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Post by sherlock on Aug 6, 2021 11:14:05 GMT
Unfinished BusinessThat was satisfying. It’s similar to the ending of The Master of Callous in how it presents the Master on the back foot, only to flip the script at the end. {Spoiler} I especially liked the incorporation of the Daleks. This is how to use the Daleks in a Time War story without descending into “well they’ve got a new plot device which is even bigger and nastier than the last one”. Overall this set is decent. A Quiet Night In was the lowest point, coincidentally also the most tangential to the arc, but the other stories were well done. Not the dizzying quality height of Only the Good and The Master of Callous, but better than Anti-Genesis.
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Post by sherlock on Aug 6, 2021 11:21:31 GMT
Unfinished Business done. Really loved it. It’s essentially a two parter with the first episode, with the two companion stories showcasing how the Master rose to power after he’s on the back foot at the end of The Sincerest Form of Flattery. Alexandra Riley is fantastic as Calantha and really sells the two eras of her; rise and fall. The Master is used effectively, he has a substantial presence in these pair of episodes, but is lurking in the background and you’re just waiting for him to step in and rule. As sadistic and awful he is, you’re always rooting for this incarnation. Derek Jacobi always pitches it perfectly. Usually I’m not the biggest fan of James Goss, but he just gets the War Master, uses him appropriately and it always works well. Placement wise I love that this is during Only the Good, specifically The Sky Man. It feels as though the Master’s plans and intentions are varied and grand; he’s always got something bubbling away somewhere. Overall, I’ve given the set a 4. Top marks for the opening and ending and middle of the road for the two companion episodes. The concept is there, the execution of them both is lacking, unfortunately, and I’d have liked a better confrontation between the Master and Nyssa. I’m kinda torn on that placement. The idea this Master has multiple schemes going at the same time makes a lot of sense, but I do love that in The Sky Man he just did nothing but make wine, because that’s all he needed to do. The Sky Man was the one of the evilest things he’s done...by deliberately doing nothing. Having him pop off on other schemes kinda lessens that. Plus also it means we’ll never hear what the Master actually does with what he wins control of in this set, as when he returns to Only the Good that’s the beginning of the end for this Master. I do agree on the Master’s use in this set. Jacobi is very well served by Goss here.
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Post by shallacatop on Aug 6, 2021 12:08:47 GMT
Unfinished Business done. Really loved it. It’s essentially a two parter with the first episode, with the two companion stories showcasing how the Master rose to power after he’s on the back foot at the end of The Sincerest Form of Flattery. Alexandra Riley is fantastic as Calantha and really sells the two eras of her; rise and fall. The Master is used effectively, he has a substantial presence in these pair of episodes, but is lurking in the background and you’re just waiting for him to step in and rule. As sadistic and awful he is, you’re always rooting for this incarnation. Derek Jacobi always pitches it perfectly. Usually I’m not the biggest fan of James Goss, but he just gets the War Master, uses him appropriately and it always works well. Placement wise I love that this is during Only the Good, specifically The Sky Man. It feels as though the Master’s plans and intentions are varied and grand; he’s always got something bubbling away somewhere. Overall, I’ve given the set a 4. Top marks for the opening and ending and middle of the road for the two companion episodes. The concept is there, the execution of them both is lacking, unfortunately, and I’d have liked a better confrontation between the Master and Nyssa. I’m kinda torn on that placement. The idea this Master has multiple schemes going at the same time makes a lot of sense, but I do love that in The Sky Man he just did nothing but make wine, because that’s all he needed to do. The Sky Man was the one of the evilest things he’s done...by deliberately doing nothing. Having him pop off on other schemes kinda lessens that. Plus also it means we’ll never hear what the Master actually does with what he wins control of in this set, as when he returns to Only the Good that’s the beginning of the end for this Master. I do agree on the Master’s use in this set. Jacobi is very well served by Goss here. I see what you mean and it’s a fair point. For me, it’s less about what he was doing during the events of The Sky Man and more about him deliberately letting it play out. It suits this incarnations MO of playing the long game but also gives him scope to do other evil things. I agree that it’s a shame we will never hear what the Master does with his victory in Killing Time. Unless they want to stretch out The Sky Man further, but that really is pushing it!
