I think, and I may be wrong, when I was younger I had a fold down chart with a drawing of a huge city or complex beneath the sea. I can't remember whether this was Atlantis - but I've certainly always connected the two in my head. I think the chart was based on some film or something. But whenever I think 'Atlantis', I generally think of that, and the underwater part. I suppose everyone does.
So to set Atlantis on a dry land, in what's basically a Horrible Histories without the songs and with more fighting, it changes what you expect. It should make it more exciting. After all, that's what they did with Merlin, they changed what you would expect. Except with Merlin it worked. Atlantis is just a bit too dull.
The first episode is kind of in two parts. In fact, doing 25 minute episodes for CBBC might have been a lot better for it, as it brings to mind the old Roman Mysteries series. The first half, of about 20/25 minutes, is a bit boring. The opening scenes uses every possible cliche in the book, and the creators have chosen the most obvious and boring plot device ever. The underwater scenes are quite exciting - but then Jason turns up on the beach, conveniently finding clothes he doesn't question, and then getting chased. The chase scene feels like it's trying to be Skyfall, but in Ancient Greece (the music is very similar to the chase at the opening of the film). Then he meets Pythagoras, who's not bad, and Hercules, who's also not bad. Jason seems a bit unexciting at the minute. But it all happens very quickly. Jason sees the Oracle, but even the conversation of "why did you lie to him" after that feels like more cliches.
It's just too predictable.
Fortunately, the second half is a lot better. If it wasn't my 18th Birthday next week, then I would have loved the second half. Labyrinths, fighting a Minotaur (albeit briefly), being an adventurer from Ancient Greece, it's all great for a younger audience. But the series is, so far, seriously lacking emotional appeal, or even emotional characters. Any attempts at emotion are cliche - and I hope that changes as the series goes on. Because otherwise, 8.25 is really the wrong time slot. For a younger audience, it needs to be on earlier. It doesn't feel dark, emotional, or different enough yet. The characters are more serious (in my eyes, I relief after however many years of Merlin and Arthur), but that doesn't mean there's depth.
So although it's a jolly good adventure, it does feel a bit childish (for the time slot), a bit cliche and a bit slow. I can see the main characters progressing well, and Sarah Parish desperately needs to be in on it more 'cos frankly she was amazing. There is potential, and if the mystery (which is half-explained very quickly in the episode) becomes more complex, then it could be really good. This series can really go places.
It's just a bit too slow at the minute.
The episode lacked 'depth' in two ways. One, obviously the characters, and two, the lack of water! Setting a series in Atlantis while it's underwater would have been stunning. But - it didn't do that, and so it wasn't stunning. The team behind Merlin, who have said they're making a Merlin replacement, didn't even try to make it that different to Merlin. There's not enough difference or excitement.
I am looking forward to seeing where the series goes, and I believe that it could turn into something really good. But everything needs to up its game a bit more - as it feels like its falling short of what it should be.
By the way - I do want a soundtrack. The music was awesome.
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Saturday, 28 September 2013
What Sherlock Shouldn't Do
This might be a relatively short post.
After the release of the BBC Original Drama Autumn Trailer, lots of fangirls and probably some fanboys too got very excited at seeing Sherlock & John back in action. In fact, the top voted comment at the time of writing this has the words "JOHNLOCK" and "gay" in it. I'm not a fan of the 'shipping' of two characters who clearly aren't gay, because people start watching it for Tumblr Gifs, and not for the actual drama.
When the first Sherlock trailer came out, there were similar comments. Sherlock's face when he sees John, which to me looked slightly constipated, was caught on by all of the fans in an "omg his face, this will be so sad" kind of way. I mean, Sherlock's face didn't attractive quite as much attention as John's moustache - but hey ho.
My point is, the arrival of the new trailer brings about/shows two things. The first is mentioned above - the shipping - which is one thing Sherlock shouldn't do. That will never happen though, so that's not a worry of mine, just an annoyance.
The other thing the trailer showed was that the plot looks to be as predictable as I thought - and that's what Sherlock shouldn't do. The trailer features him and Martin Freeman's wife/John Watson's (we presume) Mary riding a motorbike. Despite this being done, in the same location, in Doctor Who failure The Bells of Saint John. But aside from this - it highlights what's present in the filming pictures.
Now I may be wrong and I'm sure the story will be more complicated than this because it's Sherlock.
But I'm pretty sure the base of the story will be "Sherlock comes back/John hates him/John hits him/John's girlfriend forgives Sherlock/John and girlfriend argue/Sherlock and Mary save the world/John forgives him". Along there there'll also be the "us two against the world" line that was in the trailer - something else that excited the Tumblr fans.
That will be the basic plot. The underlying tension. Hopefully it won't take the whole episode for Martin Freeman to stop breathing heavily in anger, but it might do. Hopefully - that plot won't happen at all.
Because it shouldn't. I could make up that plot in my sleep - in fact, people younger than me who watch enough TV could make that plot up in their sleep. So yes, the plot around it about "The Empty Hearse" will be very good I'm sure - but it stands a chance of being ruined by John's annoyance. The arguing/falling out/getting back together/saving the world has been done SO MANY TIMES and I really hope I'm wrong. I hope the clips from trailers and filming are misleading, and that the most predictable TV character plot in history hasn't been chosen to bring Sherlock back.
It's definitely something Sherlock shouldn't do.
After the release of the BBC Original Drama Autumn Trailer, lots of fangirls and probably some fanboys too got very excited at seeing Sherlock & John back in action. In fact, the top voted comment at the time of writing this has the words "JOHNLOCK" and "gay" in it. I'm not a fan of the 'shipping' of two characters who clearly aren't gay, because people start watching it for Tumblr Gifs, and not for the actual drama.
When the first Sherlock trailer came out, there were similar comments. Sherlock's face when he sees John, which to me looked slightly constipated, was caught on by all of the fans in an "omg his face, this will be so sad" kind of way. I mean, Sherlock's face didn't attractive quite as much attention as John's moustache - but hey ho.
My point is, the arrival of the new trailer brings about/shows two things. The first is mentioned above - the shipping - which is one thing Sherlock shouldn't do. That will never happen though, so that's not a worry of mine, just an annoyance.
The other thing the trailer showed was that the plot looks to be as predictable as I thought - and that's what Sherlock shouldn't do. The trailer features him and Martin Freeman's wife/John Watson's (we presume) Mary riding a motorbike. Despite this being done, in the same location, in Doctor Who failure The Bells of Saint John. But aside from this - it highlights what's present in the filming pictures.
Now I may be wrong and I'm sure the story will be more complicated than this because it's Sherlock.
But I'm pretty sure the base of the story will be "Sherlock comes back/John hates him/John hits him/John's girlfriend forgives Sherlock/John and girlfriend argue/Sherlock and Mary save the world/John forgives him". Along there there'll also be the "us two against the world" line that was in the trailer - something else that excited the Tumblr fans.
That will be the basic plot. The underlying tension. Hopefully it won't take the whole episode for Martin Freeman to stop breathing heavily in anger, but it might do. Hopefully - that plot won't happen at all.
Because it shouldn't. I could make up that plot in my sleep - in fact, people younger than me who watch enough TV could make that plot up in their sleep. So yes, the plot around it about "The Empty Hearse" will be very good I'm sure - but it stands a chance of being ruined by John's annoyance. The arguing/falling out/getting back together/saving the world has been done SO MANY TIMES and I really hope I'm wrong. I hope the clips from trailers and filming are misleading, and that the most predictable TV character plot in history hasn't been chosen to bring Sherlock back.
It's definitely something Sherlock shouldn't do.
Monday, 16 September 2013
The Best Song Ever (Ish)
Shock! A blog post not about Doctor Who! (And with a slightly misleading title - sorry 1D fans, this isn't for you..)
With the recent announcement of the Mercury Prize Nominations (an award I still only have roughly 1% of a clue about), there seems to be a lot of talk about the best albums and artists. I'm quite proud that I own an album from the shortlist - it makes me feel almost up to date with music. Most surprising is that that album I own is Villagers "Awayland" - which has to be the least cool album ever written. The songs have amazingly complicated and crafted lyrics - but none of them are conventional hits, and a lot of them aren't even conventional modern music. All the same - Villagers reached the shortlist. Well done them. Or him. It's quite hard to keep track.
So if I was to put together my own shortlist of albums - it would probably be quite short and quite bias, because I haven't listened to that many really. So instead, I'm going to pick twelve songs from the last decade that would receive a prize from me. Amongst those twelve songs there will be seven artists - five with two "best" songs in, and then two 'wildcard' choices from different artists. Then, at the end, if I can, I will pick a song that should essentially be my favourite of all time.
A. KEANE: BEDSHAPED
The first of two Keane songs, I knew Bedshaped before I knew the band who sung it. Aside from Will Young, Keane were probably my first "serious" singers, and Bedshaped is therefore one of my first ever songs. It is beautiful, the video is awesome - and if you haven't heard it, you haven't lived.
