tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28426480026752053672024-03-13T19:43:25.553+00:00Doctor Who MethadoneCrystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.comBlogger314125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-30183855161522132422023-12-08T19:36:00.002+00:002023-12-08T19:37:50.780+00:00"The Star Beast"<p>The brief era of the new Doctor with an old face begins with a surprisingly low-key romp, despite it being the first special to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the programme.. However, low-key doesn't mean low-stakes. This story looks back to the past in adapting a 43 year-old comic strip from <i>Doctor Who Magazine</i>. I have never been a regular buyer of the magazine, but Beep the Meep is one of those characters that is popular enough to transcend these origins. However, it is not just the story, but the storyteller that is key in this episode and we have a seismic change in that department. Although it contained some very good episodes, it was clear that the programme had lost something in the Chris Chibnall area. I have written again and again that he is nowhere near the writer that his predecessors are. Now, one of those predecessors has returned and the thought occurs – am I blinded by nostalgia, and willing to forgive faults that I would hold against Chibnall? After watching "The Star Beast", the answer is a clear and resounding "no". The strip is adapted with a deft hand, with the polished dialogue that has become very rare in the past 5 years, with musings about a gigantic sausage roll having more emotional impact that many weightier dialogue scenes scripted by Chibnall. The something that was missing was in the nuts-and-bolts writing, consistency and vibrancy of characterisation and incorporation of themes successfully into the plot.</p><p>I raved about how excellent David Tennant was at the time and, although I believe that Peter Capaldi is definitely at least his equal, I would not argue with anyone who still calls Tennant the best. He slips back effortlessly into the role, so much so that is futile to compare the Fourteenth Doctor with the Tenth – it's the same Time Lord after all. It is a true joy to see him climbing on the sets and dashing at speed around the TARDIS again, like it hadn't been 18 years since he first did so. Returning to great success is one of the all-time great companions, challenged since only by the wonderful Ms Potts. The temp from Chiswick is older, with more responsibilities, but is still the same, brilliantly shown by the DoctorDonna being more Donna than ever. Bernard Cribbins is much missed, but Jacqueline King is back with a vengeance. The key new character is Rose, brilliantly brought to life by Yasmin Finney. The theme of gender suffuses the episode and the first trans character played by a trans actor is addressed full on. It is laid on a bit thick at times, but the fact that, in recent times, the most marginalised group in the LGBTQ+ community has been under attack from all areas, means that perhaps it needs to be laid on thick.</p><p>We have a new UNIT scientific adviser in Ruth Madeley's sparky Shirley Bingham and in the alien camp, the (understandably) cartoon-like Wrarth are very vibrantly bought to life. The titular beast is voiced by the legendary Miriam Margolyes who gives the cutest psychopath in the Whoniverse real bite. Despite the return of his predecessor as showrunner, it is Steven Moffat stalwart Rachel Talalay who helms this colourful and spectacular story. It's no secret that the involvement of Disney has meant a cash-injection the like of which Doctor who has never seen. Before this, <i>Doctor Who</i> managed miracles on its budget, and it's only occasionally that the increased budget shows - that is, until we see the new TARDIS set, which makes its 21st Century predecessors look like their 20th Century four bears.</p><p>There were always differences in quality regarding stories, when it came to their sequencing."Partners in Crime", good though it is, is necessarily lesser than "Turn Left". However, there are very very few stories in the past few years that are of the same quality as this utterly joyous opener. Mr T Davies, I welcome you back with open arms!</p><p><i>NEXT: "Wild Blue Yonder"</i></p>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-28734105909607723052023-05-18T11:44:00.003+01:002023-05-18T11:45:56.745+01:00"The Power of the Doctor"<p>"The Power of the Doctor" is one of the longest individual episodes of <i>Doctor Who</i> ever made. As the story was made in the year that the BBC celebrated its centenary the story has one eye on the past, with more callbacks to the programme's 59 year history, than in the previous 17 years combined. This is also an ending, with the final regular appearance of Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall's swansong as showrunner. It is designed to be a spectacular, a brief that it certainly fulfils, with memorable sequences aplenty to feast the eyes on. The problem is, it appears that Chibnall appears to have written arresting sequences – The Master as Rasputin, the raid on the space train, the child/Qurunx, the volcano plot – and then contrived a plot to connect them together. As the Master's Dalek Plan is to blow up the Earth with volcanoes, everything else is really only window dressing. Some sequences are cribbed from better stories produced under the aegides of his predecessors and with less effect.</p><p><br /></p><p>As a nostalgic look back, the story is somewhat more successful. The return of Tegan and Ace are very welcome – as someone whose memories of the original run are from the 80s, they were my Jo and Sarah Jane. Both Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred put their all into their roles and it is truly wonderful to see them together for the first time. Then there are the returning Doctors. Colin Baker's role is rather small but Paul McGann again puts more Doctorliness into his performance in a few minutes than he did in his début. The interaction between Davison, McCoy and their old companions is something special. The scene with the companions' support group is sublime and it is a true joy to see so many familiar faces, with Ian being a particularly wonderful surprise. Kate is back, hopefully to be as constant a presence as her father.</p><p><br /></p><p>The current roster are not to be forgotten. Dan has a more considered version of Tegan's leaving scene and we have a great performance from our other leading lady. Mandeep Gill has taken Yas way beyond the way she was written and the indescribable contradictory feelings stirred up by the shot of Yas and the Doctor eating ice creams sitting on the TARDIS, is a moment to treasure. Sacha Dhawan has an absolute blast as the Master, bonkers plan or not.</p><p><br /></p><p>The production is startlingly good, masking the haphazard jigsaw of the plot. Jamie Magnus Stone is probably the stalwart director of this era, so it is fitting that he closes it. Rehashed though some of the concepts are, Stone and the production team make them work.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Chibnall era was not the utter disaster that I was fearing and yet it can't be denied that the programme is not a patch on what it was from 2005-2017. There were some very good stories, but no real classics which, in hindsight, makes one appreciate all the more that in the RTD and Moffat eras, there were at least two stories per series that were amongst the best examples of television produced in that year. This curate's egg of a story is watchable, but doesn't stand up to repeated viewings, which is typical of Chibnall. Plotting is not his strongest asset as a writer, neither in resolving them or keeping an eye on the subplots. His strength was in quieter character moments and, in his choice of lead, he was helped immeasurably. Jodie Whittaker's charisma and talent papered over many cracks and, in her final moments, Chibnall's writing and her performance harmonise to perfection. After a sequence of potential portentous last words, her parting shot is a flippant quip and the gorgeous visuals of that regeneration give the viewer the ASMR it deserves.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, I look forward to the return of one of the finest writers in the world to the helm, as he steers <i>Doctor Who</i> into uncharted waters with the casting of the utterly unique Ncuti Gatwa – after he goes into very familiar territory with Whittaker's immediate successor!</p><p><br /></p><p><i>NEXT: "The Star Beast"/"Wild Blue Yonder"/"The Giggle"</i></p>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-24867196815829707332022-09-16T12:26:00.005+01:002022-09-16T12:28:15.682+01:00"Legend of the Sea Devils"<p>The sight of the Sea Devils in the trailer for this story made me incredibly happy. I have loved the aquatic saurians (and their land-based allies) since I was a child. The setting for this adventure, the last century of the Qing dynasty, is a fascinating one and, again, we meet a notable figure from that period, Madam Ching. Yet, with these ingredients, the blend is uneasy, due to a script that barely deserves to be called a first draft. This is not the first time in the programme's history that a script has been filmed before it has been properly fine-tuned, but the way in which the plot fails to properly hang together, how the two main journeys – Madam Ching's quest to regain her crew and the Sea Devils' plan to flood the Earth – fail to resonate with each other are a serious problem. Worst of all, we have short-cuts made for the convenience of the writer – Dan scythes through a squad of Sea Devils, like he's suddenly the TARDIS weapons expert. Chibnall co-writes with Ella Road, a promising playwright (although I am unfamiliar with her work) but neither should be proud of what they have written.</p><p><br /></p><p>The guest cast is good. Amongst the humans, Crystal Yu brings effortless charisma to her portrayal of Madam Ching and with the reptiles, we have the return of Craig Els, but this time as the Sea Devil leader. The regulars do their good work, although their roles in the main plot are very functional. However, in the more emotional scenes, the strengths of the regulars is put to good use. The relationship between Yas and the Doctor is very well written and beautifully acted by Jodie Whittaker and Mandeep Gill. John Bishop's charisma goes a long way to compensating for the very poor character writing for him.</p><p><br /></p><p>The triumph of the story is in its design. The look is magnificent, redolent of the vivid colours of wuxia graphic novels, with the beautiful blue sky and the green ocean. We have the wonder of the TARDIS on the sea bed and the sight of the Sea Devil ship flying over the sea. the titular saurians themselves instantly impress. Unlike the Silurians, there are only slight tweaks to the look of the Pertwee originals and I love the way in which their moving lips do not seem to be intoning English. However, whilst Haolu Wang makes it look fantastic, there are problems once the shot-length reduces and parts of the fight scenes flow very poorly as if, they too, have suffered under time constraints, as there are some shocking editing failures.</p><p><br /></p><p>The production of modern <i>Doctor Who</i> makes it impossible for a story to fail in the same way as, to pick a random example, <i>Warriors of the Deep</i>. The script we have is less polished than the one for the Sea Devils' last appearance, although it's refreshing that Chibnall has not applied his palaeontological expertise to the Sea Devils' back story. however, as a whole, the script shows every sign of carelessness and even indifference to its eventual effectiveness. I really enjoyed "Eve of the Daleks" and I find it sad that, in the penultimate story of his era, Chibnall exhibits most of his worst tendencies.