Classic Who day by day

[OmahaStar]

The Silurians, episode 5

The UNIT team is trapped in the caves. From his cage, The Doctor keeps trying to reason with the Silurians, though his fellow prisoner tells him to keep quiet.

Two of the Silurians discuss the situation. They remember the humans as apes, and don't believe they are any better now than millions of years ago.

The Doctor bargains with the Silurian leader, saying they could all live together in peace. The Silurians prefer to live in extreme heat, the sort of places humans consider unlivable.

He agrees, and lets the UNIT team go free.

Major Baker - the Doctor's fellow captive - is also set free. Only, other Silurians have injected him with something that could kill millions of humans. It is apparently spread by touch. The Doctor returns just in time to warn the others.

Baker is taken to the hospital. The Doctor freaks out - it's the worst thing they could have done. Along the way, he infects others, who infect others, and on and on, as the Doctor and the Brig see for themselves when they rush to find him.

* * *

It's refreshing to encounter an alien race which isn't completely full of interchangeable drones. What I mean is the Silurians are individuals, and they act like it. They don't all share the same opinions or motivations. They don't act as one, and it's about time.

I'm starting to like the Silurians as a people. They were here first, and when they knew our predecessors, well, they WERE apes. For them, no time has passed, and the reason they went into hibernation in the first place turned out to be in error.

The apes have taken over their planet and forgot they ever existed. How terrible that would be - go to sleep, wake up, and find the entire planet rearranged.

And though I am liking the Sils, I am starting to hate that comm device sound, which they also use to control people from that third eye of theirs. It's getting on my last nerve, and every episode seems to have more and more of that sound effect.

 

[OmahaStar]

I know, episode 7 is early, but we got out of work early, so I figured I'd do it now instead of waiting for Saturday. The next story - Inferno, I think? - starts Monday.

The Silurians, episode 6

Liz and the Doctor develop a vaccine against the virus. They vaccinate all the UNIT people, but are not able to find Masters.

He has taken a train away, and is in physical contact with hundreds of people along his way.

The Leader is killed. The Silurian who infected Baker takes his place. They go on the attack.

People start dropping like flies all over London, and it's quickly spreading outward.

The Doctor says "I'm beginning to lose confidence for the first time in my life. And that covers several thousand years." Interesting, that.

Liz, even with the vaccine, begins to feel the effects of the disease.

Masters is found, dead. Then the Doctor begins coming down with it.

The first victim is reported abroad - in Paris.

The Silurians leave the caves, marching to attack. Their first target? The Doctor.

* * *

Sad to see Geoffrey Palmer's character killed off. He was kind of a jerk, but may have calmed down and been an interesting recurring guy, in the same way the Brig now is.

There are many throwaway lines in Doctor Who. Some catch on and become part of the mythology of the show. Others are glossed over and forgotten. One of the former lines takes place during the Fourth Doctor's era. It is hastily revealed that there is a limit on the number of times a Time Lord can regenerate. They can have 12 regenerations, meaning a total of 13 lives. It was something that was a quickly-mentioned one-off thing, it didn't really mean a heck of a lot at the time. Now, some 30 years later, people are still flipping out over the line. Oh no, we're coming upon the 11th Doctor, we can only have two more, waaah waaaah.

Then, there's the latter kind, one of which was used here. The Doctor specifically tells Liz he has already lived for thousands of years. This was quickly glossed over. Again with the Fourth Doctor, he has a much lower figure, nine hundred and something I think it was.

All this means is that in a show about time travel, when history (or the future-history) is changed in almost every episode, it's pretty amazing that it's as consistent as it is.



* * *

The Silurians, episode 7

The Sils carry the Doctor out of the base. It's quickly discovered by the others. The Brig orders every soldier into the caves and all the civilians are to be evacuated immediately.

The Doctor makes a deal off-screen with the new Leader. They return to the power planet. Liz assists him in betraying the Sils. Together, they rig the nuclear reactor to overload, meaning the place will go boom, and leave a major radiation leak for centuries. The Silurians return to their caves to hibernate for awhile longer.

It's all a bluff on the Doctor's part. He quickly reverses the polarity and there's no boom today.

The Doctor and Liz leave the planet. When they are a safe distance away, the Brig launches an attack on the base, destroying the Silurians. The Doctor is furious.

* * *

Yeah, I know. They're sooooo destroyed, totally. So I'm sure we'll be seeing them again. It's like the Daleks or Yeti or whatever random alien creatures. They're all destroyed, every last one. Except, some have found a way to survive. Or we didn't know about some on another planet, or whatever.

I have heard people mocking Pertwee's pronunciation of "Silurians" before, where he says it like "slur-ee-uhns" but it's weird. I kept listening for it, but everyone says it exactly the same, whether it's a random person with one bit of dialog or the Doc himself, they all say it the same way. Maybe it's in another story, dunno.

