• Member Since 28th Feb, 2018
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Sixes_And_Sevens


For some people, small, beautiful events are what life is all about!

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  • 10 weeks
    Supermassive 2023 Art Dump

    So! Back. Not dead. Big surprise. Life's been kinda hectic for awhile now for a variety of reasons I won't go too much into, but I've had a nice long break and am feeling ready to get back to a semi-regular writing schedule! However, I have still been doing art for the past,,, six months, has it really been that long? Jeez. So, here's a big ol' pile of stuff that I haven't shared here, by month.

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    5 comments · 55 views
  • 39 weeks
    Hues of June Week 3


    Hues of June 18a - Flesh!Big Macintosh
    (Spoilered for body horror)
    Nothing like a hard day’s work to get up an appetite.
    tbh, this might be one of the best things I’ve ever drawn in terms of anatomy and shading.

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    0 comments · 126 views
  • 40 weeks
    Hues of June Week 2

    You know what time it is!


    Hues of June 11a - Eye!Sunset

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    0 comments · 100 views
  • 41 weeks
    Hues of June Week 1

    That's right, it's time for another art month, this time featuring a bit of character art for the Sunset Archives!


    Hues of June 1a: Vast!Washouts

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    1 comments · 109 views
  • 50 weeks
    Art Dump April 2023

    Hey all,
    Apologies for the lack of updates these past few months. This semester has been kicking my butt and my final essays have been draining me of the will to write anything else. I'm really hoping to get back into The Sunset Archives in May -- I know what I'm doing with the story, I just haven't been able to muster the will to get it down on paper.

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    0 comments · 117 views
Apr
28th
2018

Rating The Doctors: A Scale from Best to Best. · 3:22am Apr 28th, 2018

Often in my life, I am asked the question: "6&7, which Doctor is your favorite?"

To which there is one obvious answer: "NO! NO NO DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE BETWEEN MY PRECIOUS TIME BABIES PLEASE PLEASE NO NO NO-OO-OO!" I then run away sobbing into the night. This can often take an extremely long time, because this is usually a question I'm asked during the day. (Pro tip: Run east. It turns to night slightly sooner there!)

So, in the interest of providing a definitive answer without the necessity of exercise, I will rank all of my favorites here in order to answer any future questions.

1. William Hartnell as "Trickster Grandpa"

The original, you might say! Hm, yes indeed! This incarnation may seem like a weak old man, but don't let that fool you. In his very first episode, he kidnapped two schoolteachers and tried to murder a caveman with a rock. This was immediately stopped by his new companion, Barbara (one of said kidnapped schoolteachers). Over time, his violent impulses and mild disdain for the 'lesser species' (i.e. everyone except himself and his granddaughter) were eaten away as the schoolteachers won him over, and by the time of their departure, they were all very good friends. However, just because he will no longer physically harm you does not mean he will not straight-up murder you with sass.

Pros: Very interesting, a portrayal of the beginnings of a now well-known hero; extremely sassy; once accidentally proposed to an Aztec by making her some cocoa; loves his granddaughter. and his adopted granddaughter. also his other adopted granddaughter. Has a lot of young female companions and all of them are his granddaughter. All the young male companions are his grandsons. I don't make the rules.

Cons: Cannot remember anybody's name; cannot keep his big mouth shut ever.

Overall Rating: 12/10, would allow to be adoptive grandparent.

Favorite Stories: The Aztecs, The Time Meddler, The Chase, The Gunfighters

***

1.5. Peter Cushing as “The Human One”

So basically this was a sort of attempt at making a movie out of Dr. Who. Except they made this guy an eccentric human inventor and basically copy-pasted the entire plot of “The Daleks” into the first film, and “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” into the second. Still quite okay, this Doctor was a sort of blend of 1, 2, and 3.

Pros: Cheerful and angst-free; eccentric old inventor

Cons: Not canon; cheap knock-off.

