Going Through Doctor Who (Spoilers all Eps aired on BBC/BBCA)

[rushy]

I think I get it now. Yes, the promise does fit a scientist too, I think. Never cruel or cowardly to anybody, never give up, never give in to a problem. Cool.

Anyway, the Aztecs was... menacing. That's the best way to describe it. It was a fairly powerful story, dealing with matters of rewriting history(the first Doctor Who story to talk about that).

William Hartnell is his usual great self, but there were two scenes in particular that I can safely say are "First Doctor classics". Firstly, the one where he tells Barbara that "history can't be rewritten. Not one line!" And the second where he figures out that he proposed to Cameca.
As for the character himself, he has some major development here. His concern about Chesterton is quite notable, considering the coldness that was between the characters earlier. He also apologises after snapping at Barbara for trying to change the fate of the Aztecs(remember how Ninth reacted after Rose tried to just save his dad?). That's a big change from the git he was at the beginning. Even though his performance is frequently vague and unpredictable(it's obvious he himself doesn't understand the person he's playing), Hartnell makes it all work by just being alien and at the same time, someone the viewers can root for and believe in.

Ian... I'm not sure what to say about him. He was Ian. With a Vulcan nerve pinch.

Barbara was the best I've seen of her. Finally breaking through the shell of blandness, she delivers a character that I think should be featured far more in sci-fi... a historian with a choice to change history. She becomes a bit delusional at points, but ultimately makes the right choice. Fantastic.

Susan surprised me, because she was acting like a real person. Someone who has her own life and is willing to stand for it. Sure, there were a few "grandfather!" moments here and there, but mostly she was a whole new person. And I was so used to the cute frightened girl performance I don't even know if I can handle it.

Tlotoxl was a friggin' awesome bad guy! He was like Gollum and Saruman put into a blender. Golluman, if you will. He wasn't as subtle or nearly as enjoyable as Tegana perhaps, but his exquisite motivations put him far apart from his predecessor in Marco Polo.

I noticed that the Aztecs was directed by John Lucarotti, the same guy who I think directed Marco Polo. I like him, he takes his job seriously. Terry Nation's not bad, but his episodes can get a little tedious.

All in all, it was a pretty good serial and hopefully a model for future historicals(I doubt now that DW will ever put out another Marco Polo so...). Short, effective, good-written and some really nice acting.

Next time on Going Through Doctor Who: The Sensorites...

[rushy]

I have just returned from a lovely trip to Stockholm(nice city, but I always seem to show up when the weather's cranky). There was the most awesome shop full of sci-fi books, movies and video games that you could imagine.
So, I took advantage of my wallet and got myself two Doctor Who serials on DVD. For over half an hour I looked through the titles, trying to choose between the Doctors and balancing the rumors until finally I chose the Dalek Invasion Of Earth and Attack Of The Cybermen. Yes, poor Genesis got the shaft. Please don't hit me.

Also, since I'm having serious trouble with the Sensorites(Episode 5 is cursed), I'll just review those then for now.

The Dalek Invasion Of Earth is easily the best-directed, well-written, well-acted Hartnell serial I have seen so far. The story is absolutely riveting, the camera shots of Daleks on the Westminster bridge put Daleks in Cardiff to shame, the character development(don't get me started on Susan, I don't want to break down) is unimaginably good.

It's the ultimate story. Can it get any better? Right now, it really doesn't seem like it. Okay, so there are issues too. The first episode is kinda slow, the Robomen are really sucky(also, did the new Cybermen rip them off in the Age Of Steel with the Cybus network?) and some of the resistance folk I didn't really feel for, but it's mostly dated pretty well. They keep the whole 22nd century thing really believable by not really showing it, but showing it all the time at the same time.

The lack of internet and phones and all the advanced technology we have makes perfect sense, since the Daleks destroyed it all.

