This episode opens with its first departure from the feel of the first season: there is no recap. This actually makes a lot of sense when the two episodes are on the same disk, and in this case - with Ian in the water - it's pretty obvious what is going on anyway. This leads into a section when Ian is ill again, which made me notice that this is a story without an Action Hero Ian component; thumbs up from me!
In fact, Ian was poisoned in each of the previous two televised serials; hypnotised, frozen and knocked unconscious in the one before that; dehydrated in Marco Polo; affected by the TARDIS in Inside the Spaceship; and shot and exposed to radiation in The Daleks. It's a wonder the poor man hasn't burnt out by now...
The dialogue continues to be excellent - Banks' "I will never leave you" is particularly creepy - and the writing in general is still good, but I found myself slightly less engaged by the plot this time around. It's hard to put my finger on precisely why; it could just be that there were a number of interruptions while I was listening to it, which is unfair but consistent with my decision to base my scoring for each episode purely on how much I enjoy it.
The first part gave us the gradual build-up of Ian's suspicions, culminating in the attempt on his life; this one is more claustrophobic, as Ian - sure now that Banks is a danger - attempts to persuade others of his findings, in the face of skepticism and mounting annoyance. Once again William Russell's narration is spot on, and I look forward to hearing more from him (which I will, right after The Reign of Terror). We also get to see into the Doctor's head - just a little, and from Ian's perspective - and the glimpse of his vulnerability and concern for Susan is touching.
Ah yes, the missing half of our cast. Susan is, as usual, pretty much ignored for most of the story, only getting a little airtime right at the end. I guess that's in keeping with the feel of the season too, though it's an aspect I'd have been happy to do without. Barbara, on the other hand, even while absent, has quite a presence. It starts when Banks mentions her name to the ailing Ian, although he's actually referring to a plant specimen (another fine example of Rayner's research). Ian thinks of her more and more as time goes on - a possible case of absence making the heart grow fonder. - and this leads quite naturally to Ian's partial realisation concerning what is actually happening.
When I first listened to this I'd never seen The Sensorites, and Banks' key line as the ship foundered - "I'm going to lead you back - I'm your navigator" - meant nothing to me. Now, of course, it does, and the resolution works better for it.
The story treads a fine line between modern sensibilities and the rather more pro-colonial attitudes of the first season. Keeping Ian on board ship when Cook makes contact with the Australian inhabitants helps to avoid potential pitfalls, and keeps the plot focused on the main characters.
Overall, this is a worthy conclusion to the story; and I'm only sorry I can't give it a higher rating.
Rating:
6/10.
Next Time:
Companion Chronicle 3.7 as a whole.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Monday, 28 November 2011
Episode CC3.7a: Voyage of Discovery
We are back in the land of audio, with William Russell narrating once again. This is a different sort of audio, though; almost, but not quite, a "talking book". But more on that in a later entry.
The story opens with a recap of the conversation at the end of The Sensorites, and gives us a picture of how everyone reacts. The Doctor then makes good on his threat, dropping Iananbarbara off on a ship. But not just any ship: this is James Cook's Endeavour, on its way to "discover" the East coast of Australia in 1770. What happens as a result forms the plot of the serial. The descriptions (by the ever-reliable Jacqueline Rayner) are spot on, and feel just right for a first season story. I can really picture the events in my mind, filmed in glorious monochrome with stock footage of the sea and distant sailing ship shots. It even has non-speaking extras and a small cast of main characters (Captain Cook, Joseph Banks) with only one other sailor speaking in each episode.
We see little of the Doctor, and even less of Susan and Barbara. Which is appropriate; this is very much Russell's chance to shine and it's only fair that he should get most time in the spotlight. The characterisation of Ian and the Doctor is spot on, though they are generally kept separate on the voyage. This, too, makes sense, as otherwise there would have been good opportunities for them to patch up their differences; and we know that can't happen, because this is a later story slotted into a nonexistent gap between two of the original televised stories.
Like most early historicals, this is a highly educational story. There's quite a bit of information I didn't know about Cook's voyage, in particular the role of Joseph Banks, as well as other minor matters (such as the origins of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner).
The only aspect that doesn't seem to be of the time is the music, which is quite ethereal; but the limited, appropriate use of this as well as the atmospheric sound effects fits and enhances the experience.
As the story progresses, though, with Ian hearing strange voices and Banks saying things he can't know as a man of his time, it makes me wonder whether this qualifies as a pure historical at all. It feels more like a pseudohistorical, the curious blend of history and science fiction that first appeared at the end of the second season. This comes to a head in the dramatic cliffhanger, with the landscape waving and Banks declaring "no one will ever see you again, ever - you must join your friends" as he pushes Ian into deadly peril. Which is also the first scene I think they would have had trouble filming back in 1964.
