Usually the regeneration is some big epic with the Doctor dying to save the universe and in the modern era, loads of returning monsters. This is the best one because it is a small, pointless war on a pointless planet in which everyone dies except the two women. They all die for greed or revenge except the Doctor who dies throughself sacrifice, saving a woman he barely knew.
Apart from the Fourth Doctor, who's regeneration came about to thwart the Master's plan to enslave the universe, the regenerations you describe only apply to the pathetic new series which are so laughably over dramatic with that wailing soprano screeching and the actor playing the departing incumbent Doctor giving a yawn inducing speech about his performance like he's at the Baftas..... no regeneration in NuWho has been a regeneration for me. Which classic Doctor waffled on and on about how good he was during his tenure or that he doesn't want to leave the show? None.
"I might regenerate, I don't know" sort of implies that 5's been fighting to hold back this regeneration so hard (to delay the post-regeneration delirium until after he's got the job done and saved Peri) he's worried he's suppressed this regeneration completely.
Peter Davison has said in various interviews that it was hard to act in his last scene, he said all he could pay attention to was Nicola Bryant's twins lol
Five was my Doctor, the first one I followed all the way through. I was 12 when this aired and afterwards I went to bed and cried. This is a very powerful episode with an intense regeneration. The novelisation suggests the thought of the Master laughing at him gave the Doctor the determination he needed to regenerate after almost putting it off too long so he could save Peri.
6 isn't 'rude'. He only is during his post regenerative stress. A rude Doctor would never comfort Mel as he does when she is terrified and repulsed by the Vervoids compost heap, cuddle the dying mutant on Necros, or open the door of the TARDIS to allow Peri to always enter first. The way you Colin Baker haters pretend that his actions whilst delirious in 'The Twin Dilemma' are identical in all his stories, is pathetic. Davison was a virtual corpse being carried about in a make shift coffin throughout 'Castrovalva' and about as much use as a soiled dishcloth. At least the Sixth Doctor actually managed to defeat Mestor himself and wasn't reliant on two companions to do everything for him.
Peter's decision to leave and Colin's casting were announced to the press in summer 1983 (i.e. before transmission of 'The Five Doctors'), so this made the Fifth Doctor's tenure feel even shorter!
Yes it was August 19th 1983. Peter Davison had been last seen in The Kings Demons in March and this his final episode was screened 16th March 1984 so we had a good 7 months to get ready for his departure. I wasn’t happy and when they announced Colin Baker my first words were “oh no” not just because of Maxil in Arc of Infinity but also his role as the villain in The Brothers and other things.
Caves of Androzani is one of the greatest stories of Classic Who and if you’re going to leave then go out with a bang. Peter Davison was wonderful and brought a nervous engaging energy to the role. Great reaction.
The legend runs that Peter Davison bumped into Pat Troughton in the BBC car park at TV Centre not long after he was cast and Pat advised him to do three years and then get out. It was pretty good advice. Davison's career was never really held back by playing the Doctor and he had a lot of top class roles in the years to come (on stage and screen). In later years he admitted that, had Season 20 been like Season 21, he probably would have stayed on for Season 22. But them's the breaks...
Although it always makes me sad to see the fifth Doctor regenerate, what a way to go out! I don’t think any Doctor has ever been more heroic than this one, sacrificing his life not to save the world, or the universe, but a single companion whom he barely knows (I am going to overlook the fact that Big Finish has subsequently produced a large number of Five/Peri adventures). The one jarring note in what is easily a 10/10 story is the sixth Doctor having the last, rather sneering, word, which spoils the moment a bit. Six should not have said anything, and I don’t think Colin should have got top billing either, as that feels a bit insulting to Peter, especially after his superb performance in this story. The regeneration sequence is my favourite ever - Graeme Harper was inspired by the frantic orchestral build up on The Beatles’ A Day in the Life, and it works superbly well.
I’ve always wondered if JNT was miffed Davison was leaving so he gave Colin top billing. That and I think JNT fancied Colin a bit. Certainly JNT wanted the 6th to be a bit like him with the snark and the “totally tasteless” costume.
@@DeanStrickson You may well be right, and it could also explain in part why he denied Peter his wish to complete three full seasons, by having him regenerate a story early. JNT could be very spiteful towards those who did not do what he wanted, as Nicola Bryant has shown recently with her revelations about his reaction when she initially refused to do his panto.
@@johng5859 I think the "early" regeneration was more to do with the fear of losing the last story of the season to industrial action as happened the previous season. If anything happened during Caves, they could still have used the recording dates for the next story to finish it and bump the next story on - Colin and Nicola would still be under contract next season, Peter wasn't. Peter of course went on to play another brilliant Doctor (Daker) :-)
@@alan_evans That’s an interesting point. Production on Caves was in fact delayed by strike action, and it had to take one of the studio blocks originally planned for the next story, which was delayed in its turn. A Very Peculiar Practice is a great series, and one I hope MC covers some day.
This story is Shakespearian. The Doctor spends the story just trying to survive, having stumbled into someone else's conflict. It's also the story that does the best job at foregrounding the regeneration, with the Doctor receiving the fatal injury in the first episode and then having his impending doom hanging over the whole story.
Ironically, he fudges the line with some uncharacteristically sloppy diction. "It seems not a moment too soon" comes out more like "It seems on a moment too soon".
The ending is still my favorite regeneration sequence of the entire classic series! This is an amazing final story for Peter. One of the best regeneration stories of all time in fact. Well directed, written and acted by all. You were right, Peter's Doctor was regenerating soon. It was just sooner than you thought! 10/10 for me. One of my favorite stories of the era! When I first saw this on PBS as a kid it was pretty sad, I was sorry to see Peter go, but I was curious to see what this new snarky Doctor was going to bring to the show. I really enjoyed Colin's performance as the Doctor. He's not for everyone I suppose, but I really like him. Peter, of course, was great too. And actually I got to meet Colin at a convention months before his first season ever aired here in the states! There was something like a six month delay, back in those days, between the episodes airing in the U.K. and then being shown in the U.S.. That really sucked waiting around for new seasons to air here when I was young. Anyway, the first ever convention I attended, "Who-vent 85" took place in Valley Forge PA. Colin was there, Jon Pertwee was there, Nick Courtney was there, and Anthony Ainley, Janet Fielding and Carol Ann Ford were all there too! What a cool time as a new young fan. Oh that was great. That was my first and only time meeting the legendary Jon Pertwee. He was so nice and so gregarious, I was practically speechless meeting him. He was and is my favorite Doctor. (Having just finished watching his episodes not long beforehand. Which were aired in the run-up to the new sixth Doctor's era starting.) I still have the autograph he signed for me there. I have it framed on my wall.
Patrick Troughton told him only to do three years as the Doctor. Peter did want to return for another season, but they told him that the contracts had already been signed. So he left the show and returned to All Creatures Great and Small.
Unfortunately soon after Peter was first given the role of the Doctor, he bumped into Patrick Troughton who advised him to do just three seasons, which he took to heart. Peter was asked if he would do a fourth series in the middle of filming Season 20, but declined, a decision he later said he regretted. As with the modern era Doctors, we definitely needed more time with the Fifth Doctor - only highlighted when you binge his era, like you have.
Maybe Peter was lucky leaving with Michael Ian Grade, the future Baron Grade of Yarmouth running BBC1. Would Grade pull the same stuff had Peter remained The Doctor? My guess is that he waits out the End of the 5th Doctor era. Probably the JNT/Eric Saward implosion would be delayed at best until Peter’s successor was cast.
The best regeneration story, hands down. Bob Holmes and Graeme Harper both at the top of their game. You’re going to have a great time with Colin, he’s definitely one of my favourite Doctors.
Colin is one of my favorite Doctors and Peter is one of my least favorite. No slight on him because even being less liked by me does not mean I thought they were bad. Honestly, Peter D would rate higher for me personally if his Doctor was portrayed like in this serial for his entire run. The director amped up Peter's game and it shows the lost potential. I realize many have issues with Colin, but I don't blame him for most of them...Either way, JNT should have waited until the next Season/Series to introduce 6.
I still love the 5th doctors regeneration, quite dramatic for the time. And the last thing he says, Adric, which tells he still feels sad about his death. And yes I would've liked another season. Also I think the 6th doctor is the most underrated.
'Adric?...' Matthew Waterhouse's cameo in this comes two years TO THE DAY after his character's demise in 'Earthshock' part 4. And the reason I know this is because both that shock - and this regeneration - occurred on my 9th and 11th birthdays, respectively. I can't say I was overjoyed at either! But Robert Holmes sketch study for the 6th Doctor ('old sixie' as Colin would now probably refer to himself) is deft and rather sums up quite a bit of what to expect...
