Ever since Steven Moffat was announced as showrunner, speculation was rife as to how he would continue to tell this story of a madman with a box. One subject that would crop up in discussion, is what a Moffat finale would be like- a trip into disquieting horror, a fiendishly clever puzzle-box of a plot, a spectacular showdown. What we got was better, even than this- a story that emphasises why the new teams in front of and behind the cameras are well up to the task, proving that they can forge their own style whilst still making the same programme that we know and love.
Moffat immediately grabs our attention with a dazzling opening that brings back many of the guest stars of the season making it probably the most star-studded eight minutes in British television history. From throughout human history the warning comes: the Pandorica is opening, the TARDIS will explode. The Pandorica is located underneath Stonehenge, which is being guarded by a Roman legion, with one very familiar centurion. When we find out that the Pandorica holds the most feared being in all the cosmos, it was obvious who the only candidate would be, even before the Doctor describes it, ‘soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies... One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.’ The Pandorica is a prison, but it hasn’t taken delivery of the prisoner yet- the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Nestene, the Sontarans and all the others have come to the same conclusion- the Doctor will destroy the Universe and the only way to stop him is to imprison him for all eternity. the Roman soldiers, including Rory, are Nestene duplicates and as Rory and Amy tearfully reunite, his Auton body kills her. The Pandorica opens, the Pandorica closes. However, the TARDIS has already gone critical and as Rory cradles the body of his beloved, the stars explode as the Earth swims alone in emptiness. The plot for "The Big Bang" seems obvious- resurrect Amy and rescue the Doctor, which is indeed what we get- in the first ten minutes for, as we have come to expect, Moffat makes the second part start slightly askew. We are presented with a reality where the universe consists of the Earth and little else, where penguins lived on the Nile and the orb in the sky is the TARDIS exploding. The Doctor breaks all the rules in this diminished reality to save his friends and take the Pandorica into the TARDIS so that he can restart the Universe.
These are some of the things that happen in the story. It is not, however, what it is about. It is a story about the memories that form our personal pasts. It is about how events do not make history on their own, but rely on how those events are recorded and told. It is about an imaginary friend being as important as a real person. It is a story about stories. The stories that the episodes tell are what bind the narrative together- the Myth of the Pandorica, the Legend of the Centurion, the Rageddy Doctor. Moffat’s writing is sublime with wonderful dialogue- ‘We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?’ and even a cheeky steal from Robin of Sherwood. There are still good jokes, such as the Doctor’s brief fez-wearing phase, but the drama is there in a tale of friendship, love and self-sacrifice. The plot is complex, but fortified with emotion. Many people criticised RTD’s ways of ending his stories (wrongly, in my opinion) and I would like to think that this is the reason why the resolution of the story is via the biggest reset button the programme has ever done. However, as anyone who really understands fiction knows, there are no inherently bad plot devices, just bad uses of them, and Moffat shows that the reset button can make for great drama, if the story is good enough. The stories are all channelled by Amelia Pond to save reality as we know it, and it is a simple cliché which saves the universe- ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.’ In a joyous moment, Amy’s imaginary friend arrives at her wedding. It was probably inevitable- a cosmos without The Doctor scarcely bears thinking about- but the sheer wonder of the moment is overpowering. Moffat wanted to make Doctor Who as a dark fairy tale- he succeeds admirably.
Calling the shots immaculately is Toby Haynes who gives the story a suitably epic feel. There are almost too many memorable scenes to list, but special mention must be given to possibly the greatest scene involving a Cyberman, that channels Indiana Jones, The Thing and Evil Dead 2 to great effect. There are also the spectacular scenes of the spaceships over Stonehenge, the Dalek begging River for mercy, the beautiful unlocking of the Pandorica. The quieter moments are also expertly handled with the help of a fantastic cast. We have startling performances from Arthur Darvill (who makes a triumphant and very welcome return) and (as expected) Alex Kingston, as well as the return of the adorable Caitlin Blackwood, but it is the regulars who stand out most. Karen Gillan is front and centre for many scenes and she attacks them with relish. As for our leading man- wow. Whether running around with a fez and a mop or bellowing at several fleets of spacecraft, Matt commands our attention throughout. The quiet scenes show him at his best, investing them with great power- when he says to Amy that she will not need her imaginary friend when she had her family, I very nearly cried (but obviously, I didn’t. I am a man, after all). This is one of the greatest performances in the role to date and I hope that all the naysayers are silenced.
