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Presented by Sylvester McCoy
Produced by Bill Baggs |
| Synopsis: A video documentary surrounding the telemovie |
A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 27/7/99
The title of this video should really be called "The McCoy Years" as it is basically just that. Sylvester McCoy sharing his views on his time on the show up to and including the TV Movie. What is refreshing about this tape is that is filmed in America on location for the TV Movie and as such we are treated to Sylvester in make-up, a brief segment with Philip Segal, and best of all a large amount of time with Paul McGann and Daphne Ashbrook. It is for this reason that people will buy this tape.
Paul doesn`t give a lot away about how he approached or played the role. But he does share some memories of the show, particularly of the Yeti, his reaction to being offered the role and his hopes and fears of the reactions of the fans. Daphne Ashbrook comes across as a bubbly, likeable, person, and you can almost tell how she would`ve played Grace. Sylvester himself is also engaging however. His views on the scripts, The Doctor, how the BBC treated the show and his hopes for the shows future are very much evidence; perhaps never more so than when he visits former companion Anneke Wills.
Bidding Adieu is very much in the style of a fly on the wall documentary, and a fascinating one at that. Even if you`ve seen and hated the TV Movie, it comes as recommended viewing.
Have You Ever Considered The Sheer Joy of Doctor Who? by Kathryn Young 11/11/04
It's the duffel coat that does it for me. And no I am not going to tell you why the duffel coat does for me - that is something you really need to see for yourself. And then there is the hat... now that takes a sort of bravery that I know for a fact I do not have...
But in a sort of literary allusion godsend the fashion in this movie exactly mirrors the irrepressible slightly off the wall sentiment of this documentary, which is not surprising considering both the fashion sense and the documentary originate from the same source - good old Percy.
Doctor Who seems to be littered with the general nastiness and bitterness that you would probably find in just about any office anywhere in the world:
Tom thinks it has all gone down hill since he left, Lalla won't speak to Tom after that incident in the photocopier room, Pete's sooo over it and doesn't care cos he has a better job offer and is just hanging around to steal the stationary, Paul really wanted to take that job in Aberdeen but the money's too good and he has the wife and kids to think about, John had no life outside work and it killed him, Nick always wanted to work there and was narked that they'd never hire him so he went into business for himself, Michael hated it and tried to scrap the whole project, Janet thinks that the uniform made her bum look big, everyone hates Billie as they know she only got the job cos of her norks and no one is too sure how the new guy will work out.
So it is rather refreshing that Sylvester (a man who was once told by a fan that Sylvester was his fifth favourite Doctor - and there were only seven Doctors at the time) seems to be rather proud that he was Doctor Who and we have this very sweet documentary about a man who traveled a very long way to basically die horribly. And die horribly and needlessly he did.
However that isn't the joy of this doco (the general niceness and love of Doctor Who that comes across, not the fact that Sylvester died horribly and needlessly). How can I put it: If you imagine your mad uncle Cecil had been one of the actors who had played Doctor Who and then went on holiday in Canada and then made you sit through his home movies of the trip - BINGO!
Interesting things to note:
Sylvester cleverly lures Paul McGann (by means of red wine) into doing an interview and they chat about 'how scary it is to be Doctor Who'. Paul McGann and Syl are old friends - in fact at one point McGann even calls him Kent. Ten points to whoever can tell me why.
Paul McGann apparently has about as much dress sense as McCoy (well either that or he was moonlighting as Roger the cabin boy from Captain Pugwash).
Sylvester looks like Paddington Bear on acid in that coat.
And by the way Sylvester McCoy's original name was Percy James Patrick Kent Smith. Poor man...