What went wrong with Galaxy 4? Part of it is certainly down to
circumstance. Given that Airlock is by far my favourite episode mainly
due to the direction I suspect that the rest of the serial would benefit
similarly from not having been junked. This was John Wiles' first story
as producer (although Verity Lambert was still technically in charge,
her attention was elsewhere) and the first script-edited by Donald Tosh
that wasn't written by a former script editor who knew the ropes. Nobody
could have predicted director Mervyn Pinfield falling ill, creating
disruption (although the direction itself benefits), and writer William
Emms had to rework the script for a different TARDIS team at quite short
notice.
Nevertheless, there's also some blame to be apportioned. William
Hartnell acted very childishly, taking out his genuine upset over
Lambert's departure on the production team, and the inexperienced Wiles
badly mishandled the conflict. Tosh should have done more to rescue the
script (particularly The Exploding Planet, where boosting the
Drahvins as a threat - for instance, by letting them find a way to
neutralise the Chumblies - could have made all the difference and been a
relatively easy change).
Because it's the script that is the biggest problem. There are some
fascinating and worthwhile ideas here, not least the demolishing of the
way that ugliness generally equals evil - a fallacy that Doctor Who has struggled with throughout its history, from The Daleks
right through to the current Capaldi season. But these ideas needed a
framework in which to flourish, and what we got barely worked as an
adventure serial.
Of course, I am not the target audience. Back in 1965, this was better received than The Time Meddler, with a higher average AI and better viewing figures for every episode - in fact, Airlock reached more people than any episode since The Web Planet!
Let's talk about the DVD release. This was an odd one. A cut-down version of the Loose Cannon recon had been prepared for The Time Meddler DVD, appropriately, but in the end it wasn't used. The discovery of Airlock
meant the BBC wanted to get the new episode out there, and it was
spliced into the recon; but what DVD could it go on? The only sensible
possibility was The Aztecs Special Edition. Because of the
lateness of the decision, artwork had already been prepared; so the only
indication that it also contained Galaxy 4 was a sticker.
Even ignoring the fact that we have an existing episode, this is a much better effort than the Marco Polo
reconstruction in The Beginning box set. There is enough, here, to get a
good feel for the story; and if I want to experience it again I'll
certainly be happy with it.
Right, I should also say something about the tie-in to The Suffering.
Ignoring real-world broadcast and release dates, it does seem odd that
neither Steven nor Vicki note the likelihood that the Drahvins came
about because of events recapped in the audio, especially since they
were thinking about it (and recounting it) just before Steven's haircut.
Still, it does fit well, and Jacqueline Rayner's story adds some depth
to the villains of the TV serial.
It's Thingy, from That Other Program, Part 5: Angelo Muscat
One name jumped out at me from the credits: Angelo Muscat, playing one
of the Chumblies. I didn't recognise him, of course; but I knew who he
was, because I'm a fan of The Prisoner, where he played the butler. Galaxy 4 was his first TV credit and he was fairly successful for a few years thereafter, also appearing in Alice in Wonderland and The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour; but after The Prisoner
work dried up. Maureen O'Brien said that she spent a lot of time with
the actors who were inside the Chumblies, and that because of their
height they were treated as youngsters, much as she herself was.
Muscat's last role was as an Oompa-Loompa in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; he died poor, five years later.
Isaac's Corner
We've all been struggling with bugs this half term; and, although his
most recent virus has now passed, Isaac has been left with limited
breath. He needs to use an inhaler and spacer device for the moment,
otherwise he has virtually no energy. I'm grateful the holidays are
coming to give everyone a chance just to rest! Anyway, he wasn't feeling
up to writing Isaac's corner this time, but told me a few thoughts
which I shall try to get down faithfully (as always, he focused mainly
on the positive, a trait I really like):
The different societies presented in Galaxy 4 were interesting,
and it was particularly good to see differing points of view on the same
situation. Having said that, the story wasn't clear enough in showing
people's motivations - for instance, why did Maaga shoot one of her own
soldiers? It came across as something she did just because she was EVIL. Overall it was a nice, simple story - I wasn't wowed by it, but I did like it. And the Chumblies were cute!
