One of the problems Planet of Fire comes up against is the sheer number of things it has to incorporate on top of the story. Turlough’s origins are explained, before he is written out. Kamelion, too, makes an exit. Peri is introduced and the Master makes a comeback. The story itself is straightforward and unspectacular. The inhabitants of the highly volcanic planet Sarn worship the God Logar, but while Logar might have a mundane explanation, there is real power on Sarn, a power that the Master is keen to exploit. This is tied in with the fate of Turlough’s father, who may have crash-landed on Sarn a generation ago. As a script, Planet of Fire doesn’t do things that other stories haven’t done before. There is a religion that is based on a technological power (like in The Face of Evil). The Master has come to a planet to heal himself (The Deadly Assassin/ The Keeper of Traken). However, if the story is somewhat unoriginal, the script is competently written, if not as tight as it could be- the Numismaton gas concept could have been more securely tied in with the story, for example.
However, the story’s realisation is very impressive and Fiona Cumming puts in good work in the director’s chair. The location filming in Lanzarote is excellent, although it was, perhaps, unwise to make Lanzarote represent both itself and Sarn- the Canary Islands are a very popular tourist destination and Lanzarote’s volcanic plains are very recognisable. The studio scenes are also atmospheric and work well with the filmed segments. The presentation of the Master/Kamelion is suitably disorientating to have a real effect.
Characterisation is not the story’s strong point and most of the guest characters are forgettable. However, we have a truly outstanding performance by Peter Wyngarde as Timanov, who gives the character a real sense of dignity, despite his delusion. Nicola Bryant is instantly memorable as the sparky Peri, although her American accent is variable (the scene where she has to share dialogue with Dallas Adams must be excruciating for an American viewer!) We are also finally given an explanation for the mysteries behind Turlough’s character before he leaves. Turlough was hardly the most consistently written character, but Mark Strickson always gave an excellent performance and it is sad to see him go. The spectacular misfire that was Kamelion’s character is also written out in only his second appearance. Kamelion is effective in this story (mainly because the static robot prop is hardly used) but his removal is welcome. The Doctor isn’t as fully written as he usually is (outside Eric Saward scripts) but Davison fills in the gaps with his usual professionalism.
Planet of Fire is well made, though hardly essential, Doctor Who. In a considerable reformatting of the character dynamics, the Doctor is back to having a single companion- but more changes are to come…
NEXT: The Caves of Androzani
Showing posts with label Turlough. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turlough. Show all posts
Monday, 3 August 2009
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Resurrection of the Daleks
Despite its success, the Peter Davison era needed a little something extra to fully validate it in viewers' eyes- an appearance by the show's most iconic adversaries. It had been five years since the last, somewhat disappointing Dalek story, which is probably why writer Eric Saward sees fit to cram as many plot points into it as possible. We have the Daleks losing a war to the Movellans, which prompts them to resurrect Davros. We have the Daleks also planning an attack on Gallifrey. We have Dalek agents, who are duplicates. We have Davros plotting secretly to gain control of the Daleks. This does read like it could be a Byzantine plot of power struggles and intrigue. Instead, what we are given is a series of set pieces that are so clumsily joined together it makes one wonder at Saward's appointment as script editor on a basic level- for example, the Doctor never meets Styles, a major character and only shares one scene with Lytton, in which they don't actually converse. The dialogue is generic and uninspired and the characterisation is so bad, that if this were a radio script, the listener would totally lose track of who was who. Most seriously, Saward gives the Doctor virtually no role in the resolution of the plot- he is carried along by events almost as much as the supporting characters.
What makes this story watchable is the realisation. Matthew Robinson creates many memorable scenes- the wonderfully shot opening sequence on the Shad Thames, the memorable first appearance of the Daleks (lovingly ripped off from Darth Vader's entrance in Star Wars), the horrific scenes of the faces of the space station crew dissolving. Even the special effects, which are not much better technically than with other stories of the era, seem better due to the direction. This, combined with effective production design make this story very nice to look at.
The guest performances contain a few standouts, most notably Maurice Colburne as Lytton, who is utterly compelling from the first moment he appears. Rula Lenska also does good work as Styles and Rodney Bewes manages to rescue his badly written, poorly thought out character. However, some of the other actors are not as successful. Jim Findley is not exactly bad as Mercer, but he is clearly out of his depth and Sneh Gupta, whilst being very good looking, lacks the chops to fully realise her character. Matthew Robinson marshals these variable talents to the best possible level, although he makes Chloe Ashcroft scream in a very feral way, for some reason and Del Henney's death scene is ridiculous. Terry Molloy makes a far better Davros than David Gooderson, although the subtlety of Michael Wisher's portrayal has largely been lost.
