The day before this was broadcast, Maureen O'Brien was contracted for
another 12 episodes and Peter Purves (who we've yet to see) was
contracted for 13. Two days after broadcast, on the 24th, William
Hartnell was contracted for another 30. Confidence in the show's
continued viability must have been high!
And why not? We've got the Daleks back! And they get to open the show,
with the recap from last time. But there are a couple of obvious
differences from the usual Dalek story. First is that they are
here from the start, rather than being revealed in the cliffhanger at
the end of the first episode. It's a small thing, and our heroes don't
actually encounter them until the aforementioned cliffhanger; but it's
still an indicator that something has changed.
The other difference is that this is the first time the story comes to
the Doctor rather than vice versa. The Doctor is now a force in the
universe, and not the sort of figure who can slide under the radar of
his people for much longer, surely? We shall have to wait and see how
that pans out. Meanwhile, we get to see something else new: the TARDIS
in the Vortex. The effect here is nothing like the Matt Smith title
sequence version, but it's still very effective, and the jazzy music
that accompanies the shot helps to set the mood.
And then, what do we get next? Vicki being bored. What we might expect
is for this to be a momentary thing before they land, a character note
setting the tone for the opening of the new adventure. But it's not: it
goes on for ages, during which we find out - unexpectedly - that we are
watching a comedy. There's Ian in his pyjama top reading a book called
"Monsters from Outer Space" and commenting on how unrealistic it is.
There's the ridiculous beds (and note how Vicki emphasises their
impracticality by tipping one up). And then the crew decide to settle
down and watch the new telly.
I could go on for ages about the Time-Space Visualiser (hereinafter
TSV). It's a perfect blend of past and future: it looks vaguely like a
Wurlitzer organ but with old-style computer card slots and a 1960s TV in
the middle, it's decorated with labelled planets of our solar system,
and it can do magical things. It's also incredibly complicated to use
and breaks down easily. My dad used to be like the Doctor, here; he'd
spend ages fiddling with electronic devices to get them working - model
railway, TVs, projectors, reel-to-reel tape recorders - with mixed
success. Which is why I really like the way the visualisations of the
past gradually break up, with static obscuring the scenes. Now that's
how we used to watch TV! Well, some of the time.
And some of the time, the TSV behaves like the TARDIS and shows the
viewers exactly what they need to see, rather than what they ask for.
Barbara's reaction on seeing the Daleks is wonderfully performed -
though the actual scene of the Daleks preparing to leave is considerably
less effective. The Dalek assassination squad going round and round for
ages just drags, and there's no life to the scene - despite the
presence of a group of four Daleks lead by a black one, who prefigure
another such group.
Still, we're getting ahead of ourselves - in two ways. We're a few
months from the Daleks' big screen debut, but Dalekmania already has a
firm grip on the nation. And of course, Dalekmania was named after an
even bigger movement: Beatlemania. Which brings me to the missing scene
from the TSV show, and the stars honoured in Vicki's time at Liverpool's
Beatles Memorial Museum. Apparently they were happy to appear in the
show dressed up as old men at an anniversary concert, but this idea was
vetoed by their manager, Brian Epstein, and some archive footage had to
be used instead. The choice of Ticket to Ride seems eerily
appropriate, foreshadowing the end of this serial; but it was the
limited range of available clips that actually drove the selection. Put
it down to good fortune. And we even get to see Ian dancing like a dad!
So. Finally I've finished with this diversion; can we get on with the
adventure now? Apparently so, as there's a beautiful shot of the Doctor
from the point of view of the TARDIS console. Unfortunately that's about
the only brilliant shot in the episode, and it's outnumbered by weak
ones such as the view of Ian's legs that director Richard Martin
comments on. Although I think he's a little harsh, there, it does seem
that his wild imagination has mostly abandoned him.
Outside, at last, we see an alien landscape - and it's highly effective.
A day's shooting at Camber Sands provides some great long shots, but
the studio set is not bad either (though admittedly flaws show that
wouldn't have been visible originally thanks to modern televisions and
the efforts of the Restoration Team). When we see a tentacle in the sand
it looks great! Actually, the whole tentacled beast works wonderfully -
and shooting it in shadow when we see the rest of its body is a good
decision. The only problem is when the tentacle misses its cue to close
the door...
The designers have done a great job here. My namesake John Wood is
involved, alongside the late, great Raymond Cusick, and the feel of this
part of the episode is buoyed up by their work - and by Dudley Simpson,
who has provided some very effective music with a slightly music-hall
feel. The fade to night is done well - Howard King is the lighting man
here - and the sandstorm is brilliant. It's a team effort, and a
successful one.
What about Terry Nation's script, though? The idea to do an out-and-out
comedy episode to open a Dalek epic does seem a trifle bizarre, but he
really goes for it - and it made me chuckle, though not so much as The Dimensions of Time. I particularly liked the exchange between Barbara and the Doctor concerning the "awful noise".
And then we get the cliffhanger: the well-handled effect of a cute Dalek
panting as it strugges to rise from the sand. This says a lot about the
show, chiefly that it is so established that it not only has a
mythology to plunder, it has tropes it can lampoon. A straightforward
parody of the 'Dalek rising from the Thames' cliffhanger in World's End,
this is the first clear signal that the Daleks really are part of the
comedy. It's not an odd opener to a Dalek epic: it's the start of a
Dalek farce.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 22nd May 1965
Viewers: 10.0 million
Chart Position: 14
Appreciation Index: 57
Rating:
Do you know what? I was going to give this episode a 4, but in reviewing
it I found much more to enjoy, and I'm now thinking a 5.5. I'll split
the difference: 5/10.
Next Time:
The Death of Time.
Friday, 29 March 2013
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
Doctor Who Yearbook 1994: A Religious Experience
Placement first, then, since it's really an appendix to last time's
longer discussion. This story mentions Saracens, so must come after The Crusade (and hence after The Space Museum
too, given how tightly those are connected). The Doctor and Ian are
taking a walk while the others sleep, though Barbara has woken by the
time they get back; everyone seems relaxed. So it's not a time when
stress levels are high. I think this would fit best before 1963, or after The Plotters; on balance I'm going to choose the latter, but it's an aesthetic choice.
Right, now that's out of the way, on with the review. Let's start with the artwork, by John Ridgeway. Or more likely John Ridgway, without the 'e', as that is how he is more commonly credited. Ridgway was the artist for a large number of (generally well-received) sixth and seventh Doctor stories in DWM, and this came towards the end of his time working with the franchise. The layouts are good with some spectacular scenes (such as the feast) and nice use of different angles (particularly during the fight with the monster), but somehow the main characters just don't look right. It basically gives the impression that he was working from a limited set of photographs and hadn't had time to get used to drawing them. Which was probably true, given that this is his only story for the first Doctor. He also seems to have run out of steam during the last couple of pages, with things getting distinctly less interesting visually. Still, it's the best attempt so far in this marathon.
The colouring by Chrissie McCormack is adequate, but doesn't really do much to bring out the best in the artwork. Janey Rutter's lettering is clear; as usual, I don't know what else to say about it.
On to the story, then; and this is by Tim Quinn, who is better known for his humorous shorts with artist Dicky Howett. In fact, I can't find any reference to any other 'proper' story he's written. It's an odd one, extremely continuity-heavy - the first five panels alone have references to Quinnis, the Dalek invasion of Earth, Susan, David Campbell, the Doctor's intentions when leaving her, and the Saracens! It eases off after that, but there is still the odd reference or 'in joke', such as when the Doctor hands Ian a cricket ball and says he won't be needing it just yet. The dialogue is solid, with both Ian and the Doctor sounding like themselves (Barbara only gets two sentences, Vicki none). The Doctor's attitude to the native inhabitants fits with the TV series.
