|
Post by number13 on Feb 2, 2019 12:32:12 GMT
The Daleks' Master Plan Loose Cannon's recon of 'The Traitors'... what an episode. {Spoilers! Just in case} After the fairly routine 'Devil's Planet' this one delivers complex plotting and hits hard, twice and on every watch or listen. Katarina's death scene is harrowing with great acting (even though we can't see Adrienne Hill, we can hear her and it's great acting) and so are the quiet, subdued reactions of her companions afterwards. And then Bret Vyon... Two deaths of companions or near-companions in one single episode was a Nation Master Plan and must have really surprised and shocked viewers. And in Jean Marsh's Sara Kingdom we have 'Doctor Who's answer to 'The Avengers' action women of the 60s, but deadlier and much colder, at least to begin with. What an episode. (And Zephon gets it too, but if you will ally with Daleks, tough!)
The Daleks' Master Plan 'Counter Plot' - there's barely a quiet moment in this story and this episode proves it with two mid-episode twists, either of which would have made a great cliff-hanger. Another excellent classic Who jungle set and amazing monsters (really, they are very well realised I think) and that's after the Doctor and friends unexpectedly travel with mice! And the entertaining confusion at the research centre and the Doctor's 'mice couldn't have done that!' lighten the mood a bit after episode 4. But when there finally is a quiet moment... Sara's revelation is another 'oh wow'. The Daleks, as usual, are causing terrible harm even when they don't commit it directly.
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Feb 2, 2019 19:31:23 GMT
Watched "Revelations of the Daleks", "Ambassadors of Death" and "The Sea Devils" in the past days. My favorite of these- the Sea Devils. I just love the 3rd Doctor and the Master. And Jo. A match made in heaven. "Revelations of the Daleks" was also quite good I have to say. The 6th Doctor and Davros, what is not to love? And Peri finally was allowed to wear some clothes, therefore saving poor Nicola Bryant from frostbite. Just that styrofoam "statue" was a bit of a let-down... I was not too keen on "The Ambassodors of Death", though, it was just to long with too much padding, and all this going to and fro. Plus it took a bit long to get going and to explain what exactly was going on.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2019 3:13:08 GMT
Watched "Revelations of the Daleks", "Ambassadors of Death" and "The Sea Devils" in the past days. My favorite of these- the Sea Devils. I just love the 3rd Doctor and the Master. And Jo. A match made in heaven. "Revelations of the Daleks" was also quite good I have to say. The 6th Doctor and Davros, what is not to love? And Peri finally was allowed to wear some clothes, therefore saving poor Nicola Bryant from frostbite. Just that styrofoam "statue" was a bit of a let-down... I was not too keen on "The Ambassodors of Death", though, it was just to long with too much padding, and all this going to and fro. Plus it took a bit long to get going and to explain what exactly was going on. Ambassadors works a lot better as a four-parter, I think. You can compress the first two episodes together (ending on one of my favourite cliffhangers: " Right, cut it open!"), three and four together (with the death of Sir James), and "Episode 5", "6" and "7" can form the remaining two parts. There's a great story here, it's just a little too long in the tooth (*cough* having looked into this sometime ago *uncough*). With Big Finish's backlog, the Sixth Doctor vs. Davros is up there for me with Three vs. the Master for iconic adversaries in confrontation. There's something about their dynamic that makes each the perfect character foil for the other.
