Story #50 - The War Games (1969) - Episodes Six to Ten

Harry -
Gone, all of them. Jamie, Zoe, the Doctor. Gone.

After nine exhilarating episodes of "The War Games", our heroes crashed headlong into the Time Lords, and their adventures ended. Tried by his peers and convicted of interference, the Doctor is exiled to Earth and his TARDIS grounded. Instead of being permitted to stay with him, Jamie and Zoe are forcibly returned to their own time zones with their memories partially wiped.

Sarah, the war games are most definitely over.


Sarah -
I’m crushed, Dear Harry. I had planned to start this blog post, but couldn’t bring myself to write. I wanted to hang on to the Second Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe for just one day longer.

Still, if they had to go, at least they did it with style. The end of the Second Doctor’s era is the most definitive in the history of Doctor Who. At no other point do the Doctor and all his companions leave us in one fell swoop.

Saying goodbye was like having my heart ripped out, but I think I’ve composed myself enough to discuss the finish now.


Harry -
Instead of finishing the Troughton era with an exuberant, punch-the-air roar, I was left feeling angry and cheated.

I was angry at the Time Lords. Like the Doctor, they left me outraged, frustrated and disgusted. I experienced episode ten the way Patrick Troughton performed it: with a mounting sense of dread (knowing what was coming) and anger (at what the Time Lords decided to do to him).


Sarah -
Troughton’s performance is amazing. He has to do so many things in the final episode and takes the opportunity to showcase the character he’s created over past three seasons. The moment when he acquiesces to Jamie’s, “Aw, c’mon, we’ve been in tighter situations than this,” and agrees to run for the TARDIS one last time, tells us so much about this Doctor. He knows it’s over and that there’s no hope of escape, but can’t resist one last adventure with his friends – no matter how short-lived it may be.


Harry -
This is the first time in the show's history (barring the Meddling Monk) that we have encountered the people from the Doctor's home planet. And the big reveal is... a bunch of dour old sticks-in-the-mud who are fixated on a self-imposed law of non-interference. Well their laws are shite and bully for the Doctor having said so!


Sarah -
Finally meeting the Time Lords gives us a very clear picture of why the Doctor grabbed a TARDIS and got out of there at the first opportunity!


Harry -
Troughton's final moments were heartbreaking and more gruesome than I remembered. One thing that neither Rob nor Toby mentioned – nor any of the guest commentators on the DVD featurette – was the horror of the Doctor's forced regeneration. While he shouts and struggles against his sentence, his face vanishes. The Doctor is literally decapitated, his headless body spinning away into darkness. The screen fades to black, and the credits roll. The viewer is left stunned by that final image. I felt cheated. There was no payoff, no new face, no new leading man, nothing to cling to. How utterly depressing!


Sarah -
It really is. This is the only time the Doctor is forced to regenerate and the only time we don’t meet the next Doctor. It would be six months from the regeneration of the Second Doctor to the introduction of the Third Doctor.


Harry -
In the pre-Internet age, the wait would have been maddening.

"The War Games" is a landmark story for many reasons - it's the end of the Troughton era, there are the sad farewells to Jamie and Zoe, and it is the show's final black and white production - but also because of the bad taste left in my mouth by the Time Lords. Our introduction to the Doctor's home people is entirely negative. We see that they are capable and willing to do terrible things. Their rules and retribution are enough to drive anyone away - and who hasn't wanted to flee a repressive situation? To this point, the Doctor has been a mysterious traveler. But now we see a new side to him - someone who ran away from an intolerably repressive place and struck out on his own.


Sarah -
And what a time he had! I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy the entire Troughton Era – even the recons (mostly).

In later regenerations, we’ll take so much for granted about the Doctor’s story, but it’s still all so new here. Patrick Troughton is responsible for the series lasting for a Third Doctor and his legacy can still be felt in the series today. Troughton took the strong character developed by William Hartnell and added so many layers to his interpretation.


Harry -
It was a brilliant - albeit risky - move on the show's part to bring in an actor who was so different from Hartnell. Troughton's turn as the Doctor was a great success and opened the door to endless interpretations of the character.


Sarah -
Each actor creates his own Doctor, of course, but they also leave their imprint on the role. We’ve often discussed, Harry, how much Matt Smith’s Doctor owes to Troughton’s performance. Some of that may be due to the fact that the fans are now running the series, but part of me wants it to be the sheer power of the Doctor and the actors who have inhabited the role.


Harry -
There are definitely some playful glimpses of Patrick Troughton in Matt Smith's Doctor.


Sarah -
If there’s one thing you can say about Patrick Troughton’s performance, it’s that he fully inhabited the role. What a brilliant Doctor he is!


Harry -
And what a brilliant final story he had. As I mentioned in our commentary of the first half of "The War Games", Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke deserve kudos for they way they elevated the stakes higher and higher each episode.


Sarah -
You would never know how much of it happened on the fly, would you?


Harry -
Indeed.  Just when they established the War Chief as top dog, we meet the War Lord, who himself ends up being trumped by the Time Lords. The repeated introduction of higher powers - coupled with the story's length - lends it a truly epic feel.  They did a fantastic job pacing out the story so that it never flagged.


