Shada is a tricky one to review as, obviously, what we are looking at is very much unfinished. Because bits of it were never shot it is hard to get a sense of the pacing and coherence of the thing. However, it is still possible to watch it and get a sense of the story, which is why I have decided to include it in my retrospective, in spite of the fact that it was never broadcast.
Shada was, in a sense, the end of an era and probably would have been (stylistically) the definitive example of the Douglas Adams era. The script would be instantly recognisable as Adams’ work even if it wasn’t reused seven years later as the basis for Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (the similarities are even more pronounced than in City of Death, with entire scenes being reproduced almost verbatim). As it stands, the script is a good one. It takes an idea- a scientist who wants to be God and runs away with it, with some inspired concepts such as the mind-stealing sphere and a spaceship computer that nigh-on worships its master. There is a good deal of the comedy characteristic of the era, but a fair bit of it is funny, fortunately. The dialogue is good throughout with a few exceptions: ‘They stole our brains!’ is never a good line, no matter how necessary to the plot it is. The characterisation is reasonably good, even though the key characters of Chris Parsons and Clare Keightley aren’t exactly fleshed out- apart from Arthur Dent, Adams was never very good at making his everyman characters three dimensional. However, we have the wonderful character of Professor Chronotis and the insanely arrogant and ruthless Skagra to keep our attention. The script seems to justify the length of six episodes, which is pleasantly surprising.
The standard of the production is hard to judge, as only one of the studio sessions were made, giving the studio scenes a very uniform look. However, the location scenes in Cambridge are wonderful and the Professor’s study is a fantastic set. Pennant Roberts puts in some fantastic work behind the camera (something I’d never thought I’d type)- of special note is the opening scene, where the camera circles round the seated figures of the Think Tank, which is intercut with a countdown in Roman numerals. The Krarg is a wonderfully realised monster, making a strong impression even in its brief appearance on the surviving footage. The performances are excellent, with Denis Carey being wonderful as Chronotis and Christopher Neame’s Nordic glower being used to good effect as Skagra. Tom Baker and Lalla Ward are clearly invigorated by this story and perform excellently.
Shada would not have been the best story of the season, but it would certainly have been very memorable if it had been completed. What is left of it can actually be enjoyed as a story and it is a real pity that it was not allowed to rescue what was the weakest run of Doctor Who stories for some time.
NEXT: The Leisure Hive
Showing posts with label Graham Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Graham Williams. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Monday, 1 June 2009
The Horns of Nimon
The Horns of Nimon follows in the far-from-august footsteps of Underworld, in taking inspiration from Greek myth. This time, the unfortunate Hellenic tradition to be so honoured is the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Again, the script is not a completely uninspired reworking of the story. The Nimon are not a race insincerely promising to grant their knowledge to a benevolent but naïve population, but to the remnants of an empire that will use that knowledge to conquer and subdue. The idea on the Nimon as ‘space locusts’ is also a good one and the fact that the ‘labyrinth’ in the story is actually a circuit to channel the energy in the Power Complex is intriguing. However, the script as a whole lacks the verve that is required to make it truly memorable and lacks the payoff that it should have had.
However, that is the beginning of the problems of the story. The set design is tepid, as is the costume design. The Nimon costumes consist of bull masks, lycra bodysuits and platform boots, which means the actors wearing them have to walk in a ridiculous way to stop themselves from falling over. This is a pity, as their voices are fantastic. Kenny McBain’s visual direction is totally uninspired- at no point does he convey the ‘labyrinth’ as even a maze, let alone a shifting circuit. The performances are very disappointing- Simon Gipps-Kent is totally unconvincing as Seth (Theseus) and Janet Ellis (for whom it is mandatory for British men over 40 to have had a crush on) shows that she was no great shakes as an actress. But, of course, there is one performance that everyone remembers. Graham Crowden is...unforgettable as Soldeed, but, it has to be noted, although he is florid and sometimes completely over the top, it is not a bad performance- in fact it is one of the few things that makes the story worth watching. The regulars seem to be enjoying themselves and Tom Baker and Lalla Ward put in good performances throughout.
The main problem with the story is tone. Apologists will claim that it is not meant to be taken seriously, yet it seemed to me that the story does exactly that, but has bizarre moments of silliness, the worst of which is when the TARDIS breaks down, making a sound that makes use of every sound effect in the Goon Show arsenal. As with many stories in this season, there are ‘jokes’ but the only time I actually laughed was whenever the Skonnan Co-Pilot hisses ‘Weakling scum!’ as the Anethans. Some have pointed to the broadcast date have stated that this is Doctor Who the pantomime but, unless you were shouting out ‘he’s behind you’ in the scene where the Doctor and co are hiding in plain sight from a Nimon, the story has little to offer as festive entertainment.
In the end, this is a story that, were it not for one very entertaining performance, would be dull in the extreme.
NEXT: Shada
However, that is the beginning of the problems of the story. The set design is tepid, as is the costume design. The Nimon costumes consist of bull masks, lycra bodysuits and platform boots, which means the actors wearing them have to walk in a ridiculous way to stop themselves from falling over. This is a pity, as their voices are fantastic. Kenny McBain’s visual direction is totally uninspired- at no point does he convey the ‘labyrinth’ as even a maze, let alone a shifting circuit. The performances are very disappointing- Simon Gipps-Kent is totally unconvincing as Seth (Theseus) and Janet Ellis (for whom it is mandatory for British men over 40 to have had a crush on) shows that she was no great shakes as an actress. But, of course, there is one performance that everyone remembers. Graham Crowden is...unforgettable as Soldeed, but, it has to be noted, although he is florid and sometimes completely over the top, it is not a bad performance- in fact it is one of the few things that makes the story worth watching. The regulars seem to be enjoying themselves and Tom Baker and Lalla Ward put in good performances throughout.
The main problem with the story is tone. Apologists will claim that it is not meant to be taken seriously, yet it seemed to me that the story does exactly that, but has bizarre moments of silliness, the worst of which is when the TARDIS breaks down, making a sound that makes use of every sound effect in the Goon Show arsenal. As with many stories in this season, there are ‘jokes’ but the only time I actually laughed was whenever the Skonnan Co-Pilot hisses ‘Weakling scum!’ as the Anethans. Some have pointed to the broadcast date have stated that this is Doctor Who the pantomime but, unless you were shouting out ‘he’s behind you’ in the scene where the Doctor and co are hiding in plain sight from a Nimon, the story has little to offer as festive entertainment.
In the end, this is a story that, were it not for one very entertaining performance, would be dull in the extreme.
NEXT: Shada
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Nightmare of Eden
Bob Baker’s name looks very lonely in the credit sequence without the ‘and Dave Martin’ but his first solo script is probably the best he has been involved with for the programme. There are very imaginative ideas- conservation involving storing whole ecosystems on a ‘Continual Event Transmuter’, narcotics that are formed from the decay of an alien’s body and ‘warp’ flight causing two ships to become embedded in each other. The characters are believable and act in interesting ways, even if some are not that well drawn. The villains are not truly evil- Tryst has turned to drug-running to finance his conservation efforts and Dymond is more worthy of contempt than hatred. There is some excellent dialogue and the fact that the plot revolves around an ongoing crisis gives it a sense of urgency. The narcotics plotline is dealt with in a genuinely adult way- although it’s hardly Traffik or The Wire, the plot doesn’t merely broadcast the message that ‘drugs are bad’; instead it shows what motivates people to deal in them and how willing they are to deny their responsibility for the destruction of lives the that drug trade brings.
As many have said before me, BakerMartin scripts wildly overestimated what was possible on Doctor Who’s budget. This is not the case with this script, where the script demands nothing unrealistic from the budget. However, tragically, this story was evidently allocated a far smaller budget than was usual. The sets are hardly the best the programme have had- a special dishonourable mention must be given to the ‘economy class’ section of the ship, which is just a room with chairs in it. The other sets are more convincing, but it is very obvious that there aren’t many of them. The only reasonably good set is the one for the Eden environment in the CET. Then there are the monsters. The Mandrels look pretty ridiculous even before you see that they have flared legs (1979 is a bit late for flares, surely?)
The main problem with the story is the direction and, it should be said at the start, this is not director Alan Bromly’s fault. He clearly knows what to do with the camera and has an idea who the characters are and how they should interact. However, the very tight budget obviously meant the actors were under-rehearsed and there were clearly few, if any, retakes- something that is obvious in the number of fluffs and the set wobbles (nothing like as common an occurrence in the programme as a whole as lazy commentators would have you think) and monster costumes not zipping up at the back etc. The story was, in fact, produced in a similar way to the Hartnell episodes without the production team having the experience and skill of working within those restraints. Had the story been given the same level of attention as, say, Planet of Evil, this story would have been seen as a classic.
The cast is rather good, in spite of the rushed execution of the story. David Daker does good work as Captain Rigg and conveys as effectively as a family programme can a man going through a high, a comedown and withdrawal. Geoffrey Hinsliff is wonderfully officious as Fisk. Lewis Fiander’s performance as Tryst is watchable, but his attempt to do a futuristic ‘Creole European’ accent unfortunately reminds me of Stephen Fry’s Eastern European characters in A Bit of Fry and Laurie- I was half expecting Tryst to exclaim ‘You are shatting right that is what I am going to do!’ The regulars are excellent, with Tom Baker being clearly invigorated by the script and Lalla Ward ably assisting.
It’s cheap and shabby but if you forgive the many production disasters, there is an excellent story to be found here.
NEXT: The Horns of Nimon
As many have said before me, BakerMartin scripts wildly overestimated what was possible on Doctor Who’s budget. This is not the case with this script, where the script demands nothing unrealistic from the budget. However, tragically, this story was evidently allocated a far smaller budget than was usual. The sets are hardly the best the programme have had- a special dishonourable mention must be given to the ‘economy class’ section of the ship, which is just a room with chairs in it. The other sets are more convincing, but it is very obvious that there aren’t many of them. The only reasonably good set is the one for the Eden environment in the CET. Then there are the monsters. The Mandrels look pretty ridiculous even before you see that they have flared legs (1979 is a bit late for flares, surely?)
