Doctor Who'ing

With my friends Beth and Wes, our marathon journey through Doctor Who has brought us to the beginning of the third season. Today we tackled four stories: The Time Meddler, Galaxy 4, Mission to the Unknown, and The Myth Makers.

The Time Meddler was a particular delight for Beth, who enjoyed the mystery of a time-traveling Monk up to no good in 1066. Unwilling to spoil my friends, I kept the Monk's identity of being another Time Lord a surprise. Beth agreed that she liked the Monk's mischievous machinations compared to those of the more evil Master. She even commented that it was probably more fun traveling with the Monk than the Doctor!

I was saddened that this was our last complete story to view for a little while. It's silly, I know, but I genuinely fretted over whether my friends could handle recon after recon.

We watched Galaxy 4 via the great recon that was intended as an extra on The Time Meddler DVD. This story fell into the "okay" category, which actually might be a first during our viewing so far. Beth's reaction to the Drahvin spaceship--"They live in a trailer?"--made me burst out laughing.

Maaga, leader of the Drahvins, missed her calling as a Dominatrix, we felt. Just look how much she loves punishing her drones, and those orgasmic monologues about bringing harm to others.

Steven's out-of-character behavior, with his background as an astronaut being forgotten when he finds himself trapped in an airlock, raised an eyebrow.

Mission to the Unknown was a surprising oddity for Beth and Wes. They were taken aback by the absence of the Doctor, Vicki and Steven, as well as the prospect of an ongoing Dalek series (which we all agreed would have failed). The Varga plants were noted as being especially unusual, and the make-up for the alien Malpha was praised.

On a personal note, I was horrified that the soundtrack of the Loose Cannon recon was so terrible. It's been a while since I last watched it and, if I'd've realized, I would have certainly dubbed the clean CD soundtrack over it.

Finally, there was The Myth Makers, which turned out to be the biggest hit of the day. It's a personal favorite of mine, and I was thrilled that Beth and Wes enjoyed it too. Wes liked that Donald Cotton's witty script was akin Monty Python, and I was pleased to find Beth smiling throughout.

Vicki's abrupt departure at the story's end came as a shock. After the adventure was over, I enlightened my friends to the circumstances regarding Maureen O'Brien's leaving the series, and how William Hartnell was absolutely furious with new producer John Wiles over it.

Although Vicki's goodbye is a nice one (especially compared to certain other companions) the decision to write her out was a rotten one. Today, even script editor Donald Tosh laments it. O'Brien and Hartnell had tremendous chemistry, and it would have been wonderful to see more of the First Doctor/Vicki/Steven TARDIS team.

So, my friends survived three recons in a row... Which, I'm relived about! Thankfully, there's at least three surviving episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan to enjoy next time.

Pic Spam

Just because I had to share the awesomeness that is Matt Smith.

Heroes of Sontar

The first in a second trilogy of adventures for the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, and an older Nyssa, Heroes of Sontar sees the debut of the Sontarans on audio. As with the most recent TV adventure, A Good Man Goes to War, this story makes novel use of the Sontarans by presenting the most inept platoon ever cloned. Although I'm not a fan of characters taking the piss out of baddies--particularly Tegan's constant putdowns here--it makes for some surprisingly humorous situations.

What I liked best about the play was the interactions of the time travelers with the Sontarans, especially Turlough, as well as the combined threat of Rutans and the terrifying-sounding Witch Guards. The only real downside was Nyssa's problem, which never felt as if anything terrible might happen to her.

Overall, it was a good story and a promising start to a new series of adventures for this reuinted team.

Enemy of the Daleks

I usually approach any Dalek audio dramas with some trepidation as they're usually far too loud, with the screeching Dalek voices, death rays and explosions ramped up to ten+. Thankfully, this wasn't the case with Enemy of the Daleks, and I was actually able to enjoy the story.

The tale’s main hook is certainly an interesting idea to explore; even more so when the Doctor is to play a key role in the titular enemy of the Daleks’ fate. The Kesabia (Japanese for “parasite savior”) - creations of an unhinged scientist desperate to win an unremitting war - are the Daleks’ opposite numbers in every respect, save for, of course, their overriding advantage – they eat metal. And, as if that weren’t enough, once they’ve eaten their way through a Dalek’s casing, they lay the eggs of their young within the Dalek mutant.

The Kesabia are a dangerous breed; so dangerous, in fact, that the Doctor knows it’s only a matter of time before they will wipe out not only the Daleks but humanity too, to say nothing of any other races that they might encounter. One of this story’s central themes is the examination of how far one has to go to beat a monster. And so the scheming, controlling, and utterly ruthless Seventh Doctor reappears in order to wipe out the Kesabia.