Now let's get to the characters themselves. William Hartnell has some really great scenes, particularly the one where he passes through the Dalek IQ test and when he locks Susan out of the TARDIS(that final speech will never leave me). I've fully grown to love him as the Doctor, I really have. When I finally get around to Patrick Troughton(who I don't remember liking in the Five Doctors), he has some big shoes to fill.

Ian, who's been underused for a while now, finally gets his own little subplot. I'd describe it, but there's one more flaw in this serial: it's very hard to keep track of what really happened. I have no clue how Susan and David turned off the dishes on the Daleks' backs or what everyone planned to do except get into the mines.

Barbara, I think was very good, pulling Jenny out of the depression she was in. If she was in depression. Again, hard to follow and little conclusion to her subplot.

Susan...

So yeah, this one ranks up there alongside Marco Polo and the first episode of An Unearthly Child as a magnificient adventure.

[rushy]

Attack Of The Cybermen was a little bizarre in terms of character.

I'm finding it difficult to follow Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor. He's great when he's doing a Rodney McKay-esque ego trip(which I think were what they were going for), but the next scene he's asking his companion to shoot people. I'm willing to buy that this is his very early Hartnell showing through(because at that point, he viewed humans as apes), but why would regeneration sickness be a plot? Shouldn't it just be over with one serial?
Nevertheless, he has great potential and I'm really digging the multicoloured coat. I want one just like that. Also, his sonic lance was pretty neat.

Peri is a bit whiny, but considering that her Doctor is half-Hartnell, half-Pertwee, I suppose I can't blame her. Also, I would've loved to see Rose with her outfit. Yeeeeesss...

The plot itself isn't all that bad with Cybermen stealing time machines, but it's badly directed and comes across as flat. The guy playing Lytton did a great job. The final twist of him being a good guy doesn't really work though, because he could've easily just told the Doctor and much could've been avoided.

The Cryons were... crystalline and weird and stuff. Alien.

So yeah, not too bad, but not brilliant either. Nothing memorable. I hope Colin is allowed to improve on his performance, it aches me to see talent pushed down. Also, the 80s DW intro is riveting. I can't wait to properly get into it. But alas, I still have like 20 Hartnells to go through. Oh goody.

[Flyboy]

Attack Of The Cybermen was a little bizarre in terms of character.

I'm finding it difficult to follow Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor. He's great when he's doing a Rodney McKay-esque ego trip(which I think were what they were going for), but the next scene he's asking his companion to shoot people. I'm willing to buy that this is his very early Hartnell showing through(because at that point, he viewed humans as apes), but why would regeneration sickness be a plot? Shouldn't it just be over with one serial?
Nevertheless, he has great potential and I'm really digging the multicoloured coat. I want one just like that. Also, his sonic lance was pretty neat.

Peri is a bit whiny, but considering that her Doctor is half-Hartnell, half-Pertwee, I suppose I can't blame her. Also, I would've loved to see Rose with her outfit. Yeeeeesss...

The plot itself isn't all that bad with Cybermen stealing time machines, but it's badly directed and comes across as flat. The guy playing Lytton did a great job. The final twist of him being a good guy doesn't really work though, because he could've easily just told the Doctor and much could've been avoided.

The Cryons were... crystalline and weird and stuff. Alien.

So yeah, not too bad, but not brilliant either. Nothing memorable. I hope Colin is allowed to improve on his performance, it aches me to see talent pushed down. Also, the 80s DW intro is riveting. I can't wait to properly get into it. But alas, I still have like 20 Hartnells to go through. Oh goody.

Six is the Marmite of Doctor Who. You either love him or you hate him. Aside from the terrible coat (sorry), I quite like him. But. And I stress but. My view has been shaped by the Big Finish audio dramas where he becomes far more rounded as a character than he was ever allowed to become on television. I have to say though, I LOVED Trial of a Timelord, so when you get to that you will see Six at his best.

As for Peri - she ranks alongside Jo Grant as my two least favourite companions. All she does is whine and moan (when with Six), you have to wonder why she even travels with him - she doesn't seem to actually want to be there. And the outfit? Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.....

[rushy]

I should also mention that I've begun watching Series 7 and I definitely plan to get to Capaldi before Series 8 comes out.

[rushy]

Despite putting forth some interesting ideas, the Sensorites is ultimately mediocre. The story involves a bunch of telepathic aliens who are friendly. Except some aren't. And that's really it. There's very little going on except the "humans are so much better than us" speeches from the First Elder and the city administrator's typical villain quotes(before they were invented, but still as cliche).

Hartnell has a few great scenes here and there such as where he fails to notice an enemy right next to Ian(that was such a nice Matt Smith moment), but he's overall quite bland. Like everything else.

Ian has a little plot about being poisoned, but it's quickly ushered to the sidelines and he goes back to being the Doctor's bodyguard. I really hate this use of Ian's character, he's a science teacher so why doesn't he do any science? I'm starting to see why they got rid of him(not that I don't still like him, quite the opposite, but as a teacher character, he's obsolete now that the Doctor is nice).

Barbara disappears for half the serial so no comment on her whatsoever.

Susan we find is a half-telepath and so is the Doctor(giving a little insight to Time Lord abilities, which is always nice). She also delivers a very beautiful description of Gallifrey. It's really nice to know that RTD and Moffat look back to these early stories for canon information.

The ending was horrendous. There was just no climax. The city administrator was taken out off-screen, OFF-SCREEN after like six episodes of evil plotting! That's bad writing, that is.

I liked the idea that the TARDIS keyhole could be removed. Of course, had the Doctor just snapped his fingers...
But still, it's a nice idea. I'm just a little irritated that the intricacies and security systems of the TARDIS keyhole never came up in the new series. How exactly did the Editor from The Long Game planning to get in if only the Doctor could turn it the right way?

Next on Going Through Doctor Who: The Reign Of Terror. The Doctor and co travel to France! For some reason, I have a bad feeling.

[cosmichobo]

Despite putting forth some interesting ideas, the Sensorites is ultimately mediocre.

I know I've watched this story, as I bought the VHS, and... well, I'm sure I would have watched it at the time... But... I don't think I've ever watched it again. Oh, MAYBE in 2003 when the ABC did their "full" run through of all Classic episodes... Though... Maybe I just taped it and ate my tea those nights.

I liked the idea that the TARDIS keyhole could be removed. Of course, had the Doctor just snapped his fingers...
But still, it's a nice idea. I'm just a little irritated that the intricacies and security systems of the TARDIS keyhole never came up in the new series. How exactly did the Editor from The Long Game planning to get in if only the Doctor could turn it the right way?

It was a very interesting concept... that I don't think ever got a reference out of the first season (?). I think it really reeks of desperation in an effort to make poor little Susan run through that dead forest in The Daleks... Had to make a feasible reason why Ian or Babs couldn't go... so make it nigh on impossible for them to do something so simply as to use a key in a lock...

Ahh, though yes now we're just talking about removing the entire lock barrel. I guess that could have been used on other occasions...

[rushy]

To keep you entertained while Hartnell's whacking people with shovels is Dimensions In Time. It's weeeeeird. But kinda likable.
It's a two-part Children In Need sketch featuring a crossover with Eastenders(insert Imperial March), made for kids(duh) and the 35th or so anniversary of Doctor Who.

The story from what I can gather, features all incarnations of the Doctor being trapped by the Rani(WHY HER?!?!?) in Albert Square. Except two whom she's already taken. So... why didn't she take the others too? Why did she dump them in Albert Square? Um, anyway, Doctors Three and Five-Seven end up stuck there and to my great irritation, they don't actually meet each other, but instead they constantly switch. Not only does this serve no purpose(since none have memorable lines and are obviously there just cause they're morally obligated), but it just ramps up the confusion levels.

