Tom Baker/4th Doctor appreciation thread #1 ~Because he is still the definite article~
 

We need a thread for the best Doctor ever. Tom's portrayal was pure genius. The man's a megawatt talent.

Tom's official site:

Welcome to the Official Tom Baker Website

Also

Profile on TOM:

screenonline: Baker, Tom (1936-) Biography

Entry on the 4th Doctor:

Fourth Doctor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I just started getting into Classic Who (I have seen some episodes before but just random ones here and there, thought it was about time to seriously sink my teeth into it now), and I started with Tom Baker. I've seen Robot and The Ark in Space now, and I'm really liking him so far! :D

Robot was a bit shaky, but a good introduction to the new Doctor. I think Ark in Space is an excellent story that still stands up today, although the effects are primitive (particularly the bubble-wrap Wirrn). That whole first season is brilliant - I love the Fourth Doctor/Sarah Jane/Harry team. I'd like to see more of that sort of trio in the new series - like the few episodes with Rose/Mickey, Rose/Jack and Martha/Jack.

One Fourth Doctor companion I really didn't like was Leela. She was in a couple of excellent eps, like Talons of Weng-Chiang, Robots of Death and Horror of Fang Rock, but her character just seemed way too fake to me. His other companions - Sarah Jane, Harry, K-9, Romana I/II - were excellent, some of the best companions of all the Doctors.

Robot doesn't deserve its bad rep. It had one of Baker's most enjoyable performances. The Ark in Space is very weak.

I don't agree. I think Robot was TB feeling around for how to play his version of the Doctor, and the writers trying to figure out what version of the Doctor would best suit TB. I think there are noticable differences between the Doctor in Robot and in Ark in Space, and TB seemed much more comfortable in the role by the second ep. It's not that he was bad in Robot or anything, and I enjoyed the ep well enough, I just don't think that episode was even close to TB's best performance as the Fourth Doctor.

While I think it really stands out as one of his best. Robot is one of the highlights of Tom's tenure. Whereas some other (overrated) stories aren't. Ark in Space, Pyramids of Mars, Robots of Death -real letdowns those three. Some of his best work is also in the much maligned 17th season and in the 16th.

Time to dust off your curly wigs and stripey scarfs. Just in case anyone missed it Tom was guest presenter on last night's Have I Got News For You. The man is a legend! Really funny and even got a bit fanboy-ey (just invented a new word) over his own action figure with interchangeable head :D (although I think that's only in the extended version shown earlier tonight)

He also materialised into the chair at the beginning to the TARDIS noise. Awesome.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...rWho/tom01.png

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...rWho/tom02.png

"Knit 8, purl 8, exterminate" :lmao:

BBC iPlayer has it for those in the UK. Not sure if I'm allowed to post a link or not but it's easy to find.

Wow, that's the guy who does the voiceover for Little Britain? But he looks so... innocent, like the grandpa who gives you 50p to buy sweets but warns you not to tell your grandma. I didn't know what he looked like now!

I need to go on iPlayer and watch that. It looks awesome!

Yes! That's him :D He is SO not innocent, he was giving as good as he got :lol:

Yeah, I'm watching it.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...20icons/tb.png

"It's like a seance!" :lmao:

:rotfl: This was such a good episode. His faces are priceless!

He had some really good zingers, there. His expression after the whole Piers Morgans thing and the one above, with the mis-named cat :lmao:. I love his voice!

I love his voice too. Tom talking would make an excellent ringtone! It's a shame I really dislike Little Britain :rolleyes:

Oh. see, I always enjoyed it. It's hardly high-class comedy, but it amuses me.

Oh man, Tom Baker....he was my doctor growing up!!!!!

"Hello, can you help me? I'm a spy." :lmao:

Tom Baker's voice was used by BT for text messages sent to land lines for a while. There are a few websites out there that used the service to simulate Tom Baker/The Doctor saying (or even singing) various strange things. You can find them if you search.

I find Little Britain a bit childish and broad, but it does have its moments. And it's nice hearing from TB :)

I watched my first classic DW episode last night. It was a Tom Baker one "The Power of Kroll". I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I mean I love DW, but I was a bit scared that the older episodes would be a bit dull, sure some of the effects were kind of funny, but it was still quite good. I can't wait to watch more episodes and see more Tom Baker, and find out more about Romana.

City Of Death is made of epic win.

Doctor: What a wonderful butler, he's so violent.

Duggan: You know what I don't understand?
Romana: I expect so.

Duggan ruled. trufax =]

City of Death is a pretty special combination - Tom Baker's Doctor plus Douglas Adams' writing.

It's funny, I was a fan of DNA and HHGTTG long before Doctor Who, but going back and watching DW it reminds me so much of HHGTTG, which is no bad thing.

DNA is the greatest no offence to RTD and The Moff (even though he wrote the amazing Blink).

His writing is the essence of british eccentricity and put that together with the 4th Doctor and you have a winning combination. Such a shame Shada was never finished =[.

Plus Hitchhiker as some amazing one liners in it my favourite has to be "The best drink in existence is the Pangalactic Garglerblaster, the affect of which is like have your brain smashed out by a slice a lemon.. wrapped around a large gold brick."

Genius

Yes, such a shame. I gather DNA and TB got along very well too, and that was the last story where DNA was involved with the series. At least DNA managed to recycle some of the Shada material in Dirk Gently.

Have you ever heard the audio version of Shada, with 8th Doctor Paul McGann filling in for Baker? The Flash version of it is available at the BBC DW website. I gather there was an older video tape version of the story with all the footage they filmed plus Baker narrating the missing bits, though I've never seen it.

He's one of my favorites. I especially loved the years with Sarah.

Chase: "As I propose to have you both executed."
Sarah: "Why? We haven't harmed you."
Doctor: "Oh, be reasonable, Sarah. What choice has he got? We keep interfering."

Ah, the Doctor. So understanding. :lol:

I have seen it and I think it's probably better than the Paul McGann version tbh. No offense to McGann.

This is hilarious
YouTube - The Fourth Doctor Calls Tom Baker