The main problem with the story is the direction and, it should be said at the start, this is not director Alan Bromly’s fault. He clearly knows what to do with the camera and has an idea who the characters are and how they should interact. However, the very tight budget obviously meant the actors were under-rehearsed and there were clearly few, if any, retakes- something that is obvious in the number of fluffs and the set wobbles (nothing like as common an occurrence in the programme as a whole as lazy commentators would have you think) and monster costumes not zipping up at the back etc. The story was, in fact, produced in a similar way to the Hartnell episodes without the production team having the experience and skill of working within those restraints. Had the story been given the same level of attention as, say, Planet of Evil, this story would have been seen as a classic.
The cast is rather good, in spite of the rushed execution of the story. David Daker does good work as Captain Rigg and conveys as effectively as a family programme can a man going through a high, a comedown and withdrawal. Geoffrey Hinsliff is wonderfully officious as Fisk. Lewis Fiander’s performance as Tryst is watchable, but his attempt to do a futuristic ‘Creole European’ accent unfortunately reminds me of Stephen Fry’s Eastern European characters in A Bit of Fry and Laurie- I was half expecting Tryst to exclaim ‘You are shatting right that is what I am going to do!’ The regulars are excellent, with Tom Baker being clearly invigorated by the script and Lalla Ward ably assisting.
It’s cheap and shabby but if you forgive the many production disasters, there is an excellent story to be found here.
NEXT: The Horns of Nimon
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
The Creature from the Pit
Season 17 moves from art to arse in with the dread coming of The Creature from the Pit. The production is not a resounding success by any standard, but it is the script which is the real reason why this story is so awful. The premise is not a bad one- the planet Chloris is rich in vegetation (David Fisher obviously following the Terry Nation school of planetary nomenclature) but lacking in metallic ores. The only mine on the planet is owned by the Lady Adrasta and Chloris is kept at a mediæval level of development and bandits roam the land scavenging and killing for metal. Adrasta protects her monopoly ruthlessly and condemns dissenters by throwing them into the Pit to the dreaded Creature. However, the creature is not a monster, but Erato, ambassador from the planet Typhonus, which has little vegetation but has a great deal of metallic ore.
There are some nice concepts, like the egg-like Tythonian ship and Erato's method of communication. However, this is one of the very rare stories where a simple plot has been padded to bursting point and still fails to make it to four episodes, meaning that a second ending has to be clumsily grafted on. The second ending consists entirely of technobabble and mediocre special effects, which is about the worst thing it could have done dramatically- it is comprehensible, but is disconnected with most of the story preceding it, making it very unsatisfying. This is not helped by the fact that the preceding storyline is full of wandering around caves, McGuffins being lost or stolen and very basic characterisation.
Christopher Barry fights valiantly to make the story at least watchable, but he fights a losing battle. There are some nice sets, but the costumes are mainly leftovers from other BBC productions and Adrasta looks like a character from a children's version of Derek Jarman's Jubilee. Worst of all is the realisation of Erato, a giant green bin-liner with some very dodgy looking appendages in various states of tumescence. The nadir of the story (and possibly the entire programme since The Time Monster) has Tom Baker actually blowing into one of these protuberances. There is a time and a place for such visual images and, however open one's mind is, this isn't it.
The cast is either bland or overwrought, with Myra Frances strangely wavering between totally convincing as a ruthless grandee and a woman pretending to be a pantomime dame. The bandits are inexplicably attired as cavemen, but talk like low-rent Fagins, which borderlines on the offensive. The only decent performances are the, always watchable, Eileen Way and Geoffrey Bayldon's entertaining Organon. Tom Baker and Lalla Ward are clearly as unimpressed as the viewer and seem only to be interested in mollifying their own irritation.
This is road accident Doctor Who- if you do watch it, it's hard to take your eyes off it, but you still want to avoid it at all costs.
NEXT: Nightmare of Eden
There are some nice concepts, like the egg-like Tythonian ship and Erato's method of communication. However, this is one of the very rare stories where a simple plot has been padded to bursting point and still fails to make it to four episodes, meaning that a second ending has to be clumsily grafted on. The second ending consists entirely of technobabble and mediocre special effects, which is about the worst thing it could have done dramatically- it is comprehensible, but is disconnected with most of the story preceding it, making it very unsatisfying. This is not helped by the fact that the preceding storyline is full of wandering around caves, McGuffins being lost or stolen and very basic characterisation.
Christopher Barry fights valiantly to make the story at least watchable, but he fights a losing battle. There are some nice sets, but the costumes are mainly leftovers from other BBC productions and Adrasta looks like a character from a children's version of Derek Jarman's Jubilee. Worst of all is the realisation of Erato, a giant green bin-liner with some very dodgy looking appendages in various states of tumescence. The nadir of the story (and possibly the entire programme since The Time Monster) has Tom Baker actually blowing into one of these protuberances. There is a time and a place for such visual images and, however open one's mind is, this isn't it.
The cast is either bland or overwrought, with Myra Frances strangely wavering between totally convincing as a ruthless grandee and a woman pretending to be a pantomime dame. The bandits are inexplicably attired as cavemen, but talk like low-rent Fagins, which borderlines on the offensive. The only decent performances are the, always watchable, Eileen Way and Geoffrey Bayldon's entertaining Organon. Tom Baker and Lalla Ward are clearly as unimpressed as the viewer and seem only to be interested in mollifying their own irritation.
This is road accident Doctor Who- if you do watch it, it's hard to take your eyes off it, but you still want to avoid it at all costs.
NEXT: Nightmare of Eden
Monday, 25 May 2009
City of Death
If there is one story that justifies the appointment of Douglas Adams as script editor, it is this one. It is one of those stories which I have lost count of the number of times I have seen, and it is a pleasure to revisit it. The plot itself is rather good (in fact, Adams would shamelessly reuse it in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency!) but it is only the skeleton on which a truly wonderful script has been built. The dialogue is as sharp as a sushi knife, with quotable lines being spouted at every turn. The characters are well drawn and believable. Best of all, the humour is actually funny, rather than the clumsy attempts at hilarity in Destiny of the Daleks. As I have said before, Adams does get his science wrong sometimes, but not in a really egregious way.
However, great scripts have been let down before by inadequate realisation, so it was thankful that this story benefited from Doctor Who’s first ever foreign location shoot. The Parisian locations are beautifully shot and add an ambience that permeates the other scenes (helped by the fantastic set designs). Michael Hayes again worked with film cameraman John Walker, who has a great talent for getting very beautiful shots on 16mm film (as previously seen in The Androids of Tara) and his talent behind the camera is very much in evidence throughout. Hayes makes this story one of the most gorgeous ever made. The production is excellent throughout with some very imaginative sets and model work. Even Dudley Simpson is drawn out of the rut of woodwind flatulence he has been caught in and contributes a beautiful score- I always felt Simpson was happier with a keyboard than an orchestra.
He is helped, of course, by a superlative guest cast. The team of Tom Baker and Lalla Ward really come into their own here and their performances are truly joyous, getting everything possible out of the wonderful script and clearly having the time of their lives. Julian Glover returns to Doctor Who in the role of Scaroth the Jagaroth in all his human guises. Glover makes Scaroth a chilling alien monster, urbane gentleman thief, aristocrat and desperate survivor and makes them all believable as being part of the same character. He is ably supported by Catherine Schell as his wife, willingly taking on the role as consort to a thief and murderer (incidentally, to address all you wags out there, if Scaroth can make a human mask with blinking eyes, facial expression and believable hair, a convincing willy would not have been beyond him!) Tom Chadbon is great as the clueless, violent, but otherwise good-egg, Duggan and, indeed, every role is brilliantly played, even a great little performance from Peter Halliday as the guard in Leonardo's study. Then there are the two art critics…
This is truly unmissable Doctor Who- but then, you probably guessed that already!
NEXT: The Creature from the Pit
However, great scripts have been let down before by inadequate realisation, so it was thankful that this story benefited from Doctor Who’s first ever foreign location shoot. The Parisian locations are beautifully shot and add an ambience that permeates the other scenes (helped by the fantastic set designs). Michael Hayes again worked with film cameraman John Walker, who has a great talent for getting very beautiful shots on 16mm film (as previously seen in The Androids of Tara) and his talent behind the camera is very much in evidence throughout. Hayes makes this story one of the most gorgeous ever made. The production is excellent throughout with some very imaginative sets and model work. Even Dudley Simpson is drawn out of the rut of woodwind flatulence he has been caught in and contributes a beautiful score- I always felt Simpson was happier with a keyboard than an orchestra.
He is helped, of course, by a superlative guest cast. The team of Tom Baker and Lalla Ward really come into their own here and their performances are truly joyous, getting everything possible out of the wonderful script and clearly having the time of their lives. Julian Glover returns to Doctor Who in the role of Scaroth the Jagaroth in all his human guises. Glover makes Scaroth a chilling alien monster, urbane gentleman thief, aristocrat and desperate survivor and makes them all believable as being part of the same character. He is ably supported by Catherine Schell as his wife, willingly taking on the role as consort to a thief and murderer (incidentally, to address all you wags out there, if Scaroth can make a human mask with blinking eyes, facial expression and believable hair, a convincing willy would not have been beyond him!) Tom Chadbon is great as the clueless, violent, but otherwise good-egg, Duggan and, indeed, every role is brilliantly played, even a great little performance from Peter Halliday as the guard in Leonardo's study. Then there are the two art critics…
This is truly unmissable Doctor Who- but then, you probably guessed that already!