I was right, the comm signal sound effect is annoying to the extreme, and I hope I never hear it again. Seriously, when I have to reach for the mute button every time they're on screen, the producers are doing something wrong. Hopefully it's fixed for the Silurians' next appearance.

 

[OmahaStar]

Inferno, episode 1
Written by Don Houghton
Directed by Douglas Camfield

The Doctor takes a leisurely drive while singing opera.

In a factory, men argue. One of them puts his hand against a machine and it turns green.

The Brig has a temporary HQ set up near the factory - which is housing a giant drill. The drill is going to be the first to penetrate the Earth's crust. They have already gone 20 miles, now they're going deeper.

The Doctor is working with them as a scientific adviser. He has his own experiments running alongside the main project. Liz doesn't approve. It's clear the Doctor's experiments are an attempt to get the Tardis running again.

Elsewhere, a zombie with green skin starts killing workers and messing with controls.

In the lab, the Tardis console is out on the floor. Things start to overload, and everything goes wonky. The control and the Doctor dematerialize as Liz watches in horror. Moments later, he returns.

Together, they go back to the drill room and meet up with the Brig. There's been another murder. And in another room - the zombie is back!

* * *

OK, that's different. The Doctor went somewhere for a little while and the cover on the DVD shows the Brig with an eye-patch. I'm guessing parallel universe.

It seems obvious some time has passed between Spearhead and this, based on the relationship between the Brig and the Doc. There is no longer a leash, for example. They work together as friends, not as adversaries, and that's a good thing.

Not sure yet about the zombies. It could be funny or deeply stupid. And they may be something else, but for now, I'm calling them zombies.
​

 

[OmahaStar]

Inferno, episode 2

The Doctor rushes in and meets the zombie. The zombie falls against a wall and passes out, then falls to the ground. Where it had been against the wall, the wall is scorched. The Doctor orders everyone to avoid touching the zombie.

Outside, the Doctor meets a UNIT soldier who had been turned into a zombie. And there are other zombies watching.

The Doctor and the professor have an all-out fight, which the Brig stops. The Doctor leaves in a huff, going back to his lab. He sends Liz off on a wild goose chase. She figures it out and returns with the Brig just as the Doctor dematerializes with the Tardis console and Bessie.

* * *

If Liz has her own sonic screwdriver, which she uses to open the door at the end of the episode, why did she need the Doctor to open it at the start of the non-errand? They didn't see each other in the meantime, so it's a little plothole.

Favorite line of this episode - "You, sir, are a nitwit." The Doctor says this to the professor at the drill. His delivery is hilarious, and it had me cracking up.

 

[DWF]

Liz doesn't have her own sonic screwdriver she used the Doctor's.

 

[OmahaStar]

Liz doesn't have her own sonic screwdriver she used the Doctor's.

See, that's the thing ... She couldn't. When he sends her on her little chase, she stops at the door, waiting for it to open. The Doctor, on the other side of the room, pulls the screwdriver out of his pocket, uses it to open the door, and she exits. She never comes close to him after that, and when she comes back to the locked door, she has a sonic screwdriver in her hand, which she's holding up.

So, that's a problem. If she does have her own, why didn't she use it to open the door? And if she doesn't, then where did it come from?

 

[OmahaStar]

Inferno 3

The Doctor materializes in a room that looks just like his lab, only .. different. He tries to open the doors (which are blue with the little window pains on the top, making it look like the front of the Tardis, I just noticed that), but no go. He ends up forcing the doors open.

As soon as he gets outside, soldiers shoot at him, so he jumps in Bessie and drives off, running over a few men in the process. It's a good thing they are such horrible shots, as they miss every single time.

He encounters another zombie, but Benton shoots it, thinking it's the strange white-haired man.

Still hiding, the Doctor sees - and calls out to - Liz, who has a radically different appearance. He is taken to the alt-Brig, who has a large scar and an eye patch.

The Doctor keeps trying to warn them that they are in danger, but this alt-Brig refuses to listen to anything anybody has to say.

When the Brig is called away, the Doctor escapes, running straight for the drill room. He tries to repair the computer - which may cause the whole complex to go boom if not fixed - when Benton cocks his gun and orders him outside.

* * *

There have been other parallel universes in this series. One I remember with loathing is the story where they introduce Turlough. That one was just awful. In the modern series, there's another one with an alt-Earth they've labeled Pete's World. If there are two, who is to say there aren't many more parallel universes out there? And if that's the case, with all the other alternate beings (alt-Brig, alt-Pete, alt-whoever), why do we only ever see the one Doctor?

I think it might be interesting to have one of these parallel universe stories where the Doctor meets his own duplicate - but a different version. Say, Ten meeting an alternate Fourth Doctor, one who is grumpy and crotchety like the First Doctor? And when I say alternate, I mean completely different actor. Because who knows what adventures might have happened to the character in another universe?

