Mara Stories.

I suspect the snakes were about to raise their heads… whenever we get underway again.

So, early 1980’s… other people may have different views but the three ‘peaks’ of the Davison era must be ‘Caves’, and Chris Bailey’s Mara Stories. I know Earthshock had impact (see what I did there) but to say it was flawed would be a mumbling un…[Read more]

Moff… I come to praise Moff not bury him.
There were those who thought he was too clever. Clever in the Nuwho is what psychobabble was to Classic.

There were those who missed Tennant. Tennant was the new Tom. Interesting that Hinchcliffe/Holmes are never really praised for ‘making’ Tom. Most of those who say ‘I liked Tennant’ probably wouldn’t…[Read more]

Yes bring in Billie as the Doctor. If Maxil can become 6, Caecilius becomes 12, & 10 becomes 2 other versions of himself, why not? I can no more understand the voices saying ‘no. Not happened yet. Can’t be real. La la lala la!’

As to… WHY? I assume Rose represents something to the Doctor… and you might as well call it love. And 6 represente…[Read more]

@whohar

‘Moff the marked man’… yes I have alluded, heavily. Will try to keep this short.

In respect to romance in Who, Moff couldn’t do anything RTD didn’t really want, so Russ must have been happy with the tone. And he had previously worked with the idea of ‘Rose the perfect companion’ himself. So, forget ‘The Doctor is Gay Man who women like’…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent @winston

Rose is a good shout. Billie’s reappearance still seems to mystify the internet ‘World of Gammon.’ So, what’s it all about, eh?

I think Micky the bin is a good place to start. RTD has a sense of humour, something that continues with Cassandra desiccating, Slitheen flatus issues, and Adam need a hole in the head, like a……[Read more]

Series 18 concluded

The Great Entropy Expedition ends with ‘Keeper of Traken’, a story about an ideal society which seems to exist through the force of sheer niceness, and ‘Logopolis’ wherein it is revealed that The Universe is actually kaput and only held together with chewing gum, gaffer tape and Maths. Only then does The Master, no longer…[Read more]

Further on with Series 18: State of Decay

Entropy

A fairly large pocket universe discovered by impossible coordinates.

A smaller one, collapsing.

Hard science at beginning and end.

A supered companion lost and a decidedly un super one gained

Bracketed by hardish (for Who) stories by Fisher and Bidmead; forming a sandwich for some extremely…[Read more]

The Leisure Hive

I thought I’d indulge myself a bit before diving back into the Chib endgame. The temptation is to luxuriate in Hinchcliff/Holmes but really what does that tell you? Holmes could write dialogue and Mary Whitehouse got unreasonably annoyed. Instead I thought I’d examine the evidence behind my reaction to The Chibnall era, and loo…[Read more]

@janetteb @winston

earlier companions in opposition to The Doctor.

Not seen the movie for some time; and no plans to soon. So, I’ll start with…

Ace… *not really critical but kind of antagonistic. However, if anything, The Doctor is critical of Ace, as the first ‘supered’ companion. Ok Romana and Susan were technically Time Ladies but hardly su…[Read more]

@janetteb

Claudius. I can think of 4 or 5 quite horrible moments, done in such a matter of fact, unshlocky manner that the memory even now is really unsettling. But the ‘principal’ Caligula episode did have one scene, which received so many complaints, the offending seconds were cut immediately by the beeb themselves. And it was never resto…[Read more]

@janetteb

Finn finn Phineas Finn. Oh yes.
And I Claudius! I still remember the continuity announcer’s warning before the fall of Sejanus: ‘scenes of bl**dy mayhem!’ I think Jean Luc Picard always looked rather different to British audiences. And Caligula had barely got a look in by that point!

@nerys @winston

Yes. Exposition, Comic Relief and Critique… could be a useful analytical tool. So, going back in time… criticality indicated by *

Belinda… ** really just a functional companion, being transported from a>b. But revealing of ‘The Doctor Question’ and so a little critical. Not really worked that part of the arc out though.…[Read more]

@winston @janetteb

I did dispose of a K9 keyring when our neighbourhood put on a ‘yard sale’ for Oxfam a few weeks back. Bought by a kid who said his mum loves Who.

Life Preservers… I know that’s not what you mean but I immediately think of the Victorian gentlemen’s cudgels ala Anthony Trollope!

@janetteb

the animated arms are a bit distracting.

I think they should have cut to the remaining actual footage of Oak and Quill’s gas attack (kindly preserved by the Australian censors.) It is still absolutely terrifying.

Your library system sounds impressive!

So… Fury from The Deep… the last hour and a bit.

To be frank, and obviously this is animated, the second half didn’t have anywhere near the creep factor of the first. The sonic attack courtesy of Victoria was a long time coming and… just as Moff would have it, no one dies! Nothing for Mary Whitehouse to worry about at all really. But it have be…[Read more]

@janetteb @whohar

It’s a bind.

On the one hand, why does The Corp insist on trying to ‘set the tone’ for the program? Why CAN’T Who be unashamedly kidult? Because it’s a scratching post for antiwoke, pro-bechdel, anti-exploitative, ‘loadarubbish/don’t understand’, don’t frighten the horses & is this where our license fee goes brigades. Most of…[Read more]

Not really sure if this should be here or on The Winchester. But there is no dedicated Second Doctor forum. And, with all the frightful C21st stuff happening out of the corner of our eye, I thought the faithful could do with something to help remove invaders from The Activity List.

So… Fury From The Deep 1968… the first burgeoning of The Base Und…[Read more]

@craig

The Flux is upon us. Sontarans, Daleks and Cyberbods

@ dentarthurdent

Smith and Hurt are obviously first rank, though we didn’t know that about Smith in those days. Tennant seems slightly dazed to able to do his usual stuff and bask in thespie love. Billie more than holds her own. Assuming we get another series, that’s gotta be a good sign!

The Moment is DEFINITELY in The Tower, or was it The Nati…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent @whohar
VAR have confirmed… he never got it, at all. Ever