Rating:
Mine: 3/10.
DWM Mighty 200: 55.51%, 172nd.
DWM 50th Anniversary: 57.98%, 210th.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 5.15, 210th out of 234.
Next Time:
Mission to the Unknown.
Showing posts with label Serial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serial. Show all posts
Friday, 23 October 2015
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Companion Chronicle 8.03: Upstairs
The interview on this disk was more interesting than some I've heard
recently. Once again we get the interviewee asking if they can mention
spoilers, and I do wonder why this continues to happen - surely they
know by now that everyone (except, perhaps, the strangest of fans) watch
or listen to extras after the actual story? It's lampshaded beautifully in Special Features
(featuring the fifth Doctor), though I probably won't be getting to
that one for decades yet! We also get comments about the pleasurable
experience of recording at Big Finish - common enough that I think it
must be true for most people - and, of course, the lunches. So far so
normal.
However, most of the discussion had nothing to do with any of that. I didn't know that Maureen O'Brien is an author, and the story of her relationship with Mat Coward and criticism was told in a very human way.
Like O'Brien, I'm not a great critic. This blog was always an experiment; the experience of writing it has honed my critical faculties to an extent, but my inclination when watching, reading, or listening is always to sit back and go on gut feeling. That makes writing reviews that are interesting for others a bit of a challenge. I'm a good enough writer that people can probably get some entertainment out of reading the odd review I write, but I think it would take a very particular mindset to keep on reading over the years. Therefore this continues more for my fun than anything, though hopefully there are people out there who still get something out of it.
As with many of the actors, O'Brien is not a fan of Science Fiction. Perhaps that explains why all the Vicki and Steven Companion Chronicles are historicals - the setting keeping them happy and carrying them past the SF elements. This does mean that we only have short stories to space them out and provide some variety. The main story of Upstairs could fit anywhere before the framing sequence of The Suffering (which leads into Galaxy 4); I'm inclined to put it earlier than where I've heard it, but I'll wait until I've experienced the last story of this season gap to complete the ordering.
The Great Man Theory of History
There are a number of 'pop' science theories of history, but one that has particular resonance for Doctor Who is the Great Man theory, which is actually key for this story.
The idea is that history is driven by the actions of great people (usually men), without whom events would have taken a very different course. The Alexanders, Napoleons, and Hitlers of this world shape the political stage, while in other fields we have the Einsteins, the Aristotles, and so forth. In reality it probably bears as close a relationship to actual history as statements like "the First World War was caused by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo"; but it's a very convenient theory for storytelling, focusing as it does on the actions and motivations of people.
Such as, of course, the Doctor. He is the archetypal Great Man, fomenting revolution, committing genocide, healing divisions, saving lives; damming time tracks over here, digging new ones over there. It fits very well with the colonial, Imperialist nature of his genesis: he has taken up the White Man's Burden, and gone out there to sort out the poor benighted natives. Those of us who love the show have to accept that this aspect is buried deep in the show's genes and cannot be expunged. This doesn't mean that it can't be inspiring and a force for good - I believe it can - but in the real world 'pop' theories are not good enough. We have to be aware both of the nature of stories and the actual history that has led us to this point. People like Sydney Newman, Verity Lambert, David Whitaker, and William Hartnell may have manufactured their Great Man, but the rest of us have to learn to work together and listen to each other if we are going to improve this world.
I hope we achieve that.
Published:
Date: September 2013
ISBN: 1-78178-085-5
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
The Power Supply.
However, most of the discussion had nothing to do with any of that. I didn't know that Maureen O'Brien is an author, and the story of her relationship with Mat Coward and criticism was told in a very human way.
Like O'Brien, I'm not a great critic. This blog was always an experiment; the experience of writing it has honed my critical faculties to an extent, but my inclination when watching, reading, or listening is always to sit back and go on gut feeling. That makes writing reviews that are interesting for others a bit of a challenge. I'm a good enough writer that people can probably get some entertainment out of reading the odd review I write, but I think it would take a very particular mindset to keep on reading over the years. Therefore this continues more for my fun than anything, though hopefully there are people out there who still get something out of it.
