tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392115881478036702023-06-20T21:04:34.208-07:00Chap_with_wingsChap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-70359380929270685382020-03-29T09:42:00.001-07:002020-03-29T09:42:37.758-07:00Doctor Who cold opens 2005-2020 rated
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">At first this season, it looked like Doctor Who had brought back cold opens (pre-credit sequences)! To celebrate, I launched an occasional series in which I rewatch all the cold opens from “new” Who in an attempt to decide which are the best. I’m judging the cold open alone, regardless of how I feel about the episode it introduces.</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">1.The End of the World </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This begins with an unnecessary seeming recap. Then a long TARDIS scene and then a scene in a room which now looks surprisingly unimpressive. The climactic effects are good, but overall I feel like this went on for too long.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">2.The Unquiet Dead</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Atmospheric, horrific, funny, introduces important characters and locations - this is how you do it.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3.Aliens of London</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Absolute game-changer. The Doctor returns to characters and locations from episode one and we confront the consequences of his lifestyle for the first time. It’s directed stylishly, with the flapping poster attracting our attention, and the Doctor’s, ominously. But the playing of a year of grief for Jackie, plus its subsequent downplaying, doesn’t sit well with me.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4.Dalek</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Two stories in a row that begin with the TARDIS landing. The Doctor and Rose explore their immediate environs and then there’s that bizarre bit with the cyber head which is quite lovely for fans but rather gives the impression that this is going to be a story all about the Cybermen. And it ends with men with guns which is a little pedestrian.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5.The Long Game</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Once again, the TARDIS lands, but I really like the way that this echoes and subverts the very first cold open by having Rose pretend to know everything in a superb bit of acting from Billie Piper. The comedy faint at the end is a little bit of a bum note though.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6.Father’s Day</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is rather lovely. Still shots of Pete Tyler, a young Rose and some nice tender acting from Camille Coduri. The TARDIS scene feels a little undercooked, but ending on another still shot is nice. It sets up what the episode is going to be about and shows that this is going to be a very different kind of Doctor Who story.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7.The Empty Child</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">High energy with dialogue that now seems very Moffat, especially all the mauve stuff. It doesn’t really give any idea about the what the rest of the story is going to be like, though.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8.Boom Town</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This one does actually require a recap and a six months later caption. Then we get a single scene between the wonderful Annette Badland and the equally wonderful William Thomas. The bare bones of the plot are laid out in front of us, but ending with a simple shot of the Slitheen attacking him is hardly a twist.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9.Bad Wolf</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Oh yeah, I love this one. They really didn’t have to be so slavishly accurate to the real Big Brother TV series, but it is so much better that they are. That superb Paul Oakenfold theme music, the logo, even the voice of Davina. Oh, and Christopher Eccleston’s closing line. However, this time I could’ve done without the recap and the 100 years later caption.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9.5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10.The Christmas Invasion </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Zoom in on the Earth. Establish Christmas. Play Slade. Then Jackie and Mickey rush to the TARDIS landing and hello, here’s David Tennant, already so much of his performance nailed. He says Merry Christmas and then Jackie gets to do the Doctor Who joke. This is exactly the way to open the show’s first Christmas special.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">11.New Earth</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Very atmospheric shots of the Doctor powering up the TARDIS. We even get Noel and Camille hired for a day’s work. Then: “Where are we going?” “Further than we’ve ever gone before.” Well, by a few weeks anyway. It’s quite stylish but it doesn’t really do anything, does it?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">12.Tooth and Claw</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Wow. Great location work. Kung fu monks. Matrix-style slo-mo. Then a pretty good scream at the end. The rest of the story is only minimally reliant on kung fu monks, but this is a pretty good enticement to watch.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">13.School Reunion </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This very accurately shows us what the episode will be like, but I’m not sold. Never much liked Anthony Head’s performance and here he kills a young girl who we’re never again encouraged to give a damn about. Then Tennant grins.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">14.The Girl In The Fireplace </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">All is not well at the Palace of Versailles. It’s clearly opening in media res, and Sophia Myles makes an immediate impact. But ending on “Doctor! Doctor!” - was that supposed to be any kind of surprise?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">15.Rise of the Cybermen </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This starts really well with the Genesis of the Cybermen and the way it recognises its creator. But as soon as we get the beyond the grave line, the comedy death of Dr Kendrick and the bizarre Great Britain line, this has gone off the boil.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">16.The Idiot’s Lantern </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Very atmospheric. The old woman’s dialogue is a little on the nose, but Maureen Lipman really sells her bits so the cliffhanger is effective.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">17.The Impossible Planet </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Mm, yes please. This is a perfect example of taking the 25 minutes of an old style part one and condensing it into a two minute cold open complete with very effective cliffhanger. The exploration of the sanctuary base, the foreboding nature of the writing on the wall and then the appearance of the Ood are all done expertly. This could be full marks if it wasn’t for that moment where the Doctor and Rose laugh in a really forced manner.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">18.Love & Monsters</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is meta. A few minutes after the titles, Elton says “I just put that bit at the beginning because it’s a brilliant opening.” And it is pretty good. A man running; awe and wonder at seeing the TARDIS; the Doctor and Rose’s voices; appearance of a scary monster. And then cut to Elton talking into his video camera, which really gives us an idea of what we are going to be watching for the next 40 minutes.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">19.Fear Her</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">You have to be quite forgiving to accept this is a real street, but once you get past that, this does a good job. It sets up key characters – Trish, Mo Butcher – and first through suggestion then through showing us we realise that the little girl upstairs is our antagonist. And of course it ends with that amazing sequence where the little boy vanishes and becomes a living drawing.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">20.Army of Ghosts</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">It’s all so ridiculously portentous and over the top. And also hugely misleading. On so many levels, it’s not good. However, it’s exactly what the series needed on that particular day to set up the end of that particular series in 2006. It does what it has to.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">21.The Runaway Bride</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">We’ve seen the second half of this before, and the first half doesn’t tell us anything we couldn’t have guessed. But it’s fine.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">22.The Shakespeare Code</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I make this at least the fourth time the series has done “character we’ll never think about again killed off in the cold open by the monsters“. It does it quite well though, with entertaining performances and a villain monologue to camera leading into the titles.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">23.Gridlock</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">That’s two more cold open corpses. Dramatic, exciting and tells you absolutely nothing.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">24.Daleks in Manhattan </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This has the same shape as the last couple, but at least we are going to see Laszlo again. More problematic are the accents and the climactic reveal of… A pig man.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">25.The Lazarus Experiment </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is an odd one, because it’s trying to be an ending with only the briefest glimpse of the actual plot of the episode. But it’s worth it for the Doctor’s last line, which indicates that this is far from being an ending.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">26.42</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Very impressive effects, sweaty people and a ticking clock. All the guff about Martha’s phone could perhaps have gone elsewhere though. (I know we need it for later in the episode, but it’s slightly businessy for a cold open.)</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">27.Human Nature</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This one is almost perfect. The abrupt switch from the frenetic activity in the TARDIS to John Smith waking up in bed works really well, and the only thing keeping this from full marks is that the dialogue between then and the titles goes on a little too long and takes a little too much time to get to the point.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">28.Blink</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Not as scary as you’d think, but spooky. Without any dialogue, Carey Mulligan impresses and the shtick of having messages to her behind the wallpaper is very effective.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">29.Utopia</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">There must’ve been a smoother way of doing this. This cold open is essential to crowbar Jack into the plot of the story and to make sure the Master gets back here at the end of the episode. But it has no real intrinsic value in itself and the sight of Jack clinging onto the TARDIS just looks stupid. And the climactic shot of the futurekind doesn’t help either, because they’re also not very good.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">30.The Sound of Drums</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This gets a cold open rather than a previously on, so that should answer all the questions about whether this is a three parter or not. There is a lot of plot explanation to get into these couple of minutes, including the concept of regeneration and how they got back to the 21st century. But it all ends very nicely, with the Master as Prime Minister and his quip about the Doctor.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">31.Voyage of the Damned </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">With one bound, Jack was free, but this isn’t about cliffhanger resolutions. Once he gets on board the space Titanic, we get robotic Host, a glimpse of Kylie, the small red conker man, and then an effects shot of the best sea vessel in space since season 20. All to the sound of Jingle Bells and that final announcement saying welcome to Christmas. It’s not exactly high impact, but it does the job.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">32.The Fires of Pompeii </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">A nice little jaunt about ancient Pompeii, but as a cold open it lacks a sense of urgency. A little too much sightseeing and the Welsh joke. The two leads are engaging though, and it leads to a dramatic final moment. Plus, Karen Gillan is following them around everywhere.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">33.Planet of the Ood</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The advertising pastiche is nice, but then this becomes yet another irrelevant cold open corpse. Reintroducing the Ood and making them scary without the devil behind them was a tough job, so it makes sense they would try to do this right from the off.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">34.The Sontaran Stratagem </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Yes, it’s another cold open corpse, but a good one. A bit of a shame to kill off the wonderful Eleanor Matsuura so abruptly. And a bit of a shame that the rest of the story frankly relies on evil satnav in a very marginal capacity. However, there’s business to take care of apparently, so this can’t be the end of the cold open. Back to the TARDIS and a phone call from Freema Agyeman delivering that line in such a terrible manner.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">35.The Doctor’s Daughter </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Right, we need to get Georgia Moffett saying hello dad right before the titles start. But there is a hell of a lot to manage before then. To its credit, it crams them in fairly effectively, but it doesn’t work as well as it thinks it does. And you know, she’s not his daughter. Contrary to the previous story, Martha is the best thing in this, with that reawakened sense of excitement.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">36.The Unicorn and the Wasp</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Great period feel, but yes, it’s another irrelevant corpse. And do we really need to see the wasp in the cold open? Especially wielding lead piping?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">37.Silence in the Library </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Brilliant. The link between the library and Cal’s living room set up from the word go, then the intrusion of a mid-story Doctor and Donna. Intriguing, tense and fun.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">38.Midnight</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Glib. Dressing exposition up as banter, explaining away Donna’s absence, and doing it glibly.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">2/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">39.Turn Left</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Boy, that was long. Good, but in need of an edit. Again, we have to accept a lot of shortcuts to get us to the place where the cold open has to end. And what on earth is with the sheer orientalism of the planet Shan Shen? But it’s a strong concept to open with and a deceptively simple final image.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">40.The Stolen Earth</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I count at least 8 fantastic moments in this cold open. And they’re surrounded by very good moments. It’s no mean feat to cram twelve recurring characters into less than 5 minutes and still make a passing milkman central.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">41.The Next Doctor</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Now that’s a Christmassy Dickensian mood. The Doctor’s loving it and so are we. Then Rosita yells “Doctor!” and the rest of it is played perfectly. </font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">42.Planet of the Dead</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">You can’t fault this show for ambition. The only real flaw here is that Michelle Ryan’s character is so instantly unlikable, which I doubt was the intention. And her delivery of the sorry lover line is excruciating. But everything else here is hugely entertaining. Happy Easter.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">43.The Waters of Mars</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">No, surprisingly, this doesn’t work at all. Message from home, fine. Doctor lands on a planet, fine. Putting up a no trespassers sign, fine. Altogether, a little too bitty. And ending on the Doctor being arrested by Gadget is ludicrous more than anything else.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">44.The End of Time</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">For the gazillionth time, we zoom in from space to London. Timothy Dalton gets some dreadful dialogue to narrate. Actually, everyone’s dialogue is naff. Not very RTD. There’s the meaningless stained glass and the random Mother. But on the plus side, Bernard Cribbins.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">45.The Eleventh Hour</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">New Doctor! New show runner! Everything’s new! Zoom in from space to London, where an exploding TARDIS is threatening to crash. No dialogue, no point, pure spectacle.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">2/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">46.The Beast Below</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Good effects. Very scary, very Paradise Towers. But – and this is not the only cold open to do this – it actually bears very little relation to what we will next see. Elevators and zeroes are not going to play as big a part in this as we would think. So it’s effective, but a little gratuitous.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">47.Victory of the Daleks</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Lovely to see a bit of restraint in this one. It’s very short and resists getting us to the actual reveal of the Daleks. Pushing the little Dalek across the map is a good compromise. We get the war rooms, we get Churchill – very good.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">48.The Time of Angels</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">By contrast, more happens in this cold open than in some entire stories. The museum, River Song, it’s all good and well directed. But… Why Mike Skinner?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">49.Vampires of Venice</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This one is very much a game of two halves. Very effective stuff in Venice which ends on a scream that should go perfectly into the titles. Except we have to go to Rory’s stag do instead so that Matt Smith can deliver absolutely appalling dialogue.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">50.Amy’s Choice</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is a very tough concept to get across in a cold open, which is why this one is so very long. It doesn’t feel terribly effective, given how much I love this episode overall. Maybe Toby Jones should’ve been in the cold open? Oh, and what is with the self harm joke?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">51.The Hungry Earth </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Pretty hard to fault this one. The Gruffalo, the drilling, the assorted characters, the hungry Earth. Textbook and very Pertwee.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">52.Vincent and the Doctor </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Open on Theresa May running through fields of wheat, a glimpse of Vincent, and then we’re at the Musee d’Orsay with Bill Nighy. And this scene goes on forever. There is nothing bad in it, it’s just way too much for the cold open. And really Doctor, you know evil when you see it? Does the giant chicken turn out to be evil?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">53.The Lodger</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Three things: the TARDIS going wonky, the sinister thing upstairs and the young non-couple. To be honest, I think James Corden and Daisy Haggard would have been enough. Again, it’s too long - but charming.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">54.The Pandorica Opens </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Long? You bet. But wow. A tour through most of the preceding season plus extras, ending on an iconic image. It’s impressive.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">55.A Christmas Carol</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I’d have gone with Michael Gambon myself. Still, this is exciting. The Ponds’ outfits, though. And the crowbarred references to Christmas.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">56.The Impossible Astronaut </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">GET TO THE POINT! All that awful stuff with Charles II and Laurel & Hardy. Why not just start in Utah? But even there, everyone’s posturing and showing off. This is flabby.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">57.Curse of the Black Spot</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Pirate ship. Random death. Hugh Bonneville. And enter the gang with a Yo ho ho! Very serviceable.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">58.The Doctor’s Wife</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The final twist is a good moment and there’s a lot to love here, but again it does take its time to get here. And this cold open gives us the concept of M2F regeneration too.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">59.The Rebel Flesh</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I remember this as very intriguing and a little gruesome. It’s still both those things. All that keeps it from being outstanding is an inability to connect with these people, partly because they’re obscured by the suits and partly because they’re not sufficiently differentiated in the writing.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">60.A Good Man Goes to War </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Oh yes. Rory versus Cybermen. I love it.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">61.Let’s Kill Hitler </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">A high impact and fairly amusing way of dealing with various concepts that are never ever going to work, no matter what they do. Mels is an engaging addition to the mythos and delivers her final line well.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">62.Night Terrors</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">It’s very well directed, but the fact that it looks like a ham fisted way of approaching OCD is a bit cringy. As is Matt Smith’s performance.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">63.The Girl Who Waited </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">One problem with these complex concept stories is that it’s hard to encapsulate them in a cold open. Another problem is that sometimes it requires a lack of common sense to make them happen. “Which button?“</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">64.The God Complex</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Great art direction, cinematography, direction. It all adds up to another pre-credits corpse, but the whole set up is spooky and quirky enough to get away with it.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">65.Closing Time</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Last time we met Craig, I said he and Sophie were enough to sustain the cold open. This time, he’s the extraneous element. Shona’s unfortunate encounter with a Cyberman is what we need.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">66.The Wedding of River Song</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Such an almighty head-**ck. Churchill! Pterodactyls! Simon Callow! Silurian! It’s only Matt Smith’s two words at the end that detract from this.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">67.The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe </font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Had a bit of money to use up, did we?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">68.Asylum of the Daleks </font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Oh, this effing season. There’s just so much wrong here. Firstly, how about the way that we now have to go around gathering up the cast at the start of the story, like the Star Trek movies trying desperately to crowbar Worf in. And the fact that Amy and Rory are getting a divorce which is just so utterly wrong. And Amy as a supermodel. And the Daleks have a parliament. And that whole over the top opening sequence on Skaro for no very good reason. And the 11 out of 10 joke. Aargh. And the last line was really great when it was in a far superior DWM comic strip. It’s not all bad – it looks great although the music doesn’t sound great and the Dalek stuff hiding in the woman’s head is a good idea. But yuck.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">2/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">69.Dinosaurs on a Spaceship </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Same problem as last time. Let us imagine, for a moment, that the TARDIS landed on a spaceship and the Doctor, Amy and Rory got out and encountered some dinosaurs. That would take about a minute and it would be brilliant. But no, we have to rush around the universe picking up lots of random people for no terribly good reason first. Oh, plus sex jokes.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">70.A Town Called Mercy</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Much, much better. Voice over aside, a simple confrontation between two unknown aliens, ending in a pre-credits corpse and a threat against “the Doctor”. Textbook.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">71.The Power of Three</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">That’s the third cold open out of the last 4 to begin with a voice-over, this time Amy. This doesn’t even feel like the right TV series anymore. Again, what if this just started with Amy and Rory in bed and then the cube appeared? Intriguing, subtle, good.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">72.The Angels Take Manhattan </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Despite yet another voice-over, and yet another pre-credits corpse,this is atmospheric and effective, if somewhat unpleasant in its concept. Therefore, very reflective of the episode to come. Your mileage may vary on the ending of it, but my feeling is that a) they had to and b) it’s daft.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">73.The Snowmen</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I still love the opening seconds of this one. And all the stuff with Dr Simeon, both young and old, is pretty great too, although I would probably not have revealed the snow globe at this stage. But of course, we have to reveal Clara and the Doctor before the titles come in, so the whole thing feels too long. It’s still good though, even if it does heftily rely on those special two words at the end.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">74.The Bells of St John</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Hello, that looks like Doctor Who’s mojo. Welcome back. A great idea, communicated effectively, with striking visuals. Be honest, aren’t you surprised that the monastery comes after the titles?</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">75.The Rings of Akhaten</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The whole leaf story is quite interesting and very romantic, but odd when squeezed into a cold open at the start of a story that will only at the very end have any tangential connection to it. Couldn’t this have been a whole episode? Could we have got to know these people better? Although it doesn’t help that the actress playing Clara’s mother is unable to pull off the phrase “oh my stars”. And the biggest problem, I’m afraid, is Matt Smith and the dialogue he has been given.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">76.Cold War</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This one barely puts a foot wrong. All the submarine stuff is great, I’m loving the on-screen captions this year and the predictable but effective sting at the end when Pyotr becomes the latest pre-credits corpse is great. Only the fact that David Warner has been asked to sing along to Ultravox and can’t is a problem.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">77.Hide</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">It’s a really bad sign when you’re watching a very effective, enjoyable, atmospheric piece of television and then it’s all ruined by the appearance of the Doctor and the companion.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">78.Journey to the centre of the TARDIS </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">There is something good here, but it’s hard to spot. It’s certainly not inside the TARDIS where neither the plotting nor the acting, not to mention the direction, are being very helpful. Things aren’t much better over on the salvage ship. Still, the exteriors look good.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">79.The Crimson Horror </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Absolutely gorgeous. The performances, the setting, the dialogue – great. The only letdown is the silly fainting of Mr Thursday.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">80.Nightmare in Silver</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Nothing here is really working. Too many disparate elements; it looks cheap; the boy’s dialogue is awful; and the Cyberman reveal is less convincing than Tomb:1.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">3/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">81.The Name of the Doctor </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Fansplosion. The CGI isn’t quite up to it, but never mind - it’s fun to see Jenna almost interact with the past Doctors, to the extent that one can miss the absence of any real content from this cold open. Oh yeah, the workshop guys at the beginning - masterstroke.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">82.The Time of the Doctor </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">“I’m cooking Christmas dinner!” “I’m being shot at by Cybermen!” “Well, can’t we do both?” Not as effectively as you clearly imagine, no. This whole frenetic opening is more annoying than engaging, although Handles is cool. And enough with the voice overs.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">83.Deep Breath</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1">Good dinosaur. Decent use of the Paternoster gang. The new Doctor’s post-regenerative trauma is a little annoying but could be worse. Clara’s hair is amazing. Vastra’s final line is </span><span class="s2">👌</span><span class="s1">. But the whole thing feels a little bloated and doesn’t quite land moments, which will go on to be true about Deep Breath in general.</span></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">84.Into the Dalek</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Rather a good start. Great sci-fi visuals, really impressive space battle. I like the stuff getting Journey Blue to say please and the stuff with her uncle too. The proctologist line is funny. And, inevitably, the revelation of the Dalek patient. Yes, even though it’s quite long, this one works well.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">85.Robot of Sherwood </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">“You’ll only be disappointed,” says the Doctor. And we would have been if Robin hadn’t been right outside the TARDIS before the titles.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">86.Listen</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This one is so weird, but in a way I feel like this is the true beginning of the Capaldi era. He will end his days talking to himself too. It’s very effective, but I can’t quite get on board with doing yoga on top of the TARDIS.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">87.Time Heist</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I generally like the Danny stuff in this season, but not in this bit. And I can’t stand the Doctor-insulting-Clara thing. But everything from the phone ringing onwards is great.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">88.The Caretaker</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The frenetic opening section of this feels like it’s been done before, most obviously in The Power of Three. But then we get a TARDIS scene in which Gareth Roberts quotes from Dirk Gently, which puts me much more on side. And then the scene in the staffroom, where the Doctor is bad at being undercover.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">89.Kill the Moon</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">An in media res clip (very short) where Clara states the central dilemma of the episode, but it manages to be pretty clunkily written.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">90.Mummy on the Orient Express </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is art. 66 seconds for Miss Hardaker to be killed by a mummy, then as if that wasn’t enough, a shot of the train in space.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">91.Flatline</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Jamie Mathieson tries a very similar trick to “Mummy”, giving us a pre-credits corpse with an imaginative death. Too unclear exactly what’s happened to him, though - and I’ve no idea how beardy man somehow “figured it all out”.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">92.In the Forest of the Night </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">“I think it’s lovely,” says the eccentric child actress, and she’s right - it’s a beautiful image, just like it was on the cover of Blood Heat. And appreciating it here is great if we don’t then have to engage with the logic of the episode. Boyce gives dialogue to the girl that nails exactly how children experience the world, if not how they speak. But it takes longer than necessary to get to the money shot.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">93.Dark Water</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is still utterly awful, in the sense of emotionally gut wrenching and also in the sense of completely wrong for Doctor Who. In my opinion, obviously. Good directorial flourish when Clara’s standing in the road and good cliffhanger. This is the hardest one to mark out of ten.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">94.Last Christmas </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">It’s a bit like a Comic Relief sketch or something, but at least they’re getting all that out of the way pre-credits.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">95.The Magician’s Apprentice</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Unlike much of the rest of this two-parter, this cold open really bears re-watching. The continuity doesn’t quite work, but there is so much effort at tying this in with Genesis of the Daleks that you almost want to applaud. Clam drones, hand mines. And that wonderful moment when all Peter Capaldi has to do is face acting.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">96.Under the Lake</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">What works so well here is the quick scene setting, some immediately identifiable characters and a big shock - nobody expects Moran to die. And then ghosts.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">97.Before the Flood </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">We’re not expecting a cold open here, but in between the recap and the titles, here’s Peter Capaldi to break the fourth wall and explain the bootstrap paradox. It’s not necessary - it’s there for the hell of it, much like the rocked-up music, and I’m happy to go with it.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">98.The Girl Who Died</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The whole opening section with the love sprite etc is hard to engage with because they’ve played this trick too many times already. But I do quite like the way it segues seamlessly into capture by Vikings. And I enjoyed the Doctor’s reaction to them.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">99.The Woman Who Lived</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">“ What took you so long, old man?” Remember how important these words were to us once? All the theories? Little did we know they would be thrown into the beginning of an episode of Blackadder the third. It really is very, very Blackadder. </font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">100.The Zygon Invasion</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This seems to require a lot of recap and a lot of exposition, done quite charmingly, but still clearly exposition. Followed by a brief action sequence and a really unnecessary guitar solo.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">101.Sleep No More</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">“You must not watch this.” Ballsy move, as is ditching the opening titles. This feels like the opening to Inside No9 Does Doctor Who.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">102.Face the Raven</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Another end-of-an-unseen-adventure start, although this time at least for an important character arc reason. Then Riggsy’s tattoo, which is a nice concept. Odd to get him again, though.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">103.Heaven Sent</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is such a well-crafted episode, but I’d forgotten all about these initial few minutes. Must be the weakest part of the episode? This one didn’t need a cold open - maybe a recap instead.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">104.Hell Bent</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Well, I guess you’re either engaged by this or you’re not. I’m rolling my eyes. We want Gallifrey! We want revenge! Not an elegiac scene with Capaldi interpreting Murray Gold!</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">105.The Husbands of River Song</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is far more fun and charming than I’d remembered. The antlers are a bit much and Matt Lucas is playing George Dawes, but it’s filmed beautifully, the carol is a nice touch and I love the flow chart gags.