Sarah -
I couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic to the War Lord, finding himself surrounded by so many nincompoops and egomaniacs. His devious plans will never succeed with these lackeys around.


Harry -
Dicks and Hulke created so many memorable characters: Lady Jennifer and Carstairs, Smythe and Von Weich, poor old Ransom, and the bickering trio of the War Chief, Security Chief and War Lord.


Sarah -
I loved their face-off scene, when he makes it clear to the Security Chief and War Chief that they are, in fact, expendable.


Harry -
The War Lord is my favourite and I was floored when I realized that he was a brilliantly concealed Philip Madoc. His stubbly beard, short hair and coke-bottle lenses totally fooled me. His calm, creepy threats were wonderful. The War Lord is one villain who deserved a return engagement.


Sarah -
Can you imagine? I’d love to see him come up against the Fourth Doctor.


Harry -
Perhaps in another form.  Anyway, I'm glad that, years later, Jamie and Zoe did get a return engagement, in "The Five Doctors", however so brief. Jamie will also appear again in "The Two Doctors" along with Patrick Troughton, but that's for another time.


Sarah -
I’ll look forward to seeing them again!


Harry -
I think Jamie and Zoe were the best companions of the Troughton era.


Sarah -
Absolutely!


Harry -
Frazer Hines was there for virtually the entire time and did the "male bonding" thing with the Doctor better than anyone so far, and probably ever. Jamie and the Doctor were great mates and complimented each other so well.


Sarah -
Their chemistry was exquisite. Frazer Hines has said that the happiest point in his career was his time with Troughton, and you can see it in every moment they’re on screen together. I always liked Jamie, but had only seen him in a couple Troughton stories and “The Five Doctors” and “The Two Doctors.” He’s now one of my favorite companions of all time – right up there with Barbara, who also won my heart on this marathon of ours.


Harry -
Plus he's got fantastic legs...


Sarah -
Well, there is that.


Harry -
And where Jamie delivered the braun, Zoe provided the brains. Zoe started off as a bit of a smarty pants, but Wendy Padbury matured in the role. Zoe never stopped being brainy, but she seemed to add an element of subtlety to her role as she went on. As we saw here, she was ready to crack some skulls if need be!


Sarah -
I really liked how Zoe unsettled Jamie at the start. He didn’t know how to take this brilliant woman and was clearly threatened by her.


Harry -
He resorted to teasing her early on, but he'd stopped doing that by the time we got to this story.


Sarah -
It makes sense for a man of his time, especially after having said goodbye to Victoria, for whom he had strong feelings. Over time, he and Zoe built a mutual respect and made a brilliant team. Padbury’s characterization of Zoe is brilliant and I really think she deserves more appreciation in fandom.


Harry -
I will miss them both. As they departed to their separate fates, the Doctor's little wave to them was such a sad, tender moment.


Sarah -
I was blubbering by that point.


Harry -
Damn you, Time Lords, I'm getting angry again.

But let's not end "The War Games" in anger. This was an amazing story, that seized me from the start and never let up. The tension and drama got turned higher with each episode and it's astonishing that a ten-parter could succeed in doing so. Well-written, well-produced and well-acted. You can't ask for more and I can't imagine the Doctor going out in a greater epic!


Sarah -
I don’t feel a drop of anger. At this point, I feel nothing but gratitude and appreciation for our time with the Second Doctor. Patrick Troughton went from being a Doctor I liked to being a Doctor I love. I doubt anyone can replace Tom Baker, my first Doctor, in my heart – but if anyone can give him a run for his money, it’s Patrick Troughton. I’ll look forward to seeing our dear friend in the Two, Five, and Three Doctors. Until then, it’s comforting to know that I can return to the Troughton Era whenever I want – recons and all!

Best Line: "It is a fact, Jamie, that I do tend to get involved with things."

Favorite Moment: The Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe making one last run through corridors.

Lasting Image: Jamie and Zoe holding hands as the Doctor waves goodbye. Oh dear, I’m getting a bit teary-eyed again.

Second-Half Rating: 10/10

Overall Rating: 9.5/10


Here we are, Harry, at the end of the year and the end of the Second Doctor Era. It’s almost hard to believe that we’ll ring in 2013 with Doctor Who in color!

Happy New Year, Old Boy!


Harry -
Huzzah!  There must be a bottle of something or other left from our end-of-the-recons party. See if you can find some glasses while I rummage under the sofa.

Happy New Year everyone!

Best line: "I am guilty of interference, just as you are guilty of failing to use your great powers to help those in need!"

Favourite moment: the Doctor mocking the Time Lords and their laws.

Lasting image: the Doctor lying on the floor, playing cards while awaiting his sentence.

Second half rating: 9/10

Overall rating: 9/10

Our marathon continues with Story #51: Spearhead From Space...

Story #50 - The War Games (1969) - Episodes One to Five

Harry -
Oh my word!

After the crawling drudgery that was "The Space Pirates", we find the Doctor and his friends thrust into a pulse-pounding, nerve-wracking adventure in which the stakes keep getting ratcheted higher and higher. After five episodes of "The War Games", I need to catch my breath!