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>NEXT: "The Power of the Doctor"</i></p>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-19942595962531499872022-04-18T12:36:00.004+01:002022-04-18T12:39:16.974+01:00"Eve of the Daleks"<p>The Daleks return to herald the new year for the third time. The previous year had seen a rather soulless Chris Chibnall script saved by a very confident production. This time, we have the Daleks and a closing time loop. It's a simple story but one that has, possibly the best script that Chibnall has written to date. There is little fat in the story and the dialogue has a lightness and humour that feel like the effortless sparkle of the Davies and Moffat eras - “Good hearted weirdos are actually the keepers!” is a line truly definitive of <i>Doctor Who</i> itself and one of the finest lines of the era. The Daleks themselves are merciless and constantly adapting and the constant “Daleks do not...” lines go through repetitive to being funny. The events of <i>Flux </i>are dealt with quickly, so we can truly enjoy this episode alone.</p><p>There is a very small guest cast, but it is one of the most effective that the programme has ever seen. On paper, Nick seems too bizarre a character to work – a man who hoards his exes' detritus and has an unrequited love could be off-putting, to say the least. Yet Adjani Salmon projects a really likeable sense of naivety that truly defines the good hearted weirdo. However, the main guest role of Sarah is filled by Aisling Bea, one of the funniest, most charismatic and likeable comedians in the world. Bea seems real, sympathetic and hilarious in every second of her screen time. She is so good, that you can imagine a version of the story without the Doctor and her companions, with just Bea and Salmon. </p><p>I loved Graham and Ryan, but the blossoming of Yas has been truly wonderful to behold and the duo of Yas and Dan has succeeded as in a far shorter time than the Fam. We have a companion in love with the Doctor again, but it's in a more realistic way than ever before – for the first time, Chibnall has handled something better than his predecessors. Dan is the loveable, yet resourceful scamp that he always is. Perhaps necessarily, the Doctor is written rather thinly, but Jodie fills in the gaps magnificently.</p><p>The limited locations mean that there is no need for the widescreen vistas and extravagant special effects of past weeks. Yet the production is tight as a drum and even something as mundane as a storage centre is built, lit and shot with care, with Annetta Laufer making something that is, by its nature, repetitive seem constantly fresh. Personally, without being disparaging, 'Beef N' Beans' is one of Chibnall's best gifts to the Whoniverse!</p><p>"Eve of the Daleks" was transmitted exactly 50 years after the first episode "Day of the Daleks" and it does its illustrious predecessors proud, a pride that Chibnall has earned the right to feel for himself. I sincerely hope that he won't let us down in the final act of his era.</p><p><i>NEXT: "Legend of the Sea Devils"</i></p>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-65934917345140823562021-12-23T12:26:00.004+00:002021-12-23T12:30:12.727+00:00FluxThe first full series to be made after the first waves of the COVID pandemic (and the last full series for Jodie Whittaker) was to be one multi-part story which brings to mind the last time such a task was attempted. Although, unlike in 1986,<em> Doctor Who</em>'s future is very much assured, the fact that it is not gaining the viewing figures it used to, immediately make one think of the end of the Colin Baker era. Flux is only about 30 minutes shorter than <em>The Trial of a Time Lord</em>, but is closer in structure to its '60s predecessor, <em>The Daleks' Master Plan</em>, in that it is one narrative that has some episodes that form discrete individual stories. Those 20th Century four bears have very different reputations, so to say that <em>Flux</em> falls between the two in terms of quality, is not very helpful! <em>Flux</em> is, however, very much Chris Chibnall's final statement on how he sees <em>Doctor Who</em>, so here we go.<br /><br />The good news is that <em>Flux</em> contains some of the best episodes yet of the Chibnall era. <strong>"The Halloween Apocalypse"</strong> sets up things very well, with a wealth of memorable scenes and dizzying concepts and in its follow-up, <strong>"War of the Sontarans"</strong>, we have a fun little alternate history/reality distortion story, where Russia has been replaced by a Sontaran bridgehead, resulting in the Sontarans being the masters of Earth, making the Crimean war a very different conflict. A fortnight later, we were given the pinnacle of Jodie Whittaker's tenure, <strong>"Village of the Angels"</strong>. This story is lesser to the Weeping Angel stories written by their creator, but only by comparison, and is a tense, scary joy from beginning to end and proof that it is possible to make a fresh and surprising base-under-siege story, a story that ends with one of the best cliffhangers in the show's history (not affected by a bizarrely placed mid-credits scene). The remaining episodes are purely part of <em>Flux</em>'s narrative. Of these, <strong>"Once, Upon Time"</strong> is a mind-bending puzzle box but, crucially, expands on the characters with some deft writing and performances that sets up what could be an intriguing finale . However, in the final two episodes, "Survivors of the Flux" and "The Vanquishers" that is not quite what we are promised. Although Chibnall's solution isn't the <em>cuniculus ex capellum</em> plot contrivance that I was fearing, there is the sloppiness in plotting that has been all too common. It seems that Chibnall is sometimes lacking confidence in his own creations; the Passengers are never sold as what they feel like to the viewer – an evil version of the TARDIS, which would have made the solution far more resonant. In addition, as I said, many, many moons ago in commenting on the resolution of "Last of the Time Lords", <em>Doctor Who</em> should be grounded on a contemporary Earth that is relatable to the viewer. Whilst it seems we have this, there is no indication that the effects of the Flux have been reversed. We are left with a universe of only a handful of galaxies and we are explicitly shown the destruction of Jupiter – something that would have cataclysmic effects on the movement of everything orbiting the Sun.<br /><br />However, something that goes a very long way to compensating for the plot problems is the best character writing Chibnall has done to date. The Doctor's allies are a very appealing cohort. Chibnall has always been keen to bring back more of the educational aspect of Sydney Newman's vision (for history that is; the less said about the science, the better!) and we have appearances by Mary Seacole and, most wonderfully, Joseph Williamson, a person of whom I had not heard, but is integrated into <em>Doctor Who</em> better that any historical figure to date. An outstanding performance by Steve Oram surely resulted in a spike in hits to Williamson's Wikipedia page.<br /><br />Characters like Bel and Vinder would usually be ciphers in previous Chibnall stories, but they are used well in the plot and brought to life by likeable performances by Thaddea Graham and Jacob Anderson. More sketchily written is Claire, but her plot is fascinating and she is effectively played by Annabel Scholey. Unlike with the previous returnee actor from a 1984 story, it would have been a miracle if this had <u>not</u> been the best <em>Doctor Who</em> story that Kevin McNally had appeared in. Professor Jericho is a truly wonderful character that I am sorry could not have remained as a proper companion. Then there is Karvanista the Lupar. The prosthetics indicate a fun alien, like the Cats of New Earth, but Craig Els makes him so much more. The expression of fury and despair on Karvanista's face when he learns of the genocide of the Lupari is all the more impressive in that it is delivered by an actor wearing a dog mask. I really hope that Karvanista remains a permanent fixture on the programme. Speaking of which, Jemma Redgrave makes a long-overdue return as Kate Stewart and fits into this new era like a glove.<br /><br /><em>Flux</em> is blessed with easily the most charismatic villains of the Chibnall era, in the shape of the Ravagers, Azure and Swarm. Rochenda Sandall and Sam Spruell thoroughly command the screen helped by the nightmare-inducing prosthetics that they have been given. The Sontarans are back, with a more rugged look, but still with the brilliant Dan Starkey as the lieutenant. Strax became too beloved a character for Starkey to be in command, but we have Jonathan Watson performing admirably in those roles. Hovering between tertiary and quaternary villain status is Craig Parkinson's Grand Serpent, whose louche style always makes for interesting villains.<br /><br />I love the Fam, but, it must be said that Yaz really shines on her own, and Mandip Gill gives one of the all-time great companion performances. this is helped by the fact that Yaz never states verbally something that has just been shown on screen - a very annoying trait of Chibnall's in earlier episodes. As I am only really familiar with him as a comedian, I was very pleasantly surprised by how effective John Bishop was as Dan and Chibnall cannot be faulted in any way in writing his character arc; of especial notice is Dan's relationship with Di, which is totally convincing and is given a very real conclusion. As with the Fam's Sheffield-ness, the Liverpudlian aspect is really well emphasised, and is brought to a hilarious crescendo, when Dan and his parents are discussing woks, a word that doubles its syllable count in a Scouse accent. Jodie Whittaker is playing against historical figures, malevolent primordial entities, other people inhabiting her form and two different versions of herself and is thoroughly spellbinding throughout. I look forward to seeing what remains of this new TARDIS line-up.<br /><br />The production has been kicked into overdrive with some spectacular imagery although some cracks show (notably where the Doctor has her astral conference with the Mouri, which is not significantly better than a 70s CSO scene). However, the scenes with the Flux itself are spectacular and directors Azhur Saleem and Jamie Magnus Stone helm a very talented cast and production team. The freeing of Swarm is a masterpiece of teatime horror and there is a refreshing 3-dimensional quality to the space shots – too many films and tv programmes forget that space is infinite in all directions.<br /><br />Cryptically suffusing this new Whoniverse, is the Division. We are again given a few more scraps of the Doctor's hidden lives and Chibnall provides us with startling snapshots, and a great role for Barbara Flynn as Tecteun, but it's unclear if he will give his rewriting of the mythos the power that it needs; it has the potential to be as existentially diquieting as the theory exemplified as Liu Cixin's Dark Forest. Also intriguing is the concept of the struggle between Time and Space (which brings to mind <em>Sapphire and Steel</em>) but, again, i have some concerns as to whether Chibnall can pull off this conceptual turn.<br /><br />Despite being considerably better in almost every respect, like Colin Baker's swansong, Flux is less than the sum of his parts. However there is simply too much good stuff to dismiss it in the same way and I keep my fingers crossed for the remainder of this era.<br /><br /><em>NEXT: "Eve of the Daleks"</em>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-66759230319675226832021-10-31T23:27:00.008+00:002021-10-31T23:40:38.286+00:00"Revolution of the Daleks"<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There was not an unusually lengthy wait for the next <i>Doctor Who</i> episode following "The Timeless Children". However, what came in between those episodes in the real world, made it seem like the longest wait of all, in a time where many thought that the threads that hold civilisation together would snap. Yet, thankfully, <i>Doctor Who</i> was not stopped by the ravages of COVID and the first day of 2021 brought us a brand new episode and, for Chris Chibnall, that means the return of the Doctor’s deadliest foes.