NEXT: The Creature from the Pit
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Destiny of the Daleks
Terry Nation’s final contribution to Doctor Who has a very simple premise. The Daleks are locked in a stalemate with another race, the Movellans and are looking for a way to break it- as are their enemies. To do this, they are looking for Davros, who has been in suspended animation since the events of Genesis of the Daleks. This is a good enough premise, which alone makes it more worthwhile than Planet of the Daleks. However, the problem is there is very little more to the script than its ‘high concept’ summary and it is mercilessly padded with repetition, captures and repetition. The only line of dialogue I can remember is ‘Oh look! Rocks!’ and the characterisation is practically non-existent. Douglas Adams puts in some jokes to liven the script, but they hardly raise a chuckle and sometimes work against the story- it is unwise to mock the apparent limitations of the Daleks in the script, for example. The guest performances are adequate, with the most memorable roles being the Movellans. Although they are a poorly thought out arch enemy for the Daleks (all one needs to do to immobilise one is to remove its power pack) the performers are striking to look at. Peter Straker as the Movellan commander might not be the most gifted actor, but he has incredible screen presence. It is odd that Tony Osoba is given such a minor role, however, and Suzanne Danielle has little to do except look nice (which she does extremely well, admittedly).
To compensate for this, Ken Grieve’s direction is very stylish, with Steadicam shots, long takes and interesting angles. The sets are atmospherically lit and the locations used are very evocative. The cliffhanger with Romana in a chamber with the nova device is made far better thanks to the expert camera work. The Movellens do look a bit ‘disco’, but the look is certainly memorable. In fact the only let down on the production side are the Daleks themselves, who look very shabby.
Then, of course there is Davros. David Gooderson is not exactly bad as Davros, but his performance is nothing like as good as Michael Wisher’s (as has been said by practically everyone reviewing this story). However, the fault is not entirely Gooderson’s- his voice has barely been treated with a ring modulator and he obviously has not been instructed in how to move a Dalek body- his trundling is very obvious and is quite distracting. Tom Baker is pretty much on autopilot throughout, but Lalla Ward does good work in her debut as Romana, despite the terrible regeneration scene at the beginning.
Is it worth watching? Not really, but it’s not a complete waste of time.
NEXT: City of Death
To compensate for this, Ken Grieve’s direction is very stylish, with Steadicam shots, long takes and interesting angles. The sets are atmospherically lit and the locations used are very evocative. The cliffhanger with Romana in a chamber with the nova device is made far better thanks to the expert camera work. The Movellens do look a bit ‘disco’, but the look is certainly memorable. In fact the only let down on the production side are the Daleks themselves, who look very shabby.
Then, of course there is Davros. David Gooderson is not exactly bad as Davros, but his performance is nothing like as good as Michael Wisher’s (as has been said by practically everyone reviewing this story). However, the fault is not entirely Gooderson’s- his voice has barely been treated with a ring modulator and he obviously has not been instructed in how to move a Dalek body- his trundling is very obvious and is quite distracting. Tom Baker is pretty much on autopilot throughout, but Lalla Ward does good work in her debut as Romana, despite the terrible regeneration scene at the beginning.
Is it worth watching? Not really, but it’s not a complete waste of time.
NEXT: City of Death
Saturday, 9 May 2009
The Armageddon Factor
The Key to Time arc comes to the end with this story. The quest for the sixth segment is intertwined with a total war that has been taking place between the twin planets of Atrios and Zeos. While the obsessively bellicose Atrion Marshal is bent on eradicating the enemy at all costs, he is being controlled by the shadowy figure of the, er, Shadow, who knows of the Doctor and is keen to get hold of the final segment. Usually, the phrase 'Baker and Martin six-parter' doesn't exactly fill me with anticipation. One expects very imaginative/barmy ideas that make unrealistic demands on the budget, a complete lack of any scientific understanding and plot-holes the size of planets. Happily, the wacky ideas in this story are ones which can easily be realised (such as placing the Atrion attack in a time loop) and there is little real science for Baker and Martin to violate. For the most part, the plot is reasonably well executed (although this could be due to script-editor Anthony Read- he came up with the idea that Zeos had become uninhabited and their entire campaign was being orchestrated by a battle computer called Mentalis- Baker and Martin wanted to have Zeos as a planet exactly the same as Atrios) this makes for an enjoyable first 100 minutes. Unfortunately, the final two parts have a good deal of padding with too much running around and the Doctor being shrunk for no good reason.
The characterisation is variable. Princess Astra and Merak are standard types, but the Shadow is a very good portrayal of an evil 'lieutenant' to a greater evil. The great William Squire plays the Shadow to perfection, his eerie whispering voice working wonders. For his master, the Black Guardian, the production team managed to get an even more evil sounding voice, that of Valentine Dyall. John Woodvine works wonders with the rather basically written Marshal, but Davyd Harries seems unsure what to do with the character of Shapp- early on he is a stoic second in command, but he turns into a Carry On character later. Then there is Barry Jackson as Drax. There is no reason why a Time Lord should not have a Cockney accent, but Jackson's performance at no point makes us feel that he is a Time Lord and he is written as some kind of proto-Del Boy, which doesn't help.
The production is of a high standard throughout, with Michael Hayes directing well visually, although he is not altogether as successful with the actors. Lighting is used effectively, with the strong lighting for Zeos (consisting of soft yellows and pinks) contrasting effectively with the dank locales of Atrios (with its stark reds and greens) and the sepulchral tones of the Shadow's domain.
Tom Baker is good, except when he has to feign being power mad when the Key is whole. Unwisely, he plays it 'comedically' which just comes off as horrific overacting. Mary Tamm is great in her final portrayal of Romana, and I am sorry to see her go.
So, the Key to Time is dispersed again, making one feel slightly cheated. However, this is still an enjoyable, though by no means great, story.
NEXT: Destiny of the Daleks
The characterisation is variable. Princess Astra and Merak are standard types, but the Shadow is a very good portrayal of an evil 'lieutenant' to a greater evil. The great William Squire plays the Shadow to perfection, his eerie whispering voice working wonders. For his master, the Black Guardian, the production team managed to get an even more evil sounding voice, that of Valentine Dyall. John Woodvine works wonders with the rather basically written Marshal, but Davyd Harries seems unsure what to do with the character of Shapp- early on he is a stoic second in command, but he turns into a Carry On character later. Then there is Barry Jackson as Drax. There is no reason why a Time Lord should not have a Cockney accent, but Jackson's performance at no point makes us feel that he is a Time Lord and he is written as some kind of proto-Del Boy, which doesn't help.
The production is of a high standard throughout, with Michael Hayes directing well visually, although he is not altogether as successful with the actors. Lighting is used effectively, with the strong lighting for Zeos (consisting of soft yellows and pinks) contrasting effectively with the dank locales of Atrios (with its stark reds and greens) and the sepulchral tones of the Shadow's domain.
Tom Baker is good, except when he has to feign being power mad when the Key is whole. Unwisely, he plays it 'comedically' which just comes off as horrific overacting. Mary Tamm is great in her final portrayal of Romana, and I am sorry to see her go.
So, the Key to Time is dispersed again, making one feel slightly cheated. However, this is still an enjoyable, though by no means great, story.
NEXT: Destiny of the Daleks
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
The Power of Kroll
…Or the one with the giant squid-thing. Apparently, one of the objectives of The Power of Kroll was to have the biggest monster in Doctor Who history, but Robert Holmes has again taken a very simple premise and built a convincing world for the story to take place in. Earth is clearly very aggressively colonial at this stage, with native populations of conquered planets relocated en masse to less valuable moons and planets. Such is the fate of the green-skinned natives of Delta Magna, called ‘Swampies’ by humans. They are a hunter and gatherer society who worship the cephalopod god Kroll and the humans was to indulge the Swampies by importing some giant squid and it is clear that something greater lurks beneath the surface of the swamps of Delta Three. Holmes’s script shows his usual sophistication, but also contains a great deal of padding. Most noticeable is the sacrifice plotline, where the Doctor, Romana and the gun-runner Rohm-Dutt are stretched by drying vines- it is never a good idea to immobilise the heroes for any period of time. However, the characterisation is intriguing- The humans on the refinery have no love for the Swampies, but some have stronger feelings than others- Thawn, the leader dispassionately wishes for the genocide of the Swampies and employs Rohm-Dutt to arm them so that he can have an excuse to wipe them out. The Swampies worship of Kroll brings up questions about religion, particularly the line between propitiation and worship.
However, the performances fall short of the characterisation. Neil McCarthy was a talented enough actor, but his portrayal of Thawn is all wrong. Physically, he looks the part but his soft voice and mannerisms let the side down. I cannot describe the effect better than certain other commentators have- he acts like a Peter Cook character! Glyn Owen seems half asleep as Rohm-Dutt and most of the rest of the cast are merely adequate. Only Philip Madoc and John Abineri put in praiseworthy performances (Abineri seems to be doing a dry run for his performance as Herne the Hunter in Robin of Sherwood).
There is some very atmospheric filming on the Iken Marshes and the use of hovercraft gives these scenes a very glossy look. However, the studio scenes are less effective, with the refinery scenes being overlit and the sacrifice scenes totally lacking in atmosphere. The model for the refinery looks like a chair in a paddling pool with no effort made to give a sense of scale. Kroll himself is variable. The model itself is very well designed and looks great with its quivering palps. Its first appearance looks great, with its awesome size brought over excellently. However, its subsequent appearances show very ragged matte lines and the full-size mock ups of its tentacles are desperately unconvincing.
The regulars are not at their best. Tom Baker effectively portrays his outrage at the treatment of the Swampies, but he seems uninterested, presumably because standing for hours in a swamp does that to an actor. Mary Tamm is fine, but Romana is very much the standard ‘damsel in distress’ in this story.
This is by no means the disaster others have claimed it was and it is watchable, but its many flaws will become very evident on watching.
NEXT: The Armageddon Factor
However, the performances fall short of the characterisation. Neil McCarthy was a talented enough actor, but his portrayal of Thawn is all wrong. Physically, he looks the part but his soft voice and mannerisms let the side down. I cannot describe the effect better than certain other commentators have- he acts like a Peter Cook character! Glyn Owen seems half asleep as Rohm-Dutt and most of the rest of the cast are merely adequate. Only Philip Madoc and John Abineri put in praiseworthy performances (Abineri seems to be doing a dry run for his performance as Herne the Hunter in Robin of Sherwood).
