Proms 2 & 3 - 13-14.07.13: Doctor Who Proms

[Bert Coules]

There is fantastic, BBC-worthy potential in these Doctor Who events that I feel is just being missed.

A fair point, but such things would perhaps have been out of place in this particular Who prom, designed as it was as a specific celebration of the programme's fifty year history. I think I'm right in saying that with the exception of one piece specially written for the occasion there wasn't any music played that hasn't been used in the show over the decades.

For future years, if the programme's popularity continues, it's a nice idea.

[amateur51]

Music & children - Interesting points MrGG and I'm sure your right.

Daleks, Cybermen & sofas - no way a myth! There was a cupboard near the front door that I would hide in (more safety than a sofa).

I think if you are now anywhere between - 50 & 58 years old, Daleks would have scared the hell out of you back in the day. I certainly ran for cover!

I'm 61-and-a-half and they gave me the habdabs when I watched the first Dalek episodes

And even my dad liked the theme music and the opening titles.

[BBMmk2]

Richard Hartnell, wasnt it> He was the best one, imo.

[Nick Armstrong]

Richard Hartnell, wasnt it> He was the best one, imo.

William...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Richard Hartnell, wasnt it> He was the best one, imo.

William Hartnell (a cousin of Royal dress-maker, Norman Hartnell). After his death, for the twentieth anniversary story The Five Doctors the first-incarnation Doctor was played by Richard Hurndell.

William Hartnell was the eponymous Sergeant in the very first Carry On film, and was Pinkie's "mentor" in the film of Brighton Rock. Already ailing by the time he left Doctor Who, I was astonished to discover that he was only in his fifties when he played the role.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

William...

Like Cali says!

[Bert Coules]

Look out this November for what promises to be a fascinating TV drama by Mark Gatiss about the development and early days of the programme, in which the sometimes irascible Hartnell, played by the excellent David Bradley, figures largely.

[amateur51]

Look out this November for what promises to be a fascinating TV drama by Mark Gatiss about the development and early days of the programme, in which the sometimes irascible Hartnell, played by the excellent David Bradley, figures largely.

Great casting

[mangerton]

I'm 61-and-a-half and they gave me the habdabs when I watched the first Dalek episodes

And even my dad liked the theme music and the opening titles.

I'm a year older, and my sister is two years younger, than you. We and dad were glued to it from episode one, but after a few weeks, we did rather think that they ought to learn from experience. Every new adventure, "You go here, and we'll go there, and we'll meet again ...." It was always a recipe for disaster. We'd be sitting on the sofa, shouting, "No! Stick together!"

[pilamenon]

A fair point, but such things would perhaps have been out of place in this particular Who prom, designed as it was as a specific celebration of the programme's fifty year history. I think I'm right in saying that with the exception of one piece specially written for the occasion there wasn't any music played that hasn't been used in the show over the decades.

For future years, if the programme's popularity continues, it's a nice idea.

Surely, a 50-year celebration would be an ideal opportunity to showcase the music of the earlier years as well as the recent? Peter Davison made an appearance, after all, and the Dalek motif hasn't changed much. It sounds as though it might have been fun to be there, with all the visual treats, and there were one or two nice ideas and jokes. Did anyone catch the reason for the new arrangement of The Girl with the Flaxen Hair?

Unfortunately, Murray Gold's music is like wading through treacle. The reincarnated Doctor Who is not to my taste at all - some of the bombastic script makes me cringe, and it has become horribly sentimental. But I loved it during its 1970s heyday!

[Sir Velo]

I'm a year older, and my sister is two years younger, than you. We and dad were glued to it from episode one, but after a few weeks, we did rather think that they ought to learn from experience. Every new adventure, "You go here, and we'll go there, and we'll meet again ...." It was always a recipe for disaster. We'd be sitting on the sofa, shouting, "No! Stick together!"

My first memory of the good Doctor is as a small child watching Jon Pertwee. Around this time I suffered from a spate of blinding headaches which my parents considered was occasioned by the flashing strobe light effect of the notorious closing title sequence. Consequently, we got rid of the TV for the next four years. A drastic solution but at least the headaches cleared up!