Peri-Practically Perfect in every way by @zeiton_7

"So what! I'm Perpugilliam Brown, and I can shout as loud as you can!"






The year is 1984, its Season 21 in the Doctor Who universe and The Doctor is losing companions left right and centre! The fourth story of the season, Resurrection of the Daleks, saw the departure of Tegan (no comment required) and The Doctor is about to lose both Turlough and Kamelion by the end of the next story (Planet of Fire). In addition to this distressing turn of events Peter Davison had announced his intention to leave as well, Caves of Androzani is scheduled as his regeneration story. So the program needs an entirely new set of main characters. We already know that Colin Baker will helm the Tardis as The Sixth Doctor but who will accompany him?

Enter Perpugilliam Brown (or Peri to her friends) a young, attractive girl in her early twenties played by the actress Nicola Bryant. When we first meet Peri she is studying botany but is clearly unhappy with the path her life is taking. She encounters Turlough in the most dramatic of occurrences as he saves her from drowning during the opening episode of Planet of Fire. After Kamelion is deleted, to use a modern cybernetic phrase, and Turlough returns to his people Peri decides to travel with The Doctor to "see the universe". Thus begins, arguably, one of the most abrasive relationships that the Tardis and The Doctor have ever experienced.

You see, Peri isn't just a pretty girl (and she is very very attractive) she is headstrong, intelligent and not the sort of companion who will merely decorate The Doctor's arm. Lets face it she needs to have her wits about her. The Doctor's regeneration from Fifth to Sixth is anything but smooth! Unlike the calm and peaceful Davison, Baker's Doctor is moody, prone to abrasiveness and at the start thoroughly unstable. He may go down as the first Doctor in history to actually try and kill his companion, something which he later on is thoroughly remorseful for!




Not a great start for a new Doctor/Companion relationship you will agree! Yet, once The Doctor has settled into his new regeneration, this relationship becomes touchingly close. I love the scene at the beginning of The Mysterious Planet, the first story in The Trial of a Timelord season, where Peri and The Doctor are walking arm in arm across Ravolox. Their conversation and body language convey two beings that are exceedingly close and, for the most part, enjoy each others company. It's true to say this touching scene is soon after ruined by The Doctor's inability to show empathy with Peri's distress that Ravolox is Earth. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that their relationship works so well. Dispite The Doctor's frustrations with Peri's "silliness" and Peri's annoyance with his pig headed, sometimes brusque, attitude they clearly have a lot of respect for each other.

Cynics among you may suggest that this closeness was being emphasised to further underline the hard hitting exit Peri has at the end of Mindwarp. It certainly does do that! Peri's execution at the hand of King Yrcanos was certainly shocking. I remember watching in disbelief as the companion, who if truth be told was my first television crush, was brutally murdered. This seemed to shock Colin Baker as well, its his fault that Peri's exit was re written to end with a rather, unbelievable, marrying of Yrcanos (Brian Blessed- really??).

Peri is also well known for wearing exceptionally skimpy and revealing outfits, to appeal to the father and teenage boy viewers no doubt, and lets be honest it worked. Historically, female companions have, for the most part, been pleasing on the eye but (like Sarah Jane Smith and Liz Shaw) before her, Peri has also the brains and intellect to match. Her verbal sparring with The Doctor is some of the best in the programs history to date and is what, in my view, elevates Peri to a top companion spot!

By the time we reach Timelash, Peri's outfits have been made considerably more conservative. John Nathan Turner is on record for stating that she was cast to add more sex appeal but this doesn't diminish because her clothing is increased! Indeed, it is my view that a feisty companion who is not afraid to speak her mind is far more attractive than mere eye candy. The Doctor needs someone who can keep him in check sometimes and this is something we see with the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond.

So to conclude, Peri is a fantastic companion who compliments Baker's Doctor perfectly, Nicola Bryant  is a tremendous actress who has gone on to reprise the role through Big Finish audio productions on more than one occasion and still to great effect. As Nicola tweeted @thedoctorwhobar herself when asked what her favourite story is:

"That is for you to decide"

Please watch the winning Peri story in our Peri Poll on Saturday. Bar opens at 7:30pm and we press play at 8:00pm. Bikini or beach wear optional

#DWBAR

Colin Baker - The Sixth Doctor!

This week we are having a Sixth Doctor poll. He is a much maligned Doctor, so I thought I'd like to tell you all why I like Colin's portrayal in the role, whether you agree with me or not, feel free to comment below!!

Firstly, Colin's portrayal was less sympathetic than other incarnations to begin with, he was much more of an outsider and a rebel, he didn't suffer fools either! Shades of the William Hartnell characterisation! I loved his line in ascerbic wit, his brusqueness and his constant put downs of people, including poor Peri!