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">106.The Return of Doctor Mysterio </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Boy, is this an example of a cold open that doesn’t know when to stop. It’s really quite a lot of fun and the aesthetic is gorgeous. It would work well if it stopped when the Doctor is on the floor and says Merry Christmas Grant. It would even work if it stopped when they flew up into the air. But then it cuts to adult Grant with the baby, then back to child Grant in the air again. Enough already.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">107.The Pilot</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I once wrote an entire Twitter thread about how dreadful this sequence is. It hasn’t improved. It is badly written, it doesn’t go anywhere and it doesn’t make sense.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">2/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">108.Smile</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">There are two scenes here. The first one, in the TARDIS, is actually quite annoying. The second one, on the planet, is very effective, but it sort of does and says everything that the episode has in two short minutes. And rather wastes Rani’s mum.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">109.Thin Ice</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Still a bit businessy, but the two leads are very agreeable in this and the little cliffhanger at the end works well.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">110.Knock Knock </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The whole ludicrous premise has to be set up in the first few minutes, so that feels very rushed. Then the creepy sequence where something happens to Pavel is neither creepy nor explicit enough.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">111.Oxygen</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Space, the final frontier. Well, I laughed. Voice over aside, the opening scene is tense, touching, tragic and effective.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">9/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">112.Extremis</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Two threads. The earlier one is emphasised and it still amuses me that the secret of the vault is just thrown in here before the titles. Missy begins her best run of episodes and the Doctor receives an email. Once you’ve seen the whole episode, the cold open improves in retrospect.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">113.The Pyramid at the End of the World </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">I have no idea what they were up to here. The re-cap and the new material are mixed up with each other. Bill gets another date with Penny messed up, but the law of diminishing returns definitely applies. Finally, we get the revelation about the pyramid which is really all we needed for this cold open.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">114.Lie of the Land</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Now that is a great cold open. Of course, there was nowhere to go from here, but the propaganda, Capaldi’s voice, the arrest and Bill’s face - superb. I could quibble over the lazy use of past footage of monsters, but I won’t.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">10/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">115.Empress of Mars</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">The message uncovered on Mars is a good joke, almost worth the build-up, but not quite. This cost a fair bit - actors and set all not needed after the titles - and I feel like we could have survived without.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">116.Eaters of Light</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Characters from the future encountering the effects of the story to come… A message from the past containing an anachronism… How odd that these two consecutive stories have such similar cold opens. This one is a little dull, to be honest.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">5/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">117.World Enough and Time </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">Come on, this was exciting. But take it away and you’ve got the first shot of the big ship as your cold open and that would have been awesome.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">118.Twice Upon a Time </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">This is rather lovelier than I remembered. The dialogue is heartwarming in a Time Crash sort of way whilst simultaneously hinting at the stakes. The snow stopping is a great moment and ought to be a cliffhanger, but the arrival of the captain is as superfluous to the cold open as in fact he is to the remainder of the story.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">119.Spyfall</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">It’s been quite a while since the last cold open. This one is epic and planet-wide, but the rule of three requires the third death to be...different somehow. Reveal more. Mean more. The stakes don’t raise.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">7/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">120.Can You Hear Me?</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">So now we have cold opens...occasionally? At random? This is a good one though, with nice performances, an interesting setting and a big scary claw. It should end sooner though, because the face is less scary.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">8/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">121.The Haunting of Villa Diodati</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">If cold opens are optional, why is this one? It undersells the episode to come with stilted dialogue and a terrible false shock at the end. Only Fletcher rolling his eyes hits the mark.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">4/10</font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">122.Ascension of the Cybermen </font></span></p>
<p class="p2"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></font></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">It’s trying its best to be atmospheric and portentous but unfortunately it’s also superfluous and lacking in content. Nice trick with the eye though.</font></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3">6/10</font></span></p>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-25482557210635896982018-10-31T17:56:00.000-07:002019-01-03T10:57:02.147-08:00How Time ran out for my Exciting GuideIn 1998, I started a project. 20 years later, it’s time to accept that it will never be finished.<div><br></div><div>In a previous blog post, I revealed how I started writing down the UK Top 40 in 1993 and carried on for another 20 years. Alongside this sat another lengthy undertaking. This began on the 23rd of November 1998. Doctor Who fans will recognise this date as the show’s 35th anniversary. Sod all else was happening at the time for Doctor Who, so I thought it was the perfect time to begin a full rewatch. But I was going to do more than just watch it.</div><div><br></div><div>My idea was that I would watch every story in order, then create a fact file about it. This would briefly include the plot, but also everything we might learn about the Doctor, his companions, his home planet, the history of the various planets he visits including Earth, his enemies and so on and so forth.</div><div><br></div><div>I referred to this ongoing project as my Doctor Who website. This despite the fact that I had no Internet access in November 1998 and it would be several years before I did. It was in fact a Microsoft Word document. I hoped that in the future it might become a website. In fact, although I did put several entries from it on this blog and on Facebook a few years ago, it never became a website.</div><div><br></div><div>How long would you imagine this would take you? If you assume a rate of one story per week, then you should reach Survival within 3 years. I was 22 at the time and assumed I’d get it done by the time I was 25 or 26.</div><div><br></div><div>It took me 3 years to polish off the 50 stories from the 1960s, which placed me almost one third of the way through. I revised my reckoning - at the latest, I’d finish by the time I turned 31. This means it would’ve taken rather longer than I had anticipated, but at least it would be finished.</div><div><br></div><div>Then something unexpected happened. In the summer of 2001, I fell in love. Soon, I was living with someone and, before too long, married to her. This somewhat slowed my progress. Essentially, life gets in the way of pointless projects.</div><div><br></div><div>So, after another 3 years, I’d ticked off another 35 stories, placing me at the end of Tom Baker’s 2nd season. But then the unthinkable happened. Doctor Who returned to television. Suddenly, rather than 156 stories, there were potentially unlimited stories for me to cover. The project had grown considerably in scope.</div><div><br></div><div>I reached the hundredth story in 2008, a decade after I started. Then, in 2009, my first child was born. You can see where this is going, can’t you?</div><div><br></div><div>Progress massively slowed. Seven stories in 2010. A further seven in the following 3 years. I began season 20 in the summer of 2014. I reached Terminus in August 2015. And then...</div><div><br></div><div>... that’s as far as it went. For the past three years, I have been waiting to see when I would get around to doing Enlightenment. By then, I have realised I was never going to finish this project. I thought that The Five Doctors would be a good place to finish. Only three more stories to get through. Surely?</div><div><br></div><div>In 2018, I came to the realisation that that was never going to happen. Terminus was my terminus. Which is appropriate in its own way.</div><div><br></div><div>I started to write this blog entry in November 2018 and I’m finishing it in January 2019, which is fairly typical of how this venture has gone. The 42-year-old can see no further point in carrying on the ridiculous project that the 22-year-old started. And now, maybe, after many years, I can actually watch Enlightenment. And I won’t even write anything down.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-29331874819825868162015-12-20T05:41:00.001-08:002015-12-21T05:44:11.399-08:00Our Christmas InvasionDoctor Who is about to get its 11th Christmas Special in a row, which I understand is a record. The first, in 2005, seemed like an astonishing achievement, whereas now it's almost taken for granted.<div><br></div><div>Why, then, is the Doctor so apparently suited to Christmas, even though the connection was only made once in the show's first 26 years? </div><div><br></div><div>Maybe it's because Christmas is a time for "Peace on Earth" - except that the Doctor brings precious little of that! He may have made powerful statements against war (eg in The Zygon Inversion), but it's hard to equate John Lennon's "War is over if you want it" or Jesus' various teachings with Xmas quotes like "no second chances, I'm that kind of person".</div><div><br></div><div>No, the Doctor's not Jesus, Unless you're watching Last of the Time Lords, which wasn't even a Christmas special. Is he, then, Santa? It's certainly been suggested over the years – the red bicycle comment – but really, they're not that similar. The Doctor doesn't turn up, leave presents, eat food and then go. It's just not even remotely like his MO.</div><div><br></div><div>I think the key might be in comments made by various Doctors over the years but particularly the third and fourth. There is no point in being grown up, we are told, unless you can be childish sometimes. The Doctor is serious about what he does, but not necessarily about the way in which he does it.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the time of year when we decorate our houses with tinsel and flashy lights and baubles. We encourage our children to sing songs about reindeers with red noses and tell them to anticipate a fat man climbing down the chimney with presents. It is, surely, the most childish, or maybe child-like, time of year. As Andy Williams nearly sang. The time of Band Aid, sure, but also Lily the Pink. Carols from King's, but also Mr Blobby.</div><div><br></div><div>The doctor may spend Christmas sending off the likes of the Sycorax and the Master and the Great Intelligence, but he also does it in a fun way. These 10 episodes have seen him battle Christmas trees and flying sharks; team up with Kylie Minogue and Nick Frost; despatch baddies with a satsuma and gain acces to their lair by impersonating Sherlock Holmes. Where else would we find Jessica Martin voicing the Queen waving at a flying Titanic or June Whitfield pinching the Doctor's bum?</div><div><br></div><div>Russell T Davies was adamant that Who's Christmas Specials should be Christmassy, so served up deadly Santas, trees, baubles, stars abd angels before visiting the heartland of Victorian England. Remove the setting, though, and The Next Doctor is light on Christmas stuff. The End of Time really has to crowbar it in - and arguably not very well. A new approach was needed, but it was perhaps surprising that Steven Moffat chose to amp up the Christmas content by about 400%. Homicidal snowman? Check. More Victoriana? Check. People singing Christmas carols and dancing to Christmas number ones? Check.</div><div><br></div><div>For his first one, Moffat outrageously stole not only the plot but the title of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Could he get any Christmassier? The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe may not present a traditional Christmas story, but it might be the most Christmassy Christmas special of all. What about that extended sequence when Matt Smith shows the children around the house he's created? Then they go to a world where Christmas trees grow complete with baubles. This all led up to the 2013 Christmas special, in which he consigns the Doctor's final official incarnation to his grave… In a town called Christmas. Then, the next year – Santa.</div><div><br></div><div>The children's own programme which adults adore has implicitly and explicitly sold itself as an advocate for childishness and childlikeness since Troughton first clowned around. No wonder it suits this time of year so well.</div>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-14552041214856068832015-10-03T03:16:00.001-07:002015-10-03T09:12:24.358-07:00#thebigannouncementThis week, there was a big announcement in the world of Doctor Who. We know it was a big announcement because we were warned about it for several hours in advance and everyone immediately started using the hashtag #bigannouncement. What could it be? The BBC claimed it was big news, bigger than anyone was guessing. What on earth could it be?<div><br></div><div>It was never going to be missing episodes. I don't believe that that is how that particular piece of news would be handled. In 2013, when nine episodes were returned to us, we all knew about it for most of 10th October. We'd known for some time that something was coming back – and the titles themselves were revealed many hours in advance of the midnight iTunes release. Ah, what a time that was to be alive.</div><div><br></div><div>So no, I never thought that the big announcement had anything to do with missing episodes. However, it seems that many other people did.</div><div><br></div><div>In fact, the announcement was that the BBC are making a new spinoff series set at Coal Hill School, called Class. </div><div><br></div><div>REALLY? OMG!</div><div><br></div><div>Because I thought that was really terribly exciting. I've missed Torchwood (which could be very good) and the Sarah Jane Adventures (which was fantastic). It's bound to be at least good, but with talented novelist Patrick Ness at the helm, it will probably be outstanding. </div><div><br></div><div>This, however, was not the main reaction I saw clogging up social media. Fans (nearly used quote marks there) were outraged. Largely, it seems, because the announcement wasn't the one they wanted. Apparently, finding The Space Pirates would be great but making whole new stories is less so.</div><div><br></div><div>Others objected to the way in which it was announced. Apparently, this is too much hype for something as minor as an entirely new TV show.</div><div><br></div><div>I really feel like people are looking for things to be negative about. If the rumours about Who being largely off air in 2016 are true, then ok, be cross about that. But bashing the new spinoff before the damn thing's even been made? Not cool.</div><div><br></div><div>Some tweets I saw:</div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div>"<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Maybe moffatt will include the defunct members of one direction to guest appear... i despair."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I assume this means that the tweeter feels that aiming the show at a young audience is beneath Who's dignity. EXCUSE ME? It may be screened across the watershed this week, but Doctor Who was conceived as a children's programme. Remember?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"only one thing will really attract me to this and that's if a certain school governor makes an appearance"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Yes, of course. Never mind the quality of the scripts - just make sure the nonagenarian William Russell totters down the lane for a cameo. That's what Doctor Who is all about. A guaranteed ratings winner.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">"#TheBigAnnouncement would have been much cooler if it had been, "Phillip Hinchcliffe has agreed to become the new #DoctorWho producer.""</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Facepalm. Yes of course - even better to hand over the whole show to a septuagenarian who hasn't worked in 15 years.</font></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"Class, ripoff of Buffy/Dark Season/Sarah Jane Adventures. So much for #DoctorWho #thebigannouncement Moffat, please bugger off now."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">It hasn't been made yet! How do you know what it will rip off? Did you dismiss SJA because it would rip Buffy off?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Ready for the best one?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I think I'm excited about this. #thebigannouncement "</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I'm</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> sad for you. #thebigannouncement </span></div><div>#thehugedisappointment"</div><div><br></div><div>Slow hand clap. You can't even let other people enjoy the moment.</div><div><br></div><div>Poor Patrick Ness. He doesn't know what's going to hit him.</div>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-48411504784278230982014-10-20T13:03:00.001-07:002014-10-20T13:03:12.985-07:00My first 100 Doctor Who audio plays<div>I've now listened to one hundred Big Finish audios (well, 101 if we include Treasure Island) and wanted to summarise here.</div><div><br></div><div>TOP 3 PAUL McGANN</div><div>3. The Natural History of Fear by Jim Mortimore</div><div><br></div><div>I didn't know this one was so good until the end of episode 4. Structurally, not thematically, Doctor Who's The Sixth Sense.</div><div><br></div><div>2. The Chimes of Midnight by Robert Shearman</div><div><br></div><div>This one feels more like the aforementioned movie but it's even cleverer. The repetition is insidious. Another structurally outstanding one. (NB can't believe Shearman's Scherzo was beaten into fourth place!)</div><div><br></div><div>1. Seasons of Fear by Paul Cornell and Caroline Symcox</div><div><br></div><div>I came to this one ignorant and thoroughly enjoyed it. Like The Chase done well, but without Daleks. (Actually, no Daleks anywhere on this list!)</div><div><br></div><div>TOP 3 SYLVESTER McCOY</div><div>3. Dust Breeding by Mike Tucker</div><div><br></div><div>I mainly enjoyed this one for a certain guest star, plus realising how much I enjoy listening to Sylvester McCoy.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Bang-Bang-a-Boom by Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman </div><div><br></div><div>I enjoyed The One Doctor very much, then this trumped it with its knowing parodies, false ending and spoon playing.</div><div><br></div><div>1. Master by Joseph Lidster</div><div><br></div><div>Nothing you're expecting, but all the better for it. Also, Philip Madoc.</div><div><br></div><div>TOP 3 COLIN BAKER</div><div>3. The First Sontarans by Andrew Smith</div><div><br></div><div>You expect an origin story, but Andrew takes a totally different angle on that idea. Much better than The Two Doctors.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Davros by Lance Parkin</div><div><br></div><div>The wonderful Terry Molloy carries this play with no need for Daleks.</div><div><br></div><div>1. The Holy Terror by Robert Shearman</div><div><br></div><div>Still probably my favourite play overall - funny, irreverent, shocking, very clever, daring and bonkers.</div><div><br></div><div>TOP 3 PETER DAVISON</div><div>3. The Game by Darin Henry</div><div><br></div><div>Something of a surprise as it looked thoroughly unengaging. But one of several Fifth Doctor plays to get a boost from a terrific Peter Davison performance.</div><div><br></div><div>2. The Kingmaker by Nev Fountain</div><div><br></div><div>This might become a favourite after another listen. Irreverent medieval humour with Arthur Smith, Richard III and a special guest. The bravura final episode deserves applause.</div><div><br></div><div>1. Omega by Nev Fountain</div><div><br></div><div>Entertaining and interesting throughout ... And then a cliffhanger turns everything upside down in a spectacular manner. Nev Fountain is now a name that makes me anticipate a play keenly.</div><div><br></div><div>TOP 1 TOM BAKER</div><div>1. Destination: Nerva by Nicholas Briggs</div><div><br></div><div>I've only listened to one of these. I liked it, but perhaps more for a spot- on Tom and Louise than its script. Why is it on Nerva anyway?</div><div><br></div><div>TOP 3 OTHERS</div><div>3. The Coup by Simon Guerrier (UNIT)</div><div><br></div><div>I know it's only short, but it served as a great curtain raiser for what would be an underwhelming franchise. I like the twist and Nick Courtney is better used here than in its sequel.</div><div><br></div><div>2. The Mahogany Murderers by Andy Lane (Companion Chronicle)</div><div><br></div><div>I have yet to listen to any of the Jago & Litefoot adventures, but if this is anything to go by, that's a treat to come. The story is fine, but secondary to the telling.</div><div><br></div><div>1. Sympathy for the Devil by Jonathan Clements (Unbound)</div><div><br></div><div>My favourite by far of the Unbound plays, pairing an alt-exiled Doctor with an embittered Brig who once blew up London. And then there's Sam Kisgart.</div><div><br></div><div>Loads of great stories there...loads to come too.</div>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-78431836853819313062014-10-05T04:58:00.001-07:002014-10-05T06:29:20.626-07:00The 2014 season: half-time scoreBecause I don't want to say much about Kill The Moon, to avoid spoilers, I decided instead to write a blog about the entire season so far. We're halfway through – in fact, more than halfway through – so, what do I think of Peter Capaldi's first season so far?<div><br></div><div>(Note: I am writing this without having re-watched any of the episodes. First impressions only.)<br><div><br></div><div>1. The 12th Doctor himself is growing on me over the course of the season. As he should be. He seemed very uncertain about the role to begin with, but possibly that was intentional. He remains irascible and grumpy, but in The Caretaker, despite this, he was far more likeable than in Robot of Sherwood. For me, his finest moment today… Will be something I come to later.</div></div><div><br></div><div>2. Clara is much, much better this year. As she becomes more Northern, she develops more personality. She also gets loads to do.</div><div><br></div><div>3. I like Danny Pink (but harbour theories about where the arc might take us) and Courtney was surprisingly good too.</div><div><br></div><div>4. I am intrigued about Missy.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Unsure why we have to spend so much time at Waterloo Road...sorry, Coal Hill. I hope the next companion actually travels with the Doctor.</div><div><br></div><div>6. Moffat is, I believe, trying hard to counteract accusations of misogyny. He's being more or less successful with some slips: Kill The Moon (OK, he didn't write it) aces the infamous Bechdel test and is the first episode this year to realise the Doctor doesn't have to insult Clara's appearance to prove he doesn't fancy her.</div><div><br></div><div>7. Proper scares: especially Listen and this week's spider things.</div><div><br></div><div>8. Time Heist is more fun than Who's been since, ooh, The Unicorn and the Wasp? Speaking of which, The Caretaker equals The Lodger in terms of quality.</div><div><br></div><div>SOME SPOILERS BELOW</div><div><br></div><div>9. The argument between Clara and the Doctor yesterday is one of the best moments yet and Capaldi's face when he sees he's pushed her too far is his highlight thus far. My first reference point was Resurrection of the Daleks, but really it's episode 4 of The Massacre. This is how Peri should've left.</div><div><br></div><div>10. Listen upends Who mythology like The Doctor's Wife before it. Nothing has actually changed since, so it gets away with it. </div><div><br></div><div>11. Although I remain on the fence about the season's earliest episodes, I'm saying this year we haven't had a duffer yet. That's already more hits than series 7 managed.</div><div><br></div><div>So, on the whole - bravo.</div>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-46614348296318550332014-06-15T11:14:00.005-07:002014-06-15T11:14:58.596-07:00Doctor Who - Science Fiction or Fantasy?<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>This article was originally printed in "Celestial Toyroom", the magazine of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. You may also wish to read my blog post entitled "<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/should-there-be-female-doctor.html" target="_blank">Should there be a female Doctor?</a>" which also debuted in CT.</i></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It
would be possible simply to point at documentary evidence to show that <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span> has always been labelled
“science fiction”. Take a look at the opening sentence in the show’s Wikipedia
entry. Look at quotes from acetic acid aficionado Sydney Newman, a confirmed
sci-fi fan who wanted to create a sci-fi series. How about the TV announcement
in <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Remembrance of the Daleks</span>:
“Saturday viewing continues with an adventure in the new science fiction series…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But
we can do better than that. Never mind what the creators thought they were
making – did they succeed? Various writers have tried to dispute its claims to
the genre: no less a writer than Sir Terry Pratchett (quite my favourite
novelist, incidentally) used his guest editing of SFX Magazine in 2010 to
declare that “people who don’t know what science fiction is, say that Doctor
Who is science fiction” which is patronising in the extreme. The same
article berates Russell T Davies for his cop-out writing, while lazily never
bothering to provide support for its points (the sonic screwdriver is sniffily
dismissed with a brief “I don’t think so”). Sir Pterry also says <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</span> only “approaches science
fiction”, leaving one to wonder why he accepted guest editorship of a science
fiction magazine in the first place!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Let’s get this clear then: what is science fiction?
Back to Wikipedia: apparently, it is a genre dealing with “imaginative content
such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel,
time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life…it is similar to,
but differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its
imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically established or
scientifically postulated physical laws”. That’s quite good, and we can all
reel off examples of each of the above from <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Who</span>. Meanwhile, fantasy “commonly uses magic and other supernatural
phenomena” in its stories.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It is mandatory at this point to refer to <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daemons</span>, specifically the Doctor’s
assertion that “all the magical traditions are just remnants of … advanced
science”. The script doggedly keeps coming back to this well-worn notion, as famously
stated by noted science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke in his third law: any
sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. The 20<sup>th</sup>
century episodes, by and large, follow this maxim so that everything from ghosts
to the abominable snowmen gets a scientific explanation – or, at least,
something that sounds like one!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">(From time to time, the show slips “sideways in time”
and gives us a story that can’t be easily explained away. Morgaine seems to use
magic, Omega can control the universe beyond the black hole with his will and
the White Guardian seems to have godlike powers. Nonetheless, to dub the whole
of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span> “fantasy” on the basis
of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Celestial Toymaker</span> and <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mind Robber</span> seems an odd decision as
these stories are very much in the minority. Whenever a fantasy story is
attempted, we’re usually told that we’re in “another dimension” where anything
might be possible. A fig leaf, perhaps, but the fact that it seems necessary is
indicative.)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Let’s get back to how it all started. Ian and Barbara
meet a strange old man in a junkyard, but he’s no wizard with a magic cabinet:
he’s instantly established as an alien from “another time, another world”. His
TARDIS is a technological marvel, firmly scientific. He operates controls and
they go back in time, spending the next three episodes trying to survive in a
past era. Essentially, this takes a premise from Mark Twain (<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court</span>)
and gets there via H.G.Wells (<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Time
Machine</span>). The shift in emphasis is important. Twain’s time traveller goes
back about 13 centuries by accident, without much in the way of explanation,
whereas in the Wells novel an actual machine has to be built first. Both novels
would have an influence on <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span>
– given its ongoing motif of technological artefacts being taken for magic, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Time Warrior</span> is almost a free
adaptation of Twain’s plot – but there can be no doubt that it was Wells who
was taken as the show’s spiritual father. Otherwise, Mark Twain might have
taken a trip to Karfel.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Having left 100,000BC behind, the Doctor and his
companions next fetch up on the planet Skaro, where very understandable
circumstances (nuclear war) have led to very understandable mutations. There’s
nothing supernatural or fantastical about the Daleks – or, for that matter, the
Cybermen, Sontarans, Silurians or Zygons. Even creatures as obviously
ridiculous as the Nimon or the Kandy Man are given a scientific basis. By and
large, this trend continues into the twenty first century, with technological
upsets at the heart of everything from <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Empty Child</span> to <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Town Called Mercy</span>.
Even the Weeping Angels, as originally conceived, have a sci-fi basis.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">As I began to research this article, by coincidence, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DWM</span> writer Cavan Scott began a
discussion on this very subject on Twitter. The resulting comments were very
revealing, with a near-majority preferring to avoid the question entirely:
“it’s drama”; “<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span> is its own
genre” and the like. Others liked to differentiate between “hard” and “soft”
science fiction, which I’ve always found to be an odd distinction. Presumably,
because the show is populist and showbizzy, it can’t be in the same league as
Alfred Bester and William Gibson – although given that the genre’s fathers were
responsible for <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">War of the Worlds</span> and
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</span>, I’m not
sure where the pretension to high art comes from.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">A third, significant debate can be summed up by the
tweeter who opined: “It’s just fantasy now. The TARDIS is regarded as a magic
box. The sonic screwdriver is used as a wand.” Is there any substance to the
idea that modern <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span> is more
akin to fantasy than its 20<sup>th</sup> century antecedent was? Perhaps –
without doing tedious number-crunching to check, it does seem that the
proportion of fantasy-tinged stories (from <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Turn
Left </span>to <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night Terrors</span>) has gone
up. The sonic screwdriver can indeed do virtually anything these days, from
blowing up Daleks to re-attaching barbed wire. The Time Lords – once a bunch of
old men on a planet who have council meetings – are now a legendary race hidden
in a scar in time/space who can send magic energy to the Doctor. The Doctor
even adopted “Fantastic!” as a catchphrase. The influences of popular fantasy
writers such as Philip Pullman and C.S.Lewis have been seen clearly.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Mention of Lewis reminds me of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe</span>, surely the most
conspicuously fantastic episode of all. Trees grow baubles, a Christmas present
contains a portal to a Narnia-esque world, wooden statues guard the souls of
trees and a woman steers a vessel using emotion and willpower. Nonetheless,
Steven Moffat puts all this in the context of miners from Androzani Major,
weather control (a staple of some of the most SF-heavy stories of the sixties)
and, in the pre-titles sequence, an exploding spaceship. I’m not saying it’s
good science fiction, but the effort is made to ground it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
thing is, they really don’t need to make all that effort. If they want to do
fantasy, we’re happy to go along with it. The whole of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amy’s Choice</span> centres around a piece of psychic pollen, which is
unrelated to any kind of science I know. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kinda</span>
and <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snakedance</span> only make sense if we
ignore science altogether and take our cues from philosophy. Yet we don’t go
around decrying these stories as “oddballs” or “not proper <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span>”. In fact, those stories which try hardest to look and
feel like “proper sci-fi” – such as, for example, last year’s <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rings of Akhaten</span> and <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS</span> –
seem to do badly in the court of public opinion. So the showrunners (across the
years) have clearly ensured <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span>
remains science fiction out of personal choice – not just to mollify some
fictional fantasy-phobic demographic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">If
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who</span> is closer to fantasy now than
once it was, perhaps it’s because science fiction, popularly speaking, is also
closer to fantasy now. I picked up an edition of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SciFiNow</span> magazine recently, whose title is fairly unambiguous in
signalling its intentions. I was struck by quite how much of it was full of
superheroes. You really have to look very closely at superhero films to decide
that they are examples of science fiction. Furthermore, much of the rest of the
magazine is filled with articles on shows like <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">True Blood</span>, and if vampires are sci-fi now then all bets are off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">One
final piece of evidence, which will surely be the clincher. I was a pre-school <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</span> nut until the winter of 1980,
when two things happened. One, I went to school. Two, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Metal Mickey</span> started. But it was because of that second event that
I watched Tom, Lalla and Matthew blunder around E-Space. I was interested in <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span> because it was science
fiction. Later, I became interested in other science fiction – John Wyndham, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blake’s Seven</span>, Douglas Adams, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</span> – because it shared a genre
with <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</span>. Exactly as Sydney
Newman intended.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<i><br /></i>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-35836641051863975442014-04-14T14:31:00.000-07:002014-04-14T14:31:15.526-07:00Should there be a female Doctor?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>This article was originally printed in "Celestial Toyroom", the magazine of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.</i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Should
there be a female Doctor?” If your answer is “yes”, then ask yourself this –
now? How would a female lead suit the programme as it stands now? Would she be
awesome? Or would she suffer from the show’s ingrained sexism?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Throughout
its history, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> cannot be
said to have an unblemished attitude as far as its treatment of women is
concerned. Retrospectives of the show such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thirty Years in the TARDIS </i>acknowledged its sexism quite baldly and
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Resistance Is Useless </i>even showed a
compilation of clips entitled “Leave It To Me, Dear”. The show would reference
this within its own dialogue: sensible (if mini-skirted) scientist Liz Shaw
stomps off between seasons because the role of the Doctor’s assistant equals
“someone to pass you your test tubes and to tell you how brilliant you are”.
