Story #72 - Death to the Daleks (1974)

Sarah -
By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea! Oh, wait, this is Doctor Who and we never really get to take that beach holiday we’ve been promised, do we?


Harry -
Alas, Sarah Jane was all suited up and raring to go. At least she's about to be initiated into the society of quarry scamperers.

It can't be a good sign when I find myself crawling through episode one of "Death to the Daleks" thinking: jeez how many more Terry Nation stories do we still have to slog through?


Sarah -
Don’t make me count. For the present, we seem to not be on Florana, something has sapped the TARDIS’s energy, the Doctor has vanished, creepy aliens have gotten themselves into the TARDIS, and poor Sarah Jane finds herself alone, only to be captured by Exxilon religious fanatics. Having typed that, it seems like the story should be much more interesting.


Harry -
I know! I took down so many notes, but upon review I was just writing down pointless plot-related notes like "this happened", then "that happened." Despite all those notes, this story took forever to get going.

It was interesting enough when the TARDIS "died" and the Doctor had to use the manual door opener, but he and Sarah spent almost the entire episode exploring that quarry.

To be fair, that quarry was a veritable canyon of mystery. Hills, valleys, strange mists, petrified statues and scary sand people; it's the quarry to end all quarries.


Sarah -
The quarry was epic. The folks in the quarry, not so much.

Is it just me, or are the Marine Space Corps expedition members among the most boring characters we’ve ever met? The thought of the fate of the galaxy being in the hands of these saps is just a little more than I can handle.


Harry -
I was put off by how colourless the production was. Everything was a washed out tan-grey colour. The locals wore drab rags. The Doctor and Sarah wore subdued hues. My hopes spiked when the Earth crew appeared in their bright blue spacesuits. Too bad they were mostly terrible actors. The only decent one of the bunch - John Abineri - got killed off halfway through the story. I may just go and count the number of Nation stories left.


Sarah -
Three more, it seems, but one is "Genesis of the Daleks", so there's something to which we can look forward!

Speaking of Terry Nation, you know what this story could use? Some Daleks to liven things up!


Harry -
Yes! Daleks! That would liven things up, and give the story title so much more meaning.


Sarah -
Unfortunately, they just manage to make things more tedious.


Harry -
It was fun to watch the Daleks get their metal arses kicked in this story, but it got old real quick.


Sarah -
The Dalek ship and their extermination abilities are impacted by the same force that disabled the TARDIS, so there goes the whole extermination plan.


Harry -
Just one example of how poor this production was: the part one cliffhanger has the Daleks starting to exterminate everyone - only it's clear that their weapons aren't working. Some cliffhanger!


Sarah -
It was hard not to laugh.

Turns out the Daleks are after the same parrinium – the only known antidote to the plague sweeping the galaxy – as the Space Corps and an uneasy alliance is formed. This is about the point when I started nodding off…


Harry -
Me too.  Can I just say the music was shite? There, I said it. As we learned in "The Silurians," woodwind instruments just don't belong in Doctor Who. That jaunty clarinet music was killing me.


Sarah -
Though it did help keep me awake.


Harry -
Once we got a closer look at the Exxilons, they were a bit more interesting. The skull-faced, goggle-eyed creatures would have fascinated me as a kid, and I would have loved to poke around their temple. With all that smoke and chanting, the temple was cool.


Sarah -
Bellal had a certain charm. One could almost imagine him hopping into the TARDIS at the story's end.


Harry -
Unfortunately, there was little else to recommend this story. The sets were dull, the cliffhangers were simplistic, the actors were sleepwalking through the performance, and the story was Nation by Numbers - which is fine if you like Terry Nation stories, I guess.


Sarah -
Fortunately, Sarah Jane is on hand to bring all kids of awesomeness to this story. Not only does she go from beach wear to day wear in the blink of an eye, but she gets to be the one to save the day! Huzzah! Sarah’s clever plan to swap the bags of parrinium with bags of sand was a huge success and the day is saved. Huzzah!


Harry -
It's so evident why Sarah Jane is the best companion. She may scream when frightened, but she doesn't keel over and wait to be rescued. She takes action - be it bludgeoning someone with the TARDIS door opener handle, or devising a plan to save the day. All her actions make it seem as if the only thing the Doctor did in this story was get confronted and run away from things.


