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  • Nu-Who
    1. Ncuti Gatwa
    2. Jodie Whittaker
    3. Peter Capaldi
    4. Matt Smith
    5. David Tennant
    6. Christopher Eccleston
    7. View All

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025

    The Sunday Stratagem

    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

    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

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Tweeners
    1. John Hurt
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    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Ten’ll Get You Five

    September 4, 2020

    Double Doctor Dastardly Danger

    April 25, 2024

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

    September 15, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    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

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025

    Ghost Re-Write

    November 16, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Dup-topia

    January 29, 2020

    The Glue Guy

    June 24, 2018

    Doctor on Doctor ACTION!

    November 19, 2017

    The Wheel in Cheese

    August 10, 2014

    The Hurt Locker

    May 25, 2013

    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

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 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

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Colo(u)r
    1. Sylvester McCoy
    2. Colin Baker
    3. Peter Davison
    4. Tom Baker
    5. Jon Pertwee
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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

    ⅔ of a Magic Number, but None Too Shabby Either

    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

    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

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Monochrome
    1. Patrick Troughton
    2. William Hartnell
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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

    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

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
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50 for 50 Tom Baker

50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #18

By -- DSWJuly 24, 201302 Mins Read
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In the realms of ‘classic’ Doctor Who there is the notion of the ‘big five’ classic Doctor Who monsters, these being (in order in appearance) the Daleks, Cybermen, Yeti, Ice Warriors, and Sontarans.  These monsters made their first appearance in Seasons 1, 4, 5, 5, and 11 respectively.  While it’s debatable whether these are the best five monsters in the whole of classic Who is up to the individual, but there is one thing they all have in common…. They all made multiple appearances in the series, and that is perhaps the main reason why, for instance, the Ice Warriors became indelible, and eventually made their way into nu-Who.

In the category of one-off monsters however, there are many contenders for the throne of ‘best remembered’ but clearly only one rises above the fray, so much so that their inclusion in the upcoming 50th Anniversary Special was cheered.  They are the Zygons from Terror of the Zygons, #18 in the countdown.

Director Douglas Camfield’s next-to-last Doctor Who effort, and technically the next-to-last UNIT Story, this was a stylish, almost ethereal tale of the Zygon shape-shifters, beloved because of their organic design and the human-sides of nature, most importantly the Duke of Forgill played by John Woodnutt.  The location filming worked beautifully and captured the strangeness of the Scottish seaside.  Seeing Tom Baker in tam and kilt was something to behold.  The seminal remembered moment in the story was Tom Baker throwing the homing beacon back into the mouth (essentially) of the Skarasen, or Loch Ness Monster.  To be charitable this was not a special effects triumph, but to this fan he thought the SFX were there to be laughed at.  Well this is how we learn.

Originally, Terror of the Zygons was intended to finish Tom Baker’s first season (12) but was held back to begin the all-time classic 13th.  That’s the reason Harry left the Tardis at the end of the story, though he would be back later in the season.  The Zygons will be back in November 2013.  It’s been too long.  — David

Alan’s #18 — A Good Man Goes to War
Andy’s #18 — Kinda
Steve’s #18 — The Claws of Axos

#17 Next week…

Short Hops:

60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (18→13) 50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #6 50 for 50 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — #38
A Good Man Goes to War 50 for 50 Tom Baker Nicholas Courtney Terror of the Zygons Kinda The Claws of Axos
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On This Day in Doctor Who History

June 2025

Friday June 13

1964: The Aztecs [4--The Day of Darkness]
Recurs yearly
1970: Inferno [6]
Recurs yearly

Saturday June 14

1969: The War Games [9]
Recurs yearly
2008: Midnight
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Sunday June 15

2024: The Legend of Ruby Sunday
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Monday June 16

1973: The Green Death [5]
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2007: Utopia
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Tuesday June 17

1967: The Evil of the Daleks [5]
Recurs yearly
1972: The Time Monster [5]
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2006: Love & Monsters
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2017: The Eaters of Light
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Wednesday June 18

1966: The Savages [4]
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2005: The Parting of the Ways
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Thursday June 19

1965: The Chase [5--The Death of Doctor Who]
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1971: The Dæmons [5]
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Random Thoughts

Turtle Power!

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A Tale of Two Toms

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Bubblehead Doll

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