"A Minute with Cushing"

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Before I go on to discuss the Patrick Troughton run at length in an extraordinarily hilarious list thing, I’m going to cover the era of the eccentric science professor, who built an odd police-box-shaped spaceship in his back garden, and who tuts at soft-centred sweets. Yes, it’s Peter "I am Dr. Who!" Cushing.

Era is a bit of a silly word, actually, for, as we all know, and I like commas, Peter’s contribution to "Doctor Who" was to star in only two films, and even then it was during the eras of two television Doctors, and the films were remakes of two television stories. However, I’m a great fan of both films, and actually prefer them to the TV stories they replace. Yes, you heard me right. "The Daleks" on TV was a story that comprised of the TARDIS crew merrily wandering into a city, getting captured by Daleks, escaping, and then spending three episodes trying to get back in again. The film is roughly the same, but doesn’t it fly by? And whilst "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" on TV was a gritty, atmospheric look at a successful alien invasion by space Nazis, it was oh so DULL. And TEDIOUS. I don’t like the story at all. However, the film dispenses with the feel of the original and instead goes for a hilariously over-the-top "dramatic" score and comedy bits with Bernard Cribbins. It’s wonderful!

Peter Cushing as Dr. Who is a lovely man to be around. He stumbles along, stooped, with his knees pointing at weird angles, muttering and laughing to himself. He’s actually not too different from the 1^st Doctor on telly. But whilst I think Hartnell was one of the best actors to ever play the part, you wouldn’t have wanted to actually be around the 1^st Doctor, would you? Whereas children may have dreamt of flying through space in the TARDIS with the 4^th Doctor and Sarah, or with the 2^nd Doctor, Jamie and Victoria, I doubt many children thought that travelling through time with a grumpy git and some school teachers would have been fun. But, ah – there’s Peter Cushing! Isn’t it heart-warming when he clasps Susan’s hand and walks along with her, both of them talking about their surroundings, and how dim Roy Castle is? My favourite bit is a re-enactment of the "I want to go to the city!" "No!" scene from "The Daleks". Whereas before it had the Doctor getting annoyed at everyone, making Ian want to kick his head in, Dr. Who just smiles and accepts Ian straight away, before turning to Susan and winking, with a gleam in his eye. I personally think that the best TARDIS crew EVER comprises of the four characters we get in "Dr. Who and the Daleks." They just seem so much fun to be around, and the world they live in seems a lot jollier than a world where the 8^th Doctor becomes Zagreus, or where the 6^th Doctor stalks some corridors in a dome which sells dodgy videos.

I love the films. You should too. And, before I begin what will be the shortest of my "Minute" series, you might like to have a nostalgic boost listening to the theme tune to "Dr. Who and the Daleks." Yes, the quality of the mp3 is pants, but the heart was there and the MP3 is here

Dee-dooby-dooby-do-do…

DR.WHO: I wonder if we should have a look at that city?

SUSAN: Oh yes, let’s!

IAN: We’ll discuss it later.

DALEKS: What are you doing here?

BARBARA: Dalek!

DALEK: Yes?

DALEK: Ahhhhhhh!

DALEK: Behold, lava lamps!

DR.WHO: Stop the countdown! The bomb will destroy the planet!

IAN: Hey, Romans! HOO -WARGHHHHHH! ZEEEEEE! WAAAAAANGGGGOOOOO! HWAAAAAAAAAAAA!

DALEK: We have invaded Earth! We shall destroy the core of the planet, and replace it with a motive power device, so that we may pilot the planet around the cosmos! Nobody can defeat us now!

DR. WHO: Ah, but – LOOK!

9th January 2004