Meanwhile, the natural warrior in Ace really shines through in this play, blending into the Valkyrie unit effortlessly. Encountering the Daleks for the first time, Hex is well and truly out of his league here. His witnessing the death and destruction the creatures cause evokes Tegan's similar feelings in Resurrection of the Daleks.

Overall, this was one of Big Finish Productions' better Dalek stories. Thought provoking and deliciously relentless, it maintains the high quality of the latest run of Seventh Doctor/Ace/Hex adventures.

The Magic Mousetrap

Another excellent audio play featuring the team of the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex, The Magic Mousetrap is a wonderfully dark story by Matthew Sweet, which features several twists and surprises along the way. Notably, the Doctor is kept guessing as to his predicament thanks to a bout of amnesia while, behind the scenes, Ace and Hex are pulling the strings on orders the Time Lord can't remember. It's a nice twist for this most manipulative of Doctors.

Probably the best moment is the return of a villain (which I won't spoil in case anyone who reads this hasn't listened to this adventure yet) who hasn't been seen since the Hartnell era, and it's pulled off beautifully.

The climax is a little rushed, but that's a minor quibble. Especially when there's so much to enjoy in this surreal and macabre tale.

Forty-Five

One of the best things to happen to the already brilliant pairing of the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) was bringing in a new companion, Hex (Philip Olivier) for them both to spark off of. It created a wonderful dynamic between the three characters, as well as offering a much-needed fresh perspective on Ace and this particular incarnation of the Doctor.

Big Finish has explored a few full-cast anthology releases before this, but I have to say that Forty-Five might well be my favorite. The only weak story of the vignettes was the second, Order of Simplicity, however it still had much to offer.

I particular enjoyed The Word Lord, which not only introduced the fascinating titular new villain - brilliantly played by Paul Reynolds - but also wove the overall story strands together effortlessly. Another release I heartily recommend.

Doctor Who'ing

Beth, Wes and I had another wonderful day continuing our marathon viewing of Doctor Who from the beginning. This time we watched "The Crusade", "The Space Museum" and "The Chase".

During "The Crusade", it was again lamented that the series doesn't take the chance of making historical stories anymore. Wes appreciated how the four time travelers were handled, and Beth and I commented on the rich depth of David Whitaker's Shakespearean script. Wes found it hard to believe anyone would mistake Vicki for a boy. Just wait till we reach "The Smugglers"! How any of those pirates could mistake Polly of all the female companions for a lad beggars belief.

"The Space Museum" was appreciated for its doing something different with time, and for the dilemma the Doctor and his companions faced. Vicki was again praised for being far more pro-active than Susan could ever hope to be. Beth and Wes were pleasantly surprised by a young Jeremy Bulloch (the future Boba Fett) appearing. The Moroks' badger-style hair produced a laugh, as did the fact that the planet Xeros seemed to be populated by twinks!

Of the three stories, I think "The Chase" was enjoyed the most. The opening sequence with the time/space visualizer was singled out as being particularly good. We couldn't help but draw comparisons to the different locations used throughout the story with those in Star Wars: Aridius (Tatooine), Mechanus (Dagobah), and the Mechanoid City (Cloud City)! Beth really liked the vignettes set in those myriad times and places, and she grew fond of Steven Taylor despite his brief appearance. She was happy when I hinted he just might have been able to slip inside the TARDIS.

Beth was also glad that Ian and Barbara had a nice send off. It always brings a lump to my throat watching the two schoolteachers part company with the Doctor who, after 16 stories, grew fond of these interlopers to the point where he didn't want them to go.

After "The Time Meddler" next time, we'll be heading into reconstruction madness. With so many episodes missing from Season 3, I hope it won't be too tough on my awesome friends.

Point of Entry

As I finally get a chance to catch up on the first series of Doctor Who Lost Stories audio dramas, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share my thoughts on them. When the series was first announced, I was incredibly excited as exploring the scripts that would have been produced if Doctor Who hadn't been forced into hiatus back in 1985 is something I've wanted Big Finish Productions to do from the start.

Point of Entry is an oddity as it was never fully commissioned, but was a fruitless unsolicited submission. As a result, it feels more like an original play than a bona fide Lost Story. It is easy to understand why Point of Entry never moved past a pitch. There's simply no way a script this dark and borderline disturbing would have ever been produced. How much of that originates from Barbara Clegg or Marc Platt is up for debate.

The adventure itself has a wonderful sense of atmosphere and a nice pace, despite the two episodes running over an hour each. Both the Doctor and Peri are given a nice slice of the action, with Nicola Bryant's performance as Peri masquerades as the queen a definite highlight. Using a demonic villain and connecting it with Kit Marlowe's Dr Fautus was inspired.

I applaud Big Finish for taking a chance and developing this unsuccessful pitch from the Eighties. As it turned out, Point of Entry was quite a gem.

The Five Companions

This excites me more than it decently should! The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa encountering four of William Hartnell's companions in a new audio drama which is touted as being "a really affectionate tribute to the era of the First Doctor".