B. KEANE: SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW
Perhaps a predictable Keane choice - it's the one everyone's heard of - but it is amazing. The best ever feel good song, yet with depth to the lyrics. It truly is a great song, and even if you think you don't know it, you will have heard it. There won't be any later Keane songs - and why? Because they're not the best, simple. Perfect Symmetry, Atlantic, Bad Dream - they're all great, but they're not quite to the standard of these two.
C. HURTS: SUNDAY
I'm a bit mad about Hurts at the minute. When Mum first discovered them for me (cheers, Mum), I wasn't impressed. When I first listened to their first album I wasn't impressed. But then something clicked. Probably the music videos, especially for songs like Blind, Wonderful Life and of course, Sunday. The video for Somebody to Die For is what made me get back into their music - and I'm so glad I did. Although Sunday has the most predictable lyrics ever - the music and feel of the song is amazing.
D. HURTS: WONDERFUL LIFE
There are so many good Hurts songs. Blind, Exile, Silver Lining, Better than Love, Evelyn, The Road, most of them in fact. But Wonderful Life is another feel good song with depth - and it has the feel of an 80s song, while staying modern. Plus - one of the lyrics includes the word 'Severn', and as someone who goes to Wales a lot, that appeals.
E. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE: HOWL
I wasn't sure who to pick next, but because there are so many options for wildcard at the minute - two Florence + the Machine songs seemed like a good choice. Howl is breathtaking - and literally, if you tried singing it I imagine. It's powerful, and just a great piece of music. Some of the lyrics are really strong - and obscure - and so it's a perfect song.
F. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE: BLINDING
Although Rabbit Heart, Cosmic Love, My Boy Builds Coffins (I love that song) and No Light, No Light were contenders - Blinding is another song with weird and awesome lyrics. Therefore - it earns a place here. It's hauntingly good.
G. BASTILLE - POMPEII
Probably the only conventional choice on here - I love this song. It's addictive and it's just awesome all round.
H. BASTILLE - NO ANGELS
Normally I hate people who release covers - but Bastille's "mixtapes" are not only free, they're also ingenious. No Angels combines The XX and TLC (both were unknown to me at first) with some other singer who's not bad, in a great song. And there's Psycho dialogue. Psycho! It was really hard picking a cover of Bastille's I liked best - and their recent cover of We Can't Stop (yes - that one) is amazing.
I. TOM ODELL - ANOTHER LOVE
This. Is. Perfect.
J. TOM ODELL - GROW OLD WITH ME
Tom Odell is great, and although some of his other songs sound fairly similar to each other, Grow Old With Me and Another Love are distinct and are just awesome. I can't say there were many other contenders from songs he's done... yet.
K. MUSE - ANIMALS
Picking a David Bowie song was quite hard. There's a few I like, but not love. So I went for Muse, because there's more of them I love. Sorry, David. Animals is a strange choice, because I didn't like it at first. But it's one of the most memorable for me, and it's a very powerful song.
L. MUSE - UNDISCLOSED DESIRES
This was so hard. There are so many amazing Muse songs that I love - but it's a question of favourites. A favourite song of all time, for me, so far. And this one, although one of their most boy band like, is one of their best. Uprising, Supremacy, Animals, Take a Bow, Madness - they're all great. It's so hard.
THE TOP FIVE
#5 BEDSHAPED - Keane
I was originally going to give this to Bastille, but Bedshaped is the oldest song I know, as I said before - so it needs a place in my top five.
#4 WONDERFUL LIFE - Hurts
A beautiful song, well deserving of a place in the top five.
#3 SUNDAY - Hurts
Both Hurts songs made it - Sunday's amazing beat earns it a place in third.
#2 SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW - Keane
This would probably have earned the top spot over most of my life... But something is just a little bit better.
#1 ANOTHER LOVE - Tom Odell
You probably guessed from my description - but the decision to give this top spot has been made a whole day after I wrote that, so there you go.
I hope you enjoyed my brief Music blog! I should point out another few good songs if anyone's interested. London Grammar's "Wasting my Young Years", Villagers' "Nothing Arrived", "Home" and "Earthly Pleasure", David Bowie's "The Next Day", "Valentine's Day" and "The Stars" - and the entire Hurts collection.
With the recent announcement of the Mercury Prize Nominations (an award I still only have roughly 1% of a clue about), there seems to be a lot of talk about the best albums and artists. I'm quite proud that I own an album from the shortlist - it makes me feel almost up to date with music. Most surprising is that that album I own is Villagers "Awayland" - which has to be the least cool album ever written. The songs have amazingly complicated and crafted lyrics - but none of them are conventional hits, and a lot of them aren't even conventional modern music. All the same - Villagers reached the shortlist. Well done them. Or him. It's quite hard to keep track.
So if I was to put together my own shortlist of albums - it would probably be quite short and quite bias, because I haven't listened to that many really. So instead, I'm going to pick twelve songs from the last decade that would receive a prize from me. Amongst those twelve songs there will be seven artists - five with two "best" songs in, and then two 'wildcard' choices from different artists. Then, at the end, if I can, I will pick a song that should essentially be my favourite of all time.
A. KEANE: BEDSHAPED
The first of two Keane songs, I knew Bedshaped before I knew the band who sung it. Aside from Will Young, Keane were probably my first "serious" singers, and Bedshaped is therefore one of my first ever songs. It is beautiful, the video is awesome - and if you haven't heard it, you haven't lived.
B. KEANE: SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW
Perhaps a predictable Keane choice - it's the one everyone's heard of - but it is amazing. The best ever feel good song, yet with depth to the lyrics. It truly is a great song, and even if you think you don't know it, you will have heard it. There won't be any later Keane songs - and why? Because they're not the best, simple. Perfect Symmetry, Atlantic, Bad Dream - they're all great, but they're not quite to the standard of these two.
C. HURTS: SUNDAY
I'm a bit mad about Hurts at the minute. When Mum first discovered them for me (cheers, Mum), I wasn't impressed. When I first listened to their first album I wasn't impressed. But then something clicked. Probably the music videos, especially for songs like Blind, Wonderful Life and of course, Sunday. The video for Somebody to Die For is what made me get back into their music - and I'm so glad I did. Although Sunday has the most predictable lyrics ever - the music and feel of the song is amazing.
D. HURTS: WONDERFUL LIFE
There are so many good Hurts songs. Blind, Exile, Silver Lining, Better than Love, Evelyn, The Road, most of them in fact. But Wonderful Life is another feel good song with depth - and it has the feel of an 80s song, while staying modern. Plus - one of the lyrics includes the word 'Severn', and as someone who goes to Wales a lot, that appeals.
E. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE: HOWL
I wasn't sure who to pick next, but because there are so many options for wildcard at the minute - two Florence + the Machine songs seemed like a good choice. Howl is breathtaking - and literally, if you tried singing it I imagine. It's powerful, and just a great piece of music. Some of the lyrics are really strong - and obscure - and so it's a perfect song.
F. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE: BLINDING
Although Rabbit Heart, Cosmic Love, My Boy Builds Coffins (I love that song) and No Light, No Light were contenders - Blinding is another song with weird and awesome lyrics. Therefore - it earns a place here. It's hauntingly good.
G. BASTILLE - POMPEII
Probably the only conventional choice on here - I love this song. It's addictive and it's just awesome all round.
H. BASTILLE - NO ANGELS
Normally I hate people who release covers - but Bastille's "mixtapes" are not only free, they're also ingenious. No Angels combines The XX and TLC (both were unknown to me at first) with some other singer who's not bad, in a great song. And there's Psycho dialogue. Psycho! It was really hard picking a cover of Bastille's I liked best - and their recent cover of We Can't Stop (yes - that one) is amazing.
I. TOM ODELL - ANOTHER LOVE
This. Is. Perfect.
J. TOM ODELL - GROW OLD WITH ME
Tom Odell is great, and although some of his other songs sound fairly similar to each other, Grow Old With Me and Another Love are distinct and are just awesome. I can't say there were many other contenders from songs he's done... yet.
K. MUSE - ANIMALS
Picking a David Bowie song was quite hard. There's a few I like, but not love. So I went for Muse, because there's more of them I love. Sorry, David. Animals is a strange choice, because I didn't like it at first. But it's one of the most memorable for me, and it's a very powerful song.
L. MUSE - UNDISCLOSED DESIRES
This was so hard. There are so many amazing Muse songs that I love - but it's a question of favourites. A favourite song of all time, for me, so far. And this one, although one of their most boy band like, is one of their best. Uprising, Supremacy, Animals, Take a Bow, Madness - they're all great. It's so hard.
THE TOP FIVE
#5 BEDSHAPED - Keane
I was originally going to give this to Bastille, but Bedshaped is the oldest song I know, as I said before - so it needs a place in my top five.
#4 WONDERFUL LIFE - Hurts
A beautiful song, well deserving of a place in the top five.
#3 SUNDAY - Hurts
Both Hurts songs made it - Sunday's amazing beat earns it a place in third.
#2 SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW - Keane
This would probably have earned the top spot over most of my life... But something is just a little bit better.
#1 ANOTHER LOVE - Tom Odell
You probably guessed from my description - but the decision to give this top spot has been made a whole day after I wrote that, so there you go.