Sarah -
Let there be no doubt, Harry, this is war!

Which, frankly, is a little refreshing after the recent unpleasantness.

It’s hard to believe it all begins with the TARDIS crew laughing at Jamie stepping in a puddle of water.


Harry -
So fitting that the Troughton era ends with one more cheery opener as our friends step out of the TARDIS.


Sarah -
Our friends soon find themselves, in rapid succession, face to face with a British ambulance driver, two German soldiers, and an English regiment during World War I, only to end up in a trench. And still, it's better than "The Space Pirates"!


Harry -
From said trench, the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe are hauled into a British field office and thence to HQ (all of these settings would be echoed, eerily, decades later in Black Adder Goes Forth).


Sarah -
Ha! I was thinking the same thing!


Harry -
This is not a straightforward WWI story, however, as we see General Smythe using a video link in his private room. But before we can even wonder about that, a farcical court martial takes place, and the Doctor is dragged before a firing squad. Episode one may have been the single best episode of the entire Troughton era. It was nonstop action and danger, accusations and paranoia, and a thrilling cliffhanger. Holy wow Sarah!


Sarah -
"The War Games" are on! Honestly, I’ve seen this story before and I was still nervous about the Doctor’s fate.

Before we meet Smythe, the story could easily be a return to the Doctor Who historical, but the appearance of the video screen and Smythe’s use of his glasses to bend others to his will move us into science fiction. The blending of the two types of stories is an utter success. Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke have achieved the ultimate Doctor Who mash-up.

Everyone else we meet in 1917 is so sympathetic and nice – Lady Jennifer, Carstairs, and even poor, hapless Captain Ransom. They seem to know the court martial is a sham, but aren’t sure why or what they can do about it. No one can remember how long they’ve been at the front. It’s all very troubling, until the General puts his glasses on.


Harry -
I should like a pair of specs like that.


Sarah -
They certainly would come in handy.


Harry -
This story is actually the first Patrick Troughton adventure I ever watched, back in 1997 when the Space Network was launched up here. I remember they would broadcast old Hartnell and Troughton stories at some ridiculous hour like 7:00 a.m..  Each weekday morning, I'd race down and throw on the TV all bleary eyed and trying to remember what I'd seen the morning before.


Sarah -
That sounds fabulous! It was the second Troughton story I watched, after "The Invasion". They were both so brilliant that I couldn’t wait to see more of the Second Doctor – which didn’t actually happen until we started this marathon. Still, that was probably all for the best.


Harry -
One of the great things about "The War Games" is that despite its epic length, the story moves along at just the right pace and never gets dull.


Sarah -
It really does. I know it’s often criticized for all the fight scenes. While there are a lot of them, they don’t drag the story down and add a bit of adventure.


Harry -
Each of the first five episodes gives us just enough reveal to keep us interested: Smythe's video link and hypno-specs; then his transmat device that makes TARDIS-like sounds; then the scenes of Smythe in conference with Von Wiech; and finally the appearance of the War Chief at central HQ. Each new revelation gives us a tantalyzing clue that there is something bigger going on than what we have seen so far. It's damn near perfect and the best evidence that I can give is that, unlike "The Space Pirates" where I was checking the time every two minutes, with "The War Games" I'd be stunned to find myself at minute twenty of every episode when I got around to checking.


Sarah -
They just fly by, don’t they? I had planned to watch an episode or two and, before I knew it, I’d watched the first five in one evening!


Harry -
Now, dear Sarah if you'll permit me to careen into the gutter for a moment, I want to appreciate how many hot men there are in this story so far. Jamie is amazing here. Wily and strong, willing to work together with a Redcoat, knocking men off horses and dashing to Lady Jennifer's rescue. Oh Jamie! Then there's Lieutenant Carstairs, all handsome and sensitive. Even Von Weich has a kind of nasty appeal about him. And then... there's the War Chief. Oh my goodness, where to begin. Those piercing eyes, that wild facial hair, that Elvis-like mane of hair... Smouldering. And I mean me, not him!

Oh dear, what was the question?


Sarah -
I know it’s quite the thing to be all dreamy about the cast in the current series, but viewers didn’t have as many opportunities back in the day, did they? Sure, there was always “something for the dads,” but what about the mums and uncles? Listen, BBC -- you’ve got to keep our interest, too!

For this mum, Frazer Hines is the sexiest person to ever grace the Doctor Who frame. Honestly, when he struck up a conversation with me at Chicago TARDIS, it was all I could do stay standing. I’ll save the rest of my Jamie tribute for the end of the review, but safe to say Jamie is at his hottest in The War Games.

Unfortunately, I can’t get the image of a grown-up Eddie Munster out of my head when I see the War Chief. Hope I haven’t messed with your smoldering there!


Harry -
Haha, no harm done. I shall smoulder on!


Sarah -
It may amuse you to hear that part of me wanted him to break out into a chorus of “What’s New Pussycat” while planning his next battle move. Not quite smoldering, but better than Eddie Munster.


Harry -
It occurred to me while writing some of this commentary that characters like Smythe and Von Weich are actually taking part in a Live Action Role Playing game - they are LARPers of the past! Or is that the future? Either way, nicely imagined and portrayed. Their zeal for the contest is evident.