As with many of the actors, O'Brien is not a fan of Science Fiction. Perhaps that explains why all the Vicki and Steven Companion Chronicles are historicals - the setting keeping them happy and carrying them past the SF elements. This does mean that we only have short stories to space them out and provide some variety. The main story of Upstairs could fit anywhere before the framing sequence of The Suffering (which leads into Galaxy 4); I'm inclined to put it earlier than where I've heard it, but I'll wait until I've experienced the last story of this season gap to complete the ordering.
The Great Man Theory of History
There are a number of 'pop' science theories of history, but one that has particular resonance for Doctor Who is the Great Man theory, which is actually key for this story.
The idea is that history is driven by the actions of great people (usually men), without whom events would have taken a very different course. The Alexanders, Napoleons, and Hitlers of this world shape the political stage, while in other fields we have the Einsteins, the Aristotles, and so forth. In reality it probably bears as close a relationship to actual history as statements like "the First World War was caused by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo"; but it's a very convenient theory for storytelling, focusing as it does on the actions and motivations of people.
Such as, of course, the Doctor. He is the archetypal Great Man, fomenting revolution, committing genocide, healing divisions, saving lives; damming time tracks over here, digging new ones over there. It fits very well with the colonial, Imperialist nature of his genesis: he has taken up the White Man's Burden, and gone out there to sort out the poor benighted natives. Those of us who love the show have to accept that this aspect is buried deep in the show's genes and cannot be expunged. This doesn't mean that it can't be inspiring and a force for good - I believe it can - but in the real world 'pop' theories are not good enough. We have to be aware both of the nature of stories and the actual history that has led us to this point. People like Sydney Newman, Verity Lambert, David Whitaker, and William Hartnell may have manufactured their Great Man, but the rest of us have to learn to work together and listen to each other if we are going to improve this world.
I hope we achieve that.
Published:
Date: September 2013
ISBN: 1-78178-085-5
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
The Power Supply.
Monday, 3 August 2015
Companion Chronicle 1.01: Frostfire
"It begins here." There are many stories for which such a claim can be
made, but thinking about the first Doctor, this is the only real choice
in audio. It was not the first Companion Chronicle I heard - that was Solitaire,
although in my mind it hardly counts since at the time it was the only
full-cast release in the range - but it might have been my second. (I
bought Shadow of the Past at the same time, and can no longer
remember which I listened to next. The pair of them sold me on the
concept, and it then became a mainstay of my Big Finish purchasing, more
so even than the Main Range.). Regardless, Frostfire was both my introduction to the first Doctor on audio and the first Companion Chronicle released.
What astonishes me coming back to this is the way that almost all the staples of the range are assembled right from the start. There's the two-voice structure; a more significant framing device than we've seen in the CCs I've reviewed so far; Vicki being separated from her companions in a way that feels natural but eases the burden on Maureen O'Brien; and the sound work making it feels less like an audiobook than I had expected (it was only the strong reviews that eventually persuaded me to give the CCs a go at all). Indeed, the music here consists of short and slightly weird snatches, capturing the feel of the 60s even better than a number of the later stories.
One aspect which is different is that this release, like the others in the first series, is only available on CD rather than download - allegedly since one of the participants (most people presume director Mark J. Thompson, who has not returned since) wouldn't give permission, though I have no authoritative source for the supposition. Another oddity is that there are no interviews or other extras, which surprised and mildly disappointed me even on this listening; perhaps I thought it would be different this time? The CCs started just after Nick Briggs took over as head honcho of Big Finish from Gary Russell and introduced the idea to their Main Range, so I probably just assumed the feature was universal. I'm glad they were introduced here, too, in the second series.
When Should You Listen?
Unlike The Suffering, this story is told from Vicki's perspective after she has parted company with the Doctor; and because the frame is fairly substantial - embedded in her future history as well as interrupting the narrative at various points, rather than simply sitting at the beginning of each episode - it tells us rather a lot about events we haven't yet reached in this marathon.
