Day of the Daleks

Yesterday, I was in luck to attend the Day of the Daleks preview (DVD is due for release on 12th September) and met the glorious Katy Manning and the surprise guest Colin Baker. While most people were suitably tipsy (including myself) throughout the evening, we managed to watch the entire four-episode story and two Q+As with the actors, actresses and the new special effect team.

The new special effect were very impressive. Usually, new effects are very low budget and looks of a cut and paste job as they don't blend in while with the grainy film quality. However for Day of the Daleks, the special effects were created with care, making it look like it was actually done at the time making it cinematic and high-budget. The effects includes transportation nebulas, gun rays and even incorporating the skeleton effect when being hit by the Daleks (an effect that is always used nowadays) which were delightful.

After episode two, an intermission break was made with a quick Q+A with the effects team being interviewed by an (obviously) intoxicated woman which was very amusing. It seems that the story heavily revolves around September. It was filmed on a September, set on a September, video was apparently released on a September and of course, the DVD to be released this month. One of the guys said when created the towers for the Daleks HQ, there was originally two towers. Needlessly to say, this was quickly resolved and instead, has three towers now. After this, Colin Baker was the surprise and special guest, turning up on stage making a slight satire of himself and received a special monument for his participation to the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.

An hour break was made (and several more drinks for everyone), we watched episode 3 and 4 with laughter. The Ogrons made comedic viewing and so much more enjoyable than the first two with even better special effects. As the story finished, it was met by heavy applaud then Katy Manning, Richard Franklin, and Scott Fredericks joined together on the stage. They have aged so much, it's scary but after 40years, they've obviously had a long life. Manning was just as you expect her to be, lively, slightly clumsy, talkative and tries to get everyone involved. Their talk of filming the particular story was full of nostalgia, sentiment and hard truth. It's sad to hear that they all admit that it's hard to watch Doctor Who of that era again as it reminds them of loss, mainly of the late Jon Pertwee.

They were applauded once again and the ever-so-slightly drunk audience made their way back to the bar. I personally came up to Katy Manning and just thanked her for her brilliant part in DW and grabbed me in for a hug which was a surprise but very nice indeed!

Let's Kill Hitler

Knowing Steven Moffat likes to play Doctor Who stories in ways that you can't even talk about it to another person unless they've seen it, I was hoping Let's Kill Hitler will allow me some stuff for me to write about in this blog. Unfortunately no.

I can say that it is much better than A Good Man Goes To War with yet another twist and more confusions. A new character is suddenly in the program from the start, a robot policeman and robotic jellyfish and it is also hilarious. Two sentences, that is all I can say without ruining the episode. But you will not be dissapointed.

As the episode finished, we were treated to an exclusive trailer which most scenes are not shown in the adverts found on the BBC nor the internet in general but I can say someones back! As I shake my head in confusion and trying to peice things together, Karen Gillian, Steven Moffat and Arthur Darvill attends the stage straight from the cinema chairs of the BFI Southbank venue for a bit of Q&A. I even shook a little in excitement but unfortunately, a journalist right in front of me, from The Sun starts waving her hands about to ask some spoiler questions. She managed a question but refused to let go off the microphone to ask more when she was allowed one, very typical for someone from The Sun.

Cheekily, someone asked Moffat about his tendency to lie (considering what we had just seen on the silver screen) constistently, he replies "I lie, it's the best form of communication".  However, my favourite question of the night was "When is the Rory action figure coming out?" which was met by a scatter of applaud. Right now, I am dying to watch Let's Kill Hitler again, no doubt most people will watch it twice once it's aired.

9/10

The Seeds Of Doom

Right at the beginning (with some not very convincing snow effect), it is set in the Arctic. You wouldn't be blamed for thinking you're watching a low-budget remake of "The Thing". Two men who work at a nearby lab station finds a pod and brings it back inside. Quickly the scientists moan and argue what to do with this strange one-of-a-kind object. Soon enough it feels like "The Thing" again as the pod hatches and takes over Keeler (a scientist body). Meanwhile a crazy and rich botanist named Chase hears of this pod and orders two of his best men (one of which you'd recognise as Boycie from Only Fools and Horses) to find another one. The Doctor however is talking to a guy in the government, also hearing of this pod.