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Again, Chibnall decides to crib freely from the past with <i>The Power of the Daleks</i> (via "Victory of the Daleks") being the main source. The Daleks are used as RoboCops to quell civil unrest and there is another internecine Dalek conflict. As a plot, this is perhaps the least inventive script in well over a decade. It hangs together, but there is virtually nothing that cannot be anticipated by the viewer. There is a prologue which adds nothing to the story and, in fact, removes the surprise of the Daleks’ appearance.
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Where the script is far better is in the characters. Yas, as befits what the future will be like, is very much the lead companion and her obsession with not only finding the Doctor, but continuing her work, is very much the heart of the story, and we have a wonderful performance from Mandip Gill. We have the last appearance of Ryan and Graham as regulars and Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh make us truly regret the splitting up of the fam. John Barrowman returns and his chemistry with his oldest friend is instant. Our leading lady is masterful throughout and Jodie Whittaker somehow makes the decades that separated the Doctor from her fam seem evident in her performance alone.
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The secondary villains are the legendary Dame Harriet Walter as the ruthless Prime Minister and Christ Noth returning as Jack Robertson. Whilst it is great to see him, he appears to be in a different story to the rest of the cast (a special mention must me made of the great supporting turn by the hugely versatile Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Leo) which is a rare fault in the otherwise very impressive helming by Lee Haven Jones. We have seen Dalek saucers flying over London before, but Jones makes it seem fresh and exciting. The scenes in the Dalek factory in Osaka are masterfully shot and, again, the scenes with the Dalek out of its case are very eerie. The RoboCop Daleks are a great design, but it’s great to see the bronze ones return.
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"Revolution of the Daleks" is great fun, but, again, it is because a rather anaemic script by Chibnall is given an invigorating transfusion by every other aspect of the production. For the sake of the programme, it is to be hoped that the rest of his tenure will show some improvement.</div>
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<i>NEXT: Flux</i></div>
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P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm }</style>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-16676482285024072622020-04-19T15:06:00.000+01:002020-04-19T15:07:10.498+01:00"Ascension of the Cybermen"/"The Timeless Children"
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For the past two years I have
repeatedly made one observation about the current lead writer for
<i>Doctor Who.</i> He is following in the footsteps of two of the
finest writers in the world and the fact remains that he is not only
not in the same league, but has another league in between his league
and their league. This will inevitably affect the direction and
quality of the programme. The lack of sheer poetry in Chibnall's
dialogue, when compared with his predecessors is evident, but not, in
the end, too damaging. Critically, however, Chibnall still exhibits a
lack of care when it comes to resolving plots, something that was of
particular concern when before watching "Ascension of the
Cybermen"/"The Timeless Children", because it builds
on the revelations of "Fugitive of the Judoon" to form the
greatest reformatting of <i>Doctor Who</i>'s mythology since <i>The
Deadly Assassin</i>, if not "An Unearthly Child" itself.</div>
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The driving force is the reintroduction
of the Cybermen – bold, considering that the two previous Cyberman
stories were the best ones ever made, in my opinion. We see the
return of the memorable Ashad, the tortured half-convert from the
previous story, who is now the leader. Again, as with the two Moffat
Cyber-stories, we have the Master thrown into the mix as well. We are
also given the concept of a fugitive remnant of humans fighting
extinction. These form a strong framework to hang the story on, which
is a good thing, as there is some of the lack of attention to detail
that has cropped up before. The characterisation of the remnant
humans are sketchy, the Death Particle is a pound shop version of the
Daleks' Reality Bomb that is dropped into the plot a bit too
conveniently. Critically, we are never sure what the actual Ascension
of the Cybermen is – the aspect that seems to point the way to it,
the image of the awakened Cybermen made to scream by Ashad's
lieutenants is memorable, but unexplained. Most critically, we have
the portrayal of our leading lady. The characterisation raises some
big issues, most notably the fact that the Doctor is willing to cut a
moral Gordian Knot by allowing someone else to sacrifice himself.
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And yet , while there are issues with
how Chibnall writes the character, he also sets out to rewrite the
Doctor's history and that of the Time Lords; and the ideas and de-
and remythologisation work well. The new origin story for the Time
Lords manages to be memorable, disturbing, and, crucially (and in the
best possible way) raises more questions than answers. In revealing
more about the Doctor's past, we are left with a figure as mysterious
as the one in the junkyard in Totters' Lane. As one of the many
people who know what the final revelations of the Cartmel Masterplan
were, Chris Chibnall's bombshell is a considerable improvement over
what would have been revealed in Sylvester McCoy's fourth season.
The, at first, entirely disconnected story of Brendan the Irish
policemen shows Chibnall reaching for a Moffat level of conceptual
ingenuity – and succeeding to a very welcome degree!</div>
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The story is realised with epic
flourish, with flotillas of attacking cyberdrones and warping battle
cruisers materialising on an immaculately shot battlefield location.
The supporting actors make their hastily written characters really
work – Julie Graham's character Ravio, realising that she is on the
planet where her race originated on is a surprisingly powerful scene.
The fam are as utterly delightful as ever, with Ryan finally making
the shot that he missed and a wonderful scene between Graham and Yas,
showing the difference between Cockney and Yorkshire 'sharing'. The
more proactive role that Yas has been taking of late, is wonderful,
improving the fam's chemistry, no end. Patrick O'Kane spits venom
again as Ashad and his ultimate destruction is unexpectedly sudden.
At this point we must address one thing – the Cybermasters. The
design is ridiculous, bordering on the New Paradigm Daleks,
especially when compared with the other Cyberman designs in the
story. It would have helped no end for the Doctor to have pointed out
how silly they look.</div>
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Sacha Dhawan effectively shows the pain
and fury of his new-found relationship between the Master and his
best Enemy. The enemy in question, the Timeless Child is a huge task
for Jodie Whittaker as an actress and she is more than up to the
challenge. After a memorable pep-talk from her unknown former-self,
we are treated to the magnificent sequence where the Doctor blows the
matrix with her memories, realised magnificently as a drop beat to
the <i>Doctor Who</i> theme music. The Doctor is still with us,
bigger and more magnificent than ever before.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Chibnall, as I've said before is a
lesser writer than his predecessors. Yet, despite its faults,
"Ascension of the Cybermen"/"The Timeless Children"
show him increasing his reach by striving to be better than anyone
thought he could be. He fails, of course, but what we are left with
is a very good story, although not the classic that the Chibnall era
has been lacking, so far. I look forward to what's coming next.</div>
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<i>NEXT: "Revolution of the
Daleks"</i></div>
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P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm }</style>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-41474877568423778932020-02-22T15:48:00.000+00:002020-02-22T15:49:58.780+00:00"The Haunting of Villa Diodati"The meeting of minds that took place in the summer of 1816 at the Villa Diodati would be fascinating enough if it had just been one of those legendary gatherings of the great and good. However, as this summer produced <i>Frankenstein</i> and <i>The Vampyre</i> it is fair to say that <i>Doctor Who</i> itself would not exist were it not for the creativity that that sunless summer spawned. It is bold, therefore for the Doctor to gleefully gatecrash this legendary holiday. We do get the expected story of the Doctor meeting and possibly influencing a great writer. However, this is achieved in an intoxicating, reality-folding horror story, with some genuine shocks and some clever moments. Strangely, there are no really big names amongst the cast of characters in the Villa Diodati, but each actor portrays their role well. Lili Miller makes a very charismatic Mary Shelley and Maxim Baldry a wonderfully grumpy Dr Polidori. As a poet, Byron is a master, but, unlike his daughter, he was far less admirable as a person and the story portrays not only his charisma but, rather than the usual trio of characteristics associated with him, he is also cowardly and callous, brought out in a fine performance as Jacob Collins-Levy. There is also a nice turn from Nadia Parkes as the tragic Claire Clairmont, who is given a good deal of dignity, here. The scenes in the Villa with just the regulars and the historical holidaymakers are, in turns, delightful, funny, spooky and shocking.<br /><br />However, the story also has to set up the finale, and we have our first encounter with the lone Cyberman. It is here that we have some very woolly writing that could have done with a few more drafts – the nature of the Cyberium, presumably a far-future version of Mr Clever is rather poorly explained and the to-ing and fro-ing concerning Shelley's importance in the timeline doesn't really work. We are helped with a very arresting performance by Patrick O'Kane who memorably chews the scenery. The Cyberman is not one we've encountered before, naming himself as Ashad and being clearly emotional – his declamation of the experience of his killing of his family is suffused with both sadism and pain.<br /><br />Emma Sullivan again puts fantastic work behind the camera. The scenes progress alternately with snappy urgency and slow dread when required. The cinematography throughout is excellent, so when the sun finally bursts in, it is a wondrous shock to viewer and character alike. The period detail is wonderful, as is the Cyberman, who has shades of <i>Star Trek</i>'s Borg about it. The regulars continue to do excellent work, with Ryan being a standout this week. In the face of the Lone Cyberman, Jodie Whittaker has the Doctor seem closer to the Lonely God than she has ever been, but we are also, for the first time, given the Doctor as an object of desire, by Byron, no less – and “Mrs” Doctor is having none of it.<br /><br />There are some large problems with the script, but "The Haunting of Villa Diodati" is very well made and tremendously entertaining. Of course, some questions might be answered in coming weeks – the materialisation of the Cyberman does seem very familiar...<br /><br /><i>NEXT: "Ascension of the Cybermen"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-12076029450685668352020-02-16T13:15:00.000+00:002020-02-16T13:16:28.558+00:00"Can You Hear Me?"There is a great deal to commend "Can You Hear Me?", however the debut script from promising playwright Charlene James (with help from Chris Chibnall) has some problems which stem from one main factor – failure to integrate the monsters of the week with the issue of the week. We have the introduction of Zellin and Rakaya, a sub-group of the Eternals (with namechecks for the Guardians and the Celestial Toymaker) who feed off nightmares. We have the monsters in the shape of the Aleppo nightmare creatures. However, in a coda, we look at how people suffer by keeping their pain to themselves. These low-key scenes are quietly brilliant, particularly Yas’s journey from troubled teenager to promising police officer. This is the kind of thing that Charlene James has excelled at before and it shows. Although this does have a certain connection to Zellin and Rakaya’s parasitism of nightmares, it is not a great one and there is the feeling that it is an attempt to blend two very promising individual stories together, with not entirely successful results.<br />
