Well, the writers have finally found an efficient way to deal with yet another of William Hartnell's holidays -- make him invisible and mute. Problem solved!
I know this story is a favorite of yours, Dear Harry, so I'm putting on my positive hat and looking forward to your comments.
The Celestial Toymaker -
Hello Sarah. I'm afraid Harry is indisposed at the moment. He too has been rendered mute and invisible, and I have placed him in one of my game rooms where he might while away some time playing Sudden Death Othello. I hope we can play some games together. You are ever so clever and I think you would make a worthy opponent.
Sarah -
Knock it off Harry. I know it's you. You're making an already tedious story even more tedious.
So tell me, what makes you love this story so much? Have you reassessed your feelings towards it following this viewing?
Harry -
I see my makeshift Toymaker costume did not fool you. [*throws blue housecoat aside.*]
Sarah -
Not that it wasn't a good look for you.
Harry -
Why thank you darling!
Yes, this has always been a favourite story of mine, mostly because of the Toymaker character as played my Michael Gough. I love his voice, all caramelly and resonant. He purrs his lines like a tiger toying with its prey (if tigers toy, that is).
Unfortunately, this story takes two direct hits that weaken the viewing experience. First off and most obviously, the first three episodes are missing, so we are forced to watch reconstructions that rely on very scant available images. Even then, and this is the second weakness, the Toymaker does very little else than menace the Doctor and his friends with his voice.
Sarah -
I have to agree with you on both points. Gough's performance is positively juicy and I would love to be able to see it. (Keep checking those closets and lower file drawers, Kiddos, we know it's out there somewhere!) The recons do not in any way enhance the story. This is such a visual story and it feels wrong to judge it on the recon, but that's all we've got.
Harry -
But I still love the notion of an omnipotent being, grown bored with its powers and seeking out bright minds to play games with. It's not the last time we'll see this in science fiction, or in Doctor Who for that matter.
This story is so visual that no reconstruction could do it justice. I'd love to have seen the clowns mucking around with Steven and Dodo during the game of Blind Man's Bluff. All we hear are a squeaky voice and a honking horn. But it's still enough to raise my ire at those two, er, clowns. I strongly sympathized with Steven's growing anger.
Sarah -
I started taking notes, but gave up because I had no idea what the heck was going on. I was even more irate than Steven.
Harry -
On the subject of Steven, his attitude to the goings-on in the Celestial Playroom was markedly different to that of Dodo. Steven was skeptical of everything around him, impatient to get moving and overtly hostile to the characters they played against -- wanting to win and get out of there, even if it meant a terrible end to their opponents.
Dodo meanwhile seemed caught up in the fun of it all, not seeming to grasp the menace of the Toymaker or his games. But Dodo is insane. Let her be.
Sarah -
The Steven-Dodo dynamic was my favorite part of the story. Steven's anger and impatience mirrored my own and wacky Dodo was just playing along. I was ready for him to have a dramatic breakdown -- slapping Dodo repeatedly and telling her to get a grip on herself. That would have livened up the story!
Harry -
There's a fanfic for that.
Sarah -
I'm sure there is. *shudders at the thought*
I also kind of liked the game with Cyril. Peter Stephens' performance of the snotty little pischer is so delightfully over-the-top, that it's a joy to see him lose.
Harry -
Oh he was a vile bastard, wasn't he? Leaping unwittingly to his own demise was quite fitting.
You mentioned off the top about William Hartnell's absence in this story. Hartnell wasn't there, but the Doctor was (though not in body or voice). You think the producers were giving old Billy a hint?
Sarah -
One can only think.
So, staying positive, as we are want to do, I believe I learned more about the story from reading Rob and Toby's discussion than actually watching it. I didn't actually realize that the game characters were all played by the same three actors until I read Running Through Corridors. Or maybe I'm just slow on the uptake.
Harry -
Well, even though the actors played all three sets of characters with different voices, there was not much visual evidence to go by, and who would have really guessed that they were all the same people?
(Right here is where Messr Hadoke would slap me with a large haddock and tell me to read the bleedin' credits.)
Sarah -
Lasting image: The Toymaker's fab costume
Favorite moment: Cyril losing the game.
Best line: "I'm bored. I love to play games but there's no-one to play against. The beings who call here have no minds, and so they become my toys. But you will become my perpetual opponent. We shall play endless games together, your brain against mine."
5/10 (Although I'm open to re-evaluating my rating when the original footage is discovered in someone's gran's attic.)
Harry -
Keep double-checking your root cellars, people!
Well, I see my best efforts have failed to convince you. I still like the story because it is so "out there" as a Doctor Who adventure, even though "out there" wasn't all that "there." Oh no, I've gone cross-eyed!
Lasting image: the trilogic game.
Favourite moment: Any moment when the Toymaker was oozing menace.
Best line: "Go for move 1,023!"
7/10
Our marathon continues with Story #25 - The Gunfighters...
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