The Moffat era has started in fine form with an excellent season. Unexpectedly, although the cracks have closed, the mystery of the Silence- and who is responsible for taking over the TARDIS- are questions still unanswered, not to mention the truth about River. The next series can’t come fast enough.
NEXT: "A Christmas Carol"
Showing posts with label Autons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Autons. Show all posts
Friday, 2 July 2010
Saturday, 3 October 2009
"Rose"
We open in space and bear down upon Earth at frightening speed- to end up looking at the face of an alarm clock. This leads to a high-octane montage of a day in the life of Rose Tyler, a normal every-day girl who has something very unusual happen to her that changes her life forever. Ladies and gentlemen, Doctor Who is back!
The story is very easy to follow, which makes it difficult to appreciate how incredibly skilful the writing is. The ‘threat’ in the story is the Nestene Intelligence and the Autons, who are again brought back to usher in a new era. However, we never see how they invaded and we never get scenes of them plotting. They appear as an inexplicable menace, as they should to the average person. For this story is called Rose for a reason- she is the average person who has to be introduced to a legend that has lasted for 40 years. The characters that populate this story are real, from Rose's mother Jackie, who is obsessed with getting compensation for Rose to Clive, a very sympathetic portrayal of a conspiracy freak. This is due, in a large way, to Russell T Davies. What is rarely appreciated is his deep understanding of the programme, which led him to start the relaunch of the series with such a low-key tale- yet "An Unearthly Child" was similarly low-key, which made it all the more effective. The council-estate setting is also redolent of Survival. Davies not only understands what made the original series work, but knows how to reinterpret that for the 21st century. The story is helped, of course, by Davies’s phenomenal skills as a writer, writing dialogue that is realistic, funny and evocative. We can also see how acceptable subjects for family television have changed- ‘he’s gay and she’s an alien’, ‘kit-off!’ and references to breast implants would have been unthinkable in the original programme!
The look of the series is, of course completely different to anything that has gone before- the programme is now in widescreen and has a filmic look. The editing is frenetic as is the pace. Keith Boak directs with aplomb, although he would be quickly outclassed by other directors. The production values are all phenomenal from the headless Auton Mickey to the wonderful new TARDIS set.
Russell T Davies is a very highly respected name in television, which is why he was able to get one of the finest British actors to play the Doctor. Christopher Eccleston is unlike any Doctor previously seen, but we are seeing the character in a way we haven’t really seen him since Spearhead from Space- a force of nature that occasionally stops to chat. The Doctor is manic, sometimes absent minded, funny, but possessing deep wisdom and intelligence and Eccleston is instantly effective in the role. However, this story is called "Rose" and it is Billie Piper who is the real lead player. It seems hard to believe the incredulity her casting caused, but it is easy to believe the complete evaporation of that bad feeling that occurred after the episode aired. Piper exudes star quality and talent from the start and it is clear that a great Doctor/Companion dynamic has started. The supporting cast are great, with Camille Coduri being great fun as Jackie and Noel Clarke making Mickey very real, and a complete plonker!
Doctor Who is unique and some would say an acquired taste. It is an easy taste to acquire, however, provided the right starter is presented- and this hugely entertaining 45 minutes truly whets the appetite.
