Classic Who day by day

[The Nth Doctor]

There is a much different feel to this episode than the ones which have come before. It feels more like it's a movie, not television. I don't know if there is a new DP, or what, but it feels bigger, more epic.

Good, good. I'm glad you're appreciating the pace. A lot of people complain about the story being slow and too long, but I think it's perfectly pace to fully impact the magnitude of the situation. Peeling the layers off the onion.

I love the early Cybermen stories (especially The Tenth Planet and The Invasion), so it's a pity that the later ones mostly suck (except Earthshock and "The Next Doctor").

Mmh, I recently watched The Tenth Planet and wasn't impressed with the story. As if the origin story for the Cybermen wasn't shaky enough, the big solution to this was just to wait? And then not only would their planet be gone but also the Cybermen themselves because they live off their planet's energy? What? Doctor Who isn't that great with the science in science fiction but this is ridiculous.
The Cybermen looked great, though, and I so wish the Cyberman would have said "Resistance is futile!" and not just "Resistance is useless.". I also liked their weird speech pattern.

That's fair. I think the story itself isn't all that strong, but introduction and the horror of the Cybermen intrigued me. Yeah, the costumes look a little silly, but I love the idea they're trying to convene: the people of Mondas (Mondasians? Mondans?) have jerry-rigged themselves with any mechanical components available to achieve the purpose they're seeking.

 

[OmahaStar]

Slow story? THIS? Maybe it gets slow in episodes I haven't seen yet, but so far, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.


The War Games, episode 2, originally aired 4/26/69
Written by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke
Directed by David Maloney

Continuing from the last episode, it was gunfire, but not aimed at the Doctor. It was a sniper, aiming at the firing line surrounding him, and I think the sniper was wearing a US Union uniform. The gunshots send everyone scurrying, giving the Doctor and Zoe time to escape.

The General dude is not what he seems at all. He's got a Tardis. Oh, yes. He's using mind control, he's got all sorts of advanced tech, and he has his own frakking Tardis! Now things are getting interesting.

People are coming up with all sorts of dates. There's the Red Coat who thinks it's the mid-1700s. The Doctor thinks it's 1917. A few other dates are given, but I am so far not believing any of them. And it's all to do with this mist business.

The war zone as we know it is surrounded by mist. The Red Coat (British soldier from 1700s) says the mist surrounded him and then when it disappeared, there he was. Some of the others, including the woman named Jennifer give similar stories about the mist. Well, it gets better. Because the people inside the mist cannot go through it. See, the Doctor and his companions, along with a couple of the General's soldiers have fought their way out of the war zone and they're driving to the mist. Jennifer can't do it, the mist won't allow her to, so the Doctor has to drive. And almost as soon as they are through, they find a band of Roman soldiers riding towards them.

* * *

The title "War Games" is beginning to make sense. It's feeling like this General dude is a Time Lord. He's got his own Tardis, and is somehow traveling through time to pick warriors to fight in his games. I'm not sure what this mist business is all about. It might be connected with his time ship, or I could have it all wrong, and he's working for someone else. But that wouldn't explain how he's got his own Tardis.

The two military types who have hitched a ride with the Doctor have me curious as well. They couldn't see what was right in front of them until the Doctor forced them to see, and then their vision went all wonky and then there it was. It's like they're not just having issues with time, but their memories have been altered as well.

Speaking of the Doc, there are a few scenes here where he is pretending to be a military dude from the ministry, and he is completely over the top. I'm surprised there is any scenery left, as much as he was chewing it. Oh, I thought it was hilarious, I had to rewind it and watch it a few times just to get over my case of the giggles.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Troughton went all out for those scenes, didn't he? I die of laughter every time I watch it.

 

[OmahaStar]

War Games, episode 3
Written by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke
Directed by David Maloney

They escape somehow. The Doctor confirms that those were Roman soldiers, but now they're in another time zone, having driven through the mist.

The Doctor has this theory, and it turns out to be correct. He thinks they are in a much bigger war zone, and there are mini-zones cut off by this mist. Each one is its own separate time zone. One for Romans, one for the American Civil War, one for World War I, etc. They go back to the base we already know, the General's HQ, and find a map which confirms it.

In the middle of the map is a giant empty area, like a dead zone. They are heading for it, hoping that whatever it is, they'll get answers there.

They meet another zone's General, who also has a hidden video screen. Then we see a number of various Generals arguing, and they also let out a minor itty bitty little fact - They're not Human.

As our heroes hide from American Civil War soldiers, Tardis #2 materializes. A group of appropriate soldiers files out. The Doctor and Zoe go inside. Jennifer and Jamie move towards it, but gunfire stops them. They hide, but it's too late - Tardis #2 dematerializes.

* * *

In true classic cliffhanger fashion, at the end of every episode, they have a cliffhanger which makes me want to go to the next episode immediately. It's actually taking a lot of willpower to not do that. I'm not behind on my viewing, so I'm sticking with one per day, but it's not easy.

Among other cool things that happen here is one that sticks out like a huge red flashing beacon lit from space - the Sonic Screwdriver. The Doctor uses it briefly here. I realize he may have used it in one of the lost stories, but this is the earliest story that still exists in which he uses it.

It is one of those "did that just happen?" moments, and I loved it. Yes, I'm a geek. What's your point?

Only 7 episodes to go. This is going by almost too fast.

 

[OmahaStar]

War Games, episode 4

Jamie and Jennifer are captured by the soldiers. Zoe and the Doctor are in Tardis #2. Zoe asks if it's possible, and the Doctor is really nervous as he says he might just know who else would have a Tardis.

They find more soldiers from different periods of time. They're all under hypnosis or something like that, not really suspended animation, but not moving.

While exploring, they find early prototypes of Geordi's Visor. Putting them on, they are free to explore and nobody stops them. They find themselves attending a lecture which gives a pretty massive infodump.

Jamie and Jennifer escape, but it doesn't last long.

* * *

Interesting. Now they're on another planet and Zoe and the Doctor have a way to block the mind control.

Each of the Generals use a variation of glasses - glasses, monocle, something. But whatever it is, the same result each time - the soldiers do whatever they say, and they're completely under the General's power.

I'm kind of getting antsy. I want to see the Cybermen and Yeti and other monsters. But there's only 6 episodes to go. Yikes.

 

[Captain Pike]

Not trying to spoil, but I wouldn't hold your breath or build up your anticipation too much about any cybermen or other monsters. Forget about that and just enjoy the story as it unfolds.

 

[OmahaStar]

Not trying to spoil, but I wouldn't hold your breath or build up your anticipation too much about any cybermen or other monsters. Forget about that and just enjoy the story as it unfolds.

I know, they're probably just cameos in one episode.

War Games, episode 5

Zoe is captured and interrogated, but is rescued by the Doctor.

Tardis #2 reappears in the barn. Jamie, Jennifer, and the US Civil War soldiers are waiting for them. Boom, boom.

The Generals bicker amongst themselves. It's like watching an old married couple. They confirm there is someone higher, someone above them, called the War Lord. One of the Generals is referred to as the "War Chief."

Before Tardis #2 departs, several of the soldiers and Jamie sneak on board. When they materialize on the alien planet, they walk out into an ambush as the Doctor and Zoe watch, helplessly.

* * *

For a few minutes, I was worried we were falling into the "companion is captured, Doctor frees her" cycle, but it's episode 5 and it's the first time it's happened so far. As long as they don't do it again, we'll be fine.

The Generals were fricken hilarious. Their verbal sparring was almost like Crystal and Alexis on Dynasty all over again. I was waiting for them to start a fistfight and then fall into a pool, but it didn't happen. Maybe next time? lol

The regulars were almost an afterthought in this episode. Jamie, Zoe, and the Doctor had only a few minutes of screentime, the rest were all devoted to the guests. It's nice to share the wealth that way in these long stories.

And so ends disc one. Disc two starts tomorrow, and contains episodes 6-10.

I'm kind of getting excited for Thursday, the final episode of this Doctor. At the same time, I wish they'd hurry up and get The Krotons out on dvd.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Eh, you're not missing much with The Krotons.

 

[OmahaStar]

Eh, you're not missing much with The Krotons.

Ah, but it is complete, and BBC has uploaded it to youtube. Considering how few Second Doctor stories have been released, even the bad ones should be out. At this point, it's just Krotons and the Dominators. All the others are missing episodes. If I can handle that awful Mind Robber story, I think I can handle anything that series can throw at me. Except maybe Kinda.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Eh, you're not missing much with The Krotons.

Ah, but it is complete, and BBC has uploaded it to youtube. Considering how few Second Doctor stories have been released, even the bad ones should be out. At this point, it's just Krotons and the Dominators. All the others are missing episodes. If I can handle that awful Mind Robber story, I think I can handle anything that series can throw at me. Except maybe Kinda.

True, it's complete but I think it's a damn shame that The Krotons and The Dominators are two of the few Second Doctor serials still in existance. They're two of my least favorite of his stories.

 

[OmahaStar]

Two episodes today. I was a day behind yesterday, after spending the day with my extended family out of state, and I won't be able to do an episode tomorrow night, as I'm going out to see Invictus (the new movie with Martha's mommy), so here's both at once.

War Games, episode 6

The war peeps discover Jamie hadn't been programmed before. The security chief interrogates him, figuring out the Doctor and the others arrived on their own, not as part of the games.

The Doctor meets up with some of the resistance on the planet. They rescue Jamie and pick up a few more resistance soldiers along the way. Jamie and the Doctor stay behind. Zoe and the rest go back to Earth in Tardis #2. The Doctor has stayed behind so he can get his hands on one of the processing machines. He thinks he can use it to deprogram the soldiers.

The Doctor gets it then calls Tardis #2 back. Unfortunately, they get trapped between the control room and the ship. The war chief starts pressing controls. In the trapped room, the ceiling begins to lower, threatening to crush our heroes.

* * *

This is the first time the phrase "Time Lord" is ever spoken. That's pretty huge for the series.

Poor Jamie, he keeps getting captured. I suspect it's cuz everybody thinks he's pretty in his little dress. I mean kilt. It's almost like he's Gabrielle in the first season of Xena.

And apparently the war chief is the fourth Time Lord we've met, after the Doctor, Susan, and the Monk. All signs point to it, anyway.


War Games, episode 7

If you watch carefully at the beginning, during the recap, the Doctor's pants split. Oops!

The Doctor exits, tricks the people outside, and quickly reprograms Tardis #2. They take off and land in the Roman zone.

The War Lord arrives from the "home planet," which I suspect is Gallifrey.

The Doctor, Jamie, and Carsters (the soldier who remained with them) run away from the Romans, into the 1917 zone, where they are captured as Zoe watches from afar.

The General orders the Doctor to be shot (again), and he escapes with Zoe's help (again). The General freaks out and calls for help. The war chief calls him a whiny little bitch, then he gets shot dead by one of his former soldiers.

The resistance has control of the base. The war chief sends reinforcements to take them out, but it doesn't quite work - the Doctor has set up his own Mist all around the building. They have captured one of the outside soldiers. The Doctor uses the processing machine on him, proving it can work. Before they can do any more, Tardis #2 materializes. The Doctor is captured, taking inside, and Tardis #2 disappears again.

* * *

The War Lord is sort of bipolar. Well, in the same way most teenagers are. He goes from sugary sweet to wanting to rip someone's head off, back to sweet in the stretch of one breath.

If he and the war chief are Time Lords, then there are some pretty huge problems back home. Though, if they've simply stolen a Tardis (or the technology to make one) that's something else. There's only three episodes to go, and since I know for a fact that the Time Lords come into play in a pretty spectacular way in the last episode, I know it'll all get sorted out sooner or later.