This is gripping stuff. Partly it's Russell's fantastic performance, ably supported by Ian Hallard as Banks - neither of them ever sound like they are just reading a story - but mostly it's the writing. There's so much detail, and it's included in such a way that it feels rich rather than needless. The dialogue sparkles; consider, for example, the following:
"Never mess with people's dreams - the smallest action can have huge consequences."
Redolent of the Doctor's "not one line" speech from The Aztecs, this is nevertheless all Rayner's own. It's tribute, not pastiche, and it straddles the timezones, belonging to both 1964 and 2009.
Good fun.
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
Dangerous Endeavours.
The story opens with a recap of the conversation at the end of The Sensorites, and gives us a picture of how everyone reacts. The Doctor then makes good on his threat, dropping Iananbarbara off on a ship. But not just any ship: this is James Cook's Endeavour, on its way to "discover" the East coast of Australia in 1770. What happens as a result forms the plot of the serial. The descriptions (by the ever-reliable Jacqueline Rayner) are spot on, and feel just right for a first season story. I can really picture the events in my mind, filmed in glorious monochrome with stock footage of the sea and distant sailing ship shots. It even has non-speaking extras and a small cast of main characters (Captain Cook, Joseph Banks) with only one other sailor speaking in each episode.
We see little of the Doctor, and even less of Susan and Barbara. Which is appropriate; this is very much Russell's chance to shine and it's only fair that he should get most time in the spotlight. The characterisation of Ian and the Doctor is spot on, though they are generally kept separate on the voyage. This, too, makes sense, as otherwise there would have been good opportunities for them to patch up their differences; and we know that can't happen, because this is a later story slotted into a nonexistent gap between two of the original televised stories.
Like most early historicals, this is a highly educational story. There's quite a bit of information I didn't know about Cook's voyage, in particular the role of Joseph Banks, as well as other minor matters (such as the origins of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner).
The only aspect that doesn't seem to be of the time is the music, which is quite ethereal; but the limited, appropriate use of this as well as the atmospheric sound effects fits and enhances the experience.
As the story progresses, though, with Ian hearing strange voices and Banks saying things he can't know as a man of his time, it makes me wonder whether this qualifies as a pure historical at all. It feels more like a pseudohistorical, the curious blend of history and science fiction that first appeared at the end of the second season. This comes to a head in the dramatic cliffhanger, with the landscape waving and Banks declaring "no one will ever see you again, ever - you must join your friends" as he pushes Ian into deadly peril. Which is also the first scene I think they would have had trouble filming back in 1964.
This is gripping stuff. Partly it's Russell's fantastic performance, ably supported by Ian Hallard as Banks - neither of them ever sound like they are just reading a story - but mostly it's the writing. There's so much detail, and it's included in such a way that it feels rich rather than needless. The dialogue sparkles; consider, for example, the following:
"Never mess with people's dreams - the smallest action can have huge consequences."
Redolent of the Doctor's "not one line" speech from The Aztecs, this is nevertheless all Rayner's own. It's tribute, not pastiche, and it straddles the timezones, belonging to both 1964 and 2009.
Good fun.
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
Dangerous Endeavours.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
Serial G: The Sensorites
This is the first serial where I've managed to fully write up my entry for every episode before watching the next, and that has worked well. I've always made notes before, but not always got around to researching any extra material and typing it all up before my next viewing. I spent a week on holiday in Cornwall with the family over half term, and because I have a bad back there were times when I couldn't go out with them; so I got into a routine. I would watch an episode in the evening with my son, making very brief notes and expanding on them immediately afterwards. I would then let it mull overnight, and in the morning type up my entry. I couldn't do much research because there was no Internet connection; though I'd saved a couple of pages before I left. In this way, I did the last episode of The Aztecs and the first three of The Sensorites, and I decided to continue the pattern. It's been hard, because opportunities to watch haven't interleaved nicely with opportunities to write, so I probably won't continue (I'm writing this a fortnight later); but it was good while it lasted.
This is the earliest surviving story not yet out on DVD, which caused me a dilemma. It's available for free online (at blinkbox), but I knew I wouldn't be able to access that while away; yet the holiday was going to be my best opportunity for writing. In the end I did download a copy, but I will definitely get the DVD when it comes out. The same will be true of the next two TV serials, as well (although I have the audio for the next one); after that I've got everything until The Tenth Planet, which will probably be out by the time I get there!
Because of the way I've written these I did miss a couple of things. The attitude to authority is interesting: there's an explicitly anti-colonial message, but the travellers are happy to support an absolutist, authoritarian state with a death penalty. I also didn't mention the neat way the Sensorites gradually changed from monsters to victims, while at the same time splitting into white hats and black hats. The pace makes this serial another that works much better when viewed episodically. It's still too slow, really, and would have worked better as a four-parter; but it has consistently good-to-excellent cliffhangers.