NEXT: "The End of the World"
The story is very easy to follow, which makes it difficult to appreciate how incredibly skilful the writing is. The ‘threat’ in the story is the Nestene Intelligence and the Autons, who are again brought back to usher in a new era. However, we never see how they invaded and we never get scenes of them plotting. They appear as an inexplicable menace, as they should to the average person. For this story is called Rose for a reason- she is the average person who has to be introduced to a legend that has lasted for 40 years. The characters that populate this story are real, from Rose's mother Jackie, who is obsessed with getting compensation for Rose to Clive, a very sympathetic portrayal of a conspiracy freak. This is due, in a large way, to Russell T Davies. What is rarely appreciated is his deep understanding of the programme, which led him to start the relaunch of the series with such a low-key tale- yet "An Unearthly Child" was similarly low-key, which made it all the more effective. The council-estate setting is also redolent of Survival. Davies not only understands what made the original series work, but knows how to reinterpret that for the 21st century. The story is helped, of course, by Davies’s phenomenal skills as a writer, writing dialogue that is realistic, funny and evocative. We can also see how acceptable subjects for family television have changed- ‘he’s gay and she’s an alien’, ‘kit-off!’ and references to breast implants would have been unthinkable in the original programme!
The look of the series is, of course completely different to anything that has gone before- the programme is now in widescreen and has a filmic look. The editing is frenetic as is the pace. Keith Boak directs with aplomb, although he would be quickly outclassed by other directors. The production values are all phenomenal from the headless Auton Mickey to the wonderful new TARDIS set.
Russell T Davies is a very highly respected name in television, which is why he was able to get one of the finest British actors to play the Doctor. Christopher Eccleston is unlike any Doctor previously seen, but we are seeing the character in a way we haven’t really seen him since Spearhead from Space- a force of nature that occasionally stops to chat. The Doctor is manic, sometimes absent minded, funny, but possessing deep wisdom and intelligence and Eccleston is instantly effective in the role. However, this story is called "Rose" and it is Billie Piper who is the real lead player. It seems hard to believe the incredulity her casting caused, but it is easy to believe the complete evaporation of that bad feeling that occurred after the episode aired. Piper exudes star quality and talent from the start and it is clear that a great Doctor/Companion dynamic has started. The supporting cast are great, with Camille Coduri being great fun as Jackie and Noel Clarke making Mickey very real, and a complete plonker!
Doctor Who is unique and some would say an acquired taste. It is an easy taste to acquire, however, provided the right starter is presented- and this hugely entertaining 45 minutes truly whets the appetite.
NEXT: "The End of the World"
Monday, 15 December 2008
Terror of the Autons
The Autons are back for the start of Season 8, but they're not alone, for they are in league with the Master- a Time Lord who is a contemporary of the Doctor's. Not only have the Doctor and UNIT got to fight to stave off the invasion, but the Doctor has to deal with a very personal threat to himself from the rival Time Lord.
It is interesting that the Autons have never been the sole headliner in their own stories. In their first story, they had to share the spotlight with a brand new Doctor and, when Doctor Who was relaunched in 2005, they not only had to do that, but had to be part of the relaunch of the programme for a whole new generation. Here, they headline with the show's first recurring villain. However, to compensate, the scope of the Nestene's control of plastic has been widened. Now, anything made of plastic can be animated. We see a man being smothered by a plastic chair, a 'devil doll' coming to life and killing and plastic daffodils that squirt a plastic that hardens over the nose and mouth, suffocating the victim. The Autons themselves have been redesigned, with horrible featureless faces. The obvious aim of all this was to make children wary of every plastic object around them and each set piece is very effective, being set up merely to shock and succeeding admirably.
The story is impressive visually, with each of the aforementioned set pieces being expertly constructed and shot, with some very impressive stunt work (in one case, very impressive indeed and blatantly a stunt that went wrong but, mercifully, did not result in serious injury). The image of Autons dressed in identical smiley face costumes is very memorable. However, there is a real over reliance on CSO, being used, sometimes arbitrarily, in the place of sets.