Companions like Leela were often quoted as being there “for the dads”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But
we’ve moved on now, haven’t we? Shouldn’t 21<sup>st</sup> century <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> have left such tendencies
behind? The 1996 TV Movie made steps towards gender equality by presenting a
companion who may wear a ball gown but keeps her body covered up and presents
the Doctor with a counter-offer when he invites her to join him. I would argue
that the Davies era was also generally positive in this regard, but the ball
has been dropped on several occasions since Steven Moffat took over in 2010.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
Eleventh Doctor’s first female companion was Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan.
Now, it’s hardly a new thing for an attractive young female actress to be cast,
but there was a clear distinction between Amy and her immediate predecessors.
However attractive Billie Piper might actually be, Rose Tyler was never
fetishised in the way that Amy is. Try and find Rose or Martha in a miniskirt.
Publicity photos of these young, attractive women tended to look “cool” rather
than “sexy”. Karen, meanwhile, begins in a kissogram outfit. It takes her until
the end of the season before she gets to put on trousers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It’s
not all about fashion, of course – it’s also about the way in which Amy is
written and how people react to her. Infamously, she pounces on the Doctor at
the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flesh and Stone</i>. She
spends the entirety of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Christmas Carol</i>
in a sex outfit. The special episodes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Space</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Time</i> (Comic Relief fun for all
the family) relied on the idea of Amy having sex with herself and Rory looking
up her skirt. Upon leaving the TARDIS, she instantly becomes a supermodel with
very little apparent effort. And if she’s not being sexy, she’s being pregnant
(twice) or crying because she can’t get pregnant. This girl just can’t stop
Being Female. Rose, Martha and Donna were content simply being female.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
used the word “girl” just now, quite deliberately. Both Amy and her successor
(in more ways than one) Clara are given this infantilising epithet: “The Girl
Who Waited”; “The Impossible Girl”. For the record, they are women. But then,
I’m not sure Clara even qualifies as that. She’s a cypher, a plot device,
fulfilling a function. Her purpose in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Who</i> is to act as the Doctor’s motivation, his obsession – by appearing in
three different guises then being split across the Doctor’s timeline (in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Name of the Doctor</i>), she appears
more as an archetype than a living, breathing character.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Amy
and Clara suffer from a malaise called “male gaze”. This occurs when a female
character or situation involving her has been created or written for a
heterosexual man’s viewing pleasure. So, for example, Oswin (aka Clara)
discussing her “bisexual phase” just to excite Rory. Or Madame Vastra and
Jenny, whose relationship exists for jokes far more often than for any actual
evidence of love or tenderness. In her 2013 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New
Statesman</i> article “I was a Manic Pixie Dream Girl”, feminist writer Laurie
Penny criticises recent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> in
exactly these terms:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Men grow up
expecting to be the hero of their own story. Women grow up expecting to be the
supporting actress in somebody else’s.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
2005 series began with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rose</i> and the
focus was on Rose, entering the mysterious world of the Doctor and having an
adventure. Story titles now tend to refer to the Doctor, either blatantly (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Day of the Doctor</i>) or obliquely (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Eleventh Hour</i>) and it is the girls
who are the enigmas. Clara isn’t even aware of her own arc plot until the
circumstances arrive for her to kill herself. “I was born to save the Doctor” –
so much for autonomy. But even worse is the Doctor’s attitude towards her: did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anyone</i> fail to flinch when <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nightmare in Silver</i> ended with our
favourite time-travelling grandfather commenting on “a skirt that’s just a
little bit too…tight”?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Forget
Russell T Davies’s alleged “gay agenda” – it’s Steven Moffat’s “straight
agenda” that has really had an effect on the show. From 2005-2009, the Doctor was
kissed by one man. From 2010 onwards, he can’t keep his mind off women. And they
can’t keep their hands off him. He begins the 2011 season hiding under a 17<sup>th</sup>
century woman’s skirts naked. Incredibly, he seems to get married to Marilyn
Monroe. And as for Queen Nefertiti – this extraordinarily famous and powerful
historical figure begins her episode fondling the Doctor and ends it shacking
up with a chauvinist hunter who wants to spank her. In between, she is treated
as a commodity to be traded. I am not making this up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Oh,
I know, I’m going on a bit about this. I probably come across as though I don’t
like this show. I do, really. Why else would I bother thinking about it in such
detail that I get all cross and write something like this? Because I would love
to enjoy an episode about dinosaurs rattling around a Silurian spaceship without
having to think about patriarchy. And it’s not just me. I sent out a tweet
asking if anyone had opinions about this. Boy, did they. (Thanks, incidentally,
to those whose ideas I have borrowed.) Troublingly, if you type “Steven Moffat”
into Google, its third suggestion is “Steven Moffat sexist”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I’ll
allow there are some strong women in recent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Who</i>. One might name Liz Ten, Madge Arwell or Kate Stewart. (Although, if
being picky: silenced and duped figurehead; self-sacrificing mother; nepotistic
chip off the old block.) And of course there are the evil women: Madame
Kovarian, Miss Kizlet, Alaya and Restac, Miss Gillyflower. They’re certainly
strong characters. But then, is being “strong” enough? Here’s Sophia
MacDougall, again from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Statesman </i>this
year:</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">“No one ever asks if a male character is “strong”. Nor
if he’s “feisty,” or “kick-ass” come to that. The obvious thing to say here is
that this is because he’s assumed to be “strong” by default. Part of the
patronising promise of the Strong Female Character is that she’s anomalous.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
most important female character of the Moffat era is River Song. Although Alex
Kingston’s name is yet to grace the opening titles, of the 18 episodes since
2010 written to date by Steve Moffat himself, a whopping 11 of them have
featured Mrs Who. When assessing her as a character – and as a central part of
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> mythos – it’s
instructive to go back and watch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Silence
in the Library</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forest of the Dead</i>,
written by Steven Moffat under the aegis of Russell T Davies. River, here, is a
mildly enigmatic character in a spacesuit. She’s an archaeologist who happens
to probably be the Doctor’s future wife. The only gun she fires is Captain
Jack’s old square-gun and she fires it at walls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Since
then, she has evolved (backwards) into a self-proclaimed “psychopath”, flirting
with anyone she meets then drugging them with her lipstick. If they filmed her
debut story now, she’d have at least three costume changes. Back then, she
appeared to be a self-possessed, intelligent, resourceful, adventurous,
professional woman and I could believe that someone like David Tennant’s Doctor
could fall for her one day. Now, any idea that she is the Doctor’s equal has
gone out the window. From the womb, her destiny, personality and everything
were controlled by a religious cult. She was raised to kill the Doctor; adopted
the name “River Song” because of the Doctor; became an archaeologist just to
find the Doctor; spent years in prison for killing the Doctor, even though she
didn’t; dies to save the Doctor (just like Clara) and gets uploaded to a hard
drive for all eternity because “he doesn’t like endings”. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And
she just accepts all this. Not one scene where she wigs out about the mess that
has been made of her life. River is the closest thing we’ve yet had to a female
Doctor (this side of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Warriors’ Gate</i>,
anyway) and possibly indicates what such a character would be like at this
time. I’m looking forward to the forthcoming Peter Capaldi era, but really,
what I want from it most of all is the phasing out of the male gaze.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Should
there be a female Doctor?” This is, I believe, the wrong question. Much more
importantly – isn’t it about time there was a female showrunner?</span></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-30739115552703218542013-07-17T09:45:00.001-07:002013-07-17T09:45:43.459-07:00Big Finish episode 2: the hiatusTime for another roundup of my Big Finish listening habits. I said I'd do the next one when I'd listened to 50 plays, but in fact I've heard 38. However, with the school term ending - and given that it's the journeys to and from work when I listen - I'm on hiatus and will listen to play no.39 in September.<br />
<br />
What should that play be? Advice welcome. The next batch I'm listening to run from November 2003 (immediately after "Zagreus", which was story 50) up until December 2004 (with the end of Paul McGann's Divergent Universe saga - The Next Life is story 64). I'm also including all the Excelis and Unbound audios.<br />
<br />
To see my Top 10 of the first 25 I listened to, go here: http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/beginning-big-finish.html<br />
<br />
*some spoilers below* <br />
The most recent 13 have included a fair few that...well, were a little disappointing or unmemorable. Too many of them don't really seem to be about anything and end up resolving themselves too neatly,. which doesn't matter because nothing that happened made sense anyway. "The Time of the Daleks" is a particular culprit in this regard, but the other Dalek plays - "The Apocalypse Element" and "The Mutant Phase" - were also noisy but empty. Two of these plays are peculiarly well-suited to audio, but "Embrace the
Darkness" was more interesting in the end than "Whispers of Terror". "Project Twilight" and "Project Lazarus" promise much, but deliver less: and the Forge just reminds me of the Initiative from Buffy.<br />
<br />
Then there are a whole batch of plays that see "Doctor Who" disappear up its own arsehole. "The Sirens of Time" could be forgiven if it were only written a little better. "Auld Mortality" operates by different rules anyway, as the first in the Unbound series with a whole new actor playing the Doctor and it does have a talking elephant in it. Most interesting are the two plays which bring the Eighth Doctor's second run to a close, resolve the Charley Paradox and celebrate the show's 40th birthday.<br />
<br />
In the run-up to the 50th on TV, it's interesting to see how Gary Russell, Alan Barnes and everyone behind the scenes chose to celebrate ten years ago. The Eighth Doctor audios had proved they were best with one-off atmospheric stories with the arc in the background - "Seasons of Fear", "Chimes of Midnight" and "Minuet in Hell" are the best examples. So to "Neverland", which is, essentially, a series of very long conversations in almost unimaginable locations (the Matrix, the Time Station, the Planetoid-cum-TARDIS, the void-like place where the antagonists hang out). Charley transmogrifies into a CVE (or something), Rassilon is reimagined, the web of time becomes almost incomprehensible and the ending is good.<br />
<br />
"Zagreus" doesn't really follow through on that cliffhanger, which promises an evil Doctor but instead gives us a confused one. We hear a lot about how powerful Zagreus is, but he never really does anything. There's a lot more guff about Rassilon and anti-time and stuff. Crucially, for the largest part of the story, nothing is really happening. The Brigadier (but not really) and Charley pop in and out of other people's stories while the Doctor talks to a cat.<br />
<br />
Of course, I loved it. It's there to push fannish buttons. The gimmick is that almost every part is played by an actor better knows for other roles, from Elisabeth Sladen and Sarah Sutton to Maggie Stables and Conrad Westmaas. Infamously, old clips of Jon Pertwee play the Third Doctor, although with so much production that I couldn't understand half of it. These pieces of stunt casting successfully mask the fact that some of these will become important later in the story, and also made me wish Steven Moffat had adopted something similar for the most recent season. Just imagine - Colin Baker instead of David Warner, Sylvester McCoy instead of Jason Watkins, Peter Davison instead of Dougray Scott.<br />
<br />
There's also a great bit where several of the characters realise they're in a location familiar to us through 1980s Who. The moment they say so, I'm begging for a familiar incidental music sting. Then - after a few seconds' tease - it arrives. Cue end of episode. Punch the air, big smiles.<br />
<br />
Anyway. I listened to two which enter my top rank. Of these, "Bang-Bang-a-Boom" was constantly entertaining and plays a great trick with the end of episode 4. It is now at No.8 in my chart, between "The Marian Conspiracy" and "Minuet in Hell". Better yet is "Omega" - those three "Classic Villains" audios really were top notch. Not quite as good as "Davros" or "Master", nonetheless it's very clever and contains a genuinely surprising twist. Now at no.6, between "Chimes of Midnight" and "Marian".<br />
<br />
OK, see you in September. Please suggest plays for me to buy!Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-7856721195009165222013-05-19T14:26:00.000-07:002014-10-01T01:16:26.041-07:00Beginning Big FinishIn 1999, Big Finish started releasing original Doctor Who stories on CD. In 2012, I started listening to them.<br>
<br>
A little late to the party? Perhaps, but in 1999 I had no money. At all. I eventually bought The Genocide Machine in 2001, didn't get much into it for the price and gave up on the franchise there and then.<br>
<br>
But now, although I'm not exactly flush, I do at least have a job and - more to the point - a 90 minute journey to and from work every day. Suddenly, I realised I had a couple of hundred audio plays just waiting for me.<br>
<br>
So I started with Spare Parts. After about 10 stories, I got stuck. I'd decided to limit my listening to the first 50 stories (1999-2003), ending with Zagreus. This seems like the first "wave". So I asked Twitter what to buy next. @BigFinish retweeted me and a zillion people gave their opinions.<br>
<br>
The result is that, after 25 listens, I still have at least 10 to go before I feel ready to move beyond this initial comfort zone. But I have attained the quarter century, so here's my top 10 out of the 25 I've heard to date:<br>
<br>
10. DUST BREEDING<br>
Fantastic work from Geoffrey Beevers but even better from Sylvester McCoy, who is brilliant in all his audios.<br>
<br>
9. THE FIRES OF VULCAN<br>
I wasn't expecting much from this, but Bonnie Langford is unexpectedly listenable-to-able and it's far better than The Fires of Pompeii.<br>
<br>
8. THE ONE DOCTOR<br>
Comedy wasn't high on my list, but I listened to persuasion. And enlightenment. It's not so much Christopher Biggins who makes this one such a delight - it's the regulars and it's Matt Lucas waiting for a parcel.<br>
<br>
7. MINUET IN HELL<br>
The Hellfire Club stuff is off putting, but the villains, the Brig and the two Doctors are what make this work.<br>
<br>
6. THE MARIAN CONSPIRACY<br>
Historical works well on audio. Big Finish are also very strong on cliffhangers which rely on plot-related intrigue and there's a humdinger here.<br>
<br>
5. THE CHIMES OF MIDNIGHT<br>
The point at which The Space Museum meets Ghost Light, only good. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a few murders and a great deal of repetition.<br>
<br>
4. SEASONS OF FEAR<br>
Why isn't this better known? An epic spanning the Roman Empire and two other historical periods with a sense of fun and a satisfying denouement, plus great monsters.<br>
<br>
3. MASTER<br>
Beevers again, in a psychological drama which doesn't go where you'd expect. Philip Madoc is in it, being wonderful as usual.<br>
<br>
2. DAVROS<br>
I was about three-quarters of the way through this tour de force before I realised - The Daleks Aren't In It! Terry Molloy's Davros holds this together by himself while Colin Baker is also fantastic. Unswitchoffable.<br>
<br>
1. THE HOLY TERROR<br>
Moffat or a future showrunner should mend bridges with Rob Shearman. This is something of an oddball - Robert Jezek stars as Frobisher the Penguin; the scenario is off-beat and mind-boggling; and it's got Sam Kelly from 'Allo 'Allo in a pivotal role. So far, this is my favourite story.<br>
<br>
I'm starting on the next 25 now...first up will be The Apocalypse Element. Since I'm not planning on listening to every single story (some don't appeal at all), I'll be past Zagreus and into the next phase by the time I hit the big 5-0. Which may or may not be before the Doctor manages the same feat...Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-17120409228686080962013-05-11T23:54:00.001-07:002013-05-11T23:54:29.544-07:00What is the Name of the Doctor?Here is my list of suggestions for what the Name of the Doctor will be revealed to be in next week's season finale. Which do you think is the most likely?<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"Doctor". Or "Dok-torr" or something similar.</li>
<li>"Doctor Who"</li>
<li>"Doctor Foreman"</li>
<li>Something depressingly ordinary like "Alan" or "Simon"</li>
<li>"John Smith"</li>
<li>"Theta Sigma"</li>
<li>A Gallifreyan/alien sounding name like "Morpak" or "Parabia"</li>
<li>A Time Lord name we already know like "Rassilon" or "Omega"</li>
<li>Another old-series name we already know like "Davros" or "Sutekh" or "Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart" or "Za"</li>
<li>A new-series name we already know like "Rory" or "The Moxx of Balhoon"</li>
<li>"River Song" / "Melody Pond"</li>
<li>"Clara"</li>
<li>"The Face of Boe"</li>
<li>"Captain Jack Harkness"</li>
<li>A name we know from Earth history like "Hannibal" or "Leonardo"</li>
<li>A name from fiction like "Hamlet" or "Beowulf" or "Jabberwocky"</li>
<li>A Biblical name like "Adam" or "Abraham"</li>
<li>"Jesus"</li>
<li>Nothing at all - revelations will be dangled in front of us then snatched away, like they were 25 years ago.</li>
</ul>
I think the last one is the most likely...but probably even more likely is that Steven Moffat will present us with an official Name of the Doctor unrelated to anything I've said above.<br />
<br />
I just hope we're not disappointed by it.<br />
<br />
Which of these names would you least/most like to see? <br />
<ul>
<li><br /></li>
</ul>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-48740713269743001212013-04-29T13:33:00.003-07:002013-04-29T13:33:35.575-07:00"Whoever he or she may be..."Recently, I was discussing with a Doctor Who fan on Twitter that old chestnut of whether or not the Doctor should ever be played by a woman. The difference was that, today, this is a whole different discussion. In the 21st century, this is a thornier issue regarding equality and prejudice.<br />
<br />
When Tom Baker came out with that line for a laugh in 1980, no-one had seriously considered it before. It seems extraordinary in a way that whilst the world had accepted a Time Lord who could regenerate into an entirely new body, the idea that a male Time Lord could regenerate and become a female Time Lord seemed somehow a step too far. The general consensus - I believe (I was only four) - was that this would constitute a whole new character, rather than the continuation of his essence that existed from William Hartnell through to the current incumbent.<br />
<br />
Why is this? Why would the world have found this so hard in the eighties? It's not as if we were talking about JR Ewing or Kerr Avon - it was well established that the Doctor could be played by a variety of actors. However, it seems that only 50% of the population were eligible.<br />
<br />
What I don't recall, during the 20th century, is any discussion of a possible female Doctor which referenced the very real issue of the trans* community. Possibly it's because those words would have been as meaningless as Courtney Pine to a Cyberleader. At school in the 80s, I'd heard of transsexuals. They were men who felt they were women trapped in men's bodies (or vice versa). To solve this, they needed a sex change operation. This was my primitive understanding and not just because I was young - this seemed to be the prevailing wisdom amongst the adults I knew too.<br />
<br />
The world has moved on and become more enlightened. Television up to the 80s was very slow to embrace what would become known as political correctness - or its less maligned twin, equality. When Doctor Who returned in 2005, there was a scramble to right wrongs. Finally, the Doctor could sound Northern, Jack could be gay, Martha could be black and so on.<br />
<br />
I don't think there's anything to stop the BBC from including a trans* character in Doctor Who except fear. It wouldn't be uncontroversial; the recent sad case of the schoolteacher hounded by sections of the media and subsequently taking her own life shows that some people remain jittery about children being exposed to the concept of trans* people. This is their problem, but given Doctor Who's status as a children's programme, the Littlejohns of this world would be bound to get all Westboro on us. On the other hand, Waterloo Road have managed it.<br />
<br />
Back to my original point, though. Perhaps a companion could be trans* - but the Doctor?<br />
<br />
One needs to define gender. The notion that genitalia are a giveaway is now prehistoric; gender is generally held to be a question of identity which can only be decided by the person in question. (This makes those "It's a boy!" balloons a bit questionable. Suggested alternative: "It's a penis!")<br />
<br />
When a person identifies as trans (or indeed anything under the trans* banner) they consciously come to this conclusion in their own heads, then choose what to do about this. If these values are applied to the Doctor, does that help us understand how regeneration fits in here? Can we imagine a situation when he looks within himself and realises he wants to live as a woman? Being a Time Lord, he would have no need even to consider gender reassignment surgery - he can just regenerate.<br />
<br />
But since when are decisions involved in the Doctor's regenerations? "You never quite know what you're going to get." Say he did regenerate (accidentally, just as he accidentally became the non-ginger Matt Smith) into Emma Thompson or Olivia Colman - would that make him trans? The two processes are not equivalent - only the symptom (surface gender) is the same.<br />
<br />
The Doctor's regenerations may be arbitrary and chaotic but this isn't true for everyone. Just because he always becomes a white male, as do Borusa and the Master, it proves nothing. His dying ninth self suggests he could have two heads or no head. The possibilities have not had their limits drawn up.<br />
<br />
(There's certainly nothing wedding him to a race as Paterson Joseph's agent might agree. Romana proved this in Destiny of the Daleks by briefly turning blue...although frankly this opens up a whole can of worms. Even if a future incarnation is non-white, the show's still being racist towards blue people.)<br />
<br />
So, If Time Lords are able to switch gender on a whim (or by chance) - and the anecdotal evidence of The Corsair proves it is possible - then can they even be said to have a gender? A trans person decides on a definite identity at odds with their body; a Time Lord could transition back and forth willy nilly. If you'll pardon the phrase.<br />
<br />
Could the Doctor be a transsexual? In theory, yes, although with some scripting difficulties: I don't know the figures on how many people at and beyond middle age discover this about themselves, but it would take a very good writer to persuade the audience that after hundreds of years the Doctor has finally made this leap. <br />
<br />
Could the Doctor regenerate into a female body? Yes, in theory. My contention is that these two questions are entirely distinct from each other. The first concerns the soul (or other concept of your choice); the last, merely the body.<br />
<br />
-----<br />
<br />
P.S. I'm not an expert. If you are, and you can see that I've made a faux pas with terminology in this blog, please tell me and, assuming you're right, I'll adjust it. I certainly have no wish to offend anyone (except those who deserve to be offended).<br /> If you simply disagree with me, I'm happy to debate that. Please don't confuse an honest mistake with an accidental fluff, though. Let's keep this friendly.Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-19380196302630734822012-11-12T11:55:00.001-08:002012-11-13T15:07:50.308-08:00Doctor Who Do You Think You Are?It's been a while since I've written a blog, so here's a list of Doctor Who episode/story titles mashed up with TV shows. Be reassured that the worst of them didn't make the blog.<br />
<br />
Horror of 30 Rock<br />
The Armageddon Krypton Factor<br />
Wide Awakening Club<br />
Britain's Got Talons of Weng-Chiang<br />
The Mister Makers<br />
Strictly Come Snake Dancing<br />
Escape to the City (of death)<br />
The Five Flying Doctors<br />
Six Feet Underworld<br />
Time Team and the Rani<br />
Michael Palin's Full Circle<br />
T4 to Doomsday<br />
Planet of Fireman Sam<br />
<br />
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-5137260043868482002012-10-13T10:43:00.001-07:002012-10-13T10:43:17.917-07:00The Exciting Guide to The RescueI accidentally skipped a week, but I'm back with a new companion and a new phase for the programme! Originally from August 1999, here's my take on <i>The Rescue</i>!<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Eleven</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Story Code</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">L</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Spoiler Alert!</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t want to know
the true nature of Koquillion, as revealed in this story’s final episode, skip
this one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
Rescue</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Friends” Title</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
One With The Pet Sand Beast</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Episode Titles</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
Powerful Enemy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Desperate
Measures</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Current availability</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Both
episodes exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Source</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">UK
Gold omnibus repeat transmission.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The cliffhanger at the
story’s end is again omitted.</span></i><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Date</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">2493.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Vicki’s
ship left Earth in 2493.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By all
inferences, that is still the year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Genre</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Mystery/Whodunnit</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Plot synopsis</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The TARDIS lands in a cave on the
planet Dido.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian and Barbara explore,
and find a crashed Earth ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
confronted by the bizarre semi-humanoid creature Koquillion, who persuades Ian
to return to the Ship to fetch the Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The creature pushes Barbara from the ledge, and causes a rockfall to
block the cave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara is rescued by
Vicki, one of only two survivors from the crashed ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to her story, she was ill in the
ship when the entire crew were invited to a meeting by the local inhabitants,
only for an explosion to wipe out all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Only Bennett survived, but was robbed of the ability to walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Koquillion now controls their lives, in
return for protection from the rest of his people, but Vicki believes he does
not know about the rescue ship due in 69 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Meanwhile, Ian and the Doctor are finding their way out of the caves,
but accidentally set off a mechanism which causes spears to emerge from the
wall, edging Ian towards a hideous creature waiting below.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian manages to dodge around the spears,
and they deactivate the trap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The creature
moves on towards the Earth ship - Barbara sees it approaching Vicki, and kills
it with a gun from the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, it turns out that the creature - “Sandy” - was harmless,
and effectively Vicki’s pet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this
point, the Doctor and Ian reach the ship to a less than rapturous welcome from
Vicki.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she calms down, the Doctor
goes to Bennett’s room to find it empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He follows his trail through a trap door to the natives’ hall of
judgement, where he unmasks Koquillion as Bennett.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had killed a crewmember from the ship, and
was under arrest, so arranged the deaths of the entire crew and the local
inhabitants as a cover-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor is
losing the ensuing struggle, but two of the natives unexpectedly turn up, and
Bennett is killed fleeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vicki is
asked to join the time-travellers, and accepts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Dido natives disable the communications equipment on the Earth
ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TARDIS leaves Dido, and next
materialises on the edge of a cliff, promptly tumbling off.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Pitch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Agatha
Christie with no suspects.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Money Shot</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Koquillion
is revealed by the TARDIS (episode 1).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Doctor and his kind</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Susan’s departure certainly seems to have affected the Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sleeps through the Ship’s materialisation
for the first time, and is more than ready to invite Vicki on board - Barbara
shrewdly recognises his need to replace Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, he doesn’t seen overly tetchy or prone to brooding,
both of which one might have expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, he seems positively jaunty!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor says that he never got a degree in medicine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
He remains a patronising arse, as proved in his attitude towards Vicki on the
Earth ship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The TARDIS log</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor states that “materialise” is a better word for the TARDIS than
“land.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The wheezing, groaning sound is all present and correct here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a thought - what if that noise is
another of the TARDIS’ faults, and the occasions where it arrives or departs
silently were rare occasions when the Ship has worked properly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would explain not only that conundrum,
but also suggest that the ridiculously bumpy dematerialisation witnessed in
episode one of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unearthly Child</i> was
a further flaw.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor makes a point of turning the power off once the Ship has
materialised.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Apparently, No.4 switch opens the door.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Ian uses the Doctor’s key to get into the TARDIS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is it that he managed this, considering
how complex the lock is supposed to be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One can only presume that (a) since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Daleks</i>, the Doctor has simplified the lock, or (b) he has taken time out to
instruct Ian and Barbara in how to use the key properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless anyone’s got any better suggestions, I
am going to plump for (a).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Past Journies</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor has visited Dido before, and can tell where he is by examining rock
samples.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The history of Earth</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Manned space flights are apparently fairly standard in the late twenty-fifth
century, although time travel is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bennett, as Koquillion, asks Ian and Barbara where their “rocket ship”
is, but this somewhat primitive terminology was probably supposed to be in
character.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Alien Worlds</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
From what we have seen of it, the planet Dido is rocky and not very
hospitable-looking, with a network of caves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
It gets dark early on Dido.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The inhabitants of Dido are humanoid, with a rich ceremonial tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are a friendly race, and violence is
completely alien to their natures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
the Doctor first visited Dido, their population numbered barely a hundred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no way of knowing whether this
second visit has occurred before or after the first, or what the population of
Dido was before the Earth ship crashed, but thanks to Bennett, it is now
considerably less.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dido is also host to large, ugly, vegetarian beasts with green eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Script Heaven</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Vicki “Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>I’ve</u> been here a long time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what it’s like here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve only just come and you’re trying to
ruin things!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all right before, it
was!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rescue ship’s coming
and...nobody asked you to come here, nobody!...Go away!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what’s so good about it is, she’s <u>so</u>
<u>right</u>!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Villainous Plotting</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
In order to cover up his murder, Bennett takes advantage of the ship’s crash,
and of the subsequent meeting between the ship’s crew and the local
inhabitants, to engineer an explosion to wipe the lot out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By blaming the whole thing on the locals, and
using Koquillion to keep Vicki in line, he’ll be rescued in a few days with a
star witness and be completely off the hook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nice plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a better one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kill Vicki as well, then you won’t have to
dress up as a monster or pretend to be a paraplegic for the rest of your
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cunning, eh?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Doctor’s Achievement</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">He
unmasks Bennett’s little scheme and puts an end to it, although arguably
there’s no reason why those two natives couldn’t have stepped forward and had a
go at him anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also gives Vicki a
home and a family again, which is nice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Body Count</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Despite
the large body count in the backplot, only Bennett and Sandy die during the
course of the story:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">2.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Screams / Twists Ankle</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Vicki is <u>not</u> short for Victoria.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Vicki is now an orphan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mother died
a while ago, and she and her father boarded a ship bound for Astra, only to
crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her father was then killed by
Bennett.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even her pet monster was shot
by Barbara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A ripe candidate, then, for
adoption by the time travellers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Checkov’s Plot Device</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Checkov’s
Supposedly Dead Natives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, doesn’t
wash with me, either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">EffectsWatch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
For the second story in a row, the dodgiest effect is the big ‘orrible monster.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
I believe this is the first story since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An
Unearthly Child</i> not to start with the regulars in the Ship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
In the end credits to episode one (which I have not, of course, been privileged
to see), Koquillion is credited as “Sydney Wilson.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a pseudonym so as not to give away
the character’s true identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The name
derives from two of the series’ creators - Sydney Newman and Donald Wilson.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
There is a nice - and very telling - moment near the beginning when the Doctor
starts to address Susan before realising she isn’t there any more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The basic plot of this episode<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- where
an unconvincing monster terrorises the central cast, only to be de-masked in
the closing moments and promptly apprehended by the authorities - was later
turned into a long-running TV cartoon series, entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scooby Doo</i>. (NB. I would like to point out that I wrote this months
before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DWM</i> said exactly the same
thing in Issue 286.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humph.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Queries</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
If the inhabitants of Dido are so friendly, where do the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indiana Jones</i>-style spears sticking out of the wall come from?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
If the only exit from Bennett’s room is via a secret trap door, how did Vicki
think Koquillion left the ship in the first episode?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why did the ship crash?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why did Bennett kill the crewmember?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
How did the natives survive?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
How many of the natives have survived?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Where have they been all this time?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
How are these peaceful people going to prevent that rescue ship from
landing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how will sabotaging the
crashed ship help in this?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
How the hell did Bennett hope to keep up the illusion of being crippled when he
had his first medical examination on the rescue ship?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">On-screen Credits</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Taken from end credits to
Desperate Measures.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">CAST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Vicki - Maureen O’Brien, Bennett & Koquillion - Ray
Barrett, Space Captain - Tom Sheridan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">CREW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Written
by David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron
Grainer with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidental Music by Tristram Cary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Costumes supervised by Daphne Dare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Make-up supervised by Sonia Markham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Designer - Raymond P Cusick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Directed by Christopher Barry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Review</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">It’s
difficult to know what to make of this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It does show a great deal of promise, and then rushes to an end after