Before watching I knew less about this story than Marco Polo - just that Susan gets to be telepathic, it features the aliens that inspired the Ood, and that the Doctor threatens to chuck Iananbarbara off the ship. That made a pleasant change, and happily I know even less about the next televised story.
With no DVD to comment on, and since my nine-year-old son watched the serial with me, I asked him if he could tell me his opinions to publish. He said he didn't mind, so here's a new feature, which you'll hopefully see again:
Isaac's Corner
The plot was good, particularly the excellent cliffhangers; my favourite was the one where Ian collapses and starts dying. The acting was good, too - the City Administrator slash (or sash) Second Elder really stood out as the best, although Ian was good when he was dying and the people in the aqueduct did their part well. It was also great that Susan finally got to do some of the things she was supposed to do from the start! On the other hand, there wasn't enough variety of sets: only three, the spaceship (which didn't appear after the third episode), the palace (which was very dull) and the aqueduct. It was the same with the costumes - only two, really, apart from the Doctor, his friends, and the people in the aqueduct.
So there you have it - the verdict from the other end of the family. See you next time!
Rating:
Episodic: 4.5/10.
DWM Mighty 200: 54.06%, 183rd.
2011 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 5.12, 197th out of 222.
Next Time:
Voyage of Discovery. Wait - what?!
This is the earliest surviving story not yet out on DVD, which caused me a dilemma. It's available for free online (at blinkbox), but I knew I wouldn't be able to access that while away; yet the holiday was going to be my best opportunity for writing. In the end I did download a copy, but I will definitely get the DVD when it comes out. The same will be true of the next two TV serials, as well (although I have the audio for the next one); after that I've got everything until The Tenth Planet, which will probably be out by the time I get there!
Because of the way I've written these I did miss a couple of things. The attitude to authority is interesting: there's an explicitly anti-colonial message, but the travellers are happy to support an absolutist, authoritarian state with a death penalty. I also didn't mention the neat way the Sensorites gradually changed from monsters to victims, while at the same time splitting into white hats and black hats. The pace makes this serial another that works much better when viewed episodically. It's still too slow, really, and would have worked better as a four-parter; but it has consistently good-to-excellent cliffhangers.
Before watching I knew less about this story than Marco Polo - just that Susan gets to be telepathic, it features the aliens that inspired the Ood, and that the Doctor threatens to chuck Iananbarbara off the ship. That made a pleasant change, and happily I know even less about the next televised story.
With no DVD to comment on, and since my nine-year-old son watched the serial with me, I asked him if he could tell me his opinions to publish. He said he didn't mind, so here's a new feature, which you'll hopefully see again:
Isaac's Corner
The plot was good, particularly the excellent cliffhangers; my favourite was the one where Ian collapses and starts dying. The acting was good, too - the City Administrator slash (or sash) Second Elder really stood out as the best, although Ian was good when he was dying and the people in the aqueduct did their part well. It was also great that Susan finally got to do some of the things she was supposed to do from the start! On the other hand, there wasn't enough variety of sets: only three, the spaceship (which didn't appear after the third episode), the palace (which was very dull) and the aqueduct. It was the same with the costumes - only two, really, apart from the Doctor, his friends, and the people in the aqueduct.
So there you have it - the verdict from the other end of the family. See you next time!
Rating:
Episodic: 4.5/10.
DWM Mighty 200: 54.06%, 183rd.
2011 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 5.12, 197th out of 222.
Next Time:
Voyage of Discovery. Wait - what?!
