Cheap, crazy, theatrical and an underrated gem. Hated when it came out, as many fans thought it was a throwback to S24, but this one has many dark elements and some great dialogue. The acting is great and that final confrontational scene one of the best in the show's history!
Happiness Patrol is a prime example of just how I-Know-It's-Silly-But-Let's-Just-Go-With-It the Mccoy era is is often derided as...and I love it! In stark contrast with more sombre fare such as Curse of Fenrick.
I've always had a soft spot for Happiness Patrol, which is a very deceptive story overall. A lot of people can't see beyond the campiness, or cheapness, or the Kandy Man, but if you scratch the surface, it has so many delicious layers underneath, and a nice dollop of darkness. Oh, and my appreciation has nothing to do with being born in Thatcherite London. Either way, I'm never surprised to see people claim that they absolutely love it, or utterly hate it, but for me, it's an 8/10 - it's a few strides from greatness, but I'll happily re-watch it any day.
Stunning review Mr Chimp. I love how this serial creatively coalesces with the avant-surrealist London fringe of the time. The Ken Campbell end of sci-fi theatre, Sylv worked alongside Ken, Ken’s name was in the hat for The Doctor. This and The Greatest Show have that end of late seventies/early eighties sense of what the London fringe was all about. Yes, I know this is later eighties but this end of Who owes so much to the stuff the Ken Campbells of this world where trying to counterculturallly illuminate. Lovely stuff. Gx
This story is very Judge Dredd-esque and it’s one of the better story of the McCoy era. Though it’s a 7th Doctor story, imagine it as a 6th Doctor story.
Potential happiness patrol revival plot: the doctor and his companion travel to akihabara, Japan but something’s not quite right as the locals there are way to happy for their own good and the city is way took pink, suddenly the doctor and his companion are captured by a new happiness patrol fleet and is tortured by a new version of the candy man who looks like penny wise but if he fell in a vat of expired skittles Not the best but predictable
The Happiness Patrol was a really good story about a bleak totalitarian dictatorship and the Candyman should have returned he was a really fun psychotic villain 🤩🤩🤩🤩....bloody Bassetts for kicking up a fuss about him 😒😒😒😒😒
My unpopular opinion is that people wouldn't be hating this much on Happiness Patrol if it had had a bigger budget and less crappy sets. Although that's part of its charm IMO
The Kandyman is literally the only thing I like about the story outside of the Tardis crew. It's very depressing in tone and not my cuppa tea. This one and Silver Nemesis (too much going on to where the story is mess and would benefit being 6 parts!) Are the only McCoy stories I'm not a fan off. But I enjoy silver more than happiness patrol
I’ve never understood that this serial was an allegory of prejudice against homosexuals when it’s the drag-styled rainbow colours ‘Happiness Patrol’ themselves that constitute the ones with their boots on society’s neck (kind of prescient though considering how far they’ll go today to suppress any criticism against their lifestyle’s excesses) . . . 🤷♂️ I always liked the Part II cliffhanger. Subtle . . .
'Their' lifestyle's excesses being what? And how do these excesses affect you personally then? It must be awful being a straight white male with 'their' boots on your neck, I mean, really terrible. it's just like what Hitler did to 'them', isn't it, you poor subjugated minority. Why do bigots like you watch Doctor Who anyway? The whole of 80s Who was brought to you by homosexuals eg John Nathan Turner, Gary Downie, a good chunk of the guest cast. All being excessive, no doubt, their boots on your neck the whole time. I mean, Bonnie Langford? Pandering to Them was so woke, was it not? Back in 1986. So yes, what do you get from watching this show, except for getting triggered over how badly done by that you lot only ran the world since the beginning of time and don't anymore, bless. Sorry, this reply is oppressing you. You must fear for your life walking down the street in case a gang of homosexuals become excessive and batter you senseless. Like that happens. Jesus. That you people still exist... it confounds me. I think maybe Brexit gave you lot the courage to be openly vile against any culture not exactly like yourselves. 🤷♂