Overall Rating: 8/10, good effort

All Stories: Dr. Who and the Daleks, Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150, Daleks Versus the Martians, Dr. Who and the House on Oldark Moor

***

2. Patrick Troughton as "Cosmic Hobo"

Oh my giddy aunt! As the first Doctor to introduce the concept of regeneration, this incarnation had some pretty big shoes to fill. Also a big coat and trousers, hence his shabby outfit. A fun-loving goof with a recorder, he was known for his flippant attitude and his remarkably rubbery face. However, behind his weathered old face and Beatles haircut sat a mind like a buzzsaw, sharp and ruthless. He was extremely good at swapping between those two extremes. ("IF I TOLD YOU THERE WAS A BOMB UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS WOULD YOU WAIT FOR PERMISSION TO-- ooh, is that FRUIT?"- Actual quote from 'Power of the Daleks')

Pros: Extremely cuddly and smol; plays the recorder; makes funny faces and does voices; has a boyfriend named Jamie (not really, but, well, you watch some eps with Jamie and see if you can disagree)

Cons: Cannot actually play the bagpipes; extremely rude under pressure; once forgot what his boyfriend's face looked like.

Overall Rating: 12/10, would snuggle the heck out of.

Favorite Stories: Tomb of the Cybermen, The Enemy of the World, Fury from the Deep (they fight weed monsters. No, really), The Mind Robber

***

3. Jon Pertwee as "Asexual James Bond"

So here's the thing; Jon Pertwee was actually one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond. He was in the navy (you can see a tattoo he got there onscreen), and he could do martial arts, and everything. And boy howdy it showed in his performance. While his predecessors were rather frail, episodes with Pertwee where he didn't engage in fisticuffs or a grand chase scene... well, I can't actually think of any. And he was a master gadget-maker, so he's also a bit like Q. This Doctor even worked for the British government; the Time Lords banished him to 20th-century Earth, where he started working for UNIT, aka "It doesn't matter what the letters stand for, they fight aliens and nobody is straight". He couldn't use the TARDIS for much of his tenure, so instead he drove a yellow car called Bessie. He also had a hovercar and a gyrocopter.

Pros: One of the most emotionally open and honest Doctors; drove a ton of cool cars; once had a swordfight with his best friend/enemy while eating his opponent's sandwich; knows Venusian Aikido

Cons: Kind of a snob; prone to insulting anybody who annoys him; trapped on Earth in one time period

Overall Rating: 15/10, please let me ride in your cool car and watch you banter and do martial arts

Favorite Stories: Spearhead from Space, The Daemons, The Time Monster, The Time Warrior

***

4. Tom Baker as "The Iconic One"

Yes, yes, I know. I didn't even need to put in a picture, did I? "Would you like a jelly baby?" and all that. He was the Madman with a Box before Matt Smith was even a twinkle in the eye. With his great big scarf, massive grin, and eyes that can stare into your soul, you might guess that this Doctor was compensating for something. You would be wrong. He has a massive personality, a massive ego, and a massive brain to back it all up. A tremendous wit and very flippant too; that is, when he's feeling upbeat. He was a very mercurial sort, rather like the second Doctor, or the tenth (but now we're getting ahead of ourselves)

Pros: Carries around candy and offers it to random people; has a grin and stare that make people really wonder if he's actually an eldritch being; insanely popular; massively witty; has a robot dog; only Doctor to have a Time Lady companion (Missy does not count on grounds that she would probably murder anyone calling her a companion)

Cons: Sometimes his ego is TOO big; scarf is TOO long; can be a little TOO moral (Hm, let me see, I cantouch these wires together and kill the evil genocidal Daleks who have wiped out entire planets... or I could not do that because it's murder).

Overall Rating: 14/10, yes I would like a jelly baby.

Favorite Stories: Terror of the Zygons, The Face of Evil, the Pirate Planet, City of Death, the Horns of Nimon, Shada

***

5. Peter Davidson as "The Dad Friend"

Interestingly, this Doctor was the first to be played by an actual Golden Retriever. The more you know. Okay, so he gets a lot of flack for being """boring""" and """beige""" and """not Tom Baker""". But I mean, c'mon. He's the first really actually young and handsome Doctor. I think. I don't really know how standards of human beauty work so I'm honestly just trusting what the Internet says. Anyway, it takes a bold man to pull of the "I'm wearing a vegetable" look. This incarnation of the Doctor was levelheaded, very moral, and basically just wanted to have a nice day out in the countryside playing cricket. Unfortunately, he got stuck being a sad space dad for like all of his companions, especially Adric, and also getting flustered while saving planets from monsters.