The Fourth Doctor sends out a distress call to his past and future selves from... somewhere(the TARDIS? The Matrix?) that no one refers to again(How'd he escape the Rani trap? And why did he look so old if he did?). However, to give Tom Baker some credit, it IS the best scene in the whole story. Only when he was there did I feel like this might be related to DW. I'd cut out that scene and put it into a better story.

My favourite part of the whole thing was the intro itself. It's an odd thing to be favourite, but the Dimensions In Time theme KICKS... bum. It really does. Every time I hear it, I wanna jump and start flailing around.

As I've repeatedly heard, this is also the only time the Sixth Doctor and the Brigadier met. Well, why was the Brigadier even there? Who called him? And wasn't the Brigadier retired by 2013 and if it wasn't 2013, why'd he look old?

I know it's only a sketch, but logic is paramount in EVERYTHING. There is always a reason for something. I can only say thank heavens this isn't canon.

P.S. I like Noel Edmonds.

[Flyboy]

(Response borrowed from a previous comment of mine)

In fairness, I quite like the sketch, if only because up until The Sarah Jane Adventures it gave one final appearance of The Brigadier and Bessie... And he looks that old because that is precisely how old he was in the 'present day' element of the episode...

In light of 'Day of the Doctor' you could say...

Spoiler:

that that wasn't actually the Fourth Doctor but was The Last Doctor.... which would explain his age...

But yes, it's ridiculous... and it's a shame, because it started off as a brilliant idea called 'The Dark Dimension'.

The Dark Dimension revolved around a multi-doctor story in which an enemy of the Doctor went back in time and saved The Fourth Doctor's life, preventing his regeneration. Cut to an alternate timeline which then overwrote the prime universe (a little like in Continuum), where the Fourth Doctor is infirm, elderly, and a hermit (fully explaining why Tom Baker looked so different in role), and you have the potential for a great dimension hopping story which brought together the 3rd - 7th Doctor from various pocket dimensions to set things right. But alas, due to budget, and a ridiculous BBC desire to make it an Eastenders crossover... well.... not a fitting DW end. At least until The Movie....

[rushy]

In 2013, the Brigadier was supposed to be retired. And looking old-er. So his appereance and uniform still don't make sense. And even if they did, why would UNIT send a grandpa to do their job? Grandpas don't get helicopters, they get desk jobs.

I'm really glad The Dark Dimension didn't work out, I don't like the idea at all. An interesting concept sure and I never shy away from a multi-Doctor story(I even count The Next Doctor), but the whole thing seems to be based on the fact that fans love the Fourth Doctor most.
I'm not surprised that the other actors declined to participate in a Bakerfest. Even I would have. Still, what do I know? American Who turned out good, so might have this.

And why would Doctors 3-7 be in pocket dimensions?

[Flyboy]

In 2013, the Brigadier was supposed to be retired. And looking old-er. So his appereance and uniform still don't make sense. And even if they did, why would UNIT send a grandpa to do their job? Grandpas don't get helicopters, they get desk jobs.

I'm pretty sure that bit was meant to be 1993, in which case the Brigadier doesn't have to necessarily be that old. 64 if we're to go by the actual actors age. Conceivably he could have been several years younger, say 60. Which is therefore a VERY realistic possibility for him to still be active. Retirement age the British forces for officers that have been granted an extension of service is 55, unless you're an Air/Admiral/General rank, at which point you get a further extension of service. For the Brigadier it's very possible that, given his expertise, he was still active. Even if in a Full Time Reserve Service role, and he most certainly would be able to have a helicopter to fly him around in that case - particularly when a Code 9 was involved....

I'm really glad The Dark Dimension didn't work out, I don't like the idea at all. An interesting concept sure and I never shy away from a multi-Doctor story(I even count The Next Doctor), but the whole thing seems to be based on the fact that fans love the Fourth Doctor most.
I'm not surprised that the other actors declined to participate in a Bakerfest. Even I would have. Still, what do I know? American Who turned out good, so might have this.

