top ten game

How about we just do a top ten list for the best Brigadier stories and tell why?

1. Inferno

Both the Brig and Brigade Leader were superb. Top-notch performance all-around by Nick.

2. Invasion

The creation of UNIT
UNIT, the Brig, et al were serious and portrayed as a elite fighting force (unlike later on toward the end of the UNIT era)
Doc 2, Jaime and Zoe, enough said.
Cybermen.
Great action romp with good villains (Tobias Vaughn and Packer)

3: Spearhead from Space. Re-introduced the Brig and teamed his up with his greatest Doctor, Pertwee. And the era brought Who back to the high ratings that kept it from dying after only two Doctors.

4. Mawdyrn Undead

Again, Nick plays two roles - 1977 and 1983 versions of the Brig. And, naturally, does it superbly! It may be Turlough's first story and the return of the Black Guardian, but the story belongs to the Brig as he steals the spotlight.

5. The Three Doctors
I love it when he sees Doc #2 again. "What in the blazes are you doing? Why have you changed your appearance again?"

And later, Benton - "But, sir, don't you want our Doctor back?"
Brig - "We've got our Doctor back. As long as he does his job he can wear whatever face he likes."

6. Battlefield

It was great to see him back in uniform and kicking a** with UNIT for the first time since waaaay back in Terror of the Zygons 14 years prior.

7. The Daemons

It has to be one of the best Pertwee serials... Pertwee said it was his favorite... the black magic, devil feel to the story is intense, the atmosphere of underlying evil... it has everything a great Who story needs....

Some fantastic lines -

Captain Mike Yates : "I see. So all we've got to deal with is something which is either too small to see or thirty feet tall, can incinerate you or freeze you to death, turn stone images into homicidal monsters and looks like the devil."

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart : "Jenkins... chap with wings, there. Five rounds rapid."

Professor Horner : [is asked by Harry the TV producer what to do if the Devil puts in an appearance on live TV] "Use your initiative, lad, get your chatty friend to interview him!"

8. The Mind of Evil

The Brig acts as a soldier and a diplomat.

9. Enemy of the Bane

Absolutely brilliant to see him reunited with Sarah Jane one last time!

10. Doctor who and the Silurians

The Brig's in full "take charge" mode and makes a surprise/shocking decsion to destroy the Silurians in the end.


God rest the wonderful Nicholas Courtney. We all love and miss you.



All right, let's try a different tack.
How about the Top Ten Reasons Why We Love the First Doctor's Era?

1. Historicals, historicals, historicals! I love The Aztecs, The Reign of Terror, and The Romans.

2. Introduced us to the two enemies we love today! The Daleks and the Cybermen!

3. He was FIRST!!!!

The chemistry of the four original leads in the programme!

5. I like the individual episode titles.

Seeing them at the end of the current ep I think gives it a better 'serial' feel and style then when they went to generic part numbers. Plus, the ep titles usually did not give anything away as to what was coming up next, unlike a lot of the serial arc titles later on. I'd rather be surprised by watching what unfolds in the episode than right at the start seeing 'Dalek' or "Cybermen' in the title.

Cruel Angel wrote:

5. I like the individual episode titles.

Seeing them at the end of the current ep I think gives it a better 'serial' feel and style then when they went to generic part numbers. Plus, the ep titles usually did not give anything away as to what was coming up next, unlike a lot of the serial arc titles later on. I'd rather be surprised by watching what unfolds in the episode than right at the start seeing 'Dalek' or "Cybermen' in the title.

"The Dead Planet" is still a really creepy episode title in my opinion.

6. the black and white is so incredible for those stories and that era, really adds to the beauty of it all.

7. The unintentional but left in line gaffs. I don't know why, but they work for Hartnell's Doctor.

8. The mystery of the Doctor was at its highest during Hartnell's run. We didn't know what he was, where he came from, or what he wanted. As we learned about Time Lords with Troughton's final serial, then Gallifrey with Pertwee, eventually, the Doctor became a less interesting hero. One we still follow, but the mystery was gone.

9. Verity Lambert and Sydney Newman for creating a program that lives on nearly 40-years on. Particularly Verity for the chances she took on style and content that laid the groundwork for how the show would be produced by her successors.

10. Ray Cusick designing the most iconic baddies on the programme! I am not the biggest dalek fan, but I will admit they are what kept Doctor Who going when it could have easily have been forgotten after the initial run of episodes that had been planned.

Whoosier Whovian wrote:

10. Ray Cusick designing the most iconic baddies on the programme! I am not the biggest dalek fan, but I will admit they are what kept Doctor Who going when it could have easily have been forgotten after the initial run of episodes that had been planned.

Now you get to pick yet again

I think we should move on to Why We Love the Second Doctor's Era. (It's kind of why I started the First Doctor one...)

Fine by me...

1. Monsters Monsters Monsters!

Daleks, Cybermen, Yeti, Ice Warriors, Macra, Chameleons, Quarks, White Robots, Krotons, and yes... the dread seaweed

Oh, can't leave out the Terrible Zodin... heh heh.

2. Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon. Nuff said.

3. Introduced us to one Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart!