The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos

[ichabod @ichabod]

Yes, you’re right!  I remember that one — I saw both versions, and frankly I can’t remember what, if any, differences the differences made.  But of course that says more about me than about the movie . . ,

[nerys @nerys]

@ichabod There was a pretty key difference in the two films, and I’m sort of reluctant to discuss it without some sort of spoiler tag (for anyone who hasn’t seen the director’s cut of Blade Runner). If you haven’t seen it, and want to, then don’t venture beyond this point:

 

 

 

 

***SPOILER***

In the original theatrical release with voice-over, there are fewer hints that Deckard is a replicant. I remember watching the voice-over version on HBO, and it never occurred to me that he might be a replicant. But in the director’s cut, it is far more strongly implied that Deckard is a replicant. I agree with @craig that, while the director’s cut is by far the superior version, the voice-over version has a nice film noir texture to it.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@nerys, @ichabod, @craig

I suppose this discussion really should be over on the Films thread, but I also suppose spoilers are less of an issue when it comes to Blade Runner, as it seems unlikely than there is anyone with internet access who is not aware of the film.

For me, it will always be the original theatrical version with the voice-over. I saw it when it came out and it was simply overwhelming. The voice-over worked precisely because of the noir-ish feel it conveyed. I have always felt the subsequent directorial tinkering actually diminished the film as implanting a suggestion that Deckard was a replicant undercut what was surely part of the powerful message of the original theatrical version–that Deckard, as a human, actually contained less “humanity” that the replicant/slave Roy Batty, played so mesmerisingly by Rutger Hauer.

 

[imnotastoxicasmyoldusernamewouldsuggest @rosasucksandsodoess11]

My issues with this episode:

1) The return of Tim Shaw or whatever he’s called is very predictable

2)By the end of the episode nothing has really happened that is as catastrophic as normal series finales which made me very disappointed as I thought this episode could really do well

3) The supposedly very dangerous atmosphere of the planet that could supposedly drive people insane only gives the Doctor and Yaz a headache which is very wasted potential

4)The resolution for this episode is very much a cop out with Tim Shaw just being put in stasis

Positives:

1) Graham is stellar in this episode giving deep lines and some good jokes

 

 

[The Lieutenant @liam3015]

A lot of the series is actually very predictable but it’s not easy to become totally unpredictable anymore, it’s been on air 57 years.

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

Well, second viewing of this, but I’ve mostly forgotten the plot from 18 months ago, other than it involved the Blue Tooth Fairy a.k.a. Tim Shaw.    Random impressions:

Well, building a tower of rocks from the top down – that’s new. Too bad we don’t see it completed. But what is this thing which looms through the mist – too bad, we don’t get to see, we just jumped 3407 years. This is really portentous stuff.

So now we got a nervous alien pointing a gun. Last time that happened it didn’t work out too well (for Bill). All I gather from the next few minutes is that Paltracki took something (or recovered it) and some Stenza who might be Blue Tooth Fairy from Episode 1 wants it back. I get that Graham really wants to kill the blue pest, I’m absolutely on his side versus the Doctor in that.

So then we finally see what is, presumably, the tower of rocks. Looks top-heavy. And, it seems, floating in mid-air.

And our pacifist Doctor has brought a bag full of grenades. When Ryan taxes her with her previous anti-gun diatribes she just says “My rules change all the time”. That’s known as lampshading it.

Ryan starts pratting on at Graham about ‘the Team’ and not hunting Blue Tooth Fairy – I’m still 100% on Graham’s side. Then they run into a platoon of sniperbots, who very obligingly do the Irish Firing Squad thing with zero damage to our protagonists. They really are rubbish bots, aren’t they?

So the Ux, these two near-immortal super-capable dimensional engineers, have been conned into thinking the repulsive Blue Tooth Fairy is divine? Kinda hard to credit, wouldn’t you say? In fact I’d say the Ux are raving idiots.

In fact the answer to Blue Tooth Fairy’s diabolical plan is obvious – just shoot the Ux who are carrying it out. But we know the Doctor won’t do that even if they destroy the universe. “Can’t disconnect them. We might kill them”. (And if you don’t, the Universe gets destroyed. There are times I want to kick this Doctor, she’s nearly as daft as the Ux). And when she does have an idea (simultaneously with Yaz) to fix the problem, she just talks and talks and talks while I’m yelling at the screen “Get on with it!!” The Ux seem to change their ‘faith’ remarkably quickly and easily.

Paltracki’s handgun seems to be much more powerful than the big blasters of the sniperbots, they really are rubbish – oh I said that.

Graham has the drop on Blue Tooth Fairy but he can’t pull the trigger and blast the scum. Damn you, Doctor and Ryan, for brainwashing Graham. No way would I trust anything to keep BTF confined for ever, look what happened last time. He’s far too dangerous to leave alive, I’d want to incinerate his DNA. (Isn’t it odd how the Doctor – at least in previous incarnations – has no hesitation in killing Daleks and Cybermen, but this one won’t kill Blue Tooth Fairy).

I did like that Paltraki managed to rescue his crew.

“Fam.” Aaaagh! Ryan: “I thought we weren’t doing fam”. Maybe he’s not as thick as he looks. But then Yaz says she likes it – please writers, I quite like Yaz, stop undermining her.

Well, this ep is not as bad as I previously concluded it was. But not as good as it could have been, I think. The Ux were hard to credit. I suppose the brain-scrambling field of the planet might be said to account for their total lack of commonsense, but it wasn’t really very well communicated. It didn’t seem to inhibit their magical matter-manipulation powers, just their intelligence.

[janetteB @janetteb]

@dentarthurdent. I am enjoying your reviews more than the original episodes. I watched this one and recall absolutely nothing at all about it. The words, “totally forgettable” have never been more apt. I shared several of your comments to the general assembly here and they were much appreciated.

Cheers

Janette

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

@janetteb Hi Janette. Thank you, but I think you’re being charitable to my slightly snarky comments. 🙂

Overall, I think Ranskoor av Kolos was not as impressive as most season finales. Started well, but then faded into a small-scale drama where Graham shot the villain in the foot. (And somehow the threat to the Earth didn’t feel ‘real’). There were some interesting concepts in the episode – the Ux for example – but they weren’t really developed. Where did they come from? How did their society work? Or the mindbending effects of the planet, and why all the wreckage of old spacecraft? And why were the defences so weak they could be easily defeated by the Doc and companions?

I have the impression that Chibnall has a notebook full of interesting ideas, but they’re often only half-developed and not really tied together.

Anyway, I’ve just re-watched ‘Resolution’, will post my thoughts on that.      Then I’m on to completely fresh ground (for me), Season 12.

 

[raidengl @raidengl]

Forgive me if I’m asking this on the wrong episode. But I believe this was the episode with the showdown with the master on Galifray. At the end of the episode they ended on a cliff hanger. As far I can tell they never went back to answer the cliff hanger. Did I miss something at the beginning of the next season. Thanks in advance.

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

I answered this but the website seems to have swallowed my answer.   Often happens if I use the ‘Edit’ function on a post.

Short recap, it wasn’t Ranskoor Av Kolos (last ep of Chibnall’s first season), it was The Timeless Children (last ep of his second season), the Doc was imprisoned by the Judoon.   It was resolved in the following special, Revolution of the Daleks. (NOT Resolution, that was the special that followed Ranskoor av Kolos)

By the way, there are full episode synopses at tardis.fandom.com, use the menu TV>DoctorWho>Main Episode List, scroll down and click on the episode you want.   That’s how I managed to recall the above.

And full transcripts at chakoteya.net

[raidengl @raidengl]

Thanks that helps.

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