Classic Who day by day

[Bones2]

Well, Journery's End did have a plot. Daleks invade and plan to destroy reality. I suppose the resolution of Catherine Tate mashing away at a console in the basement and making them blow up is sillier. Though considering this was the man who previously wiped out Daleks in 5 seconds with a time-orgasm and a vacuum cleaner, it was no great surprise.

 

[OmahaStar]

Planet of Evil, episode 1
Written by Louis Marks, directed by David Maloney

Zeta Minor is not a healthy place. This far off world is home to ... something, something evil. When a group of miners arrives to research the place, they start dying off one by one. It's like the planet itself is alive and trying to kill them. One of them sets off the distress signal before being killed.

Onboard the Tardis, the Doctor and Sarah Jane are arguing over the Doctor's inability to pilot the ship properly. Their banter is quickly halted when they get the distress signal and immediately head for the planet.

They explore, quickly finding a nearby building which housed the distress signal. While the Doctor starts finding bodies, Sarah Jane goes back to the Tardis to get a piece of equipment. With her inside, the Tardis is pulled aboard an orbiting ship. There, she is interrogated. But not for long. See, the Doctor has been captured by a landing party from that same ship, and he too is being interrogated. They are reunited and ordered to be executed at dawn. Naturally, they think the Doctor did it in the library with a candelabra.

The two easily escape the room they're being held in and off they go. But they are being chased by ... something.

* * *

I've generally liked Sarah Jane in the classic series. She was a much better companion than Jo, a different kind of female. And it seems like she is always growing as a person. She's more mature, and is growing in confidence at the same time.

She is not the scream queen she was earlier. Similar to the way Gabrielle went from a whiney little twirp into a sword-wielding warrior, Sarah is now a strong-willed independent force to be reckoned with, and it is wonderful to see her like this. When that "something" comes at them towards the end, it's the Doctor who is frightened, and Sarah who has this "oh, bring it ON" expression.

The set designers did an amazing job here with the forest. It is beautiful, exotic, and dangerous all at the same time, and it looks ... well, it looks like it cost a fortune to do.

This is one of (many) stories I hadn't seen before, and I am enjoying the heck out of it. The writer did a great job, and the director kept up a sinister tone throughout. The music was a tiny bit cheesy, but overall, it's easily my favorite episode with this Doctor to date.
​

 

[Captain Pike]

Many of the stories in this era are homages to gothic horror films, particularly the Hammer Horror series and Hollywood B movies.

In this sense this one is quite firmly Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde (perhaps taken from the original source material 1886's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde or possibly 1960's Hammer Horror's interpretation of it, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll ?) with just a dash of Forbidden Planet (the invisible anti-matter 'id' monster).

And yes, the forest set is just brilliant, isn't it?

 

[Starkers]

Gruber and his little tank! You know, from Allo, Allo..

Not familiar with it ... Must be like Eastenders or Last Detective, stuff that's over in the UK but I haven't seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiQg_H_RI_c

 

[Mr. Sin]

It's worth noting that Michael Wisher (Davros) also appears in this story. Although he never returned to the Davros role.

 

[OmahaStar]

This is another one that is hard to do any kind of review on, because I keep getting sucked into the story. It's GOOD. Are the other two episodes this good? If so, this might just make it to the second-favorite story slot, after Tomb of the Cybermen. (not counting any Colin Baker story, because those are obviously the best ever, true fact)

So here goes ...

At the last minute, Random Dude comes out and distracts the creature by getting killed. From what I can tell, this creature thingy is like an alternate universe Salt Vampire. Except, it only has one form, it can't change its appearance.

Anywho, The Doctor and Sarah hide and stumble upon what looks like a pool of whatever, only there is no reflection. The Doc thinks it might be a doorway into another universe. And that's when the landing party show up and take them back as their prisoners. The Doctor keeps trying to tell them about the creature, but they all just wave him off, until it shows up ... They put shields up around the building, but it keeps coming.

He makes a deal with them, Sarah can stay behind safely, and he'll go out and try to do something. Well, he goes back to the pool and the creature comes up and says "boo" so he falls in.