It's weird. I remember back in 93, watching this whole story in one long stretch on PBS. But the only thing I truly remember is the end, the last half of the last episode. I don't know why the rest of this is all seemingly new to me, since I have seen it. Well, I am enjoying it, it just feels like I should remember it from before.

 

[OmahaStar]

War Games, episode 8

The security chief tries to interrogate the Doctor. It SO doesn't work. The war peeps keep sending Tardis 2 into the resistance HQ, but the machine gun prevents anyone from exiting the ship.

War chief frees the Doctor and they talk, privately. They confirm what we already knew - they're both renegade Time Lords, and WC tells the Doctor his plan. Basically, he's making a new army of Human soldiers to fight aliens.

Zoe and the others take out communications for each Zone, one at a time, throwing the whole game into massive confusion.

The Doctor, supposedly working with the war chief, contacts the resistance leaders and convinces them to come to him in Tardis 2. They are quickly surrounded and the Doctor loudly claims they are prisoners.

* * *

Yeah, right. Like the Doctor would really be working with the bad guys. He's up to something.

And Jamie gets a middle name here - Robert. Well, maybe he had it before, but not in any story that's been released so far.

Even 8 episodes in, everyone still seems to be having fun ... including me.

96 episodes down, a whole lot to go.




War Games, episode 9

Things are coming together. Tardis 2 only has a limited lifespan. The war chief hasn't solved a critical problem with that particular model, and his goal involves getting his hands on the Doctor's Tardis.

The Doctor kisses up to the War Lord. It's becoming apparent that while the war chief is a Time Lord, all of the others are from some other alien race.

The Doctor reveals himself to the resistance leaders, proving that he's been working with them all along. Together, they begin taking over the base on this alien world. Tardis #2 is dying. There isn't enough life left in it to get everyone back to their real times. The Doctor must call in the Time Lords, which freaks the war chief out.

The Doctor, Jamie, Zoe, and Carsters leave to return to Earth. The Time Lords are on their way. As the others watch, Carsters disappears. In slow-motion, the others race towards the Tardis, trying to escape. But, they aren't able to get inside. The key is in the lock, but the Doctor doesn't have the ability to turn it, as we fade out.

* * *

I've seen a number of stories set on, or in some way involving, Gallifrey. While they are depicted as old, decrepit, blind, and any number of other bad characteristics, they are not something the Doctor fears. Here, though, they are. He stole his Tardis from them, and has been on the run ever since. And they want him back.

As I recall, the next episode has a different feel to it, and takes place almost entirely on Gallifrey, the Doctor's home planet. I'm looking forward to it.

It seems like I've just gotten started with the Second Doctor, and after tomorrow, his era is over; we're moving on to the Third Doctor's era.

I know, I know. All good things.

 

[OmahaStar]

War Games, episode 10

There is a force field around the Tardis. With great effort, they make it through and inside.

The Doctor takes off, trying to escape the Time Lords, but to no avail - they arrive on Gallifrey.

For the first time, we see a trial of the Time Lords. The War Lord is found guilty. Then, it's the Doctor's turn. He's also guilty, but of something else. The verdict is this - the Doctor will be stranded on Earth of the 20th century. His knowledge of how to operate the Tardis will be removed from his mind. Oh, and Jamie and Zoe will be returned to their own time.

The Doctor - "They'll forget me, won't they?"

The lead Time Lord replies that no, they will remember their first adventure with him, but nothing more.

And then the Time Lords force a regeneration on the Doctor. They claim they'll allow him to pick his form (something that comes into play later with Romana) but in the end, he has no control over it.

* * *

And so ends Patrick's reign as the current Doctor. While he does return for every reunion show, it's still sad to see him go. And exciting, because we are about to enter the era of color.

This episode felt like a bridge between this era and the next. It's almost not even a part of the earlier 9 episodes, instead concentrating for the most part on Gallifrey and the mythology they're building up about the Doctor's people.

We learn more about that race in this one episode than had been discovered in the previous six years, so it's a pretty monumental event.