Sarah -
I hadn’t thought of it that way, but it’s brilliant! I’ve never really understood the Civil War re-enactors, to be honest, but thinking of them as LARPers shifts it to the geekosphere, which I can understand.


Harry -
If there is one small sticking point I have with these first five episodes, it is the Doctor's use of the sonic screwdriver. I know, I know, you have years of this griping to look forward to, Sarah.


Sarah -
And I look forward to every gripe!


Harry -
Anyway, my point is, we watch the Doctor spend a good deal of time rigging up a small explosive to open the safe in Smythe's private room. Could he not have just used the sonic to spin the tumblers and open the safe? I mean, he gives the German officer a casual demonstration of the sonic – twice! – and it seemed odd to introduce it at that point in the story, when it would have been much handier before.


Sarah -
While the turning-the-screw-in-the-gun scene was riveting and all, it’s far more exciting (and visual) to blow things up…isn’t it? We can’t rely on the fight scenes to provide all the action. We need explosions!


Harry -
It's a small gripe, really, I shouldn't have even bothered. The rest of the story is totally cracking so far!


Sarah -
Absolutely. My only complaint is that it’s half over already.


Harry -
And unlike "The Space Pirates", where Jamie and Zoe were relegated to observers with little to no impact, here they are front and centre with the Doctor. So great to see.


Sarah -
The whole story is crafted to keep the TARDIS crew front and center. They each have their moments to shine. I laughed when Zoe saves the day (sort of) by smashing a vase over an officers’ head. Zoe gets to demonstrate her intelligence so often, that it’s kind of refreshing to see her get physical!

The entire production design is positively smashing. I guess it was worth sitting through the same explosion multiple times in "The Space Pirates" if it allowed for a bigger budget for "The War Games".


Harry -
Glad to see this "up and down" season ending on a high.

At the end of episode five, Jamie has walked into an ambush at central HQ. Don't tell me he's about to get shot again!


Sarah -
Poor Jamie.


Harry -
Can't wait to watch the second half. Shall we?


Sarah -
Oh, yes, let's!


Harry -
Best line: "How DARE you!" - the Doctor returns to his master-of-disguise schtick to bully the prison commandant.

Favourite moment: the electrifying moment when the Doctor and the War Chief recognize one another.

Lasting image: the Doctor and Zoe wearing that odd eyewear at central HQ.

First half rating: 9/10


Sarah -
Best Line: “Not many women take an interest in the problems of supply.” Poor Ransom has no idea how to chat up a lady, but there's so much character development in just that one line.

Favorite Moment: Jamie saving Lady Jennifer.

Lasting Image: Our heroes lined up for the Court Martial.

First half rating: 9/10

Our marathon continues with the second half of The War Games...

Story #49 - The Space Pirates (1969)

Sarah -
Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Oh dear, Harry. Oh dear.

I was so looking forward to "The Space Pirates". After this, no more recons! I had been planning and preparing my Space Pirates party. There was going to be foam dancing and jelly babies and... oh, just everything!

Instead, I just want to go lie down.

Oh dear.


Harry -
I'm so depressed.

Our "Hooray For No More Bloody Recons Party" has been ruined, by the final recon itself.

I do however like the sparkly garlands you draped over the sofa for the occasion. Good show!

...speaking of which, I cannot say the same about "The Space Pirates." What an ordeal. Several times I began to wonder just what show we were watching.

The story, dull as dishwater.

The sets, cheap and forgettable.

The acting, wooden.

The pace, mind-numbing.

I feel a headache coming on. The party is ruined! At least we have a well-stocked drinks table here.


Sarah -
Well, it was well-stocked. How many bottles have we polished off, My Dear? Wait...have we always had two sofas? I could have sworn there was just one here when the party started.


Harry -
Mind where you step, dear. That's me on the carpet, curled around a bottle of gin. Hopefully the drink will drive Milo Clancy's rootin-tootin-varmint-shootin voice out of my head, along with that of General Hermack. What was he doing anyway, Boris Karloff in space? Diabolical stuff.

I suppose I could have just muted the whole thing and watched the spaceship models gliding hither and yon. So many shots of spaceship models, gliding hither and yon. Up and down, over and under. Hither. Yon. Hither again.

Could you roll that bottle back over here please?


Sarah -
Here it comes!


Harry -
Ta.


Sarah -
It's unfortunate that Milo Clancy was the highlight of this serial for me. Once I finished giggling about prospectors in space and trying to figure out the accents, I pretty much gave up and turned to the bottle.

Is there any vodka left?


Harry -
Is that a vodka bottle wedged between the cushions? Ah yes, there you are, cheers.


Sarah -
Don't bogart the potato juice, Sweetie!


Harry -
Silly voices aside, there wasn't really anything huge that killed this story for me. It's the fact that there just wasn't a story to be killed in the first place, if that makes any sense.


Sarah -
It makes more sense than anything in the story!