I hope you enjoyed my brief Music blog! I should point out another few good songs if anyone's interested. London Grammar's "Wasting my Young Years", Villagers' "Nothing Arrived", "Home" and "Earthly Pleasure", David Bowie's "The Next Day", "Valentine's Day" and "The Stars" - and the entire Hurts collection.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Are You My Mummy? The Deadly Assassin
So after The TV Movie didn't go down too well, I moved onto what is generally considered a classic. This is me and Mum - watching The Deadly Assassin.
Some stats before we begin. This came 20th in the Mighty 200 Doctor Who Magazine poll, and was generally liked at the time of release. Unless you're the president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, or Mary Whitehouse. Being the first 'non-companion' story, and giving mum plenty of opportunities for questions (not to mention her first experience of Holmes/Hinchliffe horror), it seems like a good choice. She's very much used to Season 12 or 18 stories - and this is something very different.
And I gave it a 5/10 overall from the first time I saw it. This is probably the second time I've watched it all the way through, so should be good.
PART ONE
She dances to the theme tune.
Mum: That's an interesting TARDIS. Is he in the TARDIS there?
Me: It's the secondary console room.
Mum: Did he choose to fly there?
Me: [I explain the ending of the Hand of Fear]
Mum: Ahh I was gonna ask where the companion was.
They talk on watches.
Mum: That's quite good CGI that. Year? 1980..
Me: 1976.
Mum: Ooh. I clearly wasn't watching it by this stage.
Mum: Why's he in the secondary console room?
Me: Cos he fancied a change.
The Doctor leaves a pile of clothes.
Mum: He's clearly not there.
She's quite enjoying this I think. The guard is killed.
Mum: I hope they don't think he's done it now.
They talk about the exile to Sol 3.
Mum: Sol 3!
Me: Yep. They're talking about The War Games.
Mum: When the Master comes back in the modern one they have it going Sol 3 is..
Me: Yeah.
Mum: Nice classic reference.
Mum: What's the difference between President and Castellan?
Damn, a good question.
Me: I think the Castellan's head of the guards.
Mum: Cos The Five Doctors had one. Are they different in that?
Me: Yeah, there's Borusa then the Black Scrolls guy.
Hooded Man: Predictable as ever, Doctor.
Mum: Ok so is that the Master?
I'd like to remind you that this isn't the Wife in Space..
The Time Lords walk around.
Mum: Ooh Time Lords. Yay. A proper Doctor Who.
Me: The last one [The TV Movie] was proper too.
Mum: (quietly) Mhm.
Runcible: I hope to speak to Cardinal Borusa.
Mum: Borusa.
I nod. She's very good at this.
Me: How many Gallifrey stories do you think there have been by this point?
Mum: I wouldn't say very many.
Me: This is the first ever all Gallifrey one.
Mum: So how much have they seen of Gallifrey?
Me: Only a bit of The War Games and The Three Doctors.
Mum: So when did Gallifrey first appear?
I explain.
The Doctor finds some costumes.
Mum: Oh go on, dress up as a Time Lord!
Other Cloaked Figure: Master.
Mum: Master! Told you. He looks like the one in the um, Keeper of Traken.
Me: Yep.
Mum: Are you impressed by my knowledge?
Me: I am very.
Mum: So he was who before this?
Me: Roger Delgado.
They search for the Doctor.
Mum: Not very bright are they, the Time Lords?
More of the Master's plan is discussed.
Mum: Why does the Master want to kill the President and make it look like the Doctor?
Me: That's a good question.
Mum: So he can take over the Doctor's body? No - because he'd get excuted. Confused.
She did pick up something from the TV Movie then.
Mum: So the Master's going to kill the President.. But make it seem like the Doctor...
Runcible (to the Doctor): Weren't you expelled or something?
That gets a laugh. As does "Have you had a facelift?"
The Doctor runs to the gun.
Mum: Well that's discreet.
The Doctor pulls the trigger.
Mum: Uh oh. Why?! Sorry - confused.
Me: Me too.
Mum: But you've seen it.
Me: A long time ago... That's weird.
Mum: He goes up their to stop it then you see him doing it like he dreamt he was going to do. Was this
shown once a week?
Me: Yeah.
Mum: So they'd have to wait a whole week to find out what happened?
Me: They would - it's a good cliffhanger.
Mum: It's very watchable. Good, proper, classic Doctor Who.
Me: Score?
Mum: 8/10.
PART TWO
Mum: Robert Holmes is the best Doctor Who writer ever - that's what you used to tell me.
Me: He's one of them yes.
Mum: Perhaps he's [the President] an imposter.
She watches the reprise closely.
Mum: The Doctor's noticed something. That wasn't him! He didn't fire the gun, because just before Doctor
Who fired there was another plasticy gun.
Aww she called him Doctor Who.
Mum: It wasn't him, there was another gun which was the Master killing him. See he's got the gun but...
Goth: The assassin must be tried and executed before the election.
Mum: That's hardly very fair.
Mum temporarily becomes the President of the DWAS.
Mum: Ok so the Time Lords are all about peace and justice. Why are they torturing him? And executing him
in 48 hours. Isn't peace and justice. They're a bad lots the Time Lords under that veneer aren't they.
Mum: So he's being fair then - this Castellan. So the man in the orange [Goth] is the baddie.
Me: I should explain about evil Time Lords - it's stories like this that made them turn all bad in The End of Time.
Mum: But they're not all bad? Just bad ones within it.
Me: Yeah.
Goth appears again - and Mum begins to work out the plot.
Mum: They said that a Chancellor needs to access the key thing - and he [Goth] is a Chancellor so he must have done it. Because he wasn't going to be President and he wants it so he framed the Doctor with the
Master. Cos he promised him a body. That's the story sorted.
Actually - I think she's right.
The "trial" begins.
Mum: This is the trial?
Me: Yep.
Goth: Could he have said "Let him go, I'll kill him".
Mum: No he's putting words into his mouth. He said "they'll".
Article 17 is announced.
Mum: For someone who's a regengade Time Lord he don't half know the rules well.
Me: Well he was a Time Lord first.
Castellan: Convince me.
Mum: See he's nice.
Mum's struggling to watch the Master talk.
Mum: That's quite gory isn't it, considering it was going out early in the evening.
The Doctor works out one of the High Council must have stasered the President, proving Mum slightly right.
Goth: Apart from myself he's the only person up for election.
Mum: See - he's a renegade.
The chalk drawing of the dead Time Lord gets a laugh.
Mum thinks Runcible goes to his death but instead... The technician is found.
Mum: Ah that's the Master's trick in Logopolis.
Castellan: Who is the Master?
Mum: Hang on they don't know who he is?
Me: That's a good point actually.
Mum: They should really know who he is. This is a big fat hole in the classic Doctor Who story arc.
Me: Well it's not that big..
Mum: It is!
Wait til they have the 12 regenerations talk..
This story is making much more sense for me second time around. Mum's gone very quiet while she takes it in.
The Doctor arrives in a quarry.
Me: D'you understand where he is?
Mum: That's a really rubbish crocodile! Um - he was linking himself to the Memory Banks.
Me: Basically this is the Matrix. You know the expression before.
Mum: Yes - it's the Mind Bank. So he just happened to have the scarf - that's useful.
Me: Yeah that really shouldn't be there.
Mum: Ok that's weird... [The Samauri]
Me: Yeah this next Part is just weird. Very good though.
Mum: Why would there be explosions?
Me: Because the Matrix is attacking him - and it's being controlled, I think.
Mum: Right, so the Master's somehow connected to it. So it's their memories?
Mum laughs as the train heads towards the Doctor... That's not quite having the right effect.
Mum: Oh my God. I'd give that 3/10.
Whoops.
Mum: I understood him joining himself up but that has no logic..
Me: Yeah it does.
PART THREE
Mum: Robert Holmes is really the best writer ever? This is surreal.
Me: That's why it's good. [This is the best bit of the episode, for me.]
Mum: Kiddies who are like 9 and 10 don't want surreal - they wouldn't have a clue what's going on. It's not
exactly behind the sofa stuff.
Doctor: It's an illusion. Dreams.
Mum: Now it makes a bit more sense.
She thought it was real?
Doctor: I deny this reality.
Mum: Yay.
The clown appears. We agree that it's scary.
Mum: So the Doctor's gone in there to find out who it is.
Me: I think so.
Mum: But if it's not real why is he running away?
Me: Because if he dies there it kills the real version of him. I think.
Mum: But why didn't the Train kill him?
Me: It wasn't a real train.
Mum: But they're not real bullets.
Me: But the train disappeared before it him - those didn't.
Master: You are trapped in my reality. My reality rules.
Me: Does that explain it?
Mum: Yes...
We learn there's another mind in the Matrix - which at least proves me right.
Mum: So technically he's not fighting the Master's brain - he's fighting whoever's under that. Which is the Chancellor probably.
She's very good at this. She's more scared of the spider when the Doctor hides though than anything else. But it's less scary when it moves...
Mum: Is the spider gonna get him?
Me: Yeah it causes him to regenerate.
Hesitation.
Mum: Who to regenerate?
Me: Sarcasm.
Woah.
