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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 11:44:03 GMT
Am 3 and a half episodes in - this is really good, but could have done without quite so much of the Tooting Popular Front politics. Power to the people!
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Post by sherlock on Mar 3, 2022 18:31:23 GMT
Halfway through this set and quite enjoying it. Ordeal is a confident beginning for old King Peladon. It’s interesting how this series highlights early on mistakes made by certain individuals and their consequences. As for The Cameo- {Spoiler} I really liked it. It’s unannounced, so far from a simple cash grab exercise, and serves a really interesting point.
For Peladon (King and planet), the Doctor has served as mythical figure nudging things in direction of progress. Here he accidentally does the opposite, proving his liberal attitude to roaming the universe can backfire. And it ties into Ten’s latter day arc well, with his last rule about uprooting time stopping him interfering to undo the mistake he’s just made, as he’s already experienced the consequences. You can imagine that sitting in the back of his mind as another moment he felt impotent in face of the Web of Time, until a certain event on Mars catalyses that sense of impotence into the Time Lord Victorious. Poison was Alpha Centauri’s story really, as they are an absolute delight here. River Song works well in this era with the whole women’s lib angle Tharila picked up from Sarah Jane, but there’s nothing so unique about River it simply had to be her leading the story. Though I do suspect having a Doctor here might have leaned too much towards a repeat of Curse, given the diplomat intrigue here is very reminiscent of that story, so she serves a purpose in that regard. Again we have a theme of mistakes, as the Chancellor’s actions to save the monarchy feel like they might well have sowed the seeds of its downfall.
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Post by sherlock on Mar 4, 2022 11:39:45 GMT
Did The Death of Peladon last night and quite enjoyed it but thought it missed a trick. {Spoiler} Having it all be because of a plot by the princess and the Arcturans seemed a bit of a get out. Having the conflict be purely derived from the failures of Peladon’s monarch and poor living conditions of the miners seemed a more meaty path to take things.
Also keeping the Arcturans repeatedly be so irredeemably evil (as previously there was one in Curse and there’s another villainous one in Poison, even if he isn’t actually the ultimate antagonist in the end) feels somewhat against the spirit of the Peladon stories which are most well known for evolving the Ice Warriors from straight villains to a more nuanced species. It’s a minor gripe though. Baker and Langford worked well as ever, which gives me high hopes for the coming wave of material with this pair.
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Post by Timelord007 on Mar 4, 2022 15:13:48 GMT
Listened to this while recovering from a bad reaction to covid booster & i loved it, 4 interesting stories that were well written & performed by the cast, the last story features what i think is one of Paul McGanns best performances as the Doctor.
9/10
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Post by sherlock on Mar 5, 2022 0:37:22 GMT
The Truth of Peladon was quite a meaty piece. A proper look at the ills undermining Peladon that keep coming up time and time again, with a very direct Eighth Doctor leading the charge.
Its an interesting piece for Eight character-wise and I do get the sense that at least some his anger directed at Arla is perhaps frustration at himself for being similar to her. He didn’t really question the system all that much himself on previous visits to Peladon and it’s even suggested the compromise he did at end of Death is what led to the status quo here. The Doctor is very much complicit in Peladon’s situation and I think that’s what fuels him here. This story represents him having finally devoted some serious time to understanding Peladon’s problems and giving the people a chance to the shift the dial more substantially, which is a nice note to send this saga on. I’d certainly say this is the most interesting way the Eighth Doctor has been portrayed in a while.
I really liked how stripped down this. Devoid of the usual iconography of Peladon, bar the singular Ice Warrior, it’s a really unique take that’s as far from the 70s stories as possible whilst still retaining that world building that made them work so well. Arla is really well characterised and performed too and so hinging the story on her works brilliantly.
This boxset overall was a great ride. Really building on the 70s stories and taking the distinct society they created in an interesting direction. I will definitely revisit this in future.