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Episode 36 (G6): A Desperate Venture
Hooray, Barbara's back! And she's been spending some time in the spaceship's solarium to judge by her tan. Unfortunately, Jacqueline Hill looks like she wishes she were still on holiday, and isn't quite back into the swing of things. Not that she puts in a bad performance - she never does that - but whereas William Hartnell came back in Sentence of Death with all guns blazing, Hill is more tentative. And "tentative" is the word for this episode, which should have a driving sense of urgency but doesn't. The confrontation when the Doctor and Ian meet the nutty commander is fantastic, but most of the time I'm wanting less talk and more action. And that's a shame, because there's nothing very much wrong with this episode otherwise. Oh, they hold the aqueduct sound effect too long so that it plays over a change of scene and there are a couple of fluffed lines, but that's minor stuff that can easily be ignored; I could just as easily point out positive details like the visual contrast between the palace and the aqueduct, or the effective model shot of the departing spaceship. Even the collapse of the commander as he was shot - which was strange when you're used to people being thrown dramatically backwards - was, on reflection, a neat variation. No, the problem is a script that is too stretched out combined with uninspired direction. Which brings up another point: why do I hold this episode up to a different standard than the previous couple? Because it's the last of the serial, obviously, but what difference should that make in an era with no overall serial titles? I criticised John Lucarotti for holding too much back for the final episode of Marco Polo, I observed that Terry Nation gave us a fake final episode with The Ambush; what right have I to expect that this one act like a conclusion to a story? Because we're talking about drama, consarnit, and even though the show is continuing next week, this six-week 'story arc' needs to finish properly! Instead it tails off, with too much under-explained despite all the talking. I was partly right in my guesses last time - I thought there were surviving humans poisoning the water - but I also suspected that the City Administrator (sorry, new Second Elder) was using them to stir up trouble, and that the monster was a ruse to stop people investigating. That second idea might still be true, but we'll never know. Real life might be like that - with unconnected crises and unresolved matters - but it doesn't make for the best TV. Still, I do feel like I'm being overly negative, so let's talk about the best thing in this episode (and, in fact, the serial): Susan. She gets plenty to do, despite everyone's efforts to keep her out of danger, and we have that lovely scene where she is describing her planet. Boy, did I flash forward to the end of Gridlock! I hadn't realised that the final scene with Martha on New Earth was so explicit a homage, and certainly not that its roots went back so far. Anyway, we learn more about Susan than we have in all the time since the very first episode. She's growing up - not particularly physically (because it's only been a matter of months since the start of the show), nor intellectually (since she was already a genius), but socially. We've seen her make her own decisions and try to stand up to the Doctor earlier in the serial, and here she finds herself able to express the conflict in her heart - between her wanderlust and her homesickness, her love for her grandfather and her desire to be settled. This is all setting the scene for her departure, though I'm not sure how much that was the original intent. Before shooting began on serial G Carole Ann Ford had made it clear to the BBC that since Susan wasn't being allowed to develop she intended to leave when her contract period ran out, but by then Peter Newman's scripts would have been written already. Whether David Whitaker boosted this aspect or whether he just ran with it I don't know, but it is effective foreshadowing. And that, in itself, is enough. Finally, we must deal with the last minute of the TARDIS scene at the end. What was that?! The Doctor suddenly turns around and says he's going to chuck Iananbarbara off the ship, completely out of the blue?! Hill and Ford do a good job of looking shocked and then deciding that now is not the time to argue, but it doesn't really hang together. I really hope there's a good explanation coming up... Broadcast: Date: Saturday, 1st August 1964 Viewers: 6.9 million Chart Position: 39 Appreciation Index: 57 Rating: 4.5/10. Next Time: Serial G as a whole. |
Monday, 21 November 2011
Episode 35 (G5): Kidnap
Well, here we are with another episode that blends different levels of achievement. We have a change of director: in comes Frank Cox, who was last here for The Brink of Disaster. Once again he mostly does a competent but unimaginative job; this time the contrast is minimal since Mervyn Pinfield was working along the same lines. There's one brave scene right at the start, though, as last week's cliffhanger is resolved in near darkness, and it's very effective. Unfortunately the other adventurous choice - blurring Carol's face as the recovering John looks at her - is spoiled by not showing it face-on, which means the camera effect is from John's point of view but the camera angle isn't. Bizarre.
On to the acting, then, and there are fluffs galore. Even Carole Ann Ford stumbles over one line, which is very rare. Despite which, the (still very talky) plot rattles along at a much better pace. We learn that Sensorites have names, and (in a neat reversal of the trial in Millennius) Ian defends the Doctor from a charge of murder. There's some nice character moments - the Doctor mentioning that he never liked weapons, or namedropping Beau Brummel, for instance - and more nuances to Sensorite society (including the fact that the people at the top think it's perfect - what a surprise). The theory of mind expounded by the Sensorite scientist is fun, too.
Meanwhile, the mystery of the plot is getting closer to a solution. I think I've worked it out, but will be interested to see if I am right or if I have missed something big, like I did with Marco Polo. The way the Doctor's coat was ripped is a definite clue - for a second I thought it was just a bad effect that made it look unnatural, but then Ian immediately commented on it. Nice.
Speaking of Ian, his amazingly quick recovery is another mark against him in my "dislike of Action Hero Ian" scorebook. His potential other half, Barbara, is noticeable by her absence - and is obviously in the minds of the TARDIS crew throughout - and, although everything has got along quite well without her I will be glad when Jacqueline Hill returns next time.
The increased pace is the key thing that keeps this from being a poor episode and raises it to mediocre. Which might be damning with faint praise, but that's the way I feel. Still there's a couple more things to mention:
Evolution of a Time Lord, part 1: How Many Hearts?
As we've known since Spearhead from Space, Time Lords have two hearts. This was, of course, a later addition to the show - we won't even hear the name "Time Lord" for almost half a decade - but it's still interesting to see how future continuity fits with what's going on in these early episodes. Some people (including the author of the Wikipedia page for serial G) have tried to use Hartnell's statement "something hit me under the heart" as evidence that he only has one. This is just silly. If I say "something hit me on the arm" do you assume I've only got one? It's not any evidence at all. 'Nuff said.
