- I still think 'The Caves of Androzani' is one of the most brutal episodes of the entire TV series.

[elisi]

It is! And the 'serious and violent' note for Five's last run is beyond accurate.
This, so much! And it's somehow worse because it's Five. Like. No wonder Six was so brusque, Five needed the armour.

I still think 'The Caves of Androzani' is one of the most brutal episodes of the entire TV series.
I legit hated that episode. Everyone sings its praises, so I was expecting to be impressed, but it was just so relentless brutal. :(