10:31 that’s the same pattern the Doctor sees on the screen before Androzani Minor appears, when he hijacks Stortzi’s ship at the end of part 3. Letting you know a regeneration was coming, but has to hold it back until he rescues Peri.
That was a lovely reaction. I feel your pain Marie-Clare. Although Tom was my first Doctor it was Peter's Doctor that turned me into an out and out fan. I wish we had a least one more year of him too. A great Doctor in a fantastic story.👍
And with that, the greatest regeneration story. In my opinion, this story is the doctor's finest hour This is a masterpiece story, and we got one of the most iconic regeneration scenes as well
Your reaction PERFECTLY mirrors mine from 40 years ago. I was heart broken and "Gut Punched" as you said because Peter Davison was MY Doctor. He was the one I grew up watching...yes, I'd seen the Tom Baker episodes and loved them, but for me, it went to a new level with the 5th Doctor. Here in America, we really didn't have any idea what the stories were or any idea of what stories were coming up unless we subscribed to TV Guide, LOL. In that way, I watched all the Classic Who stories just like you're watching them now. I never knew what the new story was going to be in advance until the title of the first part came up. And, in the United States at the time, Doctor who was contracted to play on Public Broadcasting Stations and was sold BY THE DOCTOR, and not by the season. So, the next week, our PBS, they showed "The Five Doctors" which confused fans even more. It wasn't until later that we realized there was another show in the that season.
As as American kid, I knew Peter's Doctor was going to regenerate upon hearing the initial music in episode one. It produced a similar vibe to episode one of Logopolis. I had no access to UK news back then, and so it was a sad realization at the time.
This is often considered one of the best stories of doctor who. Not just of classic, but as a whole! And it is flippin excellent!! Since this was his last story, peter davison wanted an explanation on why he wears celery in his lepel, thats why he explains it to peri at the start. I think the doctor goes to such lengths to save peri is not only cus its his character, but because adric died in his care. Doesn’t want to lose another companion. Even his last words are ‘adric?’ Also when he says ‘is this death?’ Is very similar to when mawdryn died, he said ‘can this be death?’
Some people act like the decision to place the regeneration before the end of the series was completely unprecedented. Season 4 did this just 8 episodes in! And the numbers game was very similar. Peter had been widely popular in the role, even if he couldn't hope to match his predecessor in terms of iconography. And the stand-out line in this story, for me, rather sums up his entire characterisation: 'I AM telling the truth. I KEEP telling the truth. Why is it nobody believes me?...'
Peter was on a three year contract, and although JNT offered him a fourth season he declined, as he had not enjoyed making his second very much and Patrick Troughton had previously advised him to leave after three years in case he became typecast. He came to regret that decision, as he enjoyed his Season 21 stories a lot more on the whole, and Caves understandably became his favourite story of his entire run, but by then Colin had been cast as the new Doctor and it was too late for Peter to change his mind. This is the penultimate story of the season, as JNT decided to introduce the new Doctor in the final story, making this the first time a regeneration happened in mid-season since Hartnell gave way to Troughton. Peter wasn’t very happy with that decision, understandably, as it prevented him from completing the three full seasons as the Doctor he had signed up for. As things turned out, it probably wasn’t the best decision for the show’s future, either…
@@conscienceaginBlackadder I don’t think it would have done Peter any harm long term if he had stayed for another year. His TV career continued to thrive in any case, so I don’t suppose he regretted leaving when he did too much.
@@BernardJKD Yes, by the end of Season 20 Peter was becoming worried about the show’s creative direction, which helped make up his mind to leave after his third season. He also felt the BBC wasn’t giving the show the money and time it needed to be really good.
@@BernardJKD As I understand it, Peter also asked his All Creatures Great and Small co-stars if he should extend his contract, while they were making the 1983 Christmas special. They advised him against, and that helped make up his mind to go.
If you watch episode 3 back again, the scene where Stotz’s ship is locked in orbit with the Doctor at the controls you will see the regeneration special effect very briefly and this makes sense of the Doctor’s line “Not a very persuasive argument Stotz because I’m going to be dying soon anyway…” from that moment on the Doctor is holding back his regeneration and his only mission was to save Peri and the dialogue reflects that. Peter Davison was advised by Pat Troughton to do 3 years and that was the advice which he followed.
@@BernardJKD reproduced for information only, no copywriter infringement intended: Davison didn't have the contentious relationship with John Nathan-Turner that plagued Tom Baker, but Davison was disappointed by the quality of most of his stories. And while he thought the show got better in his final year, Davison decided to take the advice given to him by Patrick Troughton to bow out after three years to avoid burnout and typecasting
This story is a classic and I really enjoy all the performances in the one, brilliantly casted and extremely well directed. The sixth doctor is one of my favourite doctors but he does have a rocky start. Looking forward to the Colin Baker journey
I don't think there could be a more perfect ending for the Fifth Doctor than sacrificing his life, not for the Universe, but to save the life for a single companion. He did with Peri that he failed with Adric, and found a moment of closure.
Plus the last story of Peter's final season is The Twin Dilemma, so he did get short-changed by at least one story. Although it was a good one to miss out on...
Talk about hog it! Tom must be the only Doctor who's regeneration was cheered on by the audience who then exclaimed "About fucking time!" in unison as Davison sat up...
This is without a doubt the best regeneration story from the classic era. Peter Davison was incredible from start to finish. While it’s sad he’s now gone, at least he went out in an amazing way, risking everything for his friend. Very excited for your reactions to Colin Baker as The Sixth Doctor
Yes, it was Peter Davison's decision to leave. He turned down the offer of a 4th season - Patrick Troughton had advised him to just do three and he stuck to that advice. I'm scoring this story 9/10. Many people consider this to be the best story of classic Doctor Who - I totally understand why even though I don't rate it quite that high myself. :)
I remember feeling sad that we were losing the 5th Doctor, and I rarely re-watch this story because of this, especially as we'd only recently lost both Tegan and Turlough, so it felt like it was coming to an end. I guess it's because I think of Peter Davison as my doctor, as I was 7 when we first saw him at the end of Logopolis and 11 when Caves of Androzani aired. Unlike the regeneration from 4 into 5, this wasn't the end of a season with a long gap before seeing the new doctor in his first story, this time we got to see doctor number 6 the following week.
So much drama and brutality. What I love about this story is the fact that it was all very incidental. Almost like a side quest that took a wrong turn which ultimately ended with the Doctor having to regenerate to save himself and Peri. A story where the Doctor isn’t acting like a god, speechifying or coming up with a massive plan to save the universe. Just being nosy and caught in the middle of something that he doesn’t really have any real involvement with. Probably one of my favourite ever stories from all of Doctor Who. New-Who could learn a lot from this story. Where the Doctor is your best friend doing what is right as apposed to the all knowing powerful deity. Oh and yes, Patrick Troughton did advise Peter to only do 3 series. Even though I believe that Peter has said in hindsight he should’ve accepted the fourth.
Fantastic close to Peter Davison's tenure. The Doctor sacrificing himself to save his companion...I think this is my favourite regeneration story. All the male characters die(I know, the Doctor didn't die but he regenerated so in a way he 'died' as 5 and survived as Sixie) and only Peri and Krau Timmin survived. I love the way she spoke to Morgus after stitching him up to the authorities...also her 'actually a tv remote control' personal organiser..great episode, great story. So long 5, you are awesome 😊👍
Peter Davison has some INCREDIBLE performances for Big Finish. You really need to check out all the stuff with his companion Marc, and the just him and Nyssa's adventures. That's the joy of big finish, if you need more with a classic character, it's there!
The regeneration is a masterpiece. None of the others come close. And I was fortunate to catch it on original transmission, thought at 6 years old I had no clue what really was going on. And Patrick Troughton advised Davison to a maximum of 3 years, as he himself did. Davison apparently asked to be kept on after recording of this story but plans were already advanced that it wasn’t possible.
I also felt that Peter should have stayed for at least a fourth season. Quite an impactful regeneration finale. Thank you, Marie-Clare, for sharing your thoughts.
