|
Post by bonehead on Feb 3, 2024 13:54:17 GMT
The Monster of Peladon
is a much better story than its reputation sometimes suggests. Now, I would say that wouldn't I, as a Pertwee fan, but really, apart from some distinct padding in episode 2 (where the Doctor is in-and-out of favour due to Ortron's scheming, several times) it's a very good story indeed and has (like 'Curse') many parallels with the UK political situation of the time it was written in the 1970s. But this is not the place for an essay!
I like the shifting motives as the situation changes; to begin with it's all about Ortron's personal battle to hold on to power and the miners' demand for fair treament, but when their world is threatened by outsiders they're all united in its defence. Except for Ettis, and with 'Doctor Who's usual clear morality a violent revolutionary gets his deserved come-uppance, very good effects too. And Gebek, by being a reasonable and peaceful campaigner for change, also gets his due by joining the government of Peladon where he will no doubt do a great job, alongside the Queen finding her own voice at last.
The cast are all excellent but I'd like to give special mention to Alan Bennion portraying the last of three very different Ice Lords, each given a distinct character and all done without being able to see his face.
So I do like this one, a long story which holds up well across practically the whole six episodes, which was no mean feat when all in-studio. But what a sad ending. Poor old Aggedor. I think if anything, this story suffers from sequel-itus. Curse of Peladon seems to be very well received even now, and technically it's terrific. Monster doesn't quite measure up, but it's by no means a bad story. I always enjoy watching it.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 3, 2024 22:10:14 GMT
The Monster of Peladon
is a much better story than its reputation sometimes suggests. Now, I would say that wouldn't I, as a Pertwee fan, but really, apart from some distinct padding in episode 2 (where the Doctor is in-and-out of favour due to Ortron's scheming, several times) it's a very good story indeed and has (like 'Curse') many parallels with the UK political situation of the time it was written in the 1970s. But this is not the place for an essay!
I like the shifting motives as the situation changes; to begin with it's all about Ortron's personal battle to hold on to power and the miners' demand for fair treament, but when their world is threatened by outsiders they're all united in its defence. Except for Ettis, and with 'Doctor Who's usual clear morality a violent revolutionary gets his deserved come-uppance, very good effects too. And Gebek, by being a reasonable and peaceful campaigner for change, also gets his due by joining the government of Peladon where he will no doubt do a great job, alongside the Queen finding her own voice at last.
The cast are all excellent but I'd like to give special mention to Alan Bennion portraying the last of three very different Ice Lords, each given a distinct character and all done without being able to see his face.
So I do like this one, a long story which holds up well across practically the whole six episodes, which was no mean feat when all in-studio. But what a sad ending. Poor old Aggedor. I think if anything, this story suffers from sequel-itus. Curse of Peladon seems to be very well received even now, and technically it's terrific. Monster doesn't quite measure up, but it's by no means a bad story. I always enjoy watching it. Agree, it's very hard to be a great sequel to a great story and 'The Curse of Peladon' really is a great story. 'Monster' is a rare beast for being a true sequel in Classic Who where there were so few. And it does a very good job.
Thinking of this, which is the best Classic Who sequel? 'Terror of the Autons' would be a strong contender; it's a short shortlist, I know. 'Snakedance' is another very good one.
|
|
shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,722
|
Post by shutupbanks on Feb 3, 2024 22:45:05 GMT
I think if anything, this story suffers from sequel-itus. Curse of Peladon seems to be very well received even now, and technically it's terrific. Monster doesn't quite measure up, but it's by no means a bad story. I always enjoy watching it. Agree, it's very hard to be a great sequel to a great story and 'The Curse of Peladon' really is a great story. 'Monster' is a rare beast for being a true sequel in Classic Who where there were so few. And it does a very good job.
Thinking of this, which is the best Classic Who sequel? 'Terror of the Autons' would be a strong contender; it's a short shortlist, I know. 'Snakedance' is another very good one.
Web Of Fear?
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 4, 2024 8:50:07 GMT
Agree, it's very hard to be a great sequel to a great story and 'The Curse of Peladon' really is a great story. 'Monster' is a rare beast for being a true sequel in Classic Who where there were so few. And it does a very good job.
Thinking of this, which is the best Classic Who sequel? 'Terror of the Autons' would be a strong contender; it's a short shortlist, I know. 'Snakedance' is another very good one.
Web Of Fear? Definitely in with a shout 'shattering roar'!
|
|
|
Post by fitzoliverj on Feb 4, 2024 9:44:55 GMT
which is the best Classic Who sequel? [/div][/quote] "The Sea Devils"
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 4, 2024 10:46:41 GMT
Now we're getting into 'what is a sequel and what's a returning monster' territory - if you mean the Earth reptiles!
