So, here we are, on our way to finding the fourth segment of the Key to Time. Oh, look, it's on the lovely planet of Tara. Romana will pop off to find the segment while the Doctor treats himself to a spot of fishing. It's just a short stroll to locate the segment, which is part of a statue, transform it, and back to the TARDIS before you can say Bob's your uncle!
Oh wait...this is Doctor Who. It wouldn't be fun if it was that easy!
Harry -
No kidding. I looked at the clock and Romana had recovered the segment seven minutes into the story. If this was a contemporary story in the Steven Moffat era, who knows where it might have gone next.
Sarah -
There would be much running down corridors, to be sure.
Harry -
It would be MAD! It would be AMAZING!
Fortunately, the Doctor didn't spend the remaining 3 3/4 episodes dozing at the fishing hole while Romana registered the segment with the minerals authorities at Castle Gracht. Which reminds me, two out of the first four stories this season have been set in a kind of alternate-Tsarist Russian planet. One was wintry and the other was summery, so it must have been a happy coincidence -- that or they spread out the costumes and props over two stories.
Sarah -
The Beeb, as we know, was all about budgetary efficiencies at the time so it could have been either case.
Harry -
I was fascinated by that giant clock on the wall outside the coronation room. It looked like a 16-hour clock.
Sarah -
I'll have to go back and have a look. I missed that.
Harry -
Peter Jeffrey as Count Grendel carried himself with the air of a Famous Guest Actor, so I looked him up. Turns out he was a very familiar face to British viewers, having made numerous appearances on stage, film and telly throughout the 60s and 70s. He was reportedly also considered for the role of the Doctor back in 1966. Imagine that.
Sarah -
While I quite like "The Androids of Tara", one has to credit Jeffrey for single-handedly raising it from a good story to a very good story. He's positively smashing as Count Grendel and steals every scene he's in -- which is a hard thing to do with Tom Baker on the set.
The sword fight scene between the Doctor and the Count made me positively nostalgic for the Doctor's sparring with the Master in the Pertwee era. It's been a while since the Doctor had a nemesis as hearty has Count Grendel.
Harry -
That fight scene went on long enough to earn its coordinator a screen credit. It was that long!
Sarah -
It did go on a bit. I love the moment when the Doctor allows Grendel to regain his sword. So sporting!
Harry -
In addition to the swordfight, the Doctor ended up having to punch his way out of confinement a couple of times with K-9's help, as well as run through a corridor -- of trees -- to effect a getaway. No wonder he kept that scarf quadruple-wrapped around his neck most of the time.
Sarah -
He had to keep it wrapped up to keep more if it from getting chopped off by Farrah!
Harry -
He really liked whipping out that sword, did Farrah.
Sarah -
Classic compensating gesture.
Harry -
I've never read The Prisoner of Zenda, nor am I wild about doppelganger stories, but the android twist made it more interesting.
Sarah -
I've not read it, either, but I've seen the 1937 movie with Ronald Coleman -- and was extremely amused that they cast an actor who bore such a striking resemblance to Coleman to play Prince Reynart.
Harry -
Neville Jason was a very dashing, Balkanesque Prince Reynart. When Reynart's android twin was first revealed, I flashed back to the Sarah Jane android from "The Android Invasion". Those eyes!
Sarah -
The faceless android eyes is one of the most disturbing images in the entire history of Doctor Who. I feel uncomfortable just thinking about them.
Harry -
Seeing Romana almost get "disassambled" when mistaken for an android was also a chilling moment, and it was shocking to watch the Doctor club Strella with a sceptre at the end of Part Two.
Sarah -
Lots of scary images to frighten the children in this one.
Harry -
Going into this story, my previous impression was that it was the weakest of the Key to Time season. I remembered being bored for long stretches the last time I'd watched it years ago. However it was a lot breezier this time around.
Sarah -
When you think about it, being the weakest story in the Key to Time series can still put you head and shoulders above many other stories in Doctor Who!
Harry -
It was better than I remembered it. Surely you can't go wrong when Cyril Shaps appears! Unless I'm mistaken, this is the only story in which a character he played didn't die horribly. Hurrah for the Archimandrite!
Sarah -
Also, he has a most excellent hat. As does Romana. This is a story with the most excellent haberdashery!
Harry -
Armoured helments, spiked helmets, this story had it all.
In my notes, I, er, noted that this was a story with lots of mini-plots within the larger framework. I think that's what made it more interesting this time around. We are seeing a different kind of storytelling this season. Instead of rampaging monsters and prolonged chase scenes, there's a lot more plotting and conniving going on among the characters that our friends encounter. The heroes and villains spent a lot of time together in the same room, instead of being separated by great distances. The dialogue has been cracking in every story so far.
Sarah -
Well noted! The story is full of castle intrigue and, as a viewer, it feels as though we've just stumbled into the middle of someone's family feud.
Harry -
Sure, it's a story without any bug-eyed monsters (androids excepted), but it fits well within the way this entire season has been structured. And they found enough material to fill 3 3/4 episodes after the fourth segment was recovered!
Sarah -
Spot of luck the Count happened upon Romana, isn't it? We've have been in and out in a flash and missed all the fun!
Harry -
Too bad Count Grendel revealed himself to be Coward Grendel at the end, swimming away in defeat. I'd forgotten how this one ended, and it was quite the happy scenes all around. Reynart and Strella together at last, the Doctor and Romana free from peril with the fourth segment in hand, K-9 floating happily in the moat, and most importantly: Cyril Shaps lived!
Best Line - "That's the trouble with chess, it's all so predictable."
Favourite Moment - Romana betraying her lack of equestrian skills. "Go Charger, start. Start!"
Lasting Image - Romana's purple and green ensemble.
7/10
Sarah -
A hearty laugh from the Doctor and we're on our way to the fifth segment!
Best Line: "Would you mind not standing on my chest, my hat's on fire?"
Favorite Moment: The swashbuckling sword fight!
Lasting Image: Continuing the fashion theme, the Archimandrite's headgear!
7/10
Our marathon continues with Story #102 - The Power of Kroll...
No comments:
Post a Comment