All this takes an entire episode and could easily be put into less than ten minutes. However it does pick up pace onto the second. Keeler is infected and controlled by whatever came out of the pod which gives another classic horror association (Day of the Triffids, The Bodysnatchers) which are also associated with plants. But the story takes a turn away from the pod and focuses onto the characters behaviours. Especially once Chase's men arrives at the lab station in the Arctic, the story tells of greed, untrust and insecurity between the good men and the bad. Doctor also arrives in the Arctic to find a second pod (as they travel in pairs apparently) and simply a fight break out. After survival, they simpy return to Chase's mansion. There is much to describe here as the story does stretch on a bit.

Anything else to say is difficult to describe as it would spoil the story. There is a "heavy moral" though, why is it so acceptable for animals to eat plants but not the other way round? What I really wanted Doctor to say "Not on this planet bitch" but hey-ho. There are some impressive graphics that still looks a bit convincing today, Sladen is wonderful as ever, the extras are awful but amusing and seeing Boycie is also a delight. However the story is simply too long, this can easily be re-filmed today into a 45minute slot and would do it justice too.

6/10

Paradise Towers

A recent release on DVD of Paradise Towers has quickly become a personal favourite. However, judging by other fans, it seems somewhat of a Marmite situation.

In a similar cheesy style as Delta and the Bannermen, it is McCoy's second episode. The story starts of by Mel wanting a swim in a swimming pool (a passing comment says that Doctor had to jettison out the TARDIS swimming pool, which of course somehow returned in Eleventh Hour). So Doctor heads off to Paradise Towers, a sort of Utopian Centre Parcs where people take residence in. But as they discovered, Paradise Towers has become dilapidated, covered in graffiti and the corridors being roamed by different colours of Kangs (gangs of teenage girls who seems to have a likeness for Toyah Wilcox). They are hunted down by Caretakers (police/guards of the Towers) and Cleaners (robots who apparently cleans). A waywards character who sees himself as the next Stallone or Schwarzenegger often appears out of nowhere, finding someone to rescue.

Obviously this means a lot of drama and a hint of bad acting. However Richard Briers from The Good Life is the lead baddie, sporting an Adolf Hitler moustache, similar uniform and behaviour, bringing a great amusement to the story. Naturally, Doctor and his faithful screaming companion gets seperated as it traditionally goes. Mel finds herself swayed by into a flat of two female OAPs, being offered lots of tea and cakes but the old grannies compliments much on her body. Obviously too much (as they call her "plump and delicious") but Mel is obviously too naive to see that the grannies are in fact cannibalists. It is greatly played though and very amusing in the black-comedy style. Doctor ended up having to work with the Kangs and finds out that there are no "in-betweens" of the young Kangs and the greedy grannies, assuming that the adults had to leave for a war.

Soon enough, we find there are evil lurking in the basement and the Cleaners has dead bodies in them. As the body counts goes up, Mel finally finds the swimming pool (this seems to be her highest priority??) and naturally, there is a minion in the pool. Serves her right I suppose. Soon enough, with the help of Doctor, the Kangs and the old ladies team up to fight the evil in the basement, giving the moral story of "Forgive and Forget". The ending is a little weak, especially after so much themes, similar to Brazil and 1984. McCoy is still finding his way to play Doctor properly here, but it is easy to see that he's finding his feet after Time and the Rani.

I personally love most of it, but other fans say that it is painful to watch. It is definitely not the best but the satire and black-comedy of it is what makes it watchable for myself. It works on the similar effect as Revelation of the Daleks, but nowhere near as good.

6/10

A Gap in Time

After another bunch of essays and coursework and another house move, I obviously have been neglecting this blog (whilst so early too).

However, I will be back to reviewing dvd stories soon PLUS the long awaited Let's Kill Hitler return episode. Which will be watched exclusively at the BFI, two weeks before estimated broadcast date. The review will be spoiler free of course but keep an eye out. Enjoy for what is to come!

R.I.P. Elisabeth Sladen

Yesterday, I found through a huge number of Twitter posts that Elisabeth Sladen has died. At first I refused to believe it as there was no official report of her death. As now it's confirmed that she died from cancer. It's a shocking news to us all, as a loved woman and one of the best loved Doctor Who companion of all. It's brilliant that she has also appealed to the younger audience these days with her spin-off show Sarah Jane Adventures with the result that she is loved more by many generations of the 20th and 21st century. People will remember her for her talent, enthusiasm and loyalty to Doctor Who.

R.I.P. Elisabeth Sladen, much too early and a devastating lost.