Harry -
It. Took. For. EVER. For this thing to get started. At first, those model shots looked really neat, and the production crew must have enjoyed working on them, taking a cue from 2001: A Space Odyssey, which would have been everywhere in 1969. Little did we know that the same shots would be used over and over again throughout the story. Ugh!


Sarah -
So, I wasn't actually hallucinating? It was, in fact, the same shots over and over. I feel so much better knowing that...


Harry -
And if you missed the opening theme, you'd find yourself wondering just what show you were watching. Some malarkey with an international space crew monitoring the theft of argonite by roving space pirates. Okay. The TARDIS doesn't appear until the first episode is half over and we finally see our friends the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. There's a flurry of action, then they get themselves locked into a small storage hold on a space beacon which is then blown up.


Sarah -
Leaving Zoe's leg quite suggestively draped, I must add.


Harry -
There did seem to be a lot of group pile-ons during this story. If only the wobbly sets could talk...

Anyway, normally, all that action would have made for an exciting flourish, but something feels off. Patrick Troughton seems either ill or fatigued. In Running Through Corridors Vol I, Rob Shearman (bless!) suggests that Troughton is brilliantly underplaying the script. Toby Hadoke (bless!) then points out that Troughton was fed up with the demands of the role and Bob Holmes was directed to give the TARDIS crew a smaller role in this space opera.

I daresay Bob Holmes overdid himself, as the remaining five episodes are brutally boring. The supporting cast are all miserable people - ruthless, bullying and generally unpleasant. With the TARDIS crew shunted into a supporting role, there wasn't anything interesting left.

I would have been totally happy if Milo Clancy's tinpot ship blew up (into smithereens, naturally) and took the lot of them up with it. I'm sorry but I had to say it!

*crawls behind sofa cradling gin bottle*


Sarah -
Can we just go on to "The War Games"... as soon as we sober up?


Harry -
Wait, wait! We haven't talked about Madeleine Issigri's bizarre helmet-hat thing. What a fascinating shape! Do you think her underlings called her "Butthead" behind her back?

*collapses giggling uncontrollably*


Sarah -
OMG! What was that thing?

*hyperventilating behind the sofa*


Harry -
Let us drink to Madeleine's... thing. It was the only amusing highlight to a story that was an utterly boring runaround. It was so awful I stopped caring by episode five. I spent most of episode six reading Rob and Toby's commentaries with the episode playing in the background.


Sarah -
And here I thought I was the only one to do that!


Harry -
*sobering slightly*

Doctor Who is supposed to be a joy, but this story was a miserable chore to watch. The only way I got through it was to take it one episode at a time, spread over several days. I wonder if it's possible to sit through the entire thing without dying? I'd love to know if any of our readers (?) have their own "Space Pirates" experiences to share.

Is this, in fact, the worst Doctor Who story in our marathon so far?


Sarah -
Yes.

Move along.


Harry -
I'm finished here, and so is the gin. The end-of-recons party wasn't as festive as I'd imagined it would be, but at least we got to drink together.

Best line: "Oh no. A boy, a girl and a nutcase - you can't be the pirates."

Favourite moment: PASS.

Lasting image: I want to say "Butthead!" but those damn model shots are stuck in my mind's eye.

2/10


Sarah -
The beverages were definitely the highlight here.

Best Line: You've hit upon the most memorable line there.

Favorite moment: The end credits

Lasting Image: I'll go with the butthead, just to cheer you up.

2/10

Onward to "The War Games"!

 


Our marathon continues with Story #50 - The War Games...

Story #48 - The Seeds of Death (1969)

Sarah -
I don’t want to be overly critical here, Dear Harry, but I’m a bit confused about the whole T-Mat system. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand the appeal of instant travel and, having been fed a steady diet of Star Trek from an early age, I’ve been waiting for a transporter my entire life. That said, what is the point of a transportation system that seems to be responsible for all commerce on the plant? Indians will starve because the shipment from Moscow doesn’t arrive? The social order breaks down after a day without T-Mat? Has over reliance on the T-Mat extinguished local agriculture to the point that nations have to receive their shipments to prevent mass starvation? I don’t much like this version of the 21st Century.


Harry -
The T-Mat concept would have been more believeable if this story was set inside a futuristic shipping company - even a global enterprise would have been okay - but without the crazy dangerous consequences that arise from short-term blips in the system. Social breakdown and unrest within hours? Sorry, I don't buy it.


Sarah -
If things weren’t bad enough in the 21st Century, the jumpsuits add insult to injury. Absolutely no one looks good in those uniforms. Yes, T-Mat Staff, that jumpsuit does make your butt look big.


Harry -
Those "jock strap" patterns on the crew's uniforms were distracting, in a bad way.


Sarah -
Having gotten those minor issues out of my system, I have to tell you that I loved this story! This is the last complete story that I’ll watch for the first time on this marathon, and I’m happy as can be that it was such a cracker!


Harry -
I like this story too. It's base-under-siege again, but this one gallops along at a steady pace, and is packed with cinematic eye candy right from the start. The production crew are comfortable with the template here, and make it look great. I liked the opening camera shots from the moonbase invaders' point of view. We are treated to a wide array of interesting angles and blockings throughout the story.


