Doctor Who's Hammiest Villains - Doctor Who and Torchwood

Demolished Man · 27-10-2009, 13:13

Fools!

FOOLS!

FOOOOOLLLSSS!

Whoever compiled the list somehow managed to miss off the greatest of all the hammiest villains! So hammy, in fact, that he may transcend mere Doctor Who and could well be considered Science Fiction's greatest ham in all history!

I speak of the maddest of mad scientists, who started out with a mad plan and then added some more madness with extra wild eyed ranting! IN A CAPE!

The only man whose archeological methods could destroy the world - by accident! Creator of Doctor Who's least credible monsters in both appearance AND effectiveness! Possessor of an outrageous accent!

Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only...

Professor Zaroff!

'Nozzink in ze voorld can schtop me now!'

stud u like · 27-10-2009, 13:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demolished Man

Fools!

FOOLS!

FOOOOOLLLSSS!

Whoever compiled the list somehow managed to miss off the greatest of all the hammiest villains! So hammy, in fact, that he may transcend mere Doctor Who and could well be considered Science Fiction's greatest ham in all history!

I speak of the maddest of mad scientists, who started out with a mad plan and then added some more madness with extra wild eyed ranting! IN A CAPE!

The only man whose archeological methods could destroy the world - by accident! Creator of Doctor Who's least effective monsters in both appearance AND effectiveness! Possessor an outrageous accent!

Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only...

Professor Zaroff!

'Nozzink in ze voorld can schtop me now!'

"So you're just a little man after all, Doctor, like all the rest. You disappoint me!"

The Doctor must have been a really bad shag.

chuffnobbler · 27-10-2009, 14:07

I have just got the Underwater Menace CD, and am very excited about hearing Zaroff in full force.

I'd like to nominate Maaga of the Drahvins. "Conquer space" indeed ...

And John Simm's crap Master.

Black Guardian · 27-10-2009, 14:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuffnobbler

I have just got the Underwater Menace CD, and am very excited about hearing Zaroff in full force.

I'd like to nominate Maaga of the Drahvins. "Conquer space" indeed ...

And John Simm's crap Master.

seconded.

along with Clifford Rose (who I loved as Kessler in Secret Army) but was so duff in Warriors Gate

Ingrid Pitt in Warriors of the Deep (her attempt at attacking the panto monster Myrka was just shameful)

Ken Dodd..need I say more!

Bonnie Langford...enough said!

Brian Blessed in Mindwarp.

chuffnobbler · 27-10-2009, 16:33

Clifford Rose is absolutely terrifying as Kessler, but rather less so as Rorvik ...

It's rather a shame about Ingrid Pitt. I spose it's the Myrka really: not able to do anything at all except waddle, so Ingrid has to attack it in order for it to do her in. A couple of extras, at a similar point in the story, also leap on the Myrka so it can zap them. I wouldn't add Ingrid to the list just because of that one scene.

Ken Dodd isn't a baddie, and is actually rather brilliant as the Tollmaster. Likewise, Bonnie isn't a baddie, although she is occasionally a bit hammy. Brian Blessed is 100% pure ham (hope he doesn't read that, cos he might get annoyed), but not a baddie really.

Don Henderson as Gavrok is a possible candidate for hamminess, but he has a very menacing and evil edge to him. Blowing up that busload of cuddly extras is unforgiveable.

Verence · 27-10-2009, 16:49

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Soldeed from Horns of Nimon or Tekker from Timelash

I think Brian Blessed would probably get more annoyed if you DIDN'T describe his acting style as 100% pure ham

pappy h · 27-10-2009, 17:37

The Pig Slaves in DiM?

exits, pursued by Ood...

chuffnobbler · 27-10-2009, 18:34

I was only suggesting characters in addition to those in this article:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/s7/...-villains.html

That article has a terrible 80s bias (incl Tekker and Soldeed), and I'd exclude the Monk from the list. The Monk is so beautifully written and performed, not hammy at all.

DavetheScot · 28-10-2009, 00:09

I've not seen Zaroff; Graham Crowden's performance as Soldeed has to the hammiest I've ever seen on Doctor Who. It's still baffling how the director let him get away with it, unless he felt the script was sh*t anyway and Graham might as well chew the scenery. Still no excuse for not noticing that the Co-pilot's trousers had split, though.

chuffnobbler · 28-10-2009, 09:59

Soldeed, and the Co-Pilot's split trousers, are both remarkable elemens of a remarkable story!

I always feel that they just didn't have time to go back and do it again, so had to make do with what was filmed. Soldeed's death scene is unique, and I love it.