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Post by Chakoteya on Aug 6, 2021 15:35:23 GMT
Sincerest Form... Astonished that it was recorded in 2019 - it all seems to have a COVID vibe to me. It's certainly nice to have the Master have his conniving A*** handed to him.
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Post by cyrano on Aug 6, 2021 17:31:02 GMT
I'm two stories in and so far this is one of the best War Master sets - possibly better than Master of Callous for me.
The Sincerest Form of Flattery was a wonderful game of cat and mouse. It's so rare to see the Master trying. We either watch his win play out or the Doctor turns up and foils him. Watching him going up against someone who turns out to be surprisingly equal to him is a real pleasure.
And A Quiet Night In is just nightmarish. I was really impressed with how horrible it was. How it had the awful sense of being a dream and left Jo absolutely destroyed. I echo some of the other posters in the thread in hoping we see the other side of this and a Jo restored
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Post by mark687 on Aug 10, 2021 8:57:18 GMT
Extended DL of the Music Suite is available in the Bonus Content box in Accounts
Regards
mark687
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Post by cyrano on Aug 10, 2021 12:45:40 GMT
With the other two stories down, I feel confident in saying this is one of the best War Master sets, at times on a par with Callous.
I like (well, like might be the wrong word, but it's shorter than 'find it very effectively horrible) the way this Master's villainy is at times explicitly sexist. We might call what he does to Jo and Nyssa gaslighting. It magnifies the power of these stories when so much of what the Master does is drawn from the very real horror of abuse and coercion. On the other hand, I also really enjoyed the genuine respect the Master seemed to have for Calantha. That felt like a new kind of relationship and one I feel like there'd be lots of mileage in continuing to explore.
I do hope there's a direct sequel to this set. While it suits the genre it exists in to leave Nyssa and Jo hanging in their distress, it would be good to see them rescued and able to rebuild themselves. Between them and Calantha vowing revenge it feels like this set has more loose threads than other War Master releases.
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Post by Kestrel on Aug 10, 2021 21:17:54 GMT
So I'm at the halfway point now and will probably set aside the remainder until after 9DA 2. If someone had told me months ago I'd be kind of lukewarm on the War Master/8th Doctor set and adore the War Master/Classic Companions set, I'd've never believed it. But, goddamn, are these first two stories engaging.
I'll definitely have more to say on the whole later, because I always do (sorry!) but for now I really want to just take a moment to consider the bonkers ending to A Quiet Night In. I can't believe they ended it the way they did... I didn't time the penultimate scene exactly, but I'd estimate it's between 4 and 6 minutes long--a sizable chunk of the story's total runtime--consisting solely of Jo Grant just having a protracted breakdown. I mean, fffffffffffffff-- You can really tell how the more she talks things out, the worse she feels, in this horrific spiral of despair.
I mean, it's one thing for Derek Jacobi to chew on the scenery, as they say, during the Master's denouement--so delightfully, cackling you evil--but quite another to see just how much his actions devastated Jo Grant. Like, good god, there's cruelty, and the there's cruelty. That was just a brutal, agonizing scene to sit through.
And as much as Derek Jacobi plays his role with unfettered delight, I suspect most of us would agree that Katy Manning's impeccable performance here really stole the show.
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Post by Who Review on Aug 11, 2021 15:10:22 GMT
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Post by Digi on Aug 12, 2021 23:55:50 GMT
Struggled a bit with the first episode, loved 2 and 3. Got the fourth one on right now and I’m back to struggling, I think I just don’t much care for the world/setting. I’ll reserve judgement though, never know when a big twist is coming.
edit: Nah, part 4 didn't do much for me either. Bit surprising really, I usually love James Goss's work. I don't want to make that the main thing here though -- I loved episodes 2 and 3. Some of my favourite stuff from the range to date. Chilling, nauseating, evil. Love it!