Sarah -
Sarah was really doing the heaving lifting, wasn't she?

Oh well, it's time to bid farewell to Exxilon and return to a planet we've visited before. Next stop Peladon!


Harry -
At the end, the melting city on a hill was a cool effect, but by then I just wanted this story to be over with. The weakest Dalek story we've seen so far, I reckon.

After this dud, I'm really looking forward to a return to Peladon!


Sarah -
Best Line: The Dalek losing it had the best line of the story: "Human prisoner has escaped. I have failed. Self Destruct!"

Favorite Moment: Sarah telling the Doctor that the parrinium is safely stowed on the Earth ship.

Lasting Image: The Exxilon sacrifice ritual.

6/10


Harry -
Best Line: "A hit! A most palpable hit!"

Favourite Moment: the temple scenes.

Lasting Image: Daleks getting blown up.

5/10

 


Our marathon continues with Story #73 - The Monster of Peladon...

Story #71 - Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974)

Sarah -
Let's get it right out there in the open -- the dinosaur effects are naff. There. It's been said. Now, we can move on to discuss an otherwise brilliant story!


Harry -
I didn't check if the DVD release featured updated special effects and CGI dinos, but I'd rather watch this story in the pure original.


Sarah -
I agree. I hate when effects are updated for contemporary audiences. *Shoots a dirty look at George Lucas.*


Harry -
*Shakes head in disgust at George Lucas*

This is probably the Pertwee story I have seen the least. I don't own it in any format and remember watching it only once online, a few years ago. So it was like watching a brand new story.


Sarah -
I thought I had seen it before, but quickly realized I hadn't. A new story! Huzzah!


Harry -
You know old girl, I think this might be the best six-parter of the Pertwee era. It was great stuff from beginning to end.

I'd forgotten most of the story, including the mysterious deserted London that the Doctor and Sarah encounter at the beginning. A nice eerie atmosphere was established immediately. Unfortunately, here in the 21st century I've been conditioned to expect a horde of zombies to come shuffling round a corner in this scenario. It had that feel to it.


Sarah -
It was brilliant. I love the image of Paddy Russell and a camera man going commando on the early morning streets of London to get those shots.


Harry -
There was an unexpected bit of gore too, when they flashed that shot of the looter who died in a car crash. Very grown up Who, this is.


Sarah -
Mac Hulke is not pulling his punches.


Harry -
Well, it felt very grown up until later on, and that spectacular model shot of a T-rex slowly smashing through a building. I loved that shot!

Overall, the first episode was one of the better ones we've seen. It created a great atmosphere, kept our heroes and us in the dark as to what was going on, and included some wild action scenes. Most importantly, the Doctor finally gets to encounter PREHISTORIC MONSTERS! What could be better?


Sarah -
Really, who doesn't love dinosaurs? They speak to the child in each of us.


Harry -
There's a juicy conspiracy unravelled as the story goes on. Certain elements of the government and military are using rogue scientists to deliver Operation Golden Age - a turning back of the Earth's clock to a "purer," pre-industrial time. There, a few thousand volunteers intend to launch a new, Luddite society. What a scheme!

So it turns out that the prehistoric monsters - really the highlight of the story - are merely a ploy to empty out the city of London so that the conspirators can do their conspiring in peace. It's insane!


Sarah -
I have to agree that the plot is completely mad, but I was completely riveted every step of the way!


Harry -
Good thing the cast of extras gave a believeable performance, from classic baddie Peter Miles as Whittaker, to John Bennett's lizard-like General Finch, and best of all, the kindly-yet-obviously-patronizing Minister Grover, played by Noel Johnson.


Sarah -
There isn't a bad performance in the bunch. The regulars and guest actors are all the top of their game.

Meanwhile, Sarah Jane settles in nicely as the Doctor's newest "assistant" -- asking questions and taking matters into her own hands when necessary.


Harry -
Throw in Captain Yates as one of the conspirators, and suddenly the UNIT family is no longer so cosy. Yates' experiences in "The Green Death" must have opened his eyes to environmental and industrial issues, making him a willing participant in the Operation Golden Age plot. But he can't quite cross the line, and remains torn between loyalty and idealism. I love this little subplot.


Sarah -
Richard Franklin is SO GOOD in this story. It's his finest moment in Doctor Who.