The Time Invasion

This story is quite a disturbing one in terms of Tom Bakers Doctor. Without explanation we already see him being arrogant, full of himself and not quite right, pretty much the early version of 6th Doctor. But here, it is quite obvious that he is the villian (not like Meglos, where a villian took on the Doctors form) so it's already quite intruiging from the start. You have to feel for Leela though as he now almost despises her. Doctor agrees some kind of treaty with a group of aliens on their ship, but we do not know of who the hell these aliens are except they're called Vardans. All of a sudden, Doctor wants to go to Gallifrey and take his rightful spot to the Presidency of the High Council of Time Lords. As he successfully does so, he tries to banish Leela to the "outside world" of Gallifrey. Soon we finally see the Vardans (who are basically floating silver jackets looking like they're doing something rude underneath) and becomes obvious that they're telepathic and controls people, including Doctor.

All this on introduction alone is very odd, all the comedic style has been lost and we're left worrying about the Doctor and Leela. In a strange way, I like it. It makes a nice change from your usual Who stories, especially with the fact that the Doctor is not a goodie in this so far. What is nice is when Leela escapes to the "outside world" with a female staff of Gallifreyan space traffic named Rodan, she meets a tribe, not unlike hers back on Earth. It is also quite amusing how they easily get along together. What I absolutely love is the melodrama from Rodan, who has never been "outside". When asked about supplies she needs to live on, she presents the tribe a plastic box with neatly organised Smarties, maybe they look a lot more convincing then but guarantees a laugh in todays world.

After a few muddles with Leela's newfound tribe and Doctor beating off the telepathy, the Vardan's are beaten after the risk strategy in weakening Gallifrey's force field. However, yet another enemy arrived, the Sontarans. This would've been a huge surprise if they weren't on the DVD cover. I have to say they aren't the best Sontaran version DW has come out with, the helmets are clearly made out of paper mache and their faces seems like they're gonna cry any moment now. While they're only in for the last two episodes of the story, their mark hasn't been properly set. However, in my opinion, the last two episodes are the best.

We get to see more of the TARDIS interior beyond the control room (as the goodies get chased by Sontarans) such as a swimming pool (which they call a bathroom, taking the biscuit I suspect) a garden room with a gigantic flytrap etc...but some rooms are difficult to convince as they were blatantly in an old hospital and one which is obviously a wood workshop classroom with windows covered by black binbags. There is a scene of a Sontaran tripping over a sunbed (and breaking it) and kept trying to carry on, which I found hilarious, as it really does look like an accident. Despite the few negatives on the settings, it all starts feeling a bit magical again with the usual quirky theme. The ending is very good, Leela decides to remain on Gallifrey after falling in love with a guard. I can't see it working out, an Earth human with a life expectancy of say, about 90years and the guard has 12 regenerations in him, bit of an age-gap challenge there. K9 also decided to stay behind to look after Leela, they worry of Doctor being lonely but Doctor leaves in his TARDIS anyway. The last scene is brilliant, he simply gets a cardboard box out titled "K9 MII" looks into the camera close-up and shows us his teethy smile.
Any Who fan would feel at least a little bit joyous after that.

8/10

Black Orchid

Black Orchid is probably the shortest Doctor Who story ever, before you know it, it's finished already.
This story is hardly action filled, nor has any science either. The TARDIS arrives in England 1925 at a railway station and the group (Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and unfortunately Adric) are greeted by a man who seemed to be expecting them. Before long, Doctor is playing a cricket match with the aristocrats of a mansion. Funnily enough, this is the only time Peter Davisons Doctor didn't look out of place with his suit. Then we find Nyssa has a lookalike, a human girl called Ann Talbot, who seems to be even more stuck up than Nyssa herself. While all this happening, there is a strange native man simply walking about and a mystery man who had the tendancy to kill butlers and shove them in cupboards.

The main event of this story is that theres a fancy dress party with Nyssa and Ann dressing in the same outfits to fool people (ho ho ho) and that's all there is. Until the mystery man steals Doctors outfit (which is quite a creepy one) to try and kidnap Ann and would you guess it, everyone thought Doctor tried to kill Ann. That is pretty much it until the residents got their brain cells to together to find it's a man with a burnt face living in the attic.