<br />
Whatever flaws there are in the writing, the realisation is astonishingly good and the lack of cohesion between the two main strands in the plot are considerably lessened by the visualisation. The effects are stunning as are the sets, with the harp-like interface for the alien space ship being very original. The detached fingers would be all-but-impossible to ruin as a scary concept, but director Emma Sullivan goes the extra mile in all respects. Particularly impressive is the realisation of the nightmare creatures, who are just another monster on the page and as a CG maquette, but are terrifying in Sullivan's hands, especially when their hands grab someone, in the teaser. The best indication of Sullivan's skill in this area is the realisation of Yas's nightmares – simple, yet unsettling. There is also the great use of animation for the story of Zellin and Rakaya's origin and imprisonment (with a nod, I’m sure, to <i>Sapphire and Steel</i>. The casting of Ian Gelder is key to making Zellin as effective as he is and we have the effortlessly charismatic Clare-Hope Ashitey as Rakaya. Aleppo has recently been in the public eye for being one of the most horrific parts in one of the most horrific places on Earth. It is useful to remember that Syria was not always thus and Aleppo arguably has a history and culture unequalled in the world. Aruhan Galieva portrays Tahira with real passion, making her another inductee into the 'companion who could have been' category. Special mention must be made of Nasreen Hussain as PC Anita Patel, the person whom Yas really needed to meet to become who she was.<br />
<br />
The regulars are on fine form, with Yas continuing to impress as it is her story that is easily the most compelling here. Bradley Walsh makes Graham's fear of his cancer returning quietly effective and it’s good to see Sharon D Clarke back. Tosin Cole is not to be overshadowed, though - if there's one thing that shows how delivery can elevate a line, it's Ryan's 'I brought chips though!'. Jodie Whittaker is given rather less inspired dialogue but, again, she really goes to work with what she has.<br />
<br />
If there's one scene which shows the main problem with "Can You Hear Me?" it's the Doctor's reaction to Graham opening up to her. Especially after the excellent scenes with Yas and Ryan's friend Tibo, it comes off as clumsily bathetic, which the performances of Walsh and Whittaker can only partly compensate for. There are some moments of true excellence in this story, but it's a pity that they could not have been woven into a narrative that could have produced a true classic.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "The Haunting of Villa Diodati"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-49647201298293156312020-02-08T15:05:00.000+00:002020-02-08T15:05:44.159+00:00"Praxeus"Pete McTighe's "Kerblam!" was a very enjoyable story and, like Ed Hime, I was keen to see him come back. Like Hime's "Orphan 55", "Praxeus" is s standalone adventure with a strong environmental streak. Unlike "Orphan 55", "Praxeus", is an astonishing example of how fantastic such a story can be. The only villain in the story is short-sightedness – the alien humanoids lack of care in experimenting on Earth and, of course, the main subject of the episodes – microplastic. Like Robert Holmes looking at how many plastic gadgets and products surround the average person and creating the Autons, McTighe and Chibnall look at the disturbing accumulation of the detritus left from those same plastics breaking down, and created one of the most terrifying threats the programme has ever had – the plastic-mutating Praxeus virus. The plotting and pacing are frequently relentless, but the varied locations and adrenaline-charged scenes illustrate that this is a global problem and an urgent one, which is why the Doctor enters the scene running and barely lets up.<br /><br />The writers have created what is the best use of the fam and their dynamic, yet. For most of the episode, the fam is split into three groups and all three of the fam-ily have their 'Doctor-y' moments – Ryan is the first to appear in the story and that scene has some of the same beats as the Doctor's first appearance in "Rose". Best of all is that, for the first time since "Demons of the Punjab", Yas truly shines – her disappointment at not having discovered an alien planet is hilarious, as is her correction of Graham's use of the scanner. The Doctor is given, perhaps, the most Doctor-y challenge to overcome – saving her favourite species from their own short-sightedness and Jodie Whittaker is on fire. In such a maelstrom, characterisation can suffer, but here, supporting characters are given enough nuances to register, with slightly needy vlogger Gabriela and the Doctor's science crush Suki, who, of course ends up disappointing her. The main support comes from Warren Brown and Matthew McNulty as Jake and Adam, a mismatched, yet wholly believable married couple, which gives the episode its few respites from the breakneck pace.<br /><br />Jamie Magnus Stone returns to realise this frenetic tale and he uses the vivid locations to paint an epic globe-trotting experience. The most effective sequences are, of course, the manifestation of the Praxeus virus. The flocks of birds are reminiscent of Hitchcock, and all the better for it. The symptoms of the virus are utterly horrifying and very well shot and edited. They are more terrifying than the corpse mutilation in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth", yet, unlike Tim Shaw's trophy hunting, not crossing the line in appropriateness – an important distinction that Chibnall has learnt.<br /><br />"Praxeus" starts and ends with a David Attenborough-style narration by the Doctor, but the wearing of its environmentalist heart on its sleeve feels far less preachy than in "Orphan 55" and only makes this vibrant story all the more appealing.<br /><br /><i>NEXT: Can You Hear Me?</i><br />Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-50655134175240378272020-02-02T17:12:00.000+00:002020-02-02T17:14:47.849+00:00"Fugitive of the Judoon"Seeing the trailer for "Fugitive of the Judoon" led one to have a few expectations for it. A low-key rural romp, with a welcome return for an entertaining, though not scary monster. And, for a while, this is what we get. However, this episode reminds us of something which has been missing from the Chibnall era – genuine jaw-dropping surprise. In this joint script by Chibnall and Vinay Patel, we have the abrupt change in direction of "Utopia", combined with the huge changes to the programme's mythology of <i>The War Games</i>. It is, perhaps, no exaggeration that this could mean a bigger change for the Doctor's character history than the moment Whittaker opened her eyes in "Twice Upon a Time"<br />
<br />
As in "Utopia", we are given a perfectly respectable story to be getting along with, with nice small-scale characters in low-stakes conflict – the rivalry between Lee and All Ears Allan is both delightful and funny and the Judoon fit perfectly into this situation. However, the plotline is very similar to "Smith and Jones" and, when we find that there's more to the character of Ruth that we think, it seems that Chibnall is recycling the plot of his very average <i>Torchwood</i> episode "Sleeper". <i>Torchwood</i> springs easily to mind because, for the first time in nearly a decade, John Barrowman explodes back onto the screen as Captain Jack. He looks remarkably unaged and it is a real joy to have him back.<br />
<br />
Yet this shock pales next to the subsequent one – for Ruth is not merely an alien in disguise, she's an alien wanderer in time and space, in a ship called the TARDIS, known only as the Doctor. Jo Martin gives a solid performance as Ruth, but she dazzles as the Doctor, giving further evidence of the theory that half of all British actors dream of playing the part. This brings out Jodie Whitaker's best performance yet as the Doctor. The first shot of her reminds me of a thought I had of her in her debut story, looking like William Hartnell would look like if he were a beautiful young woman. The sheer expressiveness of her face is an asset that has never been put to better use. The fam are with her all the way and each one of them flow with the relentless surge of the story, but are not overwhelmed. The first evidence of this story not being what it appears to be, is the rapid disposal of the supporting characters – however, Neil Stuke makes Lee someone with a past, a mission and a love and Ritu Arya is also memorable as Time Lord badass Gat.<br />
<br />
Nida Manzoor is superb at the staging of all these scenes and refreshingly ensures that the major shocks and revelations are realised by moments involving actors. The location filming in Gloucester is great and the space battle scenes are shot with an intensity that belie the few sets used.<br />
<br />
"Fugitive of the Judoon"'s true effectiveness can only be truly measured when Chibnall's full plan has been revealed. It has raised the stakes higher than any Moffatt or Davies story and it is a genuine fear that Chibnall will not match what those two, almost peerless writers have done. As it stands, "Fugitive of the Judoon" is thrilling and wonderfully realised, giving real hope for the future.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>NEXT: "Praxeus"</i></div>
Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-46083138107825740652020-01-26T11:36:00.000+00:002020-01-26T11:41:44.469+00:00"Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror"It's time for this year's visit to the past and an encounter with a famous historical figure and we have, not only the fascinating figure of Nikola Tesla, but his more famous nemesis, Thomas Edison. This is the debut story from Nina Metivier and her inexperience sometimes shows. On paper, it does feel like the paint-by-numbers version of the Doctor meets a famous historical figure and helps them fight monsters a bit too slavishly and the progression of the solution is sometimes a bit too woolly. However, the monsters in question, the Skithra, tie in well with the central theme of inspiration and inventiveness versus piracy and parasitism although the scenes of the monsters attacking lack verve on the page. One wonders what the considerably greater conceptual ingenuity of RTD and Moffat would have given to these monsters, come rewrites.<br />
