MovieChat Forums > Timeslip (1970) Discussion > Doctor Who vs. Timeslip

Doctor Who vs. Timeslip

posted 18 years ago by richard.fuller1
3 replies | jump to latest

What a remarkable show Timeslip is. The catalog I ordered the dvd set from said 'attention, Doctor Who and Quantum Leap fans' but truthfully, it doesn't compare to either one.

I am a Doctor Who fan, can't stand Quantum Leap.

At the time Timeslip began, Doctor Who had only been around for seven years, was on Doctor #3. Not going to bother looking up assistants, but Pertwee only had Liz Shaw, Jo Grant and Sarah Jane.

If I am reading the dates correctly, Simon and Liz were doing their timeslips while Liz was with the Doctor.

I would have never guessed I could watch a show that delved more into education and entertainment than Doctor Who, but clearly Timeslip had some grand intelligence behind it. I am so not a science enthusiast.

Was Timeslip ever plagued by Doctor Who's shadow? I can't help but think that comparisons were made, but truthfully, they don't compare at all.

As delightful as Jo Grant and Sarah Jane were (in the top five of the Best Doctor Who assistants), what a delight it would have been had Jon Pertwee somehow managed to get Liz and Simon as his new assistants after Liz Shaw left.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] richard.fuller1 17 years ago

uther8: "I loved Timeslip when it was first aired, and I also loved Dr Who, but never did I ever compare them. Although they both utilise time travel, the good Doctor was visiting alien worlds and crossing aliens and monsters where as Timeslip simply looked at the perspectives of the future and past of the main protagonists. As such, Timeslip had a different feel to it and was more thoughtful than the more adventurous stories of Dr Who."
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If Doctor Who had reached America after Hartnell or even had Pertwee caught on when he was brought over here (mid-1970s, I think, maybe earlier) and then had we gotten Timeslip next (tho a few years old by then, it wouldn't have mattered) its all but certain that on American tv, we would have been subjected to the Doctor Who-Timeslip Hour, mainly based on the catalog's description.

English accents and time travel, so they could only compare.

But yea, Timeslip was one solid piece of work. I've already watched it twice, the initial viewing then sat and watched it again, and the funniest thing was I had to watch it straight thru, couldn't skip to a 'favorite part' or something like that, no idea what that would have been.

When the weather gets a bit cooler, I think I will watch it again one day or so when I am off.

[–] adamwarlock 14 years ago

Timeslip & Dr. Who were on different networks and playing to different demos. By Pertwee's tenure, Who was aiming for an older audience (not that kids still didn't watch) where as Timeslip is for the young ones. Sure, it's got complex plots but no real violence or scares and 2 "child" leads.

I've enjoyed TS but it could have used some shorter stories. 6 parters can drag, 8s really do.