Pros: Really very good at cricket; sacrificed himself for his companion; actually a pretty good space dad; friendly and calm; dad jokes ("An apple a day keeps the... no, never mind" -"Kinda")

Cons: Gets squeaky when flustered; didn't notice one of his companions literally trying to assassinate him; all his kids left him fairly tragically except for the wannabe assassin

Overall Rating: 13/10, let this poor beleaguered space dad have some tea and a game of cricket

Favorite Stories: Kinda, Black Orchid, Snakedance, Enlightenment

***

6. Colin Baker as "Rainbows and Shouting"

I will admit, it took me awhile to warm up to this Doctor. He seemed rude and pompous and a little bit murdery (nearly strangled his own companion after regenerating), but as time went on I came to realize that applied to basically every Doctor here. So I gave him a proper go, and now he is my icon. Literally. Underneath the layers of ego and shouting is a guy who really cares very deeply about his friends, a real jerk with a heart of gold. Two, actually. And he likes to read poetry aloud and eat cake, which is pretty much what I would do all day if I could. While I admit that his serials are not of the highest caliber, I tend to blame that more on behind-the-scenes drama regarding the producer, John Nathan-Turner, and his relations with everybody on set. I suggest listening to the Big Finish Audio Adventures, which are quite good, have extra, audio-exclusive companions, and are still being made.

Pros: Extremely cuddly and sweet under his layers of rudeness; actually his coat is very nice thank you very much; loves cats, cake, and literature; can sing; fiercely loyal (honestly, rainbow coloring and loyalty? Did I describe the Doctor or Rainbow Dash here?)

Cons: Still quite violent honestly; pompous; argumentative; impatient; stubborn; does not want to exercise

Overall Rating; 17/10, needs more love and like a dozen cats to pet

Favorite Stories: Attack of the Cybermen, the Mark of the Rani, Timelash

***

12+. Michael Jayston as “The Scrapyard”

This one, technically known as the Valeyard, is complicated. He was part of Trial of a Time Lord, 6’s final series arc. He was a potential future incarnation of the Doctor, made up of all the evil in him, who had traveled back to manipulate events so that he could make the Doctor develop into him. This was done by… being the prosecuting attorney at his trial? And trading barbed quips with 6? Look, Trial of a Time Lord was literally composed on crack cocaine and backstage tension, it’s actually better than it sounds.

Pros: Learned court prosecutor

Cons: Pure evil, lost to the Master

Overall Rating: 6/10, good villain, but I’d not watch a show with him as the protagonist.

All Stories: The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp, Terror of the Vervoids, The Ultimate Foe

***

7. Sylvester McCoy as "Cosmic Chess Bastard"

So this guy is a manipulative jerk. He has, however, manipulated me into loving him somehow and I don't even resent it. But seriously, he treated his travels, treated the universe, like some kind of massive chess game. He was constantly scheming and using even his closest friends as pieces to be moved around the board at will. In fairness, this was at least partially because he was literally playing chess against an ancient evil that was also manipulating the universe around him... this is one of the reasons I'm so convinced that Dr. Nyarlathotep is a thing. Also, he really didn't like to sacrifice pieces that were particularly close to him, such as Ace, his companion for most of his tenure. Anyway, he also played the spoons and did magic tricks and once he talked a Dalek to death. He scares me, but also is strangely friendly?

Pros: Great at chess and games; plays the spoons; does magic tricks; may actually be Merlin; has a fantastic rubbery face; one of the Dad Doctors (see 5 and 12); can talk anyone into doing anything, just about.

Cons: Manipulative; ruthless; mixes up simple phrases; takes companion to places specifically designed to freak her out

Overall Rating: 12/10 ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Favorite Stories: Paradise Towers; Remembrance of the Daleks; the Happiness Patrol; Battlefield

***

8. Paul McGann as "Doctor Who?"

So here's the thing. He's an official Doctor, but he had only one full-length episode. A made-for-TV-movie. Made in America. So if you want the maximum Eighth experience, you will probably also want to check out his audios (by Big Finish), his books (look up Eighth Doctor Adventures), his comics, etc. He and 7, the last Doctors before the show was originally cancelled, were pretty often used in media in the Wilderness Years before the 2005 reboot. It's wild stuff. Do not give the books to children. This Doctor has been interpreted many ways by various authors, but here are the basics. He's romantic-- not lovey-dovey, more Keats and Shelley. He's mercurial-- goofy sweetheart one moment, deadly serious and angry the next. He is handsome-- but no one can actually agree on what exactly he looks like. He has serious memory issues-- seems to get amnesia every other book. He is constantly getting hurt. All the time. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Especially in the books. He gets steadily darker-- this is most easily seen in the audios as the threat of the Time War grows ever-nearer. And of course, his timeline is the single most screwed-up thing I've ever tried to picture.

