Poor Jo. The Doctor finally got a new dematerialization circuit from the Time Lords, and where's the first place they shoot off to? The musty storage deck of an Earth-bound ship.
Of course, he claimed he was taking her to Metebelis Three, but isn't that always the way? What's a poor companion to do?
Sarah -
It's a whole new adventure for Our Jo! She finally gets to travel freely with the Doctor -- and learns that it's not always what she might expect.
Harry -
Of course, we know something is afoot right off the bat. We meet the travelling carny performers Vorg and Shirna as they make their way through customs on Inter Minor. The baggage retrieval scene was zany fun.
Vorg and Shirna are a delight. So much glitter!
Sarah -
I've been trying to convince Mr. Smith that they should be our costumes for the next con -- I'll let you know how that goes. He seems to have an issue with glitter.
Harry -
And so many familiar faces among the Inter Minorites. I spotted Michael "Davros" Wisher right away, and while going through the DVD features I realized another of the gray-faced fellows was Peter "Packer" Halliday. PACKERRRR!!!
Sarah -
PACKER! I found myself having a "who is that, he looks so familiar" moment, but never quite got around to looking it up.
Harry -
It was good to see Robert Holmes' name again too. He wrote a cracking script here, brimming with creativity and snappy dialogue. Half the fun was listening in on the Inter Minor characters as they plotted and schemed through the entire story.
Sarah -
They were brilliant -- such fully realized characters! The writing and performances were an utter delight.
Harry -
One of the things about our little marathon is that we're really getting to know the show's writers. We're getting to see the wit and humour of Bob Holmes, and the social commentaries of Malcolm Hulke. Those two have really stood out, and I hadn't given the writing side of the show much thought before.
Sarah -
There are definitely writers names that I look forward to seeing!
Harry -
The first episode of "Carnival of Monsters" is a great mystery, as we try to reconcile the scenes on Inter Minor with the Doctor and Jo's arrival on the S.S. Bernice in 1926. I loved the visual cliffhanger of a giant hand picking up the TARDIS. The effect was pulled off brilliantly.
Sarah -
I love that we don't find out what's going on until the second episode. It's so disorientating -- for us and the Doctor and Jo.
I say, Old Chap, did you notice a rather familiar-looking gentleman playing the dashing young officer Andrews? I'm sure I've seen that handsome face before.
Harry -
Why yes, Andrews caught my eye and it's none other than Ian Marter! I'd venture to guess Andrews might be a relative of another Naval officer we'll be meeting in the future.
Sarah -
I'd like to imagine that he and Claire got back to Earth, married, and had a baby -- and for some inexplicable reason gave him the last name Sullivan. It could happen.
Harry -
You've convinced me it could.
Now, I've promised that I wouldn't rail against the Pertwee-era six parters because they are what they are and they can't be changed. But this story underscores why the four-parter is the best format for classic Who. If this one was stretched to six, the Inter Minor conspiracy would have become bloated, or the Doctor and Jo would have had to play a couple of extra rounds of capture-escape-recapture aboard the Bernice, or, well you see where I'm going with this. I won't keep bringing it up, but it's a shame that there weren't more Pertwee stories in the streamlined four part format.
Sarah -
I can only agree. Four-parters are really the perfect length -- all story, no padding.
Harry -
This one is such fun, especially when the Drashigs start running rampant throughout the scope.
Sarah -
It's been so long since I'd seen this story that I'd forgotten how much fun it was. I watch all four parts in one sitting.
Harry -
Me too. Topping day, wot!
Towards the end of it, Vorg is resigned to watching the scope slowly break down, and we saw the true face behind the smile when he shrugged off the imminent deaths of all his "livestock" inside the scope. Good thing that by then the Doctor was out and gave him what for.
I wonder how long Vorg and Shirna hung around on Inter Minor before precipitating their own expulsion. Hopefully Shirna found a better line of work.
Sarah -
Poor Shirna, she could only do better.
Did you find yourself missing the UNIT family just a little bit?
Harry -
Well, since we were "off world" for this story they wouldn't have been included here. This story is fun and pacey, and Uncles Barry and Terry are on a roll, following "The Three Doctors" and "The Time Monster." Unfortunately, I don't think we'll see much of UNIT for the next story or two. Hopefully the good roll will continue.
Shall we?
Sarah -
Let's!
Harry -
Best line:
"Doctor, I must rest."
"I know, I'm beginning to feel the centuries myself."
Favourite moment: Vorg and Shirna come tumbling out with the baggage at Inter Minor customs.
Lasting image: Vorg and Shirna's colourful outfits.
9/10
Sarah -
Best Line(s):
Doctor: "No, that's impossible."
Jo: "Do you ever admit that you're wrong."
Doctor: "No, that's impossible, too."
Favorite Moment: The Inter Minorites plotting.
Lasting Image: Nothing can top those costumes!
9/10
Our marathon continues with Story #67 - Frontier in Space...
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