There is some very atmospheric filming on the Iken Marshes and the use of hovercraft gives these scenes a very glossy look. However, the studio scenes are less effective, with the refinery scenes being overlit and the sacrifice scenes totally lacking in atmosphere. The model for the refinery looks like a chair in a paddling pool with no effort made to give a sense of scale. Kroll himself is variable. The model itself is very well designed and looks great with its quivering palps. Its first appearance looks great, with its awesome size brought over excellently. However, its subsequent appearances show very ragged matte lines and the full-size mock ups of its tentacles are desperately unconvincing.
The regulars are not at their best. Tom Baker effectively portrays his outrage at the treatment of the Swampies, but he seems uninterested, presumably because standing for hours in a swamp does that to an actor. Mary Tamm is fine, but Romana is very much the standard ‘damsel in distress’ in this story.
This is by no means the disaster others have claimed it was and it is watchable, but its many flaws will become very evident on watching.
NEXT: The Armageddon Factor
Monday, 4 May 2009
The Androids of Tara
Doctor Who has always ‘borrowed’ from other sources, but this is the most blatant ‘homage’ that the programme has ever done. This is The Prisoner of Zenda rewritten as a Doctor Who story, with the human lookalikes changed into android duplicates and electric swords and crossbows, but it is still high adventure crammed with Ruritanian intrigue. There are a couple of things that raise it above mere pastiche. I like the way that the society of Tara is depicted- technologically advanced, but so steeped in the class system that anything that requires intelligence and inventiveness is deemed a ‘peasant skill’. This is not only interesting world-building in its own right, but a wry commentary about how useless the nobility ultimately are. Indeed, in the not-so-distant past, no ‘gentleman’ could style himself so if he ever lowered himself to actually working for his money! Beyond this, David Fisher writes some very witty dialogue and good characterisation, such as the relationship between Count Grendel and his servant Madame Lamia.
The production is exquisite, with great sets, costumes and locations (the matte work to augment Leeds Castle is almost flawless) some gorgeous film sequences and atmospheric lighting. Michael Hayes puts in some stellar work behind the camera with good use of high and low shots. True, the monster is rubbish, but it’s of no real importance to the story. Then there are the performances. Neville Jason is great as Prince Reynart and his android duplicate and actually manages to convey the difference between the real man, the android and the android playing the real man. There is good support from Simon Lack and Paul Lavers as the Prince’s aides. However, the show is very nearly stolen by the wonderful Peter Jeffrey as Count Grendel, villainous, deceitful but incorrigibly likeable throughout. Lois Baxter puts in a very nice performance as Lamia and there’s a good little role for Jabba the Hutt himself, Declan Mulholland. Once Tom Baker tries to stop upstaging everyone around him, he puts in a very good performance and Mary Tamm is just as good as Neville Jason in playing herself, her android duplicate and the very different character of Princess Strella.
The Androids of Tara may not be the most necessary Doctor Who story, but it is highly enjoyable.
NEXT: The Power of Kroll
The production is exquisite, with great sets, costumes and locations (the matte work to augment Leeds Castle is almost flawless) some gorgeous film sequences and atmospheric lighting. Michael Hayes puts in some stellar work behind the camera with good use of high and low shots. True, the monster is rubbish, but it’s of no real importance to the story. Then there are the performances. Neville Jason is great as Prince Reynart and his android duplicate and actually manages to convey the difference between the real man, the android and the android playing the real man. There is good support from Simon Lack and Paul Lavers as the Prince’s aides. However, the show is very nearly stolen by the wonderful Peter Jeffrey as Count Grendel, villainous, deceitful but incorrigibly likeable throughout. Lois Baxter puts in a very nice performance as Lamia and there’s a good little role for Jabba the Hutt himself, Declan Mulholland. Once Tom Baker tries to stop upstaging everyone around him, he puts in a very good performance and Mary Tamm is just as good as Neville Jason in playing herself, her android duplicate and the very different character of Princess Strella.
The Androids of Tara may not be the most necessary Doctor Who story, but it is highly enjoyable.
NEXT: The Power of Kroll
Saturday, 2 May 2009
The Stones of Blood
Doctor Who is very used to demystifying myths and legends- a god, fabulous beast or superstition turns out to be an alien or a computer. This is the basis behind The Stones of Blood; the ancient Celtic goddess Cailleach turns out to be the alien criminal Cessair of Diplos. However, unlike other stories which have kept the Hammeresque atmosphere throughout, the revelation of Cessair of Diplos is accompanied by a wholesale change in the mood of the story. The ‘horror’ aspect of the story is well done, with a mix of latter-day Druidic revivalists, standing stones that come to life and drink blood, ravens acting as spies and a friendly archaeologist. David Fisher has clearly put some thought into the script, such as the Doctor pointing out to De Vries that understanding of ancient Druidic behaviour is mainly based on supposition. There are a few problems with this half of the story. Most obvious is the godawful literal cliff-hanger to part one and De Vries is killed off too early. However the real problems start once the action shifts to the space-craft lurking in hyperspace above the stone circle. There is nothing inherently wrong with the change in mood that this development brings with it- in fact it could have benefitted the story greatly. Unfortunately, the opportunity is wasted. The Doctor is put on trial for a petty crime by the Megara justice machines, while he has to prove that Vivien Fay is really Cessair of Diplos. This leads to a tedious trial sequence that takes up fat too much time. Fisher clearly lost inspiration for this section, which is desperately uninteresting.
The production matches the script a little too well. The scenes set on Earth are very atmospheric, with great sets and locations that are atmospherically lit (although the unwise decision is made to shoot day-for-night and genuine night). The Ogri, the titular monsters, are quite effective most of the time- the deafening heart-beat sound they make is terrifying and there is a scene where De Vries and an acolyte have their skulls crushed by the Ogri that is very close to the mark. However, they lose a bit of their menace when they start moving quickly- at one point, when one bursts through the door, we not only see the trolley it’s on, but a man pushing it and a further man standing behind him! However, the hyperspace scenes are overlit and seem to have been shot in a rush. The Megara come across like two officious fairies, which looks as ridiculous as it sounds. Darrol Blake’s stint in the director chair is mixed, though not uninteresting.
This is a real pity, as there are some great performances to be found, most notable of which is Beatrix Lehmann as Professor Rumford, a wonderfully dotty character played to perfection. Susan Engel puts in a nicely restrained performance as Vivien/ Cessair and, as said, Nicholas McArdle makes De Vries very memorable. The regulars perform well throughout with Tom Baker working very well with Beatrix Lehmann. It is genuinely bizarre seeing Mary Tamm wearing a Burberry cap, considering the current image of that article.
The Stones of Blood is a real mixed bag. It’s certainly entertaining, but if you never see it, you won’t have exactly wasted your life.
NEXT: The Androids of Tara
The production matches the script a little too well. The scenes set on Earth are very atmospheric, with great sets and locations that are atmospherically lit (although the unwise decision is made to shoot day-for-night and genuine night). The Ogri, the titular monsters, are quite effective most of the time- the deafening heart-beat sound they make is terrifying and there is a scene where De Vries and an acolyte have their skulls crushed by the Ogri that is very close to the mark. However, they lose a bit of their menace when they start moving quickly- at one point, when one bursts through the door, we not only see the trolley it’s on, but a man pushing it and a further man standing behind him! However, the hyperspace scenes are overlit and seem to have been shot in a rush. The Megara come across like two officious fairies, which looks as ridiculous as it sounds. Darrol Blake’s stint in the director chair is mixed, though not uninteresting.
This is a real pity, as there are some great performances to be found, most notable of which is Beatrix Lehmann as Professor Rumford, a wonderfully dotty character played to perfection. Susan Engel puts in a nicely restrained performance as Vivien/ Cessair and, as said, Nicholas McArdle makes De Vries very memorable. The regulars perform well throughout with Tom Baker working very well with Beatrix Lehmann. It is genuinely bizarre seeing Mary Tamm wearing a Burberry cap, considering the current image of that article.
The Stones of Blood is a real mixed bag. It’s certainly entertaining, but if you never see it, you won’t have exactly wasted your life.
NEXT: The Androids of Tara
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
The Pirate Planet
Of all the writers who scripted Doctor Who in the 20th Century, only one became so successful that he arguably became almost as iconic as the series itself. Douglas Adams was riding the wave of success of the first radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy when this story, the second in the Key to Time season was brought out. Adams's renown colours the perception of any viewer coming to the story today- we are looking for the detached view of the universe, the ideas that are both daft and brilliant, the absurd situations and the people that they spawn. We certainly get some very imaginative ideas- the Zanak, the planet that devours others; inertia absorbing corridors; a gestalt being formed from the psychic energy of the dead of a destroyed planet and moulding random inhabitants of Zanak to become Mentiads, beings with awesome psychic powers .
However, as you all know, I have been absorbed in Doctor Who for months, which led me to consider something- Douglas Adams has a lot in common with Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Baker and Martin are also fond of barmy ideas and they also have gaps in their scientific knowledge (to be fair, Adams has gaps, Baker and Martin have yawning chasms!) However, Adams is able to bind his barmy ideas into a narrative with more success than Baker and Martin usually do. Adams's humour is, of course a major factor, but more critical are the wonderful characters he creates. The Captain is one of the most entertaining figures the programme has ever seen, with his bombastic manner and piratical appearance. Bruce Purchase brings the character wonderfully to life, his mellifluous voice making us feel not only the bluster, but the ruthlessness and genuine humanity underneath. The interplay between the Captain and Andrew Robertson's wonderful Mr Fibuli are a joy to behold and the Captain's genuine grief at Mr Fibuli's death is genuinely moving. The twist in the tale is that the real reason for destroying dozens of planets and trillions of lives is to ensure that Queen Xanxia will be immortal. The vanity and total amorality is well portrayed in a restrained (and therefore very effective) performance by Rosalind Lloyd. Some of the other performances are less effective, however. The Mentiads are merely adequate, which is a real shame- we never really see why the rest of the population have such a horror of them. The only really disappointing performance is that of Ralph Michael as Balaton- not so much bad acting as wrongly modulated.