Robert Holmes's script is very effective and we see the first real instance of his gift for character. He makes sure that all the characters have personalities- for example, the technician Goodge, whose only dramatic function is to be killed by the Master, is given a few lines bemoaning the contents of his packed lunch. There is no reason why the Master should start his operations at a circus, but the story is all the better for it, providing an interesting backdrop and adding character colour. The script does fail in the dénouement, however, with the Doctor pointing out to the Master that the Nestene will eventually betray him and the Master acting like he had never thought of that.
Roger Delgado is instantly effective as the Master, radiating charm (in every sense of the word) and menace in an immediately captivating performance. Pertwee and Courtney do their usual sterling work, ably supported by Levene. However, this story is also important for the addition of Katy Manning as Jo Grant. Jo is appealingly scatty and almost child-like, a complete contrast to Liz (who has abruptly left prior to this adventure). Her chemistry with Pertwee is instant and she is very appealing in this story.
Terror of the Autons is markedly different in tone from the previous season. The tone is effectively set in the Doctor's first scene- singing "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", whereupon there is a bang and some smoke. The tone is lighter and more simplistic than the previous season- but that is by no means a wrong turn in the direction of the programme. Terror of the Autons is great fun throughout and comes highly recommended.
NEXT: The Mind of Evil
It is interesting that the Autons have never been the sole headliner in their own stories. In their first story, they had to share the spotlight with a brand new Doctor and, when Doctor Who was relaunched in 2005, they not only had to do that, but had to be part of the relaunch of the programme for a whole new generation. Here, they headline with the show's first recurring villain. However, to compensate, the scope of the Nestene's control of plastic has been widened. Now, anything made of plastic can be animated. We see a man being smothered by a plastic chair, a 'devil doll' coming to life and killing and plastic daffodils that squirt a plastic that hardens over the nose and mouth, suffocating the victim. The Autons themselves have been redesigned, with horrible featureless faces. The obvious aim of all this was to make children wary of every plastic object around them and each set piece is very effective, being set up merely to shock and succeeding admirably.
The story is impressive visually, with each of the aforementioned set pieces being expertly constructed and shot, with some very impressive stunt work (in one case, very impressive indeed and blatantly a stunt that went wrong but, mercifully, did not result in serious injury). The image of Autons dressed in identical smiley face costumes is very memorable. However, there is a real over reliance on CSO, being used, sometimes arbitrarily, in the place of sets.
Robert Holmes's script is very effective and we see the first real instance of his gift for character. He makes sure that all the characters have personalities- for example, the technician Goodge, whose only dramatic function is to be killed by the Master, is given a few lines bemoaning the contents of his packed lunch. There is no reason why the Master should start his operations at a circus, but the story is all the better for it, providing an interesting backdrop and adding character colour. The script does fail in the dénouement, however, with the Doctor pointing out to the Master that the Nestene will eventually betray him and the Master acting like he had never thought of that.
Roger Delgado is instantly effective as the Master, radiating charm (in every sense of the word) and menace in an immediately captivating performance. Pertwee and Courtney do their usual sterling work, ably supported by Levene. However, this story is also important for the addition of Katy Manning as Jo Grant. Jo is appealingly scatty and almost child-like, a complete contrast to Liz (who has abruptly left prior to this adventure). Her chemistry with Pertwee is instant and she is very appealing in this story.
Terror of the Autons is markedly different in tone from the previous season. The tone is effectively set in the Doctor's first scene- singing "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", whereupon there is a bang and some smoke. The tone is lighter and more simplistic than the previous season- but that is by no means a wrong turn in the direction of the programme. Terror of the Autons is great fun throughout and comes highly recommended.
NEXT: The Mind of Evil
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Spearhead from Space
When the Doctor returned to our screens, it was, make no mistake, a very drastic reformatting of the programme. For now, the programme was in colour with a brand new star. There was no travelling through time and space- the TARDIS interior was not seen at all in the new season. In fact, the only things anchoring it with the series broadcast six months previously were the police box and the familiar theme tune.