only two episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, this could be a
good thing - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Keys Of Marinus</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dalek Invasion Of Earth</i> have all
shown that when <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> tries to
over-extend its stories, they have a tendency to become bitty and lack
continuity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But two episodes is pushing
it a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, this two-parter -
written by the series’ story editor - is blatantly a vehicle to introduce the
new regular character, Vicki.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And boy
aren’t we glad of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I shall
reserve judgement upon this character for the moment, until we’ve seen a bit
more of her - it could go either way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But she’s already a damn sight preferable to Susan - get that delicious
moment when she has a go at the perpetually well-meaning travellers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this scene would have been just annoying with
Carole Ann Ford doing her “emotional” bit, but with Maureen O’Brien it’s great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also shows the travellers up for what they
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at Barbara - she’s got so
cocky with this space travel lark now she think she can show up, take stock of
the situation at a glance, and open fire on anything that looks ugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about time they all got taken down a peg
or two, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if Vicki was made to apologise to
everyone afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he plot is a nonsense, the
two-episode format meaning that so many questions are left unanswered (see
above) that it’s perfectly obvious that it just wasn’t thought through well
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this could have made a
decent four-parter, but the concepts are wasted on what is effectively a basic
introduction story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, if that’s
what it is, at least it takes the opportunity to give her background, a
personality and a few good, weighty scenes to chew on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the new improved TARDIS crew is going
to be enjoyable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"> <b>Rating</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">5 / 10<b> </b></span></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-76217580259156642432012-09-30T09:04:00.001-07:002012-09-30T09:04:04.570-07:00The Exciting Guide to The Dalek Invasion of Earth!So, Amy and Rory have left the TARDIS at the hands of arguably the Doctor's most prominent returning enemies. Let's look back at a similar situation in season 2, when the first ever companion departure occurred following six episodes of Dalek action.<br />
<br />
And wow. Back in 1999, I really wasn't keen on "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" - and even less keen on Susan!<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Ten</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Story Code</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">K</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
Dalek Invasion Of Earth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Friends” Title</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
One With Daleks In London</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Episode Titles</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">World’s
End</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
Daleks</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Day
Of Reckoning</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
End Of Tomorrow</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
Waking Ally</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Flashpoint</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Current availability</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">All
six episodes exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Source</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">BBC
Video release.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Date</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">2167.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">A
calendar in the warehouse reads “2164.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This may, of course, be an old calendar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As the Daleks invaded Earth some ten years before this adventure, we can
place the invasion anywhere between 2154 and 2164, and the events of the story
about ten years afterwards - so anywhere between around 2163 and 2175.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">This
now enables some rough dating for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Daleks</i> as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be placed
anywhere between 2164 and 2664.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See
below for explanation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Personal Chronology</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">On
the above theme, I am saying that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Dalek Invasion Of Earth</i> takes place earlier in Dalek history than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Genre</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Alien
Invasion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Plot synopsis</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Ship arrives in London of the
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan manages to sprain her
ankle, as well as blocking the TARDIS door with fallen rubble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor and Ian go for help, and find a
dead man wearing a strange metal helmet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They return to the Ship, but Barbara and Susan have been taken away by
two men - Carl Tyler and David Campbell - to a secret hideaway, where they meet
the wheelchair-bound Dortmun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor
and Ian see a spaceship overhead, which lands at a heliport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They find themselves surrounded by helmeted
zombie-men, and plan to swim for it, but are blocked as a Dalek unexpectedly
rises from the Thames.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor and Ian are taken into the
Dalek saucer along with a man named Jack Craddock - a fourth man is killed
trying to escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They learn that Earth
has been invaded and is now under the control of the Daleks, who broadcast an
ultimatum - the resistance must surrender, or London will be destroyed with
firebombs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor manages to open
his cell door, but it was an intelligence test, and he is sent to be turned
into one of the Robomen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, the
resistance, along with Barbara and Susan, launch an attack on the saucer armed
with Dortmun’s new bombs, but the Doctor is already undergoing the robotising
process.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Most of the rebels are killed or
dispersed in the attack:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the bombs were
a failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Dalek saucer heads for
the Dalek mine in Bedfordshire - Ian stows away, although the Doctor has
escaped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian rescues a fellow stowaway
named Larry Madison from a robotised Craddock - Larry is hoping to find his
brother at the mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dortmun, Barbara
and another rebel called Jenny head for the Civic Transport Museum looking for
survivors, while Tyler goes elsewhere on the same mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dortmun makes improvements to his bomb, but
is killed testing it on a pair of Daleks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David and Susan find the Doctor, but as they are resting, the Daleks
place a firebomb nearby.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>David manages to defuse the bomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor passes out, presumably from a
combination of exhaustion and Dalek drugs, and Susan and David leave him in
hiding while they look for a way out of London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Barbara and Jenny flee London in a truck from the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David and Susan bump into Tyler in the sewers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan has a close shave with an alligator
before they all return to the Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ian and Larry reach the mine, and meet Ashton, a black marketeer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They try to get help from him, but he is
killed and they are trapped by the Slyther, a creature belonging to the Black
Dalek.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian and Larry manage to push the
Slyther down the mine to its death, but are accidentally lowered down the shaft
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry finds his brother
Phil, who has been robotised - the brothers kill each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor and party reach Bedfordshire:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan and David are obviously becoming
close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara and Jenny find shelter on
their way to the mine in a little house with two women, who promptly betray
them to the Daleks for food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Daleks
announce their intentions on Earth - to cause an explosion in the Earth’s
magnetic core, replacing it with a propulsion unit which will enable them to
pilot the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian is hiding inside
the penetration explosive device, as it moves into position.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">6.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian manages to disable the device and
escapes the Daleks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They fire it again,
but this time it becomes caught on a blockage engineered by Ian, although the
Daleks do not realise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They abandon the
mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor and Tyler rescue
Barbara and Jenny, while David and Susan manage to immobilise the remaining
Daleks:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara uses the Dalek equipment
to order the Robomen to turn against their masters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone flees the mine before it explodes,
taking the hovering Dalek saucers with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Earth is free, and the travellers return to London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the debris is cleared from the Ship,
the Doctor, Barbara and Ian leave:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan
is left behind to marry David.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Pitch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
Daleks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bit like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Independence Day</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Money Shot</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">A
Dalek rises from the Thames (episode 1).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Doctor and his kind</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
As in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sensorites</i>, the Doctor
professes a dislike of arms, and this time refuses to take a gun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Susan stays behind on Earth to marry David Campbell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m guessing this answers the question of
whether the Doctor and Cameca would have been sexually compatible!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
And how nice to know that the Doctor’s people chastise their children in the
same way we do! (See Script Heaven.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The TARDIS log</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The TARDIS again makes no sound when it lands, but the familiar wheezing,
groaning sound is present when it takes off at the end of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there any sort of pattern to this?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why does the scanner screen only show water?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know it hasn’t exactly been reliable of late, but isn’t it supposed to
show what’s directly outside the Ship?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, they weren’t actually <u>in</u> the Thames!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, it was broken at the end of the last
episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they found a new tube.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The TARDIS has an outside speaker.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why are we back on Earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has the Doctor
managed to pilot the Ship more accurately?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Possibly his hazy knowledge of their previous location was enough to
make an educated guess - after all, he made it more or less exactly in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planet Of Giants</i>, having come directly
from revolutionary France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In which
case, they should be able to do just as well next time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The history of Earth</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Around the middle of the twenty-second century, the Earth was bombarded by
meteorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was seen as a cosmic
storm, but they were really germ bombs, spreading plague to weaken Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whole continents of people were apparently
wiped out - Asia, Africa, South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An antidote was eventually created, but by now Earth was divided into
isolated communities, enabling a Dalek invasion force to land, destroying some
cities and occupying others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
surviving leaders of the different Earth races resisted the invaders, but were
all killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some humans were turned into
Robomen;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>others serve as slaves in the
great mining areas created by the Daleks - the foremost of these being in
Bedfordshire, England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pockets of
resistance continued to resist them, and eventually managed to destroy the
Dalek saucers and the Bedfordshire mine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
In 2164, Battersea Power Station still exists, but has lost two chimneys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a heliport in Chelsea, and Big Ben
has stopped chiming (although it is re-activated after the Daleks’ defeat).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The old woman in the woods describes attractions in pre-Dalek London as
including “moving pavements” and an “astronaut fair.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One can only presume that only some of the
pavements moved, as the ones we see look no different than they did 200 years
previously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
London (and presumably other towns and cities) is now overrun with animals
escaped from zoos, and many of the country’s dog have formed wild packs which
roam the woods (although this last may have been a lie).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only presume, however, that other
animals were affected by the germ warfare, as I can think of no other
explanation for the absence of birdsong noted by the Doctor on the banks of the
Thames.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Craddock asks the Doctor and Ian if they have been on a moon station, and seems
to think it is a viable possibility.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Script Heaven</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor “What you need is a jolly good smacked bottom!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
David “She says she can cook.” Dortmun “Oh, can you?” David “And what do you
do?” Susan “I eat.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dalek “We are the masters of Earth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are the masters of Earth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are the
masters of Earth!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
David “This is my planet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just can’t
run off and see what it’s like on Venus!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor “One day I shall come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, I shall come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until
then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just go forward in all your beliefs, and
prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Goodbye, Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goodbye, my
dear.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Script Hell</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
David “They dare to tamper with the forces of creation?” The Doctor “Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They dare!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And we have got to dare to stop them!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor “x=gamma, now that means roughly two and a half per cent, so that
should give us a curve of round about eighty degrees...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Technobabble at its most supreme!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Catchphrase</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Having
refused to use their catchphrase all story long - and been reticent about it
even in their previous adventure - the Daleks go all out with it in the final
two episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first really classic
version is the Black Dalek’s in episode 6.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dalek “Do not try to escape or you will be exterminated!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Move!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Black Dalek “Exterminate him!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Exterminate him!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exterminate
him!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Black Dalek “Arrange for the extermination of all human beings.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dalek “I will arrange for their extermination.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Villainous Plotting</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Daleks have invaded Earth and
drilled deep into the planet’s surface, so that they can explode a device in
the magnetic core, remove said core and insert a propulsion unit, allowing them
to pilot the planet anywhere in the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now stop me if I’m being thick, but does that make any sense to
anyone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are they doing this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s wrong with spaceships?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why the Earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anyone really think this is
possible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has everyone just gone
completely mad?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Doctor’s Achievement</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">He
has helped to ensure the Daleks’ plan failed, and destroyed their invasion
force - Earth is free to rebuild.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">It’s The End Of The World
As We Know It!</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Earth saved: Once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is arguably the
first time that the Doctor has actually saved the planet Earth from destruction
(I figure being turned into a glorified spaceship counts as destruction!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Body Count</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Quite
high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see at least 4 Robomen killed
(including the suicidal one at the start, the dead one in the warehouse and
Phil Madison), though others probably die too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At least 4 Daleks die on screen too (including at least one run over by
a truck) plus their entire invasion force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dead humans include Dortmun;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Larry;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baker;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the escaping prisoner in episode 2; Ashton; a
heard-but-not-seen runaway; and “most” of the rebels who attack the
saucer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also the entire of Asia, Africa,
South America and God knows where else perished in the Dalek invasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it’s impossible to calculate, then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On screen, however, let us set the figure at:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">17.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Screams / Twists Ankle</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Susan claims to be familiar with atomic devices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Barbara’s sweater is blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to
Ian, anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t exactly tell the
difference.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
As a parting shot, Susan helpfully twists her ankle at the start of this
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oh, I’ve Been Captured Tally</b>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Barbara and Jenny survive a surprisingly long time before being, well,
captured in episode 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor rescues them next episode.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Hypnotised left, right and
centre (and friends)</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
I shall count the Robomen as an instance of possession, especially since it’s
used to dramatic effect by pitting brother against brother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hypnotism</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 instances.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Possession</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 instance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Checkov’s Plot Device</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">No,
but they do use the Daleks’ own weapon against them, which is symmetry of
another kind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">EffectsWatch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Urgh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Dalek saucer in flight is absolutely bloody awful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
I can confidently say that man-in-unconvincing-rubber-suit Slyther is the worst
monster yet to appear in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dig the lo-tech mine plan on the Daleks’ wall.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The mine explosion is all stock footage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
EVERY fight sequence etc is crap!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note
especially the attack on the saucer in Chelsea, and the fight in the sewer in
episode 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the chase through London
in episode 3 deserves any kind of applause.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
All right, one good point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bonus to the
designer who kept the Dalek door design from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The TARDIS wardrobe</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Ian seems to have split the back of his jacket.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Dalek history</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
In the middle of the twenty-second century, the Daleks invaded Earth with germ
warfare and a fleet of saucers with a view to transforming the planet into a
moving base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were defeated after
several years, and their invasion force destroyed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Daleks have dishes - akin to twentieth century satellite TV dishes -
attacked to their casing, which presumably allow them to move about without
having to rely on static electricity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This begs the question of why these dishes aren’t fitted as standard,
especially “a million years” in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Daleks as mobile as these would not have been stranded in their city in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly the technology takes a lot of
energy, and the Daleks of the earlier story were short on many resources.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
This story confirms that the Daleks are a space-faring race, so some may indeed
have survived their apparent destruction in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
This is apparently the “middle history” of the Daleks - the events of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>, when they were seemingly
destroyed on Skaro, took place, according to the Doctor “a million years ahead
of us in the future” - although this should be taken with a pinch of salt, as
the Doctor had no idea where or when they were at the time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
We may have a contradiction here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>, we learned that the Dal/Thal
war began five hundred years prior to the events we see, and it was suggested that
only then did the Dals retreat inside their machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So how can this be a million years before
those events?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
I am going to take an executive decision here to cure these continuity
problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor is surely only
guessing with his problematic “a million years” comment - I am going to presume
he is wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story makes a lot more
sense if it takes place some time after the Dal/Thal war - therefore shortly
before, around the time of or after the events of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Daleks who
invaded Earth were probably either off on their travels or already dead at the
time of the events in this story.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
We can now come to a rough guess about the dating (in Earth years) of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they left Skaro only after the Dal/Thal
war, then the latest possible date for the Doctor’s encounter with the Thals on
Skaro is 500 years after 2164 (i.e. 2664).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let us guess that, in fact, the Dal/Thal war came to its peak around
1850, thus placing <i>The Daleks</i> in 2350.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
There is a Black Dalek, who seems to be in charge - he is described as the
“supreme commander” and the “kommandant of the camp” - i.e. the mine in
Bedfordshire.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Daleks have the ability to transform human beings (and other races?) into
zombie-like Robomen, controlled through helmets which apparently pick up
high-frequency radio waves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
control wears off, the Robomen go insane and die.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dalek technology impresses the Doctor - he calls the saucer a work of genius.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Slyther is presumably another example of the mutated creatures who live on
Skaro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Black Dalek keeps it as a
“pet” (according to Ashton) - it roams the mine area eating people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(The Slyther’s mutated state is another argument to prove that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dalek Invasion Of Earth</i> takes place
after the Dal/Thal war).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dalek casing is waterproof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The humans
have named the metal from which it is made “Dalekenium.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
One Dalek is knocked over in the attack on the saucer, and remains oddly silent
and still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does this mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it would have been spitting blood.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Have Dalek IQs dropped?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When ordered to
exterminate all humans, one starts randomly intoning
“kill...kill...kill...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hardly suitable
behaviour for a race of brilliant scientists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mind you, there’s always one, isn’t there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, it seems to be a general
species characteristic - the wet Dalek earlier grated on about being the
masters of Earth somewhat unnecessarily.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
All right, it has to be asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How <u>do</u>
the Daleks get up and down stairs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dortmun’s difficulties only emphasise this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Dudley!</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The music during Barbara, Jenny and Dortmun’s flight through London avoiding
Daleks is extremely distinctive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Susan</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Susan is of the same race as the
Doctor, and we must presume she is, as she appears to be, his
granddaughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is far more we
don’t know about Susan than what we do know - her age is a mystery, for
although she appears to be a teenage girl, and fits in well with other teenage
girls such as Ping-Cho in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i>,
her wealth of experience and knowledge betrays a greater age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her people’s gift for telepathy is
particularly strong in Susan, but it’s not a trick she can pull often - she is
only able to make use of it on the Sense-Sphere because of the ultra high
frequencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has a thirst for knowledge,
and seems quite as happy in an Aztec seminary as in an English school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She often speaks longingly of her home
planet, and yearns for somewhere to belong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her devotion to her grandfather is often tested, largely by his
insistence on treating her like a child when she feels she is a woman, but
never so much as when she is forced to choose between remaining in the TARDIS
with the Doctor and leaving him to marry the human David Campbell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her loyalty to her grandfather wins out, but
the Doctor locks her out of the Ship, making the decision for her - he knew she
could never leave him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One presumes she
will now join David on the farm he intends to run, as his wife.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On a personal note, I can’t stand
the bloody woman, and I won’t miss her whining and screaming one little bit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Whoops</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why on Earth do the time travellers take so long to notice the poster?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
A Dalek in the background refers to exterminating all humans as “the final
solution.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is anyone still failing to
see where the imagery is coming from here?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
No-one on Earth in 2164 (especially David Campbell!) seems too worried about
the Doctor and Susan’s extra-terrestrial nature, nor their amazing vanishing
Police Box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, alien invasion
will do that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
How long does it take to get from London to Bedfordshire?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems just as quick for the Doctor to walk
it as it does for Ian to fly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Sexism still not dead, then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can you
cook?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
On the other hand, Jenny may be the first genuinely interesting female
character to crop up in the series.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
It’s not a very good resistance group - it takes Barbara to come up with the
old Trojan horse trick.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Barbara continues to use her cunning in the mines later on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her ploy to get into the control centre is
appalling, but somehow works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bluff
involving Hannibal and the Boston Tea Party is ace, though.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Dortmun is a chess player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seems
appropriate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
David defuses a bomb using acid and a big stick!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clever chap.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor actually passes out in episode 4 because William Hartnell was absent
during recording.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
We find time for a moment of humour:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a
Dalek interrogates a dummy in episode 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Who-are-you?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Another great scene is where the Doctor chews Susan out for taking David’s
advice over his, only for David himself to turn up and defer to the Doctor as
the senior member of the party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a
man who knows how to get in with the in-laws.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
What fun to drive a truck through a line of Daleks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can I have a go?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Almost more fun are the Doctor and Barbara’s impressions of Daleks while giving
the Robomen their new orders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
There’s some great hiding in plain sight in episode 6.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> title sequence, or
something very like it, is conspicuous on Dalek screens in episodes 3 and 4 -
we last saw this effect being recycled in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An
Unearthly Child</i> episode 1, to represent the TARDIS taking off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Someone is marketing very odd calendars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Would you buy a calendar you could only tear a page off once every 365
days?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor takes Susan’s worn out shoe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She still has her TARDIS key, but drops it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are now two keys to the Doctor’s Ship
on Earth - one by the banks of the Thames, and one left behind in Cathay
several adventures ago.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Queries</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
If the Doctor knows all about the historical events of, for example, the Reign
of Terror, why does he know nothing about the Dalek Invasion?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely it’s as much a historical event as
anything pre-1964 to a time traveller?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And why does he feel no compunction about interfering in these events,
while forbidding Barbara to change one line of history in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Aztecs</i>?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Daleks invaded the world, not just Britain, and not just Bedfordshire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we presume that every single Dalek saucer
was hovering over that mine when it exploded?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise, what happened to the rest of the occupying forces?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
What happens to the Robomen now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will
the survivors of Earth be able to restore their personalities?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or will they be yet more casualties of war?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
What was that Dalek doing in the Thames?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Was Baker, perhaps, short-sighted?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw
that Dalek way before he did!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
And why is this scene so divorced from David, Susan and the Doctor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re only round the corner!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
All right, so humans are compatible with the Doctor and Susan’s race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But where would that have left Barbara and
Ganatus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can all races interbreed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or all humanoid races?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where, exactly, do you draw the line?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
“Before you attempt to conquer the Earth, you will have to destroy all living
matter!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does this mean, precisely?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why Bedfordshire?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
What do these episode titles mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
seem to have reached previously unscaled heights of surreality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The End Of Tomorrow?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And which waking ally, exactly?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Firebombs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are they, exactly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And is the death ray working?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">On-screen Credits</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">CAST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, David Campbell - Peter
Fraser, Carl Tyler - Bernard Kay, Dortmun - Alan Judd (1-4), Jenny - Ann Davies
(2-6), Larry Madison - Graham Rigby (3-5), Craddock - Michael Goldie (2-3),
Thomson - Michael Davis (2), Baker - Richard McNeff (2-3), Wells - Nicholas
Smith (4-6), Ashton - Patrick O’Connell (4), The Women In The Wood - Jean
Conroy (5); Meriel Hobson (5), Robomen - Martyn Huntley; Peter Badger, Dalek
machines operated by Robert Jewell; Gerald Taylor (2-6); Nick Evans (2-3, 5-6);
Kevin Manser (2-6); Peter Murphy (2-6), Dalek Voices - Peter Hawkins (2-6);
David Graham (2-6), Slyther Operator - Nick Evans (4-5).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">CREW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Written
by Terry Nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron
Grainer with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidental Music composed and conducted by Francis Chagrin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fights arranged by Peter Diamond (5).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Costumes supervised by Daphne Dare (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make-up supervised by Sonia Markham (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Film Cameraman - Peter Hamilton
(1,3-4,6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Film Editor - John Griffiths
(1,3-4,6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lighting - Howard King
(6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sound - Jack Brummitt (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Story Editor - David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Designer - Spencer Chapman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Directed by Richard Martin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Familiar Faces</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Nicholas Smith (Wells) was later to become more famous as Mr Rumbold
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are You Being Served?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">David
Graham (Dalek Voice)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dalek Voice
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Peter
Hawkins (Dalek Voice)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dalek Voice
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Robert
Jewell (Dalek)<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Dalek
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Kevin
Manser (Dalek)<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Dalek
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Gerald
Taylor (Dalek)<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Dalek
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Review</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Well,
what a difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This six-episode epic
ditches <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i>’s credibility in
almost every aspect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plot is so
threadbare it would embarrass a Roland Emmerich film, the effects are uniformly
disastrous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The acting is by and large
good, but we rarely get a chance to enjoy this, as promising characters (e.g.