The Tenth Planet. Here's an interesting one... In hindsight, this may be the first instance of a future story written in the same manner as a historical tale. The Doctor knows precisely who the Cybermen are and what relation they have to Snowcap Base. All they have to do is stay alive until events have run their course. A task hindered somewhat by General Cutler, who seems to have taken a rather dictatorial attitude to the running of the base. Anyone else get the impression he was put on assignment to the Antarctic almost as a way of having him gently filed away? It's funny because he seems to be the main driving force of the narrative. The main antagonist. In contrast, the Cybermen are treated almost like a force of nature. A blizzard or a thunderstorm. You almost get the impression that, under differing circumstances, a bargain could have been struck between Earth and Mondas. There's a rather disturbing logic to their initial arrival in Antarctica. They've landed to, in their terms, save the lives of tracking station personnel. Those willing to be "helped", of course. The destruction of Earth isn't a malicious act to them, but a utilitarian one. Pragmatic. Eliminate any resistance that threatens the integrity of the homeworld. Just to be safe. Altogether -- a rather disturbing first impression of what was then a new villain. Terrific design too, one of the best. As a regeneration story, though... Mmn, it's a bit underwhelming. It's a proto-Troughton base-under-siege story (one of the first), but it could be any other day in the week. The Cybermen themselves would be better served in their infiltration of The Moonbase. It doesn't quite have the sense of scope that The Power of the Daleks would just a few weeks later. Kind of makes me wonder what could've been done with an adaptation of The Curse of the Daleks (the stageplay by David Whitaker) just before it. One final hurrah for the First Doctor before his successor took over.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2019 12:38:47 GMT
The Tenth Planet. Here's an interesting one... In hindsight, this may be the first instance of a future story written in the same manner as a historical tale. The Doctor knows precisely who the Cybermen are and what relation they have to Snowcap Base. All they have to do is stay alive until events have run their course. A task hindered somewhat by General Cutler, who seems to have taken a rather dictatorial attitude to the running of the base. Anyone else get the impression he was put on assignment to the Antarctic almost as a way of having him gently filed away? It's funny because he seems to be the main driving force of the narrative. The main antagonist. In contrast, the Cybermen are treated almost like a force of nature. A blizzard or a thunderstorm. You almost get the impression that, under differing circumstances, a bargain could have been struck between Earth and Mondas. There's a rather disturbing logic to their initial arrival in Antarctica. They've landed to, in their terms, save the lives of tracking station personnel. Those willing to be "helped", of course. The destruction of Earth isn't a malicious act to them, but a utilitarian one. Pragmatic. Eliminate any resistance that threatens the integrity of the homeworld. Just to be safe. Altogether -- a rather disturbing first impression of what was then a new villain. Terrific design too, one of the best. As a regeneration story, though... Mmn, it's a bit underwhelming. It's a proto-Troughton base-under-siege story (one of the first), but it could be any other day in the week. The Cybermen themselves would be better served in their infiltration of The Moonbase. It doesn't quite have the sense of scope that The Power of the Daleks would just a few weeks later. Kind of makes me wonder what could've been done with an adaptation of The Curse of the Daleks (the stageplay by David Whitaker) just before it. One final hurrah for the First Doctor before his successor took over. I love The Tenth Planet but there's no doubt it is an odd story, not helped by Hartnell's last-minutes absence from episode 3. The regeneration is almost swept under the carpet by the new villains, and the change of lead actor by the re-emergence of the Daleks the next story. But it's fascinating - I love the first image of the distant silver creature - not quite human - obscured by the snowy wastes. And you're right, the design is terrific - clunky, huge and more than vaguely surgical. I always felt that their further robotization was a backward step - the Cybermen are zombies, near corpses trapped in a cybernetic frame. The idea was used again so well by Steven Moffat all those years later.
*
The Pirate Planet.
Tom Baker bites his way effortlessly through the vast swathes of techno-babble. The Captain is a terrific invention, beautifully played by Bruce Purchase - his bombastic bullying nature hiding a true helplessness and vulnerability. Equally, the idea and realisation of Queen Xanxia is gruesome and wonderful. I love Rosalind Lloyd's increasingly irate performance. And nice use of the word 'baffle-gab' from the Doctor - even though it earned him a slap. I love this story. The planet itself is the definition of cheap-and-cheerful, and yet it works. Lovely, satisfying BBC explosion at the end too.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 4, 2019 0:11:08 GMT
The Daleks' Master Plan Loose Cannon's recon of 'Coronas of the Sun' - does this title refer to the 'force shield' that Steven accidentally generates from energising the fake taranium core? It's a neat bit of plotting, Steven's 'headstrong' nature and 'primitive' technological knowledge getting him into difficulty but doing the job and serendipitously giving him (and all of them) the means to escape the Daleks, for now. The highlights for me are the scenes between Chen and the Black Dalek as they shift the blame around and Chen is so smug as he proves the Daleks' collective incompetence! And I love the tiny pause before the Dalek admits their latest failure - surely it's thinking: 'Shall I blast this mocking human now? No, we still need him... La-ter! La-ter!'
and 'The Feast of Steven' - what viewers made of this I can't guess (when there was no overall story title to say yes this is still the same Dalek story, just gone on holiday for a bit) but I think it's great fun and played up to the hilt by the regulars and the large guest cast - especially the Hollywood film scenes. I wish we could see this, but it's an excellent recon and the chase scenes in 'The Romans' let us imagine how well this was filmed, with impeccable comic timing from all concerned. And Ingmar K-noff, his definitely not-Valentino lead and the disgusted 'frauline' who's clearly used to better actors (and directors) are a hoot!