The ending - or perhaps 'coda' would be a better word, since it takes place after the TARDIS has left - is neat. But having said that (and being careful not to spoil it), the way it's neat is one that has come up for me more than once, so the originality is wearing a bit thin.
Overall, then, this is the best effort in comics so far - but it's still fairly slight. Fingers crossed for the next comic outing!
Published:
Date: September 1993
ISBN: 1-85400-317-8
Rating:
6/10.
Next Time:
At last! The Executioners.
Right, now that's out of the way, on with the review. Let's start with the artwork, by John Ridgeway. Or more likely John Ridgway, without the 'e', as that is how he is more commonly credited. Ridgway was the artist for a large number of (generally well-received) sixth and seventh Doctor stories in DWM, and this came towards the end of his time working with the franchise. The layouts are good with some spectacular scenes (such as the feast) and nice use of different angles (particularly during the fight with the monster), but somehow the main characters just don't look right. It basically gives the impression that he was working from a limited set of photographs and hadn't had time to get used to drawing them. Which was probably true, given that this is his only story for the first Doctor. He also seems to have run out of steam during the last couple of pages, with things getting distinctly less interesting visually. Still, it's the best attempt so far in this marathon.
The colouring by Chrissie McCormack is adequate, but doesn't really do much to bring out the best in the artwork. Janey Rutter's lettering is clear; as usual, I don't know what else to say about it.
On to the story, then; and this is by Tim Quinn, who is better known for his humorous shorts with artist Dicky Howett. In fact, I can't find any reference to any other 'proper' story he's written. It's an odd one, extremely continuity-heavy - the first five panels alone have references to Quinnis, the Dalek invasion of Earth, Susan, David Campbell, the Doctor's intentions when leaving her, and the Saracens! It eases off after that, but there is still the odd reference or 'in joke', such as when the Doctor hands Ian a cricket ball and says he won't be needing it just yet. The dialogue is solid, with both Ian and the Doctor sounding like themselves (Barbara only gets two sentences, Vicki none). The Doctor's attitude to the native inhabitants fits with the TV series.
The ending - or perhaps 'coda' would be a better word, since it takes place after the TARDIS has left - is neat. But having said that (and being careful not to spoil it), the way it's neat is one that has come up for me more than once, so the originality is wearing a bit thin.
Overall, then, this is the best effort in comics so far - but it's still fairly slight. Fingers crossed for the next comic outing!
Published:
Date: September 1993
ISBN: 1-85400-317-8
Rating:
6/10.
Next Time:
At last! The Executioners.
Monday, 25 March 2013
Audio Short Trips 2.1: 1963, by Niall Boyce
A Confused Chronology, part 10: Fitting the Pieces Together
There are four audio short trips featuring the first Doctor; this is the one that is set latest in his timeline, although there's another I haven't reviewed yet both because it takes place before An Unearthly Child and because it is a multi-Doctor story. However, although this is the latest, I am at a loss to explain why I placed it here! It features the current TARDIS team, but there's nothing that says it has to happen at any specific time during their tenure. I checked my usual sources: the Reference Guide doesn't mention it, the Complete Adventures lists it just before The Rocket Men, and for some bizarre reason the Episode Guide erroneously puts it in the gap between seasons 1 and 2!
Andrew Kearley's is thus the only one that makes sense. As time goes on I am finding more and more that his positioning is the one I choose by default; but I must have made a slip of the mouse this time. And right now - having listened to all the stories from The Rescue to just before The Chase - I can make my own mind up.
The key here is the complaint I made recently about the renewed obsession with getting Iananbarbara home. Here there is an enormously near miss, and no indication that they had been thinking about it particularly before their arrival. The way it turns out is a huge disappointment for the teachers, and the Doctor is genuinely sorry; so it seems natural that he would renew his efforts to restore them to their rightful time and place. Which means that this should come before The Plotters; and while it doesn't need to come immediately before I don't think there should be too large a gap. There aren't many clues in other stories. The Rocket Men does raise the issue, and I can see why Kearley makes the choice he does; but for me, the way they are thinking about it is different there. Every Day is a better candidate to come between, with their mix of cautious optimism and worry about 2004. So I am simply going to reverse my last three reviewed stories, so that they run 1963 - Every Day - The Plotters.
And that's the way my mind works. Simple, eh?
On to the story, then, and let's get the not-too-surprising out of the way first: the story is beautifully read by William Russell, in his resonant, rich voice. This is enhanced by excellent sound and music, mostly piano or violin, making it a pleasure to listen to - regardless of content. Having said that, the writing supports this style of reading: it's not quite as lyrical as Rise and Fall but it's working in a similar area, and that's what Russell seems to relish.
There's a contrast to be observed here: the story doesn't take a form that we might have seen in the early years of the show, because it starts in the middle and then repeatedly flashes back, so we have two interleaved timelines - rather like The Rocket Men, but less extreme. On the other hand, the experimental nature of the setting - the way the TARDIS functions and the problem caused by it not working quite right - is so much like the wild, imaginative thinking of the Verity Lambert era.
(Now it's time for the oft-repeated cry: 'Ware spoilers!)
Speaking of wild imagination, this is a story that takes a single idea and pushes it to the limit. The passages of Barbara testing the half-opened switchblade and the unmovable hairs, of Ian walking on the Thames, offer up the sort of image that should have occurred to me when thinking about frozen time, but never did. Hearing them, though, put my brain into gear and I started wondering about air molecules - do they just pass through the time travellers? Or what?
The fact that the story is so focused on the effects of the situation is both a weakness and its strength. There's nowhere for it to go, really: nothing to fight against, no peril of any sort, because nothing can affect our heroes - at least, not physically. But within its scope the images are so strong that they carry the listener along, allowing us to engage with Iananbarbara's emotions even when they are only lightly touched on. It's a vignette, and could never be anything more - but it's a darned good one.
Recommended.
Published:
Date: 28th February 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84435-548-8
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
Before we finally get back to the Daleks, there's time for A Religious Experience...
There are four audio short trips featuring the first Doctor; this is the one that is set latest in his timeline, although there's another I haven't reviewed yet both because it takes place before An Unearthly Child and because it is a multi-Doctor story. However, although this is the latest, I am at a loss to explain why I placed it here! It features the current TARDIS team, but there's nothing that says it has to happen at any specific time during their tenure. I checked my usual sources: the Reference Guide doesn't mention it, the Complete Adventures lists it just before The Rocket Men, and for some bizarre reason the Episode Guide erroneously puts it in the gap between seasons 1 and 2!
Andrew Kearley's is thus the only one that makes sense. As time goes on I am finding more and more that his positioning is the one I choose by default; but I must have made a slip of the mouse this time. And right now - having listened to all the stories from The Rescue to just before The Chase - I can make my own mind up.
The key here is the complaint I made recently about the renewed obsession with getting Iananbarbara home. Here there is an enormously near miss, and no indication that they had been thinking about it particularly before their arrival. The way it turns out is a huge disappointment for the teachers, and the Doctor is genuinely sorry; so it seems natural that he would renew his efforts to restore them to their rightful time and place. Which means that this should come before The Plotters; and while it doesn't need to come immediately before I don't think there should be too large a gap. There aren't many clues in other stories. The Rocket Men does raise the issue, and I can see why Kearley makes the choice he does; but for me, the way they are thinking about it is different there. Every Day is a better candidate to come between, with their mix of cautious optimism and worry about 2004. So I am simply going to reverse my last three reviewed stories, so that they run 1963 - Every Day - The Plotters.