<br />
However, it is in the characters that the script really comes into its own, helped immeasurably by the performances of Robert Glenister as Edison and, especially, Goran Višnjić as Tesla. Višnjić has always shown incredible charisma, reaching an international audience in <i>ER</i>, a medical drama that was considerably more than the sum of its parts, but his joy at playing someone who is clearly a hero of his, is palpable. Although it was always hugely unlikely that this was going to be the best <i>Doctor Who</i> story he appeared in, Glenister refuses to be outshone. He very interestingly plays Edison with hints of a considerably less intelligent businessman who is currently making an absolute dog's dinner of being the President of the United States. However, Edison is an antagonist, rather than a villain and, despite his portrayal as a ruthless businessman, is shown as being loyal to his employees and his shock and sorrow of the murders on his factory floor are well-conveyed. Behind some heavy prosthetics we have the welcome return of Anjli Mohindra to the Whoniverse. Despite having matured greatly as an actress, the child-like glee she has as the Skithra Queen is fantastic. The Fam are very well written, - Ryan and Graham are their usual cheeky selves and we are treated to Tesla and Yas alternating the role of Doctor and companion in their breakaway scenes. The real Doctor is a champion of inspiration and invention and Whittaker aces every scene.<br />
<br />
Nida Manzoor is very good with the actors and the action scenes, but strangely not so sharp with visual comedy – the revelation of Tesla’s bare laboratory could have easily been done better. This is odd, considering Manzoor’s pedigree. However, the whole production has a very cinematic feel, even though – wisely – Manzoor does not attempt to compete with Tesla's unforgettable entrance in Christopher Nolan's <i>The Prestige</i>. A problem with the Skithra Queen is her similarity in appearance to the Queen of the Racnoss thirteen years ago which is unfortunate.<br />
<br />
"Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror" manages to overcome its flaws to become a very enjoyable piece of work. However it does show that the pseudo-historical is not as easy to write as it seems – a warning that future writers should take note of.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Fugitive of the Judoon"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-46649711567690056252020-01-19T11:08:00.000+00:002020-01-19T11:13:44.915+00:00"Orphan 55""It Takes You Away" was a real highlight of Jodie Whittaker’s first series and writer Ed Hime’s return was something I, along with many others, was looking forward to. Strangely, for the writer of an episode that felt like nothing else previously broadcast under the <i>Doctor Who</i> banner, "Orphan 55" is a type of story that we have seen a fair few times before – welcome to the base-under-siege! Although this type of story is nothing like as prevalent and predictable as it was in the middle part of the Troughton era, it is surprising how un-surprising much of the plot is. The roles and motivation of the characters range from the functional to the sketchy – key character Kane seems like the traditional security chief type character, but is she the owner/designer of Tranquility Spa? However, Hime makes sure that there is solid world-building and futuristic incomprehensibility – the ionic membrane, the Hopper virus, the fakations. More importantly, Hime ensures that stock scenes do not unfold in a stock manner – the way in which we are immediately thrown into the action is both thrilling and funny, but not as funny as the scene where Ryan is cured of the Hopper virus. If anything, the story has too many ideas (which can be dealt with) and too many characters (which is detrimental).<br />
<br />
Lee Haven Jones directs with great energy and has a great cast to help him. The old couple keeping their love alive is an old cliché, but Julia Foster and Col Farrell are touching as Vilma and Benni. Laura Fraser brings her unique presence to the role of Kane and Gia Ré does very well with the rather sketchy character of Bella - there is a reason that terrorists with mummy issues aren't stock characters! James Buckley brings his cheeky charisma to the role of Nevi and Lewin Lloyd, fresh off of playing one of the most tragic minor characters in modern fiction, is great as his son, Sylas, again, rather basically written. The writing for the Fam, however, is top notch and with Graham’s glee at his free holiday, Ryan’s hilarious reaction to hallucinatory side effects and Yas’s unintended gooseberrying, the Doctor’s companions just keep on giving. As for the Doctor herself, she’s a whirling dervish of solutions and outrage at what her favourite species can do to themselves.<br />
<br />
The monsters of the week are the very well-realised Dregs and it turns out that Orphan 55 is not the far-off alien rock we thought it was, with the dregs being mutated degenerate humans, straight out of some of the more depressing chapters of <i>Last and First Men</i>. Some would say that the warnings over the environment are laid on a bit thick but frankly, we are running out of reasons to put our fingers in our ears.<br />
<br />
It is perhaps unfair to view "Orphan 55" as a disappointment- it is well made and achieves what it is set out to do and is clearly a lesser script by a very good writer. I’m sure that viewing it in the context of the season will work very well in its favour.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-46574449940862117202020-01-15T23:18:00.000+00:002020-01-15T23:19:21.147+00:00Spyfall<i>Doctor Who</i> returns for the third decade of its revival with this
epic action-fest. The name of this two-parter has obvious echoes of the
other great British icon that has survived due to the lead actor being
changed every few years, but Bond is not the only drawer that Chris
Chibnall gleefully plunders from. The various time zones, the Doctor
setting up problems and solutions for herself and her Fam in the future,
all have echoes of the timey-wimier Steven Moffat adventures and The
Fam as fugitives is a situation reminiscent of "The Sound of Drums".
There is still a degree of woolliness, but the dialogue is more polished
than before and, although it comes close to emulating the pat
conclusions of his work for Moffat and RTD, the resolution doesn’t feel
like a cop-out.- to be honest, it is probably not too unfair to posit
that Chibnall came up with the title and constructed a story from there.
A more major caveat it's that Chibnall hasn't fully thought about the
full implications of using historical characters - whilst drawing
attention to all-but-forgotten women of the past is laudable, using Noor
Inayat Khan does raise uncomfortable questions, when one considers how
she died in real life.<br />
<br />
The slight vagueness, however, becomes a strength when it comes to the
story’s realisation. One of the strongest aspects of Whittaker’s debut
story was the effectiveness in which it conveyed the alien. The monsters
in question, the Kasaavins are visualised as alarming apparitions, like
something out of an Usborne Paranormal book and their ‘realm’ is as
unexplained at the end as it is inexplicable at the beginning. The use
of two directors works in the story’s favour as each episode has a
separate pace and feel. The guest cast are first rate with Stephen Fry
making an all-too brief appearance as ‘C’ and Lenny Henry being menacing
in a very restrained performance as Barton, a very believable
character, whose revelatory speech is all-too close to reality. Sylvie
Briggs and Aurora Marion are great as Ada Lovelace and Noor Inayat Khan,
and we mustn’t forget the brief Lovelace/Babbage double-act! Even the
duo who form “O”'s Aussie security detail are fun throwaway characters.<br />
<br />
However, the main guest star is Sacha Dhawan for, sooner than I
expected, the Master is back. After the revelation of his identity, we
are treated to the surprising return of the TCE – but Dhawan is
definitely taking the Master into unknown territory. Dhawan burns with a
raw fury that exceeds his predecessors. In particular, the moment when
he asks the Doctor to kneel and call him by name is truly spine-tingling
– although it did seem as if the Doctor was going to launch into a
rendition of Metallica's greatest song! Another example of Chibnall not
fully thinking things through is the Doctor using the Master's
appearance as an Asian man against him with the Nazis – Third Reich
pan-Aryan pseudo-anthropology notwithstanding.<br />
<br />
Refreshingly, however, Chibnall seems to have ironed out most of the
kinks of his crowded TARDIS and the Fam(ily) dynamic works much more
smoothly with Cole, Gill and Walsh being more than up to the challenge,
their impromptu spycraft being both funny and fun. Our leading lady
relishes each challenge – there is betrayal and joy around every corner
and Jodie nails every turn. The close-up of her surveying the ruins of
Gallifrey is wonderful.<br />
<br />
It is true to say that, whilst I enjoyed the previous season a lot, I
had resigned myself to the fact that the programme’s best days were
behind it. However, the past has been learned from and <i>Spyfall</i> gives us hope that the Chibnall era might be capable of true greatness in its future.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Orphan 55"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-61941307281264373692019-08-23T11:54:00.000+01:002019-08-23T11:54:26.402+01:00"Resolution"When the broadcast date for Jodie Whittaker’s first special was announced, it seemed that Chris Chibnall had committed the ultimate sin – ruining Christmas! Nevertheless, with the glow of a slightly different holiday illuminating it, "Resolution" pulls itself out of being the target for ill-will, by bringing this most mould-breaking of Doctors face-t0-face with her most iconic foe for the first time.<br /><br />Again, Chris Chibnall borrows heavily from a previous story, in this case the Daleks’ reintroduction to the twenty-first century, in Rob Shearman’s eponymous classic. However, although some of the beats are there – the reconstruction of the creature, the high-speed absorption of the internet – there are sufficient differences to give the story a flavour of its own. There is some nice domestic dialogue involving Ryan and his family and the fumbling hesitancy of Mitch and Lin’s budding romance is well written. Again, the glue binding the script together is nothing like as strong as for RTD and Moffatt, but this is something, it seems, which we have to get used to. The jokes about Brexit and the loss of personal contact are not particularly polished, but are funny nonetheless – although it is to be hoped that we can look back and laugh at the former, in the future!