Ben Rawson-Jones · 30-10-2009, 02:28

As the writer of the Hammiest Villains piece, the original poster has a very good point - Zaroff should have been in the list. He was definitely the ham that got away...

broadshoulder · 30-10-2009, 09:45

No Harrison Chase?

"I could play all day in my green cathedral.."

Ben Rawson-Jones · 30-10-2009, 10:03

I found Harrison Chase to be organic not hammy, rather like one of his vegetative Krynoid friends...

Jon Ross · 01-11-2009, 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavetheScot

I've not seen Zaroff; Graham Crowden's performance as Soldeed has to the hammiest I've ever seen on Doctor Who. It's still baffling how the director let him get away with it, unless he felt the script was sh*t anyway and Graham might as well chew the scenery.

To be fair, the hammy performance may have been the director's idea. Crowden is actually a very good actor and I can understand why he had previously been high on the list of potential Doctors.

Jon Ross · 01-11-2009, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadshoulder

No Harrison Chase?

"I could play all day in my green cathedral.."

I've seen people describe Harrison Chase as one of the campest Doctor Who villains. I think Tony Beckley enjoyed himself in that part. I don't think he went completely over the top though, since Camfield and Hinchcliffe wouldn't have let him.

chuffnobbler · 01-11-2009, 17:26

Harrison Chase is camp alright, but not hammy at all. he's utterly steely and realistcially mad. I watched Kinda the other night: Hindle and Sanders are wonderfully camp and barking mad, but there's no ham about it. It's always played straight.

Graham Crowden is an excellent actor (if anyone hasn't seen A Very Peculiar Practice, they really must), but there's no denying his gloriously OTT and hammy performance in DW. Same with Richard Briers.

DavetheScot · 02-11-2009, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Ross

To be fair, the hammy performance may have been the director's idea. Crowden is actually a very good actor and I can understand why he had previously been high on the list of potential Doctors.

It may well have been, yes. As you know (since you responded to it), I posted a story on another thread suggesting the same may have been true of Anthony Ainley's Master.

DavetheScot · 02-11-2009, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuffnobbler

Harrison Chase is camp alright, but not hammy at all. he's utterly steely and realistcially mad. I watched Kinda the other night: Hindle and Sanders are wonderfully camp and barking mad, but there's no ham about it. It's always played straight.

The actor playing Hindle is especially good; that was one of the scariest performances I ever saw on classic Who.

jenzie · 02-11-2009, 22:29

geez, you need to narrow it down SOMEHOW!!!

when was the last one who DIDN'T mug it up for the camera

discodolly25 · 09-11-2009, 13:55

erm.... are we forgetting Peter Kaye as the Absorbaloff

stick to live shows pls peter

DavetheScot · 10-11-2009, 01:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by discodolly25

erm.... are we forgetting Peter Kaye as the Absorbaloff

stick to live shows pls peter

There's delicious ham, and then there's rancid Absorbaloff ham.

Nymon1 · 10-11-2009, 14:15

Well, you couldn't really call Gabriel Woolf hammy, since he hasn't appeared in the flesh as such, and his two 'characters' just sat there (Sutekh) or writhed around in chains a lot (satan, the beast, the devil, old nick, the bad'un or whatever you want to call him). But his voice does have a certain dramatic quality to it, especially in the Impossible planet/Satan Pit.

DavetheScot · 10-11-2009, 23:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nymon1

Well, you couldn't really call Gabriel Woolf hammy, since he hasn't appeared in the flesh as such, and his two 'characters' just sat there (Sutekh) or writhed around in chains a lot (satan, the beast, the devil, old nick, the bad'un or whatever you want to call him). But his voice does have a certain dramatic quality to it, especially in the Impossible planet/Satan Pit.

I definitely wouldn't call Gabriel Woolf a ham. His voice in Impossible Planet/Satan Pit was very sinister, creepy and scary.

Cel1084 · 11-11-2009, 05:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by pappy h

The Pig Slaves in DiM?

exits, pursued by Ood...

or the pig alien Thingy from Aliens Of London, the flavor comes from being smoked in an alien space ship entering the atmosphere

Steve Hartley · 11-11-2009, 14:08

There was the hammiest death in (I think) The Invasion

27-10-2009, 13:13	#1
Demolished Man Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 12	Doctor Who's Hammiest Villains Fools! FOOLS! FOOOOOLLLSSS! Whoever compiled the list somehow managed to miss off the greatest of all the hammiest villains! So hammy, in fact, that he may transcend mere Doctor Who and could well be considered Science Fiction's greatest ham in all history! I speak of the maddest of mad scientists, who started out with a mad plan and then added some more madness with extra wild eyed ranting! IN A CAPE! The only man whose archeological methods could destroy the world - by accident! Creator of Doctor Who's least credible monsters in both appearance AND effectiveness! Possessor of an outrageous accent! Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only... Professor Zaroff! 'Nozzink in ze voorld can schtop me now!'