But yes it's a sequel to 'The Daemons' as seen from the Master's storyline.
If we really push it, is 'Day of the Daleks' a sequel to 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth'? Or is it a prequel? Or indeed, is it both..?
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 4, 2024 21:03:39 GMT
Planet of the Spiders
So many threads (of spider silk presumably!) run together in this last story; Mike's redemption, the blue crystal, the Doctor's old teacher. And so do so many familiar faces - this is obviously Barry Letts saying goodbye to his era with a cast of familiar faces and voices - BOSS, Linx, Orum and Alpha Centauri for starters and of course the remaining members of the UNIT family.
The plot works perfectly if you accept an extraordinary number of coincidences - Mike just happens to go on a retreat which just happens to have been set up by "K'anpo" which just happens to be the same one chosen by Lupton who just happens to accidentally open a channel for the crystal-seeking Eight-Legs who just happen to want the last perfect crystal which just happens to be the one the Doctor 'found'...
A much simpler explanation is that the Time Lords set the whole thing up, right back to the TARDIS going (with unusual accuracy) to the right spot to find the crystal in the first place. And "K'anpo" (we never learn his real name of course) has arranged events on Earth in return for the High Council allowing him to live here in retirement. Don't you think that once they learned of the Great One's colossal ambition and mental power ( 'All praise to the Great One!') they would want to finish her off?
And the Third Doctor does them one last service with ever realising it... but the moment has been prepared for!
I think it's a great story (you can take or leave my fan-theory! ) and a fitting send-off for a very special Doctor. '...the TARDIS brought me home.' he says at the end. No other incarnation would have called Earth 'home' like that; how far he'd come from the unwilling exile who couldn't wait to leave, and how fitting that the end of an era took place in his lab at UNIT, with Sarah and his old friend the Brig. looking on. My Doctor for over 50 years, and counting!
|
|
shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,722
|
Post by shutupbanks on Feb 4, 2024 21:25:01 GMT
Planet of the Spiders
So many threads (of spider silk presumably!) run together in this last story; Mike's redemption, the blue crystal, the Doctor's old teacher. And so do so many familiar faces - this is obviously Barry Letts saying goodbye to his era with a cast of familiar faces and voices - BOSS, Linx, Orum and Alpha Centauri for starters and of course the remaining members of the UNIT family.
The plot works perfectly if you accept an extraordinary number of coincidences - Mike just happens to go on a retreat which just happens to have been set up by "K'anpo" which just happens to be the same one chosen by Lupton who just happens to accidentally open a channel for the crystal-seeking Eight-Legs who just happen to want the last perfect crystal which just happens to be the one the Doctor 'found'...
A much simpler explanation is that the Time Lords set the whole thing up, right back to the TARDIS going (with unusual accuracy) to the right spot to find the crystal in the first place. And "K'anpo" (we never learn his real name of course) has arranged events on Earth in return for the High Council allowing him to live here in retirement. Don't you think that once they learned of the Great One's colossal ambition and mental power ( 'All praise to the Great One!') they would want to finish her off?
And the Third Doctor does them one last service with ever realising it... but the moment has been prepared for!
I think it's a great story (you can take or leave my fan-theory! ) and a fitting send-off for a very special Doctor. '...the TARDIS brought me home.' he says at the end. No other incarnation would have called Earth 'home' like that; how far he'd come from the unwilling exile who couldn't wait to leave, and how fitting that the end of an era took place in his lab at UNIT, with Sarah and his old friend the Brig. looking on. My Doctor for over 50 years, and counting! Planet Of The Spiders is a comfort watch for me. However… … wouldn’t the spiders travelling back through time to before the Earth colony ship left mess up their own timeline?
|
|
|
Post by bonehead on Feb 4, 2024 21:35:34 GMT
In many ways, Planet of the Spiders is my favourite Third Doctor story. At the time, I was just the right age to be terrified and fascinated by giant spiders, and the regeneration of course (which visually, is probably the dullest realised if them all, but deeply emotional); and Lupton is one heck of a villain!
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 4, 2024 22:11:22 GMT
Planet of the Spiders
So many threads (of spider silk presumably!) run together in this last story; Mike's redemption, the blue crystal, the Doctor's old teacher. And so do so many familiar faces - this is obviously Barry Letts saying goodbye to his era with a cast of familiar faces and voices - BOSS, Linx, Orum and Alpha Centauri for starters and of course the remaining members of the UNIT family.
The plot works perfectly if you accept an extraordinary number of coincidences - Mike just happens to go on a retreat which just happens to have been set up by "K'anpo" which just happens to be the same one chosen by Lupton who just happens to accidentally open a channel for the crystal-seeking Eight-Legs who just happen to want the last perfect crystal which just happens to be the one the Doctor 'found'...
