Love Paradise Towers I Remember getting the VHS at Christmas in 1995 along with Survival and thinking Wow this is quite different from most of the other 7th Doctor's stories. They could do a (Return to Paradise) Ep for New Who and find a secret floor where more mechanical killers are still in the building but no Rezzies to be found anywhere. What happened to them, where are the remaining Gangs and what else was in the basement other than Kroagnon. Dah dah dah ... I'm turning myself on here LOL . As always Grrr8 Review guys I'm glad folks are starting to revise their opinions on this story, It does have a homely quality to it with a very sinister undercurrent 🙂 cya's next time
Unashamedly love Paradise Towers for the nightmare-pantomime feel of the piece - I still vividly remember my ten year old brain trying to process what I was seeing on original transmission. I dare say there are stronger stories from the decade which faded more quickly from memory. And there's absolutely a touch of the McCoy era in RTD's first go-around. You can see it in the garish satire of Bad Wolf - I'm aware a number of fans dislike the reality TV spoofs, but for someone who grew up with McCoy the Ann-Droid is part of the same lineage as the Kandyman, or the robot bus conductor in 'Greatest Show'. It's a shame they never managed to get Alan Moore to write for McCoy (which I believe was discussed with him), his pointedly political comic-book sensibilities would have been a good fit for the era.
As a regular viewer of this, I have to admit. It always throws me off when I’m walking to drama school in Bristol City Centre or Clifton and I walk past Billy 😂 it’s happened a weird amount of times. I tell my mates about it everytime like a giddy fan. Love the review as always chaps!
Bonnie Langford said rather honestly that at the time she didn't think she was capable of playing it any differently. She was always concurrently doing theatre alongside Who. She just needed a decent director to guide her performance - but she never got one.
1:02:53 - Actually the original actor cast to play the deputy caretaker was Edward Hardwicke famous at the time as Watson in ITV's Sherlock Holmes - he was all set to play the part but had to pull out and so Clive Merrison was cast instead. Actors offered the part of the Chief Caretaker included Ronald Lacey (Nazi in Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark) I suspect he might have camped it up brilliantly and Ian Richardson - that would have been a very different interpretation of the role!!
I'm not sure that this would work as a spin off but I love the idea of finding out exactly what happened to all the companions and finding out how they lived their lives
I loved in 1987 as an 8 year old and I still adore it now. It has a lot of flaws but I can still enjoy it for what it is. There are some stories where I like to imagine a "what if?" and this is one of them. It inspires my imagination. After the dirging misery of the Saward era, this is just so fresh and colourful and inspired. Mel loves travelling in the TARDIS and I love having her there. Don't dig into the backstory - it was a rushed, one draft story that can't cope with delving.
Great to see Johnny back. Loved the review, paradise towers has always been a hidden gem in my eyes. The infinite quest and Dreamland are both on the specials steelbook.
I feel the same way about paradise towers as I feel about delta and the Bannermen. Over the top, camp but just a hell of an entertaining episode. You can say a lot about those 2 but they are never boring. That's one of the issues I've had with the likes of the recent era with stuff like legend of the sea devils. I'd rather have something over the top and badly acted than dull
50:36 I'm afraid Jonathan's actually wrong there, he's forgetting what I'm sure is one of his favourite stories. In what is probably the best part of the episode, Clara finds the bamboo umbrella in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS before being chased off by one of those weird zombie things.
If the AA does happen, it could be animated. We have a scene of companion going “have I told you about [insert event here]” and it flashbacks into animated and we have the actors just voicing. As for Spin-offs, well: *The Lady*: A Time Lady crash lands on Earth in the year 3333, and humans live in domes at the bottom of the ocean. A dark political drama featuring an off-screen alien revealed to be the Slitheen at the end of the first series. Companions: twin siblings - Gem and Gemma. The Lady portrayed by Naoko Mori (Tosh, Torchwood).