It's Thingy, from That Other Program, part 1: Peter Glaze
"It's Saturday, it's five fifteen... and it's Doctor Who."
"DOCTOR WHO!!!"
Well, that could have been a catchphrase. But I admit the original works better. I haven't been paying much attention to the cast lists, but given that I've never seen Citizen Kane and so have no extra-curricular interest in George Coulouris, I don't think I've missed anyone important to me until now. And since he was a Sensorite (well, two actually) I think I can be forgiven for not recognising Peter Glaze.
Crackerjack! was a very long-running children's show - 29 series - and despite joining it in 1960 and staying until 1979, Glaze wasn't there for either the beginning or the end. Neither was I, but I watched a good chunk of the middle, mostly because of Glaze and his comedy partner (originally Leslie Crowther, but Don Maclean for most of my time). The fact that it was on at teatime helped too. As I've mentioned before, in the bungalow where I grew up we had a narrow galley kitchen and no dining room, so food was generally eaten on our laps in front of the telly. We weren't the sort of family that had the TV on all the time - you were either watching it, or it was turned off - but it just made sense to watch at teatime. This caused something of a culture clash with my wife when we got married because she came from a family where the telly was on most of the time, but they ate at a table in the kitchen or the dining room. We compromised in the end. But I think our children are on my side when it comes to meals.
Anyway, Crackerjack! was the earliest successful zany, anarchic kids' show, a forerunner of programs such as Tiswas or Dick and Dom in da Bungalow, with gags, games and (eventually) gunge.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 25th July 1964
Viewers: 6.9 million
Chart Position: 29
Appreciation Index: 57
Rating:
5.5/10.
Next Time:
A Desperate Venture.
On to the acting, then, and there are fluffs galore. Even Carole Ann Ford stumbles over one line, which is very rare. Despite which, the (still very talky) plot rattles along at a much better pace. We learn that Sensorites have names, and (in a neat reversal of the trial in Millennius) Ian defends the Doctor from a charge of murder. There's some nice character moments - the Doctor mentioning that he never liked weapons, or namedropping Beau Brummel, for instance - and more nuances to Sensorite society (including the fact that the people at the top think it's perfect - what a surprise). The theory of mind expounded by the Sensorite scientist is fun, too.
Meanwhile, the mystery of the plot is getting closer to a solution. I think I've worked it out, but will be interested to see if I am right or if I have missed something big, like I did with Marco Polo. The way the Doctor's coat was ripped is a definite clue - for a second I thought it was just a bad effect that made it look unnatural, but then Ian immediately commented on it. Nice.
Speaking of Ian, his amazingly quick recovery is another mark against him in my "dislike of Action Hero Ian" scorebook. His potential other half, Barbara, is noticeable by her absence - and is obviously in the minds of the TARDIS crew throughout - and, although everything has got along quite well without her I will be glad when Jacqueline Hill returns next time.
The increased pace is the key thing that keeps this from being a poor episode and raises it to mediocre. Which might be damning with faint praise, but that's the way I feel. Still there's a couple more things to mention:
Evolution of a Time Lord, part 1: How Many Hearts?
As we've known since Spearhead from Space, Time Lords have two hearts. This was, of course, a later addition to the show - we won't even hear the name "Time Lord" for almost half a decade - but it's still interesting to see how future continuity fits with what's going on in these early episodes. Some people (including the author of the Wikipedia page for serial G) have tried to use Hartnell's statement "something hit me under the heart" as evidence that he only has one. This is just silly. If I say "something hit me on the arm" do you assume I've only got one? It's not any evidence at all. 'Nuff said.
It's Thingy, from That Other Program, part 1: Peter Glaze
"It's Saturday, it's five fifteen... and it's Doctor Who."
"DOCTOR WHO!!!"
Well, that could have been a catchphrase. But I admit the original works better. I haven't been paying much attention to the cast lists, but given that I've never seen Citizen Kane and so have no extra-curricular interest in George Coulouris, I don't think I've missed anyone important to me until now. And since he was a Sensorite (well, two actually) I think I can be forgiven for not recognising Peter Glaze.
Crackerjack! was a very long-running children's show - 29 series - and despite joining it in 1960 and staying until 1979, Glaze wasn't there for either the beginning or the end. Neither was I, but I watched a good chunk of the middle, mostly because of Glaze and his comedy partner (originally Leslie Crowther, but Don Maclean for most of my time). The fact that it was on at teatime helped too. As I've mentioned before, in the bungalow where I grew up we had a narrow galley kitchen and no dining room, so food was generally eaten on our laps in front of the telly. We weren't the sort of family that had the TV on all the time - you were either watching it, or it was turned off - but it just made sense to watch at teatime. This caused something of a culture clash with my wife when we got married because she came from a family where the telly was on most of the time, but they ate at a table in the kitchen or the dining room. We compromised in the end. But I think our children are on my side when it comes to meals.