Like Baker and Martin, Douglas Adams's scripts don't seem too concerned about whether they can be effectively realised on screen with the low budget that Doctor Who had. However, the story is effectively realised, for the most part- special mention must be given to the wonderful costume for the cyborg Captain. The direction by Pennant Roberts is good enough to make the scenes work, but could have been better- his skill seems to be concentrated on some of the more impressive set pieces- the battle between K9 and the Polyphase Avitron was clearly filmed in a hurry, but works reasonably well.
Strange as it may seem, Tom Baker does not go completely over the top in his performance- perhaps this is Roberts's greatest contribution as director! Baker is funny when the script calls for it, but also expresses outrage at the countless deaths caused by Zanak. Mary Tamm is growing into her role nicely. Romana's attitude to the Doctor has changed a great deal, but her outward behaviour has not, something put over very well by Tamm.
The Pirate Planet is funny, clever and imaginative, which more than compensates for its flaws.
NEXT: The Stones of Blood
However, as you all know, I have been absorbed in Doctor Who for months, which led me to consider something- Douglas Adams has a lot in common with Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Baker and Martin are also fond of barmy ideas and they also have gaps in their scientific knowledge (to be fair, Adams has gaps, Baker and Martin have yawning chasms!) However, Adams is able to bind his barmy ideas into a narrative with more success than Baker and Martin usually do. Adams's humour is, of course a major factor, but more critical are the wonderful characters he creates. The Captain is one of the most entertaining figures the programme has ever seen, with his bombastic manner and piratical appearance. Bruce Purchase brings the character wonderfully to life, his mellifluous voice making us feel not only the bluster, but the ruthlessness and genuine humanity underneath. The interplay between the Captain and Andrew Robertson's wonderful Mr Fibuli are a joy to behold and the Captain's genuine grief at Mr Fibuli's death is genuinely moving. The twist in the tale is that the real reason for destroying dozens of planets and trillions of lives is to ensure that Queen Xanxia will be immortal. The vanity and total amorality is well portrayed in a restrained (and therefore very effective) performance by Rosalind Lloyd. Some of the other performances are less effective, however. The Mentiads are merely adequate, which is a real shame- we never really see why the rest of the population have such a horror of them. The only really disappointing performance is that of Ralph Michael as Balaton- not so much bad acting as wrongly modulated.
Like Baker and Martin, Douglas Adams's scripts don't seem too concerned about whether they can be effectively realised on screen with the low budget that Doctor Who had. However, the story is effectively realised, for the most part- special mention must be given to the wonderful costume for the cyborg Captain. The direction by Pennant Roberts is good enough to make the scenes work, but could have been better- his skill seems to be concentrated on some of the more impressive set pieces- the battle between K9 and the Polyphase Avitron was clearly filmed in a hurry, but works reasonably well.
Strange as it may seem, Tom Baker does not go completely over the top in his performance- perhaps this is Roberts's greatest contribution as director! Baker is funny when the script calls for it, but also expresses outrage at the countless deaths caused by Zanak. Mary Tamm is growing into her role nicely. Romana's attitude to the Doctor has changed a great deal, but her outward behaviour has not, something put over very well by Tamm.
The Pirate Planet is funny, clever and imaginative, which more than compensates for its flaws.
NEXT: The Stones of Blood
Monday, 27 April 2009
The Ribos Operation
And so, we move on to the 'Key to Time' season, where the Doctor has to collect all 6 parts of the titular McGuffin to save the universe from chaos. The first story is another of Robert Holmes’s. I was disappointed, somewhat, with The Sun Makers, but any thought that Homes was losing his touch was quickly dismissed by this utterly fantastic story . It is not what you would call a sci-fi plot- Garron and Unstoffe try to con the deposed Levithian monarch the Graff Vynda-K into buying the planet Ribos, which is at a mediæval level of development. It could quite easily have been them selling an island to a dodgy millionaire. The plot is very well constructed and engaging throughout, but Holmes doesn’t stop there. Holmes makes Ribos a real planet, whose eccentric orbit has led to the inhabitants worshipping fire gods and ice gods. We are efficiently given the state of interstellar politics with the Graff’s situation and Holmes’s gift for making up evocative words is well used here- with ‘Pontonese starships’, ‘mercenaries from Schlangi’ and the like. We are dropped into a time and place that seems instantly real. The dialogue is simply gorgeous with almost every line being quotable. Holmes’s script ranges from genuinely hilarious comedy to tragedy with consummate skill.
Then, of course there is the characterisation, in which Holmes outdoes himself and is aided by a truly superlative cast. First and foremost, there is Iain Cuthbertson as Garron, truly one of the best guest performances the programme has ever seen. Cuthbertson is utterly electrifying throughout and it is testament to his extraordinary skill that Garron’s impersonation of a planetary estate agent is thoroughly convincing while being obvious as an impersonation to the viewer. Cuthbertson is generous enough not to steal scenes from the brilliant Nigel Plaskitt as Unstoffe, making this perhaps the greatest Robert Holmes double act of all time. Then there is Paul Seed as the Graff Vynda-K who is written as a genuinely frightening tyrant by Holmes. He is clearly a man of honour, but that does not mean he would not kill an unarmed innocent if it suited his purpose. The interplay between him and his confidante Sholakh is so well written that we genuinely feel the Graff’s grief at his friend’s death. Seed and Robert Keegan are thoroughly convincing as the pair. Binro the Heretic is one of the many examples of Holmes refusing to make incidental characters boring. Binro is the Ribosian equivalent of Galileo (with a bit of Thomas Digges thrown in) and the scene where Unstoffe confirms Binro’s theories and validates his life is very touching- Timothy Bateson’s performance as Binro is truly special. Even Prentis Hancock works well, his limited role playing to his few strengths as an actor.
The story is beautifully shot with George Spenton-Foster working wonders behind the camera. The production design is first rate, with great sets (believe it or not, mostly the same set, redressed!) and costumes. The lighting is subtle and atmospheric, especially the wonderful candle-lit catacombs. Tom Baker’s performance is note-perfect throughout, especially scenes he shares with Cuthbertson. Then there is the new regular, the glacially gorgeous Mary Tamm as Romana. The Doctor/ Romana dynamic is one that the programme has not had before- Romana is truly the Doctor’s equal. Their interplay is beautifully written and acted and great to watch. The stage for the season is set with a great scene written by Anthony Read, where the White Guardian gives the Doctor his task. I have a few problems with this rather dualistic theological view of the Doctor Who universe, but the presentation of this figure, of an elderly man sipping Chartreuse is an inspired view of omnipotence.
There are few Doctor Who stories that offer the viewer so much- a great start to the season.
NEXT: The Pirate Planet
Then, of course there is the characterisation, in which Holmes outdoes himself and is aided by a truly superlative cast. First and foremost, there is Iain Cuthbertson as Garron, truly one of the best guest performances the programme has ever seen. Cuthbertson is utterly electrifying throughout and it is testament to his extraordinary skill that Garron’s impersonation of a planetary estate agent is thoroughly convincing while being obvious as an impersonation to the viewer. Cuthbertson is generous enough not to steal scenes from the brilliant Nigel Plaskitt as Unstoffe, making this perhaps the greatest Robert Holmes double act of all time. Then there is Paul Seed as the Graff Vynda-K who is written as a genuinely frightening tyrant by Holmes. He is clearly a man of honour, but that does not mean he would not kill an unarmed innocent if it suited his purpose. The interplay between him and his confidante Sholakh is so well written that we genuinely feel the Graff’s grief at his friend’s death. Seed and Robert Keegan are thoroughly convincing as the pair. Binro the Heretic is one of the many examples of Holmes refusing to make incidental characters boring. Binro is the Ribosian equivalent of Galileo (with a bit of Thomas Digges thrown in) and the scene where Unstoffe confirms Binro’s theories and validates his life is very touching- Timothy Bateson’s performance as Binro is truly special. Even Prentis Hancock works well, his limited role playing to his few strengths as an actor.
The story is beautifully shot with George Spenton-Foster working wonders behind the camera. The production design is first rate, with great sets (believe it or not, mostly the same set, redressed!) and costumes. The lighting is subtle and atmospheric, especially the wonderful candle-lit catacombs. Tom Baker’s performance is note-perfect throughout, especially scenes he shares with Cuthbertson. Then there is the new regular, the glacially gorgeous Mary Tamm as Romana. The Doctor/ Romana dynamic is one that the programme has not had before- Romana is truly the Doctor’s equal. Their interplay is beautifully written and acted and great to watch. The stage for the season is set with a great scene written by Anthony Read, where the White Guardian gives the Doctor his task. I have a few problems with this rather dualistic theological view of the Doctor Who universe, but the presentation of this figure, of an elderly man sipping Chartreuse is an inspired view of omnipotence.
There are few Doctor Who stories that offer the viewer so much- a great start to the season.
NEXT: The Pirate Planet
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
The Invasion of Time
The Invasion of Time is a sequel to the wonderful Deadly Assassin- indeed, parts of the story will not make sense unless the viewer has seen the 1976 story. It is, therefore, wonderful that the script aspires to the same degree of sophistication as its predecessor. The Deadly Assassin showed the Time Lords at the nadir of their civilisation, but this story suggests that Gallifrey is in the process of undergoing something of a renaissance. The Time Lords are more aware of their past and the older Time Lords have a dignity that they lacked earlier. However, it is clear that since the Doctor’s defeat of the Master, Gallifrey is in something of a constitutional crisis, with the president-elect (the Doctor himself) being absent and Cardinal Borusa having risen to the rank of Chancellor and being the de-facto president. Into this situation, the Doctor returns to claim the Presidency, but this is a very different Doctor than what we are used to. The story opens with the Doctor making a pact with some unseen aliens and deliberately keeping Leela in the dark. Upon his arrival on Gallifrey, he seems arrogant and power-mad and further surprises us by banishing Leela from the Capitol. However, we soon discover that the Doctor is actually trying to entrap the alien Vardans- but, of course, there is one thing he overlooked.