This is the final story for Janet Fielding. Tegan was often poorly characterised, but Fielding always managed to make Tegan interesting to watch and made her, in my opinion, one of the great companions. Her leaving scene is the only unqualified success of the story, beautifully written, acted and shot. Mark Strickson again makes Turlough shine, but it is Davison who takes the laurels again. As said before, the Doctor is treated worse in the script than any previous story, but Davison manages to make us believe that it is the character we know and love.
They say you can't polish a turd, but Resurrection of the Daleks proves that you can, at least, varnish one. It works as entertainment if you watch it once, but the more you watch it, the more the sheer incompetence of the script becomes evident.
NEXT: Planet of Fire
What makes this story watchable is the realisation. Matthew Robinson creates many memorable scenes- the wonderfully shot opening sequence on the Shad Thames, the memorable first appearance of the Daleks (lovingly ripped off from Darth Vader's entrance in Star Wars), the horrific scenes of the faces of the space station crew dissolving. Even the special effects, which are not much better technically than with other stories of the era, seem better due to the direction. This, combined with effective production design make this story very nice to look at.
The guest performances contain a few standouts, most notably Maurice Colburne as Lytton, who is utterly compelling from the first moment he appears. Rula Lenska also does good work as Styles and Rodney Bewes manages to rescue his badly written, poorly thought out character. However, some of the other actors are not as successful. Jim Findley is not exactly bad as Mercer, but he is clearly out of his depth and Sneh Gupta, whilst being very good looking, lacks the chops to fully realise her character. Matthew Robinson marshals these variable talents to the best possible level, although he makes Chloe Ashcroft scream in a very feral way, for some reason and Del Henney's death scene is ridiculous. Terry Molloy makes a far better Davros than David Gooderson, although the subtlety of Michael Wisher's portrayal has largely been lost.
This is the final story for Janet Fielding. Tegan was often poorly characterised, but Fielding always managed to make Tegan interesting to watch and made her, in my opinion, one of the great companions. Her leaving scene is the only unqualified success of the story, beautifully written, acted and shot. Mark Strickson again makes Turlough shine, but it is Davison who takes the laurels again. As said before, the Doctor is treated worse in the script than any previous story, but Davison manages to make us believe that it is the character we know and love.
They say you can't polish a turd, but Resurrection of the Daleks proves that you can, at least, varnish one. It works as entertainment if you watch it once, but the more you watch it, the more the sheer incompetence of the script becomes evident.
NEXT: Planet of Fire
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Frontios
Frontios sees the very welcome return of Christopher H. Bidmead to the Doctor Who fold. While Frontios lacks the resonance of Castrovalva and Logopolis, the story is structured in a more linear way, making it more accessible to the casual viewer. This is not to say that Bidmead has been dumbing down- he takes a simple premise like colonists threatened by aliens and builds a well thought-out world out of it with striking imagery, such as Frontios 'burying its own dead', the Tractators' mastery of gravity and, most notably, the destruction of the TARDIS- which is tied in very well with the story. There is also some wonderful dialogue and characterisation. Bidmead might have intended to bring a greater level of real science to the programme, but he understood what the building blocks of good writing were and could write some very funny lines, when required. Even the character names have a Dickensian creativity- Captain Revere, Plantagenet, Brazen, Range- that add to the richness of the story and I'm sure the erudite Bidmead had Wittgenstein at the back of his mind when he named the monsters Tractators. The whole tale is given a sense of unease by the revelation that they have travelled beyond the scope of Time Lord knowledge- 'Whereof one cannot speak, one must remain silent'.
The look of the story is stunning, with fantastic sets and spectacular, if not exactly photo-realistic matte paintings. The lighting is subdued and based on reds and greens, which aids the atmosphere of the story considerably. Ron Jones's direction is masterful, creating memorable shots and scenes- most notably the climax. The TARDIS, the only regular set in the programme is shown intermeshed with Frontios- a startling enough sight, which Jones works wonders with. Jones is probably the most infuriatingly inconsistent director ever to work on the programme- he can do excellent work in this and yet send one to sleep with Arc of Infinity. If there is a flaw to the story, it is in the realisation of the Tractators, but they are by no means awful.
Bidmead's memorable characters are brought to life by a superb cast, who are very effectively marshalled by Jones. Peter Gilmore makes Brazen totally believable and a very young Jeff Rawle gives Plantagenet a real sense of humanity. The regulars are given some very strong material. Turlough's race memories are excellently conveyed by Mark Strickson, who manages to show very raw emotions without being overwrought. Tegan has a lot more to do than usual, and Janet Fielding attacks the role with relish. However, it is Davison who continues to astonish, improving on his already stellar best in the role.
Frontios is not that well remembered, so if you have never seen it before, you are in for a very pleasant surprise.
NEXT: Resurrection of the Daleks
The look of the story is stunning, with fantastic sets and spectacular, if not exactly photo-realistic matte paintings. The lighting is subdued and based on reds and greens, which aids the atmosphere of the story considerably. Ron Jones's direction is masterful, creating memorable shots and scenes- most notably the climax. The TARDIS, the only regular set in the programme is shown intermeshed with Frontios- a startling enough sight, which Jones works wonders with. Jones is probably the most infuriatingly inconsistent director ever to work on the programme- he can do excellent work in this and yet send one to sleep with Arc of Infinity. If there is a flaw to the story, it is in the realisation of the Tractators, but they are by no means awful.
Bidmead's memorable characters are brought to life by a superb cast, who are very effectively marshalled by Jones. Peter Gilmore makes Brazen totally believable and a very young Jeff Rawle gives Plantagenet a real sense of humanity. The regulars are given some very strong material. Turlough's race memories are excellently conveyed by Mark Strickson, who manages to show very raw emotions without being overwrought. Tegan has a lot more to do than usual, and Janet Fielding attacks the role with relish. However, it is Davison who continues to astonish, improving on his already stellar best in the role.
Frontios is not that well remembered, so if you have never seen it before, you are in for a very pleasant surprise.
NEXT: Resurrection of the Daleks
Monday, 27 July 2009
The Awakening
The Awakening is similar to The Dæmons, in that it has an ancient alien menace lying dormant in an English village that has given rise to superstition and legends. However, The Awakening is totally dissimilar to The Dæmons, in that it is not badly acted and sloppily written. Eric Pringle paints a delightful little tale of a (English) Civil War re-enactment that has awakened the Malus, a demon that was feared in Civil War times. The Malus is, in fact, a war machine from the planet Hakol that is using the psychic energy from the re-enactments to rebuild itself and is bringing actual 17th century people forward in time. Pringle keeps the plot simple enough to work as a 50 minute story and has time to create some good characters and some wonderful dialogue.
Michael Owen Morris directs with great energy- the opening sequence is edited to highlight the contrast between Roundhead horsemen and Jane Hampden in modern dress. Morris creates some wonderful scenes and images- The Malus slowly manifesting on the TARDIS wall is memorably creepy, as is the horrific decapitation of the roundhead re-enactor by the memorably spectral genuine roundheads. The location filming is exquisite and the studio scenes are atmospherically shot and lit. The costumes are, as expected, fantastic. The Malus is, arguably, conceptually very similar to the Mara but, fortunately, the production is strong enough to give the Malus its own identity. The monster is simply realised, but Morris’s skill as a director makes all the Malus’s manifestations memorable and give it its own identity.
There are some great guest performances from Polly James and the wonderful Dennis Lill, who makes Sir George Hutchinson a very vivid character. However, the most impressive guest is Keith Jayne as Will Chandler. Jayne disappeared from the screen in the 80s, which is a real pity as he was an excellent child actor and his studied, but unfettered portrayal of Will showed his talent was only increasing. I am not surprised that there were many who wanted him to become a companion.
Peter Davison is clearly enjoying himself and gives his usual excellent performance. Turlough is rather underwritten here, but Mark Strickson easily fills in the gaps. Tegan, although in the position of being a damsel in distress, does not act like one, in another very good performance by Janet Fielding.
The Awakening is utterly charming and well worth checking out.
NEXT: Frontios
Michael Owen Morris directs with great energy- the opening sequence is edited to highlight the contrast between Roundhead horsemen and Jane Hampden in modern dress. Morris creates some wonderful scenes and images- The Malus slowly manifesting on the TARDIS wall is memorably creepy, as is the horrific decapitation of the roundhead re-enactor by the memorably spectral genuine roundheads. The location filming is exquisite and the studio scenes are atmospherically shot and lit. The costumes are, as expected, fantastic. The Malus is, arguably, conceptually very similar to the Mara but, fortunately, the production is strong enough to give the Malus its own identity. The monster is simply realised, but Morris’s skill as a director makes all the Malus’s manifestations memorable and give it its own identity.
There are some great guest performances from Polly James and the wonderful Dennis Lill, who makes Sir George Hutchinson a very vivid character. However, the most impressive guest is Keith Jayne as Will Chandler. Jayne disappeared from the screen in the 80s, which is a real pity as he was an excellent child actor and his studied, but unfettered portrayal of Will showed his talent was only increasing. I am not surprised that there were many who wanted him to become a companion.
Peter Davison is clearly enjoying himself and gives his usual excellent performance. Turlough is rather underwritten here, but Mark Strickson easily fills in the gaps. Tegan, although in the position of being a damsel in distress, does not act like one, in another very good performance by Janet Fielding.
The Awakening is utterly charming and well worth checking out.
NEXT: Frontios
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Warriors of the Deep
Warriors of the Deep saw the return of the Silurians and the Sea Devils to Doctor Who. It is, perhaps, unfortunate that Johnny Byrne wrote this story having never even seen the two Pertwee stories, but his script is reasonably good. The plot is reminiscent of the Troughton era monster stories, but Warriors of the Deep has the advantage of not having been broadcast between stories with exactly the same 'base-under-siege' plot. The very early introduction of the hexachromite gas makes the outcome extremely predictable and, indeed, the plot is a bit too straightforward. However, there are some nice concepts, such as the need to link to a human brain to launch nuclear missiles (Byrne is considerably more skilful in using technobabble than in the interminably dull Arc of Infinity) and there is some great dialogue for the regulars and, incidentally, the first fart gag in Doctor Who.