* * *

I think this is the first reference to the Doctor meeting Shakespeare (which we later see). He says the guy is a "dreadful actor." I dunno, I thought he was ok. :P

The tone of this episode is dark and twisted and sinister. Somebody said this era has a lot in common with the Hammer horror films, and while I didn't make that connection before, I can totally see it here.

Brilliant acting from our two regulars, and the guests are equally up to snuff. I have to say again, I am loving this story. Bring on part 3!

 

[Bones2]

If so, this might just make it to the second-favorite story slot, after Tomb of the Cybermen. (not counting any Colin Baker story, because those are obviously the best ever, true fact)

Tomb of the Cybermen and the Colin Bakers. I'd probably agree with that.

I'm interested to see how your review turns out. I've got no recollection of it (indeed, having such an unmemorable name as Planet of Evil is to its detriment), but if it's as good as all that, I'll give it a watch sometime.

 

[OmahaStar]

If so, this might just make it to the second-favorite story slot, after Tomb of the Cybermen. (not counting any Colin Baker story, because those are obviously the best ever, true fact)

Tomb of the Cybermen and the Colin Bakers. I'd probably agree with that.

I'm interested to see how your review turns out. I've got no recollection of it (indeed, having such an unmemorable name as Planet of Evil is to its detriment), but if it's as good as all that, I'll give it a watch sometime.

The title is ... ok, the title is stupid. But it fits in pretty well with "The Seeds of Doom" and "The Lunchbox of Terror" ... Though the cover of the dvd doesn't help. Honestly, look at it, it looks like it's going to have "Ed Wood" written all over it. But it so doesn't. And even if the fourth episode is a stinker, the first three have been brilliant. We'll find out about #4 tomorrow.

Planet of Evil 3

Sarah goes outside to the hole and spots the Doctor coming back up. She helps him out of the pool/not-pool. They make their way to the shuttle with the landing party where the Doctor recovers from his journey.

Various members of the small landing party begin to change into something ... else. Their eyes start glowing red and such. Not everyone, and not all at once.

Paranoia begins to set in as more bodies turn up - in places the Doctor and Sarah could never have been.

The party's leader is killed while Sarah watches. Of course, the others assume she did it ... so one fires on the Doctor. Then he rushes away to hide his now-glowing red eyes.

As the episode ends, the Doctor and Sarah are slowly being pushed into space!

* * *

I wondered if I'd be in for a let-down with this episode. I wasn't. The tension remains high, the acting great, and while I know the Doctor and Sarah have to survive (since she gets her own spin-off and all), they are in genuine mortal danger. And this isn't "step over this crack and pretend it's the biggest chasm you've ever seen." The biggest question I have is how the heck they did those glowing red eyes.

There's no such thing as CGI when this was made. If it was StarGate, that's one thing, but it's not. This is a micro-budget show, and they've already spent a fortune on the forest. So far, I can't tell how they did it. Maybe one of the special features will tell me. I'm always afraid to go in there until I've finished the whole story, though, since they talk about the story as a whole, assuming the viewer has already seen it.

Again, I am thrilled with this episode, and am absolutely looking forward to the next installment.

 

[OmahaStar]

Planet of Evil 4

One of the crew saves the pair, then takes command of his party.

The Doctor leaves to find help. Sarah stays behind to tell the party what to do - lock the doors, who is infected, etc.

The infected become antimatter creatures like we saw at the end of the first episode - and they are multiplying.

With the help of the Tardis, which had been brought aboard the shuttle in the first episode, the Doctor is able to reverse the infection on one of the men. He then reunites the man with the surviving party.

He then convinces them that it would be a jolly good idea to get their butts out of the area and try again on some other planet.

* * *

Nope, it never let up. Not counting every single story with Colin Baker, this is officially now my second favorite story behind Tomb of the Cybermen. It is like Alien, with its creepy atmosphere, and the unknown alien/infection taking over a small group of humans trapped in space, far from home.

But the title ... it's generic, it's silly, and it serves no point. The planet itself is not evil, and it's never referred to as such in the story. It could just as easily be called "Antimatter Place" or "The pool isn't a pool" and it'd be just as descriptive.