And if I'd been a young viewer in 1965, I would have been beyond thrilled at the Doctor, the actual Doctor, wishing me a Happy Christmas! Fourth walls are sometimes meant to be broken!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 0:16:17 GMT
The Tenth Planet. Here's an interesting one... In hindsight, this may be the first instance of a future story written in the same manner as a historical tale. The Doctor knows precisely who the Cybermen are and what relation they have to Snowcap Base. All they have to do is stay alive until events have run their course. A task hindered somewhat by General Cutler, who seems to have taken a rather dictatorial attitude to the running of the base. Anyone else get the impression he was put on assignment to the Antarctic almost as a way of having him gently filed away? It's funny because he seems to be the main driving force of the narrative. The main antagonist. In contrast, the Cybermen are treated almost like a force of nature. A blizzard or a thunderstorm. You almost get the impression that, under differing circumstances, a bargain could have been struck between Earth and Mondas. There's a rather disturbing logic to their initial arrival in Antarctica. They've landed to, in their terms, save the lives of tracking station personnel. Those willing to be "helped", of course. The destruction of Earth isn't a malicious act to them, but a utilitarian one. Pragmatic. Eliminate any resistance that threatens the integrity of the homeworld. Just to be safe. Altogether -- a rather disturbing first impression of what was then a new villain. Terrific design too, one of the best. As a regeneration story, though... Mmn, it's a bit underwhelming. It's a proto-Troughton base-under-siege story (one of the first), but it could be any other day in the week. The Cybermen themselves would be better served in their infiltration of The Moonbase. It doesn't quite have the sense of scope that The Power of the Daleks would just a few weeks later. Kind of makes me wonder what could've been done with an adaptation of The Curse of the Daleks (the stageplay by David Whitaker) just before it. One final hurrah for the First Doctor before his successor took over. I love The Tenth Planet but there's no doubt it is an odd story, not helped by Hartnell's last-minutes absence from episode 3. The regeneration is almost swept under the carpet by the new villains, and the change of lead actor by the re-emergence of the Daleks the next story. But it's fascinating - I love the first image of the distant silver creature - not quite human - obscured by the snowy wastes. And you're right, the design is terrific - clunky, huge and more than vaguely surgical. I always felt that their further robotization was a backward step - the Cybermen are zombies, near corpses trapped in a cybernetic frame. The idea was used again so well by Steven Moffat all those years later.
*
The Pirate Planet.
Tom Baker bites his way effortlessly through the vast swathes of techno-babble. The Captain is a terrific invention, beautifully played by Bruce Purchase - his bombastic bullying nature hiding a true helplessness and vulnerability. Equally, the idea and realisation of Queen Xanxia is gruesome and wonderful. I love Rosalind Lloyd's increasingly irate performance. And nice use of the word 'baffle-gab' from the Doctor - even though it earned him a slap. I love this story. The planet itself is the definition of cheap-and-cheerful, and yet it works. Lovely, satisfying BBC explosion at the end too.
Yeah, that first cliffhanger could almost be something out of The Outer Limits or The X-Files. They're a vague, reflective glow in the blizzard. Human-shaped... There are two, no three of them. They could be robots? It's not until that final close-up shot that you see, rather alarmingly, they have eyes. Human eyes. They're human beings with the suit grafted over them. In a different era, I've a feeling someone would have cut the cloth with a knife and seen what was underneath it. Nothing good, probably...
I'm glad too that Moffat decided to bring that original design back. There's something about it that's really made people hold onto it. It's last appearance (very last, I think) was in 1981 during the Fourth Doctor comics, just before Earthshock burst onto the scene:
It and the CyberNeomorphs are the two designs that resonate the most for me. The first has this sawbones "we did our best with the last of what we had" look. It's a powerful, industrial, piston-like look. The latter has a computerised, Silcon Valley sleekness, bringing to mind the image of a digital watch grafted straight onto the bone with screws and a drillbit. It'd be difficult to tell where the man ended and the Cyberman began.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 13:33:54 GMT
The Happiness Patrol.
