back to article Ultimate Doctor Tom Baker REGENERATES, RETURNS to WHO

Tom Baker is reportedly breaking his legendary Who hiatus to appear in tomorrow’s BBC TV special, the Day of the Doctor - marking Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary. And you'll be able to check El Reg tomorrow for coverage. With his flowing scarf, 1970s ‘fro and pockets full of jelly babies, Baker left an iconic mark on the sci-fi …

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  1. Spiracle

    RT

    So that'll be why they used a contemporary photo on the front of the Radio Times then?

    1. TheProf

      Re: RT

      Looks more like a 'Dimensions In Time' image. I'm sure Tom's a bit more 'upholstered' these days.

      The Colin Baker cover looks out of time too.

      Maybe it's a Baker thing.

  2. Jyve

    If this is true (and I'm truly hoping it is), then it's the right thing to do.

    Chuck on a wig, wrap him in the scarf, and let those dulcet tones flood over you.

    A lot of hype here, but considering all the misdirections (and flat out lies!), I wouldn't put it past them.

    /pleaseohpleaseohplease

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Seeing as there has been such a big campaign of mis-information I am fully expecting at least 2 other as yet unnamed doctors to be in the special.

  4. Andy Roid McUser

    thrilled

    Dr.Who special without Tom Baker would have been a travesty. Met him once. I regressed into a 10 year old.. apologised for bumping into him in the london underground and out of all the things I could have said to him was .. 'you're dr.who' to which he replied 'yeeeahhhsssss' and walked off.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: thrilled

      "Dr.Who special without Tom Baker would have been a travesty."

      Well the Five Doctors wasn't that bad, even if did only show 4 of them.

      1. Aqua Marina

        Re: thrilled

        Funny thing is, in subsequent interviews, he regretted not appearing in The 5 Doctors properly, and carried on traversing the Dr Who appearances circuit. So not too sure why the article says that Baker is (was?) on a haitus.

  5. G2
    Pint

    nice pun :)

    quote:

    you've been lost up Uranus

    /quote

    roflmao... i think a proctologist has made subtle changes to the article before it went live :p

    edit: woooot.. we have an EDIT button! cheers!

    1. earl grey
      Happy

      Re: nice pun :)

      you obviously saw that before i did, so thank you for saving my vision.

  6. DrStrangeLug

    Prediction

    I'm betting that you'll see Hurt's War Doctor regenerate into the ninth (Eccleston) at the end of the special. He can be seen right at the start of Rose checking his reflection as if he's just regenerated.

    1. Aqua Marina

      Re: Prediction

      I agree, it would be sad if Ecclestone still maintains his distancing himself from the role that re-launched the most successful British Sci Fi export ever. Even McGann has made an appearance on a canon mini-webisode.

      1. NogginTheNog

        Re: Prediction

        Speaking of distancing themselves, has anyone else noticed the lack of Russell T Davies amongst all the celebrations? Whilst he's not always been a favourite showrunner, if it wasn't for him we wouldn't all be here celebrating now.

    2. graeme leggett Silver badge

      Re: Prediction

      Then somewhere after saving Rose in the opening minutes of that episode and Rose going to see Clive (Mark Benton) Ecclestone's doctor goes off and turns up on the Titanic and other places in history etc. Not impossible but seems like a slightly convoluted way of doing it.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    There'll be some interesting plot contortions in that case

    To explain why Tom Bakers doctor now looks like a grandpa. Don't get me wrong , Baker looks good for his age especially given his fondness for the booze in his earlier years, but he ain't no 30-something anymore and I suspect just dying his hair would look ridiculous. This should be interesting!

    1. Jedit Silver badge
      Headmaster

      "Baker ... ain't no 30-something anymore"

      He never was. Baker was 40 when he took on the role.

  8. Irongut

    So does this mean you'll stop the god awful constant crap about Dr Who and get back to writing some proper articles next week?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: writing some proper articles next week?

      ... I'll have you know we *all* read the Register for "the articles" ...

      1. earl grey
        Happy

        Re: writing some proper articles next week?

        There aren't nearly enough pictures to just look at pictures, so of course we HAVE to read.

        More Playmobil please.

    2. returnmyjedi

      Boo to you. Some of these articles, whether they be about Who, canal barge spinny things, or lift shafts have been amongst the best that El Reg have featured.

      1. cyborg
        Trollface

        "Boo to you."

        Is this man saying "boo" or "boo-urns"?

    3. Cliff

      Oh be happy for us

      Some of us are actually gently pleased that Who has reached 50 years, why can't you be happy for us or just not read the articles?

      Even if you hate sci-fi or kids horror, any TV show that's managed that kind of life of entertaining millions across multiple generations deserves some recognition. The fact the fanbase has a big overlap with 1) techies and 2) Brits means The Reg would be silly not to carry items to celebrate it.

    4. Terry Barnes

      I don't believe it's compulsory to read them and I'm pretty sure other articles have continued to be produced during recent weeks.

  9. Martin The Spud
    Headmaster

    Pedant alert

    "Ultimate Doctor Tom Baker". I don't think so: have you tried looking up the meaning of the work "ultimate"?

    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge

      Re: Pedant alert

      "have you tried looking up the meaning of the work 'ultimate'?"

      My reaction

      C.

    2. Thecowking

      Re: Pedant alert

      Having now seen the show, was El Reg in on it?

      Baker could well be the ultimate Doctor now. He's certainly the once and future Doctor already

    3. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

      Re: Pedant alert

      The literal meaning of "ultimate" is a bit pointless when we're talking about a character who can travel more or less arbitrarily in time.