That makes this the perfect time to talk about a tension in the Companion Chronicles for marathon runners. There are a number of threads on Gallifrey Base discussing cross-media story continuity, and with the Doctors for whom the CCs provide the bulk of the audio material there are two schools of thought. One is the straightforward idea of listing them by the main plot (just like, say, a sixth Doctor story that has a cameo from the seventh at the end would work best in the former's timeline). The other is to go for a spoiler-free approach, which generally means placing it by framing sequence. In this scheme I would have delayed reviewing Quinnis, for example, until after The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
Both ideas have merit. I've gone for the straightforward approach so far, although that will be adjusted slightly for an upcoming trilogy. If I ever do such a marathon again - just for fun, and not with reviews! - I may try the alternative. Who knows? I may like it better!
Published:
Date: 5th February 2007
ISBN: 1-84435-263-0
Rating:
8/10.
Next Time:
Mars.
What astonishes me coming back to this is the way that almost all the staples of the range are assembled right from the start. There's the two-voice structure; a more significant framing device than we've seen in the CCs I've reviewed so far; Vicki being separated from her companions in a way that feels natural but eases the burden on Maureen O'Brien; and the sound work making it feels less like an audiobook than I had expected (it was only the strong reviews that eventually persuaded me to give the CCs a go at all). Indeed, the music here consists of short and slightly weird snatches, capturing the feel of the 60s even better than a number of the later stories.
One aspect which is different is that this release, like the others in the first series, is only available on CD rather than download - allegedly since one of the participants (most people presume director Mark J. Thompson, who has not returned since) wouldn't give permission, though I have no authoritative source for the supposition. Another oddity is that there are no interviews or other extras, which surprised and mildly disappointed me even on this listening; perhaps I thought it would be different this time? The CCs started just after Nick Briggs took over as head honcho of Big Finish from Gary Russell and introduced the idea to their Main Range, so I probably just assumed the feature was universal. I'm glad they were introduced here, too, in the second series.
When Should You Listen?
Unlike The Suffering, this story is told from Vicki's perspective after she has parted company with the Doctor; and because the frame is fairly substantial - embedded in her future history as well as interrupting the narrative at various points, rather than simply sitting at the beginning of each episode - it tells us rather a lot about events we haven't yet reached in this marathon.
That makes this the perfect time to talk about a tension in the Companion Chronicles for marathon runners. There are a number of threads on Gallifrey Base discussing cross-media story continuity, and with the Doctors for whom the CCs provide the bulk of the audio material there are two schools of thought. One is the straightforward idea of listing them by the main plot (just like, say, a sixth Doctor story that has a cameo from the seventh at the end would work best in the former's timeline). The other is to go for a spoiler-free approach, which generally means placing it by framing sequence. In this scheme I would have delayed reviewing Quinnis, for example, until after The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
Both ideas have merit. I've gone for the straightforward approach so far, although that will be adjusted slightly for an upcoming trilogy. If I ever do such a marathon again - just for fun, and not with reviews! - I may try the alternative. Who knows? I may like it better!
Published:
Date: 5th February 2007
ISBN: 1-84435-263-0
Rating:
8/10.
Next Time:
Mars.
Saturday, 27 June 2015
Companion Chronicle 4.07: The Suffering
[Well, my apologies for not posting this earlier. This has nothing to do
with getting behind on writing entries - I currently have four in hand
- and everything to do with getting distracted. I simply forgot to
post anything this week!]
This was the fifth outing for Steven in the Companion Chronicles, but only one of those (Mother Russia) had been performed by Peter Purves. The very first Companion Chronicle of all - Frostfire, performed by Maureen O'Brien with Keith Drinkel - will be coming up in this marathon after a book and a couple of short stories.