This story is unique in the way it was never about solving the world's problem, or winning against a foe. It was humans against humans, where the main goal was for our main characters to make it out alive. Which only Peri making it to the end, alive, thanks to the Doctor's efforts. What a fantastic story. I believe Davison said, if he received more stories of this quality, he may have stayed on longer
Most dramatically terrifying regeneration we ever went through, especially when seeing how it was already starting to take place whilst crashing that ship, but we really had to use every aspect of soul we had left to keep going because it was our neverending curiosity that got us into that horror to begin with. Yes we blamed ourselves for the circumstances of why we ended up in that situation, killing little Miss Perpigillian Brown desperately needing the antidote, our fault, our addicted curiosity. We had to stop the regeneration that was already starting, long enough to save her, yes! Sharaz Jek, '"phantom of the opera'", creepy freaky, yet kind of felt sorry for him strangely, yet we had to save Peri, as we said, our most dramatic regeneration ever. No choice, no chance of our survival. Obviously what tainted us during that regeneration, whilst to begin with hearing our wonderful memories of our companions, even Adric's, as we thought this truthfully was our final end, we then began to hear his voice, his power, the Master who started to cause what would become the horror, the horror still to come, yes! To subconsciously have brought out our anger, our superiority complexes to the front. Postictal delusional psychosis is an understatement. We never forgive ourselves for what we did to Peri, yes? The 'gods' with ideas of ongoing story's to our traumas to come that would lead even deeper into darkness to be allied along side the Master, friend not enemy. However no one knew what worse tsunami would come. Dear Peri the one who saves us, to go through what's to come. Many hated what we became, but only time will tell the truth, and to this time may still arrive, yes? In that past time 'the 80's' Richard simply fell madly in love with Peri, teenagers, Hmmm! Once again we know we have spoken way too long to tell of our days of futures past, thus alas big thank you kindly from our 42nd regeneration of ourselves 'the Doctor', Who curiously loves the mysteries and secrets to life, the universe and everything Yes!
Caves of Androzani is such a good story, tbh I wish we had more stories like this. The 5th Doctor run is really good in general, some absolutely fantastic stories that really take you by surprise!
Hi, Marie-Claire. I am new to your channel, and I really enjoy your Classic Who reviews. I saw some of these episodes years ago and it's fun to see them again. I love how direct and honest your reactions are, and I also love how you refuse to consult spoilers or to allow your judgements to be distorted by other critics or opinion in the fandom. That is exactly how all reaction channels should be. Also, you seem to be a very nice person. I love how you say thanks to your viewers, ask them how they are, and wish them all the best. TH-cam and the net would be better places if everyone had your attitude.
Don’t worry, I felt the same in 1984. Go watch Timecrash to cheer yourself up. Prepare yourself for the season finale The Twin Dilemma! Peter left because of the poor quality of his second season, but regretted it because the quality of his last season was so good.
The moment when 5th says “Not Enough Time” and turns around is my favourite moment ever in Dr Who. This story is astonishing and for nothing has ever come close to Davison in this last outing of the 5th Doctor. Its brilliant.
I can remember this on first broadcast. I was a week off my 7th birthday. I was completely un-phased. I already had memories of Tom regenerating into Peter, had seen The Five Doctors not long before and had seen The Three Doctors as part of The Five Faces Of Dr Who repeats in 1981. Me and all my mates from school were well used to the idea of regeneration. The Three Doctors repeat and then The Five Doctors were brilliant to us because it meant that when we played Dr Who in the school playground we could all play at being The Doctor and I didn’t have to keep on being Adric all the time! But the regenerations back then always seemed so exciting to me and my mates, and not sad at all. I don’t think I ever felt sad at a regeneration until Tenant left, and that was more to Wilf’s reaction to the news of The Doctors impending demise - I love Bernard Cribbins as an actor. In hindsight, looking on as an adult, Tom’s departure was rather sad and was the first time it properly felt like a death rather than just a change. But, as a kid, I just never felt sad. It was exciting to see what the new Doctor would be like and we all knew he wasn’t dead!
At the end you looked legitimately angry. I understand. Peter mainly took Pat Troughton’s advice of “Do two years and get out”. Also, even Colin Baker admits that he didn’t like playing a Doctor that was always patronizing Peri.
He wasn't always patronising her. I found it hilarious when he would correct her Americanisms personally. Him having a sense of humour and not much patience hardly equates to this monster some hyperbolic fans describe him as. He certainly was a breath of fresh air after bland, boring, featureless Davison.
I totally understand your reaction. The 5th Dr was one of my favourites. When it first aired, this story was one of those major events in my childhood. Pretty emotional too. As a fan, I knew that the future of the whole show was in doubt, so knowing that the 5th Dr was going to leave it felt like the end of an era. To be honest, this eas the beginning of the end for me... No spoilers, but I couldn't like the 6th Dr after Pertwee, Baker and Davison. I gradually started to lose interest at the time. But wow, Androzani is such a great story and a heroic way for the Dr to go.
Peter was my first Doctor, and at the time this went out - I had no idea that he was leaving - so I was in shock as to what was going on with the regeneration! It was a real gut punch at the time. I suppose what marks this story out as unique is the fact that the Doctor and Peri are in the wrong place, at the wrong time and everything goes wrong - and they just escape by the skin of their teeth - and a regeneration! There's great dialogue at the start with the Doctor and Peri and the talk of him keeping a diary and his celery, good side characters : Jek(if a little melodramatic), Morgus, etc., great cliffhangers, the dark and dinghy cave interiors, the use of machine guns gives it a more realistic atmosphere, Roger Limb's music is very fitting for this story, a great regeneration scene(the Doctor is unsure if he can do it this time around).
This story is a double edged sword, it's a cracking story, everything was right about it, but like you I was not ready for the 5th Doctor to leave, even now I still feel upset when he regenerates. No matter how many times I have watched Caves, it still has the same effect on me. For me it's one of the best WHO's and what a way for the 5th Doctor to go out, all guns blazing. When Peter Davison first got the role he met Patrick Troughton in the BBC car park, and Pat said to Peter, do Three years and then get out. And that is what Peter decided. Although at the start of Season 21, Peter had to decide about his contract and he chose it would be his last. In hindsight Peter has said if he had, had the types of stories he had in 21, in season 20, he would have considered staying another season.
Patrick Troughton advised Peter to leave after 3 seasons. Peter later regretted it, saying he wish he'd done one more year. He joked about it while filming the regeneration scene.
There was a reader’s poll in 2009 from Doctor Who Magazine of best to worst of all Who stories from the classic and new series. Number 1 was Caves of Androzani and the absolute bottom story was the very next story following Caves, The Twin Dilemma. I actually kind of like Twin, but that’s how things ended up that year. Weird.
But Thanks to Big Finish, he's done over 150 stories as the Doctor and Continues to this day. I cannot stress how awesome Big Finish is. When you listen to the stories alongside the tv series, Their era feels much longer. :)
At least we are spared the ludicrous sight of him in his cricketing gear! He looks absurd nowadays with his bulging gut spilling out of that pullover and over his trousers, and the few guitar strings left on his head instantly destroy the 'pleasant, open face' description of yesteryear!
And that concludes that! I don't remember what I said on Patreon and I can't be arsed to look it up so I'll just make something up: The Caves of Androzani is my favourite episode of Doctor Who, and it's got no Daleks, Cybermen, UNIT, it barely has the bloody TARDIS in it! Nevertheless, it's a damn good story about the Doctor saving *one* person as opposed to the previous Doctor saving the universe.
The fifth doctor, a true hero, he saves the life of someone he barely knows and sacrifices himself, no over indulgent speeches, no opera music, no crying or moaning ( unlike some doctors I could mention, 10 and 12) he just regenerates as a true unselfish person and he doesn't even know if he will regenerate as the disease is so lethal. 5th Doctor the most heroic of all the incarnations
I love this regeneration and the first interaction between Peri and the 6th Doctor. It just seems right somehow. Also it tops off one of the best stories in Doctor Who ever, according to a lot of the fandom and I agree in fact I would say it is the best story, that being said there are alot of what I consider great stories to come. I wonder what you'll think of the 6th Doctor.
I love how the music isn't over the top but really brings out the intended flavor of the scene. The scenes might work without the music, but this story is as simply perfect as it is creepy. Only Timmin and Peri survive. Not even the magma beast made it. And for all we know, Timmin might be one of Jek's androids. The celery explanation is quite good... "It feels different this time". A very poignant regeneration indeed. One of, if not the best. "Change my dear" wasn't supposed to have the new Doctor blinking, but it was 10pm and the studio had to shut down.
He had the same length of time as the first 2 Doctors, but after 4s long tenure it feels like a short time. Davison left at this point after getting advice from Patrick Troughton. But he had the most poignant death, sacrificing himself for Perry.
Yes it was Peter's choice to leave. I read that he got more into it during this last season and considered staying but it was too late already. He's never been my favourite but I find his exit incredibly heroic and admirable. So curious to see how you're going to react to the sixth doctor :D
It was Peter Davison's decision to leave but also he also took the advice from Patrick Troughton to do 3 years and that's it Out. Done. as he didn't want to be typecast and he wasn't entirely happy with the production and the quality of the writing during his tenure until this story which became Davison's favourite story out of his entire era he said many years later that he regretted it and had their been more stories like this he would had done another 4th Season. But to be fair he has had a fair 3 seasons and we still haven't even finished the season yet which the finale is a strange one to start a new Doctor's first story and are you in for a rocky ride on Colin's era.