Anyway, Crackerjack! was the earliest successful zany, anarchic kids' show, a forerunner of programs such as Tiswas or Dick and Dom in da Bungalow, with gags, games and (eventually) gunge.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 25th July 1964
Viewers: 6.9 million
Chart Position: 29
Appreciation Index: 57
Rating:
5.5/10.
Next Time:
A Desperate Venture.
Friday, 18 November 2011
Episode 34 (G4): A Race Against Death
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me... what? You missed it? Darn. When this episode went out I was a little over a day old. My birth wasn't exactly a race against death, despite what my mother might have thought. As I mentioned right at the start of this marathon, she had suffered a number of miscarriages and was nervous; as a result my baby teeth were rubbish, but otherwise this pregnancy had gone very smoothly. As did the labour itself. I was a very big baby, and continued to grow rapidly - the phrase "Sumo Baby" could have been invented for me, if old photos showing rolls of fat are to believed. I was probably still in hospital when this episode went out, because I had a suspected heart murmur, which fortunately turned out to be a false alarm. It's going to be a while before the biographical stuff makes much of an impact on these reviews, but from here on I'm at least out in the world.
One arrival, and one departure. It's Jacqueline Hill's turn for a fortnight off this time. She'll be back for the finale, though to be honest there's been very little sign of her flagging - she's weathered the grueling schedule best of all.
I thought William Russell might have had a chance to take it easy this time, too, but considering he spends most of the episode lying down Ian's presence is surprisingly important. As I said during The Aztecs he is at his most interesting when vulnerable, and while no actor can do much with unconsciousness Russell makes a good showing the rest of the time. Susan continues to be written as a stronger character, which is satisfying even if she is still placed into the traditional female role of 'nurse'. Just like Carol, in fact, the only other woman in the episode (though I suppose we can't tell with the Sensorites).
My mother was a nurse. She was 18 when the Second World War began for Britain, and - while it provided her an opportunity she would not have had otherwise - she saw and dealt with some shocking things. Even the child-friendly anecdotes she used to tell of that time had an edge to them, and by the end of the war she had decided to give up nursing. Then a colleague and friend pointed out a post that combined her two favourite parts of the job, and she became a casualty nurse in a children's hospital. She rose in rank, but stayed in children's casualty until about the time of The Aztecs, when she gave up full-time nursing to concentrate on me. Afterwards she did some bank work and plenty of voluntary activities, but that was pretty much it for her nursing career.
I'm writing this on November 6th. I always think about my mum's work at this time of year, because she was not a fan of Guy Fawkes Night. There were fewer safety regulations in those days, and no leave was allowed for the nursing staff - there were always plenty of children who were badly burned or lost an eye, on the department's busiest night of the year. We have an eight-week-old puppy this time around, too, so with a frightened dog and a frightened cat the effect was doubly noticeable.
Meanwhile, back on the Sense-Sphere, water is pouring on to the Second Elder's head. Or so it seems in one shot, though he then moves to reveal a little fountain behind him that I hadn't noticed earlier. This is just the funniest symptom of the careless direction in this episode, which is generally competent, but with a severe lack of imagination. Most of the cuts are good, but too often the shot is framed with people standing around in a boring way. Combine this with a general lack of urgency, the slow, deliberate speech of the Sensorites (and their lack of expression) and we have a recipe for a dull episode. Which this is. The trite music doesn't help, though I applaud the fact that there is more use made of sound than usual.
The plot ambles along; we don't learn much more about the Sensorites but there continues to be lots of talk. Still, last episode's exposition stands us in good stead, and when the City Administrator learns the art of using someone else's sash to pretend to be them, there's enough of a sense of alienness that I don't quite disbelieve it. Which is an impressive achievement. It's the Doctor who makes most of the running this time, though, and William Hartnell does a good job of keeping things moving. He also gets to visit the only interesting scenery (other than that fountain): the aqueduct, which provides a strong contrast to the main palace. Once again the story's final few minutes are the strongest, and the lighting for the last scene with Hartnell is great. It ends with another strong cliffhanger, with the closeup on the Doctor's face that won't become boring for several regenerations yet.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 18th July 1964
Viewers: 5.5 million
Chart Position: 58
Appreciation Index: 60
Rating:
4/10.
Next Time:
Kidnap.
One arrival, and one departure. It's Jacqueline Hill's turn for a fortnight off this time. She'll be back for the finale, though to be honest there's been very little sign of her flagging - she's weathered the grueling schedule best of all.