Which brings up the issue of placement. The reference to Steven's hair apparently seems to put it just before Galaxy Four, while his comment in the first episode that he hasn't eaten since 1066 seems to put it straight after The Time Meddler; and because of other stories in spin-off media these can't both be true. Fortunately, in this case there's a straightforward solution, and for once the framing sequence makes it easier rather than harder. Simply put, the main adventure takes place where the 1066 comment would imply, but Steven and Vicki don't get to make their recording until some time later, either because other adventures get in the way or just because they don't find the necessary equipment for a while. I may change this later - Steven could have been being deliberately less than accurate in his comment, quoting that date for effect - but I'm hoping it won't be necessary.
I am always happy to see Jacqueline Rayner's name on the credits; I still have to get the final seven Companion Chronicles, and I note that she has written Vicki's entry, which is exciting. (There are a number of my other favourite writers in that run, too - I do hope I can get more money from somewhere soon!) Rayner is an author for whom character comes first, but plot and setting are not far behind; basically a balanced approach but with my top priority in pole position. The Suffering is a good example.
What is particularly interesting is that she winkles out some extra personality traits for Steven from the slim pickings we are given in the TV scripts. (Purves' performance does imbue him with a fair bit of character but it rarely comes out of the writing, which for the most part treats him as a stock action hero.) I had been going to say that Rayner created new traits, but then I remembered something which I will talk about a little later in the marathon. Of course, Rayner also does something similar for Vicki, particularly in the final episode but it's not quite so impressive simply because Vicki was better served by script writers on more occasions.
In principle the cover is a fairly standard collage affair, but I like the use of the charge sheet for the arrested Suffragettes and the blending of historical London above and alien world below. The colour scheme is also unusual and effective.
Published:
Date: February 2010
ISBN: 1-84435-463-4
Rating:
7/10.
Next Time:
A short peek forward at The Three Doctors.
This was the fifth outing for Steven in the Companion Chronicles, but only one of those (Mother Russia) had been performed by Peter Purves. The very first Companion Chronicle of all - Frostfire, performed by Maureen O'Brien with Keith Drinkel - will be coming up in this marathon after a book and a couple of short stories.
Which brings up the issue of placement. The reference to Steven's hair apparently seems to put it just before Galaxy Four, while his comment in the first episode that he hasn't eaten since 1066 seems to put it straight after The Time Meddler; and because of other stories in spin-off media these can't both be true. Fortunately, in this case there's a straightforward solution, and for once the framing sequence makes it easier rather than harder. Simply put, the main adventure takes place where the 1066 comment would imply, but Steven and Vicki don't get to make their recording until some time later, either because other adventures get in the way or just because they don't find the necessary equipment for a while. I may change this later - Steven could have been being deliberately less than accurate in his comment, quoting that date for effect - but I'm hoping it won't be necessary.
I am always happy to see Jacqueline Rayner's name on the credits; I still have to get the final seven Companion Chronicles, and I note that she has written Vicki's entry, which is exciting. (There are a number of my other favourite writers in that run, too - I do hope I can get more money from somewhere soon!) Rayner is an author for whom character comes first, but plot and setting are not far behind; basically a balanced approach but with my top priority in pole position. The Suffering is a good example.
What is particularly interesting is that she winkles out some extra personality traits for Steven from the slim pickings we are given in the TV scripts. (Purves' performance does imbue him with a fair bit of character but it rarely comes out of the writing, which for the most part treats him as a stock action hero.) I had been going to say that Rayner created new traits, but then I remembered something which I will talk about a little later in the marathon. Of course, Rayner also does something similar for Vicki, particularly in the final episode but it's not quite so impressive simply because Vicki was better served by script writers on more occasions.
In principle the cover is a fairly standard collage affair, but I like the use of the charge sheet for the arrested Suffragettes and the blending of historical London above and alien world below. The colour scheme is also unusual and effective.
Published:
Date: February 2010
ISBN: 1-84435-463-4
Rating:
7/10.
Next Time:
A short peek forward at The Three Doctors.