I always felt that we didn’t get the full potential of the Fifth Doctor. It would’ve been nice if Peter Davison had stayed another scene, though Caves of Androzani was Davison’s best story. It had all the elements. Brave heart Marie-Clare, more great Doctor Who to come!😁
Just got done watching this. Because of the way I am I knew how 5 was gonna die and when, and I’d seen the regen before, so I was sorta prepared. I wasn’t prepared for how epic this story would be though! I loved 5... reminds me a lot of 11, who’s my favourite new who doctor :)
Good riddance!! Time for a Doctor with some personality, humour and backbone! Ta la, beige Pete! Back to the Yorkshire Dales, you boring, bland nonentity!
No spoilers but be aware that with Colin Baker’s debut by pure coincidence we charge head-on into a very turbulent period for the show! Peter Davison decided to only stay for three series after advice given to him by a chance meeting with Patrick Troughton in the BBC TV Centre car park when Davison was going to recording of his first serial (Four To Doomsday, which was recorded before Castrovalva) in 1981. Since then the advice has been passed down to many actors who’ve done the role as it’s about the right length of time to make your mark on the show’s history without suffering typecasting.
What a meaningless and rather absurd 'warning', considering Marie-Clare scored almost all of Colin Baker's stories 8/10 or above and absolutely loved his tenure!
@@rnw2739 Hardly meaningless when I posted that warning *before* she started Colin’s run (my powers of clairvoyancy clearly weren’t working that day) and in Time and the Rani’s reaction, she was really shocked at the way Colin was treated! *THAT* was the turbulence I was referring to! Also why are you replying to a comment that’s over 2 years old?!? Get a life!
This, and three, are the ones that still get me. Makes me cry every single time. The acting is great, Though there are some good Big Finish stories of 5 and Peri I like the idea of the Doctor sacrificing himself for someone he just met. Lastly, there is so much death in this one. The only people who survive unscathed are Peri and the assistant to Morgus
I don't count the Big Finish stuff as canon, just "some fun", but doubly-so when it comes to the fact that - his sacrifice for Peri to me will always be - the Doctor giving his life to save someone he only just met. It is so much more powerful than 4 saving the Universe - although that said, I mean - Logopolis was brill too.
@@johnlarro6872 I have a simple rule on canonicity, i.e. the TV show maintains the absolute canon. What happens on audio stays in the "Big Finish canon" unless it's referenced on TV, in which case it becomes fully canonical. The same goes for other spin-offs like radio shows, plays or novels. My rationale for this is twofold: (1) It keeps things relatively straightforward; and (2) the overwhelming majority of Doctor Who fans only follow the TV show. We're talking a few thousand BF listeners vs millions of viewers, so it's only fair to them that the TV show has the casting vote when it comes to the canon.
@@ftumschk again, why I say it is adjacent. It is like a sundae bar. You can add to the ice cream all you want and ignore the rest. Want some 5 and Nyssa solo stories that fill in the gap it is there. Don't care about 4 between Deadly Assassin and Face of Evil? Ignore them. Not required but extra.
One good thing is that there are many fantastic audio adventures with the 5th Doctor and the various companions. I have a feeling "Spare Parts" with the 5th Doctor and Nyssa would blow your mind. (NO SPOILERS)
I know that this is nearly 30 years ago, and I have seen most of the Doctor's regenerations. This was still horrible to watch. When it was time for Tom to go..... In a way we were prepared for the new Doctor to emerge.
Patrick Troughton advised him to do 3 years of Doctor Who and then move onto something else. I must admit though I would have liked to see him do a few more stories with Peri. Also the next story is the final one in the season.
Hurrah for Troughton. Couldn't stand Davison. Not nearly quirky enough for that role. JNT had purposely brought him in as a kind of teenage heart throb, to appeal to the youth demographic. I remember how numb with disbelief I was when he got the job. Tristan from ACG&S!
5 was "my" Doctor. I was only 7 when I first saw this story, and I really only recall the end of P1 with the fake execution, and then the regeneration - seeing Adric (my then fave companion) was surreal. I do like the fact that essentially 5's last word was "Adric?" However, when I viewed this story again a few years later after enjoying a run through of 5's stories... yep, gutted is totally the word. And yet - it really is SUCH an amazing story. There's very little that isn't perfect (the Magma Beast is of course the elephant in the room), and as you saw - the sense of urgency just grows and grows, and we get the best story of the entire classic run. Peter has made a few varying comments over the years about whether he should have stayed for another year or not. As noted, Troughton did tell him to just do 3 and get out... (although Troughton himself said he wished he'd done more!) But ultimately it was the poor scripts of Season 20 that helped Peter decide to leave, as it was at that point he had to make the decision. He has said if he'd known how good Season 21 was going to be, he may have decided to stay... but he's also said it was good to go out on a high. Whilst Tom's finale saw clips from his episodes used to give us snippets of his previous companions - and foes - for Caves they actually paid the money to bring the actors back! Considering it was just to say 1 line of dialogue, it was quite an expense I'm sure, but it was beautifully done, and has become the 'norm' now in the new era for the Doctor to see his past companions in one way or another.
Don’t worry, I felt the same in 1983. Go watch Timecrash to cheer yourself up. Prepare yourself for The Twin Dilemma! Peter left because of the poor quality of his second season, but regretted it because the quality of his last season was so good.
When I first saw this story I was scared stiff but I already knew this was Peter Davison's final story as it was announced on the news a year before. The regenerations weren't made as bigger deal back then unlike today with NuWho its all a big event which I find is abit over the top myself. As much as I was sad to see Davison go even though at first I didn't like him because he was Tom's replacement and wrecked the scarf I was also excited to see the new Doctor I don't really take the regeneration scenes as a sadness I find it more of an interesting experiment because each time they do it its always done artistically different although that actor is gone its still The Doctor the same man but I did thought Peri wasn't going to make it.
I didn't watch Caves at the time, one I happened to miss as a kid. By the time I did (around 2005) I knew about the regeneration. So I've never had that out-of-the-blue shock with it. But what an excellent story. One of the absolute best ever and it acts as a wonderful thematic capper for the Fifth Doctor, going out on his terms and determined to save someone no matter what. It doesn't feel to me like he was gone too soon, he had a good run. Just perhaps it feels a bit more that way after the epic length of time Tom was there.
FULL LENGTH | CLASSIC DOCTOR WHO | Twin Dilemma - Part 4 | REACTION
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Usually the regeneration is some big epic with the Doctor dying to save the universe and in the modern era, loads of returning monsters. This is the best one because it is a small, pointless war on a pointless planet in which everyone dies except the two women. They all die for greed or revenge except the Doctor who dies throughself sacrifice, saving a woman he barely knew.
Apart from the Fourth Doctor, who's regeneration came about to thwart the Master's plan to enslave the universe, the regenerations you describe only apply to the pathetic new series which are so laughably over dramatic with that wailing soprano screeching and the actor playing the departing incumbent Doctor giving a yawn inducing speech about his performance like he's at the Baftas..... no regeneration in NuWho has been a regeneration for me. Which classic Doctor waffled on and on about how good he was during his tenure or that he doesn't want to leave the show? None.
"I might regenerate, I don't know" sort of implies that 5's been fighting to hold back this regeneration so hard (to delay the post-regeneration delirium until after he's got the job done and saved Peri) he's worried he's suppressed this regeneration completely.
I never thought of it like that before. It’s possible though.
I believe the behind-the-scenes reason is that Robert Holmes really thought Davison was playing the Doctor's thirteenth incarnation.
Losing the celery is like when Matt removed his bow tie…felt your sorrow Marie Claire, with all his companions there too
Peter Davison has said in various interviews that it was hard to act in his last scene, he said all he could pay attention to was Nicola Bryant's twins lol
Paraphrasing Mickey Smith: "He may be an alien, but he's still a bloke!"
Did he regenerate? I didn't notice.
Nice
Lol
The Twin Dilemma
Peter Davison is one of myself favourites. Love him.
Caves of Androzani is wonderfully dark, a truly great story. Great send off to a great doctor.
The caves of androzani is my favourite peter Davidson doctor who story
Goodbye Five. You did your best sacrifice your own live for Peri for the Bat’s Milk,
now hello Six and we got one more story left for this season.
Five was my Doctor, the first one I followed all the way through. I was 12 when this aired and afterwards I went to bed and cried. This is a very powerful episode with an intense regeneration. The novelisation suggests the thought of the Master laughing at him gave the Doctor the determination he needed to regenerate after almost putting it off too long so he could save Peri.
I love how in the spate of barely a minute you see the contrast between gentle 5 and rude 6.
6 isn't 'rude'. He only is during his post regenerative stress. A rude Doctor would never comfort Mel as he does when she is terrified and repulsed by the Vervoids compost heap, cuddle the dying mutant on Necros, or open the door of the TARDIS to allow Peri to always enter first.