And that's the way my mind works. Simple, eh?
* * *
On to the story, then, and let's get the not-too-surprising out of the way first: the story is beautifully read by William Russell, in his resonant, rich voice. This is enhanced by excellent sound and music, mostly piano or violin, making it a pleasure to listen to - regardless of content. Having said that, the writing supports this style of reading: it's not quite as lyrical as Rise and Fall but it's working in a similar area, and that's what Russell seems to relish.
There's a contrast to be observed here: the story doesn't take a form that we might have seen in the early years of the show, because it starts in the middle and then repeatedly flashes back, so we have two interleaved timelines - rather like The Rocket Men, but less extreme. On the other hand, the experimental nature of the setting - the way the TARDIS functions and the problem caused by it not working quite right - is so much like the wild, imaginative thinking of the Verity Lambert era.
(Now it's time for the oft-repeated cry: 'Ware spoilers!)
Speaking of wild imagination, this is a story that takes a single idea and pushes it to the limit. The passages of Barbara testing the half-opened switchblade and the unmovable hairs, of Ian walking on the Thames, offer up the sort of image that should have occurred to me when thinking about frozen time, but never did. Hearing them, though, put my brain into gear and I started wondering about air molecules - do they just pass through the time travellers? Or what?
The fact that the story is so focused on the effects of the situation is both a weakness and its strength. There's nowhere for it to go, really: nothing to fight against, no peril of any sort, because nothing can affect our heroes - at least, not physically. But within its scope the images are so strong that they carry the listener along, allowing us to engage with Iananbarbara's emotions even when they are only lightly touched on. It's a vignette, and could never be anything more - but it's a darned good one.
Recommended.
Published:
Date: 28th February 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84435-548-8
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
Before we finally get back to the Daleks, there's time for A Religious Experience...
Friday, 22 March 2013
Short Trips, A Christmas Treasury 14.12: Every Day, by Stephen Fewell
Warning: spoilers ahoy!
This is a jolly little Christmas tale - not. It's basically Groundhog Day, if Groundhog Day were December 25th 2004 and everyone realised they were going around and around. The writing is well-crafted, but it doesn't have the space to explore the idea properly - so we don't get as close to the Smythes as we need to for the events to have their full emotional impact. Having said that, the fast cutting between scenes does give it an unreal distance which adds to the creepiness, so Fewell is making the most of the restricted word count.
There's a lot of Christmassy details that resonate with me. The annoying fact that paper hats always tear when you try to keep them from slipping off, for instance, or the ritual of cutting crosses in the stems of sprouts. The way the differences from 1963 keep catching the teachers out is also a nice touch, with Ian wondering if it'll be the King's or Queen's Speech and Barbara noting the demise of the milk bottle (though we still have traditional bottles, delivered to the door no less).
Some of the details take on a more sinister aspect as the story progresses, notably the use of alcohol to numb out; and kind actions like sharing presents or asking the travellers to stay for the Christmas dinner change their meaning as the story passes from the first day to the next. It's all rather neat.
Vicki is written a little young, to my mind - her bursting into tears didn't work for me - but her wishing it could be Christmas every day was a lovely link between the title and the main idea. Oh, and Wizzard, of course. (Nearly wrote Slade there, adding insult to injury since it was "Merry Christmas Everybody" that kept Roy Wood's work off the top spot in 1973.) Iananbarbara were very much themselves, though I am having to resign myself to them dreaming of returning home in every... single... flippin'... expanded... universe... story! The Doctor was written okay, but the idea that he would be the one wanting to stick around to apologise for the hole in the ceiling made me laugh.
There's not much detail to the Smythes, but there is a palpable tension in the family right from the start. And that's really what keeps the story going, supported by the off-kilter atmosphere.
One interesting feature is the use of the TARDIS in the story. It is really the instigator of everything that happens here, bringing our heroes where they are needed and not letting them leave until they have helped resolve the knot. The Doctor calling it a "metaphysical engine" makes explicit something Whovians have thought for a long time, though it's not usually stated so boldly! I'm not sure I believe the Doctor's explanation of events here is correct, but even if he's making it up on the spur of the moment to avoid looking stupid, that's quite appropriate.
To sum up, then, in proper mixed metaphor fashion: some good ingredients, but spoiled somewhat by a lack of space to breathe.
Published:
Date: December 2004
ISBN: 1-84435-112-2
Rating:
5/10.
Next Time:
A story called 1963. Let me guess: could this be something to do with Iananbarbara wanting to get back to where they came from? Surely not!
This is a jolly little Christmas tale - not. It's basically Groundhog Day, if Groundhog Day were December 25th 2004 and everyone realised they were going around and around. The writing is well-crafted, but it doesn't have the space to explore the idea properly - so we don't get as close to the Smythes as we need to for the events to have their full emotional impact. Having said that, the fast cutting between scenes does give it an unreal distance which adds to the creepiness, so Fewell is making the most of the restricted word count.
There's a lot of Christmassy details that resonate with me. The annoying fact that paper hats always tear when you try to keep them from slipping off, for instance, or the ritual of cutting crosses in the stems of sprouts. The way the differences from 1963 keep catching the teachers out is also a nice touch, with Ian wondering if it'll be the King's or Queen's Speech and Barbara noting the demise of the milk bottle (though we still have traditional bottles, delivered to the door no less).
Some of the details take on a more sinister aspect as the story progresses, notably the use of alcohol to numb out; and kind actions like sharing presents or asking the travellers to stay for the Christmas dinner change their meaning as the story passes from the first day to the next. It's all rather neat.
Vicki is written a little young, to my mind - her bursting into tears didn't work for me - but her wishing it could be Christmas every day was a lovely link between the title and the main idea. Oh, and Wizzard, of course. (Nearly wrote Slade there, adding insult to injury since it was "Merry Christmas Everybody" that kept Roy Wood's work off the top spot in 1973.) Iananbarbara were very much themselves, though I am having to resign myself to them dreaming of returning home in every... single... flippin'... expanded... universe... story! The Doctor was written okay, but the idea that he would be the one wanting to stick around to apologise for the hole in the ceiling made me laugh.
There's not much detail to the Smythes, but there is a palpable tension in the family right from the start. And that's really what keeps the story going, supported by the off-kilter atmosphere.
One interesting feature is the use of the TARDIS in the story. It is really the instigator of everything that happens here, bringing our heroes where they are needed and not letting them leave until they have helped resolve the knot. The Doctor calling it a "metaphysical engine" makes explicit something Whovians have thought for a long time, though it's not usually stated so boldly! I'm not sure I believe the Doctor's explanation of events here is correct, but even if he's making it up on the spur of the moment to avoid looking stupid, that's quite appropriate.
To sum up, then, in proper mixed metaphor fashion: some good ingredients, but spoiled somewhat by a lack of space to breathe.
Published:
Date: December 2004
ISBN: 1-84435-112-2
Rating:
5/10.
Next Time:
A story called 1963. Let me guess: could this be something to do with Iananbarbara wanting to get back to where they came from? Surely not!
