Planet Of Evil

[Peri-Peri]

This story has been accused a couple of times of being a rip off of Planet of Evil. While I can see a couple of similar plot strands it has never particularly struck me as a blatent rip off. If anything I would call it a homage, but that's about it. I think it mainly centres around the stealing of energy and the possession/altering of the humans but the main bulk of the stories are different enough that they don't feel like copies. What do you think? Ripoff, coincidence or knowing homage to Planet of Evil?

[Peri-Peri]

This story has been accused a couple of times of being a rip off of Planet of Evil. While I can see a couple of similar plot strands it has never particularly struck me as a blatent rip off. If anything I would call it a homage, but that's about it. I think it mainly centres around the stealing of energy and the possession/altering of the humans but the main bulk of the stories are different enough that they don't feel like copies. What do you think? Ripoff, coincidence or knowing homage to Planet of Evil?

[Nyki]

I hadn't made the connection.  Yes, I can see some similarities in general story-type, but I think that's as far as it goes.  After all, one strand of Planet of Evil was based on Jekyll & Hyde.

[Vampyros Adric]

It was the majestic Terrance D1cks who said "What you really need to succeed as a science fiction writer is a good original idea. It just doesn't' have to be your good original idea" I think this nicely sums up the science fiction writer's creed

[hannahcole93]

Oooh a classic comparison I can comment on! Planet of Evil... Strawberry Lace Monster (as i call it), but no way can i see any connection between the two.... Besides even if it is, where's the harm on using something again?!

[Nyki]

Well, there are parallels - the unconventional life-form taking revenge against the crew for taking some of its substance, the possessed crew-member exacting the revenge, the fact that returning all the stolen material plays a part in the eventual escape - but I don't think that steers it within a light-year of "rip-off" territory.

[Tardis-Console]

I've never seen Planet of Evil I don't think but if it is half as good as this one I just know I would enjoy it.

As for borrowing elements of stories, they do it all the time. They borrow from others and they borrow from themselves, it's hardly new so I wouldn't call it ripping off. The first season of Torchwood pretty much had every story rewritten from episodes of Buffy, Angel and X Files. It was so blatent, but still enjoyable.

[Exterminate]

There are definate comparisons to be made but nothing that is overly similar. As TC says, these types of shows borrow from each other and themselves all the time.

[Exterminate]

Oh and I definately agree about the TW comment

[Nyki]

I've never seen Planet of Evil I don't think but if it is half as good as this one I just know I would enjoy it.

As for borrowing elements of stories, they do it all the time. They borrow from others and they borrow from themselves, it's hardly new so I wouldn't call it ripping off. The first season of Torchwood pretty much had every story rewritten from episodes of Buffy, Angel and X Files. It was so blatent, but still enjoyable.

Classic Who did it quite openly, especially in the 70s.  Robot was King Kong, Brain of Morbius was Frankenstein, Talons of Weng Chieng was a Holmes pastiche etc.  And they did all three of the Quatermass stories.  Do I care?  Not a nanite.

[Aneurin]

I've never seen Planet of Evil I don't think but if it is half as good as this one I just know I would enjoy it.

As for borrowing elements of stories, they do it all the time. They borrow from others and they borrow from themselves, it's hardly new so I wouldn't call it ripping off. The first season of Torchwood pretty much had every story rewritten from episodes of Buffy, Angel and X Files. It was so blatent, but still enjoyable.

Classic Who did it quite openly, especially in the 70s.  Robot was King Kong, Brain of Morbius was Frankenstein, Talons of Weng Chieng was a Holmes pastiche etc.  And they did all three of the Quatermass stories.  Do I care?  Not a nanite.

Yea I was going to say this. The Tom Baker years are the most obvious about it but it happened right through and isn't unusual in the newer stories either.

[Saber]

Seems quite obvious now, but I had never really though about it before. I suppose not noticing it is a good sign that it wasn't too blatent

[Nyki]

And I forgot the most obvious classic story, which I've just rewatched - The Androids of Tara, which is quite blatantly and deliberately The Prisoner of Zenda.

[Scott]

Most of those are familiar to me and quite obvious, but I have never heard of The Prisoner Of Zenda

[Nyki]

Most of those are familiar to me and quite obvious, but I have never heard of The Prisoner Of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda is a classic adventure novel that's been filmed several times (the most famous versions with Ronald Coleman and Stewart Grainger).  The Androids of Tara was a deliberate and open rewrite of it to fit Doctor Who.

[Kovarians-Eye-Patch]

Most of those are familiar to me and quite obvious, but I have never heard of The Prisoner Of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda is a classic adventure novel that's been filmed several times (the most famous versions with Ronald Coleman and Stewart Grainger).  The Androids of Tara was a deliberate and open rewrite of it to fit Doctor Who.

I'm sure I read somewhere that that is being remade as a series. It was a few months back though so it might have fallen through (or already happened)

[Kovarians-Eye-Patch]

Most of those are familiar to me and quite obvious, but I have never heard of The Prisoner Of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda is a classic adventure novel that's been filmed several times (the most famous versions with Ronald Coleman and Stewart Grainger).  The Androids of Tara was a deliberate and open rewrite of it to fit Doctor Who.

I'm sure I read somewhere that that is being remade as a series. It was a few months back though so it might have fallen through (or already happened)