27-10-2009, 17:37	#7
pappy h Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 382	"Hammiest" The Pig Slaves in DiM? exits, pursued by Ood...

27-10-2009, 14:07	#3
chuffnobbler Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,538	I have just got the Underwater Menace CD, and am very excited about hearing Zaroff in full force. I'd like to nominate Maaga of the Drahvins. "Conquer space" indeed ... And John Simm's crap Master.

27-10-2009, 16:33	#5
chuffnobbler Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,538	Clifford Rose is absolutely terrifying as Kessler, but rather less so as Rorvik ... It's rather a shame about Ingrid Pitt. I spose it's the Myrka really: not able to do anything at all except waddle, so Ingrid has to attack it in order for it to do her in. A couple of extras, at a similar point in the story, also leap on the Myrka so it can zap them. I wouldn't add Ingrid to the list just because of that one scene. Ken Dodd isn't a baddie, and is actually rather brilliant as the Tollmaster. Likewise, Bonnie isn't a baddie, although she is occasionally a bit hammy. Brian Blessed is 100% pure ham (hope he doesn't read that, cos he might get annoyed), but not a baddie really. Don Henderson as Gavrok is a possible candidate for hamminess, but he has a very menacing and evil edge to him. Blowing up that busload of cuddly extras is unforgiveable.

27-10-2009, 16:49	#6
Verence Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Kessingland, Suffolk Services: I reject your reality and substitute my own Posts: 23,395	I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Soldeed from Horns of Nimon or Tekker from Timelash I think Brian Blessed would probably get more annoyed if you DIDN'T describe his acting style as 100% pure ham

27-10-2009, 18:34	#8
chuffnobbler Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,538	I was only suggesting characters in addition to those in this article: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/s7/...-villains.html That article has a terrible 80s bias (incl Tekker and Soldeed), and I'd exclude the Monk from the list. The Monk is so beautifully written and performed, not hammy at all.

28-10-2009, 00:09	#9
DavetheScot Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,537	I've not seen Zaroff; Graham Crowden's performance as Soldeed has to the hammiest I've ever seen on Doctor Who. It's still baffling how the director let him get away with it, unless he felt the script was sh*t anyway and Graham might as well chew the scenery. Still no excuse for not noticing that the Co-pilot's trousers had split, though.

28-10-2009, 09:59	#10
chuffnobbler Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,538	Soldeed, and the Co-Pilot's split trousers, are both remarkable elemens of a remarkable story! I always feel that they just didn't have time to go back and do it again, so had to make do with what was filmed. Soldeed's death scene is unique, and I love it.

30-10-2009, 02:28	#11
Ben Rawson-Jones Digital Spy Reporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 97	As the writer of the Hammiest Villains piece, the original poster has a very good point - Zaroff should have been in the list. He was definitely the ham that got away...

30-10-2009, 09:45	#12
broadshoulder Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,142	No Harrison Chase? "I could play all day in my green cathedral.."

30-10-2009, 10:03	#13
Ben Rawson-Jones Digital Spy Reporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 97	I found Harrison Chase to be organic not hammy, rather like one of his vegetative Krynoid friends...

01-11-2009, 17:26	#16
chuffnobbler Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,538	Harrison Chase is camp alright, but not hammy at all. he's utterly steely and realistcially mad. I watched Kinda the other night: Hindle and Sanders are wonderfully camp and barking mad, but there's no ham about it. It's always played straight. Graham Crowden is an excellent actor (if anyone hasn't seen A Very Peculiar Practice, they really must), but there's no denying his gloriously OTT and hammy performance in DW. Same with Richard Briers.

02-11-2009, 22:29	#19
jenzie Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: one very messy room :0 Services: VM M-Broadband - sky digital 2mix Posts: 7,758	geez, you need to narrow it down SOMEHOW!!! when was the last one who DIDN'T mug it up for the camera

09-11-2009, 13:55	#20
discodolly25 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Airdrie, North Lanarkshire Posts: 589	erm.... are we forgetting Peter Kaye as the Absorbaloff stick to live shows pls peter

10-11-2009, 14:15	#22
Nymon1 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 64	Well, you couldn't really call Gabriel Woolf hammy, since he hasn't appeared in the flesh as such, and his two 'characters' just sat there (Sutekh) or writhed around in chains a lot (satan, the beast, the devil, old nick, the bad'un or whatever you want to call him). But his voice does have a certain dramatic quality to it, especially in the Impossible planet/Satan Pit.

11-11-2009, 14:08	#25
Steve Hartley Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Coventry Posts: 2,276	There was the hammiest death in (I think) The Invasion