A much simpler explanation is that the Time Lords set the whole thing up, right back to the TARDIS going (with unusual accuracy) to the right spot to find the crystal in the first place. And "K'anpo" (we never learn his real name of course) has arranged events on Earth in return for the High Council allowing him to live here in retirement. Don't you think that once they learned of the Great One's colossal ambition and mental power ( 'All praise to the Great One!') they would want to finish her off?
And the Third Doctor does them one last service with ever realising it... but the moment has been prepared for!
I think it's a great story (you can take or leave my fan-theory! ) and a fitting send-off for a very special Doctor. '...the TARDIS brought me home.' he says at the end. No other incarnation would have called Earth 'home' like that; how far he'd come from the unwilling exile who couldn't wait to leave, and how fitting that the end of an era took place in his lab at UNIT, with Sarah and his old friend the Brig. looking on. My Doctor for over 50 years, and counting! Planet Of The Spiders is a comfort watch for me. However… … wouldn’t the spiders travelling back through time to before the Earth colony ship left mess up their own timeline? Good point! Another reason the Time Lords would want to stop them, they don't like anyone (else) messing up timelines!
I don't suppose it would matter from their pov providing they all moved to Earth at the start of the invasion, they'd all be in the new timeline. EDIT: In fact, I'd guess the queen and council would be very pleased at the thought of the Great One being left behind in her Cave of Crystal in a timeline destined to be overwritten...
|
|
|
Post by bethhigdon on Feb 4, 2024 22:58:54 GMT
I re-watched The Star Beast this morning. My thoughts on it still hasn't changed. There's too much exposition, with that opening talking directly to the audience being wholly unnecessary, and the moment where Rose and Donna can just 'let go' of their Time Lord DNA because they're women is still stupid and cringe.... but outside of those two stumbling blocks it's still by and large a very fun romp with good characterization, pacing, humor, and emotional beats.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 8, 2024 21:02:07 GMT
Robot
King Kong in living metal, a definitely Pertwee-ish story to bridge the way into the new era and yet... Tom Baker is the Fourth Doctor, the Definite Article himself, distinct and amazing, from the very first scenes. A double act was developing with Ian Marter, excellent as Harry and I'd like to have seen much more of this (there's that first episode of 'The Ark in Space' which demonstrates it again) and it's great to see Sarah written as the journalist with her professional curiosity driving much of the plot. And her empathy with the Robot works very well.
One thing which amuses me - Terrance Dicks often quoted Malcolm Hulke's comment on the pitfall of having the Doctor exiled to Earth: in so many words, there would only be two plots - 'mad scientist' or 'alien invasion'. (Of course he went on to write five cracking Pertwee stories, three set on Earth, without either cropping up!) But in his first script for ages, Terrance Dicks duly serves up Prof. Kettlewell!
One thing that annoys me a bit, the Thinktank people at their meeting are so obviously costumed and performed to evoke a 'Nazi' vibe. But the 'scientific rationalist' strand of authoritarianism was completely real and came from the other end of the spectrum, the far left, as in the Soviet Union - and even here in the U.K. in the early 20thC. (H.G.Wells 'The Shape of Things to Come' is partly an imagined handbook for a world 'scientifically' organised and ruled by people (of course) like him. The Cybermen would have approved!)
Job done, the bridge from the magnificent Pertwee years is duly crossed, and the new Doctor's impish sense of fun can't resist asking Harry to take a look in the TARDIS... and the epic era of the Fourth Doctor is about to truly begin...
|
|
|
Post by bonehead on Feb 9, 2024 16:53:58 GMT
The Time Warrior.I can't get enough of these probic-vented battle-mongers at the moment. Their debut (until Big Finish's The Sontarans came along) was directed by Alan Bromley whose work was not 100% appreciated by Barry Letts at the time (this was a comparative walk in the park compared to Bromley's experiences on Nightmare of Eden years later), but the production is a good one. It's interesting that the modern-day Strax had a few dissenters for his comedic persona, but it's true to say Linx here has moments where he's not taken entirely seriously. The singular Sontaran here is a formidable, relentless little bully though, his focus on war and killing dangerous and committed, and Kevin Lindsay plays him brilliantly. The mask is probably the best of the classic series - Linx seems at times to actually perspire! New companion Sarah Jane is confident and independent, quite a departure from groovy early-'70s chick Jo Grant. It's interesting that I didn't warm to her for a while, especially considering how much we all fell in love with her later. Jon Pertwee enters into his final series with gusto, sparring verbally with David Daker's excellent Irongron and the potato-headed villain, and casually chucking bombs over the castle walls. This is not perhaps the greatest Sontaran story, but a great debut, and pitches very nicely the fast-moving action-focussed style of the original Series 11. I might even watch The Invasion of Time tomorrow. After all, it is Sontarday!
|
|
|
Post by mrperson on Feb 10, 2024 4:46:07 GMT
The recent Christmas special.
