Last Classic Who Story you watched
- Thread starter Pindar
- Start date
I decided it was about time that I finally checked this out. After not finding it on YouTube, I went to Amazon where the DVD listing said that it had made a hundred sales on this product in the past month and that there was only one left in stock. Apparently, something has driven up interest in this story.
Recalling how expensive the used DVD copies of the out-of-print and out-of-stock Second Doctor serial "The War Games" were when I was seeking that out, I snatched up this supposed final copyright away.Now, to hook up my disc player for the first time in a very long time...
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Hopefully the BBC is paying attention...and gives us another Shalka Doctor adventure!
(Yes, I know that's not going to happen, let a guy have his tiny hope)
(Yes, I know that's not going to happen, let a guy have his tiny hope)
There was a prose story in the Sunday Times ISTR
Yup, like I mentioned before, I know there are a few other stories with him...but I specifically want more of him with Richard E. Grant and preferably with Sophie Okonedo and Derek Jacobi, too.
I'm relaxing so as not to take the thread over. Lots of other Who stories to watch. We did have a snownstorm which messed up the schedule (ironically as Abominable Snowmen is very lacking in snow). The snow days were generally shot inside, but if you look at the windows you might see it.
If can get my new phone and laptop to connect I might post some photos. But mice seem to have niddled one of Jack!
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Just finished The Chase. Its a very fun serial, and its cool to see The Doctor and companions have to do a rapid run through time to avoid the daleks, since multiple location changes in a story was almost unheard of in this time period of the show. I especially enjoyed the Mary Celeste and haunted house sections, but the whole thing was entertaining. The Daleks were a bit too talkative for how annoying most of their voices were and how repetitive their dialog was, but it wasn't a huge deal. Speaking of annoying voices the "New York" tour guide had just about the worst attempt at a New York accent that I've ever heard, he sounded like if Popeye had an even worse speech tick, but this was so bizarre that it was more entertaining then annoying.
We also see the exit of Ian and Barbara and the entrance of Steven. Looking at the wikipedia page for some info, I noticed that Steven's actor also played the cowboy tourist in episode 3, I honestly couldn't tell just watching the show (thats probably why they made extra sure to have Steven have a beard and look dirty). I'm glad Vicki is sticking around, and I think it was about time for Ian and barbara to go, with the way the show was at the time they'd both kind of done every type of story that the show would give them, it felt like a natural end point for their journey.
Overall a solid story with some great moments.
We also see the exit of Ian and Barbara and the entrance of Steven. Looking at the wikipedia page for some info, I noticed that Steven's actor also played the cowboy tourist in episode 3, I honestly couldn't tell just watching the show (thats probably why they made extra sure to have Steven have a beard and look dirty). I'm glad Vicki is sticking around, and I think it was about time for Ian and barbara to go, with the way the show was at the time they'd both kind of done every type of story that the show would give them, it felt like a natural end point for their journey.
Overall a solid story with some great moments.
Well, I didn't expect to find this one. "Wartime" (Huh. "Downtime" and "Wartime" were both produced by "Reeltime". Whoda thunk it?) featuring our favorite UNIT officer, John(!) Benton. The uncredited voice cameo from Nicholas Courtney as an unnamed superior officer of unspecified rank was a nice touch. By not specifying his rank or using his name, they were able to use the character without having to pay to license him, as Doctor Who fans would immediately make the connection anyway. Very sneaky.
The story is is a little simple and they probably could have shaved a few minutes off the runtime, but we learn more about our friend Benton outside of his life in UNIT in this little half hour movie than we did in the entirety of his appearances on Doctor Who proper. John Levene puts in a very strong performance and there's a little cameo from Nicholas Briggs as an enemy soldier.
And I think this is as far as my current fascination with the "wilderness years" is going to take me for the time being. Thank you for indulging me with these finds.
ETA: @23:12 -- "Are you my daddy?"
I'll just show myself out...
The story is is a little simple and they probably could have shaved a few minutes off the runtime, but we learn more about our friend Benton outside of his life in UNIT in this little half hour movie than we did in the entirety of his appearances on Doctor Who proper. John Levene puts in a very strong performance and there's a little cameo from Nicholas Briggs as an enemy soldier.
And I think this is as far as my current fascination with the "wilderness years" is going to take me for the time being. Thank you for indulging me with these finds.
ETA: @23:12 -- "Are you my daddy?"
I'll just show myself out...
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Yeah, the first episode is much better than the rest. Although I did like how Vicki beat the computer.