Just something I was thinking of while watching the brunette Liz.

 

[Captain Pike]

Turlough was introduced in Mawdryn Undead, but there is no parralell universe plot in it.

Perhaps the confusion arises because the characters in that story are separated by time? Thus there are 2 versions of the Brigadier, a younger and an older one who converge on the alien ship in the same timezone.

I'm actually at a loss to recall any other classic series story which dealt with alternate universes other than Inferno.. I think it was the only one?

 

[jbny67]

Inferno 3
There have been other parallel universes in this series. One I remember with loathing is the story where they introduce Turlough. That one was just awful. In the modern series,

Turlough was introduced in Mawdryn Undead
That wasn't an alt. universe story, but it did have 2 brigadiers from different time periods.

 

[OmahaStar]

That could be. I just remember hating that story. It wasn't even "cheesy bad" like some of the Tom Baker stories. It was "can we get this sucker done with now?" bad.

 

[Captain Pike]

Most of the JNT era leaves me somewhat cold, but I don't mind Mawdryn.. so much. It's certainly better than the story that followed, Terminus IMO. And anything with the Brig in it ain't so bad..

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Sounds like your memory is pretty rusty on the count of Mawdryn Undead, Omaha. I say give it another go. It's one of my favorite Fifth Doctor serials.

 

[OmahaStar]

Inferno 4

Liz stops Benton from shooting The Doctor and allows the stranger to fix the computer.

Liz and the Brig interrogate the Doctor. He is taken to a cell and interrogated again, this time just by Liz, while Benton points a gun at him and mocks him. The Doctor doesn't take kindly to Liz, finally giving up in frustration, saying "Your counterpart had some intelligence. I wish I could say the same for you." She leaves and he goes back to the bunk and lays down.

The Doctor calls the guard back in. The man in the cell next to him is a zombie. It kills the guard then comes after the Doctor. He confuses it, giving him time to escape.

The Doctor sneaks his way back to the control room, where he is immediately captured.

* * *

Capture, escape, capture, escape. Same song, different day. This episode is an example of "fluff" ... Nothing remarkable happens, and it ends in the same place it begins - the Doctor is in the control room getting captured.



Inferno 5

The countdown completes and the drill goes even deeper. This is followed by half an episode of people walking around.

Then there's arguing between the Brig and others. The scenery is chewed thoroughly.

The Doctor tries again to convince the not-Brig and others about the Prime universe. Eventually, he is able to talk them into going to the lab where his console materialized.

To provide them with proof, he uses the console to disappear a few seconds into the future.

At the drillhead, the director and several of his staff have been turned into zombies. They grab Benton and turn him into one.

They sit around and argue some more until a zombie starts breaking through the door.

* * *

Ugh. The last episode was shit. So is this. Argue, argue, argue. This, an episode does not make.

It needs to get a LOT better. The first three episodes were pretty awesome. These last two are just shitty fluff with nothing going on.

 

[OmahaStar]

Inferno 4

Liz stops Benton from shooting The Doctor and allows the stranger to fix the computer.

Liz and the Brig interrogate the Doctor. He is taken to a cell and interrogated again, this time just by Liz, while Benton points a gun at him and mocks him. The Doctor doesn't take kindly to Liz, finally giving up in frustration, saying "Your counterpart had some intelligence. I wish I could say the same for you." She leaves and he goes back to the bunk and lays down.

The Doctor calls the guard back in. The man in the cell next to him is a zombie. It kills the guard then comes after the Doctor. He confuses it, giving him time to escape.

The Doctor sneaks his way back to the control room, where he is immediately captured.

* * *

Capture, escape, capture, escape. Same song, different day. This episode is an example of "fluff" ... Nothing remarkable happens, and it ends in the same place it begins - the Doctor is in the control room getting captured.



Inferno 5

The countdown completes and the drill goes even deeper. This is followed by half an episode of people walking around.

Then there's arguing between the Brig and others. The scenery is chewed thoroughly.

The Doctor tries again to convince the not-Brig and others about the Prime universe. Eventually, he is able to talk them into going to the lab where his console materialized.

To provide them with proof, he uses the console to disappear a few seconds into the future.

At the drillhead, the director and several of his staff have been turned into zombies. They grab Benton and turn him into one.

They sit around and argue some more until a zombie starts breaking through the door.

* * *

Ugh. The last episode was shit. So is this. Argue, argue, argue. This, an episode does not make.

It needs to get a LOT better. The first three episodes were pretty awesome. These last two are just shitty fluff with nothing going on.

 

[OmahaStar]

Inferno, episode 6

The Doctor scares it off with a fire extinguisher.