Pros: Happy, cheerful friend who likes stars; dork who laughs at his own terrible jokes; so very very handsome; meets lots of famous historical figures

Cons: Easily distracted; prone to melancholy; keeps getting that dang amnesia; keeps getting HURT, my BABY, WHY?

Overall Rating: 15/10, needs a cuddle.

Favorite Stories: For the sake of brevity, I'll just put the TV movie. It's a bit camp, but it's alright.

***

8.5. John Hurt as “No, the Doctor can’t come to the phone right now. Because he’s dead.”

I… really want to not like this guy. His introduction was unnecessary, and interfered with the perfectly well-established idea that 8 was the one who destroyed Gallifrey and ended the Time War. That was a main idea in a lot of books during the Wilderness Years. I know that in Doctor Who, canonicity is as elusive as leprechauns, but… I really liked that concept. On the other hand, John Hurt gave a good, even-handed performance as “Doctor No-More,” which helped to show the development from 8 to 9. And I really liked his interactions with his future selves.

Pros: A good portrayal of the Doctor at the end of his rope; realistic; didn’t actually destroy Gallifrey; stopped the Time War

Cons: Replaced Paul McGann; nearly destroyed Gallifrey

Overall Rating: 11/10, needs a hug

Favorite Story: The Day of the Doctor

***

-9. Richard E. Grant as “What Could Have Been”

This one needs some explaining. This was an attempt at a sort of unofficial reboot of Doctor Who, animated cheaply to reduce costs. However, he only had one story before it was cut and Christopher Eccleston was made the real, not-animated 9. While I do like Chris’s Doctor, I do think it was a shame that there was only one story with R.E.G. His Doctor was a rather darker take on the character and universe immediately post-Time War. He was colder than usual, due in large part to the implied tragic death of his previous companion. However, he was still kind to strangers and had his own funny little foibles. I would have liked for this Doctor to have been explored in more depth.

Pros: Great singing voice; enquiring; always saves the girl; has a robot boyfriend (the Master); quite sassy

Cons: Cold; under the thumb of Gallifrey; doesn’t want to save planets anymore, does so grudgingly; officially not canon

Overall Rating: 15/10, left me wanting more

Favorite Stories: Scream of the Shalka

***

9. Christopher Eccleston as “The Sasstronaut”

My very first Doctor. He was great. Sure, his run had some issues; like, did the farting aliens really need three episodes? But still, he was a great introduction to the show. He was deeply human, one of the most human Doctors in my opinion. He was also badly damaged from his experiences in the Time War, which made his growth over his single series rather interesting as he learned to open up his hearts again. Also, he likes bananas. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and therefore are good.

Pros: Sass-master; very anti-violence; self-deprecating; protector of children

Cons: Serious self-hatred; unforgiving; got slapped by his companion’s mum

Overall Rating: 18/10, puppy in a leather jacket

Favorite Stories: Dalek, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, Father’s Day, Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways

***

10. David Tennant as “Pretty Boy”

It’s 4 all over again, isn’t it. He’s the modern Tom Baker. I bet you think you’re real cute, David Tennant. Real cute. Well. Apparently the whole internet agrees with you, pretty much. Seriously, though, he is the modern Tom Baker in many ways; extremely mercurial, a fan-favorite, fond of using big words to befuddle the enemy, well-known for a favorite food… however, Tennant was more inspired by Davidson’s Doctor. Davidson is now his father-in-law, because Tennant married Georgia Moffet, Davidson’s daughter, who played the Doctor’s daughter beside Tennant in The Doctor’s Daughter. Confused yet? So am I. Anyway, I do quite like him. He’s a fast talker, very mercurial, and an absolute geek. He also likes bananas. But not pears.