Craddock, Ashton) are summarily killed off within an episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This leads to a lack of continuity which
really makes one wonder if the story knows where it’s going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it happens, it’s going to Bedfordshire,
which is a shame, because the London locations were the story’s one real strong
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then there’s the Daleks, of
course, and they are as good as the last time we saw them, if a little
under-used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Robomen were a mistake -
not even slightly scary, they also take screen time away from the Daleks
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for the ridiculous Dalek
invasion plan, someone was clearly asleep when that one was passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the ending embraces the
one-explosion-solves-it-all philosophy that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Who</i> really should be above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
the problem here is that the series has tried to be just too ambitious, and
production costs are stretched a little too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a shame, because on paper it looks like
a corking concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The realisation,
however, leaves much to be desired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I don’t want to give the impression I hated every moment of this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each episode can be watched quite harmlessly,
and the various set pieces enjoyed one by one, except for the crap ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s only when you sit back and think about
it that the whole thing falls apart, and I’d really prefer this series to stand
up to that kind of scrutiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the
whole, the Daleks are a creation with great potential, and I’d like to see
writer Terry Nation do something more worthwhile with them in future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What must be said, though, is that Susan’s
departure from the Ship is well-orchestrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Doctor’s parting comments to her, and his grandfatherly way of
making her decision for her, are thoroughly in-keeping with the established
relationship, and however much I may dislike her, I can’t help but be touched
by that scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I think that says it
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A six part story full of explosions
and deaths, and the best bit is a heart-to-heart scene between two of the
regulars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that scene was written not
by Terry Nation, but by story editor David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learn from this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><b>Rating</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">5 / 10<b> </b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-27337501339585551462012-09-29T09:49:00.001-07:002012-09-29T09:49:39.423-07:00The Best Companion Departures...that weren't!In a few hours, Amy and Rory will leave <i>Doctor Who</i>, apparently forever. Many blogs have taken to listing "Top 10 companion departures", that sort of thing. Mine is a bit different - ten moments which SEEM to see a companion leave...only for the opportunity to be missed as the companion survives to fight another day. It's up to you to decide, in each case, whether that was a good thing!<br />
<br />
10. DOOMSDAY (Rose Tyler)<br />
<br />
One of the finest departures ever and I was crying with everyone else as Rose was trapped in a parallel universe forever, never to be reunited with her beloved Doctor. Well, until she popped up again 16 episodes later, making fully-fledged appearances in three more episodes and earning herself another big farewell scene. And then a cameo in <i>The End of Time</i> to boot.<br />
See also: <i>Journey's End</i>, which sees off Donna Noble in a similarly effective way only to bring her back four episodes later (although not as blatantly as Rose).<br />
<br />
9. THE MIND ROBBER (Jamie)<br />
<br />
Did anyone seriously think that when Jamie's face was removed in this story and he transformed into another actor that Fraser Hines was never going to return? Probably not - but what a daring way to get rid of a companion that would be! After so long in the series, Jamie wasn't the best character to treat this was - but imagine if they'd done this to Liz, or Nyssa, or Dodo!<br />
<br />
8. LAST OF THE TIME LORDS (Martha Jones)<br />
<br />
Another effective farewell, another series over. This time, it only takes 6 episodes before Martha actually rings the Doctor up and blags herself another 3 episodes. Plus two more at the end of the season. And a couple of <i>Torchwoods</i> too. To be honest, the most mystifying thing about this is <i>The Doctor's Daughter</i>. Why was she in this?<br />
<br />
7. THE AGE OF STEEL (Mickey Smith)<br />
<br />
Well, I was convinced. I thought they'd written him out in about the most permanent possible way save killing him off. When he then returned in <i>Army of Ghosts</i>, I was actually quite pleased to see him: but there's a limit to how many times you can do this before no farewells have credence any more.<br />
<br />
6. PARTING OF THE WAYS (Captain Jack Harkness)<br />
<br />
And this time, they actually killed him off. We'd known him for 5 episodes, so it was perfectly believable that he'd die. After all, Lynda with a Y did. So did, well, everyone else we'd met. But right at the end, Super-Rose brings him back to life. In retrospect, this gave us more than it took from us - <i>Torchwood</i>, <i>Utopia</i>, <i>The Stolen Earth</i> - but at the time, it seemed unnecessary and pointless.<br />
<br />
5. THE INVASION OF TIME (K9)<br />
<br />
Leela chooses to stay on Gallifrey - inexplicably. K9 chooses to stay with her - rather more explicably. Oh well, the robot dog was just a season 15 thing - fair enough. But inside the TARDIS, the Doctor has a new version in a box. An identical version. Why? Why did a K9 have to stay with Leela? What was the thought process here?<br />
<br />
4. TERROR OF THE ZYGONS (Harry Sullivan)<br />
<br />
After one extended trip in the TARDIS, Harry reveals he hasn't got the right stuff after all and elects to stay behind with UNIT. No problem here, except then he pops up again for a minor role in <i>The Android Invasion</i> and seems destined to be a semi-regular character like Benton from then on. Except that neither of them ever turn up again, denying both a proper final scene.<br />
<br />
3. TIME-FLIGHT (Tegan)<br />
<br />
Tegan gets back to Heathrow at last...but changes her mind! She comes back - and the TARDIS has left. "I thought you were going with the Doctor." "So did I." Best moment in Time-Flight, right? Oh, but two episodes later she spontaneously visits Amsterdam and guess what? Omega's there! Cue another 11 stories as a companion. Her final scene in <i>Resurrection of the Daleks</i> is equally good, but <i>Time-Flight</i> suited the character better.<br />
<br />
2. THE MASSACRE (Steven)<br />
<br />
This one really is a car crash. Firstly, Anne Chaplette, who we've all expected to become the next companion, is left behind in france. Then Steven, after six stories, has had enough of the Doctor (he's essentially Rory's antecedent) and storms out. The Doctor gives a soliloquy then prepares to leave.<br />
BAM! Steven runs back into the TARDIS on a rubbish pretext bringing with him the new companion, Dodo. They all leave together. the scene is forgotten about. Steven leaves four stories later to rule a planet. Huh?<br />
<br />
But the winner is...<br />
<br />
1. THE GOD COMPLEX (Amy and Rory)<br />
<br />
They already left! I'm totally serious about this. When the "Ponds" unexpectedly left the TARDIS at the end of this otherwise ordinary episode 11, I thought it was a great move - back to the days when you never knew if the TARDIS crew in episode 1 of a season would make it to the end. They only cameoed in the next episode and although they returned in the finale, this was, as we've seen, par for the course. People always return in the finale.<br />
So, when the big announcement came that Amy and Rory would be leaving in tonight's episode (and this news came before <i>The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe</i> was screened), I was genuinely perplexed. They'd left already! They'd had 27 episodes, the same as Rose (before her return). (When they finally bow out tonight, Amy will have appeared in 33, more than any other companion in the 21st century.) I was expecting a new companion and, to be honest, I haven't felt that these last few episodes have added much to my appreciation of the Ponds.<br />
<br />
Of course, later tonight, I may decide it was all worth it. It kinda depends what he's done with/to them. Maybe it's genius. Or maybe - maybe - they'll be back again a year from now, to take on the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Ood and the Silence alongside River Song, Captain Jack, Donna, Wilf, Steven, K9, Katarina and John & Gillian.Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-76210334411647911462012-09-22T05:37:00.003-07:002012-09-22T05:38:26.615-07:00The Exciting Guide to Planet of GiantsPleasingly, this is actually topical. The first story of season 2 is now being released on DVD and has been reviewed in Doctor Who Magazine this week. So here's what I made of it in 1999.<br />
<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Nine</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Story Code</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">J</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Planet
Of Giants</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Friends” Title</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
One With The Giant Earthworm</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Episode Titles</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Planet
of Giants</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Dangerous
Journey</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Crisis</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Current availability</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">All
three episodes exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Source</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">UK
Gold omnibus repeat transmission.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Date</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">1964.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">None
is given, but the telephone system etc are very much of the era when the story
was produced.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Genre</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Action
Adventure.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Plot synopsis</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The TARDIS doors open when still in
flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ship lands in a maze of
stone, and they explore, coming across oversized dead insects of all kinds, as
well as a giant matchbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They realise
they are on Earth, but have been “reduced roughly to the size of an inch” - the
maze is a crazy paving path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian falls
into the matchbox, which is picked up by a health minister called Farrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has written a report condemning a new
insecticide - DN6 - as it is too dangerous and kills indiscriminately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forester, whose money is sunk into the DN6
project, shoots Farrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian is reunited
with the others, and they examine the dead man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suddenly, they notice a large black cat eyeing them up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The cat loses interest and goes
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smithers, the scientist who
invented DN6, agrees to help Forester cover up the murder for the sake of the
project - he believes the new, powerful insecticide will save millions from
starvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers have
inexplicably split up, and Ian and Barbara are carried into the laboratory in
Farrow’s briefcase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There, they find a
pile of seeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian guesses they are
coated in the poison that has killed everything in the garden, but Barbara has
already touched one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She keeps
this to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor and Susan climb
up a corroded drainpipe and come out in the lab sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the travellers can rejoin each other,
Forester and Smithers enter the lab and wash the blood off their hands in the
sink...with the Doctor and Susan still inside.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor and Susan avoid the water in
the overflow pipe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forester calls
Farrow’s ministry with a false report, arousing the suspicions of the local
telephone operator and her policeman husband Bert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor finds the formula for DN6 and
realises that if it enters the eco-system in sufficient quantities it could be
disastrous for mankind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a lot of
messing about with the telephone, Barbara collapses, and the others realise her
condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In an effort to attract
outside attention and thus hinder Forester, they use a match and a gas tap to
explode a canister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smithers, meanwhile,
has discovered the truth about DN6, and the explosion allows him to grab
Forester’s gun, as Bert arrives to ask questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers make it back to the Ship:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as they return to normal size, Barbara
recovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ship materialises
somewhere new.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Pitch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Honey, I Shrunk The Time
Travellers</span></i><span lang="EN-US">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Money Shot</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The
camera zooms up from the TARDIS to reveal it is parked in one of the gaps in a
crazy paving path leading to a little house. (Episode 1)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The TARDIS log</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Extreme pressure on the Ship has apparently caused it and its occupants to
shrink to an inch in size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, but
what about when they were heading into the Big Bang in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Edge Of Destruction</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did
they shrink then, and just didn’t realise it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The scanner has blown (Ian jokes it needs a new tube) and remains broken when
the Ship lands at the end of episode 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thing is, it seemed to shatter in episode 1, but is physically intact in
episode 3...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The TARDIS has a warning siren, but possibly it only comes into operation in
the specific instance of the doors opening before materialisation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The console seems capable of overheating, as Barbara discovers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Two readings on the fault locator read “QR18” and “A14D”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No idea what this means, though.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Once again (as in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Keys Of Marinus</i>),
there is no sound as the TARDIS materialises and dematerialises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Past Journies</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The Doctor and Susan refer to an air raid by Zeppelins they were in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Doctor’s Achievement</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
He appears to have prevented DN6 from being produced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, he doesn’t know this as such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And nor do we, really - Forester might have
talked his way out of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Things I learned from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
The worker ant will give his life rather than abandon eggs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Body Count</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Only
Farrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless you count a garden full
of insects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">1.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">EffectsWatch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Uniformly
marvellous effects here, with everything from seeds to bees to sink plugs to
matchboxes to briefcases blown up to giant size very convincingly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Dudley!</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Nothing
special to report, just that this is the first story where incidental music is
provided by the great Dudley “Blake’s Seven” Simpson, after whom this category
is named.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
I’m asking for the last time...can Carole Ann Ford please stop acting so pathetic?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only one fit of hysterics this time - when
Ian is carried off in the matchbox - but it really is getting beyond a joke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Queries</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
How does Forester hope to get away with it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The moment DN6 went into mass production, the effects would be noted and
he’d be ruined.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Come to that, why has Smithers taken so long to catch on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t he create it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What tests has he done up to now that have
been less revealing than those carried out by Farrow?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why does Ian think at first that being shrunk is ridiculous?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hasn’t he seen enough marvels by now?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
Why is it that Ian - a science teacher - can’t understand the formula for DN6?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">•
What was Bert going to say when he reached the house?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My wife was just eavesdropping on your phone
calls, sir...”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">On-screen Credits</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Taken from </span></i><span lang="EN-US">The Television Companion<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">CAST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, Forester - Alan Tilvern,
Farrow - Frank Crawshaw (1-2), Smithers - Reginald Barratt (2-3), Hilda Rowse -
Rosemary Johnson (3), Bert Rowse - Fred Ferris (3).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">CREW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Written
by Louis Marks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron Grainer
with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidental Music by Dudley Simpson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Costumes - Daphne Dare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make-up -
Jill Summers (1); Sonia Markham (2-3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Studio Lighting - Howard King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Studio Sound - Alan Fogg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Special
Sounds - Brian Hodgson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Production Assistant
- Norman Stewart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assistant Floor
Manager - Valerie McCrimmon; Dawn Robertson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Story Editor - David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Designer - Raymond P Cusick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Directed by Mervyn Pinfield (1-2); Douglas Camfield (3).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Review</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">A
somewhat offbeat way to start the new season, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planet Of Giants</i> is nonetheless very well executed, with plenty to
keep the eyes entertained enough that it doesn’t matter that the plot is
virtually non-existent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, one can’t
help but wonder why the DN6 plotline between the “big people” was dreamed up at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly someone wanted to get
environmental issues into the show, which is laudable, but was this really the
best vehicle for them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that it
matters - the success of this story is down to the effects, the first truly
great ones in the show’s history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
time travellers clamber over enormous telephones and briefcases, climb down
plug chains and stare up into enormous faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It could so easily have gone horribly wrong, but someone put just the
right amount of money into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s nice
and brief, it’s action-oriented, the moving creatures are kept to a sensible
minimum and large and small actors alike acquit themselves decently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Who</i> had to do a story like this sooner or later, so thank goodness it did
it well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t matter that the
explanation for it all, while falling short of being technobabble, makes no
sense at all, along with several other elements of the plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The show has presumably got this out of its
system now, and we can look forward to monsters next week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><b>Rating</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><b>7 / 10</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><b> </b> </span></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-62550777950375316142012-09-16T00:58:00.002-07:002012-09-16T00:58:51.084-07:00The Exciting Guide to The Reign of TerrorSo, back in 1999, I made it to the end of Season 1, which means that if you scroll down to the bottom of this post, you'll see my summary of the whole season. Meanwhile, there's "The Reign of Terror". It would be nice to draw parallels with last night's showing of "A Town Called Mercy"...well, they both take place in the past. Will that do?<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing here, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Eight</span></u></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Story Code</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
H</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Title</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The Reign Of
Terror</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Friends” Title</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The One With The
French Revolution</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Episode Titles</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A Land Of Fear</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Guests Of Madame
Guillotine</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A Change Of
Identity</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The Tyrant Of
France</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A Bargain Of
Necessity</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Prisoners Of
Conciergerie</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Current availability</b></div>
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Episodes 1-3 and
episode 6 exist, but there is no sign of episodes 4-5.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sources</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who Magazine</i> Archive, Issue
204.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i>, certain elements have also been taken from the
novelisation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Reign Of Terror</i> by
Ian Marter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Date</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
1794.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The downfall of
Robespierre occurred on 27th July 1794 (the Ninth Thermidor).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story therefore begins on 24th July and
takes place in the days up to that event (which happens in episode 6).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Genre</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Historical</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Plot synopsis</b></div>
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1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor tries to put his human
companions out of the ship on what he believes to be twentieth century Earth,
but they persuade him to come for a farewell drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evidence soon reveals they are near Paris
during the “Reign of Terror” that followed the French Revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They reach an abandoned farmhouse, and
encounter first two escaping royalists - Rouvray and d’Argenson - then a group
of revolutionary soldiers come to get them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The royalists are killed, and Ian, Barbara and Susan taken away to
Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor has been knocked
unconscious by the royalists, and remains in the farmhouse as the soldiers set
light to it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor is rescued from the
farmhouse by Jean-Pierre, the ragged boy they met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He makes for Paris, interrupted en route by a
road works overseer, whom he soon outwits with a shovel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His three companions, meanwhile, are
imprisoned at the Conciergerie prison where Ian meets a dying man called
Webster, who gives him a message to pass on to English spy James Stirling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The encounter causes Ian’s name to be struck
off the execution list by the fearsome Citizen Lemaitre for further
questioning, but the two women are taken off to the guillotine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian escapes from the Conciergerie, not
realising he has been helped on his way by Lemaitre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara and Susan are rescued by a
counter-revolutionary named Jules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
dismayed that the farmhouse - vital to their escape route - has been
discovered, and his comrade Leon says there is a stranger at the inn <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Le Chien Gris</i> asking for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor, in Paris, disguises himself as a
Provincial Officer with the aid of a shopkeeper, and visits the Conciergerie
with a mind to freeing his companions, but instead meets Lemaitre, who forces
him to accompany him to see Robespierre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The shopkeeper, however, comes to the Conciergerie jailer with evidence
of the Doctor’s deception.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor bluffs his way through his
meeting with Robespierre, but Lemaitre forces him to stay a night in the
Conciergerie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hears the shopkeeper’s
evidence, but instructs him to keep quiet about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jules kidnaps the stranger at the inn, but it
is Ian, following Webster’s instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is reunited with Barbara and Susan, but Susan is now feeling unwell,
and the two women go to a physician, who promptly turns them in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wind up back at the prison, where
Barbara is to be questioned...by the Doctor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hoping to find James Stirling, Ian meets Leon in a deserted crypt, only
to find soldiers there - Leon is a traitor and has led him into a trap.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jules arrives in the nick of time, Ian
is rescued and Leon killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor
arranges for Barbara to escape, but is unable to perform the same trick for
Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He attacks the jailer, but is
interrupted by the return of Lemaitre, who reveals he knows the Doctor is an
impostor, and demands to be taken to Jules Renan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That evening, the Doctor and Lemaitre turn up
at Jules’ house, and Jules labels the Doctor a traitor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
6.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lemaitre reveals himself as James
Stirling, and Ian delivers his message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The various parties agree to help each other, and Ian and Barbara spy on
a meeting between Robespierre’s deputy, Paul Barrass, and Napoleon Bonaparte,
where they plan Robespierre’s downfall the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the tyrant is shot in the mouth and
dragged to the Conciergerie, the Doctor manages to free Susan, and the
travellers return to the TARDIS.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pitch</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Danton</i>, but bloodier.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Money Shot</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Impossible to say,
really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But perhaps the allegedly
spectacular starscape that accompanied the closing lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or if the guillotine actually makes an appearance
on screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or something.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Doctor and his kind</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• It is claimed
that the French Revolution is the Doctor’s favourite period of history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(This possibly being why Susan borrowed a
book on the subject from Barbara in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An
Unearthly Child</i>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seems odd. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rather a violent and nasty period, after all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Then again, the
Doctor himself is more violent here than we’ve seen him since prehistoric
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hits one man with a shovel,
and another with a cognac bottle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The history of Earth</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• In 1789, a Revolution
sprang up in France, the King was executed, and a man named Robespierre became
First Deputy of the new revolutionary government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus began a five-year Reign of Terror, with
counter-revolutionaries and royalists executed by the thousand - in one scene,
Robespierre claims that 342 executions have taken place in nine days in Paris
alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1794, his deputy, Paul
Barrass, led a revolt against Robespierre, and the tyrant was sent to his own
Conciergerie prison to await execution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Barrass intended to amend the constitution to allow for rule by three
Consuls, one of whom would be Corsican General Napoleon Bonaparte.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not see the outcome of these plans,
although they are well known to Barbara - she suggests to Jules that Bonaparte
will one day rule France alone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• It is not
thought that (in our world) Bonaparte could possibly have met Barrass as
depicted here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does in this world!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Script Heaven</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Barbara “But
think of all the times we’ve been in danger before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve always found a way out in the end.”
Susan “Oh yes, we’ve had our share of luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But you can’t go on and on being lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One day things are bound to catch up with you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this foreshadowing something?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or not?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Foreman “I
suppose you think you’re very clever.” The Doctor “Well, without any undue
modesty, yes!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor “Now
do stop arguing, Barbara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know
perfectly well that my schemes always work.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor “Our
destiny is in the stars, so let’s go and search for it!” (Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to the novelisation, the Doctor’s
final words are “Where to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows,
Chesterton?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I certainly don’t!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which is also a good line.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Catchphrase</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Jailer “Who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> you?” The Doctor “Exactly.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Doctor’s Achievement</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Once again, in a
historical, not much can be achieved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ian warned Stirling to flee:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he
was going to anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian and Barbara
learn of Barrass’ and Bonaparte’s plans:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>but no-one does anything about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Susan gets captured a lot, and the Doctor’s marching about is all in aid
of rescuing his companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the
only concrete achievement is that the Doctor rescues some “tax dodgers” from a
rather unpleasant and greedy road works overseer!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things I learned from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Much of the
history of the latter stages of the French Revolution, of course.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Body Count</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Rouvray and
d’Argenson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leon and his two
soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Webster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s all the definites, but of course,
death was going on all the time off screen:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
6.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Screams / Twists Ankle</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• One bit of the
novelisation I can quite easily believe is Ian Marter’s depiction of
Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Susan broke away from her escort
and ran across to peer through the small window in the door of Ian’s cell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Ian...Oh, Ian...’ she cried, tugging
uselessly at the lock with her frail fingers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yep, sounds about annoying enough.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oh, I’ve Been Captured Tally</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People keep getting locked up in this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Principally, however, we have the classic
moment where Barbara and Susan go to the doctor and are promptly captured, only
to find the Doctor ready to release (one of) them!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Checkov’s Plot Device</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Checkov’s James
Stirling (no he isn’t).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we’re really
stretching it now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The TARDIS wardrobe</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor’s
usual costume remains in Paris, though he retrieves his ring from James
Stirling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He now gains the uniform of a
French Provincial Officer, which I’m sure will come in useful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, as we know, he’s got lots of outfits
similar to his regular one, hasn’t he?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said so in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sensorites</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny, you’d think his taste in clothes might
be a little more varied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, at least
now we know why he doesn’t smell.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whoops</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Locked up in the
Conciergerie, Barbara says it reminds her of “the last time we were
imprisoned...in prehistoric times.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
does the Dalek cell not count, then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(This may just be a feature of the novelisation).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Ian gives Jules
a message all about Paul Barrass and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Sinking Ship</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Er, when exactly did
Webster mention all that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t notice
it in the novel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Notes</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Presumably, half
the cast are speaking French in this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would dearly like to see the surviving episodes to find out how they
got around this one without turning into an episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Allo ‘Allo</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At any rate, it
can’t have been done the way it was in the book, with the travellers breaking
into O Level French whenever they had to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides which, if the Doctor and his companions can understand Dalek,
Mongol and Sensorite, surely they can cope with French?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• It was a violent
time, but even so, Ian Marter’s novelisation gives us some rather gruesome
scenes, notably the multiple bayonetting of d’Argenson in the first
episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely it can’t quite have been
like this on TV?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Scenes of the
Doctor approaching Paris in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guests Of
Madame Guillotine</i> are the series’ first pieces of location filming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, it isn’t really William Hartnell
at all...it’s actor Brian Proudfoot in a wig.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The final
regular castmember goes on holiday - William Russell gets very little to do in
episodes 2 and 3 as a result.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Queries</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• What’s the
attraction of the French Revolution for the Doctor?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">On-screen Credits</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Taken from </i>DWM<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
CAST</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Dr. Who - William
Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill,
Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, Lemaitre - James Cairncross (2-6), Jailer -
Jack Cunningham (2-6), Jules - Donald Morley (2-6), Small Boy - Peter Walker
(1-2), Rouvray - Laidlaw Dalling (1), D’Argenson - Neville Smith (1), Sergeant
- Robert Hunter (1), Lieutenant - Ken Lawrence (1), Soldier - James Hall (1),
Judge - Howard Charlton (2), Webster - Jeffry Wickham (2), Road Works Overseer
- Dallas Cavell (2), Peasant - Denis Cleary (2), Jean - Roy Herrick (3-4),
Shopkeeper - John Barrard (3-4), Danielle - Caroline Hunt (3-4), Leon - Edward
Brayshaw (3-5), Robespierre - Keith Anderson (4-6), Physician - Ronald Pickup
(4), Soldier - Terry Bale (5), Paul Barrass - John Law (6), Napoleon - Tony
Wall (6), Soldier - Patrick Marley (6).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
CREW</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Written by Dennis
Spooner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron Grainer with
the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incidental
Music composed and conducted by Stanley Myers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Costume Supervised by Daphne Dare (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Make-up Supervised by Sonia Markham (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Film Cameraman - Peter Hamilton (2-3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Film Editor - Caroline Shields (2-3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lighting by Howard King (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Story Editor - David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Designer - Roderick Laing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Directed by Henric Hirsch (1-2,4-6).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Familiar Faces</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Ronald Pickup, who
played the Physician, was later to become quite a well-known actor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More impressively, Edward Brayshaw (Leon
Colbert) was to become Mr Meeker in <i>Rentaghost</i>!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Review</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Well, from what I
can see, it looks like a pretty classy historical adventure to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All right, there’s a bit of a reliance on
capture/rescue scenarios, but you’ve got to admit the show has guts, shoving an
alleged children’s serial into the middle of the Reign of Terror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s interesting that we more or less remain
around the edges of the action, the Doctor’s encounter with Robespierre
notwithstanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the scene at the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sinking Ship</i> is just there because
Dennis Spooner couldn’t resist the temptation to stick Napoleon in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, though, we are mainly concerned
with restoring the TARDIS crew to freedom (a perennial theme in the show so
far) and with Lemaitre, who is clearly an excellent character, and I can only
hope that James Cairncross was an excellent actor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The revelations about him in episode six are
a shock, and merely make the character better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other interesting aspects of this story include the increased amount of
comedy, especially in the character of the jailer...although, in the
novelisation at any rate, these come across as comedy in the same way as, for
instance, the porter in Macbeth - it’s not funny as such, but you can see how
it’s supposed to be comedy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, take a
look at Script Heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This early on,
the show’s really getting self-referential, mocking its own barely established
conventions - e.g. they always get out of tight spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only real problem with these historicals,
though, is that while there’s plenty to look at, the plot is largely limited to
people dashing in and out and getting shot every other episode so that we don’t
notice that all the travellers are doing is being captured and escaping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can’t affect history, so there’s no real
plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to worry, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s enjoyable enough on paper, now can
someone show me a real version please?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b>Rating</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
7 / 10</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Season One in Review</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The series has set out its stall and
it hasn’t done it by halves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These eight
stories provide an impressive intro, and you have to keep watching to see if
they can maintain this high standard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The series’ strengths and weaknesses are plain - historicals such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Aztecs</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Reign Of
Terror</i> and even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unearthly Child</i>
(and OK, I haven’t seen all of these) shine amongst slightly dodgier outer
space-set stories (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sensorites</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Keys Of Marinus</i>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps least memorable in the season (though
by far not the worst story) is the two-parter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Edge Of Destruction</i>, but the season’s apogee must be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i> - whatever its shortcomings
as a story, you can’t deny that it and its villains stick in the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And someone at the BBC has a tidy mind - the
elaborate societies created for Skaro and the Sense-Sphere are remarkable, and
it’s a lot of effort to put into a group of aliens that (at least in the case
of the Sensorites) we’re unlikely to encounter again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone cares, which is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The central cast are mostly strong,
especially when given good material - let’s face it, no-one could do much with
the middle episodes of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Keys Of
Marinus</i>, but get a load of Jacqueline Hill in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Aztecs</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next
season, I can only hope that some of the writing talent poured into the
historicals gets allocated to the more SF stories, as there’s surely more
mileage in these.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-82741471571171432362012-09-09T00:58:00.003-07:002012-09-09T00:58:49.244-07:00The Exciting Guide to The SensoritesReally, I ought to be covering a story involving Dinosaurs to tie in with the screening of "Dinosaurs On A Spaceship" yesterday - but at least this one has a mysterious spaceship under threat from the nearby planet. The Sensorites doesn't exactly have the best reputation in the world. But, interestingly, I reacted to it more positively than one might have expected. Remember, this was 1999 and I haven't re-read the entry since, so the final review and rating came as a surprise to me in 2012. Let's keep an open mind.<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing here, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Seven</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Story Code</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
G</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Title</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The Sensorites</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Friends” Title</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The One With The
Round Feet</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Episode Titles</b></div>
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Strangers In Space</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The Unwilling
Warriors</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Hidden Danger</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A Race Against
Death</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Kidnap</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A Desperate
Venture</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Current availability</b></div>
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All six episodes
exist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Source</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
UK Gold omnibus
repeat transmission.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">End credits seem to have been created especially
for this transmission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is another
of UK Gold’s occasional quirks which I shall not mention again.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Date</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
2750.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Carol, John and
Maitland come from the twenty-eighth century, which must set this story
somewhere between about 2700 and 2800.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Genre</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Alien culture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Plot synopsis</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Ship has landed on a spaceship in
orbit around a planet called the Sense-Sphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Its pilots - Maitland and Carol Richmond - are unable to leave, as the
Sensorites who inhabit the world are controlling their ship and their
minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TARDIS crew save them when
the ship is put into freefall, but a Sensorite steals the lock from the TARDIS,
trapping them on the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara and
Susan bump into John, the third crewmember and Carol’s fiancé, whose mind has
been disturbed by his experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
high-pitched whine signals the approach of a Sensorite travel machine, and one
of the aliens is spied outside the viewing port.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The intruding Sensorites try to make
John attack Barbara and Susan, but the women return their telepathic attack by
concentrating on the words “we defy you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The travellers are reunited, and deduce that mineralogist John
discovered that the Sense-Sphere is rich in the valuable mineral molybdenum,
hence his attack being much worse than those on Maitland and Carol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sensorites arrange a parley via Susan,
and explain that they won’t let any of them leave because Earthmen have
betrayed them in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They start to
take Susan away to the planet, threatening to kill the others if she doesn’t
co-operate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The crew turn the lights off, which
renders the Sensorites powerless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
much further discussion, it is agreed that Barbara and Maitland will remain on
the ship, while the others will go down to the Sense-Sphere:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John will be cured, and they will negotiate
for the release of the ships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
explained that ten years ago, an Earth expedition discovered the molybdenum,
but since their ship exploded, the Sensorites have been dying in their
thousands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The planetary Elders argue
over the decision to allow the humans to land:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the City Administrator attempts to kill the aliens with the
Disintegrator, but is prevent just in time by the Second Elder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst talking to the First Elder, Ian
suddenly collapses with the disease - the Elder says he will die.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor deduces the water is to
blame - the Elders drink a different water, which is why they are
unaffected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He creates an antidote, but
this is intercepted on its way to Ian by the Administrator, whose paranoid fear
of the outsiders has led him to capture the Second Elder and use his sash to
impersonate him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan fetches more, and
Ian begins to recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, the
Doctor goes to investigate the aqueduct, despite the Sensorites’ belief that
monsters live there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finds the cause
of the poisoning - Deadly Nightshade - but hears a roar nearby.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian and Susan rescue the Doctor, whose
coat has been torn by something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Realising
that one of the Sensorites bears them ill will, they go back to the city to
find out who.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Administrator
blackmails the Second Elder into supplying him with the Disintegrator key once
more, but the Elder destroys it, and the Administrator’s accomplice kills
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Sensorite claims to the First
Elder that the Doctor killed him, but his story is seen through thanks to the
Doctor’s enforced change of apparel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suspicion falls on the late Second Elder as the travellers’ enemy, and
ironically they suggest the City Administrator as his replacement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too late, John (now fully cured) tells them
he overheard the Administrator plotting against them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor and Ian return to the
aqueduct:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>however, the new Second Elder
tampers with their weapons and map.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Meanwhile, in the city, Carol is kidnapped.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
6.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Carol is forced to write a note
claiming she has returned to the ship, but Barbara has just come down, so this
is seen through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John and the Sensorite
Senior Warrior rescue her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara and
John go to look for the Doctor and Ian, keeping in touch with Susan using a
Sensorite mind transmitter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor
and Ian, meanwhile, have discovered survivors from the old Earth expedition,
who have been poisoning the water for ten years, quite insane, believing themselves
to be at war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are captured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The villainous Sensorite is discovered thanks
to his alterations to the map, and is banished to the outer wastes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TARDIS lock is returned, and Maitland and
his crew take the insane humans back to Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ian annoys the Doctor, who threatens to put him off the Ship at the next
stop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pitch</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A story proving
you should never drink the water when abroad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Money Shot</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
A Sensorite
appears at the viewing port.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Episode 1)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Doctor and his kind</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Susan waxes lyrical
about her home planet:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Grandfather and
I don’t come from Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s ages since
we’ve seen our planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s quite like
Earth, but at night the sky is a burnt orange, the leaves on the trees are
bright silver.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Once again, as
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unearthly Child</i>, the Doctor and
Susan’s comments suggest they’d like to return home.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Susan appears to
have a gift for telepathy, and the Doctor claims he sometimes knows what his
companions are thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan’s
abilities seem more proficient than his, but probably only when aided by the
extraordinarily high Ultra High Frequencies on the Sense-Sphere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Does the above
suggest that possible the Doctor and Susan’s home planet also has
extraordinarily high Ultra High Frequencies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do people there communicate by telepathy too?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor
speaks out against weapons, but ambivalently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I have never liked weapons of any kind, but they’re handy little
things.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The TARDIS log</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Ian notes that
the static on the scanners could have been caused by an unsupressed motor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor suggests a magnetic field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cam we take it the scanner is nothing more
than a telly?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Despite how
complex it is constantly made out to be, the TARDIS lock can be cut off,
producing a burning smell!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the
entire opening mechanism is removed, permanently locking the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least the Sensorites do acknowledge that
the lock is “an electronic miracle.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor’s
comments suggest the door could be broken down, but to do so would discharge
the dimensions within the Ship (i.e. bad.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Past Journies</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor and
Susan have presumably visited the planet Esto (see Alien Worlds.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The history of Earth</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• In the twenty
eighth century, the whole lower half of England is now Central City - there has
not been a London for four hundred years (or a Big Ben!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Earth still has too much air traffic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The people of
Earth clearly still get engaged and married.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alien Worlds</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Sense-Sphere
is a planet rich in the mineral molybdenum, a fact which the indigenous
Sensorites wish to keep to themselves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also has extraordinarily high levels of
Ultra High Frequencies (or did I already mention that?)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Sensorites
are virtually identical semi-humanoids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They look a bit like caricatures of wise old men...but have circular,
flat feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all wear nondescript
tunics.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• They speak much
as we do, but have also developed a method of telepathy using small transmitter
discs which they place against their foreheads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even Barbara is able to use one of these, so their own abilities are probably
limited to being able to hear what other Sensorites are transmitting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Their irises
contract in the dark, making them very vulnerable to lack of light.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• They also cannot
stand loud noises of any kind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Sensorites’
hearts are in the centre of their chests.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The planet is
ruled by two Elders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The First Elder
wears two sashes to mark him out, the Second only one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Elders are
at the head of a strict caste system:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“The Elders think and rule, the Warriors fight, and the Sensorites work
and play.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An example of the
distinctions made is that the Elders drink the Crystal Water, while everyone
else makes do with the everyday water from the aqueduct.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Sensorites
claim their society is based on trust, making treason and plotting
impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Senior Scientist describes
it as the perfect society, with all contented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This, of course, is easily shown to be a trifle naive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Their space
travel ability is limited to being able to nip back and forth to the spaceship
in orbit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Somehow, as seen
in the cliffhanger to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strangers In Space</i>,
the Sensorites seem able to survive in the vacuum of space.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• According to
Susan, the planets on the planet Esto use thought transference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you stand in between two of them, they let
off a screeching noise.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Script Heaven</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor “Yes,
it all started off as a mild curiosity in the junkyard, and now it’s turned out
to be quite a...quite a great spirit of adventure, don’t you think?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor “No,
Barbara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned not to meddle in
other people’s affairs years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
now, now, don’t be absurd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s not
an ounce of curiosity in me, my dear boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tell me, why are you in danger?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Carol “You’re
very strange people.” Susan “Are we?” Carol “Well, you come from nowhere, and
you seem to be going nowhere.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Carol “Do you
know who I am?” John “You’re good.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Carol “It’s
rather like an eyelid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These shutters
over my eyes.” Scientist “Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see
all the time is...not a good thing.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Administrator
“Weakling!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Betrayer of our people!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coward!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I should imprison you in some room wherein no light can shine and fill
that room with noise!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Ian “Oh,
and...congratulations.” New Second Elder “When you address one of the Elders,
you call him sir.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Script Hell</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Ian “There’s one
thing about it, Doctor, we’re certainly different from when we started out with
you.” Susan “That’s funny, grandfather and I were talking about that just
before you came in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How you’ve both
changed.” Barbara “Oh, we’ve all changed.” Susan “Have I?” Barbara “Yes!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so on, and so on...honestly, this belongs
at the end of an episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He-Man</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor “You
know, I think these Sensorites have found the way to take control of your
mind.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No shit, Sherlock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t have to spell <u>everything</u> out
for us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Susan “That must
have looked funny!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flip-flap, flip-flap...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone shoot this child, please.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor “Yes,
but the fact is that you didn’t kill him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shows great promise for the future of your people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patronising arse!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name-dropping</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor
claims to have met Henry VIII.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He threw
a parson’s nose at the King and was sent to the Tower - where the TARDIS was
parked!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• He also claims
to have met Beau Brummel, who said he looked better in a cloak.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Doctor’s Achievement</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The cause of the
Sensorites’ ten-year affliction has been discovered and nullified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the humans are allowed to go home, and
John is cured.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things I learned from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• What a
spectrograph is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Iron melts at
1,539˚C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Molybdenum melts at 2,622˚C.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Cats can see
better in the dark than humans because their irises dilate at night.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The symptoms of
atropine poisoning.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Body Count</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Only the Second
Elder buys it in this story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
1.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Screams / Twists Ankle</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• This is Ian and
Barbara’s first foray into their own planet’s future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True to form, they act like the worst kind of
tourists - “Is Big Ben still on time” indeed!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Checkov’s Plot Device</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Checkov’s Previous
Earth Expedition.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">EffectsWatch</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The model shot
of Maitland’s ship flying off is pretty good, considering.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The TARDIS wardrobe</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Doctor’s
jacket is ruined in the tunnels, but he says he has more in the Ship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dudley!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Classic stuff
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian feels Maitland’s pulse and
proclaims him “Dead.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>DA-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• “Will he let me
into my ship, I wonder?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>DA-DA-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whoops</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• There is a
plethora of line fluffing on display here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Administrator’s accomplice is heard to say “I heard them over,
over...t-t-talking.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But honours go to
William Hartnell, not only for “The First Elder...Scientist, I mean...” but
also for reading “-INEER” as “I-N-N-E-R.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Notes</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• There is a
bizarre scene near the beginning when the crew all pat themselves on the backs
for being in such an interesting series and patronise the audience silly before
re-capping on the story so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was
the writer thinking?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See first entries
in Script Hell <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> Script Heaven.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The travellers
do seem to be getting along very well by this stage (the final scene
notwithstanding).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Putting the
travellers’ exact relationship down on paper quite startlingly, Barbara states
that they depend on the Doctor:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he
leads, and they follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite a contrast
from the power-jockeying of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unearthly
Child</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Again, one of
the leads (Jacqueline Hill, this time) goes on holiday for a couple of
episodes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• For the first
time, we pass through the TARDIS doors along with the travellers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Maitland’s ship,
espied on the scanner at the end, is the series’ first “real” spaceship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• I love the bit
where Susan stands up to the Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Dictated to by petty thieves and my own granddaughter!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She appears to be growing up and out of his shadow (“I’m not a child any
more.”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor claims this is their
first argument in all their years of travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe all this is going to make her less annoying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• I don’t like
John’s ability (according to Susan) to tell good and evil people apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s altogether too convenient.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• There’s a lovely
scene between Susan (again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good grief!)
and the First Elder in which her wanderlust and homesickness are both
highlighted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It concludes with her speculating
that they’ll all go home one day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Whatever Barbara
says, it seems to me that the Administrator’s ambition is secondary to a desire
to save his planet from the outsiders fuelled by irrational hatred.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Men in the
future wear Seiko kinetic watches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some day, all watches <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> be made this way!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• After the Doctor
defended Ian in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Keys Of Marinus</i>,
the positions are here reversed when the Doctor is accused of murdering the
Second Elder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Once again, the
crew are willing to just leave the people they meet to their fate, and only
stop when they are cut off from their Ship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Queries</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Why are Carol
and Maitland not surprised to meet twentieth century citizens?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• How did the
Sensorites know how to deal with the TARDIS lock?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• And how did they
get to it in the first place without that high-pitched whine being heard?
(Unless we are to presume that one of the two Sensorites was already on board
before the TARDIS landed, and only the second one arrived at the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strangers In Space</i>.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Why does the
Sensorite at the Disintegrator have to explain about the heat sensors to the
City Administrator?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What sort of an
administrator is he?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• The Warriors
fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who do they fight, if all
Sensorites trust each other and they don’t yet have space travel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is the Disintegrator gun generally used
against?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the point of the heat
sensors?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Where,
precisely, does the Deadly Nightshade come from?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or is it just parallel evolution?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Are the humans
very convincing roarers, or do they have a cassette player handy?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
• Where, exactly,
are the TARDIS crew when they watch Maitland’s ship go off?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have they made the Ship just hop off into
space for the sake of waving goodbye, or what?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">On-screen Credits</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Taken from </i>The Television Companion<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
CAST</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Dr. Who - William
Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill,
Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, John - Stephen Dartnell, Carol - Ilona
Rodgers, Maitland - Lorne Cossette (1-3), First Sensorite - Ken Tyllsen (2-3),
Second Sensorite - Joe Greig (2-3), First Elder - Eric Francis (3-6), Second
Elder - Bartlett Mullins (3-5), City Administrator - Peter Glaze (3-6), First
Scientist - Ken Tyllsen (4-5), Second Scientist<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- Joe Greig (4), Warrior - Joe Greig (5-6), Sensorites - Arthur Newall
(3-6), Anthony Rogers (3-6), Gerry Martin (3-5).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
CREW</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Written by Peter R
Newman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron Grainer and
the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incidental
Music by Norman Kay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Costumes - Daphne
Dare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make-up - Jill Summers; Sonia
Markham (6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studio Lighting - Peter
Murray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studio Sound - Les Wilkins; Jack
Brummitt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Production Assistant - David
Conroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assistant Floor Manager - Val
McCrimmon; Dawn Robertson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Story Editor
- David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Designer - Raymond P
Cusick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Associate Producer - Mervyn
Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Producer - Verity
Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Directed by Mervyn Pinfield
(1-4); Frank Cox (5-6).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Familiar Faces</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Peter Glaze was
later to be better known being less villainous on the children’s programme <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Crackerjack</i> (Crackerjack!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Stephen Dartnell
(John)<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Yartek in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Keys Of Marinus</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Review</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
There is an awful
lot to praise in this six-parter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
really an impressive attempt to present an alien society (if a little
simplistic - the caste system, near-identical appearances and minimal locations
are a bit of a cop-out).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving the line
“To them, we may appear ugly” to a Sensorite is a nice touch, and on the whole
it is a wonderful balance, if a little let down by the Doctor’s patronising
“Yes, well done, you’re almost as good as normal people now” attitude in the
final episode, an attitude from much pulp science fiction suffers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aliens are, by and large, well-written,
especially the First Elder - Eric Francis gives an excellent performance,
understated yet refusing to be outclassed by Peter Glaze, having a whale of a
time as the baddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two groups of
humans are less convincing, although mention must go to Stephen Dartnell, whose
broken-minded spaceman steals the honours in the first three episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The leads, however, after a fairly absurd
start (I must repeat, what the hell was going on there?) are more than
serviceable - Ian and Barbara are incapacitated for about half of the action,
leaving William Hartnell to take centre stage, and despite fluffing his lines a
little too often, he rises to the occasion, with a well-scripted and more than
usually well-delivered set of episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, much attention is paid over the course of the story to Susan,
against whom I have been slowly taking a dislike to date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to be fair, she spends almost the entire
story not being annoying, and as is noted above, has a number of actually
rather good scenes - unfortunately, this is all scuppered by the hideous
“flip-flap” moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ouch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, on the whole the story overcomes plot
holes, restrictive face masks, obvious lack of rehearsal time and occasionally
rather intrusive incidental music to present a pleasingly ambitious take on an
entirely alien culture, in a far more sensible and less action-oriented way
than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i> tried to do, and one
scarcely notices that sod all really happens until the third episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oddly, however, it’s not a story I feel
myself particularly tempted to return to, and despite its ambitions, the whole
thing seems a little... pedestrian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
they really should have given Peter Glaze a final scene.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b>Rating: 6 / 10</b> </div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-77213803747053919682012-09-02T12:08:00.000-07:002012-09-02T12:08:21.548-07:00The Exciting Guide to The AztecsAlright, so everyone's busy thinking about "Asylum of the Daleks" at the moment and possibly historical action from 1964 isn't on the top of your agenda. But here it is anyway.<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing here, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Six</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Story Code</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">F</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Aztecs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">“Friends” Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
One With The Human Sacrifice</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Episode Titles</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Temple Of Evil</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Warriors Of Death</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Bride Of Sacrifice</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Day Of Darkness</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Current availability</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">All
four episodes exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Source</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">BBC
Video release.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Apparently intact apart
from the “Next Episode” caption at the end of “The Day Of Darkness”, which has
been deleted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems a minor
quibble, and I shan’t bother complaining about it again.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Date</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">1435.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
priest in the tomb died, according to Barbara, circa 1430, as his belongings
are from the “early period.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has
presumably not been dead too long - at any rate, this is certainly before 1520,
when Cortez landed and killed everybody.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Genre</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Historical.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Plot synopsis</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The TARDIS lands in an Aztec tomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers accidentally discover a hidden
door, which closes behind them, cutting them off from the Ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara has donned a bracelet from within the
tomb, and is mistaken for the Goddess Yetaxa by Autloc, High Priest Of
Knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The others are taken for her
servants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor is taken to the
Garden of Peace, and forms a friendship with a lady named Cameca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian is chosen to command the army, and must
prove his worth against Ixta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He learns
he is to aid in the upcoming sacrifice ordered by Tlotoxl, High Priest Of
Sacrifice, to appease the Gods and bring rain to the land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the Doctor’s objections, Barbara
interferes with the sacrifice, hoping to change the Aztec civilisation for the
better and thus save them from Cortez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The intended victim is appalled that she has denied him honour, and
leaps to his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rain comes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tlotoxl accuses Barbara of being a false
goddess and says he will destroy her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor tears a strip off Barbara
for her interference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan is sent to a
seminary to learn respect for the Aztec customs - her modern attitudes soon
cause difficulties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara warns Autloc
that continuing the tradition of human sacrifice will bring doom upon his
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian shows his mettle by felling
Ixta with his thumb, and the Perfect Victim - who will be sacrificed in a few
days when the sun goes into eclipse - orders an unarmed match between the
two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ixta gets aid from the Doctor, who
does not realise his opponent will be Ian - he hopes to exchange his help for
drawings Ixta’s architect father made of the tomb he built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ixta uses a poisoned thorn to win the fight,
but Barbara commands him to stop before he can kill Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tlotoxl challenges her to make him stop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Barbara prevents Ian’s death by
threatening Tlotoxl’s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No victory
is declared in the contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
persuades Autloc to side with her, despite his misgivings for his future should
she prove false.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ixta reveals there are
no blueprints of the tomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian manages
to convince Barbara that she cannot change the Aztecs, that civilised Autloc is
the odd man out rather than barbaric Tlotoxl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Barbara is offered a poisoned draught by Tlotoxl and Tonila, but rumbles
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She admits her falseness to
Tlotoxl, but threatens to destroy him if he speaks against her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through his machinations, the Perfect Victim
proposes marriage to Susan, who refuses, this breaking the law - she is to be
mutilated on the day of darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Meanwhile the Doctor makes cocoa for Cameca and accidentally becomes
engaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and Ian find an entrance to
the tomb - Ian enters the tunnel, but Ixta replaces the stone, trapping Ian as
the tunnel fills with water.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian finds another way out, which leads
to the room where the Ship still waits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is reunited with Barbara and the Doctor, and rescues Susan from under
Ixta’s guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The companions try to
access the tomb by pulling on a fabric lever Ian has created - it breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, Tlotoxl orders Ixta to attack
Autloc with Ian’s weapon - Ian and Susan find his body just in time to be arrested,
and Autloc proclaims Barbara as false.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tlotoxl plans to dispose of her on the day of darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On said day, the Doctor creates a pulley
wheel (being an invention the Aztecs never mastered) and admits to his fiancée
that he is leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autloc and Barbara
are reconciled:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the High Priest goes
into the wilderness to seek truth, leaving the badge of his position for Cameca
to bribe the man guarding Ian and Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tlotoxl discovers their disappearance and tries to kill Barbara before
the ceremony:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian blocks him and
confronts Ixta - in the ensuing fight, Ixta is thrown off the temple to his
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The four companions make their
escape using the pulley wheel, and Tlotoxl makes the sacrifice at the hour of
the eclipse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the TARDIS lands once
more, the instruments register movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are they on top of something or inside it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Pitch</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Doctor Who</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> teaches little-known pieces of history.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Money Shot</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Barbara
turns round to the Doctor wearing the head-dress of Yetaxa. (Episode 1)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Doctor and his kind</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
“You are a healer?” asks Cameca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,
no, “ replies the Doctor, “they call me the Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a scientist and engineer, I am a builder
of things.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this how the Doctor sees
himself, or just a ruse to gain knowledge about the temple?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
It is nice to see in this story that the Doctor is as capable of tender
emotions as any of us - it is perhaps most obvious that it is not all just
play-acting in the final episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
looks close to tears when he and Cameca finally part.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor keeps the brooch with Yetaxa’s symbol on it given to him by Cameca -
after a moment’s hesitation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The history of Earth</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Mexico in the fifteenth century was populated by the Aztec civilisation, who
were a people with a great love of beauty and learning, who also happened to
believe in human sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Cortez
and his Spanish fleet invaded in 1520, they took one look at the apparently
barbaric people slaughtering each other on rocks and wiped them out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good and bad aspects of the Aztecs were
lost forever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Script Heaven</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor “You can’t rewrite history!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not one line!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian “Where did you get this?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor
“My fiancée.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian “I see...your what?”