Sarah -
There is some excellent camera work in this story. The initial shot of the seeds in close up is so effective, but there are many other great moments. The most famous, of course, is Troughton’s romp through the corridors in episode 3. It may be filler to pad out a six-part story, but it’s so much fun and provides a wonderful opportunity for director Michael Ferguson to work all the artsy camera angles.


Harry -
Oh gosh, the angles. And the moonbase set! Part expressionist, part surrealist. A hall of mirrors on a moonbase? That had to be the most crazily-designed space base we've seen so far.

It was disappointing, however, to see Zoe still dressed in that "Cowgirl Cutie" getup. However, as we saw in "The Invasion," she pulls off another sudden wardrobe change as the TARDIS crew prepares for the rocket launch. Would the ability to change clothes at unexpected moments be considered a notable skill? If she does it one more time, we'll have to acknowledge it as a Zoe Thing.


Sarah -
I listened to a bit of the commentary track with Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury and Michael Ferguson. It was amusing to hear Hines immediately give Padbury grief for her outfit. Apparently, it was made of PVC paper and kept ripping. (I believe we saw a bit of that in the last story.)


Harry -
Yeesh!


Sarah -
My favorite part of the story is that she loved the yellow leather ensemble, which Zoe magically changes into, so much that she asked to keep it – and the BBC made her pay for the material! Sheesh.

Meanwhile, Frazer hung onto the black shirt he wore in the story, only to rediscover it years later when he was moving house. Do you remember the white shirt he was wearing at Chicago TARDIS a couple years back? He told me that he had worn it in a particular story, but, honestly, I was so overcome by finding myself talking to him and trying not to faint that I was unable to retain the story title!


Harry -
It was the frilly shirt he wore in "The Two Doctors" and he still looked very fetching wearing it in 2010, if I may say.


Sarah -
Oh yes, that was it! He looked positively smashing!

We also learn in the commentary that Frazer calls Wendy “Padders,” which I’m pretty sure is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.


Harry -
The English love a good nickname. I love the collegial back and forth that we often see among Doctor Who actors, years after they worked on the show - even if they were there for just one season or less. If there is any lingering resentment, they keep it well hidden.


Sarah -
One gets the feeling that having been on Doctor Who puts you in a special club where everyone is best chums. Even at conventions, it feels like they’re having a class reunion.


Harry -
Oh dear, we've veered far off course. Let's pull it back to "The Seeds of Death" shall we? I think the best Doctor Who stories all feature some variation of the title: "____ of Death" and this one is a favourite.

As mentioned above, the production crew really nailed the base-under-siege template this time. The steady stream of creative camera angles kept things fresh. Since we had already met the Ice Warriors before, we were spared from any long, explanatory scenes and got right into the action. The death count was high without being overly gruesome, thanks to the Ice Warriors' death rays and their freaky camera effects.

There is so much that I like here, even though the story itself is full of holes. Would you consider this story a victory of style over substance, Sarah?


Sarah -
I suspect you’re on to something there, Harry! The premise is a bit silly, but the production is top-notch and the actors are all on their games. It’s amazing how, week after week, excellent actors keep turning up in Doctor Who and we meet so many in this story.

Commander Radnor (Ronald Leigh-Hunt) is the perfect firm, yet efficient chief, who carries his briefcase on the T-Mat. Haven’t tablet been invented yet?

Professor Eldred (Philip Ray) is the perfect foil for the Doctor. They get to be cranky old men of science together. I love that the put-out-to-pasture Eldred is the only one who can save the day.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like Gia Kelly (Louise Pajo). She’s all-business when we first meet her, which is probably appropriate as we learn she’s apparently the only person capable of repairing the system. There’s another hole in the T-Mat business plan. In the end, Kelly shows more than enough pluck to help save the day.

Poor Osgood (Harry Towb) should have been the hero of the piece. Instead, he’s dispatched by the Ice Warriors when they realize he’s sabotaged the system. Apparently, Harry Towb was quite the respected actor at the time. I guess when you’ve got so many fabulous actors at one time, you can feel free to toss some of them overboard.

Resourceful Phipps (Christopher Coll), who survives the initial encounter with the Ice Warriors and manages to set up communication with the incoming rocket. It was sad when he died helping Zoe, only to be completely forgotten for the rest of the story. Let’s raise a glass to Phipps tonight – it’s the least he deserves after saving Zoe!

And, of course, Sad Sack Fewsham (Terry Scully), who ends up being one of the most interesting and most important characters in the story. He will do anything to preserve his hide, but manages to redeem himself in the end.

OK, I take it back. It’s not just style. The story may have some holes, but there are some very well-written characters, providing the substance the story needs. (Did I just completely back-track there?)


Harry -
Not back-tracking at all.


Sarah -
In that case, I shall sally forth!


Harry -
The guest cast put in some great performances here. I'd like to throw in Hugh Morton as Sir James Gregson, a classic high ranking civil servant who is so full of himself he doesn't realize how small a role he is playing in the story. Hah!


Sarah -
What a pratt. Sir James was a real piece of work – and very accurate!


Harry -
I really liked sad-sack Fewsham too, especially the miserable faces he made while being ordered around by the lead Ice Warrior, Slaar.