Then there's about 20 minutes of bitching and bickering back and forth amongst the humans and Time Lord.

Alt-Liz has enough of alt-Brig's BS and shoots him. Seconds later, the drill has gone too far and lava starts appearing everywhere, coming straight for them.

* * *

OK, I get it. They wanted something unusual. Did that mean they'd all sit around bitching at each other for episode after episode?

This shit is getting old. Let's get back to the Prime universe.

 

[DWF]

I love Inferno and it gave us one the better lines of the entire series.

Doctor: But I don't exist in your world!
Brigade Leader: Then you won't feel the bullets when we shoot you.

 

[OmahaStar]

DWF, don't get me wrong ... The first couple episodes were wonderful. It was after that, that the whole thing turned to shit.



Inferno 7

The Doctor returns to the Prime Earth. He's passed out and Liz finds him.

Though he's in a coma, he talks in his "sleep" and tells Liz how to fix the drill. She understands and goes straight to the drill control room.

It doesn't work exactly. The Doctor wakes up and tries to shut the drill down. He's acting like a raving looney and they escort him out.

More running, more bickering, more zombies.

They finally get the drill shut down and the project is officially disbanded.

* * *

Bicker, bitch, argue, rinse and repeat. In sorry, this isn't Doctor Who. This is Dynasty or Melrose Place or something. Three episodes in a row where the only thing that happens is characters bitching at each other and fighting like spoiled children? That's just three episodes too long.

Writer Don Houghton, you're on the naughty list.

 

[OmahaStar]

The Claws of Axos, episode 1 - originally aired 13 Mar 1971
Written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin
Directed by Michael Ferguson

Something big is headed towards Earth. Some people it may be a comet, but we can see it's another alien ship. Inside it are the Axons.

At UNIT HQ, a man named Chinn is being a pain in the patookey. He's a member of Parliament, and is doing his level best to throw his considerable weight around, while the Doctor and the others simply roll their eyes. To prove his worth, Chinn orders missiles to attack the incoming craft. Naturally, they don't do a dang thing.

The ship crash lands. A team from UNIT goes to investigate. They go inside the ship, exploring. They meet a group of Axons who seem to be peaceful and completely harmless. Why, then, is the Master being held prisoner down below? And what is the creature Jo stumbles upon in that same room?

* * *

So far, it's brilliant. And roles are reversed when they meet the alien Axons. It's the Doctor who is suspicious, while its Chinn who wants to be all buddy buddy with the aliens.

The set design work looks fantastic, while the new actors are all great in their respective roles. Sure, you've got the Doc and the Brig and Benton, but the Axons and the giant douchebag Chinn are all *believable* with a wonderful script. There's mystery, and suspense, and a bit of a child's wonder, all mixed in together.

I don't know about the rest of the story yet, but this episode? I love it.
​

 

[Captain Pike]

Yeah I quite like it too, but it gets a poor rap from most fans.

The CIA guys accent is a bit crap, but hey that's par for the course here..

 

[OmahaStar]

Pike - you're right about the accent. Even so, he's far better at it than Peri ever was.


Claws of Axos 2

Jo screams. The Doctor runs to find her. The Axon gives them all a line of BS and everyone is happy about it. Chinn reports to the Minister, who gives him all the powers he could want.

Chinn immediately has all the UNIT folks arrested, including the Big. Jo is useless. Interesting - the Master has been working with the Axons the whole time. For some reason, they have his Tardis. He is allowed to leave the ship to go on an errand for them.

An Axon clone of the Doctor's CIA friend Mike tries to attack him, but the real Mike and the Doctor defeat the clone.

Though under guard, the Doctor manages to test some of the Axonite material. Doing so causes intense pain for the Axons on the ship. The Doctor realizes the ship, the people, they're all Axonite. And his experiments will cause the Axonite to grow, maybe taking over the whole planet.

* * *

Ok, now I'm intrigued. The Master hasn't appeared in any stories before this (that were on dvd, that is), so I'm wondering why the Axons have his Tardis. Jo already knows him, so there's definitely been at least one story prior to this with the character.

I'm curious what these Axons are all about. They have some sort of evil plan, and they need the Master to help them with whatever it is. But the people are made of the same stuff as the ship. So the ship must be alive, like a proto-Vorlon ship maybe?

And that brings us to Jo. I can't stand her. She must somehow be in UNIT, or she wouldn't be there. Where Liz was a professional, a scientist, someone the Doctor could have an actual conversation with, Jo is pretty much the opposite. When the Brig gives her an order (and, as UNIT, she should be following any orders he gives), she completely ignores him. When told to be quiet, she won't shut her fucking mouth. She talks in this "baby voice" like she's trying to be cute, and walks around in the snow in a miniskirt.

Her departure and the introduction of Sarah Jane Smith cannot possibly come soon enough.