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.

South Park Top 15

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!

Sailor Moon Live Action

Being a fan of the anime Sailor Moon (the Japanese version with English subtitles, not the horrific, dumbed-down, censored, and kiddified North American dub) I was interested in seeing how the Live Action series (made in 2003) was handled.

Although it was ever so slightly campy and reminiscent of Power Rangers with its monster-of-the-week, I was genuinely surprised by how good and addictive the live action series was.

What really made it work for me was the casting of the five leads, which was inspired. Particularly Sawai Miyu as Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon. She's instantly likable and fun, even managing to break your heart during the highly-charged emotional moments.

Although the series followed the original manga storyline more closely than its anime counterpart, it eventually headed off into a new direction, effectively placing its own stamp on the franchise. Where I think it failed is in not exploring the Chibi-Usa/Chibi-Moon storyline from the anime's second season (which was originally planned). Instead, Luna the cat is inexplicably turned into a little girl who can become a Sailor Senshi. Her style is that of Chibi-Usa, as well as her Soldier attacks. It feels like an enormous wasted opportunity.

Another disappointment is in not leaving things open to continue the series. It had a heck of a lot of potential to go on, and I'm surprised that further seasons weren't produced as it was ridiculously popular in Japan.

Those quibbles aside, I thought it was a brilliant re-telling of the well-known story.