Mum: It's quite clever how he's in some ordinary wood but they've stuck a soundtrack over it to make it
seem like somewhere tropical.
Mum: Is the whole episode set in this alternative reality?
Me: Mhmm.
The Doctor and Goth confront each other in the Matrix.
Mum: That's clearly the Chancellor chap.
He's revealed.
Mum: I was right.
Goth catches fire.
Mum: Now he can come back. Can he? Uh oh. Comes down to fisticuffs.
The episode ends.
Me: They had to cut that last shot on repeat.
Mum: It's quite violent, in today's standards.
Me: It was for then too. I'll explain it after this Part. Do we have a score?
Mum: 7/10. Much better than the first bit, that was just silly.
PART FOUR
Goth: No more regeneration possible.
Mum: Well that's not the same now!
Oh dear.
Engin: There is no plan that can postpone death.
Me: That was made up entirely for this story - then Doctor Who was stuck with it.
Mum: Until they rewrote it.
Me: They haven't! Why do you keep thinking they have?
Mum: Because Russell or Steven said that they'd just rewritten that and are gonna discreetly forget about it.
Me: But has it been in canon? Is it in an episode?
Mum: I'm sure it has.
Me: It hasn't been and until it's in there it isn't canon... though I'm sure they will change it.
SJA does not count, by the way.
Mum: So he's after this Sash? What would that do?
Me: You'll find out.
The Master stasers the Castellan.
Mum: Oh no they killed him! But oh he clearly hasn't killed the Doctor, maybe he's just stunned them.
Master: They're not dead. Stunned.
The dramatic bit with the Eye of Harmony passes with no comment. Which is good I think.
Lots of shots of the clock.
Mum: He's in the clock.
The end.
Mum: That was very good. Apart from the few big massive holes [well, "one"] like they'd never heard of the
Master... Like Borusa taught the Doctor but should've known who the Master is...
Overall she gives it an 8/10.
I explain the objection to the violence and the series of gothic stories by Holmes/Hinchliffe. Mum says she didn't feel the companion was missing - and prefers it without one.
My opinion of the episode has definitely improved but it's still a bit too political and slow in places for my liking - so I'm going with a 7/10. Or maybe a 6. I don't know, it's very Robert Holmes - but that kinda just means it feels the same as The Sun Makers, only less Blake's 7-y.
Next time we will be watching something which is yet to be watched! You can keep track of what we've seen so far here.
Some stats before we begin. This came 20th in the Mighty 200 Doctor Who Magazine poll, and was generally liked at the time of release. Unless you're the president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, or Mary Whitehouse. Being the first 'non-companion' story, and giving mum plenty of opportunities for questions (not to mention her first experience of Holmes/Hinchliffe horror), it seems like a good choice. She's very much used to Season 12 or 18 stories - and this is something very different.
And I gave it a 5/10 overall from the first time I saw it. This is probably the second time I've watched it all the way through, so should be good.
PART ONE
She dances to the theme tune.
Mum: That's an interesting TARDIS. Is he in the TARDIS there?
Me: It's the secondary console room.
Mum: Did he choose to fly there?
Me: [I explain the ending of the Hand of Fear]
Mum: Ahh I was gonna ask where the companion was.
They talk on watches.
Mum: That's quite good CGI that. Year? 1980..
Me: 1976.
Mum: Ooh. I clearly wasn't watching it by this stage.
Mum: Why's he in the secondary console room?
Me: Cos he fancied a change.
The Doctor leaves a pile of clothes.
Mum: He's clearly not there.
She's quite enjoying this I think. The guard is killed.
Mum: I hope they don't think he's done it now.
They talk about the exile to Sol 3.
Mum: Sol 3!
Me: Yep. They're talking about The War Games.
Mum: When the Master comes back in the modern one they have it going Sol 3 is..
Me: Yeah.
Mum: Nice classic reference.
Mum: What's the difference between President and Castellan?
Damn, a good question.
Me: I think the Castellan's head of the guards.
Mum: Cos The Five Doctors had one. Are they different in that?
Me: Yeah, there's Borusa then the Black Scrolls guy.
Hooded Man: Predictable as ever, Doctor.
Mum: Ok so is that the Master?
I'd like to remind you that this isn't the Wife in Space..
The Time Lords walk around.
Mum: Ooh Time Lords. Yay. A proper Doctor Who.
Me: The last one [The TV Movie] was proper too.
Mum: (quietly) Mhm.
Runcible: I hope to speak to Cardinal Borusa.
Mum: Borusa.
I nod. She's very good at this.
Me: How many Gallifrey stories do you think there have been by this point?
Mum: I wouldn't say very many.
Me: This is the first ever all Gallifrey one.
Mum: So how much have they seen of Gallifrey?
Me: Only a bit of The War Games and The Three Doctors.
Mum: So when did Gallifrey first appear?
I explain.
The Doctor finds some costumes.
Mum: Oh go on, dress up as a Time Lord!
Other Cloaked Figure: Master.
Mum: Master! Told you. He looks like the one in the um, Keeper of Traken.
Me: Yep.
Mum: Are you impressed by my knowledge?
Me: I am very.
Mum: So he was who before this?
Me: Roger Delgado.
They search for the Doctor.
Mum: Not very bright are they, the Time Lords?
More of the Master's plan is discussed.
Mum: Why does the Master want to kill the President and make it look like the Doctor?
Me: That's a good question.
Mum: So he can take over the Doctor's body? No - because he'd get excuted. Confused.
She did pick up something from the TV Movie then.
Mum: So the Master's going to kill the President.. But make it seem like the Doctor...
Runcible (to the Doctor): Weren't you expelled or something?
That gets a laugh. As does "Have you had a facelift?"
The Doctor runs to the gun.
Mum: Well that's discreet.
The Doctor pulls the trigger.
Mum: Uh oh. Why?! Sorry - confused.
Me: Me too.
Mum: But you've seen it.
Me: A long time ago... That's weird.
Mum: He goes up their to stop it then you see him doing it like he dreamt he was going to do. Was this
shown once a week?
Me: Yeah.
Mum: So they'd have to wait a whole week to find out what happened?
Me: They would - it's a good cliffhanger.
Mum: It's very watchable. Good, proper, classic Doctor Who.
Me: Score?
Mum: 8/10.
PART TWO
Mum: Robert Holmes is the best Doctor Who writer ever - that's what you used to tell me.
Me: He's one of them yes.
Mum: Perhaps he's [the President] an imposter.
She watches the reprise closely.
Mum: The Doctor's noticed something. That wasn't him! He didn't fire the gun, because just before Doctor
Who fired there was another plasticy gun.
Aww she called him Doctor Who.
Mum: It wasn't him, there was another gun which was the Master killing him. See he's got the gun but...
Goth: The assassin must be tried and executed before the election.
Mum: That's hardly very fair.
Mum temporarily becomes the President of the DWAS.
Mum: Ok so the Time Lords are all about peace and justice. Why are they torturing him? And executing him
in 48 hours. Isn't peace and justice. They're a bad lots the Time Lords under that veneer aren't they.
Mum: So he's being fair then - this Castellan. So the man in the orange [Goth] is the baddie.
Me: I should explain about evil Time Lords - it's stories like this that made them turn all bad in The End of Time.
Mum: But they're not all bad? Just bad ones within it.
Me: Yeah.
Goth appears again - and Mum begins to work out the plot.
Mum: They said that a Chancellor needs to access the key thing - and he [Goth] is a Chancellor so he must have done it. Because he wasn't going to be President and he wants it so he framed the Doctor with the
Master. Cos he promised him a body. That's the story sorted.
Actually - I think she's right.
The "trial" begins.
Mum: This is the trial?
Me: Yep.
Goth: Could he have said "Let him go, I'll kill him".
Mum: No he's putting words into his mouth. He said "they'll".
Article 17 is announced.
Mum: For someone who's a regengade Time Lord he don't half know the rules well.
Me: Well he was a Time Lord first.
Castellan: Convince me.
Mum: See he's nice.
Mum's struggling to watch the Master talk.
Mum: That's quite gory isn't it, considering it was going out early in the evening.
The Doctor works out one of the High Council must have stasered the President, proving Mum slightly right.
Goth: Apart from myself he's the only person up for election.
Mum: See - he's a renegade.
The chalk drawing of the dead Time Lord gets a laugh.
Mum thinks Runcible goes to his death but instead... The technician is found.
Mum: Ah that's the Master's trick in Logopolis.
Castellan: Who is the Master?
Mum: Hang on they don't know who he is?
Me: That's a good point actually.
Mum: They should really know who he is. This is a big fat hole in the classic Doctor Who story arc.
Me: Well it's not that big..
Mum: It is!
Wait til they have the 12 regenerations talk..
This story is making much more sense for me second time around. Mum's gone very quiet while she takes it in.
The Doctor arrives in a quarry.
Me: D'you understand where he is?
Mum: That's a really rubbish crocodile! Um - he was linking himself to the Memory Banks.
Me: Basically this is the Matrix. You know the expression before.
Mum: Yes - it's the Mind Bank. So he just happened to have the scarf - that's useful.
Me: Yeah that really shouldn't be there.
