The Beardy Weirdy Poll: The Mighty Beards of Doctor Who!

This week we though we should have a comical poll.

We want to celebrate the beards of Doctor Who that where so strange and wonderful, they deserve their own credit!

The Sensorites

These bulbous headed creatures madetheir debut in The First Doctor Era, in 1964.

It is their wispy facial hair that gives them telepathic abilities which can affect humans. The Doctor's Grand-daughter, Susan, was able to communicative with them telepathically.

The Claws of Axos

The Master's short beard, during

the Third Doctor Era added to his suave appearance.

The Curse of Peladon

Matching The Hair of Peladon, the Beards of the Elder Peladons enhanced their badger look and gave them a distinguished look!

The Horns of Nimon

Soldeed was not actually evil. He was possessed

by his facial hair, which manipulated him into working with the mighty Nimon. When his plans failed it was the beard that tried to kill the Doctor and Romana.

The Leisure Hive

During the Fourth Doctor's visit to Argolis he enters the Tachyon Recreation Generator which briefly gives him the appearance of Gandalf.

Time-Flight

There are three beardy appearences during this Fifth Doctor story:

Professor Hayter, cosplaying as an older version of the Eleventh Doctor... Six regenerations later The Doctor remembered Professor Hayter's look and copied it!

Using the power of the Beard the master disguised himself as the magician Kalid.

The Master, complete with resplendent beard!

The Twin Dilemma

Noma, A Jocondan. His beard gives him deceitful powers.

Attack of the Cybermen

The Cryons where the bearded ladies of Telos.

Mindwarp

It is a closely guarded secret that Brian Blessed's beard has grown internally, it has affected his brain, making him insane, affecting his speech patterns. Which is why his voice is that of a mad man.

Survival

Anthony Ainley was The Master of the Eighties. His beard was a supreme part of his appearance.

This week in @TheDoctorWhoBar

This week we start on the New Beginnings Boxset from 2|Entertain with The Keeper of Traken. Having left Romana in E-Space with K9, the Doctor and Adric are somehow transported back into N Space. But what danger lies for them in the gardens of the planet Traken...?

For this week's Poll we are going back to the Beginning, to celebrate the legend that was William Hartnell, with some of the First Doctor's greatest stories.

The Daleks was the Fifth episode of the series. Though the series creator, Sydney Newman hated the idea of Bug Eyed Monsters and thought that the Daleks were the epitome of Bug Eyed Monsters, but Producer Verity Lambert stood up to him and as they had no other suitable stories to run with they had to go ahead with Terry Nation's script, which is also known as The Mutants.

The Keys of Marinus is a spin on the quest format, it's basically a road movie this story, which sees each episode forming part of a quest to find the Key.

The Aztecs takes us to Mexico in the Fifteenth Century and deals with the notions of changing History.

The Dalek Invasion of Earth was the second Dalek story. Before they were on another planet, in that case it was the planet Skaro their home world but in this epic adventure they have already conquered the Earth, but for what nefarious reason?

The Rescue is a two part story that introduces a new companion, Vicki.

The Romans is set against the back drop of the Roman Empire, lead by Emperor Nero. This light-hearted story sees the TARDIS crew trying to take a holiday, but of course they get caught up in the historical events.

The Web Planet The TARDIS lands on the desolate planet of Vortis. But it's inhabitants have a different line of evolution to our own...

The Space Museum is set on the planet Xeros, a subjugated planet in the Morok Empire, now home to a vast Museum and a young, rebellious population.

The Chase has multiple locations including the Mary Celeste, the Empire State Building, and the planet Aridius. The serial marks the last appearance of William Russell and Jacqueline Hill as companions Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, and the introduction of Peter Purves as new companion Steven Taylor, who also briefly appears earlier in the serial as the tourist Morton Dill.

The Time Meddler was the first story to feature another member of the Doctor's own race. Set in 1066 it is the first time the show mixes an historical setting with an outside enemy. A format that changed the show forever.

The War Machines sees the Doctor battling against an evil computer which has taken over the then newly built British Telecom Tower.

So join us on Wednesday from 7pm GMT for The Keeper of Traken

and Vote on the First Doctor Poll NOW, which ends at 5pm on Saturday and we will
watch the result from 7.30pm and comment about it on Twitter!

For details of #DWBarUSA go here...

Seventh Doctor Week in @TheDoctorWhoBar

As some of our regular fans have recently asked to watch some stories from the Sylvester McCoy Era, we thought we would have a Seventh Doctor theme this week.

Later this week we will be posting some articles about the Seventh Doctor...

Meanwhile you can choose from a selection of his stories. We have selected stories that we haven't seen for a while.

Time and the Rani is quite a sound story from Pip and and Jane Baker. It's better than people give it credit for. Bare in mind that it was written before Sylvester was cast in the role. If you look beyond Mel's screaming you will find that she is a loyal companion. The effects are surprisingly good for its era.