The script by David Agnew (actually Graham Williams and Anthony Read) is very politically astute. This incarnation of Borusa is recognisable as the character in The Deadly Assassin, but the academic has become a creature of politics. He is brilliantly portrayed just as much as a high-ranking civil servant as a politician, which leads to a fascinating dynamic between him and the Doctor. The story depicts the invasion actually succeeding, with portrayals of concomitant effects such as insurgency (Leela and the outcasts organising a rebellion) and collaboration (Castellan Kellner). The characterisation is well suited to this and the cast is superb. John Arnatt is fantastic as Borusa, injecting a note of ‘sinister Sir Humphrey’ into the mix. Milton Johns gives a very skilful performance as Kellner- it would have been easy to make him simply an obsequious toady. This is also one of Tom Baker’s best performances - his portrayal of the seemingly power-mad Doctor is genuinely disquieting. This depiction of the Doctor brings up something very important about the way we view the character- the audience implicitly trusts the Doctor, as does Leela in the story and it is this which fascinates us, rather than repels us in the story when it seems that our favourite Time Lord has turned traitor.
Visually, the story is well made, with some very good model shots. Director Gerald Blake is not the most exciting director, but he does, on occasion, know how to use shots well and how to marshal actors. Of special note is the Doctor’s induction as President, wonderfully shot and edited, with Dudley Simpson showing that he can still write an evocative score when he tries. However, the lighting is again there for no other reason to make objects visible. It is unfortunate that this story follows from The Deadly Assassin, directed as it was by David Maloney, one of the best directors the programme ever had, which amplifies the lack of decent ‘cinematography’ in this story.
There are some significant flaws in the story, however. The reveal of the Sontarans as the real villains is a real shock moment in the story and is fantastically done. Unfortunately, it also results in the last two episodes being mainly a runaround in the TARDIS, followed by the Doctor shooting at them to make them disappear- a severe disappointment after the sophistication of the first four episodes. Derek Deadman puts in a good performance as lead Sontaran Stor- despite what has been written by others, Deadman’s accent is not distracting, just not the Received Pronunciation we are used to. It certainly isn’t Cockney, more a relaxed Estuary English. However, the make-up for the Sontarans is disappointing, nothing like as effective as the versions in The Time Warrior or The Sontaran Experiment. The Vardans look like Bacofoil Christmas decorations before they materialise and they are flatly performed, the only really disappointing performances in the story. Then there is Leela’s departure. Louise Jameson is a very gifted actress and she never failed to put in an arresting performance. Her opting to stay behind on Gallifrey with Andred is unconvincing- if there would have been anyone for her to randomly fall in love with, it would surely have been Nesbin, who she spent more time with and had more in common with (if this story had been made today, however, she’d probably have paired off with Rodan!).
Overall, however, this story has a great deal to commend it, despite its shortcomings.
NEXT: The Ribos Operation
The script by David Agnew (actually Graham Williams and Anthony Read) is very politically astute. This incarnation of Borusa is recognisable as the character in The Deadly Assassin, but the academic has become a creature of politics. He is brilliantly portrayed just as much as a high-ranking civil servant as a politician, which leads to a fascinating dynamic between him and the Doctor. The story depicts the invasion actually succeeding, with portrayals of concomitant effects such as insurgency (Leela and the outcasts organising a rebellion) and collaboration (Castellan Kellner). The characterisation is well suited to this and the cast is superb. John Arnatt is fantastic as Borusa, injecting a note of ‘sinister Sir Humphrey’ into the mix. Milton Johns gives a very skilful performance as Kellner- it would have been easy to make him simply an obsequious toady. This is also one of Tom Baker’s best performances - his portrayal of the seemingly power-mad Doctor is genuinely disquieting. This depiction of the Doctor brings up something very important about the way we view the character- the audience implicitly trusts the Doctor, as does Leela in the story and it is this which fascinates us, rather than repels us in the story when it seems that our favourite Time Lord has turned traitor.
Visually, the story is well made, with some very good model shots. Director Gerald Blake is not the most exciting director, but he does, on occasion, know how to use shots well and how to marshal actors. Of special note is the Doctor’s induction as President, wonderfully shot and edited, with Dudley Simpson showing that he can still write an evocative score when he tries. However, the lighting is again there for no other reason to make objects visible. It is unfortunate that this story follows from The Deadly Assassin, directed as it was by David Maloney, one of the best directors the programme ever had, which amplifies the lack of decent ‘cinematography’ in this story.
There are some significant flaws in the story, however. The reveal of the Sontarans as the real villains is a real shock moment in the story and is fantastically done. Unfortunately, it also results in the last two episodes being mainly a runaround in the TARDIS, followed by the Doctor shooting at them to make them disappear- a severe disappointment after the sophistication of the first four episodes. Derek Deadman puts in a good performance as lead Sontaran Stor- despite what has been written by others, Deadman’s accent is not distracting, just not the Received Pronunciation we are used to. It certainly isn’t Cockney, more a relaxed Estuary English. However, the make-up for the Sontarans is disappointing, nothing like as effective as the versions in The Time Warrior or The Sontaran Experiment. The Vardans look like Bacofoil Christmas decorations before they materialise and they are flatly performed, the only really disappointing performances in the story. Then there is Leela’s departure. Louise Jameson is a very gifted actress and she never failed to put in an arresting performance. Her opting to stay behind on Gallifrey with Andred is unconvincing- if there would have been anyone for her to randomly fall in love with, it would surely have been Nesbin, who she spent more time with and had more in common with (if this story had been made today, however, she’d probably have paired off with Rodan!).
Overall, however, this story has a great deal to commend it, despite its shortcomings.
NEXT: The Ribos Operation
Monday, 20 April 2009
Underworld
The Doctor Who production team must have had a slight masochistic tendency which made them repeatedly commission scripts from Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Many of their contributions call for production values wholly unreasonable for the programme and the subsequent failure draws attention to some of the failures in plotting. This really comes to a head in Underworld. This is one of those stories that is remembered by no-one except hardcore Doctor Who fans and has a pretty dismal reputation, so I was not looking forward to watching it.
However, I must say that episode one was actually quite good. We are treated to some of the best model shots the programme has had so far, with some interesting direction from Norman Stewart. There are memorable scenes such as the spacecraft flying through a gas nebula and then attracting asteroids to form a new planet. It seems that the Baker/Martin propensity for intriguing, if barmy ideas has finally translated well to the screen. However, from the moment in episode two when we see the ‘trogs’ running around a badly superimposed ‘sky-fall’ the story collapses like a meringue under custard. The failure is largely a production failure- for whatever reason (probably budgetary) the production team decided to render the caves of the planet by using CSO. One of the problems with CSO is that it relies on the camera being static for it to work- no tracking, panning, zooming or even wobbling. Another problem is that it is very difficult to light the scenes atmospherically as the lighting of the actors often contrasts considerably with the lighting of the backgrounds making them jarringly stand out from the backgrounds. All this results in a large proportion of the story being visually uninteresting at best and downright amateurish at worst. This is a pity, as a few of the scenes that do not rely on CSO are rather well shot and lit, especially the chamber of the Oracle. The shield guns are actually quite cool and the effect used for their beam is actually quite good. However, there is little else to commend it, visually- there is the ludicrous scene of the Doctor, Leela and Idas float in zero gravity along a shaft accompanied by lift muzak and what pass for monsters in this story- in the service of the Oracle, the Seers have become fully robotic. They take off their masks to reveal- two giant sponge fingers!
The script is mercilessly padded, which doesn’t help when there are no flashy visuals to distract from it. Of course, it is ‘cleverly’ based on the myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece (with other aspects of Greek Myth thrown in – P7E…Persephone- geddit?) and even if you were one of the 8 people who missed the parallels, don’t worry, the Doctor explains them at the end, if you make it that far. There are nice ideas, such as the Minyans being the reason why the Time Lords no longer intervene and the endless regeneration of the R1C crew, but there is little in this story that was not explored infinitely better in The Face of Evil. There is, of course, the complete lack of scientific knowledge that all Baker/Martin scripts have and strange things such as the P7E Minyans eating rock. The characterisation is basic and poorly thought out. ‘The Quest is the Quest’ as we are told ad nauseum, so it should be something which is so ingrained in the R1C crew that it should affect every fibre of their being. When they meet the slaves, they are not overjoyed at meeting their kin, or appalled at their degradation, they are simply ignored. The P7E trogs are also underwritten. There are some nice performances from the R1C crew, but the P7E people are largely forgettable. Tom Baker seems not to care about his performance, which is understandable, but doesn't exactly help matters. Louise Jameson is wonderful as ever, though.
In conclusion it is only the fun first episode that stops this story from being the most boring, uninspiring story ever broadcast under the Doctor Who banner- and there can be nothing that recommends a Doctor Who story less.
NEXT: The Invasion of Time
However, I must say that episode one was actually quite good. We are treated to some of the best model shots the programme has had so far, with some interesting direction from Norman Stewart. There are memorable scenes such as the spacecraft flying through a gas nebula and then attracting asteroids to form a new planet. It seems that the Baker/Martin propensity for intriguing, if barmy ideas has finally translated well to the screen. However, from the moment in episode two when we see the ‘trogs’ running around a badly superimposed ‘sky-fall’ the story collapses like a meringue under custard. The failure is largely a production failure- for whatever reason (probably budgetary) the production team decided to render the caves of the planet by using CSO. One of the problems with CSO is that it relies on the camera being static for it to work- no tracking, panning, zooming or even wobbling. Another problem is that it is very difficult to light the scenes atmospherically as the lighting of the actors often contrasts considerably with the lighting of the backgrounds making them jarringly stand out from the backgrounds. All this results in a large proportion of the story being visually uninteresting at best and downright amateurish at worst. This is a pity, as a few of the scenes that do not rely on CSO are rather well shot and lit, especially the chamber of the Oracle. The shield guns are actually quite cool and the effect used for their beam is actually quite good. However, there is little else to commend it, visually- there is the ludicrous scene of the Doctor, Leela and Idas float in zero gravity along a shaft accompanied by lift muzak and what pass for monsters in this story- in the service of the Oracle, the Seers have become fully robotic. They take off their masks to reveal- two giant sponge fingers!