Saturday, 9 May 2015
Serial S: The Time Meddler
This was the third story I watched featuring William Hartnell's Doctor (counting the initial broadcast of The Three Doctors
as my first), back in the days when repeats were few and far between -
1992, to be precise, over a decade since the previous opportunity. Now
I've seen all his surviving episodes and heard soundtracks for the rest,
and the main thing that stops me seeing them more often is my physical
inability to watch much TV. I also have access to a massively larger
library of information than I did then, and consequently there is a kind
of double vision viewing this. I can still just about remember the
excitement I felt watching it originally, unspoilt except for whatever
the announcers said beforehand; but my main memories are from the six or
seven times I've seen the DVD in the last decade, knowing what's
coming, and for most of those viewings knowing the context. It still
holds up on repeat viewing, but I am very glad I first saw it without
foreknowledge of that cliffhanger.
This serial marks the beginning of the first ever run with no contemporary companions in the TARDIS (a run that corresponds exactly to this section of my marathon). I think that's a sign of confidence: there is less need for an "audience identification figure" now that the program has been running for over a year, and is still proving popular. It can't be the new broom effect, because even though this is the first serial edited by Donald Tosh, it was the previous team that set it up.
When this story was originally being planned, almost everything was up in the air. William Russell was leaving and needed a replacement, but it was unclear whether Jacqueline Hill was staying; Dennis Spooner hadn't renewed his contract but hadn't announced his departure either. The Chase was going to be an expensive production, which meant that the following serial had to save money as well as introduce the audience to a new companion. In the circumstances producer Verity Lambert thought an experienced writer was needed to introduce Ian's replacement and handle the uncertainty, so applied for special permission for the story editor to write it.
This was a good decision. In the event Spooner decided to leave to work on The Baron; and his writing here reminds me of the previous companion introduction, The Rescue (again written by a departing script editor, and another of my favourites). All the main characters are well served, and Steven is indeed given some depth.
It wasn't a happy production for everyone, however. Upset at all the change, William Hartnell threw tantrums in the presence of incoming producer John Wiles, souring their relationship from the start. It was fortunate that this didn't affect the end product - at least for this serial...
Special Features
Starting with the standard fare, there's Radio Times listings (which I never look at these days, though I might have done for this DVD when I first got it) and the Info text (which I can't be bothered to read); I've already mentioned the commentary in my episode reviews. It's quite chatty, full of anecdotes but paying very little attention to what is on screen for long stretches, so less informative than some, but enjoyable. The Coming Soon is for The Five Doctors 25th Anniversary Edition, quite a fun trailer. Most of the Photo Gallery is made up of shots of the cast on set - there are some good quality photos, but nothing really surprising. Then, towards the end, we get a few of the bare sets (which do interest me) and some casting shots of Peter Purves, looking rugged and handsome. Not much stands out but I still enjoyed this one more than many, which I think is largely because the music is so good.
There's no 'making of' documentary, and the only other story-specific extras are the audio for the missing twelve seconds cut by censors overseas (good to have as a completist, but not really adding anything) and a piece on the restoration work. Much of this can be found on other releases, but I don't begrudge that; it's always good to be reminded of how much care and attention went into producing these disks. Of particular interest for me, though, is the use of the original film for the stock footage of the Viking ship.
Placed on essentially the wrong release for reasons outside of anyone's control, we have a fairly rushed obituary and photo gallery for the late, great Verity Lambert. I say rushed because the former is basically a simple PowerPoint presentation - almost entirely text, too - and the latter feels like a slideshow of holiday shots. Both lack a soundtrack. It's touching, but I wish they'd waited for a more appropriate release to put it on and then done a more thorough job.
Finally, we have one that could be placed on any Hartnell-era release: Stripped for Action, looking at the comics of his era. This is sorta-kinda a regular feature, in that there is one for each Doctor; but because there's only one for each Doctor, this is the first I've covered in my marathon. I like them. I don't know much about the comics featured and finding out more intrigues me, so that's one reason for my enjoyment; but I also appreciate the style, with the fake 'online comic' feel to the titles, the enthusiastic comic historians and (in this case) one slightly bemused artist. Short and sweet.
In conclusion, then, don't buy this release for the extras, buy it for the story.
Rating:
Mine: 10/10.
DWM Mighty 200: 72.81%, 75th.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 8.14, 39th out of 234.