However, the story's visualisation is close to catastrophic. Pennant Roberts has never been the most skilful of directors, but his work here shows a fundamental lack of understanding of how to use visual images to tell a story. The Silurians are revealed by a simple cut, like they were a recurring adversary on Stingray. The camera work is incredibly lazy with any scene not requiring basic composition just being shot statically. This all comes to a head in the storming of the sea base. This takes up a good deal of the story, but, thanks to Roberts's ineptitude, what we get are lumbering Sea Devils moving against humans inching carefully backwards- not very exciting! The lighting has been criticised as being excessive, which is not quite the case- it is uniform and does not create atmosphere, as well as not conforming to expectations of what a sea base should look like. The realisation of the Silurians and Sea Devils are considerably less successful than the originals. They do not move their lips when speaking (which the originals did) and they move very slowly- a far cry from the fast moving Sea Devils of the Pertwee era. There is the nice touch of having blinking eyelids for Sauvix, but this is, incredibly, only utilised twice! Roberts has conversations between the reptiles take ages, with huge pauses between the speakers, almost as if it were a satellite link. Then there is the Myrka, one of the most pathetic looking monsters to ever appear in the programme. The sterile lighting only amplifies the problems in the realisation of the saurians. On the good side, although it is overlit, the set for the base is actually quite good and the music is wonderfully atmospheric. The production was rushed, by all accounts, but that does not excuse things like the Silurians' costumes not being fitted properly.
The guest performances are rather lacklustre, with some being downright dreadful. Ingrid Pitt has great screen presence, but she is not a very good actress, but Ian McCulloch as Nilson and Nitza Saul as Karina are far worse. Tom Adams is good as Vorshak, but he succumbs to Roberts's poor direction- Vorshak does not even react when he is shot. However, if there is one great thing about this story it is, again, Peter Davison. The Doctor is brilliantly characterised in the script, his handing over of his gun being a great touch and Davison attacks the part with gusto, giving one of his finest performances. Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson also work very well with the material they are given.
The end of the story is superlative- both the reptiles and the humans are dead and the Doctor, with a tremor in his voice, says 'There should have been another way'. This could easily be applied to the story as a whole, a story that could easily have been so much better.
NEXT: The Awakening
However, the story's visualisation is close to catastrophic. Pennant Roberts has never been the most skilful of directors, but his work here shows a fundamental lack of understanding of how to use visual images to tell a story. The Silurians are revealed by a simple cut, like they were a recurring adversary on Stingray. The camera work is incredibly lazy with any scene not requiring basic composition just being shot statically. This all comes to a head in the storming of the sea base. This takes up a good deal of the story, but, thanks to Roberts's ineptitude, what we get are lumbering Sea Devils moving against humans inching carefully backwards- not very exciting! The lighting has been criticised as being excessive, which is not quite the case- it is uniform and does not create atmosphere, as well as not conforming to expectations of what a sea base should look like. The realisation of the Silurians and Sea Devils are considerably less successful than the originals. They do not move their lips when speaking (which the originals did) and they move very slowly- a far cry from the fast moving Sea Devils of the Pertwee era. There is the nice touch of having blinking eyelids for Sauvix, but this is, incredibly, only utilised twice! Roberts has conversations between the reptiles take ages, with huge pauses between the speakers, almost as if it were a satellite link. Then there is the Myrka, one of the most pathetic looking monsters to ever appear in the programme. The sterile lighting only amplifies the problems in the realisation of the saurians. On the good side, although it is overlit, the set for the base is actually quite good and the music is wonderfully atmospheric. The production was rushed, by all accounts, but that does not excuse things like the Silurians' costumes not being fitted properly.
The guest performances are rather lacklustre, with some being downright dreadful. Ingrid Pitt has great screen presence, but she is not a very good actress, but Ian McCulloch as Nilson and Nitza Saul as Karina are far worse. Tom Adams is good as Vorshak, but he succumbs to Roberts's poor direction- Vorshak does not even react when he is shot. However, if there is one great thing about this story it is, again, Peter Davison. The Doctor is brilliantly characterised in the script, his handing over of his gun being a great touch and Davison attacks the part with gusto, giving one of his finest performances. Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson also work very well with the material they are given.
The end of the story is superlative- both the reptiles and the humans are dead and the Doctor, with a tremor in his voice, says 'There should have been another way'. This could easily be applied to the story as a whole, a story that could easily have been so much better.