But when the only thing I can mock is the title, well, the writer has done his job. The dialog is witty and engaging. The Doctor and his companion Sarah work like a well-oiled machine. There is a mutual respect for each other. Man, these two have come far, and I'm going to miss the character when she's gone ... but that's what happens, the companions come and go, briefly touching the life of the Doctor and the viewers.

At this time, this story is the only one of this writer's stories available on dvd in the US. He also did Planet of the Giants (1), Day of the Daleks (3), and Masque of Mandragora (also 4th Doctor). Masque is due out in May. I went onto wikipedia to look this writer up, and it seems he is one of only three writers who worked with William Hartnell, who are still alive today.

 

[Captain Pike]

Also excellently directed by David Maloney. As usual - he always did fine work.

Not counting every single story with Colin Baker, this is officially now my second favorite story behind Tomb of the Cybermen.

I like Colin as much as the next bloke (especially in the audios), but you're saying you like every single Colin Baker story more than this or Tomb.. Really? Even The Twin Dilema, or Attack of the Cybermen or Timelash (actually I quite like Paul Darrow's overacting par excellence) or the whole of Trial of a Timelord ??

 

[OmahaStar]

Also excellently directed by David Maloney. As usual - he always did fine work.

Not counting every single story with Colin Baker, this is officially now my second favorite story behind Tomb of the Cybermen.

I like Colin as much as the next bloke (especially in the audios), but you're saying you like every single Colin Baker story more than this or Tomb.. Really? Even The Twin Dilema, or Attack of the Cybermen or Timelash (actually I quite like Paul Darrow's overacting par excellence) or the whole of Trial of a Timelord ??

I thought everyone knew that? Colin Baker is my favorite Doctor, and can do no wrong. He gets a bad rap, but none of the other Doctors could pull off lines like "Boatyard, Graveyard, Valyard" the way he can. I know, I'm biased.

 

[Captain Pike]

I agree he is a pretty good doctor - though I didn't always think so. During it's original run here in Australia, I stopped watching Doctor Who about half way through The Twin Dilemma. I'd grown up as a huge fan of Tom Baker, but when JNT took over I started to despair a bit. I gave Davison a good chance, and although he wasn't bad, I could see that the rot had set in. The quality of the production just didn't seem to approach the level it had been just a few years earlier.

Then when this arrogant bloke with blonde curly hair and a technicolour dreamcoat took over it was just the last straw. Looking back now, I can see I was too hasty.

But between what I considered to be lackluster writing and production values and that damn costume, everything was against Colin right from the start. There really is alot to have to suffer before you can begin to appreciate those stories, imo.

 

[DWF]

I wondered if I'd be in for a let-down with this episode. I wasn't. The tension remains high, the acting great, and while I know the Doctor and Sarah have to survive (since she gets her own spin-off and all), they are in genuine mortal danger. And this isn't "step over this crack and pretend it's the biggest chasm you've ever seen." The biggest question I have is how the heck they did those glowing red eyes.

There's no such thing as CGI when this was made. If it was StarGate, that's one thing, but it's not. This is a micro-budget show, and they've already spent a fortune on the forest. So far, I can't tell how they did it. Maybe one of the special features will tell me. I'm always afraid to go in there until I've finished the whole story, though, since they talk about the story as a whole, assuming the viewer has already seen it.

Again, I am thrilled with this episode, and am absolutely looking forward to the next installment.

The text commentary does explain it but it was a pretty simple effect, the actor's eyes wre closed and there as a reflective makeup put on him once you shine a light on the eyes they glow.

 

[Bones2]

Also excellently directed by David Maloney. As usual - he always did fine work.

Not counting every single story with Colin Baker, this is officially now my second favorite story behind Tomb of the Cybermen.

I like Colin as much as the next bloke (especially in the audios), but you're saying you like every single Colin Baker story more than this or Tomb.. Really? Even The Twin Dilema, or Attack of the Cybermen or Timelash (actually I quite like Paul Darrow's overacting par excellence) or the whole of Trial of a Timelord ??

I've never understood how anyone can talk about The Twin Dilemma as the worst Doctor Who story ever. I'd prefer it to a dozen new Whos. As for Attack of the Cybermen and Timelash, it's been a while since I saw them, but The Trial of a Timelord can be seen as a flawed masterpiece further redeemed by the fact Colin Baker is the finest of the Doctors. And his frock coat is marvelous. I want one so much

As for Planet of Evil, I must watch it sometime. It's just got that kind of title you mentally gloss over when you see it.

