History Recap / DoctorWhoS18E1TheLeisureHive

* The Doctor is himself more sombre, less disposed for fun and frolic and more weary at the universe than his Williams-era incarnation. The general feeling appears to be that he knew his time was near, and he wanted to get as much done as possible before [[Creator/PeterDavison his regeneration]]. RealitySubtext seemed to play a role in this, given how the unusually long amount of time spent in the role, combined with his own mental issues, led Creator/TomBaker to take a significant dip in well-being that had noticeable effects on his physical health; among other things, his trademark curly hair started to deflate to such a degree that he actually had to get it permed for "State of Decay". Similarly, Nathan-Turner's brief to reign in Tom Baker's SpotlightStealingSquad tendencies and creative control (and thereby reduce his erratic behaviour during production, an issue that had plagued the show with increasing intensity since season 14) led to the season's scripts noticeably reducing both the proactivity and trademark comedic quipping and gestures of the Fourth Doctor, further contributing to Baker's more subdued and funereal performance.

* As mentioned above, it's TheEighties. That means we're taking a long, loooooooooong trip to Synth City![[note: As per his 'new broom' approach, Nathan-Turner dismissed the series's longtime mainstay composer Dudley Simpson in favour of producing the show's musical scores in-house at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, then chiefly equipped with a Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer en lieu of the amalgam of electronic and orchestral elements long used by Simpson. The scores, particularly within this serial (arguably overwhelmingly, to composer Peter Howell's admission), also become noticeably denser and more prominent than the sparser and more theme-based structures of the '60s and '70s scores, lending serials such as this one a more forthrightly sombre, futuristic atmosphere]]

* As mentioned above, it's TheEighties. That means we're taking a long, loooooooooong trip to Synth City![[explanation: As per his 'new broom' approach, Nathan-Turner dismissed the series's longtime mainstay composer Dudley Simpson in favour of producing the show's musical scores in-house at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, then chiefly equipped with a Yamaha CS80 synthesizer en lieu of the amalgam of synths and orchestral elements long used by Simpson. The scores, particularly within this serial (arguably overwhelmingly, to composer Peter Howell's admission), also become noticeably denser and more prominent than the sparser and more theme-based structures of the '60s and '70s scores, lending serials such as this one a more forthrightly sombre, futuristic atmosphere]]

* As mentioned above, it's TheEighties. That means we're taking a long, loooooooooong trip to Synth City![[explanation: As per his 'new broom' approach, Nathan-Turner dismissed the series's longtime mainstay composer Dudley Simpson in favour of producing the show's musical scores in-house at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, then chiefly equipped with a Yamaha CS80 synthesizer en lieu of the amalgam of synths and orchestral elements long used by Simpson. The scores, particularly within this serial (arguably overwhelmingly, to Peter Howell's admission), also become noticeably denser and more prominent than the sparser and more theme-based structures of the '60s and '70s scores, lending serials such as this one a more forthrightly sombre, futuristic atmosphere]]

* The jokier elements of the Graham Williams seasons (15-17) have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more sombre and funereal]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it, even in comparison to the (oft-pulpier) Gothic-horror stories of the Creator/PhilipHinchcliffe era.[[note]]Though for ''this'' story, which had been written earlier, this was achieved by Creator/JohnNathanTurner taking the script and stripping all the jokes out. This caused the first episode to under-run slightly which allegedly led to {{padding}} like the infamously long beach pan.[[/note]]
* The Doctor is himself more sombre, less disposed for fun and frolic and more weary at the universe. The general feeling was he knew his time was near, and he wanted to get as much done as possible before [[Creator/PeterDavison his regeneration]]. RealitySubtext seemed to play a role in this, given how the unusually long amount of time spent in the role, combined with his own mental issues, led Creator/TomBaker to take a significant dip in well-being that had noticeable effects on his physical health; among other things, his trademark curly hair started to deflate to such a degree that he actually had to get it permed for "State of Decay".

* As mentioned above, it's TheEighties. That means we're taking a long, loooooooooong trip to Synth City!
* The Doctor wears a heavier, burgundy & purple version of his hat-coat-scarf ensemble for the rest of the season, and his collar is now adorned with a question mark on each side; the question mark motif would become a staple of later Doctors' costumes for the remainder of the show's original run. The scarf is also ''[[UpToEleven much]]'' longer and he's donned a pair of riding boots.
* Because K-9 has been deemed too overpowered by the new regime, he gets put through the wringer in every serial before his departure, with the exception of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS18E4StateOfDecay "State of Decay"]], in which he gets one last chance to laser people.
* The show gets a new script editor in Creator/ChristopherHBidmead. He would rework the show into something [[ViewersAreGeniuses more firmly grounded in hard science]] (or at least things that ''[[{{Technobabble}} look]]'' [[{{Technobabble}} like hard science]]) than it was in the past. Don't know what tachyonics is? You're not alone.
* The jokier elements of the series have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more sombre]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it, even in comparison to the Gothic-horror stories of the Creator/PhilipHinchcliffe era.[[note]]Though for ''this'' story, which had been written earlier, this was achieved by Creator/JohnNathanTurner taking the script and stripping all the jokes out. This caused the first episode to under-run slightly which allegedly led to {{padding}} like the infamously long beach pan.[[/note]]

* SterilityPlague: The Argolian race were rendered sterile by their twenty minute war with the Foamasi.

* The show gets a new script editor in Christopher Bidmead. He would rework the show into something [[ViewersAreGeniuses more firmly grounded in hard science]] (or at least things that ''[[{{Technobabble}} look]]'' [[{{Technobabble}} like hard science]]) than it was in the past. Don't know what tachyonics is? You're not alone.