The way you Colin Baker haters pretend that his actions whilst delirious in 'The Twin Dilemma' are identical in all his stories, is pathetic.
Davison was a virtual corpse being carried about in a make shift coffin throughout 'Castrovalva' and about as much use as a soiled dishcloth. At least the Sixth Doctor actually managed to defeat Mestor himself and wasn't reliant on two companions to do everything for him.
Who said anything about hating Colin's Doctor. I like his more rude persona, similarly with the 1st and 12th Doctors.
Peter's decision to leave and Colin's casting were announced to the press in summer 1983 (i.e. before transmission of 'The Five Doctors'), so this made the Fifth Doctor's tenure feel even shorter!
Yes it was August 19th 1983. Peter Davison had been last seen in The Kings Demons in March and this his final episode was screened 16th March 1984 so we had a good 7 months to get ready for his departure. I wasn’t happy and when they announced Colin Baker my first words were “oh no” not just because of Maxil in Arc of Infinity but also his role as the villain in The Brothers and other things.
Caves of Androzani is one of the greatest stories of Classic Who and if you’re going to leave then go out with a bang. Peter Davison was wonderful and brought a nervous engaging energy to the role. Great reaction.
The legend runs that Peter Davison bumped into Pat Troughton in the BBC car park at TV Centre not long after he was cast and Pat advised him to do three years and then get out. It was pretty good advice. Davison's career was never really held back by playing the Doctor and he had a lot of top class roles in the years to come (on stage and screen). In later years he admitted that, had Season 20 been like Season 21, he probably would have stayed on for Season 22. But them's the breaks...
Although it always makes me sad to see the fifth Doctor regenerate, what a way to go out! I don’t think any Doctor has ever been more heroic than this one, sacrificing his life not to save the world, or the universe, but a single companion whom he barely knows (I am going to overlook the fact that Big Finish has subsequently produced a large number of Five/Peri adventures). The one jarring note in what is easily a 10/10 story is the sixth Doctor having the last, rather sneering, word, which spoils the moment a bit. Six should not have said anything, and I don’t think Colin should have got top billing either, as that feels a bit insulting to Peter, especially after his superb performance in this story. The regeneration sequence is my favourite ever - Graeme Harper was inspired by the frantic orchestral build up on The Beatles’ A Day in the Life, and it works superbly well.
I’ve always wondered if JNT was miffed Davison was leaving so he gave Colin top billing. That and I think JNT fancied Colin a bit. Certainly JNT wanted the 6th to be a bit like him with the snark and the “totally tasteless” costume.
@@DeanStrickson You may well be right, and it could also explain in part why he denied Peter his wish to complete three full seasons, by having him regenerate a story early. JNT could be very spiteful towards those who did not do what he wanted, as Nicola Bryant has shown recently with her revelations about his reaction when she initially refused to do his panto.
@@johng5859 I think the "early" regeneration was more to do with the fear of losing the last story of the season to industrial action as happened the previous season. If anything happened during Caves, they could still have used the recording dates for the next story to finish it and bump the next story on - Colin and Nicola would still be under contract next season, Peter wasn't. Peter of course went on to play another brilliant Doctor (Daker) :-)
@@alan_evans That’s an interesting point. Production on Caves was in fact delayed by strike action, and it had to take one of the studio blocks originally planned for the next story, which was delayed in its turn. A Very Peculiar Practice is a great series, and one I hope MC covers some day.
It just went downhill the second Colin Baker became the Doctor.
Robert Holmes. Graham Harper. Eric Saward. The incredible cast.
It's not for nothing that this is regarded as one of the best series in 60 years.
Peter was my favourite Doctor. Wish he had stayed longer
This story is Shakespearian. The Doctor spends the story just trying to survive, having stumbled into someone else's conflict.
It's also the story that does the best job at foregrounding the regeneration, with the Doctor receiving the fatal injury in the first episode and then having his impending doom hanging over the whole story.
Colin Baker always said he wished he hadn't blinked at the end there when he had that line about change.
Ironically, he fudges the line with some uncharacteristically sloppy diction. "It seems not a moment too soon" comes out more like "It seems on a moment too soon".
The ending is still my favorite regeneration sequence of the entire classic series! This is an amazing final story for Peter. One of the best regeneration stories of all time in fact. Well directed, written and acted by all. You were right, Peter's Doctor was regenerating soon. It was just sooner than you thought! 10/10 for me. One of my favorite stories of the era! When I first saw this on PBS as a kid it was pretty sad, I was sorry to see Peter go, but I was curious to see what this new snarky Doctor was going to bring to the show. I really enjoyed Colin's performance as the Doctor. He's not for everyone I suppose, but I really like him. Peter, of course, was great too. And actually I got to meet Colin at a convention months before his first season ever aired here in the states! There was something like a six month delay, back in those days, between the episodes airing in the U.K. and then being shown in the U.S.. That really sucked waiting around for new seasons to air here when I was young. Anyway, the first ever convention I attended, "Who-vent 85" took place in Valley Forge PA. Colin was there, Jon Pertwee was there, Nick Courtney was there, and Anthony Ainley, Janet Fielding and Carol Ann Ford were all there too! What a cool time as a new young fan. Oh that was great. That was my first and only time meeting the legendary Jon Pertwee. He was so nice and so gregarious, I was practically speechless meeting him. He was and is my favorite Doctor. (Having just finished watching his episodes not long beforehand. Which were aired in the run-up to the new sixth Doctor's era starting.) I still have the autograph he signed for me there. I have it framed on my wall.
Patrick Troughton told him only to do three years as the Doctor. Peter did want to return for another season, but they told him that the contracts had already been signed. So he left the show and returned to All Creatures Great and Small.
Unfortunately soon after Peter was first given the role of the Doctor, he bumped into Patrick Troughton who advised him to do just three seasons, which he took to heart. Peter was asked if he would do a fourth series in the middle of filming Season 20, but declined, a decision he later said he regretted.
As with the modern era Doctors, we definitely needed more time with the Fifth Doctor - only highlighted when you binge his era, like you have.
Maybe Peter was lucky leaving with Michael Ian Grade, the future Baron Grade of Yarmouth running BBC1. Would Grade pull the same stuff had Peter remained The Doctor? My guess is that he waits out the End of the 5th Doctor era. Probably the JNT/Eric Saward implosion would be delayed at best until Peter’s successor was cast.
The best regeneration story, hands down. Bob Holmes and Graeme Harper both at the top of their game.
You’re going to have a great time with Colin, he’s definitely one of my favourite Doctors.
Omg no Peter is wayyy better! Always gutted at end of this story.
Colin is one of my favorite Doctors and Peter is one of my least favorite. No slight on him because even being less liked by me does not mean I thought they were bad. Honestly, Peter D would rate higher for me personally if his Doctor was portrayed like in this serial for his entire run. The director amped up Peter's game and it shows the lost potential. I realize many have issues with Colin, but I don't blame him for most of them...Either way, JNT should have waited until the next Season/Series to introduce 6.
I still love the 5th doctors regeneration, quite dramatic for the time. And the last thing he says, Adric, which tells he still feels sad about his death. And yes I would've liked another season. Also I think the 6th doctor is the most underrated.
'Adric?...' Matthew Waterhouse's cameo in this comes two years TO THE DAY after his character's demise in 'Earthshock' part 4. And the reason I know this is because both that shock - and this regeneration - occurred on my 9th and 11th birthdays, respectively. I can't say I was overjoyed at either! But Robert Holmes sketch study for the 6th Doctor ('old sixie' as Colin would now probably refer to himself) is deft and rather sums up quite a bit of what to expect...
10:31 that’s the same pattern the Doctor sees on the screen before Androzani Minor appears, when he hijacks Stortzi’s ship at the end of part 3. Letting you know a regeneration was coming, but has to hold it back until he rescues Peri.
That was a lovely reaction. I feel your pain Marie-Clare. Although Tom was my first Doctor it was Peter's Doctor that turned me into an out and out fan. I wish we had a least one more year of him too. A great Doctor in a fantastic story.👍
And with that, the greatest regeneration story.
In my opinion, this story is the doctor's finest hour
This is a masterpiece story, and we got one of the most iconic regeneration scenes as well
Your reaction PERFECTLY mirrors mine from 40 years ago. I was heart broken and "Gut Punched" as you said because Peter Davison was MY Doctor. He was the one I grew up watching...yes, I'd seen the Tom Baker episodes and loved them, but for me, it went to a new level with the 5th Doctor. Here in America, we really didn't have any idea what the stories were or any idea of what stories were coming up unless we subscribed to TV Guide, LOL. In that way, I watched all the Classic Who stories just like you're watching them now. I never knew what the new story was going to be in advance until the title of the first part came up. And, in the United States at the time, Doctor who was contracted to play on Public Broadcasting Stations and was sold BY THE DOCTOR, and not by the season. So, the next week, our PBS, they showed "The Five Doctors" which confused fans even more. It wasn't until later that we realized there was another show in the that season.
