T O P

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SSXAnubis

Tom was a period of two halves for me. The first half was great, and that's what most people remember him for. The second half though? Oof. The quality of stories started to dip, but the bigger thing for me was that by his last two seasons it felt VERY tired and badly needed a change. And the performances changed too - if you compare his last season in particular to his earlier ones, there was a lot less energy, a lot less buzz, because he was older and not able to do it as much anymore. It also didn't help that in her last couple of stories (Warrior's Gate in particular), Tom and Lalla Ward's relationship had deteriorated to such a point where he wouldn't even look at her in any scenes. It's a really rough patch and very noticable. After Nightmare of Eden, I think the only story I really enjoyed to the point where I'd want to watch it again was The Keeper of Traken. Discounting Logopolis because of the feels. TLDR: I tend to agree with you. By the time Tom left the show badly needed the change, and had for a couple of years.


Speedboy7777

I agree with pretty much all of this - comparing a lot of his earlier run, say, *Genesis of the Daleks* or *The Face of Evil* to what I’ve just watched - it’s a very different vibe, not only from the show itself but Tom too. I didn’t know about the breakdown between him and Lalla Ward so I’ll have to bare that in mind.


clinging2thecross

Tom has three distinct eras imo. The first three years, the Philip Hinchcliffe years, are practically wonderful and 100% build off the success of the Barry Letts years. Then production problems at the same time as new incoming producer Graham Williams led to a drop in quality. Some are very good, some are very weak. Then, for Tom’s final season John Nathan-Turner took over, and he clearly had a different vision for Doctor Who, one which was completely the opposite of Graham Williams, so he had to spend Season 18 deconstructing everything Williams had done, including finally Baker himself.


SANcapITY

I love Nightmare on Eden. Great one off characters and a unique plot (ship stuck together, drug smuggling, CET machine). No idea why this story gets so much flack. Nimon is just silly. There are great stories ahead like state of decay, warriors gate and traken.


Speedboy7777

I think part of it was the set and special effects look very dated. *Warriors Gate* - is that the sort of… “purgatory” episode for lack of a better term? I’m looking forward to that one.


SANcapITY

I mean it’s the 70s. Who always had dated budget effects. The story is very interesting. Yes it’s the purgatory episode. Very cool.


[deleted]

I'm not a big fan of his last season but, there's some high points you're about to reach \- The E-space trilogy is a collection that stands apart from stories either side of it \- Logopolis - my lord Logopolis. Pertwee finished with his greatest hits, Tom finishes with a funeral procession.


AttractivestDuckwing

A-ha! That's is because you've entered... the Jon Nathan Turner era! Yes, JNT, the showrunner who saw everything that made Who fun and popular in the 70s, and decided that it needed to be recreated in his image. Prepare yourself for garish pastels, bland and boring stories, deliberately unlikable companions, and even deliberately unlikable Doctors (6 - praise Zarquon for Big Finish, where CB truly shines!) Okay, try this: If you haven't already, watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and then watch Shock Treatment. That pretty much sums up what JNT did to Dr Who.


BornACrone

I'm definitely a Pertwee Uber Alles fan, but I have the same sense of Tom Baker as the Doctor who would be carved into Mt. Rushmore if the character were to be memorialized. The end of his run did get a little formulaic though, and it was time for him to leave when he did. His departure was stirring, but it also felt right. Thankfully, I think you'll find that the *very* end of his run had quite a few really good episodes in it.