In fact, Spearhead from Space stands out from Doctor Who as a whole. Until the 1996 TV Movie, this was the only story to be made entirely on film. What’s more, the story is shot very cinematically- scenes with the Brigadier facing reporters are shot hand-held and there is a sublime tracking shot when the Brig and Captain Munro are walking down a corridor. Derek Martinus’s accomplished direction makes this one of the most visually striking Doctor Who stories of all time. Robert Holmes’s script has to deal, not only with an alien menace, but with introducing a new version of the main character. The story is very simple and very economically done, due to having to deal with both these requirements in less than 100 minutes, which means that there is hardly any padding in the story at all. The Nestene and the Autons are a bit similar to the Great Intelligence and the Yeti, especially as both seem to like using spheres to contain intelligence. However, the Autons have an iconic look of their own and shop window dummies coming to life is clearly the stuff of nightmares. The very subtle, but extremely effective touch of giving the facsimile Autons slightly glistening faces is inspired. The ending is a bit rushed, but manages to just about work.
However, this is also the debut for Jon Pertwee as the Doctor and he instantly pulls the viewer in. The introduction of the character is far more non verbal than with Patrick Troughton with many of Pertwee’s early scenes being physical in nature, very appropriate for this more action orientated Doctor. Caroline John makes an instant impression as Liz Shaw, probably the most ‘adult’ female companion since Barbara. One minor irritation is that she is constantly called ‘Miss Shaw’ as opposed to ‘Dr. Shaw’ but there is no real sexism in the character- probably because the producers were not consciously trying to deal with it. The Brigadier is back, played excellently by Nicholas Courtney as usual. There is a very interesting dynamic between the Brigadier and Liz in this story- at first, Liz is a sceptic and the Brigadier has to convince her. The supporting cast is sound, in general, with a stand-out performance by Hugh Burden as the facsimile Channing, a very spooky performance.
This is an iconic and exciting story and a great introduction for the new Doctor.
NEXT: Doctor Who and the Silurians
In fact, Spearhead from Space stands out from Doctor Who as a whole. Until the 1996 TV Movie, this was the only story to be made entirely on film. What’s more, the story is shot very cinematically- scenes with the Brigadier facing reporters are shot hand-held and there is a sublime tracking shot when the Brig and Captain Munro are walking down a corridor. Derek Martinus’s accomplished direction makes this one of the most visually striking Doctor Who stories of all time. Robert Holmes’s script has to deal, not only with an alien menace, but with introducing a new version of the main character. The story is very simple and very economically done, due to having to deal with both these requirements in less than 100 minutes, which means that there is hardly any padding in the story at all. The Nestene and the Autons are a bit similar to the Great Intelligence and the Yeti, especially as both seem to like using spheres to contain intelligence. However, the Autons have an iconic look of their own and shop window dummies coming to life is clearly the stuff of nightmares. The very subtle, but extremely effective touch of giving the facsimile Autons slightly glistening faces is inspired. The ending is a bit rushed, but manages to just about work.
However, this is also the debut for Jon Pertwee as the Doctor and he instantly pulls the viewer in. The introduction of the character is far more non verbal than with Patrick Troughton with many of Pertwee’s early scenes being physical in nature, very appropriate for this more action orientated Doctor. Caroline John makes an instant impression as Liz Shaw, probably the most ‘adult’ female companion since Barbara. One minor irritation is that she is constantly called ‘Miss Shaw’ as opposed to ‘Dr. Shaw’ but there is no real sexism in the character- probably because the producers were not consciously trying to deal with it. The Brigadier is back, played excellently by Nicholas Courtney as usual. There is a very interesting dynamic between the Brigadier and Liz in this story- at first, Liz is a sceptic and the Brigadier has to convince her. The supporting cast is sound, in general, with a stand-out performance by Hugh Burden as the facsimile Channing, a very spooky performance.
This is an iconic and exciting story and a great introduction for the new Doctor.
NEXT: Doctor Who and the Silurians
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