I think Andrew Cartmel said that he and Wyatt were fans of Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" which influenced the production design - don't know if I made that up, but all the stuff with the caretakers saying "You need form 33/5B/9" is straight out of Brazil.
I like Paradise Towers but it has a very 6th Doctor story feel to it. If I recall it was written before McCoy was announced as the Doctor - so it could of been originally a 6th Doctor story. As you can see the 6th Doctor all over it.
Spin offs I'd like to see - an animated show that features old Doctor's in new stories - it would hopefully use existing actors and voice actors (Big Finish maybe...) for actors who are longer with us. A live action Master (solo) mini-series - maybe it could even introduce a new Master before the Doctor meets him/her. Random Villain of the week show featuring creatures and villains from the Doctor's past - this could have a core group of new characters (teenagers with issues etc/Stranger Things). UNIT featuring guest companions (no Brainer). Torchwood set in a new era or lactation - Victorian era would be my choice.
I love this Story sososo much, even tho Richard is hammed up the fucking nines like an idiot 😅🤣🤣 I still watch this one on a regular basis because McCoy was my first Classic Doctor I had ever watched so this story is dear to me 😇🙏
What on Gallifrey do you mean what is the "Whoniverse??" That term has been around for nearly a decade, covering New and Classic Who TV, the books, the comic books, Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood, and the cartoon(s)! How is this NEW to you?‽? After that... yeah, no. If you follow the _Whoniverse_ so freaking little that you don't know what that is... I'm done here. What a shame...
Guys. Please take my advice. Your reviews are turning into guys just chatting on camera. They’re becoming difficult to watch. I’ll admit I don’t watch all of this one. You need to tighten it up. Look at your views. They’re going down cuz it’s boring to watch guys just blabbing on. Your views will continue to go down unless you have something interesting to say to the masses. Get focussed again. Or I and several thousand others won’t watch anymore. We don’t wanna see mates chatting amongst themselves. This is how most of your recent videos feel. You weee a great channel. Maybe? Do the review of idk in this example: paradise towers first. Cuz I’m keen to see what u think about that divisive story. But I don’t wanna hear all the preamble. Ppl don’t have time for preamble. Save that till the end. Cuz I stopped watching. I like what u do. I don’t wanna see your channel fall into obscurity.
I love this format. It’s what keeps it original. Sure it’s casual but it’s still very much opinion based which is exactly what a review is. It’s a podcast at the end of the day with different segments. Not just one review and that’s it. They aren’t trying to be radio 5s kermode and mayo. That would be lifeless. And if you don’t know after all this time that the guest is matts brother then you’ve not watched the channel that long. And the other guests have all been very well known. Like Chris chapman. This has always been their format and it’s always been great. It’s what sets them aside
I and several thousand others will stop watching... You sure as hell don't speak for me i'm all for the banter chaos and guests it's what makes it unique i love Matt and Billy but if it was them just reviewing an episode head on beginning until end that would be very tiring... Again no offence to Matt or Billy!
Love Paradise Towers I Remember getting the VHS at Christmas in 1995 along with Survival and thinking Wow this is quite different from most of the other 7th Doctor's stories. They could do a (Return to Paradise) Ep for New Who and find a secret floor where more mechanical killers are still in the building but no Rezzies to be found anywhere. What happened to them, where are the remaining Gangs and what else was in the basement other than Kroagnon. Dah dah dah ... I'm turning myself on here LOL . As always Grrr8 Review guys I'm glad folks are starting to revise their opinions on this story, It does have a homely quality to it with a very sinister undercurrent 🙂 cya's next time
Unashamedly love Paradise Towers for the nightmare-pantomime feel of the piece - I still vividly remember my ten year old brain trying to process what I was seeing on original transmission. I dare say there are stronger stories from the decade which faded more quickly from memory.
And there's absolutely a touch of the McCoy era in RTD's first go-around. You can see it in the garish satire of Bad Wolf - I'm aware a number of fans dislike the reality TV spoofs, but for someone who grew up with McCoy the Ann-Droid is part of the same lineage as the Kandyman, or the robot bus conductor in 'Greatest Show'. It's a shame they never managed to get Alan Moore to write for McCoy (which I believe was discussed with him), his pointedly political comic-book sensibilities would have been a good fit for the era.