As as American kid, I knew Peter's Doctor was going to regenerate upon hearing the initial music in episode one. It produced a similar vibe to episode one of Logopolis. I had no access to UK news back then, and so it was a sad realization at the time.
This is often considered one of the best stories of doctor who. Not just of classic, but as a whole! And it is flippin excellent!! Since this was his last story, peter davison wanted an explanation on why he wears celery in his lepel, thats why he explains it to peri at the start. I think the doctor goes to such lengths to save peri is not only cus its his character, but because adric died in his care. Doesn’t want to lose another companion. Even his last words are ‘adric?’
Also when he says ‘is this death?’ Is very similar to when mawdryn died, he said ‘can this be death?’
It's a tie with genesis from 4th
Some people act like the decision to place the regeneration before the end of the series was completely unprecedented. Season 4 did this just 8 episodes in! And the numbers game was very similar. Peter had been widely popular in the role, even if he couldn't hope to match his predecessor in terms of iconography. And the stand-out line in this story, for me, rather sums up his entire characterisation: 'I AM telling the truth. I KEEP telling the truth. Why is it nobody believes me?...'
Peter was on a three year contract, and although JNT offered him a fourth season he declined, as he had not enjoyed making his second very much and Patrick Troughton had previously advised him to leave after three years in case he became typecast. He came to regret that decision, as he enjoyed his Season 21 stories a lot more on the whole, and Caves understandably became his favourite story of his entire run, but by then Colin had been cast as the new Doctor and it was too late for Peter to change his mind. This is the penultimate story of the season, as JNT decided to introduce the new Doctor in the final story, making this the first time a regeneration happened in mid-season since Hartnell gave way to Troughton. Peter wasn’t very happy with that decision, understandably, as it prevented him from completing the three full seasons as the Doctor he had signed up for. As things turned out, it probably wasn’t the best decision for the show’s future, either…
So we have Patrick to blame, and that when stories were longer in his time. Peter was already known for other roles too...
@@conscienceaginBlackadder I don’t think it would have done Peter any harm long term if he had stayed for another year. His TV career continued to thrive in any case, so I don’t suppose he regretted leaving when he did too much.
@@BernardJKD Yes, by the end of Season 20 Peter was becoming worried about the show’s creative direction, which helped make up his mind to leave after his third season. He also felt the BBC wasn’t giving the show the money and time it needed to be really good.
@@BernardJKD As I understand it, Peter also asked his All Creatures Great and Small co-stars if he should extend his contract, while they were making the 1983 Christmas special. They advised him against, and that helped make up his mind to go.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If only Peter had decided to stay on for a fourth year ;season 20 was partly to blame...
If you watch episode 3 back again, the scene where Stotz’s ship is locked in orbit with the Doctor at the controls you will see the regeneration special effect very briefly and this makes sense of the Doctor’s line “Not a very persuasive argument Stotz because I’m going to be dying soon anyway…” from that moment on the Doctor is holding back his regeneration and his only mission was to save Peri and the dialogue reflects that.
Peter Davison was advised by Pat Troughton to do 3 years and that was the advice which he followed.
@@BernardJKD reproduced for information only, no copywriter infringement intended:
Davison didn't have the contentious relationship with John Nathan-Turner that plagued Tom Baker, but Davison was disappointed by the quality of most of his stories. And while he thought the show got better in his final year, Davison decided to take the advice given to him by Patrick Troughton to bow out after three years to avoid burnout and typecasting
This story is a classic and I really enjoy all the performances in the one, brilliantly casted and extremely well directed. The sixth doctor is one of my favourite doctors but he does have a rocky start. Looking forward to the Colin Baker journey
I don't think there could be a more perfect ending for the Fifth Doctor than sacrificing his life, not for the Universe, but to save the life for a single companion. He did with Peri that he failed with Adric, and found a moment of closure.
He actually starts to die / regenerate on ship end of part 3 but holds it off so he can rescue Peri.
Peter's run feels shorter than it is because of Tom Baker's seven year stretch preceding.
Plus the last story of Peter's final season is The Twin Dilemma, so he did get short-changed by at least one story. Although it was a good one to miss out on...
Talk about hog it! Tom must be the only Doctor who's regeneration was cheered on by the audience who then exclaimed "About fucking time!" in unison as Davison sat up...
Your reaction is exactly the same as mine was back in 84 on first transmission gobsmacked I agree though there was more I feel to Peters Doctor
This is without a doubt the best regeneration story from the classic era. Peter Davison was incredible from start to finish. While it’s sad he’s now gone, at least he went out in an amazing way, risking everything for his friend. Very excited for your reactions to Colin Baker as The Sixth Doctor
Yes, it was Peter Davison's decision to leave. He turned down the offer of a 4th season - Patrick Troughton had advised him to just do three and he stuck to that advice. I'm scoring this story 9/10. Many people consider this to be the best story of classic Doctor Who - I totally understand why even though I don't rate it quite that high myself. :)
Awww c'mon! 1 more point. Ignore the Magma Beast.
@@thetalonsofwaynechiang Well..... I guess I probably have watched The Mind Robber nearly as much. :)
@@johnlarro6872 Snakedance and Enlightenment are my favourite Davison stories... I just can't quite get this one up onto the top tier with them. :)
Yeah, I have nothing bad at all to say about it - but there are others which I like just a bit more. :)
@@thetalonsofwaynechiang Yes, agree. Such an overrated story because of the dross on either side.
I'll never forget the first time I saw this. I was blown away. SO GOOD!
I remember feeling sad that we were losing the 5th Doctor, and I rarely re-watch this story because of this, especially as we'd only recently lost both Tegan and Turlough, so it felt like it was coming to an end. I guess it's because I think of Peter Davison as my doctor, as I was 7 when we first saw him at the end of Logopolis and 11 when Caves of Androzani aired. Unlike the regeneration from 4 into 5, this wasn't the end of a season with a long gap before seeing the new doctor in his first story, this time we got to see doctor number 6 the following week.
Glad you liked the 5th, my favorite Doctor.
So much drama and brutality. What I love about this story is the fact that it was all very incidental. Almost like a side quest that took a wrong turn which ultimately ended with the Doctor having to regenerate to save himself and Peri. A story where the Doctor isn’t acting like a god, speechifying or coming up with a massive plan to save the universe. Just being nosy and caught in the middle of something that he doesn’t really have any real involvement with. Probably one of my favourite ever stories from all of Doctor Who. New-Who could learn a lot from this story. Where the Doctor is your best friend doing what is right as apposed to the all knowing powerful deity. Oh and yes, Patrick Troughton did advise Peter to only do 3 series. Even though I believe that Peter has said in hindsight he should’ve accepted the fourth.
Fantastic close to Peter Davison's tenure. The Doctor sacrificing himself to save his companion...I think this is my favourite regeneration story. All the male characters die(I know, the Doctor didn't die but he regenerated so in a way he 'died' as 5 and survived as Sixie) and only Peri and Krau Timmin survived. I love the way she spoke to Morgus after stitching him up to the authorities...also her 'actually a tv remote control' personal organiser..great episode, great story. So long 5, you are awesome 😊👍
Best Doctor. Loved Davison.
Peter Davison has some INCREDIBLE performances for Big Finish. You really need to check out all the stuff with his companion Marc, and the just him and Nyssa's adventures. That's the joy of big finish, if you need more with a classic character, it's there!
The regeneration is a masterpiece. None of the others come close. And I was fortunate to catch it on original transmission, thought at 6 years old I had no clue what really was going on. And Patrick Troughton advised Davison to a maximum of 3 years, as he himself did. Davison apparently asked to be kept on after recording of this story but plans were already advanced that it wasn’t possible.
I also felt that Peter should have stayed for at least a fourth season. Quite an impactful regeneration finale. Thank you, Marie-Clare, for sharing your thoughts.
This story is unique in the way it was never about solving the world's problem, or winning against a foe. It was humans against humans, where the main goal was for our main characters to make it out alive. Which only Peri making it to the end, alive, thanks to the Doctor's efforts.