The script is mercilessly padded, which doesn’t help when there are no flashy visuals to distract from it. Of course, it is ‘cleverly’ based on the myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece (with other aspects of Greek Myth thrown in – P7E…Persephone- geddit?) and even if you were one of the 8 people who missed the parallels, don’t worry, the Doctor explains them at the end, if you make it that far. There are nice ideas, such as the Minyans being the reason why the Time Lords no longer intervene and the endless regeneration of the R1C crew, but there is little in this story that was not explored infinitely better in The Face of Evil. There is, of course, the complete lack of scientific knowledge that all Baker/Martin scripts have and strange things such as the P7E Minyans eating rock. The characterisation is basic and poorly thought out. ‘The Quest is the Quest’ as we are told ad nauseum, so it should be something which is so ingrained in the R1C crew that it should affect every fibre of their being. When they meet the slaves, they are not overjoyed at meeting their kin, or appalled at their degradation, they are simply ignored. The P7E trogs are also underwritten. There are some nice performances from the R1C crew, but the P7E people are largely forgettable. Tom Baker seems not to care about his performance, which is understandable, but doesn't exactly help matters. Louise Jameson is wonderful as ever, though.
In conclusion it is only the fun first episode that stops this story from being the most boring, uninspiring story ever broadcast under the Doctor Who banner- and there can be nothing that recommends a Doctor Who story less.
NEXT: The Invasion of Time
Saturday, 18 April 2009
The Sun Makers
The first time I saw this story was at the Doctor Who Society at university. It was my first meeting and we were promised a classic. I never went to another. Since then, I have been baffled at the acclaim accorded to this story. It has been lauded as a 'clever satire', presumably by the same people who call The Curse of Peladon an allegory.
Robert Holmes starts by introducing some intriguing concepts- Pluto being terraformed and six artificial suns orbiting it- and then doesn't deliver on them. There is, in fact, no reason for the story not to have been set on Earth and we don't even get to see these artificial suns- a bit of a problem in a story called The Sun Makers. The idea of PCM, the anxiety inducing gas that is pumped into the atmosphere is a nice one, but is nothing like as fully explored in the script as it should be. We are then left with the basic story which has, strangely, been trumpeted as being about the tax system but seems to me to be a story about a populace living under authoritarian rule- call me crazy, but I find subduing a population with psychoactive chemicals in the air and making people who ask too many questions 'disappear' a slightly more serious abuse of human rights than people being charged too much for goods and services. I will not talk about the morality of a successful television writer moaning about his tax return- if I can overlook Don Houghton's appallingly rose-tinted view of Mao Zedong, I can easily overlook this. However, the tax satire aspect of the story is very badly done. There is the obvious point that the oppressive regime is a corporation, not a government. The only parallel to taxation that can be drawn is that of taxation prior to the industrial revolution- hardly satirical. There are so many aspects of the modern system of taxation that could have been examined- the way that trying to tax the rich means that they invariably find ways of avoiding it; the accountability that the tax levying authority has to the taxpayer and so on. Apart from the line 'probably too many accountants in the government' none of this is really addressed. There are no departments that swallow up money like a black hole and the jabs at bureaucracy are feeble. There are some reasonably amusing one liners, but a guard called the Inner Retinue and a 'P45 Corridor' do not make up for the lack of thought behind the story. Holmes's usual gift for characterisation seems to be absent, with characters either being stock reactive types or gross caricatures. Mandrell has signs of being interesting, but he abruptly changes personality half-way through, showing that this must have been an accident. The ending of the story is rushed and unconvincing.
Visually, the story is utterly dull. The set design is tepid and Pennant Roberts has no aptitude for action scenes. He does try to make some scenes interesting, such as having conversations between characters occurring on different levels. The costuming is either dull or, in the case of Gatherer Hade, silly. The lighting design seems to have only one aim, to make objects visible- these floodlit sets would not have been tolerated by the likes of David Maloney and Douglas Camfield.
The actors do they best they can with the script. William Simons gives Mandrell a real presence (and is seemingly the only non-middle class person on the planet!) and Richard Leech makes Hade interesting to watch, if not particularly subtle. Henry Woolf's performance as the Collector, however, is too comedic and his nasal voice is highly irritating. Tom Baker seems to be improvising half the time in a highly erratic performance and it is left to Louise Jameson to provide the only truly outstanding contribution. This is also K9's first proper outing and he is interestingly used exactly like a real dog- to attack and follow 'scents'.
This is, in short, eminently skippable. I certainly will do so, in future.
NEXT: Underworld
Robert Holmes starts by introducing some intriguing concepts- Pluto being terraformed and six artificial suns orbiting it- and then doesn't deliver on them. There is, in fact, no reason for the story not to have been set on Earth and we don't even get to see these artificial suns- a bit of a problem in a story called The Sun Makers. The idea of PCM, the anxiety inducing gas that is pumped into the atmosphere is a nice one, but is nothing like as fully explored in the script as it should be. We are then left with the basic story which has, strangely, been trumpeted as being about the tax system but seems to me to be a story about a populace living under authoritarian rule- call me crazy, but I find subduing a population with psychoactive chemicals in the air and making people who ask too many questions 'disappear' a slightly more serious abuse of human rights than people being charged too much for goods and services. I will not talk about the morality of a successful television writer moaning about his tax return- if I can overlook Don Houghton's appallingly rose-tinted view of Mao Zedong, I can easily overlook this. However, the tax satire aspect of the story is very badly done. There is the obvious point that the oppressive regime is a corporation, not a government. The only parallel to taxation that can be drawn is that of taxation prior to the industrial revolution- hardly satirical. There are so many aspects of the modern system of taxation that could have been examined- the way that trying to tax the rich means that they invariably find ways of avoiding it; the accountability that the tax levying authority has to the taxpayer and so on. Apart from the line 'probably too many accountants in the government' none of this is really addressed. There are no departments that swallow up money like a black hole and the jabs at bureaucracy are feeble. There are some reasonably amusing one liners, but a guard called the Inner Retinue and a 'P45 Corridor' do not make up for the lack of thought behind the story. Holmes's usual gift for characterisation seems to be absent, with characters either being stock reactive types or gross caricatures. Mandrell has signs of being interesting, but he abruptly changes personality half-way through, showing that this must have been an accident. The ending of the story is rushed and unconvincing.
Visually, the story is utterly dull. The set design is tepid and Pennant Roberts has no aptitude for action scenes. He does try to make some scenes interesting, such as having conversations between characters occurring on different levels. The costuming is either dull or, in the case of Gatherer Hade, silly. The lighting design seems to have only one aim, to make objects visible- these floodlit sets would not have been tolerated by the likes of David Maloney and Douglas Camfield.
The actors do they best they can with the script. William Simons gives Mandrell a real presence (and is seemingly the only non-middle class person on the planet!) and Richard Leech makes Hade interesting to watch, if not particularly subtle. Henry Woolf's performance as the Collector, however, is too comedic and his nasal voice is highly irritating. Tom Baker seems to be improvising half the time in a highly erratic performance and it is left to Louise Jameson to provide the only truly outstanding contribution. This is also K9's first proper outing and he is interestingly used exactly like a real dog- to attack and follow 'scents'.
This is, in short, eminently skippable. I certainly will do so, in future.
NEXT: Underworld
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Image of the Fendahl
One thing I have noticed in Chris Boucher's Doctor Who stories is that their story lines are very rarely original. Another thing I have noticed is that Boucher does not let that stop him from weaving a thoroughly absorbing, intelligent piece of television out of well-worn sci-fi staples. The obvious antecedent to this story is The Dæmons, but Boucher's script is far more coherent and intelligent than 'Guy Leopold's. Nigel Kneale is also a big influence- the basic story has similarities with Quatermass and the Pit, whereas the setting is very similar to The Stone Tape. However, Boucher makes this story his own and does it by playing with the structure of a Doctor Who story. In many other stories, the Doctor has to stop blinkered scientists from meddling with forces they do not fully comprehend. The fact that the Doctor is there to warn them makes the blinkered scientists responsible for the havoc they unleash. In this story, the Doctor and his companion are largely detached from the driving forces behind the problem. Apart from one short scene, the scientists are left to their own devices. In doing this Boucher subtly shows us that the scientists are merely pawns- as are we all- and even the Doctor could not have stopped the discovery of the skull and the coming of the Fendahleen. The Doctor, indeed, spends most of his time with the secondary protagonists, Mother Tyler and her grandson Jack. These country types are not belittled for their superstition, but respected for their insight into the problem.
Amid all this, Boucher still manages to write great characters and wonderful dialogue- 'You must think my head zips up the back' is one of my favourite lines in anything ever. The performances are great, with Daphne Heard making a wonderful Mother Tyler. Dennis Lill and Scott Fredericks are great as Fendelman and Stael. Wanda Ventham is very effective as Thea Ransome and Colby is brilliantly portrayed by Edward Arthur as the 'cheeky chappie' scientist. Unlike previous attempts at this sort of character, the story realises that they can be annoying in a crisis. Tom Baker gives one of his best performances as the Doctor- perhaps director George Spenton Foster knew how to channel the Baker boggle. Louise Jameson is wonderful as ever.
