As an aside on remakes disguised as sequals, I find The Daleks’ Master Plan a better version of The Chase. It’s essentially the same story, and even though it’s twice as long, it actually feels like it is better paced and is more interesting.
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I’m the exact opposite @ItsR0b0tNinja i think The Chase is a much better version of The Daleks’ Master Plan, I really don’t like the latter in all honesty
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It’d be boring if we all liked the same things. 
At least we can politely disagree on the merits of stories and still think that DW is awesome.
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Yesss🫶🏻
Don’t get me wrong TDMP is one of the most ambitious stories of all time and I admire it for it, but I just don’t enjoy it I have to admit
I have a lot more fun with The Chase!
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I’ve selected four that I think were particularly noteworthy, those being:
Boom Town
See this just went to show how good the Slitheen were when not burdened with direction by Keith Boak. Joe Ahearne takes the helm in a story by the same author as “Aliens of London/World War Three” and the end result is light years ahead. I’d never argue it was one of the greatest stories but there is much I admire about this.
The Web of Fear
Pacier than “The Abominable Snowmen” and with a truly memorable setting. It’s so very Doctor Who (robot yeti in the London underground???). Utterly bonkers, yet tense, visually impressive at times and just great great fun. All that AND we get to see a certain Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart for the first time!
Snakedance
I’m constantly torn between which is superior; “Kinda” or “Snakedance”. Both take the same villain but in completely different settings. The richness of culture and history is palpable in “Snakedance” and Tegan’s possession seems even more disturbing to me. Both fantastic stories. “Snakedance” takes everything that’s great about “Kinda” but does so much more than simply recycle old ideas. A great story!
The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death
See, I know this will be contentious but I JUST don’t care! Yeah, I loved it. Most importantly, it dared to be different. Again, the setting has changed and the story morphs around it. Sutekh’s reveal at the climax of “Legend” is a truly great televisual reveal. Moreover, the extent of Sutekh’s victory in “Empire” is truly staggering. The episode actually feels a little underwhelming because Sutekh just wins so completely, so utterly and so very easily at the beginning. There are no grand battles (because no-one could stand up to his power). Indeed, the only thing that saves reality is Sutekh’s inability to just let go (sound familiar?). There’s something about the powerful, a paranoia that they may have overlooked something or someone. This is magnified by Sutekh’s knowledge of the Doctor’s travels and awareness of other companions who have turned out to have pivotal importance (Bad Wolf Rose, the prophesied Doctor-Donna, the impossible girl etc.). It, to me at least, is so poetic that Ruby’s past amounts to nothing more than Sutekh’s own paranoid conspiracy theorising and it presents that ONE chink in the God of Death’s otherwise impenetrable armour. I know this story isn’t to everyone’s tatse, but it dares to be different and there’s such beauty in the key story beats. I unashamedly LOVE it!
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Oh, I absolutely agree! DMP is extraordinary. When it’s good, it’s truly astounding! When it flags a little, around “Volcano”, it’s still entertaining. Then, come the final couple of episodes, it ratchets right up to ten again and is utterly barnstorming until that devastating ending!
“The Chase” is… just daft…
…and YET, the basic concept of both is essentially the same.
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In terms of long term love - Sea Devils. Perfect classic who sequel.
But I would be lying if TLORS and Empire of Death weren’t abject peak imo
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Whenever Who tries to do a direct Sequel, it can go in any Direction for me. From the extremes of excellent, maybe even better than the first Story, to the exact Opposite.
Take Monster of Peladon for example, one of the rare Pertwee Stories that I really don’t think works all that much. There are some brilliant Bits to it, like the whole Characterization of Sarah, outside of it? Not so much (at least for me). I don’t think it adds much to Curse and if anything takes steps back from what we got with Curse, especially with its Pacing.
On the other Hand, while I have my Issues, Boom Town is an splendid Example of taking something from a previous Story and adding something new to it. This Story singlehanded showed me that there is more to the Slitheens that I thought at first with Aliens in London
On the other-other Side, there are Stories such as Web of fear and Snakedance, both change the setting excitingly, both very good in their own right.
I am not quite sure if I have a favorite (or even least favorite for that matter). All I will say is there are merits to do a Sequel and while there are great Examples of Stories taking some Concepts further (for all my Issues with The Giggle, it’s undoubtedly a better Toymaker Story than his Original TV Story) without losing some Essence of the original Story. Both Mara Tales do it quite well. Same with the Yeti Tales.
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Weeeeelllllll…
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I tend to agree. I can really enjoy Monster but the pacing really feels off in comparison. Curse was a tight four parter whereas Monster has less to say and 50% more run time. The most egregious problem with Monster, however, is that it throws away the lovely twist of the Ice Warriors being on the side of right and becomes generic in their treatment once again. It’s a backwards step. Oh, and the politics of the original, pertinent and meaningful, is replaced by the politics of miners’ strikes but is less well developed. What frustrates me is that I really think there is a story here about how the benefits of Federation membership are not trickling down to the working classes… but what we get doesn’t really explore that properly. It’s such a missed opportunity.
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Boom Town is hugely underrated in my opinion. It’s another shining example of Series 1 breaking and then remaking the mould of what DW can be. Love it! Sure, it’s not perfect but it asks meaningful questions of the Doctor and it really takes advantage of Annette Badland’s acting skills. Much superior to Aliens of London/World War Three.
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This is what I said in my Peladon Tales thread:
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No, you couldn’t repeat the twist. That said, your idea of conflict between good and evil Ice Warriors is sound. Personally, I’d have had the Ice Warriors be allies from the start and have the threat be more about the leadership of Peladon hogging the benefits at the expense of the populace (with Thalira as well meaning but powerless puppet). That would really mix things up! The Federation are not the problem as such but are sitting idly by as the populace is exploited. Ahhh, this highlights the frustration we feel I think! It’s so easy to come up with deeper and more engaging stories than what we got!
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Wouldn’t it be wild if Midnight got a sequel
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This is something I’m really thinking of exploring, actually. Opinions are divided on whether The Well is a good story (I think it is) and whether it is a good sequel (less clear cut, but I’m beginning to develop an argument that explores both sides). I think this is rife for analysis and I’m seriously considering making my next “What Maketh a Monster?” post on the Midnight creature compared and contrasted across both stories.
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