What a fantastic story. I believe Davison said, if he received more stories of this quality, he may have stayed on longer
Most dramatically terrifying regeneration we ever went through, especially when seeing how it was already starting to take place whilst crashing that ship, but we really had to use every aspect of soul we had left to keep going because it was our neverending curiosity that got us into that horror to begin with. Yes we blamed ourselves for the circumstances of why we ended up in that situation, killing little Miss Perpigillian Brown desperately needing the antidote, our fault, our addicted curiosity. We had to stop the regeneration that was already starting, long enough to save her, yes! Sharaz Jek, '"phantom of the opera'", creepy freaky, yet kind of felt sorry for him strangely, yet we had to save Peri, as we said, our most dramatic regeneration ever. No choice, no chance of our survival. Obviously what tainted us during that regeneration, whilst to begin with hearing our wonderful memories of our companions, even Adric's, as we thought this truthfully was our final end, we then began to hear his voice, his power, the Master who started to cause what would become the horror, the horror still to come, yes! To subconsciously have brought out our anger, our superiority complexes to the front. Postictal delusional psychosis is an understatement. We never forgive ourselves for what we did to Peri, yes? The 'gods' with ideas of ongoing story's to our traumas to come that would lead even deeper into darkness to be allied along side the Master, friend not enemy. However no one knew what worse tsunami would come. Dear Peri the one who saves us, to go through what's to come. Many hated what we became, but only time will tell the truth, and to this time may still arrive, yes? In that past time 'the 80's' Richard simply fell madly in love with Peri, teenagers, Hmmm! Once again we know we have spoken way too long to tell of our days of futures past, thus alas big thank you kindly from our 42nd regeneration of ourselves 'the Doctor', Who curiously loves the mysteries and secrets to life, the universe and everything Yes!
Caves of Androzani is such a good story, tbh I wish we had more stories like this. The 5th Doctor run is really good in general, some absolutely fantastic stories that really take you by surprise!
Hi, Marie-Claire. I am new to your channel, and I really enjoy your Classic Who reviews. I saw some of these episodes years ago and it's fun to see them again. I love how direct and honest your reactions are, and I also love how you refuse to consult spoilers or to allow your judgements to be distorted by other critics or opinion in the fandom. That is exactly how all reaction channels should be. Also, you seem to be a very nice person. I love how you say thanks to your viewers, ask them how they are, and wish them all the best. TH-cam and the net would be better places if everyone had your attitude.
Don’t worry, I felt the same in 1984. Go watch Timecrash to cheer yourself up.
Prepare yourself for the season finale The Twin Dilemma!
Peter left because of the poor quality of his second season, but regretted it because the quality of his last season was so good.
What an incredible episode! Never fails to astonish.
The moment when 5th says “Not Enough Time” and turns around is my favourite moment ever in Dr Who. This story is astonishing and for nothing has ever come close to Davison in this last outing of the 5th Doctor. Its brilliant.
Remember my sister swearing at telly and told off by my dad . She was so upset . She didnt watch again till late McCoy
The fool!! She missed two of the best seasons in Doctor Who history!
I can remember this on first broadcast. I was a week off my 7th birthday. I was completely un-phased. I already had memories of Tom regenerating into Peter, had seen The Five Doctors not long before and had seen The Three Doctors as part of The Five Faces Of Dr Who repeats in 1981.
Me and all my mates from school were well used to the idea of regeneration. The Three Doctors repeat and then The Five Doctors were brilliant to us because it meant that when we played Dr Who in the school playground we could all play at being The Doctor and I didn’t have to keep on being Adric all the time!
But the regenerations back then always seemed so exciting to me and my mates, and not sad at all. I don’t think I ever felt sad at a regeneration until Tenant left, and that was more to Wilf’s reaction to the news of The Doctors impending demise - I love Bernard Cribbins as an actor.
In hindsight, looking on as an adult, Tom’s departure was rather sad and was the first time it properly felt like a death rather than just a change. But, as a kid, I just never felt sad. It was exciting to see what the new Doctor would be like and we all knew he wasn’t dead!
At the end you looked legitimately angry. I understand. Peter mainly took Pat Troughton’s advice of “Do two years and get out”. Also, even Colin Baker admits that he didn’t like playing a Doctor that was always patronizing Peri.
He wasn't always patronising her. I found it hilarious when he would correct her Americanisms personally. Him having a sense of humour and not much patience hardly equates to this monster some hyperbolic fans describe him as. He certainly was a breath of fresh air after bland, boring, featureless Davison.
I totally understand your reaction. The 5th Dr was one of my favourites. When it first aired, this story was one of those major events in my childhood. Pretty emotional too. As a fan, I knew that the future of the whole show was in doubt, so knowing that the 5th Dr was going to leave it felt like the end of an era. To be honest, this eas the beginning of the end for me... No spoilers, but I couldn't like the 6th Dr after Pertwee, Baker and Davison. I gradually started to lose interest at the time. But wow, Androzani is such a great story and a heroic way for the Dr to go.
How pathetic. The Sixth Doctor leaves those three for dust!
Peter was my first Doctor, and at the time this went out - I had no idea that he was leaving - so I was in shock as to what was going on with the regeneration! It was a real gut punch at the time. I suppose what marks this story out as unique is the fact that the Doctor and Peri are in the wrong place, at the wrong time and everything goes wrong - and they just escape by the skin of their teeth - and a regeneration! There's great dialogue at the start with the Doctor and Peri and the talk of him keeping a diary and his celery, good side characters : Jek(if a little melodramatic), Morgus, etc., great cliffhangers, the dark and dinghy cave interiors, the use of machine guns gives it a more realistic atmosphere, Roger Limb's music is very fitting for this story, a great regeneration scene(the Doctor is unsure if he can do it this time around).
This story is a double edged sword, it's a cracking story, everything was right about it, but like you I was not ready for the 5th Doctor to leave, even now I still feel upset when he regenerates.
No matter how many times I have watched Caves, it still has the same effect on me. For me it's one of the best WHO's and what a way for the 5th Doctor to go out, all guns blazing.
When Peter Davison first got the role he met Patrick Troughton in the BBC car park, and Pat said to Peter, do Three years and then get out. And that is what Peter decided. Although at the start of Season 21, Peter had to decide about his contract and he chose it would be his last. In hindsight Peter has said if he had, had the types of stories he had in 21, in season 20, he would have considered staying another season.
You could rewatch Time Crash with 10 and 5 meeting.The trousers Peter wears it that are the same ones the Colin wears in this.
Patrick Troughton advised Peter to leave after 3 seasons. Peter later regretted it, saying he wish he'd done one more year. He joked about it while filming the regeneration scene.
There was a reader’s poll in 2009 from Doctor Who Magazine of best to worst of all Who stories from the classic and new series. Number 1 was Caves of Androzani and the absolute bottom story was the very next story following Caves, The Twin Dilemma.
I actually kind of like Twin, but that’s how things ended up that year. Weird.
Unfortunately, Peter Davison only had 3 seasons as the Doctor.
But Thanks to Big Finish, he's done over 150 stories as the Doctor and Continues to this day. I cannot stress how awesome Big Finish is. When you listen to the stories alongside the tv series, Their era feels much longer. :)
@jeremythomaswebb1485 Although Davisons voice now being at least two octaves lower than it was when he played the Doctor onscreen does jar somewhat.
And he chose to quit while making his second season. He didn't expect the third season to be a massive uptick in quality, but it was too late.
We can blame Patrick Troughton, whom advised him not to stay more than 3 years
At least we are spared the ludicrous sight of him in his cricketing gear! He looks absurd nowadays with his bulging gut spilling out of that pullover and over his trousers, and the few guitar strings left on his head instantly destroy the 'pleasant, open face' description of yesteryear!
And that concludes that! I don't remember what I said on Patreon and I can't be arsed to look it up so I'll just make something up: The Caves of Androzani is my favourite episode of Doctor Who, and it's got no Daleks, Cybermen, UNIT, it barely has the bloody TARDIS in it! Nevertheless, it's a damn good story about the Doctor saving *one* person as opposed to the previous Doctor saving the universe.
The fifth doctor, a true hero, he saves the life of someone he barely knows and sacrifices himself, no over indulgent speeches, no opera music, no crying or moaning ( unlike some doctors I could mention, 10 and 12) he just regenerates as a true unselfish person and he doesn't even know if he will regenerate as the disease is so lethal. 5th Doctor the most heroic of all the incarnations
Now on to the 6th era the most underated classic doctor
This my favourite Peter Davison story
I love this regeneration and the first interaction between Peri and the 6th Doctor. It just seems right somehow. Also it tops off one of the best stories in Doctor Who ever, according to a lot of the fandom and I agree in fact I would say it is the best story, that being said there are alot of what I consider great stories to come. I wonder what you'll think of the 6th Doctor.
I love how the music isn't over the top but really brings out the intended flavor of the scene. The scenes might work without the music, but this story is as simply perfect as it is creepy.
Only Timmin and Peri survive. Not even the magma beast made it.
And for all we know, Timmin might be one of Jek's androids.
The celery explanation is quite good...
"It feels different this time". A very poignant regeneration indeed. One of, if not the best.
"Change my dear" wasn't supposed to have the new Doctor blinking, but it was 10pm and the studio had to shut down.