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Virgin Missing Adventure 28: The Plotters, by Gareth Roberts
Hm, I've just got a few uncoordinated notes to round off this series of reviews:
As usual with the Missing Adventures, the cover of this book is no great shakes. That's not the end to the artwork this time, though, because there are also two 'woodcuts': one of Iananbarbara at the start, and one of the Doctor and Vicki at the end. These are rather good at conjuring up the feel of those old images. I always think that there is a childlike quality to the figures, and these manage to capture that sense swell.
Similarly, any author of a novel set in a past era of the show has to make a key decision: to what extent do you try to match the style and tone of the era in question? There are advantages to hewing closely to history, but some things can only be done by injecting an up-to-date viewpoint and attitude, and whatever you do will lose you some fans. Like another of my favourites, Mark Gatiss' The Last of the Gaderene, The Plotters is right up the 'match closely' end, and Roberts' amusing Author's Note tells us up front that the traditionalism even stretches to historical accuracy (or rather, lack of it).
I like Roberts. He's written or co-written some good TV episodes, one of my favourite audios (The One Doctor), my favourite new series novel (Only Human), the best-received ninth Doctor comic, and the amusing serialised short story What Has Happened to the Magic of Doctor Who?, making him one of the very few writers to hit the heights in every format (he's also written for every Doctor, as well as for The Sarah Jane Adventures). This, however, is the first classic-era novel of his that I have read - I will definitely be seeking out more.
Getting back to the story, it's quite odd to insert this between The Space Museum and The Chase, but I can see the reasoning: it divides up two SF stories, whereas placing it before The Crusade makes for a run containing historicals. That was in the 1990s, though, and if The Rocket Men had been released earlier this could have fitted after The Web Planet with only a little tweaking. As it is, I think it has to go here; but in terms of the marathon I still feel like I'm waiting for the Daleks arrival!
Published:
Date: November 1996
ISBN: 978-0-426-20488-6
Rating:
Mine: 9.5/10.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 8.67, 1st out of 33 Missing Adventures, 8th out of 264 overall.
Next Time:
No, not the Daleks: it seems like I have to postpone their arrival Every Day...
As usual with the Missing Adventures, the cover of this book is no great shakes. That's not the end to the artwork this time, though, because there are also two 'woodcuts': one of Iananbarbara at the start, and one of the Doctor and Vicki at the end. These are rather good at conjuring up the feel of those old images. I always think that there is a childlike quality to the figures, and these manage to capture that sense swell.
Similarly, any author of a novel set in a past era of the show has to make a key decision: to what extent do you try to match the style and tone of the era in question? There are advantages to hewing closely to history, but some things can only be done by injecting an up-to-date viewpoint and attitude, and whatever you do will lose you some fans. Like another of my favourites, Mark Gatiss' The Last of the Gaderene, The Plotters is right up the 'match closely' end, and Roberts' amusing Author's Note tells us up front that the traditionalism even stretches to historical accuracy (or rather, lack of it).
I like Roberts. He's written or co-written some good TV episodes, one of my favourite audios (The One Doctor), my favourite new series novel (Only Human), the best-received ninth Doctor comic, and the amusing serialised short story What Has Happened to the Magic of Doctor Who?, making him one of the very few writers to hit the heights in every format (he's also written for every Doctor, as well as for The Sarah Jane Adventures). This, however, is the first classic-era novel of his that I have read - I will definitely be seeking out more.
Getting back to the story, it's quite odd to insert this between The Space Museum and The Chase, but I can see the reasoning: it divides up two SF stories, whereas placing it before The Crusade makes for a run containing historicals. That was in the 1990s, though, and if The Rocket Men had been released earlier this could have fitted after The Web Planet with only a little tweaking. As it is, I think it has to go here; but in terms of the marathon I still feel like I'm waiting for the Daleks arrival!
Published:
Date: November 1996
ISBN: 978-0-426-20488-6
Rating:
Mine: 9.5/10.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 8.67, 1st out of 33 Missing Adventures, 8th out of 264 overall.
Next Time:
No, not the Daleks: it seems like I have to postpone their arrival Every Day...
Monday, 18 March 2013
Episode MA28d: Explaining the Plot
The final episode - and it's full-on comedy! Unlike so many stories
where the humour starts out light and get darker, this one is following
the opposite trajectory. There are too many specifics for me to comment
on, but I'll just mention the return of Otley and Haldann, the mirror
comedy duo to balance Firking and Hodge. The translators were the
characters I was least interested in when we first met them, but they
have grown on me; and it's good to see them show a bit of actual
intelligence rather than just scoring book-learning points. They are
still insufferable, but in a more human way.
There's a lot of slapstick here, with plenty of shots of people being caked in mud and slime (as well as the shoemakers' incompetent swordwork); but there's also plenty of verbal humour, and much of that is in the references. There are contemporary ones, like misquotes from Shakespeare and Good Queen Bess, but there are also more modern ones. I'm sure I missed a lot, but I smiled at one from Looney Tunes, and if I'm not mistaken there's even a reference to Plan 9 from Outer Space!
Speaking of anachronisms, there's a lot of use of matches in this story. They did exist at the time, but only in the East: Marco Polo could have picked some up, but it wasn't until the Nineteenth Century that London had any for real use. Did this bother me? Heck, no! It's fully in keeping with the spirit of the era.
There were a couple of things that weren't, though. The Web of Time gets mentioned (for the second time in this book), which I don't recall being part of the show until much later; and the Doctor's companions know he isn't human. Now, these are minor quibbles, but they did pull me out of the action briefly.
A bigger disappointment with this episode was that Barbara still had less to do than Vicki or the Doctor, meaning that for the second serial running she's been the one missing out most. Perhaps Jacqueline Hill was on holiday for two weeks, and the little we saw of her were filmed inserts? For whatever reason, in a historical, this just seems wrong.
Still, everything was tied up very neatly, history was set right in a satisfying manner, and it kept me gripped - I read past midnight because I didn't want to put the book down. In fact, it has been particularly hard during this story to leave a day between episodes, and the last three have been read and reviewed over a single three-day period (I had one day off after Plot Devices because Monday was packed). Mostly I've been reading them at night and writing them up in whatever gaps I can find the following day, and that's worked well.
The reveal of the encoded message at the end was fun, if a little unbelievable. I flipped back and forth to work it out, and could only do so with the solution - but then I hadn't spent days with Stuart speakers! I would have preferred an epilogue with the Daleks, but that was never going to be on the cards from a licensing perspective.
Overall, a good closing episode.
Rating:
8/10.
Next Time:
The Plotters as a whole.
There's a lot of slapstick here, with plenty of shots of people being caked in mud and slime (as well as the shoemakers' incompetent swordwork); but there's also plenty of verbal humour, and much of that is in the references. There are contemporary ones, like misquotes from Shakespeare and Good Queen Bess, but there are also more modern ones. I'm sure I missed a lot, but I smiled at one from Looney Tunes, and if I'm not mistaken there's even a reference to Plan 9 from Outer Space!
Speaking of anachronisms, there's a lot of use of matches in this story. They did exist at the time, but only in the East: Marco Polo could have picked some up, but it wasn't until the Nineteenth Century that London had any for real use. Did this bother me? Heck, no! It's fully in keeping with the spirit of the era.
There were a couple of things that weren't, though. The Web of Time gets mentioned (for the second time in this book), which I don't recall being part of the show until much later; and the Doctor's companions know he isn't human. Now, these are minor quibbles, but they did pull me out of the action briefly.