I had read other reviews of this story. The overwhelming majority watched it either in two parts (as in, five episodes in a row one day, five the next day) or the whole thing in one marathon. I'm not sure if that would have worked for me. Doing it (mostly) one episode per day allowed me to enjoy the cliffhangers more, and also stretch out my time with this Doctor.

With a story that's 10 episodes long, though (and this story IS the longest single story that still exists in the show's history) there is the possibility it could lose some of its oomph. I dunno. All I know is, I loved the whole thing, and I wish they'd gone a different route with the departures of Jamie and Zoe. Putting them back where they were is one thing, but wiping their memories? That's just mean.

And now, Season 6B. There is a theory called the "Season 6B theory" to explain away the Second Doctor's appearances in later stories. The main issue is from The Two Doctors. In it, Jamie is visibly a much older man, still traveling with his friend. The theory goes that before they put Zoe and Jamie back where they were, the Doctor worked for the Time Lords as a sort of James Bond-type, going around and doing their bidding. After he was done, THEN he regenerated and the companions went back.

It could easily work for the Doctor, yes, but I don't think so for the companions. The reason I say this is that there is no regeneration on-screen from Two to Three. The first time we see the next Doctor, he's already in his new form, falling out of the Tardis. It's possible there could have been centuries between the end of this story and the beginning of the next one. It's also just as possible that it happened overnight.

That's the thing about time travel, there are always new timelines being created, and the past can be changed as easily as the future.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I'm glad you enjoyed The War Games. I watched the whole serial in one day (with small breaks for loading because I was watching it on YouTube) the first time I watched it and I never got tired of it. I find it thrilling from beginning to end. Episode Ten is merely the cherry on top for me.

As for Season 6B, this is my response: LALALALALALALA....I can't hear you!!!

 

[OmahaStar]

Spearhead From Space, episode 1, originally aired 1/30/1970
Written by Robert Holmes
Directed by Derek Martinus

Earth - Inside a radio tower, a man tracks something headed towards the planet. The items - meteorites - crash land on the planet, in the woods, where a nosy man finds them.

The Doctor, now with stark white hair, falls out of his Tardis, into an open field.

The Brig shows up, and we're introduced to Liz Shaw. She is in a really bitchy mood. He talks to her about the meteorites which have landed, then briefly fills her in on the Doctor.

UNIT soldiers find the Doctor and his Tardis. He is taken to a local hospital; a guard is stationed next to the Tardis, on the Brig's orders.

The nosy man grabs one of the objects, then hurries away as soon as he hears the UNIT men approaching.

In the hospital, the Brig goes in to meet the Doctor, but doesn't recognize him. The Doctor opens his eyes. The Third Doctor's first wards are "Lethbridge-Stewart!"

The Doctor pretends to fall back to sleep. The Brig still hasn't figured it out. Confused, he leaves.

The Doctor is kidnapped by men .. well, it appears they are. But really, they are Autons He makes a daring escape, going 20 billion miles an hour in a wheel chair.

He almost makes it back to his Tardis, but an idiot soldier fires at him and he passes out.

* * *

A new Doctor, a new opening, a new style, and now in color. This version of the character seems to be an action-hero type, though he doesn't speak much. He's still going through the regeneration, and his personality is very much in flux.

This Doctor's first companion, Liz Shaw, is introduced here. She has a rather gigantic chip on her shoulder and doesn't mind lashing out at, well, everybody.

Unlike Two or Six, I don't have a pre-established fondness for this Doctor. He is the one I have seen the least of prior to this project. So far, I like him.

Oh, the poor Tardis. It isn't very sturdy. As the Doctor is falling out of it in the beginning, it's all wibbly wobbily, and it's almost like watching an old Dark Shadows episode.
​

 

[OmahaStar]

Spearhead From Space, episode 2

The UNIT idiots bring the Doctor back to the hospital, where he lies in a self-induced coma.

The Brig and Liz have a little chat. She's still bitchy. He, though, is turning into a total Doctor Who fanboy. I love it!

Nosy man brings the object home and puts it in the shed, hiding it from his equally-nosy wife.