Mum: Ok that's weird... [The Samauri]
Me: Yeah this next Part is just weird. Very good though.
Mum: Why would there be explosions?
Me: Because the Matrix is attacking him - and it's being controlled, I think.
Mum: Right, so the Master's somehow connected to it. So it's their memories?
Mum laughs as the train heads towards the Doctor... That's not quite having the right effect.
Mum: Oh my God. I'd give that 3/10.
Whoops.
Mum: I understood him joining himself up but that has no logic..
Me: Yeah it does.
PART THREE
Mum: Robert Holmes is really the best writer ever? This is surreal.
Me: That's why it's good. [This is the best bit of the episode, for me.]
Mum: Kiddies who are like 9 and 10 don't want surreal - they wouldn't have a clue what's going on. It's not
exactly behind the sofa stuff.
Doctor: It's an illusion. Dreams.
Mum: Now it makes a bit more sense.
She thought it was real?
Doctor: I deny this reality.
Mum: Yay.
The clown appears. We agree that it's scary.
Mum: So the Doctor's gone in there to find out who it is.
Me: I think so.
Mum: But if it's not real why is he running away?
Me: Because if he dies there it kills the real version of him. I think.
Mum: But why didn't the Train kill him?
Me: It wasn't a real train.
Mum: But they're not real bullets.
Me: But the train disappeared before it him - those didn't.
Master: You are trapped in my reality. My reality rules.
Me: Does that explain it?
Mum: Yes...
We learn there's another mind in the Matrix - which at least proves me right.
Mum: So technically he's not fighting the Master's brain - he's fighting whoever's under that. Which is the Chancellor probably.
She's very good at this. She's more scared of the spider when the Doctor hides though than anything else. But it's less scary when it moves...
Mum: Is the spider gonna get him?
Me: Yeah it causes him to regenerate.
Hesitation.
Mum: Who to regenerate?
Me: Sarcasm.
Woah.
Mum: It's quite clever how he's in some ordinary wood but they've stuck a soundtrack over it to make it
seem like somewhere tropical.
Mum: Is the whole episode set in this alternative reality?
Me: Mhmm.
The Doctor and Goth confront each other in the Matrix.
Mum: That's clearly the Chancellor chap.
He's revealed.
Mum: I was right.
Goth catches fire.
Mum: Now he can come back. Can he? Uh oh. Comes down to fisticuffs.
The episode ends.
Me: They had to cut that last shot on repeat.
Mum: It's quite violent, in today's standards.
Me: It was for then too. I'll explain it after this Part. Do we have a score?
Mum: 7/10. Much better than the first bit, that was just silly.
PART FOUR
Goth: No more regeneration possible.
Mum: Well that's not the same now!
Oh dear.
Engin: There is no plan that can postpone death.
Me: That was made up entirely for this story - then Doctor Who was stuck with it.
Mum: Until they rewrote it.
Me: They haven't! Why do you keep thinking they have?
Mum: Because Russell or Steven said that they'd just rewritten that and are gonna discreetly forget about it.
Me: But has it been in canon? Is it in an episode?
Mum: I'm sure it has.
Me: It hasn't been and until it's in there it isn't canon... though I'm sure they will change it.
SJA does not count, by the way.
Mum: So he's after this Sash? What would that do?
Me: You'll find out.
The Master stasers the Castellan.
Mum: Oh no they killed him! But oh he clearly hasn't killed the Doctor, maybe he's just stunned them.
Master: They're not dead. Stunned.
The dramatic bit with the Eye of Harmony passes with no comment. Which is good I think.
Lots of shots of the clock.
Mum: He's in the clock.
The end.
Mum: That was very good. Apart from the few big massive holes [well, "one"] like they'd never heard of the
Master... Like Borusa taught the Doctor but should've known who the Master is...
Overall she gives it an 8/10.
I explain the objection to the violence and the series of gothic stories by Holmes/Hinchliffe. Mum says she didn't feel the companion was missing - and prefers it without one.
My opinion of the episode has definitely improved but it's still a bit too political and slow in places for my liking - so I'm going with a 7/10. Or maybe a 6. I don't know, it's very Robert Holmes - but that kinda just means it feels the same as The Sun Makers, only less Blake's 7-y.
Next time we will be watching something which is yet to be watched! You can keep track of what we've seen so far here.
Saturday, 31 August 2013
Christopher Eccleston
Because his name definitely does not have an e at the end.
I've wanted to do a blog post on Christopher Eccleston for a while. I was going to write one about his lack of appearance in audios and so on, but instead I'm going to incorporate that into this, which will be a general overlook of his Era and my thoughts.
Christopher Eccleston is my Doctor. Yes, I have had the fortune of being a fan from 2005 meaning that I've had three - now four, and possibly four and a half/five if we count John Hurt - Doctors so far. But I'm only a fan because of Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and Russell T Davies.
I don't watch modern Doctor Who that much at all - and when I do, I don't normally watch a Ninth Doctor episode. Part of that is possibly because subconsciously, I want to protect his era. In my mind, I consider it as the best series so far - and though I know that opinion won't change, perhaps I still want to keep it as special.
I'm such a fan of "Series One" because it is superb. Yes, there are weaknesses. There's the Slitheen. But I used to be a huge fan of those episodes, and so I can't say I dislike them at all. Boom Town - it's set in Cardiff Bay, which I love, so there are elements of each episode that I adore. Rose is one of my favourite episodes EVER, as are The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances. All of these are held together by the consistently fantastic performance from Christopher Eccleston. He is amazing.
I constantly go on and on, in these blogs and probably life, about how Doctor Who should be a drama. Not a kids show, not a sci fi show, but a proper drama, with emotion and strong character. Oh and in Doctor Who's case - aliens. Series One fulfills this, and the casting of Christopher Eccleston allows it to be a drama. He and Billie Piper act superbly together, and it is their show. That's right, Mr Moffat, Series One wasn't just Rose's show - it was the Ninth Doctor's too.
The best thing about Christopher Eccleston, despite meaning we get only thirteen appearances from him, is that he only did one series. Because if he did two, he would've been sucked into the beginning of complacency and soap storylines that started around the time. Maybe Series Two would have been better if he stayed - because maybe RTD and the other writers would've kept to the more serious side. David Tennant's casting perhaps gave them the opportunity to make it more soap like. But there is a sense of complacency in Series Two, a sense that some of the episodes haven't had the effort put into them that all of Series One had. It's good that Christopher Eccleston was superb and in a superb and consistently great series. He's free from the more relaxed writing that appears - and the drama remains good.
There's also a sense of mystery around Eccleston. Think if Tom Baker had left before he started to get a bit rubbish, it's like that. There's a mystery about Baker as a man and in his performance - and the Ninth Doctor is the same. He's not the same as the other Doctors - he's distant, he's interesting to watch, and he gives the show credibility. Eccleston also gives himself and his Doctor mystery - and I don't think anyone, except the writers of Series One episodes, have got him right. I remember the novel The Deviant Strain being quite accurate, and I plan to finish that one day, but apart from that, Eccleston remains a mystery. Because his performance is so serious and drama is there, no one can get an accurate impression of him.
And thank God, that means that no Figure Adventure maker or Fan Film maker can ruin him - because they don't get him right in the first place. No one can, and this protects his performance.
So I say that Christopher Eccleston's one series is the best of modern Who, it relaunched the series wonderfully, treated it properly and as a drama, and enabled a real sense of mystery. Eccleston's era remains safe and protected from other influences like audios. He has only six (is it six?) novels to his name, and a handful of comic strips.. 19ish adventures, and this Destiny of the Doctor audio that's coming. That's it. And that's perfect.
Because Eccleston is the closest Doctor to Hartnell that the show has ever got.
I've wanted to do a blog post on Christopher Eccleston for a while. I was going to write one about his lack of appearance in audios and so on, but instead I'm going to incorporate that into this, which will be a general overlook of his Era and my thoughts.
Christopher Eccleston is my Doctor. Yes, I have had the fortune of being a fan from 2005 meaning that I've had three - now four, and possibly four and a half/five if we count John Hurt - Doctors so far. But I'm only a fan because of Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and Russell T Davies.
I don't watch modern Doctor Who that much at all - and when I do, I don't normally watch a Ninth Doctor episode. Part of that is possibly because subconsciously, I want to protect his era. In my mind, I consider it as the best series so far - and though I know that opinion won't change, perhaps I still want to keep it as special.
I'm such a fan of "Series One" because it is superb. Yes, there are weaknesses. There's the Slitheen. But I used to be a huge fan of those episodes, and so I can't say I dislike them at all. Boom Town - it's set in Cardiff Bay, which I love, so there are elements of each episode that I adore. Rose is one of my favourite episodes EVER, as are The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances. All of these are held together by the consistently fantastic performance from Christopher Eccleston. He is amazing.
I constantly go on and on, in these blogs and probably life, about how Doctor Who should be a drama. Not a kids show, not a sci fi show, but a proper drama, with emotion and strong character. Oh and in Doctor Who's case - aliens. Series One fulfills this, and the casting of Christopher Eccleston allows it to be a drama. He and Billie Piper act superbly together, and it is their show. That's right, Mr Moffat, Series One wasn't just Rose's show - it was the Ninth Doctor's too.