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Post by Chakoteya on Mar 5, 2022 9:02:27 GMT
Am 3 and a half episodes in - this is really good, but could have done without quite so much of the Tooting Popular Front politics. Power to the people! Dave Spart for President!
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Mar 23, 2022 3:09:16 GMT
What an enjoyable box set. The Truth of Peldon is totally the stand out of the set. Doctor number 8 at his most 7 like. McGann sounds more engaged than I’ve heard in quite some time. I loved how it had an almost A Christmas Carol feel to it with the three visitations. Tim Foley is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. I also greatly liked the second story quite a lot. I’m continually amazed at how flexible a character River Song is and how easily she slots into so many different stories. The only story I found a little bit of a slog was 6th Doctor installment and even then it wasn’t bad, just not on the same footing as the rest of the set.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2022 14:00:41 GMT
I said to Audio at the weekend I had listened to this set at last and it is worth it for the last story alone.
Its all solid, occasionally terrific but its all about that last ep for me now which I would personally rank up there with the best of BF. I cannot say its Christmas Carol like tho, as its almost intentionally the anti-Dickens here. Ebenezer was shown his past, present and future if he did not alter his ways. The Doctor here shows our protagonist, who we eventually realise is an antagonist, only her present, only the consequences of her actions had already taken root. There is not a "here is how you can stop it..." moment, more a "Just look at the bed you made....lie in it" one.
After 3 stories about the top of the hierarchy, this ep shows something more real-world to us. That these corrupt regimes only stand while people who see themselves as fundamentally decent allow them to. When its easier to turn a blind eye than speak out. That makes it much more vital in 2022 and more relatable, and eternal sadly.
The set overall reminded me very much of my favourite mini-series, Excelis, in that sometimes The Doctor just cant win. A better way can be shown but if people dont take it? What can be done? We end up with that last story...
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Post by Timelord007 on Mar 25, 2022 14:41:53 GMT
I said to Audio at the weekend I had listened to this set at last and it is worth it for the last story alone. Its all solid, occasionally terrific but its all about that last ep for me now which I would personally rank up there with the best of BF. I cannot say its Christmas Carol like tho, as its almost intentionally the anti-Dickens here. Ebenezer was shown his past, present and future if he did not alter his ways. The Doctor here shows our protagonist, who we eventually realise is an antagonist, only her present, only the consequences of her actions had already taken root. There is not a "here is how you can stop it..." moment, more a "Just look at the bed you made....lie in it" one. After 3 stories about the top of the hierarchy, this ep shows something more real-world to us. That these corrupt regimes only stand while people who see themselves as fundamentally decent allow them to. When its easier to turn a blind eye than speak out. That makes it much more vital in 2022 and more relatable, and eternal sadly. The set overall reminded me very much of my favourite mini-series, Excelis, in that sometimes The Doctor just cant win. A better way can be shown but if people dont take it? What can be done? We end up with that last story... I'd go as far to say one of Paul's best performances as The Eighth Doctor, a outstanding finale to a wonderful box set.
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Post by Kestrel on Mar 26, 2022 3:35:43 GMT
I wonder if in a few years time, Truth of Peladon will be the only story we remember, in the same way Urgent Calls kind of obfuscates I.D. in memory. Or Mary's Story in Company of Friends.
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Post by tuigirl on Jul 30, 2022 17:26:45 GMT
Quite a nice spread of stories. We also get some great performances. We even get an awesome cameo in the first story. Personally, I liked the stories with the 6th and 8th Doctor best, especially the last story was great, a wonderful take on emperors new clothes/ tailor as spy/ 3 times secret visits at night to show the truth.... I agree with all of you that „Truth“ is the standout story here. Great idea, good pacing, perfect performances. And best of all- McGann gets to sing! In general, the set builds on strong environmental and societal messages.... the Doctor is ever the rebel, even voices a message along the lines „ People should not be afraid of their government, governments should be afraid of their people“. Intrigue, corruption, environmental destruction and revolution. Bread and butter for Doctor Who. Good set.
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