The Doctor awakens and explores the hospital. He finds a door with a sign on it reading "DOCTORS ONLY" ... His expression is priceless. In he goes. He finds an outfight which he likes (that velvet getup), then goes outside and "borrows" a car that resembles Bessie.

UNIT soldiers dig up one of the meteorites. One of them tries to drive it to HQ, but an Auton makes him crash, then it grabs the object, leaving the soldier to die.

The Doctor drives directly to the HQ, where the Brig introduces him to Liz.

Random Man #72 breaks into the factory where the Autons are being stored. Naturally, they attack.

* * *

Liz calms down considerably when she meets the Doctor. Maybe it's because they are both scientists, but she's kinder to him than the Brig.

Speaking of the Brig, he gets the Tardis key and tries to use it. This is something that's been ... inconsistent ... at best, through the years. Susan talked about how it's got to be unlocked a certain way, or the lock will freeze forever. That went away rather quickly. Then anybody with a key could open it, then it was only Time Lords who could do it, then Humans couldn't but anyone else could. In modern Who, everyone and their mother has a key, and all the keys work.

I love the Brig. It is refreshing to see a military dude portrayed as open-minded and intelligent at the same time. He realizes there is more life than just humans out there, based on his previous adventures with the Doctor, and he learns from his past. It's uncommon on screen. In this one case, military intelligence is not an oxymoron.

The clips of the factory were fascinating. I never wondered how they were made before, but now I know and it's kind of interesting.

 

[denmaroca]

The Brig and Liz have a little chat. She's still bitchy. ... Liz calms down considerably when she meets the Doctor. Maybe it's because they are both scientists, but she's kinder to him than the Brig.

I've often suspected that they were planning on a 'hate turns to love' relationship between the Brig and Liz - you can see hints of it in later stories - which was cut short when Barry Letts decided to dump the character.

As for the Tardis key, all the Doctors have different personalities so different views on who should or should not have a key, so adjust the locking mechanism to fit.

Or something.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

As for the Tardis key, all the Doctors have different personalities so different views on who should or should not have a key, so adjust the locking mechanism to fit.

Or something.

I like that hand waving. Works for me.

 

[OmahaStar]

Spearhead From Space, episode 3

Random dude escapes. He finds UNIT (they're everywhere, for your convenience).

The Doctor cons Liz into getting the Tardis key from the Brig. He tries to take off, but it won't dematerialize.

Nosy guy goes to UNIT to sell the object. While he's gone, nosy wife goes rummaging. through the shed and finds it. An Auton comes after her. She shoots him, doing exactly zero damage. It keeps coming and dispatches her easily.

It finds the object just as the Brig and his team arrive. They track it to the factory, but quickly wimp out, returning to HQ.

* * *

Not as exciting as the previous two episodes. It feels like we're in a holding pattern. For a little bit, the Doctor acts like his playful previous incarnation, with the conjob and trying to escape, but other than that, I mean, there's maybe three minutes of stuff that matters here and the rest is just filling time, waiting for the story's end.

Lots of Science! going on here, which I appreciate. It gives the Doctor and Liz something clever to do together, while maintaining a chaste relationship. (it is a kids' show after all)

 

[OmahaStar]

Spearhead From Space, episode 4

The Doctor tells the Brig he believes the objects contain brains - or, part of a brain. They may be using the factory to create bodies, which the brain/s will then control.

On streets all over the UK, mannequins - taken over as Autons - come to life and start firing at everyone they see.

The Doctor, with UNIT, breaks into the factory where he fights a tentacle monster, then go after the bad guys. He and Liz kick their butts.

Back at HQ, the Doctor fills in the Brig, then they arrange terms for the Doctor's "employment" with UNIT. Among the payments are clothing and a car - Bessie! I think it's in the next story that he gets the car.

* * *

There have been other examples, but here's the most recent. Two very strong episodes followed by two deadly dull episodes. It was pretty painful making it through these last two. But, I made it through Mind Robber, so I can make it through this.

Here's hoping the next story is better.