Remembance of the Daleks is an amazing Dalek story and a social comment on the early Sixties. Ben Arronovitch really understood the essence of the Daleks. It is the event that arguably kicked of the Time War...

Silver Nemesis: The 25th anniversary story. It shows the Doctor at his manipulative best with some shiny Cybermen!

If you look closely at the sight seers who are touring around Windsor castle, you might get a surprise! None other than Vere Lorimer, Nicholas Courtney, Fiona Cumming, Peter Moffatt and Kevin Clarke himself!

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. Continuing the Ace arc, that made this era really interesting, the Doctor takes Ace to the Psychic Circus after receiving some space junk mail, so that she can face her fears. Behind the scenes asbestos was discovered at BBC Television Centre, so they could not use a studio. So they pitched pitched up a real circus tent in the car park at BBC Elstree. I think this gave the scenes a terrific atmosphere, which they might not have got in studio.

Battlefield sees the return of the Brigadier in his final meeting with the Doctor, in a version of the sword and the stone.

Ghost Light is an intriguing story by Marc Platt. It shows a dark and mysterious Doctor once again manipulating events and getting Ace to face her demons.

Survival sees the return of the Master and the final story of the show's original run. The Doctor finally takes Ace back to her home town of Perivale. Her old friends are being kidnapped by a race of alien hunters called the Cheetah People..

So take your pick from the above stories, vote on the poll and join The Doctor Who Bar from 7.30pm on Twitter and we will press play on our own DVDs or videos at 8pm, to stay in sync.

Meanwhile if you have any memories of this era or stories of meeting Sylvester McCoy, Bonnie Langford and Sophie Aldred then let us know in the comments below.

The Ninth Doctor

The Ninth incarnation is quite unlike any of the other Doctors, before him or even following him. Much less eccentric in character and in costume. Unlike Matt Smith he does not reference any characteristics of his former selves.

Here we see a Doctor that is often brooding and melancholic, but with occasional moments of sillyness. His character is deepened by having the guilt of being the only survivor of the Time War. To add to his mystery, we do not know if he has recently regenerated or not. The only subtle reference being, him commenting on his ears, as if he had never seen them before, in the season opener Rose.

But what was his greatest episode?

Do you prefer the Doctor’s return, who along with an old enemy, the Autons and the Nestene, which united him with Rose Tyler, who would become his saviour. Rose was a fast paced adventure which exploded back onto our screens back in April 2005, and which took the viewing public by storm.

Or do you like The End of the World, an adventure quite similar in tone to Curse of Peladon, which sees the Doctor first mention the legendary Time War.

The Unquiet Dead. A favourite of mine seeing the Doctor take Rose into the past to meet the great author Charles Dickens.

Maybe you like the silliness of The Aliens of London/World War Three. This episode is quite clearly aimed at a new, younger audience. It also sees Mickey grow as a character, something that seldom happened in the original series.

Dalek helped to restore the terror and magnificence of this iconic race of monsters back to their former glory.

The Long Game, set in year 200,000 aboard Satellite 5, a space station orbiting the Earth. The Doctor and Rose with Adam in tow, investigate an enclosed society of humans, controlled by the media, whilst Adam inadvertantly exploits the future for his own personal gain.

Do you like Father's Day, a story in which Rose Tyler tries to change the past to save her own Father, with quite disastrous consequences for the time line. Quite possibly the most emotional Doctor Who story ever written.

The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances introduces us to Captain Jack Harkness in the first story written by Steven Moffat.  John Barrowman plays Captain Jack with an air of gusto and bravado. Is the story where everybody lives your favourite?

Boom Town sees the return of the Slitheen whilst the Doctor attempts to refuel the TARDIS.

Or is the Ninth Doctor’s finest hour his last in the season finale Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways?  An adventure which on it's original airing caused many a Doctor Who fan to gaze delightedly at the screen, especially at the en masse return of a certain arch enemy.

So it's up to you to decide, over on the Poll on the left.. What ever comes out on top will be chosen to watch on Saturday 6th August 2011. If a single episode story wins the poll then we will also watch the second most popular story as well.

So let us never forget Christopher Eccelston as the Ninth Doctor, his reign may have been a short one but he was one of the best actors ever to play the role.  It was also through his performances as the Doctor that the New Series of Doctor Who in 2005 instantly propelled the show to be a big hit again for the BBC.

Vote Ellis!

On the left we have put up a new poll in honour of one of our hard working team members, Ellis (APoliceBox) who's birthday it was on Sunday. He has chosen some of his favourite stories which you can vote from, for the session on Saturday 16th July.

You Last Chance to Vote!

It's Saturday and you know what Saturdays mean... The Doctor Who Bar Sessions!

This week as it's our Sixth Session here in the "Bar" and it's just a week till Series 6 (Yes 7 Days!) we thought we add up the sixes and watch a sixth Doctor story!