  10. Duffaboy

    David Tennant owned the role of the Dr.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Preferred Ecclestone. Tolerated Tennant and watched half an episode of Smitty.

  11. armyknife

    titles are for toffs.

    I'm only midly surprised the bbc didn't commission fresh series of 'Doctors' and 'Who Do You Think You Are?' purely so they could shoehorn yet anniversary material into their schedules.

  12. codeusirae
    Facepalm

    Tom Baker is still alive ?

    I could have sworn I saw a report of his demise, has someone been messing with the timeline again ?

    re: "David Tennant owned the role of the Dr"., Duffaboy

    David Tennent gave it a fine performance, but Tom Baker was not of this world ...

    1. Simon Westerby 1

      Re: Tom Baker is still alive ?

      or time ... ;)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Tom Baker is still alive ?

        If he did pass away they could always get Jon Culshaw to do his Tom Baker routine.

    2. Squander Two

      Re: Tom Baker is still alive ?

      He may have confused you slightly by already having a gravestone. He's been going and visiting his own grave for years.

  13. Rufus McDufus

    All this talk of Ecclestone, and just watching the F1 qualifying, made me think Bernie Ecclecstone could be a handy Davros.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Viewpoint: Who cares about the Doctor?

    "So, will I be watching The Day of the Doctor this weekend? My girlfriend informs me I will be..."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25051457

    Now, which way is Uranus?

  15. Philip Lord

    Tom Baker

    Well - I didn't know Tom Baker was going to appear in the anniversary episode but there he was in his full glory and a head full of hair - albeit white. I thought it was quite good that he was the curator - seemed sensible and tied up the plot quite well.

    Here in France, they showed an earlier episode of the Doctor after the 50th anniversary episode (don't know if it was the same one in the UK), so next time how about John Simms regenerating as the Doctor? After all he is (was?) a time-lord.

    Phil

  16. Belardi

    Doctor Who is quite popular in the USA, even in Texas. SciFi stores carry dolls / action figures, tardis, books, comics, sonic screw drivers, etc. I've even gotten my wife into the (new) series. There is even a small anniversary Doctor Who convention in Dallas.

    Since I am of the not-so-young age... in which I was watching the Tom Baker episodes before I owned my first computer... Tom Baker *IS* my favorite, easily. Sure the special effects were not up to Star Wars (or Space 1999 in many cases) - but the the stories and characters made up the show great.

    Colin Baker was an excellent Doctor as well... I'd put him behind David Tenet thou. I'd still like to see deeper stories that take 2-4 episodes to finish.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Worth watching Mr Davison's short documentary "The Five(ish) Doctors" - featuring damn near everybody.

  18. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge

    Top of the Pops 14-12-1978

    BBC iPlayer, currently hosting an edition with a disco version of the Dr Who theme, by Mankind.

    "Tony Blackburn presents Rocky Sharpe & the Replays, Hot Chocolate, the Buzzcocks, Elkie Brooks, Mankind, Chic, Elton John, Boney M and dance sequences by Legs & Co."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03j49l4/Top_of_the_Pops_14_12_1978/

    ...about 12 minutes in, just after Elkie Brooks performs Don't Cry Out Loud.

    Would have been interesting to see what Legs & Co would have done with it - does anyone care (what the accompanying music is) - 24'30"

    Also features Ian Dury & The Blockheads with "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"

    alternatively, on youtube

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBWEpbmd1Uk

  19. lforsley

    I am so pleased that "the register" has chosen to honour this series (note the British spelling, I'm not!: I'm a colonial from North America). Like many, I became acquainted with Dr. Who years after it aired. Strangely, my students (I taught at the University of Rochester in the 80's), petitioned for no class in the mid-afternoon. Why? They were watching Dr. Who!

    Consequently, as has been noted for decades, your first Doctor, is often your favorite, as is mine: Baker!

    Larry

    P.S. My son and I loved to watch it together nearly 15 years ago. But, his mother didn't approve of the series. Not suprisingly, we're no longer married either :-)

  20. Ugotta B. Kiddingme

    spoilers?

    so VERY glad I missed this article when it ran last Friday. Seeing Tom Baker was a wonderful surprise. A fraction-of-a-second's "Hey, that voice sounds familiar" gives way to "HOLYSHITHOWCOOLISTHAT?!?"

    Neither he nor Smith actually SAID Baker was the Doctor. It was inferred, but Smith's Doctor seemed somewhat unsure (to me, at least). I think to have said it outright would have cheapened the moment. For those of us who didn't know it was coming, it was absolutely brilliant. I had hoped we'd see other "classic" Doctors in there as well. I will definitely look up The Five(ish) Doctors reboot when I get home.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Woooo, brilliant spoiler!

    Holy shit I'm glad I wasn't at work last Friday to read that! The Tom Baker cameo was fantastic, particularly as it was supposed to be a SURPRISE! Understand that? You've been running these 50th anniversary things for how long? Then you spoil something like that the day before? lol, I am so glad I didn't see this before the show. So thank you, at least, for waiting until the day before so I missed it.

  22. Tom 13

    While I will claim Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor

    I'm not sure I'd say he is the "ultimate" Doctor. The Brigadier put best in the show itself:

    "Fine chap. All of them."

    Each interpretation of him adds something to the character with no one incarnation fully being The Doctor. We only get that with episodes like this one where several incarnations of himself meet for an extraordinary purpose.

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