NEXT: The Awakening
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
"The Five Doctors"
Doctor Who's 20th Anniversary was marked by this feature length episode. As expected, the story is primarily there to celebrate Doctor Who's history, of which there was a hell of a lot. Terrence Dicks's script was a last-minute rush job that juggled five Doctors and their companions and the usual array of guest characters, so it is a miracle that the story works so well. Dicks reuses a plot element from The War Games (kidnapping alien beings to do battle in a game) and uses it to give each Doctor breathing space in this convoluted affair and the quest aspect is well handled to bind the differing journeys together. The story is also a quest for the identity of the Doctor himself, something made explicit in the plot and also lying implicit in the story's aim to be a celebration. Gallifrey is again given a sense of history with great economy and Dicks includes a great deal of memorable dialogue in a script that shows his skill and consummate professionalism.
Peter Moffat is hardly the most visually adventurous director, but he does reasonably good work here. Despite Gallifrey having a similar look to Arc of Infinity, scenes are cut with more urgency which compensate for this. The locations are well shot, with some very atmospheric scenes in the caves, and there is some great matte painting work for the exterior of the Dark Tower and great set design for the interior. We get some of the series' most celebrated monsters, with the appearance of a Dalek and a Yeti, but the main 'monsters' are the Cybermen. These are of similar design to those in Earthshock but, unfortunately, the key touch that made this design so great (the silver jaw visible behind the face-plate) has been omitted. However, the Cybermen form part of perhaps the most memorable set-piece in the story, the Raston Warrior Robot. This is a shockingly violent scene, where a platoon of Cybermen are impaled and dismembered by the Robot. The Robot is instantly memorable in a scene that is immaculately shot and edited.
Of course, the main attraction is the appearance of the five Doctors themselves, although, in reality, this is really another 'three doctors'- William Hartnell had been dead for 8 years and Tom Baker declined to appear. Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton effortlessly ease back into their roles and their interplay with their companions is excellently written and performed. Tom Baker appears in the form of a scene from Shada, but the First Doctor has been recast. Doing an impersonation of the inimitable Hartnell would have been disastrous, so it is good that Richard Hurndall gives us his own interpretation- he doesn't giggle or go 'hmm', but we still believe in him as the Doctor. If it had been up to me, I would not have had the First Doctor in it, but Hurndall does a good enough job. The guest performances are good, with Phillip Latham's power-mad Borusa being a highlight. The characterisation of the Master as being thwarted in his attempts to help the Doctor is highly amusing and works well.
The Five Doctors is eminently successful in both celebrating the programme and entertaining the viewer. This is the first story where I have had to review two versions. In 1995, an extended edition was released with 'improved' special effects and extra scenes. However, there are only two actual improvements, in my opinion- the first entrance of Borusa and the Doctor going into Borusa's office are better edited, but, in general, the pace is lost in the new edit. Also, the iconic black trapezoid used to represent the time scoop has been needlessly replaced with what looks like a CGI ice cream. If you only have time for one, make it the original.
NEXT: Warriors of the Deep
Peter Moffat is hardly the most visually adventurous director, but he does reasonably good work here. Despite Gallifrey having a similar look to Arc of Infinity, scenes are cut with more urgency which compensate for this. The locations are well shot, with some very atmospheric scenes in the caves, and there is some great matte painting work for the exterior of the Dark Tower and great set design for the interior. We get some of the series' most celebrated monsters, with the appearance of a Dalek and a Yeti, but the main 'monsters' are the Cybermen. These are of similar design to those in Earthshock but, unfortunately, the key touch that made this design so great (the silver jaw visible behind the face-plate) has been omitted. However, the Cybermen form part of perhaps the most memorable set-piece in the story, the Raston Warrior Robot. This is a shockingly violent scene, where a platoon of Cybermen are impaled and dismembered by the Robot. The Robot is instantly memorable in a scene that is immaculately shot and edited.
Of course, the main attraction is the appearance of the five Doctors themselves, although, in reality, this is really another 'three doctors'- William Hartnell had been dead for 8 years and Tom Baker declined to appear. Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton effortlessly ease back into their roles and their interplay with their companions is excellently written and performed. Tom Baker appears in the form of a scene from Shada, but the First Doctor has been recast. Doing an impersonation of the inimitable Hartnell would have been disastrous, so it is good that Richard Hurndall gives us his own interpretation- he doesn't giggle or go 'hmm', but we still believe in him as the Doctor. If it had been up to me, I would not have had the First Doctor in it, but Hurndall does a good enough job. The guest performances are good, with Phillip Latham's power-mad Borusa being a highlight. The characterisation of the Master as being thwarted in his attempts to help the Doctor is highly amusing and works well.
The Five Doctors is eminently successful in both celebrating the programme and entertaining the viewer. This is the first story where I have had to review two versions. In 1995, an extended edition was released with 'improved' special effects and extra scenes. However, there are only two actual improvements, in my opinion- the first entrance of Borusa and the Doctor going into Borusa's office are better edited, but, in general, the pace is lost in the new edit. Also, the iconic black trapezoid used to represent the time scoop has been needlessly replaced with what looks like a CGI ice cream. If you only have time for one, make it the original.
