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...
No comments:
Post a Comment