|
|
Post by grinch on Jan 21, 2021 10:50:44 GMT
Technically the FIRST Doctor Who story in terms of chronology and what a terrific story it is as well. In the hands of any other writer, I’d be rather nervous at the prospect of someone attempting to write the story in which the Doctor first leaves Gallifrey but with Marc Platt I know we’re in safe hands.
Quadrigger Stoyn is also a very memorable character although I must admit I never expected to him to have any other appearances outside of this story.
What did you all think?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2021 12:22:13 GMT
The Beginning was quite good, to be perfectly honest. A simple introduction to the Whoniverse, depicting the earliest events of the Doctor and his granddaughter Susan fleeing Gallifrey. Isn't it an interesting idea to also bring along Stoyn as a stowaway, despite him never being mentioned onscreen? I would love to hear more audios with Stoyn, since there are many gaps in the CC trilogy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Apr 28, 2022 4:03:41 GMT
Listening to The Beginning reminded me very firmly of two facts: first, it's amazing just how well the original theme music holds up today; and second, Carol Ann Ford is GOAT.
This story was an interesting one, partly because it delves into an era of the show that really hasn't been explored very much in Doctor Who media--the Doctor's travels before getting stranded on Earth. Personally, I really like the idea that the Doctor and Susan wandered around for quite a while before landing at Totter's Lane... which parts of The Beginning seem to support (like the still-functional Chameleon Circuit). When describing their flight from Gallifrey, Susan also comes across as rather young--I initially pictured her as maybe 10-12 years old or so, but then Stoyn's fixation on her becomes extra creepy. Not that being fixated on a teenage Susan is not also very creepy--but, well, you get what I mean.
Speaking of Stoyn: Stoyn? Such a weird addition! I don't know what I was expecting from this story, but not this. I do kind of wish they'd done a bit more with him than go the generic pompous, incurious Time Lord idiot-villain route. He's an engineer working on really old TARDISes, right? Seems like we could assume that he, like the Doctor, would be a bit atypical? I'm stuck here imagining a story where there were less clearly-defined roles for the characters--where the Doctor was not stuck being the hero, where Stoyn was not relegated to the villain. There are glimpses of this, early on. The Doctor comes across as particularly curmudgeonly, far less enthusiastic about exploring the new world they've landed on than Susan--you can detect a current of fear in his voice. This Doctor has significant anxieties and worries: he is far from the confident explorer we're more familiar with.
Quote of the story: "No one has grandfathers these days."
It was also interesting to see a (pleasantly) vague explanation of the Doctor's exile here--he angered powerful people by talking too much. Sounds about right, yeah? But the lovely thing is that this explanation comes to us from Susan--who, as a child, may not have been fully aware of the circumstances. This allows The Beginning to mesh with various other theories and explanations, from the Doctor fleeing to protect Susan rather than himself (and concealing this from her) to fleeing for his own life after a failed assassination attempt from the 'Lord Burner'. Susan would simply be too young for the "whole truth."
One thing I really liked about this story was the small and ultimately inconsequential detail of Susan wondering about the TARDIS' former crew(s). This was an old, decommissioned TARDIS, so surely it must have been on countless adventures before it was snatched up by the Doctor, right? And yet I've never really thought about that. I'd love to see a story expand on that someday. Which The Beginning itself was easily equipped to do through the character of Stoyn. Alas for missed opportunity.
Gonna give this one a 4/5. Some great ideas, but sometimes hard to follow, and doesn't quite manage to capitalise on its own premise.
|
|