I thought William Russell might have had a chance to take it easy this time, too, but considering he spends most of the episode lying down Ian's presence is surprisingly important. As I said during The Aztecs he is at his most interesting when vulnerable, and while no actor can do much with unconsciousness Russell makes a good showing the rest of the time. Susan continues to be written as a stronger character, which is satisfying even if she is still placed into the traditional female role of 'nurse'. Just like Carol, in fact, the only other woman in the episode (though I suppose we can't tell with the Sensorites).
My mother was a nurse. She was 18 when the Second World War began for Britain, and - while it provided her an opportunity she would not have had otherwise - she saw and dealt with some shocking things. Even the child-friendly anecdotes she used to tell of that time had an edge to them, and by the end of the war she had decided to give up nursing. Then a colleague and friend pointed out a post that combined her two favourite parts of the job, and she became a casualty nurse in a children's hospital. She rose in rank, but stayed in children's casualty until about the time of The Aztecs, when she gave up full-time nursing to concentrate on me. Afterwards she did some bank work and plenty of voluntary activities, but that was pretty much it for her nursing career.
I'm writing this on November 6th. I always think about my mum's work at this time of year, because she was not a fan of Guy Fawkes Night. There were fewer safety regulations in those days, and no leave was allowed for the nursing staff - there were always plenty of children who were badly burned or lost an eye, on the department's busiest night of the year. We have an eight-week-old puppy this time around, too, so with a frightened dog and a frightened cat the effect was doubly noticeable.
Meanwhile, back on the Sense-Sphere, water is pouring on to the Second Elder's head. Or so it seems in one shot, though he then moves to reveal a little fountain behind him that I hadn't noticed earlier. This is just the funniest symptom of the careless direction in this episode, which is generally competent, but with a severe lack of imagination. Most of the cuts are good, but too often the shot is framed with people standing around in a boring way. Combine this with a general lack of urgency, the slow, deliberate speech of the Sensorites (and their lack of expression) and we have a recipe for a dull episode. Which this is. The trite music doesn't help, though I applaud the fact that there is more use made of sound than usual.
The plot ambles along; we don't learn much more about the Sensorites but there continues to be lots of talk. Still, last episode's exposition stands us in good stead, and when the City Administrator learns the art of using someone else's sash to pretend to be them, there's enough of a sense of alienness that I don't quite disbelieve it. Which is an impressive achievement. It's the Doctor who makes most of the running this time, though, and William Hartnell does a good job of keeping things moving. He also gets to visit the only interesting scenery (other than that fountain): the aqueduct, which provides a strong contrast to the main palace. Once again the story's final few minutes are the strongest, and the lighting for the last scene with Hartnell is great. It ends with another strong cliffhanger, with the closeup on the Doctor's face that won't become boring for several regenerations yet.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 18th July 1964
Viewers: 5.5 million
Chart Position: 58
Appreciation Index: 60
Rating:
4/10.
Next Time:
Kidnap.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Episode 33 (G3): Hidden Danger
Eagle-eyed readers who turn to the broadcast information before the main review (which is probably none of you, but never mind) will have noticed that there was a Wholess Saturday on 4th July. This wasn't some weird tribute to our friends across the pond, but rather caused by that bane of program scheduling: sport. The previous episode started 25 minutes late because of Grandstand, and on U.S. Independence Day 1964 there was an extra-long version that meant no chance of Doctor Who going out at a sensible time. Still, the program had 32 weeks of Saturday evenings without a break, which is pretty impressive.
Sport has always been the ultimate "event TV". The more prestigious the event, the less chance any other program has of keeping it's scheduled slot. Wimbledon dominates the summer, football the winter. There's still one episode of Torchwood I've never seen because I was away for a fortnight and it got shifted for the second week, then was never repeated on free TV. Someday I'll get the series 2 DVDs, but the parent show takes priority.
Meanwhile, back to the Sense-Sphere. And this time we really are going down to the planet - but not for a paragraph or two yet. Let's get the bad bit out of the way first: no matter how scared they are, the Sensorites' reaction to being plunged into darkness was ridiculous. Their slow falling about in the dark, dropping the weapons they had already trained on the humans, just didn't feel realistic at all.
On the other hand I really like the characterisation in this section. Central, of course, is the Doctor and Susan's confrontation over the fact that she's growing up, which is deftly done. My only problem with it is that Susan's stance seems to come out of the blue; we've always seen the Doctor being over-protective, but she's shown very few signs of chafing up until now. Still, these things do often come to a head suddenly, and I'm hardly going to complain about too much character development for the most-sidelined regular!
Ian's comment before they leave - "I don't like this splitting up, it always leads to trouble" - also made me smile. Now there's a perceptive companion!