The direction is very effective, with great use made of night-shoots and very moody sets which are very effectively lit. the special effects work well- the Fendahleen could be more mobile, but they look fantastic. A small annoyance is the painted on eyes of Thea when she becomes the Fendahl Core- there is no special effect reason for them. Perhaps Wanda Ventham didn't like contacts.
This is a hugely enjoyable story from one of Doctor Who's most accomplished writers.
NEXT: The Sun Makers
Amid all this, Boucher still manages to write great characters and wonderful dialogue- 'You must think my head zips up the back' is one of my favourite lines in anything ever. The performances are great, with Daphne Heard making a wonderful Mother Tyler. Dennis Lill and Scott Fredericks are great as Fendelman and Stael. Wanda Ventham is very effective as Thea Ransome and Colby is brilliantly portrayed by Edward Arthur as the 'cheeky chappie' scientist. Unlike previous attempts at this sort of character, the story realises that they can be annoying in a crisis. Tom Baker gives one of his best performances as the Doctor- perhaps director George Spenton Foster knew how to channel the Baker boggle. Louise Jameson is wonderful as ever.
The direction is very effective, with great use made of night-shoots and very moody sets which are very effectively lit. the special effects work well- the Fendahleen could be more mobile, but they look fantastic. A small annoyance is the painted on eyes of Thea when she becomes the Fendahl Core- there is no special effect reason for them. Perhaps Wanda Ventham didn't like contacts.
This is a hugely enjoyable story from one of Doctor Who's most accomplished writers.
NEXT: The Sun Makers
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
The Invisible Enemy
The Invisible Enemy seems at first to be a run-of-the-mill Doctor Who story. However, as it goes on, it sabotages itself in ways that few other stories have ever done. Bob Baker and Dave Martin’s script is almost a caricature of a typical Baker & Martin story - barmy, sometimes wonderful ideas that are never properly thought through and a level of understanding of basic science that makes Kit Pedler look like Ben Goldacre. The idea of an intelligent virus trying to propagate itself is an intriguing one and the switching of the arena from an external to an internal and back again should work dynamically. However, their lack of thought in realising this in script form is obvious. Baker and Martin seem not to know what a virus actually is, which makes the virus’s plan seem confusing. The ‘Kilbracken process’ clones feel the pain of their external selves, which is nonsense. Of course, they should have also been naked when they were created (although I’ll bet that this wouldn’t have occurred so quickly to fans if Leela had not been one of them!) Most tellingly of all, Baker and Martin seem confused as to whether the clones journey into the Doctor’s brain literally or figuratively. We have phagocytes and neural arches, but we also have a literal ‘mind-brain’ barrier, a concept which is mentioned a few times, but never properly explained or explored. This is very sloppy thinking and I haven’t even mentioned such basic things as how Professor Marius finds the microscopic clones, how he can avoid injecting air into the Doctor without squirting the clones out and how the clones breathe. The characterisation is practically non-existent and there is some very clunky dialogue.
This need not have damned the story. The lack of characterisation is made up for by some nice performances- I like Frederick Jaeger’s portrayal of Marius and Michael Sheard is always worth watching. The regulars work wonders with the script- Leela in particular is written either as a parody of her usual self or just as a figure saying dialogue. However, the script is only part of the problem. The set design by Barry Newberry is rather good throughout and the model are sometimes truly wonderful, especially the shot of the shuttle flying over Titan. The realisation of the infection, however, looks like a candle has exploded in the actors’ faces. Further cracks start to show in the journey inside the Doctor’s body. Newberry just about manages to win the successful battle against the inherent ludicrousness of this element. Then, we see the Virus grown to macroscopic size. Nothing that I had read about this effect fully prepared me for the awfulness of this monster. This is the worst monster to ever take up screen time in the programme. There are brief shots where the dinosaurs in Invasion of the Dinosaurs and the Myrka in Warriors of the Deep are convincing enough for the viewer to forget their awfulness. There is not one interlaced field in this story in which the Virus is anything other than a poorly constructed, wobbling embarrassment. It drains the story of any drama or intrigue that the story could have had and pulls the viewer completely out of the experience.
Of course, what this story is primarily famous for is the introduction of K9 and, it has to be said, he is a very welcome addition to this story and is constantly watchable in what would otherwise be little more than an exercise in audience tolerance.
NEXT: Image of the Fendahl
This need not have damned the story. The lack of characterisation is made up for by some nice performances- I like Frederick Jaeger’s portrayal of Marius and Michael Sheard is always worth watching. The regulars work wonders with the script- Leela in particular is written either as a parody of her usual self or just as a figure saying dialogue. However, the script is only part of the problem. The set design by Barry Newberry is rather good throughout and the model are sometimes truly wonderful, especially the shot of the shuttle flying over Titan. The realisation of the infection, however, looks like a candle has exploded in the actors’ faces. Further cracks start to show in the journey inside the Doctor’s body. Newberry just about manages to win the successful battle against the inherent ludicrousness of this element. Then, we see the Virus grown to macroscopic size. Nothing that I had read about this effect fully prepared me for the awfulness of this monster. This is the worst monster to ever take up screen time in the programme. There are brief shots where the dinosaurs in Invasion of the Dinosaurs and the Myrka in Warriors of the Deep are convincing enough for the viewer to forget their awfulness. There is not one interlaced field in this story in which the Virus is anything other than a poorly constructed, wobbling embarrassment. It drains the story of any drama or intrigue that the story could have had and pulls the viewer completely out of the experience.
Of course, what this story is primarily famous for is the introduction of K9 and, it has to be said, he is a very welcome addition to this story and is constantly watchable in what would otherwise be little more than an exercise in audience tolerance.
NEXT: Image of the Fendahl
Monday, 6 April 2009
Horror of Fang Rock
Horror of Fang Rock was speed-written to replace another story, but this far from obvious in the finished story. The story is a simple one; if you think about it, it comes close to the base-under siege stories that the Troughton era had an embarrassment of. However, Terrence Dicks paces the story admirably well, creating a good deal of tension in what is still a very unnerving story. He peoples the script with a reasonably comprehensive representation of early 20th century society and sets them in motion against a monster in the confined environment of a lighthouse. These characters are more skilfully drawn than this description indicates and Dicks gives them unshowy, yet very effective dialogue and the characterisation is expertly done. We even get to see Reuben’s ‘saucy postcard’ collection, a surprising but very welcome (plot and character-wise, obviously!) development. This story has a particular effect on me, as I read Flannan Isle by Wilfrid Gibson at an early age and was terrified to find out, shortly afterwards, that it was based on a true story.
The design work is outstanding- the dark, fog-shrouded environment is brilliantly evocative and we never lose the impression that we are in a lighthouse. The period detail is as excellent as we have come to expect from BBC costume dramas. Paddy Russell directs with great atmosphere- the story is set entirely in one night and the atmosphere is like one of a primal nightmare. There is a very effective shot when we get a momentary glimpse of part of Ben’s dissected body, which is shocking without being gratuitous. The special effects are simple and all the more effective for it. The Rutan, which is basically realised as a luminous green balloon, is lit and voiced in a way to make us believe in it as an alien horror.
The performances are very well judged. Colin Douglas is fantastic as Reuben, making him solidly trustworthy as a human and chilling as a Rutan- his soulless grin as he is about to kill is terrifying. Annette Woolette is just the right degree of annoying as Adelaide and Lord Palmerdale and Skinsdale are well portrayed by Sean Caffrey and Alan Rowe. However, the best performance in the story is that of Louise Jameson. Leela is never better than in this story, being brave, uninhibited (she actually starts undressing in front of Vince) and eager to learn. The scene where she taunts the dying Rutan is awesome and Louise Jameson gives one of the best performances by a regular the programme has ever seen. Tom Baker is mesmerising throughout, although it is clear Paddy Russell is keeping him on a very long leash!
The story has few flaws, the only one worth mentioning being Tom Baker’s line about ‘…the chameleon factor, sometimes called lycanthropy…’. Not only does Baker mispronounce chameleon, most people know that that is not the definition of lycanthropy. This line illustrates some of the possible hazards of using technobabble- someone might recognise one of the long words that have been misused and what may be an obscure word or phrase now, might not be so in the future. This does not stop this story from being a highly enjoyable 100 minutes.
NEXT: The Invisible Enemy
The design work is outstanding- the dark, fog-shrouded environment is brilliantly evocative and we never lose the impression that we are in a lighthouse. The period detail is as excellent as we have come to expect from BBC costume dramas. Paddy Russell directs with great atmosphere- the story is set entirely in one night and the atmosphere is like one of a primal nightmare. There is a very effective shot when we get a momentary glimpse of part of Ben’s dissected body, which is shocking without being gratuitous. The special effects are simple and all the more effective for it. The Rutan, which is basically realised as a luminous green balloon, is lit and voiced in a way to make us believe in it as an alien horror.
The performances are very well judged. Colin Douglas is fantastic as Reuben, making him solidly trustworthy as a human and chilling as a Rutan- his soulless grin as he is about to kill is terrifying. Annette Woolette is just the right degree of annoying as Adelaide and Lord Palmerdale and Skinsdale are well portrayed by Sean Caffrey and Alan Rowe. However, the best performance in the story is that of Louise Jameson. Leela is never better than in this story, being brave, uninhibited (she actually starts undressing in front of Vince) and eager to learn. The scene where she taunts the dying Rutan is awesome and Louise Jameson gives one of the best performances by a regular the programme has ever seen. Tom Baker is mesmerising throughout, although it is clear Paddy Russell is keeping him on a very long leash!
The story has few flaws, the only one worth mentioning being Tom Baker’s line about ‘…the chameleon factor, sometimes called lycanthropy…’. Not only does Baker mispronounce chameleon, most people know that that is not the definition of lycanthropy. This line illustrates some of the possible hazards of using technobabble- someone might recognise one of the long words that have been misused and what may be an obscure word or phrase now, might not be so in the future. This does not stop this story from being a highly enjoyable 100 minutes.
NEXT: The Invisible Enemy
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