Revelation of the Daleks was slightly in the lead for the past couple of days, but now only hours before the Poll closes we have had a surge of votes for The Sixth Doctor's third Story, Vengeance on Varos.

At the Time of writing, with 30 minutes to go, Vengeance has 34 Votes with Revelation of the Daleks coming in with second with 28 votes.
 

The less popular stories this week seem to be The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp and The Ultimate Foe which look like there isn't a chance of us watching this week.

So will Vengeance on Varos lead the way or will Revelation of the Daleks climb to first place?

There's only one way to find out, and that is to cast your vote. 

So please vote for your favourite as there isn't long until the poll closes!

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Remembering Nicholas - A DoctorWhoBar Special

The next Doctor Who Bar Session will be a very special one for all of us. 'Remembering Nicholas' celebrates the life and work of the wonderful Nicholas Courtney who sadly passed away on 22nd February this year. Nicholas played the recurring character of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in over 100 episodes of Doctor Who.

'Five Rounds Rapid' was probably The Brigadier's most famous line in the series as the Head of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, whose job it was to protect the Earth from alien attack.

'Of all the characters in Doctor Who there is no doubt he was
the most loved by the fans for his wonderful portrayal of the rather
pompous Brigadier.'

This was brilliantly said by close friend and fellow Doctor Who star Tom
Baker after hearing the news of Mr. Courtneys sad passing.

So to celebrate the character played by Nicholas Courtney we bring you
another Doctor Who Bar Special - Remembering Nicholas.

Over the next week we'll be bringing you our favourite memories of
Nicholas, some Special Tributes and lots more.

On Saturday (9th April) we will be watching one 'Brig' story to celebrate
his commitment to Doctor Who and to show what a great actor and person he was.

So please give us your 'Brig' story suggestions from episodes of the series, to the recent Sarah Jane Adventures episode, The Enemy of the Bane. we will be making a list of your comments and then putting them into a Poll soon.

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This Weeks DoctorWhoBar Story is... Pyramids of Mars!

We can reveal that Today's Story (02/04/2011) in the fourth Doctor Who Bar session will be the perennial Tom Baker favourite, Pyramids of Mars!

'Pyramids' took the lead on our online Voting Poll with 68 votes with Genesis of the Daleks coming in Second, and not far behind, with 60 Votes!!

Pyramids of Mars was broadcast in four 25 minutes episodes from 25th October – 15th November 1975.

The Season 13 Story stars Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor and Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith.

Going off course, the TARDIS materializes inside a Victorian gothic Mansion. The Doctor and Sarah quickly realize that something is very wrong. The owner is missing and the Estate has fallen under the control of a mysterious Egyptian. Cloth-wrapped Mummies rise up and roam the grounds, killing anyone in their path!

A dangerous alien power is at work, and the Doctor recognizes the mastermind of all this as Sutekh the Destroyer, the last of the Osirians. The Doctor must stop the ruthless Sutekh at all costs, or there may not be a future for them to return to!

'Pyramids' was voted 7th in the Doctor Who Magazine Poll 'The Mighty 200' so it promises to be one of the best Doctor Who episodes in the entirhistory of Doctor Who....

If you have the DVD stacked on your shelf, the classic VHS tucked away in a box, or even if you can watch online on sites like Seesaw etc. then be prepared for 7-30pm (GMT. Have a drink and some food and get ready to join in with the @DoctorWhoBar from 7pm (GMT).

So remember to press Play on your DVD, VCR, or online at 7-30pm (GMT) so we can all stay in synchronisation and discuss via Twitter.

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Email Us: doctorwhobar@gmail.com

You Last Chance to Vote!

Today we are celebrating the man that is Tom Baker portraying the Fourth Doctor!

Over the week you have all been voting by the dozens, and at the time of posting we have over 170 votes so far!

The main two contenders for tonights story are Genesis of the Daleks and Pyramids of Mars.

Currently at the top spot, Pyramids has 62 votes with Genesis coming in second with 54 votes.

Remember you still have time to vote, as the Poll will close at 6PM GMT, so if you want your favourite to win please vote now!

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It's Fourth Doctor Week in the Doctor Who Bar!

This week we will be celebrating possibly the greatest Doctor of them all! The Fourth Doctor!

Played by Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor has been described as the Best Ever Doctor!

To show our appreciation to the great man, we have picked eight great stories for you to vote on in this weeks Poll.

The stories selected are:

Robot

Genesis of the Daleks

Pyramids of Mars

The Hand of Fear

The Robots of Death

Destiny of the Daleks

City of Death

Meglos

The Poll has only been up under an hour and we have had loads of votes already, so thank you for that.

So if you haven't voted for your favourite Tom Baker adventure, do so now on the Poll to the left.

Vote Now!!

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Email us: doctorwhobar@gmail.com