A bigger disappointment with this episode was that Barbara still had less to do than Vicki or the Doctor, meaning that for the second serial running she's been the one missing out most. Perhaps Jacqueline Hill was on holiday for two weeks, and the little we saw of her were filmed inserts? For whatever reason, in a historical, this just seems wrong.
Still, everything was tied up very neatly, history was set right in a satisfying manner, and it kept me gripped - I read past midnight because I didn't want to put the book down. In fact, it has been particularly hard during this story to leave a day between episodes, and the last three have been read and reviewed over a single three-day period (I had one day off after Plot Devices because Monday was packed). Mostly I've been reading them at night and writing them up in whatever gaps I can find the following day, and that's worked well.
The reveal of the encoded message at the end was fun, if a little unbelievable. I flipped back and forth to work it out, and could only do so with the solution - but then I hadn't spent days with Stuart speakers! I would have preferred an epilogue with the Daleks, but that was never going to be on the cards from a licensing perspective.
Overall, a good closing episode.
Rating:
8/10.
Next Time:
The Plotters as a whole.
Friday, 15 March 2013
Episode MA28c: The Plot Thickens
Now, this is a fantastic episode! Firking and Hodge are turning into a
proper comedy duo, supporting Ian, who gets some character moments and
some action after being in the background last time. It's Maureen
O'Brien who now has the lightest acting burden, while the Doctor carries
on with his scheming - never quite in the centre of the action but a
palpable presence. And that mention of O'Brien was a genuine slip which I
decided to keep; can you tell I thought this was properly televisual?
So. What we have here is a mess of twists and turns, in the best sense. And there are a couple of gamechanging scenes: the moment when the Doctor confronts Cecil about his misunderstanding of the plot, and Fawkes in the cellar. I think I'm going to be right in my guess regarding a substitution, though for entirely the wrong reason!
There are other, lesser twists which are still delightful: the discussion in which the Doctor and Cecil both think the other is hiding Vicki, and turn from enemies to reluctant allies as things become clear; Ian hearing Catesby's name and remembering his history; the fate of the TARDIS; the identity of the Spaniard. It's a rich stew indeed! Once again there's too little of Barbara, and I hope the final episode rectifies that (this is a historical, after all!), but that's appropriate to the series at the time too.
At last! One of the promised bite-sized reviews actually is bite-sized...
Rating:
10/10.
Next Time:
Explaining the Plot.
So. What we have here is a mess of twists and turns, in the best sense. And there are a couple of gamechanging scenes: the moment when the Doctor confronts Cecil about his misunderstanding of the plot, and Fawkes in the cellar. I think I'm going to be right in my guess regarding a substitution, though for entirely the wrong reason!
There are other, lesser twists which are still delightful: the discussion in which the Doctor and Cecil both think the other is hiding Vicki, and turn from enemies to reluctant allies as things become clear; Ian hearing Catesby's name and remembering his history; the fate of the TARDIS; the identity of the Spaniard. It's a rich stew indeed! Once again there's too little of Barbara, and I hope the final episode rectifies that (this is a historical, after all!), but that's appropriate to the series at the time too.
At last! One of the promised bite-sized reviews actually is bite-sized...
Rating:
10/10.
Next Time:
Explaining the Plot.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Episode MA28b: Holes in the Plot
Another good episode, again perfectly in keeping with the era.
Well, almost. We have a plotline very reminiscent of Emperor Nero chasing Barbara around his palace - but this time it's King James (the First and Sixth) chasing Vicki. Because he thinks she's Victor. Now, in both 1605 and 1965 sex between males was illegal (in the earlier year it was a capital offence, though I doubt any aspects of the law applied to the King) - and with someone of Vicki's age involved, what James presumably wanted would still be illegal for another three decades after broadcast even with consent. And this is something that would almost certainly not be shown on Doctor Who in 1965; I suppose it's possible that some teatime shows might just about have got away with it because Vicki was actually a girl, but certainly not one with William Hartnell at the helm.
All of which rather distracts from the fact that I am talking about inequality in representations of sexual predation presented as a laugh; it's almost as if I'm cheering that children could be amused by the threat of heterosexual assault, but booing that the same can't be said of the threat of homosexual assault. Which I'm not, exactly, but...well, I am sure that Gareth Roberts is playing with those confusions. He is explicitly modelling the scenes on The Romans, and is, I am sure, making more than one point. He can do this here because this isn't an episode of a teatime family show - it's a novel aimed at older readers. What he couldn't get away with is uncritically, non-ironically presenting something like this, because he hasn't got the excuse of "oh, well, that was the 1960s and things have moved on since then" - because, well, it's the 1990s. And things have moved on.
Fortunately, this is Roberts we're talking about. Since we can see inside Vicki's head in a novel, he can show us how much of a horrible threat this actually is while still showing the action in exactly the same way as Nero and Barbara's farcical shenanigans from Conspiracy. It's carefully handled, and - particularly in conjunction with the Doctor's stunningly casual attitude to the affair - it adds some meat to the episode.
Not that there isn't quite a lot more going on! Political machinations, attempted assassination, plots galore and even a secret passageway! The focus is on Vicki but everyone gets plenty to do except for Ian. Barbara's conversation with Guy Fawkes makes me wonder whether her unexpected rescuer will somehow avoid his historical fate, perhaps with a last-minute substitution. We'll see...
Rating:
8/10.
Next Time:
The Plot Thickens.
Well, almost. We have a plotline very reminiscent of Emperor Nero chasing Barbara around his palace - but this time it's King James (the First and Sixth) chasing Vicki. Because he thinks she's Victor. Now, in both 1605 and 1965 sex between males was illegal (in the earlier year it was a capital offence, though I doubt any aspects of the law applied to the King) - and with someone of Vicki's age involved, what James presumably wanted would still be illegal for another three decades after broadcast even with consent. And this is something that would almost certainly not be shown on Doctor Who in 1965; I suppose it's possible that some teatime shows might just about have got away with it because Vicki was actually a girl, but certainly not one with William Hartnell at the helm.
All of which rather distracts from the fact that I am talking about inequality in representations of sexual predation presented as a laugh; it's almost as if I'm cheering that children could be amused by the threat of heterosexual assault, but booing that the same can't be said of the threat of homosexual assault. Which I'm not, exactly, but...well, I am sure that Gareth Roberts is playing with those confusions. He is explicitly modelling the scenes on The Romans, and is, I am sure, making more than one point. He can do this here because this isn't an episode of a teatime family show - it's a novel aimed at older readers. What he couldn't get away with is uncritically, non-ironically presenting something like this, because he hasn't got the excuse of "oh, well, that was the 1960s and things have moved on since then" - because, well, it's the 1990s. And things have moved on.
Fortunately, this is Roberts we're talking about. Since we can see inside Vicki's head in a novel, he can show us how much of a horrible threat this actually is while still showing the action in exactly the same way as Nero and Barbara's farcical shenanigans from Conspiracy. It's carefully handled, and - particularly in conjunction with the Doctor's stunningly casual attitude to the affair - it adds some meat to the episode.
Not that there isn't quite a lot more going on! Political machinations, attempted assassination, plots galore and even a secret passageway! The focus is on Vicki but everyone gets plenty to do except for Ian. Barbara's conversation with Guy Fawkes makes me wonder whether her unexpected rescuer will somehow avoid his historical fate, perhaps with a last-minute substitution. We'll see...
Rating:
8/10.
Next Time:
The Plot Thickens.