I'm still, after all these years, not entirely convinced by Sylvester's laughing in episode 3, but apart from that, this has always been a favourite Doctor Who story for me. I still maintain The Kandyman is straight out of a child's nightmare, and that Helen A's final scene is one of the most bizarrely touching in the classic series.
|
|
|
Post by mark687 on Feb 4, 2019 21:24:07 GMT
The Tsuranga Conundrum (with Commentary)
(Definitely affirms that this was the weakest Ep of series 11 for me, which is made worse because there seems to be genuine enthusiasm in most of the comments form the commentators, particularly Suzanne Packer and Ben Bailey Smith.)
Regards
mark687
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2019 18:39:21 GMT
The Woman Who Fell to Earth.
This is the first time I've seen this since original transmission. I enjoyed it then, but like it even more on second viewing. I love the way it is grounded in rainy Sheffield, and that Jamie Childs makes it all look so good. Tzim-Sha is a good, solid villain - not sure he's up to the mark of being the series' 'big bad' (although we didn't know he was coming back at this time), despite Samuel Oatley's fine performance.
I love Jodie's debut. She has a way of saying "I'm good at building things," which makes you trust that she's right, rather than she's boasting. The Doctor's new friends are interesting without ever being 'in your face' like some previous companions have been. Ryan and Yaz are very appealing, and Graham and Grace are lovely. Truly it is touching when tragedy strikes.
"It'll be fine."
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 6, 2019 12:14:46 GMT
The Daleks' Master Plan Loose Cannon's recon of 'Volcano' - after all that festive frivolity, it's straight back to the Plan and the Daleks at their most ruthless, using Trantis as a test subject - and when the test fails (thanks to the Doctor's scheme) they exterminate him anyway... and I think Chen finally realises the nature of the devil he's made a deal with.. first Zephon, now Trantis and one day...? I think the Daleks never trusted Trantis after Chen implicated him in the Doctor's theft of the Core; Daleks never trust anyone. And then the holidays are suddenly back on for a fun New Year's Day adventure (as a cricket and Test Match Special fan, the Ashes section has me in stitches every time!) and then, unexpectedly but brilliantly, out pops the Monk and the rest of the episode is a masterclass in two fine comic performances. And the Doctor does something clever but inexplicable with his apparently "magic" ring - OK by me, I think it's a sonic ring; by 'new series' rules, being sonic means it could do anything, couldn't it? And briefly, "London, 1966!"
Loose Cannon's recon of 'Golden Death' - it's like an ancient Egyptian reprise of 'The Time Meddler' and that's a very good thing; I wish Peter Butterworth had donned the habit for later stories too and this Egyptian mini-historical plus Daleks is a treat. Steven and Sara have a little action adventure of their own, the Doctor and the Monk play their usual game and the Monk plays a dangerous game with Chen and the Daleks. Would he really have handed the Doctor over (if there was an alternative)? There was no gain in it for him, the Monk was free and the Daleks didn't know where his TARDIS was, so I do wonder if he might simply have found the Doctor and warned him before they each slipped away in their TARDISes? You never know where you are with the Monk and he could practically double-cross himself. But the Doctor (perhaps rightly) assumes the worst and - oh mummy, I love that ending. (And I bet many viewers guessed immediately who the hand belongs to!)
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Feb 6, 2019 19:39:10 GMT
Remembrance of the Daleks. I enjoyed this one, but I enjoyed the audio commentary by Sylvester and Sophie even more. It was a good story and they at least tried very much with the special effects, considering the budget. Was definitely worth getting.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2019 21:19:21 GMT
Ghost Monument.
Again, this is the first time I've seen this since its original transmission, and the first time on the television (as opposed to the PC). It looks great. And once more, I enjoyed it more than I did first time around. In my case, a 'burden' of being a fan is, when watching any episode for the first time, bits of my mind dwell on things like 'will this go down well with the fans?' and 'what will the ratings be like?' Stupid and insignificant, but I can't help it. I've been that way since thinking, 'I can't see this pleasing too many people,' when I first watched Warriors of the Deep back in the early Eighties.
Watching Ghost Monument now, I know what reception it got, I know what the ratings were, and I can just concentrate on enjoying it. And for the most part I did enjoy it, although I've pinpointed my slight issue with it. It doesn't flow particularly well. It is a series of events, all of which are perfectly fine, but not particularly cohesive. The bit in the spaceship, the bit with them talking to Art Malik, the bit in the desert with the robot soldiers, the bit where the characters have a heart-to-heart, the bit with the (excellent) ribbon monsters, and finally my favourite - the bit with the TARDIS, which I found genuinely touching. The opposite of 'greater than the sum of it's parts', or something. Probably.