Slaar is quite the vile little creep, stomping around in his (ahem) form-fitting body suit, striking poses, making relentless demands and ordering people to be killed. Stupid sexy Slaar!


Sarah -
He was working that look, wasn’t he?


Harry -
My notes are filled with so many notations about the visuals that I want to give a few more shout outs:

- the bizarre images of an Ice Warrior strolling around a park
- Zoe sneaking around to get to the thermostat control on what looks like a disco dance platform
- the Doctor's mysterious sideburns that change length throughout the story
- and of course, the foam party!


Sarah -
Foam Party! Everybody dance now!

I loved that after making her way across the disco platform, Zoe was helped along by the Heating Control “Full ON” sign with the handy directional arrow. How handy!

You know what I’m a sucker for, Harry? I’m a sucker for crawling through maintenance tunnels and heating ducts. Crawling Through Ducts! Now there’s a catchy title!


Harry -
"The Ducts of Death." Get Mark Gatiss on the phone!

All kidding aside, the thing I loved most about this story was that unlike "The Invasion," where the Doctor and Jamie spent the final episode as quiet observers, they are front and centre at the conclusion here. The final battle on the moonbase was thrilling stuff. The Doctor face to face with Slaar, Jamie leaping to his aid, and Slaar getting blasted. Kolossal!


Sarah -
I was nice that they got to be in on the action. I love that Jamie ran to the rescue when the Doctor needed him. Sweet, loyal Jamie!


Harry -
The reason I like this ending so much is that it dispells some of the notion that Patrick Troughton's Doctor always hid behind a clownish façade, content to pull strings in the background. Here, he drops the clown mask and takes on the enemy directly. It reminds us that the Doctor can be an action hero too. That is, after Jamie helped him wipe off all that foam...


Sarah -
I can’t believe that we haven’t discussed the rocket ride yet. That was utterly brilliant! The actors having to feign weightlessness and pulling their faces back to simulate g-force may just be the best acting of the series ever. Or at least the most amusing.


Harry -
It was another arresting image in a story chock-a-block with them. The base-under-siege template may have been overused in the Troughton era, but here it is done to perfection. It may be a six-parter, but it never drags and the visuals alone make for a great watch. Bravo to the production team.


Sarah -
They’ve outdone themselves!


Harry -
Season 6 is a real wibbly-wobbly thing. For every clunker like "The Dominators" or "The Krotons", we have fantastic stories like "The Invasion" and "The Seeds of Death."

Sadly, we have only two left in the Troughton era, and the next one is... a recon! But thankfully, it is the final recon! Shall we start planning the "Hooray For No More Bloody Recons Party", Sarah?


Sarah -
Oh, I’m ready! I’ve been preparing for this for the past year. Bring on “The Space Pirates” – I’m ready!


Harry -
Best line: "Your leader will be angry if you kill me - I'm a genius!"

Favourite moment: the climactic battle on the moonbase.

Lasting image: stupid sexy Slaar.

8/10


Sarah -
Best line: You’ve got the best one there, Old Boy!

Favourite moment: Foam Party! Wendy Padbury was having so much fun, she clearly couldn’t resist laughing when she was saving Troughton from the foam.

Lasting image: The weightless TARDIS crew in the rocket.

8/10

Our marathon continues with Story #49 - The Space Pirates...

Story #47 - The Krotons (1968-69)

Harry -
Oh dear, Sarah. After the heady heights of "The Invasion", we encounter "The Krotons" - a story that sets Doctor Who back five years.  And I had been so looking forward to resuming this marathon after our fantastic weekend at Chicago TARDIS. That was a brilliant three days!


Sarah -
That was a good time, wasn't it? Sylvester McCoy was every bit as delightful as I had hoped he would be, Sophie Aldred was so very sweet, Gary Russell was adorable as ever, and we finally got to meet Toby Hadoke! Could he possibly be any lovelier?


Harry -
You know I was nervous about meeting Toby. Leading up to the weekend, I kept imagining that I'd blurt out something stupid to him, and he'd confiscate my copy of Running Through Corridors. Turns out, he's lovely! Nor did I blurt out anything stupid!


Sarah -
I had faith in you, Old Chum!


Harry -
Gary Russell is totally adorable. Hope he's back next year (with the rest of the world) for the 50th anniversary blowout.


Sarah -
It's going to be out of control. Did I tell you, Old Thing, that it's also my 30th Whovian Anniversary next autumn? Where has the time gone?


Harry -
And there's still so much to watch! I love Chicago TARDIS - and one of these years I just might get up and dance at the Britpop-Karaoke bash.


Sarah -
I suspect I'm going to have to get you good and drunk for that to happen. Or, at the very least, us old folks will need to take a nap to fortify ourselves for the late night!

Oh dear. I'm afraid we're going to have to discuss "The Krotons" eventually, aren't we? You know who "The Krotons" made me miss? The Dominators. How can we go up from there?


Harry -
Well, if we must discuss "The Krotons", I'm going to start with a list of things that I didn't like, performed in booming voice with pointless jesticulations, Kroton-style.

