I have read novelizations of Doctor Who episodes since I was a little child. I can clearly recall Harlan Ellison’s introduction to many of them, which started out: “The greatest science fiction series of all time is Doctor Who! And I’ll take you all on, one-by-one or all in a bunch to back it up!”
Really, looking back on it, not only was Doctor Who british, unlike Star Trek, or Star Wars, but also, it had so few plot wholes in comparision, and once I suspended the intial idea, I never had to drop it to point out that it doesn’t make sense for Leia to suddenly be Luke’s sister, with all the intentional tension in the first film, or explain why the Enterprise doesn’t have seatbelts, or circuit breakers.
As I recall however, his main point of contention was the shows he criticized were stuffed full of cheese, unlike the Doctor, who would not always allow for a happy ending, or for things to go back to normal.
Anyway, I have two questions.
[ol]
[li]What was the complete speech he made? Is a copy avalible online somewhere? I looked, but all I could find was the first sentence, being used as a tagline.[/li][li]Any plot holes you think you have spotted in Doctor Who? I bet I can explain them away. Of course, my memory isn’t perfect, since I haven’t seen each and every episode of the longest running science fiction show in the world, but I will try my best.[/li][/ol]
In the introductions, Harlan claimed to have said it at a World Science Fiction Convention. The full quote from the book is:
Ellison’s introduction was copyrighted 1979, so it was most likely the 1978 Worldcon: Iguanacon in Phoenix (Close Encounters was released in November of 1977, after the 1977 Worldcon). Ellison was Guest of Honor at Phoenix (he lived in a trailer to avoid spending money in Arizona, since the state hadn’t ratified the ERA), though I don’t know if the quote was part of his GOH speech.
Be careful to whom you mention THAT. I once brought that up in the company of two die-hard Star Wars fans, and they bit my head off like ravenous wolves!
Quick digs? Ellison? I haven’t read all that much of his, but he doesn’t seem to concerned with space.
I have been driven to dig up my old copies, ( “Doctor Who and the Revenge of The Cybermen” by Terrance Dicks (1979, Pinnacle Books) and found it was back at the World S.F Con of the same year. (Thanks, Chuck)
It is six pages long, and is basically a paean of praise to the good doctor. However, now that I reread the name of the con, I was able to find the complete document. (Shows what a dedicated lot of researchers you are. ) Here is the part in which he states what he found wrong with the other big forms of sci-fi of the time.
The next time someone slags you for your love of Doctor Who, or if you
start to wonder why you like the good Doctor in the first place, just
remember Ellison’s words. Eighteen years down the line, and every last
word is still true.
Now, if you’ll pardon me, I need a drink, and then I’ll think I’ll write
something about Doctor Who.
__
M.L.Stone,
that very nice geezer, who’s just nutty enough to have re-typed the
entire introduction so no one misses out…
I will take Mr. Stone’s advice, and reread my old novelizations.
unlike Star Trek, or Star Wars, but also, it had so few plot wholes in comparision, and once I suspended the intial idea, I never had to drop it to point out that it doesn’t make sense for Leia to suddenly be Luke’s sister, with all the intentional tension in the first film, or explain why the Enterprise doesn’t have seatbelts, or circuit breakers.
) Here is the part in which he states what he found wrong with the other big forms of sci-fi of the time.