The Sixth Doctor - Underrated?

[Flyboy]

Question's in the title chaps - Colin Baker's Doctor gets a heck of a lot of flak and abuse. But is it warranted? Yes he's abrasive, but I actually quite enjoy his approach to The Doctor.

[cosmichobo]

I was just thinking about Colin the other day... and how I'd love some of - not 6's characteristics, but Colin's philosphy, brought into the new series... The whole "cry over a dead butterfly, laugh at a dead human" thing... (horribly paraphrased - sorry Colin!)

I do think it was perhaps a tad too far, and much much better in his second season... I'm not sure what Colin thought of the performance during Trial - ie whether he felt he'd been neutered... But for me, it was better fitting.

That said, there was plenty that was good about his portrayal in his first year, too.

I understand the thinking behind the strangulation scene in Dilemma, but ultimately it was too much, and I think if we'd not had that (and the rest of the verbal assault on Peri), together with some better quality stories, then the cancellation may well not have taken place...

(That's not true apparently - it was going to be cancelled regardless of anything... But one can speculate.)

[FennerMachine]

Definitely underrated (in my opinion!).
I think he was a nice change from 5th, maybe too much for most. He wore such ridiculous cloths with such confidence that it suited him!
Trial of a Time Lord is great. Then there's The Two Doctors, Rani, Daleks, Valeyard.
It would be good to see Colin Baker Doctor again with maybe the next Doctor. Throw in Tom Baker for good measure!

[Blencathra]

I'm another who thinks he's underrated. I think he got a very raw deal. For a kick off, it was unfortunate that his first outing was the dreadful Twin Dilemma, which looked really bad compared to the previous story, The (frankly brilliant) Caves of Androzani.

I think it was a mistake that in The Twin Dilemma he tries to kill Peri and then we had to wait for ten months before finding out more about him in The Attack of the Cybermen.

Then, least said about the coat....

I really enjoyed most of the sixth Doctor stories, including Timelash, which a lot of people don't seem to like.

Anyway, I'm sporting my Sixth Doctor sig at the moment.

[bisforbee]

I've heard that in the Big Finish audio dramas he grows more as a character and has more room to shine, that you can see where his incarnation of the Doctor was supposed to go but he never got the chance to show on screen.

[cosmichobo]

I think Trial shows 6 pretty well, except for the confusion caused by Mindwarp...

[The Flyattractor]

Colin just seemed to have the bad luck to be the Doctor at one of the worst times. The BBC seemed to very actively trying to get the show axed at that time and Colin was there to take the brunt of it.

[REPLICATOR SAM]

Yeah i think he gets a raw deal.

I thought he was very good as the dr but his stories suffered from poor writing which is not his fault.
And the whole Michael Grade carry on did not help.
Yes he could be very silly,sarcastic etc.

But he was also very serious,ruthless when he had to be.

Sure he lost the role as the dr over the phone if i remember.

I remember hearing Colin was meaning to do the role for as long as Tom Baker.

[REPLICATOR SAM]

Hi mate.

Yes i thought Timelash was superb seen it recently for the first time and was very impressed.
Also loved Mark of the rani who was played by Kate o mara she suited that role to a T.

And regards his coat it was not his choice i remember him saying.

I'm another who thinks he's underrated. I think he got a very raw deal. For a kick off, it was unfortunate that his first outing was the dreadful Twin Dilemma, which looked really bad compared to the previous story, The (frankly brilliant) Caves of Androzani.

I think it was a mistake that in The Twin Dilemma he tries to kill Peri and then we had to wait for ten months before finding out more about him in The Attack of the Cybermen.

Then, least said about the coat....

I really enjoyed most of the sixth Doctor stories, including Timelash, which a lot of people don't seem to like.

Anyway, I'm sporting my Sixth Doctor sig at the moment.

[cosmichobo]

From memory, Colin wanted to go for a gangster look... but it was vetoed by JN-T...



(Not my work - someone's just photoshopped off Anthony Ainley's head and put in Colins, but it gives the idea)

Frankly, I don't think it would have suited his character - as we knew it. Perhaps it would have been a good thing!

[Flyboy]

I've always liked the blue jacket that the Big Finish promo shots put him in...

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...me_by_juoo.jpg

[cosmichobo]

Well... It's... better... :}