"THE KROTONS" LOOKS SO TERRIBLY DATED, LIKE A SCI-FI SERIAL FROM THE 40s OR 50s!

CHEAP COSTUMES!

BORING SETS!

NO MUSIC!

RIDICULOUS MONSTERS!

IT'S AS IF THE SHOW TOOK A HUGE STEP BACK AFTER THE EXCELLENCE OF "THE INVASION!"


Sarah -
Oh my. I'm putting my positive hat on here and focusing on the good stuff.

...

Oh, yes, there was Jamie's super-sexy, “No, I’ll not be needing that, thank you” when he was challenged to a fight by a Gond. Highlanders don't need weapons, you silly Gonds.

I liked that bit.


Harry -
This might be one of Jamie's best stories. He gets to fight someone, he bravely infiltrates the Krotons' machine, he gets to do science experiments, and for once he's neither hungry nor sleepy nor on vacation.


Sarah -
Also, Jamie's cravat, which was a nice jaunty bit he apparently picked up in swinging 60's London. Zoe's too-revealing mini-combo was a bit much and not her best look. I did not like that.

And, ummmm...back to you Harry, Old Boy.


Harry -
I have to hand it to Rob & Toby. Both of them tried very hard to say nice things about this story. They were tested to the limits!


Sarah -
It is that kind of story.


Harry -
One notable thing about "The Krotons" is that it marks two important first appearances: writer Bob Holmes and actor Philip Madoc.

Holmes is legendary, of course, for fleshing out entire worlds, conflicts and backstories in a matter of minutes. You can see some of that here, with the introduction of the thousand-year dilemma of the Gonds, their internal politics, and the wonderful upsetting of the apple cart by the Doctor and friends - all in the opening minutes of the story.


Sarah -
There's something else nice to say: it did get right to the point and felt like quite the breezy story after an eight-parter. Well done, Bob.


Harry -
Madoc is one of my favourite guest actors in all of Doctor Who. He has such quiet presence, and his voice is so listenable, I would buy audios of him reading a phone book!

Sarah -
He was brilliant, which I knew because I kind of wanted to punch him in the face for being such a self-serving jerk.


Harry -
I wondered why he was not a more celebrated name in British acting.

Our Toby wondered the same thing too.



Sarah -
That is because Toby is brilliant.


Harry -
Brilliant and lovely.


Sarah -
Oh, speaking of Beta (were we?), I found James Cairncross' performance rather endearing. How can you not love a character who says things like, “Let’s see what happens. We can only blow ourselves up.”

Did you know, Harry, that this was originally meant to be Frazer Hines' last story, but he decided to stay on until the end of the season when he found out Troughton was leaving, as well? The schedule was juggled a bit to accommodate keeping him on. Maybe that explains why I found Jamie particularly enchanting in this story.


Harry -
Interesting! I was just saying what a great adventure this was for Jamie. Glad he stayed on for three more stories.

Holy crap, there's just three Troughton stories left for us! Before we run screaming from this one, let me just note a couple more nice things.

Bob Holmes knows how to close a story as well as open one. Part Four offers some nice twists. First, Eelek completes his journey into total bastardness: he's willing to collaborate with the Krotons, sacrifice the TARDIS crew, and overthrow the existing order to further his own ambitions. Then Selris the old grump suddenly becomes a sympathetic character.  He wants to give the TARDIS crew a chance to escape, and he pays the ultimate price for helping.


Sarah -
Oh, that was so sad.


Harry -
By that point, though, I was glad to get to the end. In a death scene befitting their crap design, one of the Krotons flops over and its head melts. I felt much the same way!


Sarah -
Let's talk about Jamie some more to cheer ourselves! I love how he was ready to bash his way into the Kroton lair to save the Doctor and Zoe and the way he was so chuffed to see that they had escaped. He was concerned when they entered the TARDIS, but knew that they would never leave him behind. He is the perfect companion -- endearing, loyal, and brave. And, also, cute, sweet, and sexy.


Harry -
As for Zoe, she got to do math... which is her favourite thing... so her adventure wasn't entirely wasted.


Sarah -
Have we said enough nice things yet?


Harry -
Damme! I'm just trying to say things that are not overly harsh. Let's wrap it up.


Sarah -
I'm slightly embarrassed to say that it's just occurred to me to say that Troughton is utterly delightful in this story. After being shuffled to the background a bit by UNIT, he's very front and center in "The Krotons" - I kind of missed him!


Harry -
Too bad about the umbrella.  Vandals!


Best line: "Great jumping gobstoppers, what's that?"

Favourite moment: the Doctor fusses about before taking the math test.

Lasting image: the Krotons' arms flailing as they spoke.

4/10


Sarah -
Best Line: I've got two, which occur within moments of each other and need to be together:

Zoe : "The Doctor's almost as clever as I am."
The Doctor : "Zoe is something of a genius... It can be rather irritating at times."

Favorite Moment: Jamie's fight in episode one.

Lasting Image: The Doctor in close-up at the end of episode one as the phallic-camera-thingy probes his face.

I'm starting to feel a bit more warm-hearted towards The Krotons after that discussion.

5/10

Our marathon continues with Story #48 - The Seeds of Death...