NEXT: Warriors of the Deep
Monday, 20 July 2009
The King’s Demons
In today’s TV climate, we are used to climactic series finales and Enlightenment certainly felt like one. However, it was not the finale, but was followed by this brief oddity. The story is somewhat uninspired- the Master is using a shape-shifting robot called Kamelion to impersonate King John, so that Magna Carta will not be signed. Given only 50 minutes to tell the story, it would be hoped that this will result in a lean script from Terence Dudley, who had written the great historical two-parter Black Orchid. However, what we seem to get is not a four parter with the padding taken out, but the plot, the padding and very little else. Characterisation is non-existent, with characters changing their attitude to the Doctor with each change in circumstances. It doesn’t help that the brief for the story seemed to be a grab bag for all the bullet points for the anniversary season that had not been fulfilled earlier- a historical, a Master story and the introduction of Kamelion. The story just stops with the regulars running into the TARDIS, which is a hardly the most inspired turn of events.
The production goes some way to healing the problems. The sets and costumes are of a high standard (the castle set is very reminiscent of the one in The Crusade) and Tony Virgo puts in a reasonably good job behind the camera. Frank Windsor makes Sir Ranulf seem more rounded than the script allows, although a fine actress like Isla Blair is given far too little to do. The ‘surprise’ of Sir Gilles being the Master is the least effective plot twist in ages- I instantly recognised Ainley at the time. King John (or the Kamelion version of him) is played wonderfully by Gerald Flood. However, the robot itself is something of a disappointment- well designed, but lacking in mobility, and the decision to keep it as a regular character was a bad one, as the production team would eventually realise.
The regulars put in great performances, with Peter Davison again elevating the mundane to the watchable. I love Tegan’s reaction to the Kamelion version of herself as well. However, The King’s Demons, although not terrible is totally inconsequential, and you will lose nothing by skipping it.
NEXT: "The Five Doctors"
The production goes some way to healing the problems. The sets and costumes are of a high standard (the castle set is very reminiscent of the one in The Crusade) and Tony Virgo puts in a reasonably good job behind the camera. Frank Windsor makes Sir Ranulf seem more rounded than the script allows, although a fine actress like Isla Blair is given far too little to do. The ‘surprise’ of Sir Gilles being the Master is the least effective plot twist in ages- I instantly recognised Ainley at the time. King John (or the Kamelion version of him) is played wonderfully by Gerald Flood. However, the robot itself is something of a disappointment- well designed, but lacking in mobility, and the decision to keep it as a regular character was a bad one, as the production team would eventually realise.
The regulars put in great performances, with Peter Davison again elevating the mundane to the watchable. I love Tegan’s reaction to the Kamelion version of herself as well. However, The King’s Demons, although not terrible is totally inconsequential, and you will lose nothing by skipping it.
NEXT: "The Five Doctors"
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Enlightenment
Enlightenment has at its core a simple image- a sailing ship gliding through space. This hugely evocative image is immediately appealing in its own right, but this story takes that image and runs away with it. Barbara Clegg turns it into a race between immensely powerful beings called Eternals, who exist outside time and space. The Eternals, however, lack creativity, dependent on ‘ephemerals’ for ideas, perhaps even intelligence itself. This is best shown in the ambiguities of the character Marriner- is he galvanized by her personality or is he, indeed, in love with Tegan? The guest cast do excellent work with these characters. Marriner is beautifully played by Christopher Brown, and Keith Barron plays Captain Striker with an eerie sense of detachment that is absolutely perfect. Lynda Baron’s performance as Wrack is hugely entertaining, while actually staying the right side of OTT. The only performance that isn’t first rate is Leee John. Hee tries to bee intense, but only suceeeds in beeing very camp- although the fact that hee is placed in the foreground for the Wheeelhouse sceenes for non-speeaking shots tends to reflect badly on him- it takes a very good actor to not look stupid when hee is placed in such a situation and hee was not a professional actor.
The story is beautifully realised, with sumptuous costuming and great sets- the design work is very carefully modulated so that we can see the contrasts between the different ships and crews without them clashing. Fiona Cumming is great in the director’s chair, setting up interesting compositions and it is probably due to her talent that Leee John remains watchable. There are many memorable scenes apart from the ships, such as the message from the White Guardian, the first appearance of Marriner (which starts off being very eerie and then becomes funny) and Wrack channelling the Black Guardian’s power. The lighting is superb throughout and the special effects beautiful, if not exactly state-of-the-art. Even the music (by Malcolm Clarke) is worthy of special praise.
