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  • Nu-Who
    1. Ncuti Gatwa
    2. Jodie Whittaker
    3. Peter Capaldi
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    6. Christopher Eccleston
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    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

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    May 12, 2025

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    May 4, 2025

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    2024Kristmas #4 – Twice Upon the First

    December 21, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (18→13)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (36→31)

    October 12, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (42→37)

    October 5, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (12→7)

    November 17, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (30→25)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    2024Kristmas #3 – The Man With All The Toys

    December 16, 2024

    2024Kristmas #2 – It’ll Be a Wild Blue Christmas

    December 10, 2024

    2024Kristmas #1 – Seasons Beastings

    December 3, 2024

    Pre-Embering the Fireplace

    May 5, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (42→37)

    October 5, 2023

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

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    June 19, 2025

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    May 25, 2025

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    May 24, 2025

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    May 21, 2025
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    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

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    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

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    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

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    June 19, 2025

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    May 25, 2025

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    May 24, 2025

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    May 21, 2025

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    November 16, 2021

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    January 31, 2020

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    January 29, 2020

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    June 24, 2018

    Doctor on Doctor ACTION!

    November 19, 2017

    The Wheel in Cheese

    August 10, 2014

    The Hurt Locker

    May 25, 2013

    The Night of the Precious Stones

    June 19, 2025

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    May 25, 2025

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    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Night of the Precious Stones

    June 19, 2025

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025
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    1. Sylvester McCoy
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    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (36→31)

    October 12, 2023

    A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)

    June 9, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Sweet, not Effete

    April 5, 2025

    Arguably Arguable

    August 19, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    The End of Enlightenment

    January 13, 2025

    What’s in a Number? Occasionally Everything

    November 23, 2024

    A Spot of Gray in a Sea of Color

    November 19, 2024

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    October 1, 2024

    The Truth That Supports the Lie

    March 15, 2025

    The Golden Sweep of Tom Baker Begins

    December 28, 2024

    Déjà Who, All Over Again

    February 8, 2024

    XCited for Tom

    January 27, 2024

    Living Day-to-Day with The Candy Man

    July 31, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (30→25)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    The Night of the Precious Stones

    June 19, 2025

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025
  • Monochrome
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    Stock(s) Company

    September 9, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (18→13)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (36→31)

    October 12, 2023

    The TARDIS whirled on it’s way again…

    December 24, 2024

    Have a Feast @ Doctor Who’s Tragical History Tour!

    December 6, 2024

    Quarter Zip

    July 21, 2024

    Roll Without the Rock, or the Schlock

    July 15, 2024

    The Night of the Precious Stones

    June 19, 2025

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025
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50 for 50 Jon Pertwee

50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #12

By -- DSWSeptember 4, 201303 Mins Read
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One of the most haunting images from my childhood, that still endures in my memory over 43 years later, is that of three silent and faceless space-suited aliens steadily approaching with the sun glaring behind them, producing a stunning silhouette effect. This surreal visual impact is intensified by an eerie soundtrack perfectly crafted to create a perplexing atmosphere of mystery and intimidation.

The Ambassadors of Death is definitely a story of its time and finds itself honoured with the #12 position in our Top 50 for being bold and experimental at the peak of ‘space age’ fervour. Even the opening titles were experimented upon, with the word “DEATH” exploding into view following, unusually, after the reprise of the previous week’s cliffhanger. And at 7 episodes long, this story certainly gave us plenty of dramatic and tantalizing cliffhangers to ensure we would tune in for the next installment.

Ambassadors is not conventionally scary, but is a fine example of how Doctor Who can bring about a heightened sense of anxiety within the viewer. The behaviour of the soldiers and politicians leaves us with the clear impression that those in authority are either clueless, irrational or cannot be trusted and, without the Doctor’s interventions, the scientists have little more insight or reassurance to offer a public terrified by the mysterious fate of the human astronauts.

With the Tardis out of action, this gives the Doctor a heroic excuse to embark on a space mission of his own, and the claustrophobic capsule sequences help build up a veritable feeling of tension as we watch him head courageously towards an unknown danger. The intelligent plotline of course reveals that the true menace comes not from the aliens who need to feed off radioactivity to survive, but from the unhinged General Carrington who is manipulating their powers to pursue his own agenda.

For its time, Ambassadors delivers some excellent quality special effects. The unmasking of the irradiated faces of the aliens presents a truly gruesome image and some of the better space models of the Third Doctor’s era can be seen in this story. I’ve only ever watched it in black and white and I wonder if the colour restoration might perhaps take away some of the distinctive atmosphere of the story as I remember it.

Whichever version you choose, The Ambassadors of Death treats you to something just a little bit different which is beautifully directed and which allowed Jon Pertwee to stamp his authority on the role and prove that the show was definitely in safe hands as it advanced forward into the 1970’s. — Alan

Andy’s #12 — Inferno
David’s #12 — The Girl in the Fireplace
Steve’s #12 — The Caves of Androzani

Could #11 feature Doctor #11 …. The tension mounts … until next week.

Short Hops:

50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #44 50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #42 50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #24
50 for 50 Jon Pertwee The Caves of Androzani The Girl in the Fireplace Inferno The Ambassadors of Death Caroline John
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Thursday July 24

1965: The Time Meddler [4--Checkmate]
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1964: The Sensorites [5--Kidnap]
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1968: The Dominators [1]
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