It's interesting that the onlymcharacters to surivive this story are the women - Peri and Krau Timmin (sp?). Even the Doctor "dies".
He had the same length of time as the first 2 Doctors, but after 4s long tenure it feels like a short time. Davison left at this point after getting advice from Patrick Troughton. But he had the most poignant death, sacrificing himself for Perry.
I just wanted to give you a hug at the end
Yes it was Peter's choice to leave. I read that he got more into it during this last season and considered staying but it was too late already. He's never been my favourite but I find his exit incredibly heroic and admirable. So curious to see how you're going to react to the sixth doctor :D
My favorite Doctor, My favorite story, My favorite regeneration scene. A brilliant ending to a great era.
It was Peter Davison's decision to leave but also he also took the advice from Patrick Troughton to do 3 years and that's it Out. Done. as he didn't want to be typecast and he wasn't entirely happy with the production and the quality of the writing during his tenure until this story which became Davison's favourite story out of his entire era he said many years later that he regretted it and had their been more stories like this he would had done another 4th Season. But to be fair he has had a fair 3 seasons and we still haven't even finished the season yet which the finale is a strange one to start a new Doctor's first story and are you in for a rocky ride on Colin's era.
I always felt that we didn’t get the full potential of the Fifth Doctor. It would’ve been nice if Peter Davison had stayed another scene, though Caves of Androzani was Davison’s best story. It had all the elements. Brave heart Marie-Clare, more great Doctor Who to come!😁
Just got done watching this. Because of the way I am I knew how 5 was gonna die and when, and I’d seen the regen before, so I was sorta prepared. I wasn’t prepared for how epic this story would be though! I loved 5... reminds me a lot of 11, who’s my favourite new who doctor :)
"And the 6th doctor seems like a snob"....he actually is but you'll soon find out more. Especially the coat he wears.
How is he a snob? and how does his coat indicate that? Talk about baseless criticisms and unfounded slander! I'd say it is YOU that is the snob.
Brave heart Marie Claire although sad saying good bye the next doctor is wonderfully crazy
If you want more from Peter Davidson as the fifth doctor I'd recommend some of his audio dramas like Spare Parts and The Kingmaker
I love Spare Parts!
😩 was gutted then and gutted now. My Doctor had gone! 😞
Good riddance!! Time for a Doctor with some personality, humour and backbone! Ta la, beige Pete! Back to the Yorkshire Dales, you boring, bland nonentity!
Many consider this the greatest Doctor Who story of all time.
No spoilers but be aware that with Colin Baker’s debut by pure coincidence we charge head-on into a very turbulent period for the show!
Peter Davison decided to only stay for three series after advice given to him by a chance meeting with Patrick Troughton in the BBC TV Centre car park when Davison was going to recording of his first serial (Four To Doomsday, which was recorded before Castrovalva) in 1981. Since then the advice has been passed down to many actors who’ve done the role as it’s about the right length of time to make your mark on the show’s history without suffering typecasting.
What a meaningless and rather absurd 'warning', considering Marie-Clare scored almost all of Colin Baker's stories 8/10 or above and absolutely loved his tenure!
@@rnw2739 Hardly meaningless when I posted that warning *before* she started Colin’s run (my powers of clairvoyancy clearly weren’t working that day) and in Time and the Rani’s reaction, she was really shocked at the way Colin was treated! *THAT* was the turbulence I was referring to!
Also why are you replying to a comment that’s over 2 years old?!? Get a life!
This, and three, are the ones that still get me. Makes me cry every single time. The acting is great,
Though there are some good Big Finish stories of 5 and Peri I like the idea of the Doctor sacrificing himself for someone he just met.
Lastly, there is so much death in this one. The only people who survive unscathed are Peri and the assistant to Morgus
I don't count the Big Finish stuff as canon, just "some fun", but doubly-so when it comes to the fact that - his sacrifice for Peri to me will always be - the Doctor giving his life to save someone he only just met. It is so much more powerful than 4 saving the Universe - although that said, I mean - Logopolis was brill too.
@@johnlarro6872 I put it as canon adjacent. If you want to count it you can. Take what you want.
Like the 5 & Nyssa solo stories fit well.
And... yeah - can't help the crying watching Caves.
@@johnlarro6872 I have a simple rule on canonicity, i.e. the TV show maintains the absolute canon. What happens on audio stays in the "Big Finish canon" unless it's referenced on TV, in which case it becomes fully canonical. The same goes for other spin-offs like radio shows, plays or novels.
My rationale for this is twofold: (1) It keeps things relatively straightforward; and (2) the overwhelming majority of Doctor Who fans only follow the TV show. We're talking a few thousand BF listeners vs millions of viewers, so it's only fair to them that the TV show has the casting vote when it comes to the canon.
@@ftumschk again, why I say it is adjacent. It is like a sundae bar. You can add to the ice cream all you want and ignore the rest.
Want some 5 and Nyssa solo stories that fill in the gap it is there. Don't care about 4 between Deadly Assassin and Face of Evil? Ignore them. Not required but extra.
One good thing is that there are many fantastic audio adventures with the 5th Doctor and the various companions.
I have a feeling "Spare Parts" with the 5th Doctor and Nyssa would blow your mind. (NO SPOILERS)
I know that this is nearly 30 years ago, and I have seen most of the Doctor's regenerations. This was still horrible to watch. When it was time for Tom to go..... In a way we were prepared for the new Doctor to emerge.
You are going through all the stages of Who fandom with these shows. And don't worry: No.6 is an interesting ride!
Patrick Troughton advised him to do 3 years of Doctor Who and then move onto something else. I must admit though I would have liked to see him do a few more stories with Peri. Also the next story is the final one in the season.
Hurrah for Troughton. Couldn't stand Davison. Not nearly quirky enough for that role. JNT had purposely brought him in as a kind of teenage heart throb, to appeal to the youth demographic. I remember how numb with disbelief I was when he got the job. Tristan from ACG&S!
Patrick Troughton was a major influence in Peter Davison's only being the Doctor for three years...
If you don't feel like you had the 5th Doctor long enough, you DEFINITELY won't feel like you had the 6th Doctor long enough.
5 was "my" Doctor.
I was only 7 when I first saw this story, and I really only recall the end of P1 with the fake execution, and then the regeneration - seeing Adric (my then fave companion) was surreal. I do like the fact that essentially 5's last word was "Adric?"
However, when I viewed this story again a few years later after enjoying a run through of 5's stories... yep, gutted is totally the word. And yet - it really is SUCH an amazing story. There's very little that isn't perfect (the Magma Beast is of course the elephant in the room), and as you saw - the sense of urgency just grows and grows, and we get the best story of the entire classic run.
Peter has made a few varying comments over the years about whether he should have stayed for another year or not. As noted, Troughton did tell him to just do 3 and get out... (although Troughton himself said he wished he'd done more!) But ultimately it was the poor scripts of Season 20 that helped Peter decide to leave, as it was at that point he had to make the decision. He has said if he'd known how good Season 21 was going to be, he may have decided to stay... but he's also said it was good to go out on a high.
Whilst Tom's finale saw clips from his episodes used to give us snippets of his previous companions - and foes - for Caves they actually paid the money to bring the actors back! Considering it was just to say 1 line of dialogue, it was quite an expense I'm sure, but it was beautifully done, and has become the 'norm' now in the new era for the Doctor to see his past companions in one way or another.
Don’t worry, I felt the same in 1983. Go watch Timecrash to cheer yourself up.
Prepare yourself for The Twin Dilemma!
Peter left because of the poor quality of his second season, but regretted it because the quality of his last season was so good.
When I first saw this story I was scared stiff but I already knew this was Peter Davison's final story as it was announced on the news a year before. The regenerations weren't made as bigger deal back then unlike today with NuWho its all a big event which I find is abit over the top myself. As much as I was sad to see Davison go even though at first I didn't like him because he was Tom's replacement and wrecked the scarf I was also excited to see the new Doctor I don't really take the regeneration scenes as a sadness I find it more of an interesting experiment because each time they do it its always done artistically different although that actor is gone its still The Doctor the same man but I did thought Peri wasn't going to make it.
10 out of 10.the 5th doctor was a breath of fresh air to me
I didn't watch Caves at the time, one I happened to miss as a kid. By the time I did (around 2005) I knew about the regeneration. So I've never had that out-of-the-blue shock with it.
But what an excellent story. One of the absolute best ever and it acts as a wonderful thematic capper for the Fifth Doctor, going out on his terms and determined to save someone no matter what.
It doesn't feel to me like he was gone too soon, he had a good run. Just perhaps it feels a bit more that way after the epic length of time Tom was there.
Peter davison should have been in series 22 of classic doctor who
I was sorry to lose 5, he was always a gentleman.