Monday, 11 March 2013
Episode MA28a: Plot Devices
I generally only write one review for a novel unless I get carried away;
but author Gareth Roberts has structured his Missing Adventure as a
typical serial, with four individually-named parts. So, since I'm having
some trouble keeping up the pace, I thought I might as well divide up
the review accordingly, and provide five bite-sized chunks (four
individual episode ratings and an overview).
This one will probably be the least bite-sized, seeing as it takes up the first third of the book. It's natural that it should be a bit longer, as all the characters and locations need to be described when we meet them (something that doesn't have to happen on TV); but this still seems somewhat uneven. I'm not passing judgement yet, though!
So much for the width; what about the quality? The first thing to say is that this feels very much like the novelisation of a televised episode - in that the things that don't quite fit with a TV story are the sort of changes that happen in novelisations. We have a limited number of sets: the bulk of the action happens in three or four locations, and the rest could easily be cut down or eliminated. The bear-baiting could be described from the doorway of Mother Bunch's place, for instance, and I can just picture the Doctor talking to the guard at the gates against a painted backdrop of the palace!
The events are also TV-like, particularly now we've got to the point where not every adventure has to start in the TARDIS. Various plots and situations are set up, we get to know the guest cast a little, and there's some humour and peril. The Doctor being interested in the creation of the King James Bible amused me, remembering how he used that as his guide when helping the translators of the first Greek version (IIRC) in Byzantium!
One thing that feels out of place is the Doctor being focused on getting Iananbarbara home when we first meet them - I thought they were all past being so desperate about it. Still, the dialogue's spot on and the regulars feel very much like themselves, so I'm not going to complain too much.
Possibly the best thing I can say to emphasise how much it felt like an episode from the period is that I pictured it in slightly fuzzy black and white - even when they were talking about one character's scarlet shirt. The only exceptions were the very first scene, before we'd seen the travellers and it had linked up in my subconscious, and the face of the Spaniard - because I was reminded so much of V from V for Vendetta (ironically originally a monochrome comic) that I pictured the colour from the cover of the graphic novel version...
Hm, almost a full-length review. Still, the next episode's only just over half as long, so that'll be smaller - won't it?
Rating:
8.5/10.
Next Time:
Holes in the Plot.
This one will probably be the least bite-sized, seeing as it takes up the first third of the book. It's natural that it should be a bit longer, as all the characters and locations need to be described when we meet them (something that doesn't have to happen on TV); but this still seems somewhat uneven. I'm not passing judgement yet, though!
So much for the width; what about the quality? The first thing to say is that this feels very much like the novelisation of a televised episode - in that the things that don't quite fit with a TV story are the sort of changes that happen in novelisations. We have a limited number of sets: the bulk of the action happens in three or four locations, and the rest could easily be cut down or eliminated. The bear-baiting could be described from the doorway of Mother Bunch's place, for instance, and I can just picture the Doctor talking to the guard at the gates against a painted backdrop of the palace!
The events are also TV-like, particularly now we've got to the point where not every adventure has to start in the TARDIS. Various plots and situations are set up, we get to know the guest cast a little, and there's some humour and peril. The Doctor being interested in the creation of the King James Bible amused me, remembering how he used that as his guide when helping the translators of the first Greek version (IIRC) in Byzantium!
One thing that feels out of place is the Doctor being focused on getting Iananbarbara home when we first meet them - I thought they were all past being so desperate about it. Still, the dialogue's spot on and the regulars feel very much like themselves, so I'm not going to complain too much.
Possibly the best thing I can say to emphasise how much it felt like an episode from the period is that I pictured it in slightly fuzzy black and white - even when they were talking about one character's scarlet shirt. The only exceptions were the very first scene, before we'd seen the travellers and it had linked up in my subconscious, and the face of the Spaniard - because I was reminded so much of V from V for Vendetta (ironically originally a monochrome comic) that I pictured the colour from the cover of the graphic novel version...
Hm, almost a full-length review. Still, the next episode's only just over half as long, so that'll be smaller - won't it?
Rating:
8.5/10.
Next Time:
Holes in the Plot.
Friday, 8 March 2013
Serial Q: The Space Museum
This is the last TV serial for which the generally-accepted overall
title matches one of the episodes (unless, of course, you count
single-episode stories). As a reviewer I say hooray, since I'll no
longer have to distinguish between posts merely by having things like
"Serial Q" vs "Episode 68 (Q1)" in front of them. Except, of course, for
some annoying audios that continue the practice.
I mentioned that I'd already been thoroughly spoiled for this serial before I saw any of it. This does make a big difference for me; and in this case I decided I couldn't honestly review it from my own perspective alone. So I went the whole hog and read, watched or listened to everything I could on it, often incorporating other people's ideas into my reviews but sometimes deliberately skipping them. As a prime example of the latter, I probably would have said something about the 'youth rebellion' theme running through the story - which I had vaguely picked up on - but Elizabeth Sandifer covered it in detail in her blog entry. So head on over to the relevant TARDIS Eruditorum entry for a great analysis.
As part of this marathon I watch every episode at least twice, once just to appreciate it (with some thoughts jotted down afterwards) and once taking notes as I go, often with the commentary on. This time the commentary was invaluable, particularly Maureen O'Brien's memories of the production and Glyn Jones' clarification of how much of the bad stuff wasn't in there originally. I was annoyed with Peter Purves to begin with, because he started the first episode from the position that it's rubbish - not something I like from a moderator. Let the people who were involved make that judgement! But he soon, ah, moderated his position, and did his job well after that.
Another influence was Robert Shearman's defence of the serial (among the DVD extras). I heard this after my first ever viewing. I remember thinking that I had found the serial quite funny, in the main unintentionally; but his analysis, the observation that it is meant to be funny throughout, clicked. I've enjoyed it more on subsequent viewings, and I don't feel too bad about misreading this since almost all the reviews I've read have missed it - and I think the director probably did, too!
Slipped Time Tracks: Alternative Space Museums
This story could have been better, and in some timelines it probably was. Apparently Jones manages to flesh it out quite a bit in the Target novelisation - I'll have to get that one sometime - and I wonder how many of his ideas he reinstated? The biggest idea change made by script editor Dennis Spooner was the explanation of the timeslip, which in the broadcast version is totally pants. In Jones' version, the device that prepares exhibits actually freezes them in time rather than by reducing their temperature. This, however, is dodgy technology, and the act of freezing the travellers causes the slippage that allows them to get a glimpse of their own future and change it. Nicely paradoxical.
Another idea I liked was mentioned by Peter Niemeyer in his review. The tension could have been improved - and the story could have been tied more tightly to the first episode - by having the travellers being frozen one by one: the Doctor at the end of The Dimensions of Time, then Barbara after the original gas attack, and Ian (after a failed attempt to rescue the Doctor) at the end of The Search. This would have made it seem as if the preordained future was coming closer all the time.
Isaac's Corner
The Space Museum is an excellent idea and a good story, although when I heard the description of the original script it made a lot more sense (I didn't like the fact that they said it was just caused by a component going wrong). I like the idea that the Moroks are a great empire in decline (like at the end of the Roman Empire) and that they are pretty rubbish. It's very Steven Moffaty and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey, messing about with different weird time stuff for the first time. I also like it because it's mine! I rate it an 8/10 because it was highlighted how it could be improved.
That's it, then - the four-parter with the longest gap between first review in this marathon and last. I hope it holds that record forever!
Rating:
Mine: 5/10, episodes 2 & 4 being somewhat redeemed by 1 & 3.
DWM Mighty 200: 50.42%, 190th.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 5.36, 203rd out of 234.