Moving down to the planet, we have a definite mix of good and bad. Looking at the negative aspects first, the sets are clean and bland, quite a contrast to the textured Earth spaceship; the similar appearance of the Sensorites means there's less visual variety; and it's all very talky. Even the threat of the disintegrator is slow-building, with the engineer and City Administrator explaining what they are doing rather than showing us. It never quite reaches the point when we feel there is an imminent threat, so the whole sequence feels wasted.
On the other hand, the picture of life on the Sense-Sphere that we get from all the talking is actually interesting. It's a textured society rather than a one-note caricature like the Daleks or Thals (and even they have more going on than the Voord, or the various peoples of Marinus). There's dissent between people that can still hold a polite conversation; there's apparent contradictions like the meritocratic aspects within a firmly class-based society. I reckon a decent science fiction author could write a good novel about the place.
We also find out in more detail why the Earth ship is being held captive, and it's a motive we can all relate to: preserving a way of life. Again this is a classic postwar theme for the "plucky Brits who stood up to the German war machine", but it also has an anti-Imperialist note as well: the Sensorites are protecting themselves from the greedy, resource-hungry humans.
There's something about this episode that reminds me of Peter Davison's era. Partly it's handling of the crowded TARDIS, with a companion being shuffled unceremoniously off-screen; partly it's the bland, brightly-lit sets once they get down to the planet; partly it's something else that I haven't managed to dredge up into my conscious mind. Perhaps it's because I've recently watched Kinda for the first time, which is another story that takes an interest in alien society. This has certainly been an unusual and thoughtful episode.
And yet, there's only so much exposition I can take: I'll be looking for more action next time. My hopes are raised as we once again go out on a great cliffhanger.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 11th July 1964
Viewers: 7.4 million
Chart Position: 22
Appreciation Index: 56
Rating:
5.5/10.
Next Time:
A Race Against Death.
Sport has always been the ultimate "event TV". The more prestigious the event, the less chance any other program has of keeping it's scheduled slot. Wimbledon dominates the summer, football the winter. There's still one episode of Torchwood I've never seen because I was away for a fortnight and it got shifted for the second week, then was never repeated on free TV. Someday I'll get the series 2 DVDs, but the parent show takes priority.
Meanwhile, back to the Sense-Sphere. And this time we really are going down to the planet - but not for a paragraph or two yet. Let's get the bad bit out of the way first: no matter how scared they are, the Sensorites' reaction to being plunged into darkness was ridiculous. Their slow falling about in the dark, dropping the weapons they had already trained on the humans, just didn't feel realistic at all.
On the other hand I really like the characterisation in this section. Central, of course, is the Doctor and Susan's confrontation over the fact that she's growing up, which is deftly done. My only problem with it is that Susan's stance seems to come out of the blue; we've always seen the Doctor being over-protective, but she's shown very few signs of chafing up until now. Still, these things do often come to a head suddenly, and I'm hardly going to complain about too much character development for the most-sidelined regular!
Ian's comment before they leave - "I don't like this splitting up, it always leads to trouble" - also made me smile. Now there's a perceptive companion!
Moving down to the planet, we have a definite mix of good and bad. Looking at the negative aspects first, the sets are clean and bland, quite a contrast to the textured Earth spaceship; the similar appearance of the Sensorites means there's less visual variety; and it's all very talky. Even the threat of the disintegrator is slow-building, with the engineer and City Administrator explaining what they are doing rather than showing us. It never quite reaches the point when we feel there is an imminent threat, so the whole sequence feels wasted.
On the other hand, the picture of life on the Sense-Sphere that we get from all the talking is actually interesting. It's a textured society rather than a one-note caricature like the Daleks or Thals (and even they have more going on than the Voord, or the various peoples of Marinus). There's dissent between people that can still hold a polite conversation; there's apparent contradictions like the meritocratic aspects within a firmly class-based society. I reckon a decent science fiction author could write a good novel about the place.
We also find out in more detail why the Earth ship is being held captive, and it's a motive we can all relate to: preserving a way of life. Again this is a classic postwar theme for the "plucky Brits who stood up to the German war machine", but it also has an anti-Imperialist note as well: the Sensorites are protecting themselves from the greedy, resource-hungry humans.
There's something about this episode that reminds me of Peter Davison's era. Partly it's handling of the crowded TARDIS, with a companion being shuffled unceremoniously off-screen; partly it's the bland, brightly-lit sets once they get down to the planet; partly it's something else that I haven't managed to dredge up into my conscious mind. Perhaps it's because I've recently watched Kinda for the first time, which is another story that takes an interest in alien society. This has certainly been an unusual and thoughtful episode.
And yet, there's only so much exposition I can take: I'll be looking for more action next time. My hopes are raised as we once again go out on a great cliffhanger.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 11th July 1964
Viewers: 7.4 million
Chart Position: 22
Appreciation Index: 56
Rating:
5.5/10.
Next Time:
A Race Against Death.
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