But what about Benton? Good old loyal Benton! He's always been a favorite of mine and this is his moment to shine -- asking the Doctor to knock him out so the Doctor can escape, fighting with the General, putting himself under arrest and setting off with the Brig to find the Doctor. He even gets his special heroic image moment with the really big gun in the Land Rover.


Harry -
Solid Benton performance.

Going back to the T-rex, the most impressive model work it got was when it was captured and chained down in the hangar. The crew produced a nice "breathing" effect that made the big guy look alive. I want one.


Sarah -
Does your condo allow pets?


Harry -
I might have to sneak it in.

My gosh, we haven't even talked about the episode three cliffhanger: Sarah wakes up on a spaceship that left Earth three months ago, headed to a new planet in another solar system. It's the ultimate "WHAAATTTTT!" moment.


Sarah -
Those poor, delusional people on the "spaceship!" So well meaning and so clueless. The moment when Sarah walks off the space ship was one of my favorites in this story. This is the Sarah Jane we know and love!


Harry -
Sarah is brilliant here, Sarah. She sneaks into the top secret base, repeatedly escapes from the conspirators, solves the mystery of the spaceship, blows the conspiracy wide open, and even crawls through her very first air shaft. Sarah cannot be stopped!


Sarah -
Go Sarah Go!


Harry -
One more point about the well meaning "space travellers." It was driving me mad wondering where we'd seen Ruth before. So I put on the old "Rob & Toby" cap (remember them?) and discovered that she was Toronto-born Carmen Silvera, who previously appeared in "The Celestial Toymaker" as the Queen of Hearts, among other imprisoned characters in the Toymaker's world.


Sarah -
At this rate, we'll finish our marathon before they finish theirs!


Harry -
Well... you mentioned it right off the bat. The dinosaurs are naff. Whenever they were onscreen, it pulled me right out of the story. Unfortunate. But good on Barry and Terry for trying to pull it off using mid-70s technology. Sure, kids these days, they get Dinosaurs! On a Spaceship! and all that jazz. They don't know how good they got it, do they?


Sarah -
They never do.


Harry -
Well, any parting thoughts before the Doctor whisks Sarah away to the planet Florinia?


Sarah -
I'd like to share my least-favorite thing about this story -- and, no, it's not the dinosaurs. It's the fact that this is Malcolm Hulke's final Doctor Who Story. I will miss his combination of political intrigue and human foible. This season truly is the end of an era.


Harry -
I didn't realize this is the last of the Hulke stories. One of the best writers the show ever had.  We'll have to drink a toast to him.


Sarah -
Best Line: "It's not the oil and the filth and the poisonous chemicals that are the real cause of pollution, Brigadier. It's simply greed."

Favorite Moment: Benton helping the Doctor escape.

Lasting Image: Sarah on the "spaceship."

8/10


Harry -
Best line:
SARAH: "It's probably been vandalised."
DOCTOR: "That's a very unfair word, you know, because actually the Vandals were quite decent chaps."

Favourite Moment: the part three spaceship cliffhanger.

Lasting Image: T-Rex.

Was going to give this one a 9, but those dinos were just so naff...

8/10

 


Our marathon continues with Story #72 - Death to the Daleks...

Story #70 - The Time Warrior (1973-74)

Harry -
A couple of Very Important Things happened between the broadcasts of "The Green Death" and "The Time Warrior."

First, and most obviously, the show bade farewell to Katy Manning, and welcomed Elisabeth Sladen as the Doctor's new companion.

Second, I was born during the gap between the end of Season 10 and the start of Season 11. So this is my birthday story! And what a winner it is!


Sarah -
What an excellent birthday story, you have, Old Boy!

"The Time Warrior" has always been a favorite of mine. Not only do we meet our beloved Sarah Jane, but it's also the first season of the Third Doctor being completely free of his Earthly exile. Oh, the places we'll go!


Harry -
And who better to launch Jon Pertwee's final season than Bob Holmes with this comedic cracker.

Once we recover from the flashy new titles, we find ourselves plunked into a historical (hurray!). Without delay, Holmes introduces us to the strangely charismatic rogue Irongron, and fascinating new alien Linx. The Sontarans have arrived!

All this, before we've even met the most important new character of them all...