 

[OmahaStar]

fact: Colin Baker is the finest of the Doctors.

I will be quoting this again, and again, and again.

As for Planet of Evil, I must watch it sometime. It's just got that kind of title you mentally gloss over when you see it.

Oh, believe me, I know the feeling. And I've seen it! lol

 

[Captain Pike]

I've never understood how anyone can talk about The Twin Dilemma as the worst Doctor Who story ever.

It's not. That honour belongs to Love & Monsters.

 

[Starkers]

Fear Her!

 

[Captain Pike]

TheBigBlueBox: Worst Moment in Doctor Who History

 

[Bones2]

^
Oh God. I haven't seen that much of Love & Monsters since it first aired. An embarrassment. I mean, the amount of talented writers who could do episodes that could make the most of the Doctor Who concept, but instead the showrunner takes up nearly half the episodes and resorts to that abomination.

He was too harsh on The Trial of a Time Lord though. It's flawed but ambitious, and I'd rather watch that than a fair number of new Who stories.

 

[OmahaStar]

Pyramids of Mars, episode 1
Written by Lewis Greifer, re-written by Robert Holmes, and credited as "Stephen Harris"
Directed by Paddy Russell

Egypt - A dig at the Pyramids reveals the Eye of Horus. A creepy guy (a clone of Peter Cushing in Star Wars) goes inside one and gets frightened.

The Doctor is in a maudlin sort of mood. Sarah tries to lighten his mood by playing dress-up in one of Victoria's old gowns, but then the Tardis goes all wonky. They land in a stately old castle and begin exploring. Inside the castle is a collection of items from the Egyptian dig.

Among the items is a sarcophagus, which contains a mummy. It awakens and immediately goes after the Doctor, who escapes unharmed.

In the castle, a servant of the ancient god Sutekh steps through the doorway (the sarcophagus is a portal that allows travel between it and the other end on Mars) and immediately begins killing.

* * *

Episode 2

The mummies go randomly killing people. The Doctor is pulled inside the doorway to Sutekh. He is able to pull himself out, but passes out as soon as he does.

He wakes up and they go exploring. Along the way, we find out the mummies are actually robots.

As the episode ends, two mummies have Sarah Jane trapped and they are moving in for the kill.

* * *

Episode 3

Using technology, the Doctor stops the robot-mummies and Sarah is freed. They go off to destroy barriers to the area (it doesn't make any more sense in the episode either). This allows them to get to an explosives depot. They plan to blow up a missile the robot-mummies are building.

Sutekh intends to use this missile to blow up his prison on Mars, allowing him to escape.

The Doctor dresses up like a mummy and goes to blow up the missile as Sarah watches. It doesn't work, so he goes back to the doorway and walks through, finding himself facing Sutekh.

* * *

Episode 4

Sutekh forces the Doctor to bring the Tardis and his secrets to Mars.

A series of puzzles and chases ends up with Sutekh being freed and the Doctor and Sarah on Earth.

The Doctor uses the Tardis to kill the god Sutekh, saving Earth.

* * *

I've been under the weather for the last several days. That may be the reason I am having so much difficulty with this story. I've seen it before, and I remember liking it a lot. But this time through, man, it was painful.

The Doctor is a grump for all four episodes. He constantly snaps at everyone around him, and is, in general, an ass.

Sarah tries her best, but no matter what she does, nothing changes.

I swear I remember something about this from the last time I saw it ... that wherever they were, that was where UNIT headquarters was going to be in the future. But I kept listening for it, and didn't hear it this time. Am I remembering some other story? I don't know.

Peter Cushing's brother (lawrence? whatever his name was) ... needed to be slapped upside the head. How many times do you need to hear "Your brother is dead" before it sinks in? He's seen the robots. He's seen the otherworldy stuff. He's perfectly understanding about everything, except that? Um ... right.

Two positive things ... 1) the sets look marvelous, and 2) I loved the "Marx Brothers" bit in episode 4 ... Sarah and the Doctor walk into the shot, see something they want to avoid, and quickly walk right back out. Other than that, it feels ... "blah"