And why would Doctors 3-7 be in pocket dimensions?

I dunno... I think, if well executed - it could be very interesting. I don't understand the full story line, but I think it's a great and original approach to a multi Doctor storyline... to be honest, you could even do it with only a single past Doctor and the current Doctor.....

[rushy]

I dunno... I think, if well executed - it could be very interesting. I don't understand the full story line, but I think it's a great and original approach to a multi Doctor storyline... to be honest, you could even do it with only a single past Doctor and the current Doctor.....

They have, it's called the Two Doctors.

[Flyboy]

They have, it's called the Two Doctors.

You misunderstand me, I'm saying they could still to The Dark Dimension using two Doctors, rather than all surviving doctors as originally penned, which might make for a stronger story.

[rushy]

Here's a review, but probably not the one you were expecting...
Taking a little trip back to the modern era, we have The Night Of The Doctor.
Man, is Paul McGann awesome. He's my second favourite Doctor(behind Eccleston) and in this little minisode he easily makes you want to ditch Matt Smith in a millisecond(sorry 11 fans).

As it's only five minutes, it's pretty hurried, but as the Doctor himself points out, you can do loads in five minutes and they do. The Eighth Doctor, the kindest and smartest of the lot is faced with a choice to either die and let the universe die or join the Time War and sacrifice his soul.
Even though I hate the concept of the War Doctor(John Hurt is great, but the idea isn't), the Eighth Doctor's death scene where he toasts his previous companions almost made me cry. Paul McGann is one of the most underrated actors in history I tell you.

A nice little bit was that he had a red sonic screwdriver, just like in the movie. I was afraid they were gonna give him blue or nothing, but they kept continuity perfectly. It was well written, well directed and masterfully acted.

I'm not really into audiobooks(they're mostly non-canon filler as far as I'm concerned), but this made me wanna check out some of McGann's work. Not all of it, mind you, I'm not that much of a fan, but a multi-Doctor McGann story like the Four Doctors isn't off the chart.

If there's anything else you can recommend, I'll be glad to listen, but it has to have something special other than McGann for me to take the bait(try Daleks, other Doctors, an old companion, a revisit to some place etc.)

Back to the Eighth Doctor, I quite liked the obvious changes in his personality from the TV movie. He seemed more cynical and tired, less patient, but the charisma and likability was still in the max.

[Flyboy]

I'm not really into audiobooks(they're mostly non-canon filler as far as I'm concerned), but this made me wanna check out some of McGann's work. Not all of it, mind you, I'm not that much of a fan, but a multi-Doctor McGann story like the Four Doctors isn't off the chart.

If there's anything else you can recommend, I'll be glad to listen, but it has to have something special other than McGann for me to take the bait(try Daleks, other Doctors, an old companion, a revisit to some place etc.)

Couple of things, for the most part - the Big Finish offerings are Audio Dramas, not Audio Books. Which makes them substantially more interesting.

They are also canon, this has been declared openly by Nicholas Briggs and as you say, alluded to in Night of the Doctor. I certainly wouldn't call any of them filler - many of them are excellent and have outclassed some TV episodes. I'm looking specifically at Terror Firma, one of the best Dalek stories of all time in my opinion.

I would, however, recommend avoiding 'The Four Doctors' as your initial foray into the audio drama world. It's not the best, and is - alas, slightly disjointed. Maybe you should check out The Light At the End instead? The 50th Anniversary special.... far better, and also multi-doctor.

I would whole heartedly recommend any of the Big Finish Audios, but if you want Paul McGann, either start with Storm Warning for the Charley Pollard saga or Blood of the Daleks for the Lucie Miller saga....

You may also like An Earthly Child, which reunites the Doctor with Susan for the first time since The Five Doctors and introduces the Doctor's great grandson...