The Happiness Patrol- Review by @Zeiton_7

"Happiness WILL prevail"
  


Oh but how this story gets ridiculed! You can sort of see why as well! A troop of marauding, pink uniformed women folk terrorise a civilisation and force them to be .... er happy under pain of death.
Sounds insanely far fetched doesn't it? This is Sylvester McCoy's era after all, expect strangeness!

Then there's the Kandy Man. Yes the one that looks like Bertie Bassett! Insane, murderous but oh so tasty!

The Happiness Patrol is the story that, above all others, confirmed to those who really didn't like the McCoy tenure that the program was going down the pan (or perhaps being drowned in Fondant Surprese!) Dark, brooding with a touch of the insane are terms that sum up both the story and McCoy's Doctor himself. Yet look at this story again and perhaps a little deeper and you might start to admire and like it a little. Oh go on, try!



TARDIS Pink??? It Will Never Catch On

Actually, the reasons I mention above are precisely the reason I like this story and also the others that the Seventh Doctor embarked on. You can't tell me that Tom Baker didn't have his share of silliness! Who can forget the immortal line "I wouldn't even say no to a salami sandwich"? Somehow he gets away with his brand of insanity yet McCoy is permanently and unfairly branded as "the actor that destroyed Who"

When The Happiness Patrol was broadcast, back in the 80's, it had been shunted to a Monday night slot and was up against Coronation Street. That, coupled with Michael Grade's hatred of the show meant that it would fail. Fail it did as by the end of Survival the show had been put on hiatus and one that would last for SIXTEEN YEARS!!

No Comment Required!

It is this movement from the programs traditional Saturday tea time slot and Grade's hatred of the show that put paid to Doctor Who and not the acting of the brilliant McCoy. Yet even die hard fans like my own father still look back and recall that "he wasn't much good was he"? I put forward the theory that this opinion is largely down to the fact that people just weren't able to watch as they were either coming in from work or lost out to the thousands that tune into Coronation Street every week (shudder)

Anyway, back to The Happiness Patrol! The Doctor and Ace visit a human colony on the planet Terra Alpha and are disturbed by just how darn happy the place seems to be. It's all so forced with the cheerful lift music and fake painted grins. Soon they uncover the sinister forces that are at work and seek to put things right.

What follows is a dark and entertaining story which has its roots firmly in the Thatcher led Tory government England that was er ruining things at the time. Indeed, the lead villain (played excellently by Sheila Hancock) was modelled on Thatcher herself. The music accompanying the story is some of the best offered and features a wonderful harmonica blues riff. Yes there is The Kandy Man but come on this is Who. We are well used to, slightly unbelievable, monsters running around.

The Marvellous Sheila Hancock as Helen A

If you've never seen The Happiness Patrol before I would strongly recommend you give it a try. If you haven't seen it for a while then give yourself a treat. Dig out a packet of Liquorish Allsorts and sit back and enjoy!

Unlimited Rice Pudding- An Appreciation of Sylvester McCoy by @zeiton_7

Well, lets be honest it didn't start well did it? After Colin Baker was effectively kicked out of the Tardis by evil BBC head honchos gunning for the program, he refused to return to the program to complete the regeneration "handover" to McCoy (to be honest who can blame him?) So McCoy had to don a curly wig and complete the regeneration himself.

The year is 1987 and Doctor Who is back! Well sort of. All new titles, all new theme music and a brand new timeslot. Yes the timeslot, a little word about that. The BBC at this time hated Doctor Who and were looking for an excuse to dispatch it into the void once and for all. The best way to do this? Move it to a Monday night position directly scheduled against Coronation Street. Our beloved program didn't stand a chance!

So, what of the new man himself? Step forward Sylvester McCoy (born Percy James Kent-Smith) primarily known for his work with Ken Campbell and predominantly comedy. He seemed a strange choice as The Doctor. Perhaps he would bring a more quirky side to the Timelord and would play against the more serious Baker before him.

Lets be honest, the first story wasn't great, Time and the Rani. This and Paradise Towers had been written with Colin in mind and I feel that there are elements of the story that show that. Time and the Rani features the return of the titular Rani (played by Kate O'Mara) Its not the performances that are especially bad (apart from Mel but then she was fairly bad in everything) its the story. It was never intended as a post regeneration story and isn't a strong introduction to a new actor playing The Doctor. Personally, I have found it more watchable as time goes on but that is mainly due to enjoying Sylvester's performance and laughing at Mel... a lot!

So what about McCoy? (resisting the urge to crack the "real McCoy" pun) his first season was very clown like and, for me, overly humorous. I would guess this is probably about the time that viewers switched off and those that did formed the opinion that "he was rubbish as The Doctor". Whilst I sympathise with this opinion they missed a treat!

McCoy's second season was dark and showed The Doctor manipulating people and circumstances in a way that we had never seen before. This was how McCoy had wanted to play The Doctor from the start. For me, the best example of this is the whole character of Ace. Seemingly picked up from Iceworld after "accidentally" creating a time storm in her bedroom. This is later explained as part of the plan of Fenric (The Curse of Fenric) and The Doctor has been playing Ace like a Gallifreyan harp. He also tricks her, seemingly out of morbid curiosity, into confronting her fears of Chase House in Perivale (Ghostlight)

This is an incarnation of The Doctor you don't want to mess with! He wiped out the Daleks and Skaro, again, an event which many believe triggered The Great Time War. Whilst capable of infinite compassion and humour, yes the manic clown is still there, he doesn't turn away from dispatching his enemies. Opting to outwit and trick, it is Davros himself that launches the Hand of Omega. I still get a shiver when Davros shouts accusingly "you tricked me" The Doctors reply? "No Davros, you tricked yourself.

Skaro does the big firework

The Second season also coincided with the programs 25th Season and Silver Nemesis was written to celebrate the milestone. It's a tremendous story featuring the cybermen, their last appearance before the hiatus, and hints at the secrets that surround The Doctor. For me though, Rememberance of the Daleks remains the jewel in the crown. Featuring the all powerful "special weapons dalek" it has many moments that thrill both new and old fans alike.

However forces were at work and Doctor Who was soon to leave our screens for sixteen years. Viewing figures weren't good and the decision was made that Survival would be the programs last show. McCoy had given his all and made an unforgettable contribution to Doctor Who yet it wasn't enough. To highlight how suddenly this decision was made a final amendment to the end of Survival had to be made. It is this that I end on: