|
Post by doctorkernow on Jun 23, 2019 22:38:12 GMT
Hello again.
Also watching The War Games, episodes 1/2 today. What struck me is the direction by David Maloney. Really zipped along, I liked the little hints you get that something is not right.
I also loved Patrick Troughton running rings around the Commandant trying to bust Jamie out of prison. A great finale to the b/w era so far.
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Jun 24, 2019 7:26:06 GMT
Hello again. Also watching The War Games, episodes 1/2 today. What struck me is the direction by David Maloney. Really zipped along, I liked the little hints you get that something is not right. I also loved Patrick Troughton running rings around the Commandant trying to bust Jamie out of prison. A great finale to the b/w era so far. I really like the War Games. Although it is so long, it does not feel too long or dragged out, for some reason it keeps my attention throughout.
They could have done a lot worse here.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2019 9:40:14 GMT
Hello again. Also watching The War Games, episodes 1/2 today. What struck me is the direction by David Maloney. Really zipped along, I liked the little hints you get that something is not right. I also loved Patrick Troughton running rings around the Commandant trying to bust Jamie out of prison. A great finale to the b/w era so far. I really like the War Games. Although it is so long, it does not feel too long or dragged out, for some reason it keeps my attention throughout.
They could have done a lot worse here.
It's really good at escalation. Going in blind, you'd expect a historical like The Reign of Terror. After a few episodes, the alien interference echoes something like The Time Meddler. As soon as you think you know what's going on, the story rips the cloth right out from underneath you. Pulling its focus further and further out until the final episode where we hit the very edge.
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Jun 25, 2019 16:34:19 GMT
I really like the War Games. Although it is so long, it does not feel too long or dragged out, for some reason it keeps my attention throughout.
They could have done a lot worse here.
It's really good at escalation. Going in blind, you'd expect a historical like The Reign of Terror. After a few episodes, the alien interference echoes something like The Time Meddler. As soon as you think you know what's going on, the story rips the cloth right out from underneath you. Pulling its focus further and further out until the final episode where we hit the very edge. I am still surprised they show what literally is the Doctor's summary execution. In "childrens TV". I am not sure this would happen today.
I think even as a kid I would have understood what is going on.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2019 16:43:41 GMT
The Aztecs aka Dr Who in Love.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Jun 25, 2019 21:20:50 GMT
The Aztecs aka Dr Who in Love. A wonderful, thought-provoking story and I love that sad, beautiful moment at the very end where the Doctor decides to keep the medallion Cameca gave him, then he regretfully puts it down on the tomb â before finally pocketing it. William Hartnell says with a glance and a gesture what would probably get overblown prose and music today - he wants to remember her, always; great acting.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2019 23:28:34 GMT
It's really good at escalation. Going in blind, you'd expect a historical like The Reign of Terror. After a few episodes, the alien interference echoes something like The Time Meddler. As soon as you think you know what's going on, the story rips the cloth right out from underneath you. Pulling its focus further and further out until the final episode where we hit the very edge. I am still surprised they show what literally is the Doctor's summary execution. In "childrens TV". I am not sure this would happen today.
I think even as a kid I would have understood what is going on.
It's interesting that it's a society where execution is actually preferable to total erasure. I've a feeling that if they'd gotten the First Doctor during his initial jaunts (circa Dalek Invasion of Earth), he'd have probably suffered the same fate as Jamie and Zoe. Dumped in some Gallifreyan archive somewhere with no memory of his travels. A living death. It gets better, too. One of the more disturbing qualities of the sentence is that if you watch the last couple of rotations (when Two's been split into four) -- he doesn't have a face. The Doctor's hands are holding together a blank space. I can still remember the last lines of the novelisation. Somehow it's even more tragic:
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Jun 26, 2019 0:00:11 GMT
I am still surprised they show what literally is the Doctor's summary execution. In "childrens TV". I am not sure this would happen today.
I think even as a kid I would have understood what is going on.
I think in 1969 the ending of 'The War Games' would have seemed sad but much less harsh than it does now. Back then, viewers knew the Doctor could change when his body wore out - but they didn't know there was a 12 regeneration limit until Robert Holmes said so years later.
So at the time, the Doctor's sentence would have been seen as an enforced fresh start (into a rather more orderly, organized personality as it would turn out - Time Lord rehab, even!) rather than taking a part of his total lifespan - if he was effectively immortal.
It's losing his freedom, his friends and their memories of him that is the sentence.
|
|
|
Post by timegirl on Jun 26, 2019 13:08:36 GMT
Just watched Part 1 of The Edge of Destruction, a thoroughly creepy episode!đąEspecially the scene with Susan trying to stab Barbra with the scissors! âď¸ đAlso it bit weird to have the Doctor referred to as having one heart â¤ď¸ rather than the twoâ¤ď¸â¤ď¸but then again that didnât get established until Spearhead from Space. I think itâs a very effective episode and it would be interesting if they did a similar haunted house style TARDIS set episode with the current TARDIS team đ
|
|
|
Post by timegirl on Jun 26, 2019 20:30:47 GMT
Just watched part two of The Edge of Destruction, itâs less scary than part one but no less intriguingđ I like how the story as a whole seems to be the start of when the TARDIS is interpreted as a living ship. Also the start of the Doctorâs kinder traits as he seems to mellow out particularly towards Barbra. Itâs brilliant example of the strength of small intimate storytelling in Doctor Who!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 2:44:42 GMT
Just watched Part 1 of The Edge of Destruction, a thoroughly creepy episode!đąEspecially the scene with Susan trying to stab Barbra with the scissors! âď¸ đAlso it bit weird to have the Doctor referred to as having one heart â¤ď¸ rather than the twoâ¤ď¸â¤ď¸but then again that didnât get established until Spearhead from Space. I think itâs a very effective episode and it would be interesting if they did a similar haunted house style TARDIS set episode with the current TARDIS team đ Taps into that wonderful thrill of being at the centre of an empty house during a thunderstorm as a child, doesn't it? Really plays on the imagination. There's a theory floating around that Time Lords don't grow their second heart until they've passed their first regeneration, but I assumed that he'd had a heart attack when the Ship stopped (and no one had noticed). The first story where the TARDIS is a character and she's actually rather frightening. Because she's scared. She's scared. What a fantastic premise.
|
|
|
Post by theotherjosh on Jun 27, 2019 12:47:44 GMT
I'm watching Classic Who on Pluto TV, which I really like, because the episodes are shown in somewhat random order. A Third Doctor serial might follow something from the end of the Sixth Doctor's run.
This time it was Mark of the Rani.
Now, anyone who has listened to Colin on Big Finish for any amount of time has come to appreciate him. And all the usual disclaimers apply, that the problems (real or imagined) with his time on television are not attributable to him.
Likewise, I've come to appreciate Nicola Bryant. she's always a delight on panels, sharp and funny and professional. I'm never going to be a fan of Peri, but I do like and respect her performer.
But this story only reminds me of how far they (and the program) have come. Anthony "Would you like a large HAM?" Ainley is probably the best part of the story, particularly his scenes with Kate O'Mara. Like so many stories of its era, it is an interesting concept let down by an uneven execution.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 19:03:02 GMT
Likewise, I've come to appreciate Nicola Bryant. Me to.
|
|
|
Post by drj on Jun 27, 2019 21:18:42 GMT
First two parts of Genesis of the Daleks with the kids... and they were getting really into it. They havenât really watched classic before.... This could be the start of something wonderful!
|
|
|
Post by Whovitt on Jun 30, 2019 10:10:37 GMT
A couple of different things recently:
Boom Town This is the kind of story that the Classic Series never even came close to attempting. The character study of both Blon and the Doctor is beautifully realised, the moral ambiguity of the situation is really well developed, and there was still room for the Rose/Mickey sub-plot which really gets to showcase what a fantastic actor Noel Clarke is (he's sorely underused for the most part after this). It has the explosions and humour to keep the kids interested (that's how I enjoyed it when I first saw it) and the much darker, contemplative side for the adults (the way I view it now); it strikes the perfect balance of family viewing by not patronising the younger audience while still being fantastically good entertainment for the older audience members. I don't see this story talked about very often in New Series discussion, but I feel like if Big Finish had made it it would rank among their very best. It might be an unconventional choice, but think this is one of the best episodes of the show ever.
The Invasion of Time This story is extremely under-rated, in my opinion. Maybe it's strange for the Fourth Doctor to behave in this way, but this is exactly the sort of thing we love the Seventh Doctor doing - having planned everything to the last detail without telling anyone what it is (and it inevitably going wrong). I think it's a fantastic prototype for that sort of story. People say it's too long but I don't think you could sensibly cut it down to four episodes, there's simply too much important story. Another criticism I often hear is that it is one of those stories that "spoiled"/"ruined" the Time Lords. I think it's a fantastic expansion on their mythology. Heck, just the fact that there are Gallifreyans who choose not to be Time Lords and live outside the city is a brilliant idea. Necessary for inclusion? Maybe not. But I think it was important to show that not all Gallifreyans are like the Time Lords we first met in The War Games, that there is actually some diversity in the population (contrary to much of the information that had come before).
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Jun 30, 2019 13:11:02 GMT
A couple of different things recently: Boom TownThis is the kind of story that the Classic Series never even came close to attempting. The character study of both Blon and the Doctor is beautifully realised, the moral ambiguity of the situation is really well developed, and there was still room for the Rose/Mickey sub-plot which really gets to showcase what a fantastic actor Noel Clarke is (he's sorely underused for the most part after this). It has the explosions and humour to keep the kids interested (that's how I enjoyed it when I first saw it) and the much darker, contemplative side for the adults (the way I view it now); it strikes the perfect balance of family viewing by not patronising the younger audience while still being fantastically good entertainment for the older audience members. I don't seen this story talked about very often in New Series discussion, but I feel like if Big Finish had made it it would rank among their very best. It might be an unconventional choice, but think this is one of the best episodes of the show ever. The Invasion of TimeThis story is extremely under-rated, in my opinion. Maybe it's strange for the Fourth Doctor to behave in this way, but this is exactly the sort of thing we love the Seventh Doctor doing - having planned everything to the last detail without telling anyone what it is (and it inevitably going wrong). I think it's a fantastic prototype for that sort of story. People say it's too long but I don't think you could sensibly cut it down to four episodes, there's simply too much important story. Another criticism I often hear is that it is one of those stories that "spoiled"/"ruined" the Time Lords. I think it's a fantastic expansion on their mythology. Heck, just the fact that there are Gallifreyans who choose not to be Time Lords and live outside the city is a brilliant idea. Necessary for inclusion? Maybe not. But I think it was important to show that not all Gallifreyans are like the Time Lords we first met in The War Games, that there is actually some diversity in the population (contrary to much of the information that had come before). I really like Boom Town. For exactly the same reasons you mention.
Next to the Empty Child Two-Parter my favorite episode in series 1.
|
|
|
Post by eldersensorite on Jun 30, 2019 19:38:21 GMT
Been watching The Sensorites today <3 haven't watched any DW for a while (although I've been listening to a fair bit of Big Finish) so it's been nice to return to this world on TV for a little while
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2019 20:25:46 GMT
The 13th Doctor debut season rewatch continues! Arachnids in the UK.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2019 8:11:41 GMT
Rewatching The Dalek Invasion of Earth. An oldie, but a goodie. Some things from this time around:
- Apparently a van has been digitally removed from the film footage of Barbara, Jenny and Dortman running through London and I cannot possibly tell you where.
- Speaking of vans... Barbara charging the blockade in the museum truck is one of those moments where you really wish for the bigger budget. Imagine it at night, in the 2130s equivalent of "the last ground-car" with the Daleks blasting away at the radiator grill. There's fist-sized holes in the windscreen before it falls in this waterfall sheet of broken glass. A blown tire that cleans out some of the Daleks that aren't kicked to the roadside by the vehicle. The engine's totalled. It's rapidly becoming this towering flame which has lit them up like a beacon against the moon. They're through, but they loose control and it topples over, forcing them to struggle up and out on their own -- and then the Dalek Saucer Commander decides that's been more than enough.
- When Susan and David are attempting to defuse the fire-bomb, the former mentions that her technical expertise is limited as she only knows about atomic devices. How... does Susan know how a nuclear bomb operates? Why does Susan know how a nuclear bomb operates?
- I still like to think that the Doctor's final, bold stance against the approaching Dalek guard -- while a cool moment in and of itself -- is also to prove to himself that Susan's ready to spread her wings. His life in her and David's hands. When Tyler remarks that he took a chance, there's a lot embedded in that short "A chance...? Yes..." from the Doctor.
- The volcano in the English countryside makes for one hell of a visual image. The ash and vulcanised soil would make for ideal farming. Perhaps, long after the invasion ended, Bedfordshire became a garden?
- I love the little bit of acting when the Doctor notes Susan alone, thinking. He tries his grandfatherly scolding, as at the beginning of the story, but it just doesn't quite feel right anymore. Even if Susan hadn't remained, it wouldn't have been as it was, and that's down to Bill Hartnell and Carole Ann Ford. It's a nice little touch.
|
|
|
Post by ollychops on Jul 1, 2019 8:40:55 GMT
Having a big rewatch (or in some cases with the Classic era, watching for the first time), working my way through the Classic blurays before moving onto New Who. Currently up to The Visitation from Season 19.
Iâve only seen Earthshock from S19, so Iâm watching these for the first time, and aside from Four to Doomsday, this season hasnât been too bad at all so far.
|
|