This was voted the worst Hartnell serial by DWM readers, but only the fourth worst on Gallifrey Base.
Next Time:
After the epilogue to The Final Phase, what could it be but the first episode of the next Dalek epic? Actually, what it could be is Plot Devices...
I mentioned that I'd already been thoroughly spoiled for this serial before I saw any of it. This does make a big difference for me; and in this case I decided I couldn't honestly review it from my own perspective alone. So I went the whole hog and read, watched or listened to everything I could on it, often incorporating other people's ideas into my reviews but sometimes deliberately skipping them. As a prime example of the latter, I probably would have said something about the 'youth rebellion' theme running through the story - which I had vaguely picked up on - but Elizabeth Sandifer covered it in detail in her blog entry. So head on over to the relevant TARDIS Eruditorum entry for a great analysis.
As part of this marathon I watch every episode at least twice, once just to appreciate it (with some thoughts jotted down afterwards) and once taking notes as I go, often with the commentary on. This time the commentary was invaluable, particularly Maureen O'Brien's memories of the production and Glyn Jones' clarification of how much of the bad stuff wasn't in there originally. I was annoyed with Peter Purves to begin with, because he started the first episode from the position that it's rubbish - not something I like from a moderator. Let the people who were involved make that judgement! But he soon, ah, moderated his position, and did his job well after that.
Another influence was Robert Shearman's defence of the serial (among the DVD extras). I heard this after my first ever viewing. I remember thinking that I had found the serial quite funny, in the main unintentionally; but his analysis, the observation that it is meant to be funny throughout, clicked. I've enjoyed it more on subsequent viewings, and I don't feel too bad about misreading this since almost all the reviews I've read have missed it - and I think the director probably did, too!
Slipped Time Tracks: Alternative Space Museums
This story could have been better, and in some timelines it probably was. Apparently Jones manages to flesh it out quite a bit in the Target novelisation - I'll have to get that one sometime - and I wonder how many of his ideas he reinstated? The biggest idea change made by script editor Dennis Spooner was the explanation of the timeslip, which in the broadcast version is totally pants. In Jones' version, the device that prepares exhibits actually freezes them in time rather than by reducing their temperature. This, however, is dodgy technology, and the act of freezing the travellers causes the slippage that allows them to get a glimpse of their own future and change it. Nicely paradoxical.
Another idea I liked was mentioned by Peter Niemeyer in his review. The tension could have been improved - and the story could have been tied more tightly to the first episode - by having the travellers being frozen one by one: the Doctor at the end of The Dimensions of Time, then Barbara after the original gas attack, and Ian (after a failed attempt to rescue the Doctor) at the end of The Search. This would have made it seem as if the preordained future was coming closer all the time.
Isaac's Corner
The Space Museum is an excellent idea and a good story, although when I heard the description of the original script it made a lot more sense (I didn't like the fact that they said it was just caused by a component going wrong). I like the idea that the Moroks are a great empire in decline (like at the end of the Roman Empire) and that they are pretty rubbish. It's very Steven Moffaty and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey, messing about with different weird time stuff for the first time. I also like it because it's mine! I rate it an 8/10 because it was highlighted how it could be improved.
That's it, then - the four-parter with the longest gap between first review in this marathon and last. I hope it holds that record forever!
Rating:
Mine: 5/10, episodes 2 & 4 being somewhat redeemed by 1 & 3.
DWM Mighty 200: 50.42%, 190th.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 5.36, 203rd out of 234.
This was voted the worst Hartnell serial by DWM readers, but only the fourth worst on Gallifrey Base.
Next Time:
After the epilogue to The Final Phase, what could it be but the first episode of the next Dalek epic? Actually, what it could be is Plot Devices...
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Episode 71 (Q4): The Final Phase
So. Sadly not so good an episode this time, for various reasons. First
is the acting, which is distinctly variable with quite a few wooden
expressions and fluffed lines. It's particularly poor early on, though
later Jacqueline Hill makes a very rare slip. This is also the first
episode in which William Hartnell goes completely over the top with
"hmm"s - in some scenes they seem to outnumber actual words! Combine
this with the number of times he messes up his lines and I begin to
wonder if we have reached the point where he is not really quite able to
cope with his job anymore. This is using the benefit of hindsight,
though; and at times he's still magnificent.
There are other aspects of the production that let it down, too. The direction - despite some nice touches here and there - manages to make the story feel rushed and slow at the same time. The device for freezing potential exhibits looks more like a giant snowglobe, and as the commentators mentioned the switches on Lobos' desk are somewhat lacking. On the other hand, the flare that accompanies the guns firing is excellent. It's a technically simple effect, making use of the cameras' limited ability to handle bright light, but it is nevertheless highly effective.
The writing also has its ups and downs. I love the numerous turnabouts as various parties take the upper hand, keeping us wondering how things are going to go right to the end. The Moroks continue to be appropriately dull and slow-witted, and the lack of communication from the barracks and armoury is a great (and low-budget) way of portraying the revolution. On the other hand, we have the Xerons suddenly becoming crack shots, and - worst of all - Barbara recovering from the gas attack with no reason given. William Russell says on the commentary that he thinks nobody will notice; well, I noticed.
There is also the small matter of the explanation for the travellers slipping a time track when they first arrived on Xeros. This is about as satisfying as the stuck Fast Return Switch in The Brink of Disaster - and it bears almost no relation to the reason writer Glyn Jones came up with when he wrote the script. But more about that next time.
Still, the best bit has to be the revelation that - although the travellers haven't managed to get themselves out of trouble - they have affected the other people around them, and that has been enough to change their fate. Although the Doctor seems rather too confident about this given that he's been out of it for most of the time, it's a great message to get across.
I said that was the best bit - but in some ways that honour must go to the epilogue. After a well-done camera journey to an alien world, we hear the distinctive, chilling thrum of a Dalek control room. It still sends shivers down my spine whenever I hear that! And there we find out that the Daleks have been watching the Doctor all along, and are coming to get him. Awesome!
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 15th May 1965
Viewers: 8.5 million
Chart Position: 27
Appreciation Index: 49
Rating:
4/10.
Next Time:
Serial Q as a whole.
There are other aspects of the production that let it down, too. The direction - despite some nice touches here and there - manages to make the story feel rushed and slow at the same time. The device for freezing potential exhibits looks more like a giant snowglobe, and as the commentators mentioned the switches on Lobos' desk are somewhat lacking. On the other hand, the flare that accompanies the guns firing is excellent. It's a technically simple effect, making use of the cameras' limited ability to handle bright light, but it is nevertheless highly effective.
The writing also has its ups and downs. I love the numerous turnabouts as various parties take the upper hand, keeping us wondering how things are going to go right to the end. The Moroks continue to be appropriately dull and slow-witted, and the lack of communication from the barracks and armoury is a great (and low-budget) way of portraying the revolution. On the other hand, we have the Xerons suddenly becoming crack shots, and - worst of all - Barbara recovering from the gas attack with no reason given. William Russell says on the commentary that he thinks nobody will notice; well, I noticed.
There is also the small matter of the explanation for the travellers slipping a time track when they first arrived on Xeros. This is about as satisfying as the stuck Fast Return Switch in The Brink of Disaster - and it bears almost no relation to the reason writer Glyn Jones came up with when he wrote the script. But more about that next time.
Still, the best bit has to be the revelation that - although the travellers haven't managed to get themselves out of trouble - they have affected the other people around them, and that has been enough to change their fate. Although the Doctor seems rather too confident about this given that he's been out of it for most of the time, it's a great message to get across.