I don't aim to watch every episode this series (I'm not sure the The Tsuranga Conundrum will be getting another airing any time soon, for example), but rather like The Great Curator, I'll be revisiting 'old favourites' (from Series 11). So far, I'm really enjoying the trip.
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 9, 2019 12:36:24 GMT
The Daleks' Master Plan 'Escape Switch' - with only 3/12 episodes on DVD it's great that one of them includes the Monk! Steven and Sara's encounter with 'The Curse of the Monk-y's Tomb' is a great visual gag to start the episode, but then things get serious, and for the most part it's a tense 'prisoner exchange' story which would have resonated with older viewers in those Cold War days of 'spy swaps' on bridges where neither side trusted the other an inch. William Hartnell is at his very best, radiating authority and barking his instructions for the exchange - though the Daleks and Chen retrieve their prize. But any time the Doctor and his friends remain free to fight another day, we know the Daleks haven't really won...
'Ancient Egypt' looks magnificent; Barry Newbery created so many design classics for 'Doctor Who' and these sets and backdrops must be some of the best. I do feel sorry for the Egyptians, up against a ruthless enemy outgunning them by thousands of years of science turned to evil. But it's technology they lack, not courage or intelligence. And I really like way that Khephren, the engineering genius behind the pyramids, isn't fooled for a second by talk of 'gods'. His foreman falls to his knees before the amplified voice of Chen, but Khephren knows they are facing works of engineering made by mortals, not the power of gods. In another time, his mind would no doubt have been designing railways or skyscrapers - or starships.
So the Doctor does his 'swap' and moves onto his backup plan - and there's just time for one more moment of fun before (sadly) we wave a final goodbye to the Monk, outwitted by the Doctor yet again! It's been so good to see him once more, but now the time for humour is well and truly over...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2019 20:54:53 GMT
Heaven Sent/Hell Bent with Rachel Talalay commentary from Radio Free Skaro podcast.
|
|
|
Post by aemiliapaula on Feb 11, 2019 9:06:31 GMT
Snakedance
On OK story, I really got it for the performances. I quite enjoy the mother and son charcacters.
|
|
lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,819
|
Post by lidar2 on Feb 11, 2019 9:44:00 GMT
The Aztecs part1 yesterday and part 2 today. How did Ian learn the Vulcan nerve pinch?
|
|
|
Post by number13 on Feb 11, 2019 14:20:54 GMT
The Daleks' Master Plan Loose Cannon's recon of 'The Abandoned Planet' - after all the entertaining diversions, it's back to Kemble and back to business. In some ways this episode is 'the calm before the storm' - without the Doctor for most of the time and Sara and Steven working their way through the too-empty jungle (even the Varga plants have gone, presumably 'transplanted' by the Daleks for use in their invasion of Earth) and through the vast, deserted Dalek complex, tension building all the while. And then they find part of the answer - a cell full of frightened delegates, the remains of the Galactic Alliance, divided and distracted at their final council by Chen's insane rantings - and open murder. Even they can see (finally) that the Daleks make no alliances and must be fought!
I thought of what the Fourth Doctor had said to Sarah, ages before in the life of the Daleks - that good would come because of the Daleks as alliances were forged against them. Was he perhaps thinking of this time in his First incarnation, of these various dictators and despots who at last turned their power to fight in a just cause? And for self-preservation too!
Mavic Chen is too far gone even for self-preservation. How could the Daleks reject him, the great Chen, Guardian of the Solar System?! But we know that when he forces Steven and Sara at gunpoint into the Dalek bunker, he is surely walking to his own execution...
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Feb 11, 2019 17:17:08 GMT
Third time watching "Terror of the Autons". Because I just love the team-up of Jo, the 3rd Doctor and the Master. At the moment, one of my favorite crews.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2019 7:33:51 GMT
The Aztecs part1 yesterday and part 2 today. How did Ian learn the Vulcan nerve pinch? National service is a hell of a thing. Truthfully, pressure points actually have a very strong basis in many true-to-life martial arts; Chinese kung fu and Japanese karate being the most prominent. It's possible Ian learnt a little of the former during their three months with Marco Polo.
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Feb 12, 2019 17:57:52 GMT
Starting on "and the Silurians".
|
|