Who? (D)

I have to say I'm looking forward to getting to catch more of David Daker wherever it is. I saw some of Tom Baker's Doctor Who episodes when I was twelve and always retained a fondness for the series despite my very limited contact with it for some five, six serials, at a guess. So whatever I read of Daker in Who appearances works for me on more levels than one and makes me want to catch it all.



There are so many reviews I need to round up and organize together if ever find the time, but some of the more fun ones say things akin the following.

"THE TIME WARRIOR gives us Irongron, one of the series' best villains: a powerful and ruthless feudal lord whose rich and witty dialog is the equal of any fictional bad guy."

How could I resist? I'm told it's Sarah Jane Smith's first episode, the one that introduces the name Gallifrey to the series, and it has Jeremy "Yes, I actually do know his face since I used to watch Robin of Sherwood" Bulloch as a less lethal sort than his Boba Fett ever was. What's not to like?

His second appearance as Captain Rigg in Baker-era Nightmare of Eden along with the Creatures of Beauty audio work later on cement some sort of a spot in Doctor Who history for Daker, so I'm not entirely sure why his presence online even on that front remains so low profile. I know fans, I know how cult TV or movie circles latch onto the most random things at times, so why not this?

Daker's Gilbrook in Creatures of Beauty (watch for spoilers with that review) gets praise as the performance of a lifetime, so again, I'm left both wanting access to that and wondering what I'm supposedly seeing that others do find good, but not enough for more than passing mentions. Most reviews glanced through in recent times mention his doing solid work at the least, or things like Boon's creators being pleased that he got cast, and the career's been long enough, for goodness's sakes. I'm just surprised that there has been so relatively little attention overall even so.

To offer some perspective, I say I in passing follow about 400 actors and what they do if happen to catch them somewhere, since I seem to pick them up like others flint. It's far less time-consuming and more selective than the number may suggest, there being few that you focus on at a time and even fewer for whom you'd accept a fan tag.

I'm not sure I'd qualify for a fan of Daker's either for now, in my opinion. I'm rubbish at being an actual fan. I'm far too irreverent and my sense of humour competes with the roses around Sleeping Beauty's castle. Thorny affairs, me and fannishness. But the interest remains and while much like Monty Python's famous Pope, not knowing much about art, we both know what we like. So maybe, since I do like what I see.

After all, how could I (Potentially. We'll see. I hope) not? "Irongron (David Daker, mesmerizing, right up to the top but thankfully never over it)", "...never far from a flagon of wine, delivers about eleven of the niftiest put-downs you'll hear on TV," both from page two of the above reviews. Even with the conclusion that neither episode is Who's best, I always watch for performances. Have a bit of fun.

Then again, you're in shoddy waters whatever you say of Who as a layperson unless an expert of several series of it. By which time you're presumably no longer a layperson, but I digress. As usual.

Mind you, having had a chance to opt for some more lateral jumps, Z for Zachariah needs to be checked out more what I can sometime soon, although I was slightly ambivalent on the book when I read it age nine or ten. Checking things out goes for that other thing talked about as well though, I see. Life is good?