This brings the Black Guardian Trilogy to an end. As an arc it was a rather weak one, so it is good that the stories had so much else to recommend them. The final scene has all the threads coming to a head, with Turlough making a final decision as to which side he’s on. The relationship between the Doctor and Turlough is very interesting; at the beginning, the Doctor all-but tells Turlough that he doesn’t fully trust him, and the end is unclear as to if the Doctor knew of Turlough’s bargain. Tegan’s interplay with Marriner is excellently performed- indeed this is very strong material for Strickson and Fielding and the companions come off almost as well as the Doctor. Almost, but not quite. Davison makes the Doctor a champion for all whose time is finite and we are cheering him all the way.
This is a wonderful story, that had me spellbound at the age of seven and still enchants today.
NEXT: The King's Demons
The story is beautifully realised, with sumptuous costuming and great sets- the design work is very carefully modulated so that we can see the contrasts between the different ships and crews without them clashing. Fiona Cumming is great in the director’s chair, setting up interesting compositions and it is probably due to her talent that Leee John remains watchable. There are many memorable scenes apart from the ships, such as the message from the White Guardian, the first appearance of Marriner (which starts off being very eerie and then becomes funny) and Wrack channelling the Black Guardian’s power. The lighting is superb throughout and the special effects beautiful, if not exactly state-of-the-art. Even the music (by Malcolm Clarke) is worthy of special praise.
This brings the Black Guardian Trilogy to an end. As an arc it was a rather weak one, so it is good that the stories had so much else to recommend them. The final scene has all the threads coming to a head, with Turlough making a final decision as to which side he’s on. The relationship between the Doctor and Turlough is very interesting; at the beginning, the Doctor all-but tells Turlough that he doesn’t fully trust him, and the end is unclear as to if the Doctor knew of Turlough’s bargain. Tegan’s interplay with Marriner is excellently performed- indeed this is very strong material for Strickson and Fielding and the companions come off almost as well as the Doctor. Almost, but not quite. Davison makes the Doctor a champion for all whose time is finite and we are cheering him all the way.
This is a wonderful story, that had me spellbound at the age of seven and still enchants today.
NEXT: The King's Demons
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Terminus
Stephen Gallagher wrote Warriors' Gate, perhaps, the highlight of the already outstanding season 18. His second script is not as well remembered and, indeed, I can remember not really enjoying it at the time of transmission. However, I was pleased to find that I enjoyed it much more as an adult- not an ideal thing for a Doctor Who story, admittedly! Gallagher's script again displays a great deal of ambition. The concept of Terminus as a leper colony is dealt with very well, with social ostracism of sufferers and healthcare run as a business actually being explored. The Vanir, who staff Terminus are basically slaves, dependant on a drug not because they are addicted, but because it keeps them alive. The Garm, a mutant canine biped, may be the cure for the Lazar disease, but he is even more of a slave as the Vanir. It is clear that this situation could have been easily avoided, but for the apathy of Terminus Inc. There is also the plotline where it is discovered that Terminus is at the precise centre of the Universe, which turns out to be no coincidence- Terminus is actually a time-travelling ship from the previous universe that caused the Big Bang- and could cause another, destroying our universe as it did its own. On paper, this looks rather like a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy type concept (and, indeed, it results in the rather rubbish cliffhanger of a comically large red switch on the verge of flipping) and seems at first glance to be disassociated from the Lazar plot. However, it is tied in well with the character of Bor, a Vanir who is determined to get to the truth behind the radiation leaks and finds a more profound truth. Gallagher has a real talent for characters living in (for them) mundane situations and he provides some excellent dialogue. The Black Guardian framing does not interfere at all with the plot and even the long sojourn of Tegan and Turlough in the ventilation shaft is well handled.
Terminus was obviously the cheap story of the season, yet it is surprising how good it looks. The limited number of sets do not detract from the visuals and the lighting (apparently seen as inadequate by John Nathan Turner) adds to the grimness of the story. The obvious comparison that must be made is with Alien (Terminus even has its own 'space jockey') and Mary Ridge is very creative in using what she is given, with vertical shots through grilles and good use of modelwork. The costumes for the Vanir are quite effective, although the Garm leaves a bit to be desired.
Most of the performances are first rate, with the Vanir actors being particularly noteworthy. Best of all is Peter Benson as the increasingly deranged, but determined Bor. There is, unfortunately one very weak link- Dominic Guard as Olvir, who is either incompetently bland or horrendously overwrought. The Go-Between notwithstanding, it's clear who got the talent in that family. In fact, the raiders could have been easily written out, although Liza Goddard gives an effective performance. This is also Sarah Sutton's final story. Nyssa tended to be somewhat swamped as a character, which did Sutton no favours. However, she did shine, when she was given a chance to and she gets a fantastic leaving scene that makes perfect sense in character terms. The interplay between Tegan and Turlough is very well written and performed and Peter Davison is awesome. As usual.
Terminus might not be the most enjoyable story, but it contains a great deal of substance and should not be ignored.