I said that was the best bit - but in some ways that honour must go to the epilogue. After a well-done camera journey to an alien world, we hear the distinctive, chilling thrum of a Dalek control room. It still sends shivers down my spine whenever I hear that! And there we find out that the Daleks have been watching the Doctor all along, and are coming to get him. Awesome!
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 15th May 1965
Viewers: 8.5 million
Chart Position: 27
Appreciation Index: 49
Rating:
4/10.
Next Time:
Serial Q as a whole.
Monday, 4 March 2013
Episode 70 (Q3): The Search
What with one thing and another, it's taken me a long time to get around
to this review. My notes have been sitting patiently on the bedside
table, gathering dust (and the odd phone number, since they've been
co-opted when looking for a bit of paper in a hurry). There's even a
teastain on them. Perhaps the best way to think of it is as a holiday
from the blog.
And speaking of holidays (see what I did there?), this is an episode which gives William Hartnell another break. It's not that obvious, to be honest, until the end; but when Ian - who has been determined to find the old man all through the episode - stares out beyond the camera and shouts "Doctor!" his absence really hit me. I don't know what I think of this as a cliffhanger. It gains points for being unusual, but we can sort of guess what Ian's seeing, nobody's in any more peril than they have been for a while, and there's no reveal or twist. Still, I think I like it.
Unlike the DVD extra, A Holiday for the Doctor. This seems an appropriate point to bring it up. Now, I know tastes in comedy vary and there are probably people out there who found it hilarious, but for me this is dreck. There's an interesting documentary to be made on this subject - and it could even be done with humour - but the presentation here ruins it. Ida Barr (Christopher Green in drag) is not just annoying, she obscures the facts and almost slanders the actors - except it's all for a laugh, innit, so that must be okay then. Simply awful.
Back to the episode, then, and the direction here is totally non-harmful. I was going to say it's still bland, but as was pointed out in the commentary there are a lot of great closeups - particularly of Maureen O'Brien, who is sparkling.
This really is Vicki's episode. From the moment she energises the Xerons over tea and a cake in the canteen (complete with plastic trays) to the triumphant cry of "revolution!" as they gain access to the armoury, she is the driving force for change. Which means I need to say a little bit about the situation on Xeros.
Almost all the comedy in this episode comes from the guest cast. If O'Brien is remembering right and they were given no direction, they have by now worked out who they are portraying. The plump, nervous Moroks in their rubbish white uniforms are so obviously meant to be useless! Okay, the Commander pontificating on the frustrations of being second in command goes on a little too long, but it's not like Lobos's first speech; this one works. similarly, the Xerons are keen but clueless. Mervyn Pinfield's direction isn't sympathetic to the comedy, but he can't stop the signal.
This is a low-budget serial, squeezed between a costume drama and a Dalek epic. It might have been a problem, but actually mostly works to enhance the comedy. The dregs of empire are posted to a rubbish museum, where their only opposition is a bunch of children who have been taught there's nothing they can do. Fine.
Of course, not every money-saving measure was welcomed by the cast. O'Brien hated her costume, which looks like a homemade prom dress from the 1950s sewn by someone who hadn't had much practise. I think it just about works, because it's vaguely reminiscent of the one worn by that other travelling revolutionary, Dorothy Gale, in the MGM version of The Wizard of Oz; and this is a cut-price revolution, after all. But it makes no sense for Vicki to choose the outfit.
One aspect of the design which doesn't work for me has problems not because of budget, but because of a lack of prophetic vision. This is the computer outside the armoury. It basically looks like every other 1960s supercomputer, with tape reels and big panels; you can see the same thing in The Prisoner episode The General, for example. It always makes me laugh, and also wonder what aspects of today's SF TV will look equally quaint in another half-century.
Still, that's a very minor issue. There's a good balance between the comedy and drama this time, with some excellent fight scenes and appropriate moments of music throughout. This is an episode that works well, so that I was by turns gripped and amused. It's much better than it's reputation; can the finale do as well?
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 8th May 1965
Viewers: 8.5 million
Chart Position: 22
Appreciation Index: 56
Rating:
6.5/10.
Next Time:
The Final Phase.
And speaking of holidays (see what I did there?), this is an episode which gives William Hartnell another break. It's not that obvious, to be honest, until the end; but when Ian - who has been determined to find the old man all through the episode - stares out beyond the camera and shouts "Doctor!" his absence really hit me. I don't know what I think of this as a cliffhanger. It gains points for being unusual, but we can sort of guess what Ian's seeing, nobody's in any more peril than they have been for a while, and there's no reveal or twist. Still, I think I like it.
Unlike the DVD extra, A Holiday for the Doctor. This seems an appropriate point to bring it up. Now, I know tastes in comedy vary and there are probably people out there who found it hilarious, but for me this is dreck. There's an interesting documentary to be made on this subject - and it could even be done with humour - but the presentation here ruins it. Ida Barr (Christopher Green in drag) is not just annoying, she obscures the facts and almost slanders the actors - except it's all for a laugh, innit, so that must be okay then. Simply awful.
Back to the episode, then, and the direction here is totally non-harmful. I was going to say it's still bland, but as was pointed out in the commentary there are a lot of great closeups - particularly of Maureen O'Brien, who is sparkling.
This really is Vicki's episode. From the moment she energises the Xerons over tea and a cake in the canteen (complete with plastic trays) to the triumphant cry of "revolution!" as they gain access to the armoury, she is the driving force for change. Which means I need to say a little bit about the situation on Xeros.
Almost all the comedy in this episode comes from the guest cast. If O'Brien is remembering right and they were given no direction, they have by now worked out who they are portraying. The plump, nervous Moroks in their rubbish white uniforms are so obviously meant to be useless! Okay, the Commander pontificating on the frustrations of being second in command goes on a little too long, but it's not like Lobos's first speech; this one works. similarly, the Xerons are keen but clueless. Mervyn Pinfield's direction isn't sympathetic to the comedy, but he can't stop the signal.
This is a low-budget serial, squeezed between a costume drama and a Dalek epic. It might have been a problem, but actually mostly works to enhance the comedy. The dregs of empire are posted to a rubbish museum, where their only opposition is a bunch of children who have been taught there's nothing they can do. Fine.
Of course, not every money-saving measure was welcomed by the cast. O'Brien hated her costume, which looks like a homemade prom dress from the 1950s sewn by someone who hadn't had much practise. I think it just about works, because it's vaguely reminiscent of the one worn by that other travelling revolutionary, Dorothy Gale, in the MGM version of The Wizard of Oz; and this is a cut-price revolution, after all. But it makes no sense for Vicki to choose the outfit.
One aspect of the design which doesn't work for me has problems not because of budget, but because of a lack of prophetic vision. This is the computer outside the armoury. It basically looks like every other 1960s supercomputer, with tape reels and big panels; you can see the same thing in The Prisoner episode The General, for example. It always makes me laugh, and also wonder what aspects of today's SF TV will look equally quaint in another half-century.
Still, that's a very minor issue. There's a good balance between the comedy and drama this time, with some excellent fight scenes and appropriate moments of music throughout. This is an episode that works well, so that I was by turns gripped and amused. It's much better than it's reputation; can the finale do as well?
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 8th May 1965
Viewers: 8.5 million
Chart Position: 22
Appreciation Index: 56
Rating:
6.5/10.
Next Time:
The Final Phase.
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