The best thing about Christopher Eccleston, despite meaning we get only thirteen appearances from him, is that he only did one series. Because if he did two, he would've been sucked into the beginning of complacency and soap storylines that started around the time. Maybe Series Two would have been better if he stayed - because maybe RTD and the other writers would've kept to the more serious side. David Tennant's casting perhaps gave them the opportunity to make it more soap like. But there is a sense of complacency in Series Two, a sense that some of the episodes haven't had the effort put into them that all of Series One had. It's good that Christopher Eccleston was superb and in a superb and consistently great series. He's free from the more relaxed writing that appears - and the drama remains good.
There's also a sense of mystery around Eccleston. Think if Tom Baker had left before he started to get a bit rubbish, it's like that. There's a mystery about Baker as a man and in his performance - and the Ninth Doctor is the same. He's not the same as the other Doctors - he's distant, he's interesting to watch, and he gives the show credibility. Eccleston also gives himself and his Doctor mystery - and I don't think anyone, except the writers of Series One episodes, have got him right. I remember the novel The Deviant Strain being quite accurate, and I plan to finish that one day, but apart from that, Eccleston remains a mystery. Because his performance is so serious and drama is there, no one can get an accurate impression of him.
And thank God, that means that no Figure Adventure maker or Fan Film maker can ruin him - because they don't get him right in the first place. No one can, and this protects his performance.
So I say that Christopher Eccleston's one series is the best of modern Who, it relaunched the series wonderfully, treated it properly and as a drama, and enabled a real sense of mystery. Eccleston's era remains safe and protected from other influences like audios. He has only six (is it six?) novels to his name, and a handful of comic strips.. 19ish adventures, and this Destiny of the Doctor audio that's coming. That's it. And that's perfect.
Because Eccleston is the closest Doctor to Hartnell that the show has ever got.
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
The Daemons | A Personal Reaction
I was going to do this as a video review, but there were a few thoughts I needed to write down sooner, rather than waiting then speaking for thirty minutes, boring everyone.
So instead I'm boring you with text! The Daemons is a very famous Doctor Who story. One of the first promotional pictures for the classic series is the Doctor and Jo with Bok in front of them. I'm not sure if I've ever had that picture on my wall, but I remember looking at it a lot when I was younger and first getting into Who. Wondering what Bok did, more than what the story was like. Bok and the Master in his red dress are key images of the story - they're in every classic Doctor Who fan's memory of the show. Unfortunately - that doesn't mean that the episode they come from is very good.
I realise lots of people love it. I desperately wanted to love it (just as I did with The Ambassadors of Death, except that was wonderful). It was voted 32nd place in The Mighty 200 - which isn't bad at all. The highest Pertwee was Inferno at 30th (what were these people thinking?! Ambassadors and Spearhead need to be much higher!). But generally, The Daemons is considered one of the best.
I'm sorry everyone - but it isn't.
It is a great idea, and the idea of using black magic and the devil is really good. The country village looks perfect, the evil May Day dancers are a weird and quite good idea, the dodgy Vicar is a good idea. The relationship between everyone in UNIT. Everything about this story should work, and it should be amazing. Unfortunately - you then watch it. Considering it's a Barry Letts/Robert Sloman piece and considering I've waited years to see this - I am gutted that I didn't enjoy it that much.
Maybe it had too much to live up to. But so did Ambassadors (since that was another one I'd waited ages to see, and it's another Pertwee, there may be a lot of comparisons). Ambassadors succeeded - The Daemons did not. There's a novel called Grave Matter by Justin Richards, and that seems to bounce off the features present in The Daemons. Grave Matter is better. I once wrote a story loosely inspired by Grave Matter, and featuring the Master as a Vicar. Again - The Daemons was something I was very aware of - but I enjoyed my own story more. So perhaps there is the element that The Daemons could never beat what I thought it would be like.
If we look at the story itself though, there are other reasons why it doesn't work for me. The direction is good, that's not a problem, but I'm not sure if the problem is the script or the performances. I'm going with the script.
It was written for the actors, yes - but it was definitely not written for the characters. The Doctor and Jo are NOT like that in stories like The Claws of Axos, or even Terror of the Autons. The Doctor just bosses her about and treats her like dirt - and yes he's authoritarian in the others, but he always listens to her. He always takes her side, he always treats her as if she is an equal. In The Daemons, he just puts her down at every opportunity - and it really annoys me. That doesn't reflect Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning OR The Doctor and Jo, so I've no idea where Letts and Sloman picked that up from. As a result of the fairly poor writing between the two, it makes it feel like Jo is holding the Doctor back, something I've never felt for a companion who previously I've really loved.
Mike Yates has never been a favourite character of mine (I think I've always seen him as just getting in the way of Benton, who was my favourite), and although he's written strongly, I still haven't fallen in love with the UNIT set up. This story would not be a good one to show to a new Doctor Who fan, as it feels wrong for the rest of the era, strangely.
The Brigadier is brilliant as always - and it's such a shame to see him sidelined behind a heat barrier! Worse than that - he's stuck there for THE WHOLE STORY, pretty much. The WHOLE STORY, in a VAN. (Excuse the capitals.) He's not even there with anyone intelligent, but he's stuck there with Osgood, who does nothing except pad the episode out so it lasts 25 minutes. The Doctor's constant explanations to him make the episode seem longer and boring - when we could be back at the action.
Unfortunately - there's not much of that. The action happens every now and then, as it does in every Pertwee story. Except normally, it has a purpose, or it is generally "how the hell did they get away with that?". In The Daemons, they blow up a few trucks. The helicopter/motorbike/Bessie scene is very exciting I'll admit - but it still feels a bit pointless. The whole of Part Two of Planet of the Spiders, which is just action sequences, is thrilling - action in The Daemons is not. There, sadly, seems to be no passion or point behind it.
This story could very easily be a modern, 45 minute story. That way, the story wouldn't be stretched out. Because there's only one plot in The Daemons, there aren't layers like are present in Ambassadors (sorry, did it again). The Doctor knows what's wrong from the very beginning - and we don't see it until the start of Part Five. We get an explanation (albeit a very intelligent one in Part Three) but that's it, there's no pay off and the drama that promises isn't lived up to. There's not some great Doctor/Master debate about who Azal should listen to - it's just a bit of a quick shouting match. Though it's good they don't meet til Part Five for once.
But the lack of story in The Daemons means it would fit 45 minutes - plus the "saving the day with love" ending would fit in perfectly with what we've become accustomed to in modern Doctor Who. It's reassuring that no one else thinks it fits in The Daemons either. Because it's wrong - though not as annoying as some of the other issues I have, and it is touching.
For once I've mentioned all the problems I have with a story. The only other issues I have are the constant talk of science, and the Master. This story tries to do black magic - but right from the first (comic strip, stupid) scene with the Doctor controlling Bessie with science, it's lost the battle. Because every bit of magic is constantly undermined - so the concept of black magic isn't allowed to take off. It's purely there so the Third Doctor can show off and say how important science is. He's an exaggerated character in this, which is a shame, because I love the Third Doctor normaly.
The Master just annoys me anyway, as he completely ruins any type of story as it tells the audience how similar all these 'stranded on Earth' stories are.
Barry Letts and Terrence Dicks (who also dislikes the ending - woo!) hated exiling the Doctor to Earth and desperately tried to make it different. Unfortunately, they fell into all the traps possible, and the stories in their seasons for me, aren't as interesting as those in Pertwee's first. Season Seven knows the format, and just says "what the hell" with it, trying everything. The Letts/Dicks seasons try to resist it, but end up treading the same water.
This review (rant) has probably sounded so angry/annoyed because I'm so disappointed. I wanted to love it, and I don't know. I'm glad a lot of fans love The Daemons - but for me it's doesn't live up to all those excellent story features it has. There are other good points about it, of course there are, every Doctor Who story has good points. The Daemons isn't the worst of them at all - basically, it is a good story.
The trick is though - it just isn't a good story for me.
So instead I'm boring you with text! The Daemons is a very famous Doctor Who story. One of the first promotional pictures for the classic series is the Doctor and Jo with Bok in front of them. I'm not sure if I've ever had that picture on my wall, but I remember looking at it a lot when I was younger and first getting into Who. Wondering what Bok did, more than what the story was like. Bok and the Master in his red dress are key images of the story - they're in every classic Doctor Who fan's memory of the show. Unfortunately - that doesn't mean that the episode they come from is very good.
I realise lots of people love it. I desperately wanted to love it (just as I did with The Ambassadors of Death, except that was wonderful). It was voted 32nd place in The Mighty 200 - which isn't bad at all. The highest Pertwee was Inferno at 30th (what were these people thinking?! Ambassadors and Spearhead need to be much higher!). But generally, The Daemons is considered one of the best.
I'm sorry everyone - but it isn't.