Paradise Towers is unironically one of my favourite stories. Love the post-apocalyptic, campy, political vibe of the story.
You like paradise towers, well each to there own
As a regular viewer of this, I have to admit. It always throws me off when I’m walking to drama school in Bristol City Centre or Clifton and I walk past Billy 😂 it’s happened a weird amount of times. I tell my mates about it everytime like a giddy fan.
Love the review as always chaps!
51:14 - Robert Allsopp. The brolly was his first item for the show. He constructed the Kandyman, Gods of Ragnorak etc
Paradise Towers is a gem and I will die on that hill. Keff's score is perfectly whacky for its insane universe.
Paradise towers is an underrated gem, imo. The atmosphere, the design, the camp, the political satire all good in my eyes.
What do you guys mean by they’re not allowed to use the Doctor Who theme within episodes anymore? I’ve never heard about that. (54:00)
Bonnie Langford said rather honestly that at the time she didn't think she was capable of playing it any differently. She was always concurrently doing theatre alongside Who.
She just needed a decent director to guide her performance - but she never got one.
Maddy (Judy Cornwell) is still alive and kicking. She was on a channel 5 documentary last Saturday (14/01) about Keeping Up Appearances
Always great to hear from Jonathan on you're podcasts 👍
Gridlock is a good companion piece to Paradise Towers to examine how charming elderly lesbians react to peril and danger beyond their control.
1:02:53 - Actually the original actor cast to play the deputy caretaker was Edward Hardwicke famous at the time as Watson in ITV's Sherlock Holmes - he was all set to play the part but had to pull out and so Clive Merrison was cast instead. Actors offered the part of the Chief Caretaker included Ronald Lacey (Nazi in Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark) I suspect he might have camped it up brilliantly and Ian Richardson - that would have been a very different interpretation of the role!!
Billy goes full West Country with his pronunciation of lezzers
I'm not sure that this would work as a spin off but I love the idea of finding out exactly what happened to all the companions and finding out how they lived their lives
I loved in 1987 as an 8 year old and I still adore it now. It has a lot of flaws but I can still enjoy it for what it is. There are some stories where I like to imagine a "what if?" and this is one of them. It inspires my imagination.
After the dirging misery of the Saward era, this is just so fresh and colourful and inspired. Mel loves travelling in the TARDIS and I love having her there.
Don't dig into the backstory - it was a rushed, one draft story that can't cope with delving.
Always an absolute joy to see Jonny. Use him more
great video! have you thought about reviewing the happiness patrol? I was reminded of it when listening to this review
Great to see Johnny back. Loved the review, paradise towers has always been a hidden gem in my eyes. The infinite quest and Dreamland are both on the specials steelbook.
Let's take grimdark dystopian Ballard novel "High Rise" and make it the most 80s BBC thing ever.
Paradise Towers is in my top 3 classic episodes!
Zellins's Wet Willy would definitely end up as a redacted title for a spin off.
You've inspired me to rewatch it... which is saying something.
The world NEEDS an animated series set on Vortis!
I feel the same way about paradise towers as I feel about delta and the Bannermen. Over the top, camp but just a hell of an entertaining episode. You can say a lot about those 2 but they are never boring. That's one of the issues I've had with the likes of the recent era with stuff like legend of the sea devils. I'd rather have something over the top and badly acted than dull
50:36
I'm afraid Jonathan's actually wrong there, he's forgetting what I'm sure is one of his favourite stories.
In what is probably the best part of the episode, Clara finds the bamboo umbrella in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS before being chased off by one of those weird zombie things.
If the AA does happen, it could be animated. We have a scene of companion going “have I told you about [insert event here]” and it flashbacks into animated and we have the actors just voicing.