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Aug 13, 2021 9:03:05 GMT
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Post by mark687 on Aug 13, 2021 9:43:33 GMT
Struggled a bit with the first episode, loved 2 and 3. Got the fourth one on right now and I’m back to struggling, I think I just don’t much care for the world/setting. I’ll reserve judgement though, never know when a big twist is coming. edit: Nah, part 4 didn't do much for me either. Bit surprising really, I usually love James Goss's work. I don't want to make that the main thing here though -- I loved episodes 2 and 3. Some of my favourite stuff from the range to date. Chilling, nauseating, evil. Love it! Exactly my thoughts. Regards mark687
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Post by sillytilly on Aug 15, 2021 20:47:55 GMT
ThIs is my second favourite War Master set after The Master of Calous. I think stories with the Master work especially well when he is playing the long game and that works especially well here. You are not sure where the story is going and what the motivations are behind his actions but they make sense to you at the end. And I liked that they didn’t hold back the punches from Jo and Nyssa. I really do love this range and Jacobi is magnificent as The Master. More stories like this please.
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Post by Tim Bradley on Aug 17, 2021 10:43:59 GMT
Hello! Has anyone received their CD box set for 'Killing Time'? I know it's a digital release first basis with BF at the moment, but I've had an e-mail notification about my 'Ninth Doctor Adventures, Volume 2' CD box set being dispatched and that was released after 'Killing Time'. I shouldn't worry about it as I have the download release already, but I'm curious. Tim.
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Post by mark687 on Aug 17, 2021 10:48:53 GMT
Hello! Has anyone received their CD box set for 'Killing Time'? I know it's a digital release first basis with BF at the moment, but I've had an e-mail notification about my 'Ninth Doctor Adventures, Volume 2' CD box set being dispatched and that was released after 'Killing Time'. I shouldn't worry about it as I have the download release already, but I'm curious. Tim. Not yet Regards mark687
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Post by Chakoteya on Aug 23, 2021 8:28:14 GMT
Quiet Night / Orphan
Whoa, he really doesn't like being shown up by anyone does he? And really rips apart the minds of two ex-companions in his pursuit of getting one over on Calantha. One might even call it rampant misogeny given that all the characters he's doing it to are apparently female.
I'll get to the resolution of this arc this week.
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Post by Chakoteya on Aug 26, 2021 12:51:27 GMT
And the Unfinished Business is finished. Whoa, some really nasty implied stuff going on there. Sir Derek did a wonderful vocal job with this set. The pictures in my mind were excellent. Roll on volume 7.
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Post by mark687 on Sept 3, 2021 10:41:50 GMT
Hello! Has anyone received their CD box set for 'Killing Time'? I know it's a digital release first basis with BF at the moment, but I've had an e-mail notification about my 'Ninth Doctor Adventures, Volume 2' CD box set being dispatched and that was released after 'Killing Time'. I shouldn't worry about it as I have the download release already, but I'm curious. Tim. Not yet Regards mark687 Update It just arrived Regards mark687
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Post by Tim Bradley on Sept 3, 2021 12:37:00 GMT
Update It just arrived Regards mark687 Yeah I got mine too this week. Thanks Mark. Tim.
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,819
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Post by lidar2 on Nov 1, 2021 13:42:36 GMT
I’m kinda torn on that placement. The idea this Master has multiple schemes going at the same time makes a lot of sense, but I do love that in The Sky Man he just did nothing but make wine, because that’s all he needed to do. The Sky Man was the one of the evilest things he’s done...by deliberately doing nothing. Having him pop off on other schemes kinda lessens that. Plus also it means we’ll never hear what the Master actually does with what he wins control of in this set, as when he returns to Only the Good that’s the beginning of the end for this Master. I do agree on the Master’s use in this set. Jacobi is very well served by Goss here. I see what you mean and it’s a fair point. For me, it’s less about what he was doing during the events of The Sky Man and more about him deliberately letting it play out. It suits this incarnations MO of playing the long game but also gives him scope to do other evil things. I agree that it’s a shame we will never hear what the Master does with his victory in Killing Time. Unless they want to stretch out The Sky Man further, but that really is pushing it! Why do you say this is during the sky man? Did I miss something when I listened?
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