Pictured are (from left to right): Anneke Wills (Polly Wright), William Russell (Ian Chesterton), Jean Marsh (Sara Kingdom), Peter Purves (Steven Taylor), and Sarah Sutton (Nyssa).

Prison in Space

A wonderful release! Of all the unmade Doctor Who stories, "Prison in Space" came the closest to actually making it into production. In fact, it was only a few weeks away from going in front of the cameras before it was dropped at the last minute.

The story is a genuinely amusing one, and the references to gender politics are definitely of their time - even the Doctor is not above making the odd caustic remark. The tiny cast is used really very well and are tremendously good. I loved hearing Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury performing together again, as well as Frazer's brilliant and astonishing Patrick Troughton impersonation (you honestly believe you're hearing the Second Doctor!), and there's a good pace and rhythm to this serial.

Nice sound design and incidental music too, reminiscent to Don Harper's excellent score for "The Invasion".

If the script had reached TV screens, I don't think it would have aged well. The women subjugating men backbone of the story wouldn't go over too well when viewed today. But, taken as a bit of intentional comedy, there's a lot of fun to be had.

The Four Doctors

I was really looking forward to hearing this one. After all, you've got Doctors Five, Six, Seven and Eight in an adventure with the Daleks... What could possibly go wrong? Well, it's all a bit boring. The Doctors are in their own time zones doing things, while the Daleks rant and rave. Honestly, Nick Briggs' Dalek voices were so LOUD that it ended up giving me a headache. It brought back memories of the excessively noisy Sixth Doctor audio play "The Apocalypse Element".

Disappointing.

Doctor Who'ing

Continuing our marathon viewing of Doctor Who from the beginning, Beth, Wes and I tackled "The Rescue", "The Romans", and "The Web Planet" this month. Of the three stories, "The Romans" (one of my personal favorites) was the biggest hit. The historical romp in Ancient Rome was thoroughly enjoyed not only for its humor, but also for the way in which the plot gave all four time travelers a nice slice of the action. Beth and Wes have noted several times throughout our journey through the series what a shame that there aren't historical stories in the New Series. Also, their disappointment over how today's companions almost never dress up in costumes from other times and places.

I was a little worried about showing "The Web Planet", as it is almost universally hated by fandom. But, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much Beth and Wes enjoyed it. Although they both agreed that it was slow in spots and could have used better pacing, they both noted and appreciated the story's ambition and imagination, and we all agreed that it probably could have been something special in a more capable director's hands. The costumes for the Menoptra, while campy, were praised, as well as the insect choreography.

New companion Vicki, and Maureen O'Brien's performance,
were also a hit. Poor Carole Ann Ford did the best with the material and direction she was given, but overall Susan was a disappointment for my friends. Wes rightly observing that her main function seemed to only be to get hysterical and twist her ankle. Vicki, on the other hand, has had more thought put into her character. She's fun, pro-active, feisty, and actually has a much warmer relationship with Hartnell's Doctor than with his own granddaughter! As much as I adore Ian and Barbara, Vicki has always been my favorite First Doctor companion. And I was so pleased that Beth and Wes liked her, too.

Cobwebs

It's been quite some time since I last heard one of the full cast Fifth Doctor audio dramas. But, I really wanted to hear this latest trilogy as it featured Janet Fielding reprising her role as Tegan after years of being reticent about performing again. It really is a joy to hear her interacting with Peter Davison's Doctor again, and she slips back into the part as if she's never been away.

The atmosphere of Cobwebs was dark and haunting, and the sense of exploring a new planet was tangible. Part One's cliffhanger is brilliant, being reminiscent of The Space Museum. Where this play really works is the chemistry and interactions of the four leads. The twist of meeting up with an older Nyssa is very well done, and it's nice to hear her paired up with Turlough. Speaking of whom, the opening TARDIS scene in which Tegan rails at the Doctor over Turlough's treachery feels so right, and could almost be a deleted scene from the Classic Series!

A definite winner. 5/5 stars

The Jade Pyramid

Hands down my favorite (so far) of the Eleventh Doctor audio stories read by the fantabulous Matt Smith, The Jade Pyramid has a wonderful atmosphere and a very strong adventure in medieval Japan at its heart. Well told throughout, I liked the supporting characters, their interaction with the Doctor and Amy seemed natural and just right. Loved the opening descriptions of Eleven and Amy from the elder's cultural perspective; always great to have a different angle on things. Oh, and 'look behind you' in the middle of the story resonates with the recent Series Six promo and adds a tension to the scene.

Matt's reading barreled along, keeping things fast-paced and interesting. His Doctor is amazing, and it was a delight hearing him bringing the other characters to life with such verve; he hits the bullseye with Amy's Scottish accent.

8 / 10 Recommended!