BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show

Subject: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Helen
Date: 14 Jan 05 - 03:42 PM

I've been watching the Dr Who series again, which is being screened on Oz free-to-air telly. On Thursday I watched the final episode of No. 86 The Mask of Mandragora. In one scene Tom Baker says to the leading evil character, "Hieronymus, don't talk bosh!" , which is aa reference to the painter Hieronymus Bosch.

In an episode a couple of months ago, and I can't remember which one it was, Tom Baker and two of the other male characters (two men in space ship uniforms) are sitting on the floor in the background while the evil characters are doing the main scene dialogue, and the 3 of them are doing the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil thing with their hands. It was a quick flash in the background and I could have missed it really easily but I happened to look at them at the right time.

Do you remember any other visual or verbal gags like that in Dr Who, or even in other shows? I suppose it was easier to do it in these early shows where re-takes were rarer, and now they would be shown as bloopers instead but I think it is a clever way of putting in gags which don't detract from the story or the show.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Once Famous
Date: 14 Jan 05 - 03:46 PM

Try watching the 3 Stooges and you will get plenty of sight gags.

BTW I loved watching DR. Who

I always wanted to convert myself into a Dalek just so I could yell "Exterminate!" and roll around on wheels.

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 14 Jan 05 - 03:54 PM

You'd probably get more responses on a Dr Who fan message board...

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Helen
Date: 16 Jan 05 - 04:33 PM

Yeah, you're probably right Clinton, but I thought Mudcatters, being what they are, would probably have a bunch of these - in any show - to share.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Jan 05 - 04:51 PM

I remember a ghastly one where Colin Baker as the Dr, addressed his assistant, Peri, with the comment... 'Gad it's hot here, I could do with some water Peri, eh?'

There are a lot of wordplays and puns there, you need to listen hard though, and they are mainly in the Tom Baker onwards eras... there's one where he makes a comment to Romana about their not being married... they weren't at the time, well, not to each other that is... but they were making other things than time move in that TARDIS....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Kaleea
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 04:01 AM

I used to LOVE watching Dr. Who years back. It was quite humorous all the time. I loved seeing the ridiculous costumes for some of the alien bad guys--they often looked as though the costumer robbed the Shakespeare costume dept. I thought the long striped scarf created its' share of mischief. I do miss that old police box.

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Helen
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 04:44 AM

You're right about the scarf, Kaleea. A couple of days ago I saw Tom Baker running and get his feet tangled up in the scarf and then neatly get untangled with a bit of fancy footwork, without missing a beat in his performance.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 05:52 AM

Helen, try PMing Crystal about Dr Who. Be warned, the replies might be a little longer than you expect....

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Crystal
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 08:05 AM

:p to you my dear!

One that always makes me laugh is a Pat Troughton era one (Web of Fear). A soldier informs the Brigader (first time we see him) that "he calls himself 'the Doctor' sir." to which the Brigader almost inevitably replies "Doctor? Doctor Who?" This joke crops up a lot.

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 07:54 PM

The ABC (Oz) are running the whole series from no 1 on - I suspect that by the time they finish, the new ones will be available...

Tom Baker - Ms Smith is wandering around in a striped overall suit - a character is on the phone to 'security' trying to stop her - "yes, looks exactly like Andy Pandy!"

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 12:37 PM

Not exactly a 'visual gag', but in "The Curse of Fenric" the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) travel back to wartime England. Whilst the Doctor keeps his customary garb, Ace dresses in period clothes, complete with stockings and suspenders.
Of course, you need to be really sad, and use 'freeze-frame' to spot the one shot of stocking tops that got released on the video!

Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Helen
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 03:58 PM

Nigel, that's sad!

I suppose you have that shot of Sharon Stone as well - what was that movie again? :-P

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 04:46 PM

'Smug mode'.. *I* can go and see THE police box at any time I like, during shop hours... along with several costumes and masks, and TWO Daleks... at The Who Shop a little way down the road.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Helen
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 05:09 PM

We'll have to re-name you Liz-the-Smug then, won't we? :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Crystal
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 05:19 AM

AAAAAH the Who Shop! apparently they are not popular with the radical fanbase!

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 05:44 PM

That's strange, because they are THE experts, the proprietors have been involved in the writing, acting, designing and marketing aspects of Dr Who for many years and are acknowledged by the BBC as the best source for researching old episodes.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Crystal
Date: 20 Jan 05 - 05:29 AM

I'm not a rabid fan so I only have the story second hand, but they apparently promised support to Panopticon (the biggest Who convention around), then pulled out at the last minuite causing the organisers to be faced with a huge bill and no means to pay it off. Apparently it put the future of Panopticon in jepardy, however they have rescued it so no harm was done.

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Jan 05 - 05:31 PM

Isn't that what insurance is for?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 20 Jan 05 - 07:03 PM

obviously they thought their sponsor was that.... :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Crystal
Date: 21 Jan 05 - 05:53 AM

Panopticon is organised by Fans (who deserve the capital letter!) The story may of course not be true, it was one of those things I heard from a guy on a bus. Although I've tried mentioning the Who Shop to other fans and got some pretty negative responses (although it may be because they don't stock things some fans want!)

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: CapriUni
Date: 21 Jan 05 - 03:48 PM

Not exactly a verbal "gag," but a great line (that I hope, someday, to be able to use in real life):

The Doctor (as played by Pertwee): Yes, well, I'll tell you something that should be of vital interest to you: That you, sir, are a nit wit!

(It's something that I've had many oportunities to think, unfortunately...if not actually say out loud).

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jan 05 - 06:21 PM

Ah, straight out of 'The Navy Lark' that one was!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Jan 05 - 09:57 AM

Wasn't Pertwee IN the Navy during WWII?

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Jan 05 - 09:45 PM

Yep.

Although it was a bit later, 1950s rather than 1945

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: CapriUni
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 11:59 AM

Ah, straight out of 'The Navy Lark' that one was!!!

"Navy Lark"? What's that?

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 06:41 PM

British Radio Comedy

Left hand up a bit, right hand down a bit.... (bringing the ship into port...)

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: CapriUni
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 11:14 PM

heh... thanks, Fooles! ... you realize, I will have to Google for that, now...

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Crystal
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 05:03 AM

One of the funniest comadies around. When Pertwee was doing that and Dr Who at the same time there were a few sly references to it in the Navy Lark script!
You can hear it on BBC7.

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 12:53 PM

Here we are, Left hand down a bit!

Enjoy.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Dr Who: visual/verbal gags in show
From: el_punkoid_nouveau
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 03:46 PM

Of course, during Tom Baker's time, a lot of the script editing was done by a guy called Douglas Adams (now sadly missed). Funnily enough, you can see a lot of the gags running from Dr Who straight into The Hitch Hikers Guide, and even the Dirk Gently books.

And then - back to The Navy Lark - whilst Pertwee was playing the Doctor, the crew of HMS Troutbridge came up against the evil Master many times (conveniently also played by Pertwee). Which gave rise to gags like "who do you think you are - Dr Who?" when he came up sith a pseudo scientific explanation...