NEXT: Enlightenment
Terminus was obviously the cheap story of the season, yet it is surprising how good it looks. The limited number of sets do not detract from the visuals and the lighting (apparently seen as inadequate by John Nathan Turner) adds to the grimness of the story. The obvious comparison that must be made is with Alien (Terminus even has its own 'space jockey') and Mary Ridge is very creative in using what she is given, with vertical shots through grilles and good use of modelwork. The costumes for the Vanir are quite effective, although the Garm leaves a bit to be desired.
Most of the performances are first rate, with the Vanir actors being particularly noteworthy. Best of all is Peter Benson as the increasingly deranged, but determined Bor. There is, unfortunately one very weak link- Dominic Guard as Olvir, who is either incompetently bland or horrendously overwrought. The Go-Between notwithstanding, it's clear who got the talent in that family. In fact, the raiders could have been easily written out, although Liza Goddard gives an effective performance. This is also Sarah Sutton's final story. Nyssa tended to be somewhat swamped as a character, which did Sutton no favours. However, she did shine, when she was given a chance to and she gets a fantastic leaving scene that makes perfect sense in character terms. The interplay between Tegan and Turlough is very well written and performed and Peter Davison is awesome. As usual.
Terminus might not be the most enjoyable story, but it contains a great deal of substance and should not be ignored.
NEXT: Enlightenment
Monday, 13 July 2009
Mawdryn Undead
Peter Grimwade's second contribution to Doctor Who is, thankfully a vast improvement on his first, Time-Flight. The story takes place in two time zones, making it a rare instance of time travel being part of the plot, rather than the means to get the Doctor to his latest adventure. This is tied to the journey of Mawdryn and his fellow scientists on a quest for death. Apart from this, the story has to introduce new companion Turlough, have a guest role for the Brigadier and incorporate the return of the Black Guardian. In spite of some irritating technobabble, this story works very well. This story, of course, caused the 'UNIT dating controversy', but I can easily overlook this- things were more homespun then. Then, there is Mawdryn and his companions. They are by no means villains and their motivation in the story is a welcome change from the usual. There is good dialogue and all the strands are tied up very well.
The realisation of the story is very impressive, with sumptuous sets for Mawdryn's ship. However, the costumes for the mutants are a bit silly and, even though it has been pointed out by others, why does the Black Guardian have a dead crow on his head? Peter Moffat plays to his limited strengths as a director- canny editing sells the juxtaposition of different time zones and there are no fight scenes or complicated camera moves, something which Moffat has never been good at. The only time his limitations are shown is in the appalling shot of the 'dream Turlough' getting back into bed.
There are some very good performances, from Stephen Garlick's engaging 'Hippo' to Angus Mackay's restrained, yet very effective headmaster. However, there are two performances which really stand out. For the first time since 1975, the Brigadier appears and never before has he been portrayed as such a layered character and Nicholas Courtney rising admirably to the challenge, making the 1977 and 1983 Brigadiers genuinely seem like one person at different times of their lives. The portrayal of the Brig's apparent breakdown is portrayed surprisingly effectively and sensitively without betraying the heart of the character- something which is as much due to Courtney as to the script. I have seen David Collings in many things and he has never been anything less than brilliant. Collings infuses Mawdryn with a sense of menace, pain and tragedy, yet Collings makes us see a good person condemned to suffer for one mistake. Peter Davison works his usual magic, as does Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson makes an immediate impression as Turlough.
Mawdryn Undead is a highly enjoyable entry- with, incidentally, a really cool title!
NEXT: Terminus
The realisation of the story is very impressive, with sumptuous sets for Mawdryn's ship. However, the costumes for the mutants are a bit silly and, even though it has been pointed out by others, why does the Black Guardian have a dead crow on his head? Peter Moffat plays to his limited strengths as a director- canny editing sells the juxtaposition of different time zones and there are no fight scenes or complicated camera moves, something which Moffat has never been good at. The only time his limitations are shown is in the appalling shot of the 'dream Turlough' getting back into bed.
There are some very good performances, from Stephen Garlick's engaging 'Hippo' to Angus Mackay's restrained, yet very effective headmaster. However, there are two performances which really stand out. For the first time since 1975, the Brigadier appears and never before has he been portrayed as such a layered character and Nicholas Courtney rising admirably to the challenge, making the 1977 and 1983 Brigadiers genuinely seem like one person at different times of their lives. The portrayal of the Brig's apparent breakdown is portrayed surprisingly effectively and sensitively without betraying the heart of the character- something which is as much due to Courtney as to the script. I have seen David Collings in many things and he has never been anything less than brilliant. Collings infuses Mawdryn with a sense of menace, pain and tragedy, yet Collings makes us see a good person condemned to suffer for one mistake. Peter Davison works his usual magic, as does Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson makes an immediate impression as Turlough.
Mawdryn Undead is a highly enjoyable entry- with, incidentally, a really cool title!
NEXT: Terminus
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