It is a great idea, and the idea of using black magic and the devil is really good. The country village looks perfect, the evil May Day dancers are a weird and quite good idea, the dodgy Vicar is a good idea. The relationship between everyone in UNIT. Everything about this story should work, and it should be amazing. Unfortunately - you then watch it. Considering it's a Barry Letts/Robert Sloman piece and considering I've waited years to see this - I am gutted that I didn't enjoy it that much.
Maybe it had too much to live up to. But so did Ambassadors (since that was another one I'd waited ages to see, and it's another Pertwee, there may be a lot of comparisons). Ambassadors succeeded - The Daemons did not. There's a novel called Grave Matter by Justin Richards, and that seems to bounce off the features present in The Daemons. Grave Matter is better. I once wrote a story loosely inspired by Grave Matter, and featuring the Master as a Vicar. Again - The Daemons was something I was very aware of - but I enjoyed my own story more. So perhaps there is the element that The Daemons could never beat what I thought it would be like.
If we look at the story itself though, there are other reasons why it doesn't work for me. The direction is good, that's not a problem, but I'm not sure if the problem is the script or the performances. I'm going with the script.
It was written for the actors, yes - but it was definitely not written for the characters. The Doctor and Jo are NOT like that in stories like The Claws of Axos, or even Terror of the Autons. The Doctor just bosses her about and treats her like dirt - and yes he's authoritarian in the others, but he always listens to her. He always takes her side, he always treats her as if she is an equal. In The Daemons, he just puts her down at every opportunity - and it really annoys me. That doesn't reflect Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning OR The Doctor and Jo, so I've no idea where Letts and Sloman picked that up from. As a result of the fairly poor writing between the two, it makes it feel like Jo is holding the Doctor back, something I've never felt for a companion who previously I've really loved.
Mike Yates has never been a favourite character of mine (I think I've always seen him as just getting in the way of Benton, who was my favourite), and although he's written strongly, I still haven't fallen in love with the UNIT set up. This story would not be a good one to show to a new Doctor Who fan, as it feels wrong for the rest of the era, strangely.
The Brigadier is brilliant as always - and it's such a shame to see him sidelined behind a heat barrier! Worse than that - he's stuck there for THE WHOLE STORY, pretty much. The WHOLE STORY, in a VAN. (Excuse the capitals.) He's not even there with anyone intelligent, but he's stuck there with Osgood, who does nothing except pad the episode out so it lasts 25 minutes. The Doctor's constant explanations to him make the episode seem longer and boring - when we could be back at the action.
Unfortunately - there's not much of that. The action happens every now and then, as it does in every Pertwee story. Except normally, it has a purpose, or it is generally "how the hell did they get away with that?". In The Daemons, they blow up a few trucks. The helicopter/motorbike/Bessie scene is very exciting I'll admit - but it still feels a bit pointless. The whole of Part Two of Planet of the Spiders, which is just action sequences, is thrilling - action in The Daemons is not. There, sadly, seems to be no passion or point behind it.
This story could very easily be a modern, 45 minute story. That way, the story wouldn't be stretched out. Because there's only one plot in The Daemons, there aren't layers like are present in Ambassadors (sorry, did it again). The Doctor knows what's wrong from the very beginning - and we don't see it until the start of Part Five. We get an explanation (albeit a very intelligent one in Part Three) but that's it, there's no pay off and the drama that promises isn't lived up to. There's not some great Doctor/Master debate about who Azal should listen to - it's just a bit of a quick shouting match. Though it's good they don't meet til Part Five for once.
But the lack of story in The Daemons means it would fit 45 minutes - plus the "saving the day with love" ending would fit in perfectly with what we've become accustomed to in modern Doctor Who. It's reassuring that no one else thinks it fits in The Daemons either. Because it's wrong - though not as annoying as some of the other issues I have, and it is touching.
For once I've mentioned all the problems I have with a story. The only other issues I have are the constant talk of science, and the Master. This story tries to do black magic - but right from the first (comic strip, stupid) scene with the Doctor controlling Bessie with science, it's lost the battle. Because every bit of magic is constantly undermined - so the concept of black magic isn't allowed to take off. It's purely there so the Third Doctor can show off and say how important science is. He's an exaggerated character in this, which is a shame, because I love the Third Doctor normaly.
The Master just annoys me anyway, as he completely ruins any type of story as it tells the audience how similar all these 'stranded on Earth' stories are.
Barry Letts and Terrence Dicks (who also dislikes the ending - woo!) hated exiling the Doctor to Earth and desperately tried to make it different. Unfortunately, they fell into all the traps possible, and the stories in their seasons for me, aren't as interesting as those in Pertwee's first. Season Seven knows the format, and just says "what the hell" with it, trying everything. The Letts/Dicks seasons try to resist it, but end up treading the same water.
This review (rant) has probably sounded so angry/annoyed because I'm so disappointed. I wanted to love it, and I don't know. I'm glad a lot of fans love The Daemons - but for me it's doesn't live up to all those excellent story features it has. There are other good points about it, of course there are, every Doctor Who story has good points. The Daemons isn't the worst of them at all - basically, it is a good story.
The trick is though - it just isn't a good story for me.
Saturday, 17 August 2013
Are You My Mummy? The TV Movie
The TV Movie is one of my favourite episodes, even if not one of the best episodes overall. I can appreciate how different it is and so on - Mum is more likely to judge it based on "proper" Doctor Who. And that's the excuses made - and I promise you that there is no offence intended. Enjoy.
James: You're not gonna like this bit
either.
Ok so that's mostly true, ish. A few more comments about the TARDIS refusing to open the Eye.
James: Wasn't that nice?
I'm exhausted.
The good news is... We've watched The Deadly Assassin! And it will be up very soon indeed! And it's not too negative either. So all's good.
It begins.
James: How much of this have you seen?
Mum: Probably most of it in bits.
Mum: When is this supposed to have
taken place? After Sylvester McCoy
Mum: Ok questions: Is this canon?
I laugh.
James: Absolutely 100% this is canon.
Mum: But did the BBC make it?
James: Yes – and no.
Mum: Right..
James: I'll explain later. Just marvel at
how wonderful the title sequence. This is the first time they used
words.
Mum: Really? I never noticed that
before, I just assumed they always had words in it.
The Title Sequence finishes.
Mum: That's wrong.
James: What is?
Mum: Time Lords don't have 13 lives any
more.
Get used to that topic over the next two blogs...
Mum: Is this Sylvester McCoy's TARDIS?
James: Kind of.
Sylvester McCoy is shown.
Mum: Oh!
James: Did you not see his name in the
title sequence?
Mum: No I was watching the pictures.
The Casket shakes about a bit.
Mum: He's not that dead yet. So what's
supposed to have happened to him now the Master has used his 13 lives
– is it ashes in there?
James: Um, you'll find out what's in
there.
Mum: So it's kind of a collaboration
because McCoy's in it. Who's about to turn into Paul McGann.
Some sitting down.
Mum: I like the console.
The Master breaks out.
Mum: Ugh, it's a silver streak.
McCoy dances round the console to some awesome (and sadly unnoticed by mum) music.
Mum: That's interesting, he's got a
telly like Matt Smith. They just all copy each other don't they,
really?
James: Yeah pretty much.
San Francisco - 1999
Mum: I know it goes into the year 2000
with this?
James: Pretty much yeah.
Mum: And he (Chang Lee) helps him?
James: Yeah.
There's some running...
Mum: I think it would have been a
better movie with SM in it.
James: An interesting opinion.
There's some guys with guns...
Mum: All those machine guns going off
and they miss him.
The wind starts.
Mum: Something bad's going to happen to
him. Oh the TARDIS is landing! That's not a proper landing noise. Oh
yes it is. Oh he's landed inside the TARDIS.
He steps out of the TARDIS.
Mum: Oh he's not regenerated yet then.
He's shot.
Mum: Oh now he is.
Chang Lee emerges.
James: When he regenerates, see if you can
tell me what killed him.
Mum: So the bullets didn't kill him.
James: Maybe they did.
Mum: But he's got two hearts so a
bullet wouldn't kill him.
The ambulance.
Mum: That's how he got John Smith –
that's now how he got his name though is it?
James: Nope.
Mum: Clearly McGann is counted as canon
'cos he goes to conventions.
James: Yeah he is definitely canon.
The Master rattles around the
ambulance.
Mum: What is he – a snake? It's
clearly the Master moving round.
The bullets are extracted. And it's a double exposure, Curtis.
Mum: So the bullet clearly didn't kill
him cos it's in his arm.It's interesting how the Doctors
regenerate over something really minor. I mean the amount of times DT
got zapped by something and still didn't change. The closest he got
was being hit by a Dalek and even that didn't kill him.
I should point out she is a big David Tennant fan.
Grace runs down the hospital in her
dress, Mum laughs.
Mum: It's not very DW-y is it?
James: What makes you say that?
Mum: It's American-ised.
I have vague memories of Mum watching
the death scene before – so this should be interesting...
Mum: Why she going to open him?
James: Cos his heart's going mad. She's a
cardiologist.
Mum: Yeah..
I point out Grace explaining it.
Mum: But that's not good cos it's got
two hearts. That would probably kill him. He's clearly not asleep,
she can't cut him open! Why is she even trying?
James: Well he is now.