Sarah -
Our Sarah Jane!


Harry -
Sarah!


Sarah -
Lis Sladen is brilliant from the very first moment, isn't she? Impersonating Aunt Lavinia, who just happens to be out of the country during this important scientific gathering, holding her own again the stuffy scientists, stowing away on the TARDIS, and proving to be more than a match for the Doctor.

After having the Third Doctor's companions assigned to him as assistants by UNIT, we return to the companion strategy of the first two Doctors: meet an inquisitive young person and invite them along for the ride!


Harry -
After a couple of attempts with Liz Shaw and Jo Grant, it seems that Barry and Terry finally landed on a strong female character, just by writing her as a strong female character!


Sarah -
Imagine that!


Harry -
I love how Sarah jumps right into things, questioning people, even suspecting the Doctor of being up to no good.


Sarah -
Sarah being suspicious of the Doctor is one of my favorite things about this story. I believe Ian and Barbara were the last companions to question the Doctor's motives.


Harry -
Those cubicles that UNIT had set up for the scientists were a bit odd though. I guess the science community didn't merit having fully guarded digs at a fancy hotel or something.


Sarah -
The accommodations were definitely not up to snuff! Fortunately, the scientists don't seem to notice -- especially the nearly blind Rubeish, who has to be one of my favorite absent-minded scientists ever! When we meet him in episode one, he's not really the fellow you'd expect to end up saving the day, is he?


Harry -
I liked how he fashioned his own eyepiece despite being nearly blind.

Meanwhile, in Anglo-Saxon England, Linx has just claimed the planet with a charming little flag-planting ceremony. A wonderful Bob Holmes moment.

Knowing what future encounters are ahead, I think Linx is the best-realized Sontaran of the classic series. His makeup and uniform are well done, compared to some of the hokier looking ones we'll see later in the classic era.


Sarah -
The costume and make up are so lived-in. He looks like he's been banging around the universe for centuries.


Harry -
One of the things that sets the classic era above the new series is characters and character development. The stories had a less frenetic pace by and large, allowing writers time to paint their characters better.


Sarah -
I have to admit that this is my least-favorite thing about the current series. Everything is so rushed and you don't get to know the characters the Doctor and his companions meet. The Classic series is luxuriant by comparison.


Harry -
Look at Irongron and Sir Edward. Two polar opposites, but equally engaging. In Irongron's worldview, everyone is either a knave or a vixen. His dialogue is simply amazing! Everything he says is coloured with quips and imagery. Edward on the other hand is a hilariously depressed twit. Eeyore in a crown. I loved them both.


Sarah -
There are great characters everywhere in this story -- Irongron, Sir Edward, Bloodaxe, Lady Eleanor, Meg the serving wench, Hal the Archer, and my beloved Rubeish. They don't all have a lot of screen time, but they make the most of every moment!

We know that Jon Pertwee had announced that this season, his fifth, would be his last and that Lis Sladen was brought in to be the companion who would transition the series to a new Doctor. What I love about this story is that no one involved is treating it like the beginning of the end. Everyone is on their game, in front of and behind the camera.


Harry -
There was not one weak link to this one, except maybe the Brigadier's brief appearance. But between Sarah, Linx, Irongron and Rubeish, Pertwee had plenty of great partners to play off of.


Sarah -
"The Time Warrior" has always been a favorite story of mine and I love any opportunity to watch it again.


Harry -
Agreed. I good sign is that I made fewer notes through each episode, just sitting back and enjoying the show.

Too bad Irongron was likely blown up along with his ill-gotten castle. It would have been wicked to run into him again sometime.

And so we're off! Lis Sladen is ramping up, Jon Pertwee is winding down, and the show is running on high. Ready for the next stop?


Sarah -
Of course!

Best Line: "A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting."

Favorite Moment: Rubeish bashes Linx in the phobic vent!

Lasting Image: Linx removing his helmet

9/10


Harry -
Best Line:
"What subservient poppycock! You're still living in the Middle Ages."
"Eh?"
"Never mind."

Favourite moment: Sarah believes she's in the middle of some sort of pageant, and scares off Hal the archer.

Lasting image: The Doctor and Linx engage in hand to hand combat.

9/10

 


Our marathon continues with Story #71 - The Dinosaur Invasion...