We Hardly Knew You: Colin Baker's 11-Story Legacy - Colin Baker Retrospective
John and Jim bid farewell to the Sixth Doctor with surprising revelations about changed opinions, why fandom got it wrong, companion dynamics, and Colin's enduring legacy as ambassador for a show that screwed him over.
John's Shocking Confession: After going into the Colin Baker era expecting disaster based on fan reputation, John emerges with a stunning announcement about where Colin now ranks in his Doctor hierarchy. Discussion covers what changed his mind and why the arrogance that defined Sixth Doctor was actually a feature, not a bug.
The Great Reassessment: Where does Colin Baker hate really come from? The hosts dig into the Davison devotion factor, the "hurt/comfort" fiction phenomenon, visual pushback, and story selection bias. Parallels drawn to another controversial modern Doctor currently experiencing reassessment. The question: does Colin deserve a renaissance?
Season Showdown: Jim and John compare Season 22's classic monster lineup against Trial of a Time Lord's experimental structure, with numerical ratings revealing surprising sympathies and contradictions. Twin Dilemma gets revisited with fresh perspective.
Peri vs. Mel: Deep dive into why the Doctor/Peri dynamic never quite worked (flashback to guests on John's old public access show The Chronic Rift bashing their chemistry), why Mel clicked better with Sixth than she will with Seventh, and what might have been with that brief Tegan/Colin pairing.
The BBC Institutional Problem: Doctor Who as "begrudging institution" Britain was done with by 1987, contemporary articles calling for the show to rest, and the uncomfortable parallel to where we are today.
Saward vs. JNT: Who really sabotaged Colin's era? The case against Eric Saward for wanting the Doctor "off to the side," the case for JNT staying despite wanting to leave, and how Andrew Cartmel represents the moment fans took over the asylum. The Chris Chibnall irony explored.
Colin the Ambassador: Why Colin immediately embraced fandom despite BBC treatment while Tom Baker grudgingly came around decades later. Discussion covers charity work, fan productions, regrets about the regeneration he refused, and the motivation difference between appreciation and adulation.
McCoy Preview: John drops a gauntlet: three stories from the Seventh Doctor era will score 15/15 as among the best of the entire classic run. Setup for the Troughton-inspired "don't underestimate me" Doctor and predictions about acting range debates.
Final Doctor Rankings Revealed: Jim and John count down their top six Doctors with Colin landing in surprising positions on both lists. The Tom Baker controversy unpacked - why both hosts rank him lower than conventional wisdom despite his institutional status.
Coming Up Next:
Patreon Exclusive (Monday): Comic "Prophets of Doom," more Doctor Who music, Memory TARDIS wheel spin, and reactions to recovered Dalek Master Plan episodes 1 & 3 (BBC YouTube Easter miracle).
Main Feed (Monday - Schedule Change!): "Time and the Rani" - Sylvester McCoy's debut with Kate O'Mara as the Rani. Jim's first narration of the McCoy era.
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