As for Spin-offs, well:
*The Lady*: A Time Lady crash lands on Earth in the year 3333, and humans live in domes at the bottom of the ocean. A dark political drama featuring an off-screen alien revealed to be the Slitheen at the end of the first series.
Companions: twin siblings - Gem and Gemma.
The Lady portrayed by Naoko Mori (Tosh, Torchwood).
I think Andrew Cartmel said that he and Wyatt were fans of Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" which influenced the production design - don't know if I made that up, but all the stuff with the caretakers saying "You need form 33/5B/9" is straight out of Brazil.
What was the bit about not having the rights to the doctor who theme??
I like Paradise Towers but it has a very 6th Doctor story feel to it. If I recall it was written before McCoy was announced as the Doctor - so it could of been originally a 6th Doctor story. As you can see the 6th Doctor all over it.
Spin offs I'd like to see - an animated show that features old Doctor's in new stories - it would hopefully use existing actors and voice actors (Big Finish maybe...) for actors who are longer with us. A live action Master (solo) mini-series - maybe it could even introduce a new Master before the Doctor meets him/her. Random Villain of the week show featuring creatures and villains from the Doctor's past - this could have a core group of new characters (teenagers with issues etc/Stranger Things). UNIT featuring guest companions (no Brainer). Torchwood set in a new era or lactation - Victorian era would be my choice.
‘And now shes making audios for neck beards’ made me howl, caught right off guard 😂😂
I love this Story sososo much, even tho Richard is hammed up the fucking nines like an idiot 😅🤣🤣 I still watch this one on a regular basis because McCoy was my first Classic Doctor I had ever watched so this story is dear to me 😇🙏
The Rezzies are lezzies because it rhymes!
My favourite story of S24! Also 100th like! 😀
Peladon GoT was mine!! Royalties please
The Whoniverse is a big ball of wibbily wobbily, timey wimey….stuff.
Whoniverse: Has to be…The Romana adventures in/post espace
Review. Of. Death. Podcast. 43. Doctor. Who. Paradise towers
You'd actually both make great Blue Peter presenters, you just have to keep the swearing ("Poo") down.
What on Gallifrey do you mean what is the "Whoniverse??" That term has been around for nearly a decade, covering New and Classic Who TV, the books, the comic books, Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood, and the cartoon(s)! How is this NEW to you?‽?
After that... yeah, no. If you follow the _Whoniverse_ so freaking little that you don't know what that is... I'm done here. What a shame...
Guys. Please take my advice. Your reviews are turning into guys just chatting on camera. They’re becoming difficult to watch. I’ll admit I don’t watch all of this one. You need to tighten it up. Look at your views. They’re going down cuz it’s boring to watch guys just blabbing on. Your views will continue to go down unless you have something interesting to say to the masses. Get focussed again. Or I and several thousand others won’t watch anymore. We don’t wanna see mates chatting amongst themselves. This is how most of your recent videos feel. You weee a great channel. Maybe? Do the review of idk in this example: paradise towers first. Cuz I’m keen to see what u think about that divisive story. But I don’t wanna hear all the preamble. Ppl don’t have time for preamble. Save that till the end. Cuz I stopped watching. I like what u do. I don’t wanna see your channel fall into obscurity.
And no guests either. No one knows who they are. Just keep it the 2 of you. Too many cooks in the kitchen.
I love this format. It’s what keeps it original. Sure it’s casual but it’s still very much opinion based which is exactly what a review is. It’s a podcast at the end of the day with different segments. Not just one review and that’s it. They aren’t trying to be radio 5s kermode and mayo. That would be lifeless. And if you don’t know after all this time that the guest is matts brother then you’ve not watched the channel that long. And the other guests have all been very well known. Like Chris chapman. This has always been their format and it’s always been great. It’s what sets them aside
I and several thousand others will stop watching...
You sure as hell don't speak for me i'm all for the banter chaos and guests it's what makes it unique i love Matt and Billy but if it was them just reviewing an episode head on beginning until end that would be very tiring...
Again no offence to Matt or Billy!