<br /><br />However, the realisation of the story is what really pulls it from OK to very good. Wayne Yip puts in some spectacular work. The scene with the Dalek mutant possessing Lin is genuinely creepy and it is a master-stroke differentiating the telepathic voice of the Dalek from its more familiar staccato. Lin’s murderous rampage is given a Terminator like urgency and the battle scene with the junk yard Dalek and the soldiers is spectacular. Yip makes these disparate moods blend excellently and he handles the quieter, more personal scenes very well, and he is helped no end by the performers. The very likeable and versatile Charlotte Ritchie is great as Lin and Nikesh Patel dials down his usual dashing look so much, that he is almost unrecognisable as the rather geeky Mitch. Special mention has to be given to Daniel Adegboyega’s wonderful performance as Ryan’s dad, a nuanced and sensitive portrayal that feels genuinely real. The regulars are on fine form and Jodie Whittaker fills the Doctor with the fire that we have come to expect from the Time Lord facing her greatest enemy. Her conversation with the possessed and unpossessed Lin is written generically, but given a spin that only she could. <br /><br />"Resolution" is a welcome and very enjoyable break from what may be the longest hiatus since the programme’s return. I look forward to welcoming the Doctor and her fam back.Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-81519652693943039192019-05-07T13:52:00.001+01:002019-05-07T13:56:54.370+01:00"The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos"And so we come to the end and it is the placement of this story that is a major factor in evaluating "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos". The storyline seems a bit light, plot wise, for a finale and, again, Chibnall shamelessly lifts from <i>Doctor Who</i>’s past, most especially <i>The Pirate Planet</i> (which covers its concepts with more thought and humour). The Ux are a bit underwritten and don’t come across with the gravitas that they should as a mythical race with god-like powers. The plot progression is very sketchy - the Doctor has often gone for a haphazard, improvised solution, but this shouldn’t appear like a convenience for the script writer – here, we have a long period where the Doctor has a backpack with two grenades stuck to it has her plan. As far as these aspects go, we would probably have been more forgiving, had this story been earlier in the season, but we are dealing with a writer who has often disappointed in the resolution of his plotlines. Happily, Chibnall seems, thankfully to have followed the path of the Torchwood Series 2 arc, rather than the appalling Season 1 arc. The threads are personal, with the murder of Grace by Tim Shaw being the galvanising event for the companions. Tim Shaw will never go down as an all-time great adversary, but the personal stakes give the story what power it has and it is wise that Chibnall emphasised this aspect.<br />
<br />
Although, again, the dialogue lacks the zip of RTD or Moffat, it is the performances of Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole that sell this aspect brilliantly and it is this which papers over the cracks in the dialogue. Samuel Oatley again attacks the role of Tim Shaw with relish. Yas is, again, underutilised, but Mandip Gill remains as likable as ever. We have a nice role for the excellent Mark Addy, and Phyllis Logan and Percelle Ascott do good work in the rather underwritten roles of the Ux. Our leading lady is commanding and lovable at the same time and Jodie Whittaker continues to dominate the story, as is her right. Jamie Childs helms a spectacular looking production with some awesome visuals, most notably, the sight of the floating ship. The design is first rate and the editing sublime.<br />
<br />
"The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos" is, without doubt, the least impressive <i>Doctor Who</i> season finale. The script comes off as a rushed first draft, even more so than others this year. However, it is by no means a bad story and perhaps, that is helped by the fact that we didn’t have to wait long for the next one…<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Resolution"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-80987105361897383222018-12-10T14:41:00.000+00:002018-12-10T14:41:44.643+00:00"It Takes You Away"There are some stories where there is a twist in the plot. Then there are stories where you reach the end, look back at the beginning and wonder how you got there. "It Takes You Away" sets itself up as a Nordic noir mystery and then goes to places no-one could truthfully have anticipated. The story is stuffed full of intriguing concepts, but the real success it has in its exploration of more emotional themes. The consciousness that is incompatible with the Universe, so it is rejected, to form its own cosmos is intriguing enough, but when that is combined with the themes of loneliness, the effect is potent Yas describes the Solitract as trapping people, but it is also looking for loss, which is the companion of loneliness. There is even a meditation on when love of one's marital partner and of one's child become dissonant with each other. In the Antizone, we have six-legged rats and flesh-eating moths and the disquietingly named Ribbons-of-the-Seven-Stomachs. Ed Hime’s debut script is full of great ideas and, most importantly, manages to weave them into an intriguing story. And, there's a frog.<br />
<br />
Jamie Childs again shows he's a force to be reckoned with. The moths eating Ribbons is very close to the bone (sorry!) but, unlike "The Woman Who Fell to Earth", it does not cross the line, but will cause some healthy nightmares in younger viewers. Sharon D Clarke returns as Grace in a very assured performance, and Christian Rubeck is very effective as a father who needs to grow up a little bit more. The actor Kevin Eldon pours his unique skills into the role of Ribbons, under heavy make-up, which I hope means that we are due for another guest turn from this wonderful performer, very soon, The main guest role is Ellie Wallwork as Hanne, who is astonishing, belying the paucity of her acting CV.<br />
<br />
The script makes good use of all the regulars, with Ryan and Yas getting good material, but it is the other two who get the lions share. Bradley Walsh is quietly astonishing as Graham, especially in his scenes with Grace. In looking at more batrachian scenes, it is the other performer who truly makes it work. Jodie Whittaker has the Doctor as brilliant and mad as ever, but it is compassion that is the driving force and it is this which makes the scene with the frog truly powerful, rather than ridiculous. The frog is something that will split viewers. Some were expecting the Solitract to manifest as Susan or River. However, that would dilute the highly emotional appearance of Grace. There are others who just find the idea of a talking frog ridiculous. I am not one of those people, as it forms part of the astonishingly varied recipe for this adventure.<br />
<br />
"It Takes You Away" is a truly invigorating story and I look forward to more from the pen of Mr Hime!<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos" </i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-2732760117659412612018-12-03T11:08:00.000+00:002018-12-03T11:09:22.900+00:00"The Witchfinders"The dour pre-Civil War Stuart period in English history, particularly the Jacobean era, is a ripe setting for drama. In hindsight, it seems that the threads that bound the opulent Elizabethan era were slowly starting to unravel. Whilst this was the age of Shakespeare and Bacon, there was a growing hysteria over the imagined rise of witchcraft and it is in this setting that the Doctor and her friends find themselves.<br />
<br />
The setting is vividly brought to life and the viewer is very quickly brought up to speed concerning the facts about witchcraft; that it was often an excuse to settle scores, that unmarried women were often the target and that village healers, invaluable in rural communities of the area, were also suspect. If there is one thing that the story really does excellently, it is to expose the rampant misogyny that allowed this hysteria to proceed unchecked. Very cleverly, the trial-by-water is conducted by ducking stool, a device used to punish gossiping women. The Doctor's new gender means that her authority is not accepted anything like as quickly as it would have been before. It is a bit of a shame that the alien threat is not more closely tied with the gender themes of the episodes, but we have had 7 episodes without an alien race wanting to invade Earth, so perhaps this well-worn route is actually welcome. Joy Wilkinson produces a very good script, although it could have done with a couple more drafts, to iron out the plot.<br />
<br />
Of course, key to the Jacobean era is old Jake himself, James I of England (and VI of Scotland). James was a complicated figure, but, in the context of witchcraft, he was obsessed to the point of paranoia. We are treated, here, to a wonderfully ripe performance by Alan Cumming that manages to make the man likeable, despite his beliefs and actions. His flirtation with Ryan is priceless. Equally good is Siobhan Finneran as Becka Savage, the goodwife raised to the landed gentry who becomes a vessel for something alien. Tilly Steele's Willa Twiston is a wonderfully real figure, effectively played. One thing the script does well is make the Jacobean characters all sincere believers in witchcraft – whatever their other vices, hypocrisy is not among them. The Doctor has to fight for her authority even harder and Jodie Whittaker excels, nowhere better than her conversation with King James, whilst being tied up. Although the rough edges of the plot to take their toll on the role of the Doctor's 'fam', the 'very flat team structure' is as engaging as ever. Sallie Aprahamian helms a production that recreates early-Stuart England well and critically, she makes the manifestation of the aliens terrifying, especially the reanimated dead.<br />
<br />
Although a few more drafts could have improved it critically, "The Witchfinders"is a very enjoyable adventure, dealing well with its various themes.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "It Takes You Away"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-87795372784099547132018-11-26T13:49:00.000+00:002018-11-26T13:49:53.618+00:00"Kerblam!"It's called "Kerblam!", which, depending on one's mood, is either
delightfully chipper or just plain silly. The story is one of Doctor Who
versus the evil corporation, something which has, of course been done
several times before. It's a story that could fit in any era of modern <i>Doctor Who</i>, perhaps even (finer details aside) in an 80s episode. As, with many other writers this century, Pete McTighe is an avid <i>Doctor Who</i>
fan, but seldom has a a writer’s joy in being given the chance to pen
an episode of their favourite programme been more evident than in
interviews with McTighe. This joy transfers to the story and it is this
which elevates a run-of-the-mill <i>Doctor Who</i> plot into something more.<br />
<br />
The obvious real-world equivalent of Kerblam! is Amazon and it would be
all-too easy to attack a large corporation for being oppressive, but
Pete McTighe does something more subtle. Kerblam! takes pains to ensure
that it's employees are well looked after and their break area is a
really nice park. The Kerblam! Management always have their underlings'
best interests at heart. Even rebukes about employee productivity are
delivered in a friendly manner. However, McTighe seems to make the
observation that such environments are intrinsically oppressive, no
matter the intentions of the higher echelons. The detrimental effects on
employees and general employment are clearly evident, but the fact that
the villain is a someone who is doing it for the benefit of those
workers, is beautifully subversive. Added to this, the villain's plan
being turning the power of the corporation against itself and the Doctor
saves the day by turning that back against the villain is glorious.
