Doctor Who'ing

It's been quite a while since I last posted. But I wanted to write down my thoughts as Beth, Wes (and now the adorable Pike) continue our Doctor Who marathon of the Classic Series. We finished "The Ark" and got through "The Celestial Toymaker".

Of the two, "The Ark" was enjoyed the most, while "The Celestial Toymaker" turned out to be a difficult story to get through. They liked the idea of the Doctor and his companions unwittingly bringing an illness (and its consequences) down on the space-ark. Wes commented on the early sci-fi trappings of aliens being referred to by numbers instead of names

"The Celestial Toymaker", for its part, was seen as a good idea executed badly. I've never understood why a certain portion of fandom holds this tale up as a classic, because--let's face it--the story isn't very good. I'd go so far as to say it's the weakest of an otherwise strong season. My friends praised the Toymaker for being an interesting character. We all agreed he needed a better outing.

Beth didn't like the inconsistency in which the companions--particularly Steven--were portrayed. She saw Dodo, who despite having an unfortunate name and appalling fashions, being the most sensible of the two. I've always liked Dodo, even if the majority of fandom doesn't. She's no Vicki, that's for sure. But I don't think she deserves any hate.