The production values of that are really very good, you would think a lot of it was shot by the actual Dr who production team, and Micheal Wisher, the original Davros.
I discovered a week or two ago that Downtime is also available on YouTube. Of all of the Reeltime films, that's the one I've been most curious about. I have it waiting in my YouTube Workspace tab to watch when I have the time. I'm not sure if I'll bother with Wartime but I guess that depends on how much I enjoy Downtime.
Downtime feels like a season 23-26-era TV Movie, IMO. Sounds lavish but actually, it looks and feels exactly like Who of the Colin B/McCoy eras, shot on videotape with not a lot of money but plenty of enthusiasm. I definitely recommend it, even if its not quite that great. Plus its another exhibit from Marc Platt, the guy who wrote Ghost Light and lots of great BF stories, including Spare Parts.
For me, my affection for this production isn't the story, which is interesting but nothing spectacular (although I like the idea of one of the Doctor's old foes seeking revenge not on the Doctor himself, but on his companions that helped him), it's the character moments. The character interactions that you will never see anywhere else.
The Brigadier and Kate!
Sarah Jane and Victoria!
Kate and Sarah Jane!!!
As I said above, I absolutely love the thought of Kate and Sarah Jane not only knowing each other but sharing an adventure. There was no way of knowing when they produced this how momentous a meeting that actually was. You might have to squint just a little bit to accept that this is the same version of Kate, different actress not withstanding*, but I think it serves as a perfect introduction for Kate into her father's world. The first step of a larger journey, if you know what I'm saying.
Nicholas Courtney is phenomenal in this, particularly in the scene where he learns he has a grandson. Just great stuff.
*I thought Beverly Cressman was great in the role, and Nicholas Courtney apparently developed quite the affection for her.
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That was interesting -- not great, I agree, but not bad for an indie video production. I've never seen Downtime before, though I bought Marc Platt's greatly expanded novelization in the Missing Adventures line when it came out, and it turns out I still have it. Might be worth a re-read now that I've finally seen it. The video looked more professional than I expected, though Jack Watling was too elderly and frail to be very convincing as a villain. And I agree, not nearly enough Sarah Jane. (Also, why doesn't the Brig remember meeting Victoria in "The Web of Fear"?)
I'm surprised by how credible Beverley Cressman is as a younger version of Jemma Redgrave, though I suppose I should say it the other way around, since she was first.
As for Sarah saying she's a rotten shot, she wasn't necessarily telling the truth. I recall her being anti-gun in TSJA, so maybe it was more a matter of principle for her than ability.
At the 58:00 mark--
Brigadier: "I'm sure we've met before."
Victoria: "I doubt it."
So, the real question should be why doesn't Victoria remember meeting the Brig? Especially since they were both at the London event and she was specifically seeking him out because of that connection. Perhaps their mutual connection to the Doctor was something she didn't want to bring up for whatever reason (other than copyright.
).
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Yeah, I agree with all that. Definitely worth it for those moments alone.For me, my affection for this production isn't the story, which is interesting but nothing spectacular (although I like the idea of one of the Doctor's old foes seeking revenge not on the Doctor himself, but on his companions that helped him), it's the character moments. The character interactions that you will never see anywhere else.
The Brigadier and Kate!
Sarah Jane and Victoria!
Kate and Sarah Jane!!!
As I said above, I absolutely love the thought of Kate and Sarah Jane not only knowing each other but sharing an adventure. There was no way of knowing when they produced this how momentous a meeting that actually is. You might have to squint just a little bit to accept that this is the same version of Kate, different actress not withstanding*, but I think it serves as a perfect introduction for Kate into her father's world. The first step of a larger journey, if you know what I'm saying.
Nicholas Courtney is phenomenal in this, particularly in the scene where he learns he has a grandson. Just great stuff.
*I thought Beverly Cressman was great in the role, and Nicholas Courtney apparently developed quite the affection for her.
And lest we forget her expertise with guns in Pyramids of Mars.
The confusing thing for me about Downtime is that I keep forgetting that Travers isn't Victoria's father, it's the actors who are father and daughter, and Travers's daughter was another character entirely. And the story exacerbates the confusion by having Victoria think her father is possessing Travers or whatever.
Possibly more interaction offscreen with Ten, who was VERY anti-gun?
Or more likely due to her new interactions with children/teens, who you would really want to keep guns away from and not interested in.
Or perhaps it was her experiences as a journalist covering war zones and crime scenes and seeing the consequences of gun violence. We shouldn't forget that characters can have lives beyond their onscreen experiences. It's not like she was just floating in limbo between K9 and Company and "School Reunion."
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