User:The Valeyard

I have been a fan of Doctor Who for many years since I was a child (starting from age six or so), and often think it could be, and should be, greater than it often was and is allowed to be; for instance during the Graham Williams era when it veered into being a childish farce; though Boucher's 'The Image of The Fendahl' was a great story and a great homage to Brian Lumley and his Cthonians - the Fendahleen are Cthonians, there is no mistake about that.

Though I always liked the show since I was around six, - and the Dalek films with Peter Cushing, an actor I am a fan of anyway - I really, really got into Doctor Who on an intellectual level when I turned 14.

I have always believed that the show should always explore different philosophical, intellectual or scientific concepts as it did when it was first created, and starred William Hartnell, and arguably did until some time in the Tom Baker era, in which it become purely entertainment and became, arguably, a bit too comical by the time of 'Horns of Nimon'. I think that Christopher H. Bidmead and the other writers and crew during Tom Baker's last show made it great again; especially as Bidmead's interest in real science really added a sense of realism and intelligence to the show after Adams' awful time as scriptwriter. It is not surprising that Bidmead wrote articles on theoretical science in NewScientist.

It is hard to pick favourite stories in the show, but at the moment my top 20 list is thus:

1. Castrovalva 2. The Caves of Androzani 3. Ghostlight 4. The Silurians 5. Frontier In Space 6. Marco Polo 7. Earthshock 8. The Greatest Show In The Galaxy 9. The Tenth Planet 10. The Keeper of Traken 11. The Image of The Fendahl 12. The War Games 13. The Meddling Monk 14. The Claws of Axos 15. Survival 16. The Spearhead From Space 17. The Sea Devils 18. The Sensorites 19. The Curse of Fenric 20. The Aztecs

One of my fondest 'Who' memories was when I met Colin Baker, the only actor from the program I have met in real life, who was a very charming man.I have a decent-size collection of DW-related materials, though I have other hobbies and interests.

My main interests include folklore (especially Russian, Japanese and Germanic), music (especially jazz, classical and folk), literature, folk art, history, politics, civil rights, a good game of chess or checkers (espeically!), European, Japanese and arthouse cinema and reading. My main background is in psychology, but my real passion is in archaeology.