Secondly, he did look good in that costume! I know now that he considers his multi coloured costume a mistake but for me you either love it or hate it! Well I love it! It might look very Eighties but it does look good!

Thirdly, sadly his characters progression is a little bit jarring, not his fault, as the show was taken off the air in 1985 and when it returned we were introduced to a more mellower character, and this was a Doctor you could like! He and Peri stopped their bickering and became fast friends!

There are many opinions of The Trial of a Time Lord, and not many of them good but I certainly enjoyed it and Colin's great performances in it! The concept of the Trial is a strong one, and in my opinion stands up really well, as does the shocking revelation of the Valeyards origins!!

Despite the shabby way the BBC treated Colin Baker, he always gave his all for the programme. Colin's Doctor was a breathe of fresh air, for the first time in years the Doctor was played as more of an alien, shown to have different values and customs! The show had moved away from Peter Davison's Mr. Nice Guy Big Brother personae. Here was a Doctor who was as multi-layered as the Fourth Doctor's incarnation but sadly didn't play on television for as long.

Throughout his brief tenure in the role, Colin battled Cybermen, Daleks, Sontarans & the villainous Sil! He even ran into himself - Patrick Troughton in
The Two Doctors! He may have had a brief era on television but he has found new success with the Big Finish audio adventures!

Of course, if Colin Baker hadn't played Commander Maxil in the Peter Davison story Arc of Infinity he may not have gone on to take the lead role in the show.

I met him once at a Doctor Who Convention in Northern Ireland back in the Nineties and he was a complete gentleman. One of my favourite Doctor's ever, I enjoy Colin Baker's portrayal of the Doctor very much!

By Special Request: The Case for Colin Baker

Why this Timelord should be celebrated not scrutinized

By Ditsy Companion

“Colin Baker cannot act.” “His costume is rubbish!” Oh dear god not that old one from the 80’s.” “What, not that clown!" "Oh that Doctor." "Not as good as Tom or David".

When I first became aware of the quite frankly, award winning and knighthood worthy programme I was hooked but…

I was in limbo about which Doctor I wanted to claim as my favorite as most Doctor Who fans told me that i.e. Jon Pertwee's my Doctor. I spent hours of researching and Twitter, Facebooking and Youtubing to find that most of the time it was all Tom Baker or David Tennant. But they were amazing and everyone was so positive about these two. I was not convinced so I looked deeper. A name came to my screen “Colin Baker” I thought OK lets look at this one, watch this Doctor and see what happens… I was hooked, a Doctor with some grit and intelligence, and strength to get through any situation, and was tough as nails… I like this one.. Then I thought OK lets look at his costume… not one that I would like to wear, but not too bad I mean he didn’t wear like BRIGHT PINK WITH POKADOTS and other worse clothes that I have encountered.

So my first shout back is at the costume. If you went into your workplace and said to your boss, “I hate this!” you would be fired. To judge someone based on a costume is ludicrous. As a Colin Baker fan its very disrespectful to go up to an actor and tell him this because I have heard people doing this. So I say please stop!

My second shout back is he can Act… a quote from Den of geek can help me here:

This will be the same Colin Baker who had a successful theatre career, then spent ten years constantly on television, then had another successful theatre career? The one who won Best Audio Doctor in a 2003 poll? The one whose other famous role as Paul Merroney in The Brothers required him to be calm, quiet and controlled? The polar opposite of the Sixth Doctor. That Colin Baker?

One of his latest television appearances in “Doctors”

My third and last shout back is that some rude people have also stated to me that he doesn’t support charity or is nice to Doctor Who fans… He does care about his fans and does help out charity. As seen from this YouTube clip and another website this is someone who really cares about his fans and issues that affect the community. I also add that he has Twitter and he retweets or reply's to birthday requests.

Now a few of my friends and another quote from Den of the geek had these amazing things to say about Colin Baker.

Each actor that portrays 'The Doctor' always has a certain charisma and charm about them, and that's why we watch the show. Colin Baker was magnificent in my opinion, because he gave a sort of depth and brashness that was a welcome change (in my opinion). He was a rather underrated Doctor

The 6th Doctor ~ Brash, arrogant, rude, dangerous, untrustworthy, highly intelligent, protector, friend, passionate and colourful..!

Colin Baker's Doctor was, after the gentle Fifth Doctor, an unpredictable Time Lord, full of rage, passion and self-importance. There could be glimpses of darkness there... Those characteristics gave the Doctor new ground to tread, and there was fun to be had from his rantings. A truly different Doctor...

Even if you ignore his work for Big Finish, his work raising the profile of Sudden Infant Death syndrome, his clear fondness for his era, and the fact that he had to put up with two years of pulling different faces for cliffhangers, you should at least respect Colin Baker for his association with Doctor Who, and for giving so much more than he got in return.

So I say this to Colin if he ever reads this…

Thank you with all my heart for just being YOU!