The Doctor “Yes, I made cocoa and got engaged.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor “There you are, my dear, it’s nearly finished.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cameca “As is our time together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know what its purpose is, but I’ve
always known it would take you away from me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Doctor “Yes, I’m sorry, my dear.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cameca “Tomorrow will truly be a day of darkness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor “For both of us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cameca “Tlotoxl is determined to destroy
Yetaxa.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor “He must do, to
safeguard his own beliefs.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cameca “We
are a doomed people, my dear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no
turning back for us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor “You
are a very fine woman, Cameca, and you’ll always be very very dear to me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Doctor’s Achievement</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Not one jot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, they discuss this
at the end of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’s the
point of travelling through time and space, we can’t change anything,” says
Barbara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor argues that they
have effect in little ways - “He [Autloc] found another faith, a better, and
that’s the good you’ve done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You failed
to save a civilisation, but you helped one man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, that’s one point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another might be that Autloc was quite happy
before they turned up, and now he’s lost everything he held dear and is
wandering in the wilderness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Metaphorically, the same can be said for Cameca.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Body Count</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
first victim, the guard in episode 4, Ixta and the Perfect Victim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dead priest in the tomb doesn’t count!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">4.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Screams / Twists Ankle</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
One of Barbara’s specialist subjects in History was the Aztec
civilisation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Handy, that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder what her others were.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian knows self-defence - he can defeat Ixta with his thumb.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Actually, Ian shows a propensity for violence throughout this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He abandons Cameca’s attempts at bribery in
favour of hitting the guard - and, in a joyous moment, actually nuts Ixta in
the face!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan’s apparent love of learning, which previously landed her at Coal Hill
School, rears its head here - she seems very dedicated at the seminary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Checkov’s Plot Device</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Checkov’s
Wheel...in a sense, anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Correct me
if I’m wrong, but the Doctor does mention in episode one that they never
invented the wheel, and then uses a pulley wheel to escape three episodes
later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">EffectsWatch</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Note the painfully slowly choreographed fight sequence in episode 1.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Dudley!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Great music here, with two distinct types (one for dramatic sequences such as
the fight in episode 4, the other mainly used in the Garden of Peace
sequences).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds “authentically Aztec”
- or good, at any rate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atmospheric.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Whoops</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
When Ian ties the fabric to the stone wall in episode 4, the set wobbles
noticeably.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Notes</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
All right, episode titles are getting a bit silly now, aren’t they? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First take “The”, then a feature of the
episode, then “of”, then finally a random adjective.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Tlotoxl speaks directly to camera at the end of episode 1, a first for the
show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not necessarily a good first, but
a first nonetheless.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The scene at the start of episode 2 where the Doctor yells at Barbara is really
great, possibly the best piece of interplay between the leads yet shown.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
It is also a joy to see the Doctor flirting shamelessly with Cameca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note that he picks her out immediately for no
readily apparent reason - clearly he just fancies her!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Carole Ann Ford’s sparse appearances in the middle episodes are because it was
her turn to go on holiday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Queries</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Would the Doctor and Cameca actually have been sexually compatible?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">On-screen Credits</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">CAST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, Autloc - Keith Pyott, Tlotoxl
- John Ringham, Ixta - Ian Cullen, Cameca - Margot Van Der Burgh, Tonila -
Walter Randall (2-4), Perfect Victim - André Boulay (2-4), First Victim - Tim
Booth (1), Aztec Captain - David Anderson.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">CREW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Written
by John Lucarotti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron
Grainer with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidental Music by Richard Rodney Bennett.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conductor - Marcus Dods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fights arranged by David Anderson (4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Costumes by Daphne Dare (4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make-Up Supervisor - Jill Summers (4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Story Editor - David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Designer - Barry Newbury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Directed by John Crockett.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Review</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">What
a change of pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is exactly what a
Doctor Who historical should be - realistically portrayed, well-researched,
beautifully-scripted and with a strong moral sting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not perfect by any means - the casual
viewer might easily find their attention slipping, and not all the set pieces
work as they might.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story benefits
immensely from the four regulars at their strongest yet - Jacqueline Hill in
particular has far more to do here, and makes the most of her rôle as a
goddess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The four each get their own
slivers of plot to deal with, all of which dovetail impressively so that
nothing seems superfluous (with the possible exception of the Susan/Perfect
Victim sub-sub-subplot).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using a wheel
to enter the tomb, having mentioned in episode one that the Aztecs never
discovered the wheel, is an especially nice touch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Ringham provides a worthy villain, but
the supporting honours are stolen by Keith Pyott’s troubled priest and Margot
Van Der Burgh’s ageing lady in need of affection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The subplot involving the Doctor’s engagement
is unexpectedly touching, and full marks for deviating enough from the expected
path to include it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lest anyone think
that the moral ambiguity was disappearing from the series, this story should
dispel such fears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor and Ian
are here forced to set themselves against Barbara’s attempts to end human
sacrifice, while she tricks and deceives Autloc into helping her, much as the
Doctor manipulates his fiancée.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
well-crafted gentler tale, with subtle overtones of horror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nice one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<b>Rating</b><br />
8 / 10<b> </b></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-20806190847636553892012-08-29T12:22:00.001-07:002012-08-31T13:35:37.836-07:00And the maddest Dalek is...In honour of the forthcoming Asylum of the Daleks, my nominations for the maddest Daleks yet seen on the show.<br />
<br />
DEATH TO THE DALEKS<br />
<br />
If you discovered you'd let a prisoner escape, what would you do? This poor soul screams at himself then commits suicide. Without telling anyone about his screwup. That's stress in the workplace.<br />
<br />
POWER OF THE DALEKS<br />
<br />
Thanks to the Doctor, first three then more Daleks here suffer a personality meltdown and start playing trains. Sample quote: "Dizzy! Dizzy Doctor!"<br />
<br />
THE DALEKS<br />
<br />
Arguable perhaps, but a Daleks' reaction to Thal anti-radiation drugs is to go all trippy and psychedelic (but in monochrome) while yelling "ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!"<br />
<br />
REVELATION OF THE DALEKS<br />
<br />
If Arthur Stengos is anything to go by, all the Daleks created on Necros are basically barking mad inside.<br />
<br />
DALEK<br />
<br />
A more profound and distressing form of the personality disintegration seen in Power of the Daleks. Leading to a far more understandable suicide than in Death to the Daleks. It's interesting that when the Dalek is killing everyone it's being sane, but when it's sparing Rose and sunbathing it's going mad.<br />
<br />
REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS<br />
<br />
The evidence for this one isn't so much in the TV version but in the novelisation, where the Special Weapons Dalek is called "The Abomination" by other Daleks and is a gibbering psychopath even for a Dalek. The fact that he's due to appear in Asylum Of The Daleks suggests Steven Moffat agrees.<br />
<br />
JOURNEY'S END<br />
<br />
Russell T Davies borrowed the title The Abomination for Dalek Caan in his final appearance (to date!) when he seemed utterly unhinged, not to mention incomplete. The only Dalek to giggle maniacally, he had enough sanity to condemn his race to oblivion, although perhaps this is what sent him mad.<br />
<br />
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS<br />
<br />
And finally to surely the maddest of them all: the Emperor. Convinced he's God; head of an army of deranged Daleks; goes into oblivion screaming about his own invincibility. Also, can anyone explain why Emperor Daleks lose manoeuvrability as a result of importance? Seems a bit silly.<br />
<br />
Hope that's whetted your appetite. Bring on the Asylum!Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-67032679230366854542012-08-26T02:18:00.001-07:002012-08-26T02:18:33.745-07:00The Exciting Guide to The Keys of MarinusThey can't all be classics. Here's my take on Terry Nation's second Doctor Who story.<br />
<br />
Quick reminder:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. If you need to understand what I'm doing here, there's a link to my intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Five</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Story Code</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">E</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Keys Of Marinus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">“Friends” Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
One With The Men In Wetsuits</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Episode Titles</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Sea Of Death</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Velvet Web</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Screaming Jungle</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Snows Of Terror</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sentence
Of Death</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Keys Of Marinus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Current availability</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">All
six episodes exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Source</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">UK
Gold omnibus repeat transmission.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Date</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">3100
BC.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Again,
there is no point of reference to place this story into an Earth time
scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why not date it as above?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Genre</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Quest</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Plot synopsis</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The travellers land on an alien island,
and discover a glass beach and a sea of acid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A number of creatures in wetsuits - the Voords - arrive in glass
submersibles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One by one, the TARDIS
crew fall through moving panels in the large building that dominates the island
and are imprisoned by a cowled man - his name is Arbitan, and he releases them
once Ian has saved his life from a Voord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He asks the travellers to collect together microcircuit keys from around
the planet, so as to re-animate the Conscience Of Marinus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They refuse, and he imprisons the Ship in a
forcefield to leave them with no option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He hands out travel bracelets programmed to transport them to their
destinations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara vanishes early,
and the others soon follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arbitan is
killed by a Voord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor, Ian and
Susan arrive in a corridor to find Barbara’s bracelet with blood on it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There is a cacophony of light and
sound, and Barbara is discovered in luxury, the blood having come from a
scratch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their “Host”, Altos, claims
they are in the city of Morphoton, where everyone is contented - everything is
provided for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all sleep, and a
girl places discs on their foreheads:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Barbara’s falls off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the morning,
Barbara sees the reality - rags and dirt - while the others remain
deceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She runs off, and meets up with
Sabetha, the girl who placed the discs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Altos reports to three Brains in jars, who order Barbara and Sabetha
killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other travellers are brought
under the Brains’ control, and Ian captures Barbara, taking her to the
Brains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She destroys them, and their
control vanishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rioters burn the
city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers meet up with Altos
and Sabetha - both past emissaries from Arbitan (Sabetha is his daughter).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor uses his dial to go ahead to find
the fourth key, while the others move to the second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan arrives first, finding herself in a
jungle full of horrible screaming noises.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The others arrive and calm Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They search the dense vegetation around a
nearby building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara finds the key
on a statue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as she takes it, the statue
swings her through a wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Altos and
Susan go ahead to the third destination, presuming that Barbara can now use her
travel dial, but Sabetha realises the key is a forgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She follows Altos and Susan, while Ian goes
after Barbara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They elude a number of
traps, laid by an old man guarding the real key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The jungle’s growth has been stimulated, and
the vegetation attacks the building, killing the old man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian and Barbara find the key from his dying
clues, and escape to a bitterly cold environment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They pass out from the cold, and are
taken in by a huge, bearded trapper called Vasor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian goes looking for Altos and finds him
unconscious, bound by Vasor, who has also filled Ian’s bag with raw meat to
attract wolves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They return to Vasor’s
hut in time to save Barbara from his advances, and force him to lead them to
the cave where he has left Susan and Sabetha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They follow the girls along tunnels of ice through a mountain, but Vasor
traps them all by detaching a rope bridge across a ravine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They find the key in a block of ice
surrounded by four lifeless soldiers - as the ice melts, the soldiers come to
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They improvise a bridge and escape
with the key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vasor is killed by the
soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian materialises in a vault
with the final key on display and a dead man on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone knocks him out, steals the key and
escapes with alarms ringing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian awakes to be interrogated by
Tarron, under suspicion of theft and murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Doctor turns up, and agrees to defend him - the murdered man was
Eprin, another of Arbitan’s envoys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Doctor quickly deduces that the murderer was Aydan, the relief guard on the
vault, and gets Sabetha to name him in court - Aydan gives himself away and is
about to confess when he is shot down, much to the apparent dismay of his wife
Kala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian is taken for execution under
suspicion of working with Aydan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Meanwhile, Barbara receives a phone call from Susan, who is being held
captive, and will be killed if the location of the key is revealed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">6.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Barbara, Altos and Sabetha go to see Kala,
who accidentally gives her implication in the plot away - she killed Aydan and
has Susan tied up in the next room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Susan is rescued just before Kala is about to kill her:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she is arrested, but names Ian as her
accomplice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is proved false when the
Doctor and some of the local guardians lie in wait for the mastermind as he
collects the key - it is the court prosecutor, Eyeson, and the key is hidden
inside the murder weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers
leave Millennius and return to the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Voords now control the Conscience, and their leader, Yartek tries to
gain possession of the final key, first by interrogating Altos and Sabetha,
then by impersonating Arbitan in an attempt to trick Ian and Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian gives Yartek the false key, and they all
escape from the building before Yartek inserts it in the Conscience, setting
off a chain reaction that blows the whole lot up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor advises Sabetha that Arbitan’s
work can go on, but without a machine to control men’s minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Altos and Sabetha plan to return to
Millennius, and the travellers depart in the TARDIS.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Pitch</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Six
stories for the price of one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Money Shot</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
opening model shot of Arbitan’s island. (Episode 1)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The TARDIS log</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Ship is not heard to make its usual groaning sound on arrival and departure
from the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this because we see
both from a distance?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or is that sound
only heard inside the TARDIS?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Ship’s colour television is on the blink.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Alien Worlds</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
We see many different areas of Marinus, suggesting it is as varied and natural
a planet as our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which is nice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Two thousand years ago, the technology of Marinus reached a peak with the
development of the Conscience of Marinus, a machine that acted as an infallible
judge and jury, which was eventually improved until it controlled the minds of
everyone on the planet, eliminating evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The planet prospered for seven centuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A man called Yartek overcame it, with his
followers, the Voords.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arbitan, the
keeper of the Conscience, removed the five vital microcircuit keys, keeping one
and spreading the rest around the planet, thus keeping control of the machine
from the Voords but allowing the possibility of reviving the Conscience one
day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Conscience is kept in an enormous labyrinthine building on a well-defended
island, blessed with a glass beach and surrounded by a sea of acid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s covered in large spiky bits, and there
is a complete absence of life (birds etc.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
One city on Marinus is called Morphoton, and at the time of the travellers’
visit, is ruled over by three Brains who outgrew their bodies, and use
hypnotism - via their subtly-named “mesmeron” and “somno-discs” - to make the
humanoid population serve them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True to
form, this regime had been overturned by the time the TARDIS crew left.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Another city, Millennius, is described as “a highly advanced society”, despite
the topsy-turvy laws - here, a person is guilty until proved innocent, and
sentence comes at the start of the trial.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The rarity of murder in Millennius, and their inability to forge an adequate
legal system, suggests the effects of the Conscience’s withdrawal - on the plus
side, crime has remained at a low, but on the other hand the citizens are
unprepared to deal with what crime there is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
However advanced Millennius is, they still use telephones.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
There is a freezing cold, possibly polar region of Marinus, with miles between
villages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Volcanic springs are to be
found deep beneath the ground.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
In another region, the dense jungle has had its “tempo of destruction”
increased so that hundreds of years’ erosion on a building is done in a matter
of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did this happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian and Barbara read about it in the old
man’s diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a biologist - did he
somehow cause this?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
We are told that Yartek and the Voords overcame the Conscience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we discover they look nothing like
anyone else on Marinus - they have enormous handles on the backs of their
heads, for starters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were there always
two distinct races on the planet? - Yartek claims “there are many races of men
on Marinus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was the Conscience always
ineffective on the Voords?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do some
of them have spikes on their “noses”, but Yartek doesn’t?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much of what we see is Voord, and how
much is wetsuit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we should be
told, as it’s a curious omission from the script.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Script Heaven</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor “Sensuous and decadent...but rather pleasant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say, is that a pomegranate?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Script Hell</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Barbara “I believe you’re under some deep form of deep hypnosis.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Catchphrase</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Tarron “Who is he?” Ian “Who?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a
doctor.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Name-dropping</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor claims to have met Pyrrho.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Doctor’s Achievement</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The TARDIS crew have prevented the Voords from controlling the minds of the
population of Marinus - and, while they were at it, have freed the oppressed
population of Morphoton and uncovered a conspiracy in Millennius.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Body Count</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Three
Voords in episode one, one more in episode six (plus all those destroyed in the
climactic explosion).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other casualties
include Arbitan, Eprin, Aydan, Vasor, the old man in the jungle, one ice
soldier and the three Brains of Morphoton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So the total is, at the very least:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">13.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Don’t move!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or the girl gets it!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Vasor grabs Susan as the ice soldiers attack his hut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ll stay!” he demands, “or I’ll kill
her!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Hypnotised left, right and
centre (and friends)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The entire population of the city of Morphoton, as well as on the TARDIS crew.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hypnotism</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 instances.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Chekhov’s Plot Device</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Chekhov’s
Fake Key Of Marinus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At last!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A true Chekhov’s Gun moment!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">EffectsWatch</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The effects in episode one veer from a great model shot of the island to the
iffy illusion used to make Arbitan’s building seem huge to the
Thunderbirds-style arrival of the submersibles to the appalling effect of a
Voord falling down a shaft.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The hands grabbing Barbara in episode 3, supposedly those of a statue, are
clearly human.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Whoops</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
If you look closely, I’m sure there’s an unexpected foot in the bottom right
hand corner of the screen just as the Doctor falls into Arbitan’s building.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
An awful lot seems to have happened between episodes one and two - Barbara has
changed her clothes and been introduced to Altos - yet only seconds have
passed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor inexplicably knows Altos’ name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be fair, maybe this is a by-product of the mind control (but we’re
really stretching things here).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
When Aydan knocks Ian out at the end of episode four, he blatantly hasn’t
touched him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Notes</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian is still dressed as he was in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco
Polo</i>, suggesting - but not proving - that this story carries on directly
from the last.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor is absent from episodes three and four, as the actor took a
holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this is why he gets some
great stuff to do when he returns - notably his Poirot act at the scene of the
crime, and his barrister act in court.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Catch Susan and Barbara’s excuses for Ian’s sexism/chivalry in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Screaming Jungle</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, revolutionary feminist stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Girl power.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
There is some surprisingly adult content in this story, from attempted rape
(Vasor and Barbara) to wife-beating (Aydan and Kala).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor claims he has never encountered a sea of acid before in all his
travels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Odd, you wouldn’t think such
things were that rare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, he and the
others instantly assume that it and the glass beach are a defence mechanism
deliberately engineered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It never seems
to cross their minds that such things could be natural.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Yartek’s people are referred to both as the Voords and the Voord.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
After <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i>’s omni-electrometer,
this story gives us a mesmeron and somno-discs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The galaxy seems to have a distinct lack of imagination, as well as
prevalent Latin and Greek roots.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Brains are supposed to be very intelligent, yet are not above intoning
“kill them” over and over again for no very good reason.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian observes that Altos doesn’t blink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why is this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They aren’t
hypnotised through the eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor describes a cyclotron as a “simple toy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
There are many great sights in this story, and one of the best is the Doctor
admiring a dirty mug, speculating about what he might be able to achieve with
“instruments like these.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Was Arbitan supposed to warn his emissaries about the old man’s traps?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why didn’t he?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian claims the ravine in the mountain is too wide to jump, but it looks no
wider than the one in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The scene in episode 5 where Eyeson answers the phone completely destroys any
suspense about who the villain might be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why is this scene there?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor gets Sabetha to deliberately perjure herself (under our law, at any
rate).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Try watching the scene in episode 6 where the Doctor unmasks Eyeson without screaming
“And I would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn’t of been for you
meddling kids!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Check out that disguise Yartek tries on Ian and Susan!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh come on!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No-one’s going to fall for that!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian says he will give the surviving Key of Marinus to the Doctor as a keepsake.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Queries</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
What is DE</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-text-raise: -2.0pt; position: relative; top: 2.0pt;">3</span><span lang="EN-GB">O</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-text-raise: -2.0pt; position: relative; top: 2.0pt;">2</span><span lang="EN-GB">?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Are the glass beach and the acidic sea natural?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or did Arbitan create them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
How do the Brains of Morphoton speak?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
It seems very easy to defeat the Brains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What exactly did Barbara smash?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wouldn’t you have gone for the Brains themselves?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Why do Ian, Barbara and Altos leave the dials and keys in Vasor’s hut when they
go to the mountain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have made
things much easier if they’d taken them along.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
What’s the deal with those ice soldiers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who froze them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they alive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Undead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they, as Vasor
claims, demons?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No-one even stops to
wonder about this, and it seems a massive plot contrivance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
So what does cause that encroaching jungle, then?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
If the Doctor can just claim to be from Arbitan and have the key in Millennius
handed over by the judges, why didn’t Eprin do this when he first arrived?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did he and the Doctor plan to steal it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
If it’s impossible for the mesmeron to work on anyone who’s seen the truth, how
did they ever get it started in the first place?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Why does Susan always have to act like such a pathetic little child?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
We really can’t ignore the language thing any longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, the TARDIS crew are able to
understand everything said to them by cavemen, Daleks, Thals, Voords, and
people all over Marinus (the amount of hopping around they do, on Earth they’d
have run into at least three language barriers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is this possible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come to that, it’s unlikely enough that the
Doctor and Susan speak fluent English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And while we’re on the subject, what language exactly were the Mongols,
Venetians and other races in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i>
speaking?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless some kind of
explanation is given, this is a big cop-out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">On-screen Credits</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Taken from </span></i><span lang="EN-GB">The Television Companion<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">CAST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, Arbitan - George Colouris
(1), Voords - Martin Cort (1,6); Peter Stenson (1,6); Gordon Wales (1), Altos -
Robin Phillips (2-6), Sabetha - Katharine Schofield (2-6), Voice of Morpho -
Heron Carvic (2), Warrior - Martin Cort (3), Darrius - Edmund Warwick (3),
Vasor - Francis de Wolff (4), Ice Soldiers - Michael Allaby; Alan James; Peter
Stenson; Anthony Verner (4), Tarron - Henley Thomas (5-6), Larn - Michael
Allaby (5-6), Senior Judge - Raf de la Torre (5), First Judge - Alan James (5),
Second Judge - Peter Stenson (5), Kala - Fiona Walker (5-6), Aydan - Martin
Cort (5), Eyesen - Donald Pickering (5-6), Guard - Alan James (6), Yartek -
Stephen Dartnell (6).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">CREW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Written
by Terry Nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron
Grainer with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidental Music by Norman Kay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Costumes - Daphne Dare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make-Up -
Jill Summers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studio Lighting - Peter
Murray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studio Sound - Jack Brummitt;
Tony Milton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Production Assistant -
David Conroy; Penny Joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assistant Floor
manager - Timothy Combe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Story Editor - David
Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Designer - Raymond P.