The wife and I were not pleased.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 11, 2024 21:45:46 GMT
The Ark in Space
Where the new era really starts, with a tightly plotted, confined space-horror story and a very small cast. The first episode with no other characters stands out after all these years for its mystery and as a showcase for the new team - and aren't they amazing! Did Robert Holmes do this on purpose to highlight the new Doctor, or was it a happy accident? (Since we now know that this story was originally to have been very different and the Wirrn etc. were a late replacement.) Either way, the results are excellent.
I've seen this one so many times over the years and I still remember my first viewing of the original broadcast as one of those stand-out moments of 'Doctor Who'; after this, it was quite clear that the series had dramatically moved on to a new style, and luckily for me I was just the right age to go with it every step of the way. And it began on Nerva with this classic. It's indomitable, for sure.
|
|
|
Post by bethhigdon on Feb 12, 2024 12:29:03 GMT
Watched The Unquiet Dead last night. Still one of the scariest stories the show's ever done.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 13, 2024 21:22:00 GMT
The Sontaran Experiment
Meaning this in the nicest possible way (to quote Sarah's quoting from a recent audio) it's 'nasty, brutish and short'. For sheer, calculated horribleness of motive and character, Styre is hard to surpass!
A surprisingly tough and edgy story for Saturday teatimes, another clear signal that a new era was well and truly upon us. And it looked very fresh and new, with the all-location video footage and excellent locations.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 15, 2024 16:10:37 GMT
Genesis of the Daleks
So much praise has been heaped on this story (and every bit of it well-deserved) I can't add much except from a personal memory or two. When the VHS releases started to come out in the late 80s, there were some great stories among the early releases, but of all of them this was the one that held me most riveted on watching it again for the first time in 15 years or more. In fact, on finishing it I immediately watched it through again. Wow.
Every time I watch Genesis (and I've seen it a stack of times now), I think it's even better than I remembered. Every time. Pure genius from Terry Nation at his very best.
Michael Wisher and Peter Miles and of course Tom are outstanding, but then, it all is. (Well, almost all. I could mention Harry and the Giant Clam, but in such an otherwise utterly brilliant story, do I have the right? )
|
|
|
Post by bonehead on Feb 15, 2024 16:35:41 GMT
Genesis of the Daleks
So much praise has been heaped on this story (and every bit of it well-deserved) I can't add much except from a personal memory or two. When the VHS releases started to come out in the late 80s, there were some great stories among the early releases, but of all of them this was the one that held me most riveted on watching it again for the first time in 15 years or more. In fact, on finishing it I immediately watched it through again. Wow.
Every time I watch Genesis (and I've seen it a stack of times now), I think it's even better than I remembered. Every time. Pure genius from Terry Nation at his very best.
Michael Wisher and Peter Miles and of course Tom are outstanding, but then, it all is. (Well, almost all. I could mention Harry and the Giant Clam, but in such an otherwise utterly brilliant story, do I have the right? ) I bought the LP in 1979 of Genesis of the Daleks and played it so many times that when I eventually saw it again on VHS years later, I was really surprised by how much the audio version had shuffled the story about. No clams! Always great to hear in any format.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 16, 2024 14:32:57 GMT
Revenge of the Cybermen (S12 Blu-ray edition)
In 1975 I'd been waiting four years (my whole 'Doctor Who' life in other words) to see a live Cyberman so this story made a very positive impact. It has that fabulous, far-too-brief S12 TARDIS crew with Tom Baker zinging with first season energy and Robert Holmes' (re-)writing, although he ran out of time so this final version presumably wouldn't have been the final version. (And thanks to BF, we can now also enjoy 'The Return of the Cybermen' as originally written.)
'Revenge' has those great Nerva & cave sets plus excellent location filming and the new blu-ray edition CGI for the effects gives the story a real boost by bringing the spaceflight views and rocket fully to life. It's a pity that the Vogans' mask faces don't have the living quality of the Draconians' wonderful makeup & half-masks, but with such an excellent guest cast, even with the masks the Vogans' personalities and politics glitter through.
So for me, Revenge is a nostalgic dish best served on bluray, the best (and only) Cyber-story I saw until 'Earthshock' which is incredible when I look back now. Ten years a fan and only saw one TV Cyber-story, once! But I do love it and the novelisation, the only 'recording' we had available back in those days... ('Those sneaking, treacherous tin-men have locked the controls!' 'What does that mean?' 'It means we're heading for the biggest bang in history!' Oh yes. )
|
|