Even the blatant plot-delaying tactic (Twirly running out of power) is
forgivable as the reason Twirly does that is that he wastes time and
power up-selling.<br />
<br />
The supporting cast is wonderful. Julie Hesmondhalgh is a phenomenal
actress who puts her all into the role of Judy. Leo Flanagan makes
Charlie a very sympathetic mass-murderer and Claudia Jessie makes Kira
sweet, when she could have been cloying and her death is suitably
heart-breaking. As the surprisingly short-lived Dan, Lee Mack is very
likeable. The regulars all shine in the best ensemble work that they've
been given and we have our leading lady. The Doctor is authoritative,
inventive and sympathetic – yet her glee at receiving her Kerblam!
Parcel is very infectious. The visualisation is very like a Sylvester
McCoy story with a colossally higher budget – visual similarities with <i>The Greatest Show in the Galaxy</i>
are obvious. Yet we have such stunning scenes like the conveyor-belt
chase which show director Jennifer Perrott in complete command of the
material.<br />
<br />
With nearly every element being honed to perfection, "Kerblam!" is an
unalloyed delight and I hope Mr McTighe returns to pen another
adventure, soon.<br />
<i><br />
NEXT: "The Witchfinders"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-65148721931770873812018-11-19T14:44:00.000+00:002018-11-19T14:59:51.799+00:00"Demons of the Punjab""Demons of the Punjab" takes us back in time to one of the critical periods of 20th Century history. The image that most people in the West have of Partition is the lines of Hindus and Muslims passing each other in Richard Attenborough’s <i>Gandhi</i>. What we are shown in Vinay Patel’s remarkable story is how this event affected the history of one family and one person in particular – Yas. The cast of characters is small, but the issues and emotions are certainly not. There is a memorable alien race in the shape of the Thijarians, but it turns out that they are mere observers and not the demons of the title. The demons are those of Dostoyevsky; thoughts native to the thinker that take on a malevolent life of their own and make the thinker do the unspeakable. The partition turned long time neighbours into enemies and turned families against each other and the story of Yas’s grandmother’s tragically short first marriage ads heart to this traumatic background.<br />
<br />
Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh are as impressive as ever, but, finally, Mandip Gill is given the spotlight and she shines in a performance that is funny and heartwarming. This is a key period in history, but its tragedies are all-too universal, so, brilliantly, all the Indian characters are given Northern English accents by the TARDIS – the Yorkshire sadhu in particular is memorable. Shane Zaza and Amita Suman are fantastic as the doomed couple. Hamza Jeetooa is excellent at portraying the conflict between Manish’s love for his brother and his growing Hindu nationalism. It is always good to see Shaheen Khan and, in the present day, we have the invaluable Leena Dhingra as the older Umbreen. The Doctor is the Doctor throughout, being wholly authoritative in her face-off with the Thijarians but her joy at being able to experience female bonding is wonderful.<br />
<br />
The direction by Jamie Childs is first rate, with the laid-back compositions for rural India contrasting well with the jarring stabs of the Thijarians manifesting themselves. The aliens are magnificently realised and the sheer beauty of the shot of Prem’s face joining the host that the Thijarians witnessed is wondrous. The moments of Punjabi and Yorkshire domesticity do not clash with this, and the final tragic outcome of Prem and Manish’s relationship is flawlessly executed. Perhaps it is significant that two otherworldly entities witness Prem’s death, as they echo Munkar and Nakir, the angels who judge the dead in Islamic eschatology, and who witness for a Hindu who gave his life for his Muslim love. I must also mention the evocative score by Segun Akinola, whose greatest triumph is the Indian-influenced arrangement of the theme tune, which never moves into parody.<br />
<br />
The framing story in the present day, and Yas’s request from the Doctor recall "Father’s Day", but, in the most purely historical story since <i>Black Orchid</i>, we are effectively given the human consequences of historical upheaval, as with <i>The Massacre</i>. In the end, however, the success of this very powerful story, is purely due to its own merits.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Kerblam!"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-45207193687253211682018-11-12T12:09:00.000+00:002018-11-12T12:09:20.500+00:00 "The Tsuranga Conundrum""The Tsuranga Conundrum" is an example of the mid-season <i>Doctor Who</i>
story that won't top any polls or feature in many nostalgic memories.
However, for the first time ever, Chris Chibnall has constructed a
satisfying plot – the fact that the two crises cancel each other out is
actually effective. There is some good world-building going on, with a
good sense being had of the 67th century. We also have a pregnant man
which starts off (as is usual) as a joke, but develops into something
deeper. There is a refreshing lack of predictability about its
progression, which, together with the frenetic pace make this a story
that is leaves the viewer exhilarated by the ride, but not finding
multiple flaws to pick at, later.<br />
<br />
Of course, "The Tsuranga Conundrum" is a base-under-siege story, but the
key factor that separates it from the herd are the characters. The
leader is, at some points opposed to the Doctor, but for the best
reasons. Brett Goldstein, primarily a comic actor, is very effective as
Astos and Lois Chimimba puts in good work as Mabli. Suzanne Packer
radiates authority as Eve Cicero and future national treasure Ben Bailey
Smith is a natural as her brother – although Smith has ample experience
of having an illustrious older sister! Jack Shalloo's Yoss, is
surprisingly touching. Graham and Ryan's relationship is very well
served by the script, with Yoss's pregnancy acting as a catalyst for
their understanding of themselves. Sadly, Yas is underused, with the
character mostly feeding questions to the Doctor and listing 21st
century equivalents to the 67th Century gizmos she encounters. Jodie
Whittaker is already making playing the Doctor as natural to her as
breathing. There is a critical scene that shows what a difference the
Doctor being female can be. Astos rebukes the Doctor for being selfish,
for wanting to reroute the Tsuranga, and the Doctor agrees, which is a
scene which works a lot better when the testosterone is removed.<br />
<br />
Jennifer Perrott is a good match for the material, giving the story the
sense of urgency it requires. There is only one major location, but the
imaginative design makes the story always interesting to watch. The
monster of the week is the adorable Pting and, if there's one shot which
truly makes the story, it's the look of joy on its face when it is
finally sated.<br />
<br />
"The Tsuranga Conundrum" may not be the most memorable story, but it
does show that, perhaps Chibnall does have it in him to run the
programme we love so much.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Demons of the Punjab"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-67348702645969640352018-11-04T14:04:00.000+00:002018-12-01T14:13:07.628+00:00"Arachnids in the UK"Undoubtedly the most purely enjoyable story that Chris Chibnall wrote for previous <i>Doctor Who</i>
administrations was "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship". Here, we are given a
similarly pulpy title, the irresistibly named "Arachnids in the UK"
which offers precisely what is indicated on the packaging. Again, there
are strong influences from the past, but not the obvious one – rather
than being invaders from Metebelis 3, the spiders have been mutated by
toxic waste accumulated by an unscrupulous company, which obviously
brings to mind <i>The Green Death</i>. The multi-legged menace leads to a
simple, yet effective plot with Dr Jade McIntyre’s (played by the
brilliantly named Tanya Fear) dialogue consisting almost entirely of
exposition. It does looks like we are due for another Chibnall cheat
ending, but the very obvious Chekhov’s gun is used well and the fact
that, in real life, spiders would not be able to survive beyond a
certain size is actually crucial to the plot. Again, there is some
clunkiness in the nuts and bolts dialogue – there is no need for a
character to say that a room looks like a bank vault when it is
immediately obvious to the viewer, for example.<br />
<br />
Chibnall’s characterisation is very important in making the story work.
Although it pales in comparison to Russell T Davies’s depictions of
family life, there is some good dialogue with Yas’s family who are
nicely drawn and very well acted – in particular, it is always good to
see Shobna Gulati. Again, Bradley Walsh’s depiction of loss is very
touching and Tosin Cole makes Ryan hugely watchable – whomsoever had the
idea for the shadow puppets deserves a drink! However, we have a boss
of the company, rather than a BOSS and we have the surprising casting of
Chris Noth, an American actor who is very much still bankable and
reminding us how much of a big deal <i>Doctor Who</i> is. I am not a fan of <i>Sex and the City</i>, but I am of <i>The Good Wife</i>,
in which he was excellent. Noth pitches the character perfectly, with
corporate American bluster moving into gun-nut fury with exactly the
right level of scenery chewing. There are parallels with the most
vicious, idiotic and incompetent occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
but, then again, Robertson is an intelligent and competent (if amoral
and ruthless) businessman who can string a sentence together! In
addition, he has genuine concern over his niece’s wife (played by the
even more brilliantly named Jaleh Alp). Noth's performance actually
works with the deficiencies in Chibnall's dialogue, so good an actor is
he – although he is helped by the fact that he seems less cartoonish
than the real life former host of the American <i>Apprentice</i>. The
budget would probably preclude it, but I would very much welcome a
return appearance. The Doctor is confused by basic domesticity, but
effortlessly stamps her authority on even Robertson and Jodie Whittaker
continues to be a delight.<br />
<br />
Sallie Aprahamian makes this into a very exciting and scary romp and the
spider effects are excellent, with the lighting perfect. Aprahamian
realises that a giant spider the size of a cat is far scarier than one
the size of a bath and I’m sure many people were scared to look under
their beds. The scene where Team TARDIS decide to stay has some very
dreary dialogue, but Aprahamian's direction and the great performances,
more than compensate for this.<br />
<br />
"Arachnids in the UK" is a very enjoyable romp that harks back to the
light touch of earlier eras. Any non-arachnophobes should have a blast!<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "The Tsuranga Conundrum"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-33862624123129019962018-10-28T12:18:00.001+00:002018-10-28T12:19:29.895+00:00"Rosa"<div class="MsoNormal">
I must admit that part of me was dreading "Rosa".