Next Time:
Wait a minute! What about Isaac's corner? Has he given up? Far from it. He wanted to write more about this serial, and May also had some thoughts, but they're not quite ready yet; so before my blog is invaded by my children, a round-up and overview of the second season.
This serial marks the beginning of the first ever run with no contemporary companions in the TARDIS (a run that corresponds exactly to this section of my marathon). I think that's a sign of confidence: there is less need for an "audience identification figure" now that the program has been running for over a year, and is still proving popular. It can't be the new broom effect, because even though this is the first serial edited by Donald Tosh, it was the previous team that set it up.
When this story was originally being planned, almost everything was up in the air. William Russell was leaving and needed a replacement, but it was unclear whether Jacqueline Hill was staying; Dennis Spooner hadn't renewed his contract but hadn't announced his departure either. The Chase was going to be an expensive production, which meant that the following serial had to save money as well as introduce the audience to a new companion. In the circumstances producer Verity Lambert thought an experienced writer was needed to introduce Ian's replacement and handle the uncertainty, so applied for special permission for the story editor to write it.
This was a good decision. In the event Spooner decided to leave to work on The Baron; and his writing here reminds me of the previous companion introduction, The Rescue (again written by a departing script editor, and another of my favourites). All the main characters are well served, and Steven is indeed given some depth.
It wasn't a happy production for everyone, however. Upset at all the change, William Hartnell threw tantrums in the presence of incoming producer John Wiles, souring their relationship from the start. It was fortunate that this didn't affect the end product - at least for this serial...
Special Features
Starting with the standard fare, there's Radio Times listings (which I never look at these days, though I might have done for this DVD when I first got it) and the Info text (which I can't be bothered to read); I've already mentioned the commentary in my episode reviews. It's quite chatty, full of anecdotes but paying very little attention to what is on screen for long stretches, so less informative than some, but enjoyable. The Coming Soon is for The Five Doctors 25th Anniversary Edition, quite a fun trailer. Most of the Photo Gallery is made up of shots of the cast on set - there are some good quality photos, but nothing really surprising. Then, towards the end, we get a few of the bare sets (which do interest me) and some casting shots of Peter Purves, looking rugged and handsome. Not much stands out but I still enjoyed this one more than many, which I think is largely because the music is so good.
There's no 'making of' documentary, and the only other story-specific extras are the audio for the missing twelve seconds cut by censors overseas (good to have as a completist, but not really adding anything) and a piece on the restoration work. Much of this can be found on other releases, but I don't begrudge that; it's always good to be reminded of how much care and attention went into producing these disks. Of particular interest for me, though, is the use of the original film for the stock footage of the Viking ship.
Placed on essentially the wrong release for reasons outside of anyone's control, we have a fairly rushed obituary and photo gallery for the late, great Verity Lambert. I say rushed because the former is basically a simple PowerPoint presentation - almost entirely text, too - and the latter feels like a slideshow of holiday shots. Both lack a soundtrack. It's touching, but I wish they'd waited for a more appropriate release to put it on and then done a more thorough job.
Finally, we have one that could be placed on any Hartnell-era release: Stripped for Action, looking at the comics of his era. This is sorta-kinda a regular feature, in that there is one for each Doctor; but because there's only one for each Doctor, this is the first I've covered in my marathon. I like them. I don't know much about the comics featured and finding out more intrigues me, so that's one reason for my enjoyment; but I also appreciate the style, with the fake 'online comic' feel to the titles, the enthusiastic comic historians and (in this case) one slightly bemused artist. Short and sweet.
In conclusion, then, don't buy this release for the extras, buy it for the story.
Rating:
Mine: 10/10.
DWM Mighty 200: 72.81%, 75th.
2012 Gallifrey Base Non-Dynamic Rankings: 8.14, 39th out of 234.
Next Time:
Wait a minute! What about Isaac's corner? Has he given up? Far from it. He wanted to write more about this serial, and May also had some thoughts, but they're not quite ready yet; so before my blog is invaded by my children, a round-up and overview of the second season.
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