Cusick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Associate Producer - Mervyn
Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Directed by John Gorrie.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Familiar Faces</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">George
Colouris can otherwise be seen in Orson Welles’ chart-topping film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Citizen Kane</i>, as Kane’s banker
guardian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think it would be fun to
run a newspaper!?!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Review</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
extended plot explanations above, as well as the unusual number of queries,
give the correct impression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terry
Nation has taken a handful of passably good ideas, and sandwiched them all
together into six episodes, which gives the story a disjointed feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The events in Morphoton, for instance, could
surely have supported a story by themselves, while those in Millennius
certainly could - the Doctor’s scenes defending Ian are amongst the most
enjoyable in the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This resembles
nothing more than a collection of short stories, and suffers as a result - the
casual viewer has nothing to grab hold of to make one care what happens next
episode, and those of us looking deeper into it find glaring plot holes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frankly, with about 20-30 minutes per section
there is nowhere near enough time to explain any given situation, so we are
left completely perplexed as to what happened to that jungle, for instance, or
where those ice soldiers came from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only linking thread is the regular cast, and unfortunately they are largely
becoming rather annoying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan is
forever squealing and crying, while Barbara and Ian spend all their time not
believing each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be fair, it’s
more an aberrance in this story than a universal trait of the series, but they
do all appear slightly thick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
exception is William Hartnell as the Doctor, but this is attributable in part
to his complete absence from the most irritating episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the framing Conscience plot is not
wholly thought out, and by the end everything seems very unsatisfactory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although there are many things to like here -
there are strong guest performances from Fiona Walker and Katharine Schofield,
and the direction is occasionally inspired, especially in the “point-of-view”
sequences in Morphoton - it has, in the end, to be marked down as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i>’s first real failure.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b>Rating</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">3 / 10<b> </b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-60805216628118754722012-08-17T02:08:00.000-07:002012-08-17T02:08:50.499-07:00The Exciting Guide presents MARCO POLOThe fourth Doctor Who story begins a big problem with the 1960s - namely, the absence of entire stories or individual episodes from the BBC archives. So I am obliged to cover stories like "Marco Polo" without seeing them.<br />
<br />
A reminder - I began this in 1998. I didn't even have a permanent internet connection and even if I had had one, there would not have been the vast array of resources and reconstructions that exist today. So I had to rely on Target novelisations, <i>The Television Companion</i> and past issues of <i>Doctor Who Magazine</i>.<br />
<br />
With that in mind, let's see what I had to say about "Marco Polo" in early 1999.<br />
<br />
Quick reminder of the links:<br />
For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. Quick link to the intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Four</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Story Code</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">D</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Marco
Polo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Anyone claiming this should
be called </span></i><span lang="EN-GB">Journey To Cathay<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is just being picky now.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">“Friends” Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
One With The Mongols</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Episode Titles</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Roof Of The World</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Singing Sands</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Five
Hundred Eyes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Wall Of Lies</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Rider
From Shang-Tu</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Mighty
Kublai Khan</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Assassin
At Peking</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Current availability</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Not
even slightly available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first
casualty.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Sources</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Doctor Who Magazine</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> Archive, Issue 240.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certain
elements have also been taken from John Lucarotti’s novelisation, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have noted these elements wherever used, as
it is difficult to ascertain which bits come from the series as shown on TV,
and which bits were made up on the spot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Date</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">1289
A.D.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As
specified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DWM</i> suggests it takes place between mid-April and September 1st.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Genre</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Historical</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Plot synopsis</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Doctor discovers that a burnt-out
circuit has disabled the TARDIS’ heating, lighting and water supply, and
repairs will take days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers
promptly run into Mongol warriors, and are saved from summary execution by a
European man called Marco Polo:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they
have clearly landed on Earth in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Polo’s companions include Mongol warlord Tegana, on a peace mission from
Noghai to the court of Kublai Khan, and Ping-Cho, a young girl on her way to
marry a 75-year-old man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travellers join
the caravan in his journey across the Gobi desert, but Polo confiscates the key
to the Doctor’s “flying caravan”, intending it as a present to Khan in exchange
for freedom from service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile,
Tegana collects poison for the water supplies from an associate, and they plot
to steal “the thing of magic that will bring the mighty Kublai Khan to his
knees.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Days later, Susan and Ping-Cho follow
Tegana out of suspicion, but there is a sandstorm, and they eventually have to
be escorted back to camp by Tegana himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The next night, the warlord cuts open the water gourds, which Polo
blames on bandits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>En route to an oasis
six days away, the remaining water runs out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Doctor collapses, and is allowed into the TARDIS with Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tegana rides on to the oasis, but has no
intention of returning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The party is saved by condensation
forming inside the TARDIS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They reach
the oasis, where Tegana claims to have been hiding from bandits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They continue to Tun-Huang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Polo reclaims the TARDIS key, but the Doctor
is completing a copy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Ping-Cho tells
a story, Tegana slips away to meet his Mongol cohorts, Acomat and Malik - their
forces are waiting at Karakorum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barbara
follows him, and is captured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the
ensuing search, the Doctor, Susan and Ping-Cho visit the Cave of Five Hundred
Eyes, and Susan screams as she sees one pair of eyes move.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Others arrive, and a secret room is
revealed, containing Barbara and her Mongol captor, who is swiftly dealt with
by Polo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tegana denies his own part in
the affair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The journey continues along
the Great Wall of Cathay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tegana
arranges an ambush with Acomat, and helps Polo catch the Doctor working in the
TARDIS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the second key is taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian tries to steal it back, but finds the man
guarding them has been stabbed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian warns Polo, and the ambush is a
failure - Tegana kills Acomat himself to prevent betrayal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The caravan continues, and a courier,
Ling-Tau, summons Polo to the Khan without delay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preparations are made at Cheng-Ting to leave
on horseback, but Ping-Cho steals the TARDIS keys, and the travellers try to
make good their escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
Tegana has been planning to steal the Ship, and he grabs Susan as she
approaches it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">6.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Polo once again arrives and confiscates
the keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The horseback ride
begins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following night, Ping-Cho
runs away to escape her marriage, and Ian goes after her, discovering along the
way that the TARDIS has been stolen (by one of Tegana’s associates).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Polo sends Tegana after Ian and Ping-Cho, and
himself reaches the Khan’s palace with the remaining travellers in tow, and the
elderly Khan befriends the Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tegana catches up with Ian and Ping-Cho, and advances with his sword
drawn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">7.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ling-Tau arrives, and Tegana causes his
intended victims to be arrested for stealing the TARDIS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all travel to the palace, where Tegana
turns the Khan against Polo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ping-Cho
hears that her intended husband has died after drinking a youth elixir, and the
Doctor gambles with the Khan, and loses the TARDIS in a game of backgammon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The time-travellers uncover Tegana’s plan to
assassinate the Khan and allow Noghai’s forces to attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Polo protects his ruler, and defeats Tegana
in a swordfight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The warlord commits
suicide, and the travellers are allowed to leave in the TARDIS.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Pitch</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">A
trek across the world with all the epic qualities of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The English Patient</i> and lots of escape attempts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Money Shot</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Obviously,
this is extremely difficult to name, having not seen a single shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From reading the summary, though, Tegana’s
betrayal at the oasis stands out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Here’s water, Marco Polo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come
for it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Episode 2)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Doctor and his kind</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor is adept at backgammon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan claims that she and the Doctor have had “many homes in many places” and
have been travelling for “a long time.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
She also claims to be sixteen years old, like Ping-Cho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely this cannot be accurate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How long can they have been travelling?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was she a child when they left their home
planet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we talking sixteen Earth
years or not?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The TARDIS log</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
A single circuit appears to control (or at least influence) heating, lighting
and water in the TARDIS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bit of an
eggs and basket situation, surely?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The novel unsubtly refers to the above circuit as an “omni-electrometer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One can only presume that the Big Red
Self-Destruct Button is working fine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Whatever the answer to the mystery of the Ship’s dimensions, they do not
prevent the formation of condensation inside it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor is able to make a copy of the TARDIS key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan’s comments in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i> about its complexity are, however, held up by his
possibly over-dramatic warning to Polo that if he puts the key in the lock he
will destroy the Ship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Condensation forms in the TARDIS when the hot air cools during the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why aren’t the walls dripping with water
when the Ship’s hanging around in mid-space?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s rather cold there as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe the TARDIS forcefield, or whatever, is one of today's faulty
items.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Past Journeys</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan’s claim to have had “many homes in many places” presumably suggests that
she and her grandfather were travelling for a long time before holing up in
1963.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The history of Earth</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The journeys of Venetian explorer Marco Polo, and his links to the court of
Kublai Khan are a well-established historical event:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Junior
Pears Encyclopaedia</i> claims he journeyed through China (or Cathay), India
and other parts of Asia from 1271-94, and Barbara (a history teacher, remember)
is familiar with his story.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The history books fail to note that one of Polo’s journeys was infiltrated by a
Mongol warlord called Tegana, whose plan to kill Kublai Khan was foiled by a
group of time-travellers who owned a flying caravan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Alien Worlds</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
According to the novelisation, Susan alludes to “the metal seas of Venus.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Script Heaven</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan “One day, we’ll know all the secrets of the skies, and we’ll stop our
wanderings.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Polo “On my travels to Cathay, Ian, I have come to believe many things I’d
previously doubted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, when I
was a boy in Venice they told me that in Cathay there was a stone that
burned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not believe, but there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> such a stone - I have seen it...And
if stone burns, why not a caravan that flies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Birds fly;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have even seen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fish</i> that fly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are asking me to believe that your
caravan can defy the passage of the sun?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Move not merely from one place to another, but from today into tomorrow,
today to yesterday?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No Ian, that I
cannot believe.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Doctor’s Achievement</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
If it were not for the Doctor and his crew, it is arguable that Kublai Khan
would have died at the hands of Tegana, Noghai would have become Emperor of
Cathay, and the history of the East might have been quite different to how we
now know it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Things I learned from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The origin of the word “assassin”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The facts about condensation</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Rarefied air causes water to boil at a lower temperature</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Body Count</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Difficult
to tell without being able to watch the episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the plot summary and the novelisation,
we know of the Mongol in the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes, two sentries, the
Khan’s personal secretary and Acomat (all slain by Tegana), Tegana himself and,
I suppose, Ping-Cho’s fiancé.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there
are also presumably numerous Mongols in the ambush, and maybe some more in the
final episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a rough guess:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">8.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Screams / Twists Ankle</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oh, I’ve Been Captured Tally</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a perfect one of these in episode three, with Barbara as the
hapless victim.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Don’t move!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or the girl gets it!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Barbara
and Susan are both grabbed by Mongols during this story, but I have no evidence
to suggest that any variation of the above immortal line was uttered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Checkov’s Plot Device</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Not
at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The baddy is killed with a
sword.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very simple.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Irrelevant Escape Attempts</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
travellers attempt to sneak into the TARDIS, but thanks to Tegana’s
intervention, Polo catches them and confiscates the key. (Episode 4)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
travellers attempt to sneak into the TARDIS, but thanks to Tegana’s
intervention, Polo catches them and confiscates the key. (Episode 5/6)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Whoops</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Marco Polo was almost certainly not in this geographical location in 1289, meaning
that writer John Lucarotti and Barbara are both wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charitably, of course, Lucarotti has just
chosen to present a “fictionalised” account in a historical setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing wrong with that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Notes</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The events of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unearthly Child</i> took
place over two days, those of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i>
over three or four, and those of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Edge
Of Destruction</i> a matter of hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marco Polo</i> takes an estimated four to
five months, marking a considerable change of pace for the programme.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Another departure for the series is the use of linking narration (by Mark Eden
in character as Marco Polo) over film of a parchment map showing the journey as
it progresses.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
It’s worth reprinting the following claim from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DWM</i>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“The
Ping-Cho sub-plot was based on Marco Polo’s escorting of the seventeen year-old
Princess Kokachin to wed Arghan, the Ilkhan of Persia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arghan was the grand-nephew of the Khan, and
it had been his wife’s dying request that a girl from her own Mongol tribe
should take her place - the message reaching the Khan in 1288.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bridal party had left for Persia in 1289,
only to be turned back by war amongst the Tartars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After Polo’s return from the Indies, he and
his family were allowed to leave the Khan’s service and escort Kokachin’s
party, departing in 1292.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On arrival in
Persia, Kokachin was to find her elderly fiancé had died - as did Ping-Cho in
the serial.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other elements of the
serial were apparently based on Marco Polo’s memoirs, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Description Of The World</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor hardly appears in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Singing
Sands</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is largely due to ill
health on William Hartnell’s part.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unearthly Child</i>, the issue
of leadership seems to have been resolved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Marco and Tegana, according to the novelisation, both accept without
question that the Doctor “commands” his party.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan’s comments suggest they have visited Venus before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor’s comments about tailors in
Han-Chow and coffins in Lu-Chow show more than a passing familiarity with
ancient Cathay:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can they have been here
before?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(These snippets of dialogue are
taken from the novelisation)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
According to the novelisation, the Doctor leaves Kublai Khan with “the key to
the world” - a duplicate TARDIS key.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Queries</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Just how old is Susan?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come to that, how
old is the Doctor?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The TARDIS crew know exactly where and when they have just been - Peking,
1289.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does this mean the Doctor can now
steer the Ship correctly, as he stated many episodes ago, and take Barbara and
Ian back home?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he even want to?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">On-screen Credits</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Taken from </span></i><span lang="EN-GB">DWM<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">CAST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford, Marco Polo - Mark Eden,
Tegana - Derren Nesbitt, Ping-Cho - Zienia Merton, Man At Lop - Leslie Bates
(1), Chenchu - Jimmy Gardner (3-4), Malik - Charles Wade (3), Acomat - Philip
Voss (3-4), Mongol Bandit - Michael Guest (5), Ling-Tau - Paul Carson (5,7),
Wang-Lo - Gabor Baraker (5-6), Kuiju - Tutte Lemkow (5-7), Vizier - Peter
Lawrence (6-7), Kublai Khan - Martin Miller (6-7), Office Foreman - Basil Tang
(6), Empress - Claire Davenport (7).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">CREW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Written
by John Lucarotti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron
Grainer with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidental Music by Tristram Cary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sword Fight arranged by Derek Ware (7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Costume Supervised by Daphne Dare (7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Make-up Supervised by Ann Ferriggi (7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Story Editor - David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Designer - Barry Newbury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Associate
Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Producer -
Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Directed by Waris
Hussein (1-3,5-7); John Crockett (4).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Familiar Faces</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Mark
Eden was later to become a regular in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coronation
Street</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">You may also recognise Zienia Merton from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Space: 1999</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Review</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
plot summary makes this seven-episode epic look like a real drag:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a whole story full of people travelling from
one bit of desert to another, Tegana snarling and plotting every other minute,
and endless attempts to get the TARDIS key back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its reputation, however, leaves the mouth
watering, because everyone seems to think this is, to quote John Peel, “one of
the true classics of television” (taken from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Television Companion</i>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
suspect the story’s saving graces are in production values, dialogue and
direction, exactly the aspects robbed from us by the loss of the episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I shall reserve judgement.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b>Rating</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">6 / 10<b> </b> </span></div>
Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-71873802237274638962012-08-12T05:13:00.001-07:002012-08-14T03:26:20.692-07:00The Arthur Dent ParadoxWriting a show about time travel can mess with your head. It can also, if you're not careful, rob your stories of any sense of real jeopardy. If people are paying enough attention.<br />
<br />
Let's begin with The Visitation, in which the Fifth Doctor accidentally starts the Great Fire of London. No reason why not. But consider the fact that the Fourth Doctor has heard of the Fire in Pyramids of Mars; St Paul's Dome is visible in The Invasion; and Monument Tube Station appears in The Web of Fear. So, the Great Fire had already happened, before the time traveller made it happen.<br />
<br />
It's even more explicit in new season 3. The Master regenerates in Utopia. He speaks his first words and Martha, overhearing them, recognises his voice. He then goes back in time and becomes Harold Saxon and runs for office: which Martha and Jack knew all about before Professor Yana is woken up.<br />
<br />
This does rather suggest a form of predestination. The Family of Blood couldn't kill the Doctor in episode 9 of season 3 because the effects of his actions in episode 11 had already been shown in episode 6. Indeed, once the 2nd Doctor knows about the Monument, he's presumably safe until The Visitation. Farewell jeopardy.<br />
<br />
I don't know if this has a name, but I'm going to call it the Arthur Dent paradox. In Life, The Universe and Everything (book 3 of Hitch Hiker's), Arthur learns that one day, he will visit Stavromula Beta and accidentally cause the death of a man called Agrajag. Throughout the next two books, he is calmly convinced that he can't die until he has visited Stavromula Beta. It's only logical and, what's more, true: when he does (apparently) die at the end of Mostly Harmless, it's shortly after the Stavromula Beta experience, which is not quite what he'd imagined.<br />
<br />
This has caused problems. When writing The End of Time, Russell T Davies realised that, thanks to a gag at the end of The Shakespeare Code, the Tenth Doctor had to meet and offend Elizabeth I before he could regenerate. Hence a few lined crowbarred in and unfortunately referenced more than once since.<br />
<br />
More seriously, the plot of The Impossible Astronaut required the audience to believe that Amy, Rory and River believed the Doctor was dead. But we know River has a diary of all her encounters with him, so she'd know this can't be the end. Which meant Moffat had to write a scene making it clear that they've done everything now, including Jim the Fish.<br />
<br />
But in that case, clearly River's entire relationship with the Doctor is with the Matt Smith version. And she seems to have only met another incarnation once: on the day she died. Strange how she didn't remark on this.<br />
<br />
Yeah, it messes with your head. But, like Arthur Dent, it also makes the Doctor invincible. He was perfectly safe from acid rain at Christmas because he hasn't visited the fields of Trenzalore! Thanks to Dorium's future knowledge, his safety is assured. <br />
<br />
But then he was already safe. He hasn't been Merlin yet!Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739211588147803670.post-41083976290746714322012-08-10T09:45:00.001-07:002012-08-10T09:45:25.957-07:00The Exciting Guide presents THE EDGE OF DESTRUCTION!So it's time for Doctor Who's third story. For previous posts, you can scroll around this site, or go to my Facebook page
(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide">http://www.facebook.com/ExcitingGuide</a>) which will link only to those
parts of my blog devoted to the Exciting Guide. Quick link to the intro here:
<a href="http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html">http://chapwithwings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/watching-every-tv-adventure-of-doctor.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Story Three</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Story Code</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">C</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Edge Of Destruction</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">There is no entirely
satisfactory title for this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
one I have used is quite clearly the title of the first episode alone, while
the allegedly more accurate </span></i><span lang="EN-GB">Inside The Spaceship<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is just crap and sounds like a documentary.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">“Friends” Title</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
One Inside The Spaceship</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Episode Titles</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Edge Of Destruction</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The
Brink Of Disaster</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Current availability</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Both
episodes exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Source</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">UK
Gold omnibus repeat transmission.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The UK Gold template for
these repeats tends to be a complete omnibus edition, with the only omissions
being those necessary for the format - the closing and opening titles between
episodes, and often the reprises.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Date</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">This
takes place entirely inside the TARDIS, which is not really in any time at all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Genre</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Psychological
Thriller</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Plot synopsis</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The crew recover one by one from the
explosion with temporary lapses of memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Odd things start to happen - the TARDIS doors open by themselves, the
food machine claims to be out of water but isn’t, Susan is electrocuted by the
console and faints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor rebuffs
speculation that something may be inside the TARDIS with them, maybe even
inside one of them, as “absurd theories.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone seems to be acting oddly, however - Susan attacks Ian with a
pair of scissors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Fault Locator
claims nothing is wrong, and the scanner shows a sequence of images while the
doors open and close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor throws
suspicion on Ian and Barbara, but the confrontation is brought to a halt by the
clocks in the Ship suddenly all melting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Doctor changes his tune and hands out drinks:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>thanks to a “mild sleeping draught” they are
all soon asleep in bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor
approaches the console, but is attacked from behind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian is apparently trying to strangle
the Doctor, but faints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor
determines to throw the humans off the Ship, despite Barbara’s protestations
that something is affecting everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Doctor is forced to admit to misjudging them when a loud alarm
sounds - this is the “danger signal”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Fault Locator now registers failure on every single instrument, and
the Doctor announces they have ten minutes to live, though admits to Ian it is
really only five:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Ship is on the
verge of disintegration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They manage to
piece the clues together - the images on the scanner represent their journey,
halted by the TARDIS defence mechanism to protect the Ship from an enormous
explosion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor realises they are
on course for the birth of a new solar system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Fast Return switch is stuck down - the Doctor fixes it and the Ship
returns to normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After apologies have
been exchanged, the TARDIS lands on a planet where the air is good but it is
very cold.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Pitch</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Like
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Haunting</i> in space, without being
crap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Event Horizon</i>, really, but with a less OTT ending.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Money Shot</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Susan
stabs her bed over and over again - a surprisingly brutal and effective scene,
bringing to mind scenes from two classic horror movies (namely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psycho</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exorcist</i>.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Episode 1)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Doctor and his kind</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian notes that the Doctor’s “heart seems all right, and his breathing’s quite
regular.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This suggests that the
physiology of the Doctor and Susan’s race is similar to that of Humanity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor’s ambiguous moral stance is underlined when Ian asks him if he is
working for good or evil, and gets no direct answer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The TARDIS log</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The TARDIS has a built-in defence mechanism.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
It can withstand tremendous forces - even, for a certain period of time, those
present at the creation of a solar system.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan claims it is impossible for the Ship to crash.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The “heart” of the Ship - its source of power - is directly beneath the central
column.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the column were to come out,
the power would be free to escape.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The TARDIS has a memory bank which records their journeys.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
When an instrument in the Ship goes wrong, a valve lights up in the Fault
Locator to indicate the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the
whole thing were to light up, it would mean the Ship was on the point of
disintegration.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Food Machine has an entire section set aside on its panel for water, which
is dispensed in plastic bags.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The TARDIS’ inhabitants are expected to sleep on odd couch/beds that come out
from the wall.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The TARDIS isn’t much for privacy:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you
can stroll right through the bedrooms, which are directly adjacent to the
console room.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Barbara suggests that the Ship can think for itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor refutes this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Fast Return Switch (which is positioned near the scanner switch) will send
the TARDIS back through time until released.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is unclear whether there is also a Fast Forward switch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Past Journies</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
A few journeys back, the Doctor and Susan nearly lost the TARDIS on the planet
Quinias.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Alien Worlds</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The planet Quinias (which appears on the scanner) is a dangerous jungle planet
that is apparently in “the fourth Universe.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You mean there’s more than one of them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Script Heaven</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Barbara “How dare you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you
realise, you stupid old man, that you’d have died in the Cave of Skulls if Ian
hadn’t made fire for you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what about
what we went through against the Daleks, not just for us, but for you and Susan
too, and all because you tricked us into going down to the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Accuse us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You ought to go down on your knees and thank us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gratitude’s the last thing you’ll ever
have...or any sort of common sense either!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian “I wish I could understand you, Doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One moment you’re abusing us, and the next you’re playing the perfect
butler.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor “One man’s law is another man’s crime.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
This is a good line, but marred by William Hartnell’s uncharacteristic fit of
ham-acting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The director clearly wants
it to be good, as well:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>note the
lighting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“I
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said it would take the force of a total
solar system to attract the power away from my Ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are at the very beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new start of a solar system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside, the atoms are rushing towards each
other, fusing, coagulating, until minute little collections of matter are
created.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so the process goes on and
on until dust is formed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dust then
becomes solid entity:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a new birth of a
sun and its planets!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor “You know, my dear child, I think your old grandfather is going a
tiny little bit around the bend.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Script Hell</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor [to Susan] “Well, I think you were very brave, and I was proud of
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hasn’t been to the dentist!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor “Susan has left you some wearing apparel for outside.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You mean clothes?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
This seems an unrepresentative sample, but in fact the dialogue in this story
is nowhere near as bad as it seems to be - it is the off-day performances from
the regulars that lower its tone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Name-dropping</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor claims to have met Gilbert and Sullivan, and obtained Ian’s
startling item of winter protection from them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Body Count</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Zero.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Screams / Twists Ankle</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan shows a knack for eavesdropping in this story (although, to be fair, it’s
not as if anyone is acting like themselves.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Hypnotised left, right and
centre (and friends)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Susan and Ian’s behaviour under TARDIS influence counts as the first time the
series uses some form of hypnotism.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hypnotism</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 instance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">The TARDIS wardrobe</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor mentions that the Ship has an extensive wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The examples of this pulled out here include
some winter woollies, an enormous all-encompassing poncho thing Ian wears and
several natty sets of pyjamas, dressing-gowns and flip-flop slippers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Dudley!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The scene where Susan attacks the bed with the knife is accompanied by screeching
music reminiscent of the Alfred Hitchcock film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psycho</i>, released four years earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(The composer is uncredited)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Notes</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
There is some truly horrendous acting throughout this story, notably from
Carole Ann Ford.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Ian’s opening words to Barbara (“You’re working late tonight, Miss Wright.”)
recall his opening words to her in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An
Unearthly Child</i> (“Not gone yet?”)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Dialogue in this story suggests that controls on the console are in specific
places, and not variable as previously suggested in this Guide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are to continue being charitable,
perhaps it is only certain items such as the Fast Return and Scanner switches
that are fixed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly it is still
possible that the Doctor needs to activate the Ship a different way each time
to take off - the Fast Return Switch itself is an example of a control that
would not be needed every time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
During the Doctor’s semi-conscious ramblings, he says “I can’t take you back,
Susan.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this a conversation he has
had with Susan?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he mean to 1963, or
to their home planet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the latter,
does this suggest he spirited her away from home much as he did from London?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor spends the whole story with a bandage wrapped around his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is ointment in its coloured
segment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when the colour has gone, the
wound is healed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Note how the TARDIS booms every time they guess correctly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Why does the Doctor have to give such an over-simplified explanation to
Susan?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s not stupid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Gilbert and Sullivan clearly didn’t teach the Doctor anything about
acting:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with his “Yes, we must solve
this problem, you know, we must” he again proves his inability in this field.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Why doesn’t the Doctor wrap up like everyone else on the cold planet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely he’d feel the cold more than most.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor’s discomfort when called upon to apologise is beautiful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The Doctor has come to believe he has underestimated Barbara in the past (or,
at least, that’s what he says.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Following up what is clearly a running joke from the previous story, the Doctor
refers to Ian Chesterton as “Charterhouse.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The experience seems to bring the TARDIS crew closer together.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
The sequence repeated by the TARDIS is as follows:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a picture of England - doors open;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a picture of Quinias - doors close;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pictures of a planet drawing back to see the
entire solar system;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>an enormous
explosion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Queries</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
It seems believable that the Ship’s defence mechanism can use the instruments
to warn the crew of danger, but how does it manage to melt the clocks and Ian
and Barbara’s wrist watches?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how
does it affect the passengers’ behaviour?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
What exactly is all this business about making them aware of time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all seems a somewhat obscure way to go
about getting the message across.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">•
Is the Ship alive?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">•
Exactly how many Universes are there?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">On-screen Credits</span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Taken from </span></i><span lang="EN-GB">The Television Companion.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">CAST</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Dr.
Who - William Hartnell, Ian Chesterton - William Russell, Barbara Wright -
Jacqueline Hill, Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">CREW</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">By
David Whitaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title Music by Ron
Grainer, BBC Radiophonic Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Designer - Raymond Cusick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Producer - Verity Lambert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Directed by Frank Cox.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Review</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">For
all its failings, this is an atmospheric story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s hardly noticeable that the cast and settings are reduced to the
bare minimum, and the action certainly doesn’t get boring, possibly thanks to
the unusually short running length.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Granted, it doesn’t always make sense - the melting clocks, for starters
- but the revelation of what has been going on all this time is a supreme
moment of bathos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whereas <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daleks</i> was possibly traditional SF
story-telling (discovery of threat, lengthy expedition to neutralise it, big
battle at end), this story warns the viewer not to expect the obvious, and at
times to expect the downright obscure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The relations between the crew are antagonistic and deliberately
confusing for the audience, so it’s a shame that all the performances are
unforgivably stilted, with Jacqueline Hill perhaps coming in for least
criticism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a nice diversion from
our expectations, and makes an effective coda to what has, in some ways, been a
thirteen-part introductory story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
tantalising to think, though, how much better it might have been with a little
more time and money.</span></div>
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<b>Rating</b><br />
7 / 10<b> </b>Chap_with_wingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08952124862706338977noreply@blogger.com0