This century, <i>Doctor Who</i> has dealt
with various historical figures, but they were all extraordinary figures. Rosa
Parks, on the other hand was an ordinary person who did something
extraordinary. Anyone else on that bus could have refused to give up that seat,
but the fact that it was her made her a paradigm shifting heroine. This means
that, whilst it is alright for Charles Dickens to encounter the Gelth and for
William Shakespeare to battle the Carrionites, it would be inappropriate for
Rosa Parks to join the Doctor in battling an alien menace. This means that the
story is closer in spirit to the Hartnell era pure historicals than any other
story made in colour. There is, however, a science fiction menace, in the shape
of Krasko, but a major part of the story is keeping him out of Rosa’s way. This
does give this story a similar feel to a <i>Quantum
Leap</i> episode, which is no bad thing as few American programmes have aged as
well as the exploits of TV’s second favourite time-travelling doctor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The script could do with a couple more drafts, but, on its
own, it is a step above the previous weeks’. I am too old to have been part of
Malorie Blackman’s target audience, but it is clear that she is a very talented
writer. The (in hindsight) horror of segregated America is excellently brought
across and very few punches are pulled. A certain epithet which would have been
spat out like machine gun rounds is not uttered (although a similarly
derogatory one is used, in a wholly artistically justified way) and we are
spared the truly revolting details of how Emmet Till was murdered – yet the
violence and stupidity of the situation is vividly portrayed, from the moment
Ryan is slapped in the face for talking to a white woman in an act of kindness.
The struggle to put history back on course would be farcical, were it not for
the very serious stakes. The moment when the regulars realise that they have
become part of history is very moving. There is very strong material for the
characters, such as Yas and Ryan talking about the realities of race in modern
Britain and how much Rosa Parks’s story was instrumental in Graham’s relationship
with Ryan’s gran. On a lighter note, Ryan meeting Martin Luther King is very
well played and funny. Boldly, and yet bleakly, there is no arcane motive for
Krasko to change history – he is just a racist from the future. There are some
problems – the Doctor is a bit laissez-faire about Ryan going out on his own
after dark in a state where a black man’s life would be in danger after dark.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The good material for the regulars is bolstered by the cast.
Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh put in very impressive performances. The Doctor
has to be a bit more low-key and Jodie Whittaker retains a sense of fun whilst
realising the seriousness of the situation. As Mrs Parks herself, we have an
astonishing performance by Vinette Robinson in a controlled portrayal that dominates
the screen. Mark Tonderai is equally skilful directing a very different kind of
story from last week. One thing he brings out very well from the script is the
sheer convoluted idiocy in implementing segregation – paying at one door,
leaving and entering by another, moving the signs designating where certain
races should sit, the fact that laws governing black and white make no
allowance for the fact that the majority of people on the planet are neither.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The name of the story may hark back to the very first 21st
century <i>Doctor Who</i> story, but this is
unlike any other story broadcast in the past 13 years. Despite its flaws
"Rosa" is a very powerful piece of television that demands our
attention.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>NEXT: "Arachnids
in the UK"</i></div>
Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-89957236319666478022018-10-23T13:37:00.000+01:002018-10-23T13:38:44.946+01:00"The Ghost Monument""The Ghost Monument" can be seen as fulfilling the same function for
Chris Chibnall as "The End of the World" did for Russell T Davies – a
simple plot set in an extraordinary location, to plunge the companions
headlong into the alien. As with "The End of the World", the plot is
secondary to this aim, but, again, the fact that Chibnall is not the
writer that his predecessors are is evident. There are stretches of
clunky dialogue that would never have passed muster in previous years
and the story is haphazardly structured. The central plot of the race is
not a very engaging storyline, and, indeed, is not really presented
well as a race.<br />
<br />
With this in mind, the script is reinforced to a colossal degree by the
utterly stunning production. The South African locations are spectacular
and Mark Tonderai, gives the episode a very realistic feel by using
deliberately messy composiitions – the scene where the spaceship crashes
is a fantastic use of this technique. Tonderai also helps bring the
Revenants to life, a brilliantly simple monster, evocative of one of M R
James’s most famous tales that, unlike the tooth collection last time,
is terrifying without being inappropriate. We are finally reunited with
the TARDIS and the new set is spectacular. We also finally see the new
opening credits and they are a very nice change of pace from before,
with a fine arrangement by Segun Akinola.<br />
<br />
The half-baked writing for the supporting characters is compensated for
by some very nice performances. Shaun Dooley and Susan Lynch round out
their characters very well and it is always good to see Art Malik. The
best part of Chibnall’s writing is in fleshing out the regulars. We can
see the relationships developing nicely and the performances are spot
on. Indeed what Chibnall understands very well is the character of the
Doctor. The Doctor sizes up each sticky situation and works out a
brilliant solution and encourages her companions to use their skills and
knowledge to help. Jodie Whittaker completely sells us on the Doctor
and her joy at being reunited with the TARDIS is truly wonderful to
behold.<br />
<br />
Most importantly, despite its flaws, I had a blast watching the story – which is, of course the most important thing!<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "Rosa"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2842648002675205367.post-45673865606040205752018-10-15T13:58:00.001+01:002018-10-15T13:59:21.302+01:00"The Woman Who Fell to Earth"Make no mistake, "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" heralds the biggest reformatting of <i>Doctor Who</i> since <i>The Power of the Daleks</i>.
Apart from the casting of the first woman Doctor, the production team
has been completely overhauled but it is, of course, the casting of
Jodie Whittaker that has dominated the interest in this new era. <br />
<br />
Whilst I had no issue with a female Doctor and certainly none with
Whittaker’s casting, I did have an issue with the head writer. <i>Doctor Who</i>
has been very fortunate in being helmed by two of the best writers in
the world, Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat. It would be a bit unfair
and perhaps churlish to point out that Chris Chibnall is not in the same
league, as few are, but Chibnall is hardly a standout writer, when it
comes to <i>Doctor Who</i> alumni. Even in his great solo success of <i>Broadchurch</i>,
his writing is easily the weakest aspect. A lot of his writing, even
the borderline-great "The Power of Three", resolves the plot abruptly,
be it god-from-the-machine or rabbit-out-of-a-hat style. "The Woman Who
Fell to Earth", happily, does not do this, but it’s still clear that we
are in the hands of a lesser writer. There are some nicely evocative
speeches, but the nuts and bolts dialogue lacks polish and often resorts
to cliché – Russell T Davies could make a conversation about takeaway
pizza be funny and interesting. It was, perhaps, unfortunate that I had
recently watched the first two <i>Predator</i> films, as that made the
parallels with the Stenza 'Tim Shaw' even more obvious. This brings me
to the most troubling aspect – the corpse-mutilation is, in my opinion,
going a tiny bit too far for a family programme. I hope that the tone
meetings are no longer a thing of the past.<br />
<br />
Characterisation is not as rich as it was in previous eras, but we have
some excellent performances Tosin Cole is, practically, the lead
character in this episode and he is very charismatic. He is joined my
Mandip Gill’s strong, yet adorable Yasmin Khan, Bradley Walsh,
surprisingly understated and effective Graham, and it’s a pity that
Sharon D. Clarke’s Grace dies, given her sensitive performance. I must
also mention Karl, engagingly played by Johnny Dixon. Tim Shaw is, as
said, hardly an original foe, but Samuel Oatley attacks the part with
relish. However, it is clear who the star of the show is. Like Peter
Capaldi and Christopher Eccleston, she is a recognisable ‘name’ actor,
so I knew she had the ability. However, as with her predecessors, the
unique spin she gives on the role is something truly wonderful. Jodie
portrays the Doctor as an ancient soul who still finds delight in the
challenges the world throws at her. Perhaps it's just me, but it helps,
of course, that, with Capaldi’s costume on, she looks like what William
Hartnell would look like, if Hartnell were a beautiful young woman! <br />
<br />
Further helping the story is the excellent production. The pace is
slower than in previous eras and Jamie Childs does a great job in the
director’s chair – the initial manifestations seem genuinely alien and
inexplicable. Sheffield comes alive on screen as Cardiff has done
previously and the anamorphic lenses give the image more breadth. A
major change behind the scenes is the first new composer since the
programme’s revival. Segun Akinola’s incidental score is more ambient
than Murray Gold’s and, although I am very fond of Gold’s music,
Akinola’s arrangement of the theme tune is a vast improvement on the
terrible Capaldi version.<br />
<br />
I sincerely hope that Chibnall will be up to the formidable task, because the team he has assembled can clearly work wonders.<br />
<br />
<i>NEXT: "The Ghost Monument"</i>Crystal Bucket Majorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11024652626904834480noreply@blogger.com0