Mum's silent throughout the death
scene.
Mum: That's a bit dramatic... He's
clearly not dead.
It all calms down.
Mum: Yeah they couldn't show that in an
episode.
Grace: This is no double exposure.
Mum: I was trying to tell you that.
Grace and her doctor argue.
James: You've gone very quiet.
Mum: Yeah it's a bit boring this bit.
It's a bit like watching a Superman episode.
James: It'll get better when McGann turns
up.
Mum: It's just a bit unrealistic...
I won't go there.
Mum: That snake's getting bigger.
Sylvester McCoy is wheeled in to meet possibly the worst double act since Hale & Pace in Survival.
Mum: Clearly he's going to regenerate.
Is it cos they got the probe stuck inside him? Right now they've stuck him in a
freezer.
Sleep tight.
Mum: It's hard to say what they picked
to cause him to regenerate.
Bruce eats a snake.
Mum: They wouldn't get away with this
now.
James: I remember when I first watched it
I thought this isn't Doctor Who!
The regeneration scene begins. Once
Mum's finished laughing at the Frankenstein bit she says:
Mum: This has been done before, I can't
remember where. He's gonna knock on the freezer door and the guard
person's gonna turn round.
And then this happens. We spend the
actual regeneration debating lightning.
Mum: Why is there lightning?
James: It's not in the freezer
Mum: But he's in the freezer!
James: But the lightning is part of his
regeneration!
Mum: But why would there be lightning?
James: Why is there lightning in the time
vortex?
Mum: But that isn't a regeneration!
What was that! Well that was rubbish.
James: This next bit's good.
He takes his first breath.
Mum: At least they've got the energy
stuff.
I'm not gonna even bother explaining
it.
Mum spends the next few scenes sighing
and moaning about how the regeneration was a bit rubbish. I like it.
But she doesn't. And she sighs as the man faints. Which I agree with.
Then the Doctor enters a wrecked area
of the hospital:
Mum: Why is this even in the hospital?
Why would there be broken pipes and mirrors?
James: Yeah I've never quite got that.
WHO. AM. I?
Mum: Oh now he's Jesus.
And then she says...
Mum: Are you sure he's considered
canon?
I laugh. And cry inside. She really
doesn't like this.
The Master's wife wakes up.
Mum: *sigh
We talk about the thirteen lives
aspect. Well, shout probably.
Mum: This film is redundant now –
they've got rid of the thirteen lives.
James: No they haven't!
Mum: I've read it somewhere the other
day – Moffat said 'oh we got rid of that/that doesn't count any
more'
I didn't reply.
The Doctor goes wandering.
Mum: You'd think he'd take the tag off
his foot. Oh he's just remembering who it is.
Mum “zones out” as Grace and her
doctor talk. I'm with her on that to be honest.
Mum: She's not gonna find him, why
would she want to find him?
The Doctor is reunited with Grace –
and she's still quiet.. Except for when he removes the probe.
Mum: Bit graphic. No need.
The Master arrives.
Mum: Why does he know to look at the
hospital?
James: Do you not know who he is?
Mum: No..
James: He brought Sylvester McCoy in in the ambulance.
The Master talks for a bit.
Mum: I don't like him.
James: I think that's the point.
A bit later...
James: So what do you think of PM so far?
Mum: Not a lot.
We'll wait 'til she gets to the shoe
scene.
Mum: Should she not at this point
apologise for having killed him?
Me: Yes...
Yet another thirteen lives discussion.
Doctor: I have thirteen lives.
James: Ooh tetchy subject that.
Mum: It's redundant!
Me: When they made this in 1996, it was
was the truth and that's what they have to go on!
Mum: How does he predict her future? He
can't read minds.
Chang Lee heads to the TARDIS.
Mum: Shall I give you an official
verdict?
James: No you're watching the whole thing.
Mum: See just cos he has the TARDIS key
– it wouldn't let him in. Ooh let's do the walk round the TARDIS
bit – that hasn't changed. Did they build their own TARDIS?
James: Obviously.
Mum: Can I give my verdict yet – how
did he [the Master] get in? “Oh I know I'll go to the TARDIS and
that's where the young boy comes in 'cos he'll have a key.”
And a bit later..
Mum: Double official verdict.
James: Go on.
Mum: This is officially – rubbish.
Sorry to be so blunt.
James: I really like it. To think you
prefer Time and the Rani to this! For a lot of fans, it's the
quirkiness they like.
Mum: No – this is not Doctor Who.
They've stolen the TARDIS.
I try and explain it was a BBC/Fox
co-production.
Mum: Well Fox paid the BBC a lot of
money to let them do what they want.
I give up as McGann reveals his shoe's
fit perfectly. Mum's not impressed. I'm laughing at this now but at the time it was fairly torturous. It's ok - our next blog is better, it has Tom Baker.
James: Just ignore everything else and
focus on McGann.
The Master and Lee talk.
Mum: Why didn't he kill him?
James: Because he needs him. Listen.
Mum: How did the Master get in?
James: How did John Simm get into David
Tennant's TARDIS?
Mum: Um..
James: Your argument is invalid.
Mum: I need to watch that – there
must be a way!
There isn't. I hope.
Mum: This is an awesome inside of a
TARDIS – I'll give you that. Good imagination. 'Cos the set's
awesome – nothing else is. Was this film popular when it came
out?
Me: In Britain yes.
Ooh the kiss.
Mum: So why do you not object to that?
James: Cos they do it – and they've not
been 'will they/won't they'-ing for thirteen episodes.
Master: The Doctor is half-human.
Mum: What?
James: We won't talk about that.
Mum: Why? Suddenly he's half human.
Another debate happens – and I
explain that most fans just ignore the half human thing. Mum is NOT
impressed.
The Doctor rushes after Grace.
Mum: And he can walk through windows –
I remember this bit.
James: Yes but you have to watch it to
understand that.
I refuse to answer any more questions for now.
Mum: I'm trying to form my opinion on
the Doctor. He's not canon.
It carries on...
Mum: It's clearly not canon! I don't
think people should consider him as canon!
James: But he is!
I can't stop laughing at this.
Mum: It should go Sylvester McCoy -
James: John Hurt?
Mum: Not John Hurt! It should go Sylvester McCoy
then CE.
Mum: They've turned the Master into a
comic book hero – write that down! He's like Spider-Man!
James: But John Simm's Doctor blasted
energy out of his hands! Let's not discuss the Master.
Mum sighs during the confrontation with
the Police Officer. Is everyone else feeling as depressed reading
this as I am writing it?
Mum: Doctor on a Motorbike.
James: He used to drive a classic car..
She's not even enjoying the chase! I'm
seriously struggling with this.
Mum: This is painful.
James: Yes it is.
Mum: Well you wanted to watch it. I'm
sorry but this is not canon.
She probably said more than that but it
just blurs into “canon” and “not”.
Mum: So Sylvester McCoy goes into the
Time War and regenerate into CE. He can't be real.
Oh dear.
Mum: Why couldn't they have made a new
series with McGann in?
James: Exactly!
He repeats his half human thing – we
won't discuss it again.
Mum: The running round and the hitting
the alarm's a bit Doctor-ish.
Hooray!
Mum: That's the first time it's looked
like Doctor Who.
I'm just dreading her thoughts on the
ending.. Mum picks up that you can't go back on your timeline and I
explain that that and the half human thing are the only 'errors'.
Mum: That's two massive holes in it!
And you regard this as canon!
The Master drezzzes for the occasion –
and Mum doesn't complain at the campness, rather surprisingly.
Mum: Is that the cloak you got very
excited about?
I saw the Master's cloak at the Doctor
Who Experience and got very excited. Very.
Mum: So they put his coat in the
Experience so it must count.
I cannot believe she STILL thinks this
isn't canon!
The Master kills Chang Lee.
Mum: Eugh!
James: The Doctor does that to someone in
The Seeds of Doom.
Ok so that's mostly true, ish. A few more comments about the TARDIS refusing to open the Eye.
She compares the Master's face flashing
to everyone changing into him in The End of Time.
The world ends. Then doesn't end. The
Master falls into the Eye of Harmony.
James: Is it canon yet?
Mum:... No. Though that bit was quite
Doctor-ish.
Mum: You can't go back and save her
because – you can't go back.
Yeah I think that'll happen anyway.
Mum: Otherwise he'd have saved a lot of
people.
James: Except Adric.
Mum: Well. Aw the TARDIS is bringing
them back to life for him.
The Doctor hits the TARDIS.
Mum: There are nice touches but that
doesn't make it the real thing. Just cos it's got a few nods does not
make it canon.
Ah dear. The episode rounds off with
the Doctor and Grace kissing. Which, contrary to Mum's belief, I
don't have a problem with.
The episode ends.
Mum: Do you want the score?
James: No.
Mum: 3/10 for effort. No way should
that be considered canon. Harsh but true. McGann could have developed
if they'd have given him a proper series and not stuck him in some
“parody”.
Next time she wants to watch a nice
“classic, canon” episode.
I'm exhausted.
The good news is... We've watched The Deadly Assassin! And it will be up very soon indeed! And it's not too negative either. So all's good.
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