I find this story far too short and far too simple. This could've been a brilliant whodunnit story but it's easy to guess from the very beginning. It's nice to see Nyssa having the main part(s) for a story but she could've got a lot better. There seems to be nothing important about the Black Orchid either, except the murderer got one from some random rainforest. And that Doctor received a thank-you present, a book called Black Orchid. Talk about an anti-climax.

6/10

The Mark Of Rani

The story starts off with men going crazy in the village of Killingworth (which despite the name, was peaceful) in the 19th Century after passing out in a bath house. As the title suggests, they end up with a red blot behind their ears. For a dramatic title, I expected something better than a simple red blot. Anyhow, a little old lady runs the bath house, but it was so blatant that it was Rani. What was not neccessary is that she took off her "old lady" mask to reveal herself...for someone who is a scientific genius, you'd have thought she would've invented a better disguise. As usual, the Doctor's TARDIS goes off-course and ends up in this time period, where the Master also arrives. Rani's motive for disruption of the village is unclear, at one point she seems to just want humans to go crazy by making red blots and feeding them genetically-modified maggots (and conversations says she done the same to other planets, but creatures became so violent, she couldn't control them) then just focuses on turning men into trees. That's right, trees. The only explanation is that she's just having constant inhumane experiments as she goes along, while trying to get rid of the Doctor.

However, it is quite refreshing to see another TARDIS in sight, owned by Rani. And not a bad looking one too. But her motive is too unclear along with the Masters, who just wants to break machinery. Presumably just to interrupt the human technological developments.

Moving on to the Doctor himself, probably one of the most arrogant I've seen of Colin Baker's Doctor. It's amusing once every while to pass a passing comment on other characters but it goes too far when he does it too often. The scriptwriters, Pip and Jane Baker are probably the most laziest writers Doctor Who has ever brought on to the team. Often, the companions ask Doctor questions, merely for the audience to understand. Wherelse in this story, every time Peri demands an explanation (as we, the audience need one too) Doctor always reply "I'll explain later" and "not right now".  So this story is definitely not one for scientific explanations. Not even for the tradition "reverse the polarity" explanation. Peri is probably at her most likeable in this, but as her weakest. Sporting a ridiculous yellow and pink outfit (that never seems to get dirty, despite falling over constantly in a mining land) she comes across as a useless dame, definitely room for improvement here.

Personally, I do like the plot and getting the three timelords together but there are no explanations of motives of the characters nor what is actually happening. If the Bakers actually broaden their minds to fictional science and character background, this would be high up with one of the best. But instead we'll just have to admire Rani's TARDIS and enjoy the ridiculous events. Even if we don't know the hell why.

5/10

The Space Museum

The Space Museum, is something that could've been better than it is. The title is already intruiging itself (that has been done again in The Dalek, with the collections of alien stuff) so there are a lot to be played with. So what is a better way to accidently get into a time-shift then accidently land on a planet-turned-museum called Xeros then to see yourself as an artefact in the museum? This alone shows a great William Hartnell's era style of Doctor Who and it promises a lot. It would also intice the wider audience too, as the air of Twilight Zone is very strong.

Unfortunately when The Dimensions Of Time starts (second episode), as they get into "normal time" much the charm is lost and feels like the episode was written for the sake of it. Slowly, it becomes less of the how-to-avoid-becoming-an-artefact then turns into a whole other story about the Moroks (who claims the museum) invasion of Xeros and Xerons themselves. It is quite amusing but it's difficult to care for when the Xerons comes across as excitable teenagers with extra eyebrows that doesn't have a single idea between them to reclaim their planet. In fact, it had to take Vicki to slap about a bored computer to let them into an armory, to finally get guns to fight back with. It is also difficult to feel anything for the Moroks either, as all they are, are bored over-weight funny-looking guards with nothing better to do, now they've claimed the entire planet. The next episode is pretty much the same as the second (except with an absence of the Doctor, rumoured that Hartnell went on holiday) with a couple of reminders of becoming artefacts. The ending is typical. Not saying anymore in case of spoilers...just to do a favour because despite of the heavy faults, it's not one to dismiss.

This story could've been so much better, it feels it was written to be a comedy, a parody of the Doctor Who stories that was aired so far before it. But instead it was made to be serious, on the plot alone it would be very difficult to successfully make a four-episode story on these differences. However, there are funny moments by Doctor, as he teases the Morok's technology while they try to use it on them, which are some of my favourite scenes out of the entire Doctor Who series altogether.

7/10