Doctor Who for the grown-ups
- Publication: The Age
- Date: 1980-01-24
- Author: Brian Courtis
- Page: 2
- Language: English
THERE has long been whispering about a series of super-scary, adults-only 'Dr. Who' programmes which once sampled and enjoyed, the ABC had tucked away from sensitive eyes and ears.
Since the comfortably traditional horror of 'Dr. Who' has tended to unnerve more parents than it has youngsters, the rumors were intriguing.
After all, how could the creators of the Time Lords possibly come up with something that was too shocking for kids who take a happily morbid interest, nay delight, in scaly aliens, cranky computers, and loquacious giant cucumbers?
Well, there was some foundation for the talk. A BBC series made in 1975 was submitted to the censor and rejected on the grounds that the storyline and content were unsuitable for our children.
The ABC took their problem back to the Beeb who agreed to edit the series into one hour-long programme for Australia's grown-ups.
'Dr. Who: The Brain of Morbius'. on Channel 2 at 9.30 tonight, is the result: a Frankenstein parody in which Tom Baker fights to keep his head on a desolate, evil planet called Karn.
Robyn Bland's story involves the slightly warped Dr. Solon (Philip Madoc), a humanoid who is trying to patch together a Time Lord, Morbius, atomised for criminal behavior in the past.
When Dr. Who drops ins with assistant Sarah Jane Smith, his curls look just the thing to top off Solon's monster.
But Morbius, a glowing brain bubbling away in a jar of green Palmolive dish.; washing liquid, doesn't get away clean.
Solon's assistant, a one-armed dolt who changes sides when he discovers his missing limb on the moni ster, and some peculiar pink harpies called The Sisterhood help our hero sort the galactic mess out!
When he was in Melbourne recently, sans Tar dis, Tom Baker talked about the attractions of working on the series; talked about how much fun the cast had hamming it up on the set.
You can see what he means in tonight's programme. Watch the scene, in which he tells The Sisterhood that "this wrecking of space-ships has got to stop" and you may catch him breaking up, laughing at the nonsense of it all. •
'The Brain' is packed with the pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo that all true Dr. Who fans have come to, enjoy, and visual effects de, signer John Horton has had a ball.
One thing to remember, however, is that tonight's show is not kid's stuff. Should you be of nervous disposition, you won't have the youngsters to turn to.
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- APA 6th ed.: Courtis, Brian (1980-01-24). Doctor Who for the grown-ups. The Age p. 2.
- MLA 7th ed.: Courtis, Brian. "Doctor Who for the grown-ups." The Age [add city] 1980-01-24, 2. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Courtis, Brian. "Doctor Who for the grown-ups." The Age, edition, sec., 1980-01-24
- Turabian: Courtis, Brian. "Doctor Who for the grown-ups." The Age, 1980-01-24, section, 2 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Doctor Who for the grown-ups | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who_for_the_grown-ups | work=The Age | pages=2 | date=1980-01-24 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Doctor Who for the grown-ups | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who_for_the_grown-ups | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 April 2025}}</ref>