* TowerOfBabel

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: In-story example -- when the suave Brock is attacked by a Foamasi, his posh demeanor cracks and he starts screaming at it to keep away from him in an accent several social rungs lower than the one he's been speaking in up to that point.

"The Leisure Hive", and by extension season 18 as a whole, brought ''Doctor Who'' into the 1980's in full force, with new ShowRunner Creator/JohnNathanTurner, a new look, and a [[EvolvingCredits new title sequence]] (complete with a new electronic synthesizer version of the theme tune and a bright neon-tube logo). Let's see what else is new to this era:

* The jokier elements of the series have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more sombre]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it, even in comparison to the Gothic-horror stories of the Philip Hinchcliffe era.[[note]]Though for ''this'' story, which had been written earlier, this was achieved by Creator/JohnNathanTurner taking the script and stripping all the jokes out. This caused the first episode to under-run slightly which allegedly led to {{padding}} like the infamously long beach pan.[[/note]]

"The Leisure Hive", and by extension season 18 as a whole, brought ''Doctor Who'' into the 1980's in full force, with new ShowRunner Creator/JohnNathanTurner, a new look, and a [[TitleSequenceReplacement new title sequence]] (complete with a new electronic synthesizer version of the theme tune and a bright neon-tube logo). Let's see what else is new to this era:

* EvolvingCredits: This episode introduces a new title sequence that will be used until the end of the Sixth Doctor era, getting modified three times during it's run (twice due to new Doctors, and one final time to update the music).

* VillainousBreakdown: Pangol, when things start going against him.]

* The jokier elements of the series have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more somber]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it, even in comparison to the Gothic-horror stories of the Philip Hinchcliffe era.[[note]]Though for ''this'' story, which had been written earlier, this was achieved by Creator/JohnNathanTurner taking the script and stripping all the jokes out. This caused the first episode to under-run slightly which allegedly led to {{padding}} like the infamously long beach pan.[[/note]]

* The jokier elements of ''Doctor Who'' have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more somber]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it, even in comparison to the Gothic-horror stories of the Philip Hinchcliffe era.[[note]]Though for ''this'' story, which had been written earlier, this was achieved by Creator/JohnNathanTurner taking the script and stripping all the jokes out. This caused the first episode to under-run slightly which allegedly led to {{padding}} like the infamously long beach pan.[[/note]]

* ShoutOut: The opening sequence on Brighton beach is Creator/JohnNathanTurner's paean to ''Film/DeathInVenice''.

* The show is more [[ViewersAreGeniuses firmly grounded in hard science]] than it was in the past. Don't know what tachyonics is? You're not alone.

* The Doctor is himself more somber, less disposed for fun and frolic and more weary at the universe, the general feeling was he knew his time was near, and he wanted to get as much done as possible before [[Creator/PeterDavison his regeneration]]. RealitySubtext seemed to play a role in this, given how the unusually long amount of time spent in the role, combined with his own mental issues, led Creator/TomBaker to take a significant dip in well-being that had noticeable effects on his physical health; among other things, his trademark curly hair started to deflate to such a degree that he actually had to get it permed for "State of Decay".

* The jokier elements of ''Doctor Who'' have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more somber]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it, even in comparison to the Gothic-horror stories of the Philip Hinchcliffe era.

"The Leisure Hive", and by extension season 18 as a whole, brought ''Doctor Who'' into the 1980's in full force, with new ShowRunner Creator/JohnNathanTurner, a new look, and a new title sequence (complete with a new electronic synthesizer version of the theme tune and a bright neon-tube logo). Let's see what else is new to this era:

* TheEighties: This serial marked the point where ''Doctor Who'' hit the decade and where the decade hit it. While Season 17 finished airing in January 1980, that was still decidedly rooted in the late 70's; from here on out, the show would take on a sleeker style grounded in surprisingly accurate insight on the look and feel of the years ahead (as most people agree that the 80's didn't come into its own until around 1981 or 1982, this essentially means that ''Doctor Who'' stepped into the 80's before the 80's themselves).

The one with butter people.

"The Leisure Hive" brought ''Doctor Who'' into the 1980s with new ShowRunner Creator/JohnNathanTurner, a new look, and a new title sequence (complete with a new electronic synthesizer version of the theme tune). Let's see what else is new to this era:

* As mentioned above, it's TheEighties. That means we're taking a long trip to Synth City!
* The Doctor wears a heavier, burgundy version of his hat-coat-scarf ensemble for the rest of the season, and his collar is now adorned with a question mark on each side. The scarf is also ''[[UpToEleven much]]'' longer and he's donned a pair of riding boots.
* Because K-9 has been deemed too overpowered by the new regime, he gets put through the wringer in every serial before his departure, with the exception of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS18E4StateOfDecay State of Decay]], in which he gets one last chance to laser people.

* The jokier elements of ''Doctor Who'' have been toned down, making this season [[CerebusSyndrome much more somber]] [[DarkerAndEdgier in comparison]] to the 6 preceding it.
* The Doctor is himself more somber, less disposed for fun and frolic and more weary at the universe, the general feeling was he knew his time was near, and he wanted to get as much done as possible before [[Creator/PeterDavison his regeneration]].

* VillainousBreakdown: Pangol, when things start going against him.

* The show is more firmly grounded in hard science than it was in the past. Don't know what tachyonics is? You're not alone.

* The Doctor wears a heavier, burgundy version of his hat-coat-scarf ensemble for the rest of the season, and his collar is now adorned with a question mark on each side. The scarf is also ''[[UpToEleven much]]'' longer and he's switched to a pair of riding boots.