Pros: Pretty; geeky; armed with overconfidence; sometimes is actually a pony; smooth talker

Cons: Was an absolute jerkass to Martha; apologizes way too much; angsty

Overall Rating: 12/10, but I swear if he apologizes one more time I will smack him

Favorite Stories: School Reunion; The Shakespeare Code; The Lazarus Experiment, Partners in Crime, The Unicorn and the Wasp

***

11. Matt Smith as “Drunk Baby Giraffe”

An unearthly child, this Doctor was much more alien than either of his immediate predecessors. Despite his cheerful demeanor and happy-go-lucky attitude, this Doctor was also one of the most violent, blowing up an entire fleet of Cybermen to get some information. He also was very morally questionable, and not very good at interpersonal skills. However, his fashion sense is on point as ever. Bow ties are cool. Side note, I have actually eaten fish fingers and custard, and it was surprisingly not terrible. Who knew? Anyway, he’s kind of a complex figure, slipping into the very morally grey areas of 1 again. Then again, I quite like 1. So.

Pros: Surprisingly good fashion and culinary sense; actually said that the Doctor was asexual; goofy and fun; goes around buying houses for his friends; jumped out of a cake at a bachelor do and offered the lady who had been inside his jacket

Cons: Morally dubious; not very good at having a wife; laughs at the word ‘pants’; distressingly childish at times; lacks eyebrows

Overall Rating: 11/10, would be snogged by (well he did it to literally everybody else, so.)

Favorite Stories: The Eleventh Hour, The Lodger, The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, Hide

***

12. Peter Capaldi as “Basil Funkenstein Disco”

I took one look. One. The Scottish accent, the eyebrows, the glare, I fell in love in an instant. Of course, he had some initial difficulties; he was alien, difficult, not good at taking social cues. However, as time wore on, he got steadily better at being good, and at being human. Also, his hair got steadily fluffier and he got steadily more punk-rock. These are all positive growths. This Doctor, closely resembling 3 physically, also resembled him in having an extended period stuck on Earth, though this Doctor’s was self-enforced. He also became a great Dad Doctor in series 10, to Bill. Or would that be Granddad Doctor?

Pros: Guitar hero; not good or bad, just an idiot; makes up ridiculous pseudonyms; cool professor; Scottish; great eyebrows; fantastic monologues; Dad friend

Cons: Can be a little cold; uses very outdated cultural references; keeps a serial killer in his basement

Overall Rating: 17/10, my love for this Doctor only ever kept growing

Favorite Stories: Listen, Flatline, Dark Water/Death in Heaven, Under the Lake/Before the Flood, The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion, Thin Ice, Knock Knock, Oxygen, Empress of Mars

***

13. Jodie Whittaker as “Rainbows and Sunshine”

So basically I know nothing about her. She had about three minutes of screen time, counting the actor reveal trailer, and about one word of dialogue. But I would already die for her. Look at that smile. She’s just so dang happy. I am so, so ready for this fall. Wait. Fall. She’s falling… and her first episode comes out in the fall.
I like this pun.

Pros: Smiley; says “brilliant”; first female Doctor Who officially; absolutely wonderful outfit, logo, and cast of companions

Cons: Blew up the TARDIS straight off the bat; is currently plummeting to Earth; has accidentally summoned a legion of irate whiners who won’t stand for the main character changing physical sex even though there is a lot of canon evidence that the Doctor is non-binary even by Gallifreyan standards

Overall Rating: 20/10, my one regret is that this means Capaldi had to leave

Favorite Stories: ? ? ? We’ll see, I guess.

***

Not Included: The following weren’t even canon or comprehensible enough for me to include. Look them up if you’re actually interested. I would actually recommend watching the Curse of Fatal Death.

  • The Morbius Faces
  • Curse of Fatal Death Doctors
  • The Unbound Doctors
  • The Infinity Doctor
Comments ( 3 )

OK, that was fun. :twilightsmile:

My first was Cushing, in a science fiction convention movie room... amusingly, I am therefore one of the few people who can refer to "my first Doctor Who" and even the most rabid correctionists must concede, "No, it's -- oh, right. Surname." :rainbowlaugh:

Which also reveals I was going to cons back when they were relatively small affairs, and movie rooms were a big deal.

Lo, I am ancient and hoary. :moustache:

4849919
Okay, that is brilliant. In all honesty, I really haven't gotten to see any of Cushing's work as the Doctor yet. DVD versions of his films have been quite difficult to find.

But really, I have yet to find a greater joy than going around calling them "the Doctor Who" and watching the purists' faces go like they've bitten into a lemon. Even better if I get to list off all the times the Doctor has been called Dr. Who. I don't know if that makes me a bad person, and I'm not sure I care.

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