Something That Matters
Review of The Impossible Astronaut
Warning: This review contains episode-specific spoilers and wild speculation about future episodes.
Wow. Where do I start?
Maybe it's best to back up and explain that in the lead-up to Series Six, especially in the last couple of weeks, I've been doing my desperate best to avoid seeing any spoilers for the series - I've even avoided some of the official BBC news items. Hopefully this attempt at isolationism will allow me to come to the series with a suitable sense of surprise as new plot points are revealed to the Doctor and his Companions. (If you've already read all the spoilers, you'll probably be able to tell me exactly where I'm going wrong in my analysis and speculations, but please don't. I really want to find out in my own time, by watching the episodes.) I have to say, I found plenty of surprises, but even more tantalizing tidbits that could be either clues or red herrings (with Moffat you never know).
From the moment in the prequel when Nixon assures his caller that "there are no monsters in the Oval Office" (a beautiful political double entendre that you can apply to your administration of choice), it's clear that we're in for a doozy. And the action really is pretty much non-stop from the rapid strides of an irate monarch right through to the moment we hear the sting into the credits.
As I understand it, one of Moffat's goals was to make the season opener feel more like the finale in scope and drama. For my money, he's done it. Surely there has never yet been a single episode so crammed full of quotable (and quite possibly notable, in terms of story arc) quotes. Some are just plain hilarious (like the exchange when the Doctor's asserts that River's wearing her "'he's hot when he's clever' face"), some are poignant ("We do what the Doctor's friends always do: what we're told."), and some set off little alarm bells ("You lot. Thought I'd never get done saving you...").
But knowing the storytelling methods of The Grand Moff, one can't help but examine every little detail with an eye to the future (or even the past). How many of those moments leading up to (or immediately following) that terrible, mysterious incident on the beach will we be looking back on at the end of the series with a knowing nod? Obviously, the Doctor knows what's coming, what the individual in the Apollo spacesuit means to do, and who she or he is. (I think it's too simple for it to be River. We've been led to believe it's the Doctor she killed to get herself into the Storm Cage. But why make it that "obvious"? On the other hand, does she know something we don't (again) as, after failing to hit the retreating figure with her six-shooter, she murmurs, "of course not..."?) Something has compelled him to come offer himself up like a sheep to the slaughter, yet simultaneously call in his friends for some reason ("Avenge him?" "That's not his style." "Save him." "That's not his style either." Saving the universe, on the other hand...). We've probably had some of the clues already, if we're clever enough to find them.
What about the clues to the rest of the series? Why do River and Rory end up in a space that looks disturbingly like the interior of the crashed ship from The Lodger, down to the hand-sized spheres in the consoles? Is it some primitive form of TARDIS that our Big Bad (not the Silence themselves, I think) is working to build (as one friend hypothesizes)? Regardless, there's clearly some sort of connection back to that one otherwise utterly random episode from last series.
To me, though, the most tantalizing clue is Amy's pregnancy. It was my first interpretation of her nausea in the Oval Office (by the way - how brilliant to have the TARDIS in the Oval Office!), but I didn't really credit that interpretation at first, especially after River also feels sick right after viewing the Silence (giving us a feeling that this is the Whovian version of Buffy's evil-detecting cramps). After reviewing her big reveal, though, I have to wonder about her urgency. Why does she need so desperately to tell the Doctor, and why that look on his face when he finds out, if it's a normal pregnancy (or, dare I say, if it's Rory's baby)? Moffat also mentioned the pregnancy angle in Confidential. There's definitely more to this than first meets the eye.
Enough of the portents and predictions, though. How about the overall effect? Visually, I felt they did a stunning job - the shot of the viking funeral with everyone arrayed at different distances down the beach was gorgeous. The Oval Office was beautifully and faithfully replicated, and the shots in the desert of Utah gave the episode a lovely scope. (It's great finally to see Who come to America!) Moffat's created a wonderfully creepy pop culture mix-n-match in the Silence, too. Where else but in Doctor Who would you see a memory-stealing mash-up of a Roswellian alien and a Potterian Dementor?
The characters are also engaging, as usual. I love how poor Rory gets n00b duty, babysitting Canton (himself a cucumber-cool addition to the team) until he acclimates. But it is, of course, River who tickles our imaginations most.
For the first time, we get to be on the "in" side of one of her ubiquitous spoilers, and it's refreshing. Then we get that intimate little quiet moment with Rory (with the Doctor's theme from Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead faintly reprised in the background), reminding us that, while River usually has the upper hand on us, we (and the Doctor) have all along known something of vital import to her timeline. Yet somehow, when we'd like to feel smugly superior that we finally know something she doesn't (and cares about), we can't help just feeling rather sorry for her instead, because we've seen how that meeting plays out.
While I remain convinced that the overarching plot of the series will have a great deal to do with River and her story, I now think it will - again - have even more to do with Amy. As I thought about the moment when the Doctor charged her to "swear to me on something that matters," it struck me that in a sense, that's what this episode is all about - puzzling out what matters. What's it come down to? The identity of the "astronaut"? The motivations of the Silence? A way to save the Doctor? Or the heart and soul of a little girl. Fish fingers and custard.
DVD Release Date: 12 Apr 11
Original Air Date: 01 - 09 Feb 1982
Doctor/Companion: Five, Adric, Tegan Jovanka
Stars: Peter Davison, Matthew Waterhouse, Janet Fielding
Preceding Story: Four to Doomsday (Five, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan)
Succeeding Story: The Visitation (Five, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan)
In the UK, Kinda and Snakedance were released together (in March 2011) as a boxed set called Mara Tales. Due to that fact, not to mention the fast-approaching premiere of Series Six, I've decided to post my reviews of both DVDs together. It's my hope that that will also allow me to provide a sense of continuity between the two, which comprise the only appearances of the antagonist/creature known as the Mara.
Kinda is all about Story. There are grand ideas and deeper themes that actually kind of obscure the regular characters. More than in most cases, the Doctor is swept up in events around him, and things just happen to, rather than because of, him; his presence (unlike Tegan's) is really inconsequential. That fact alone makes it a rather atypical story, even before considering the aforementioned themes.
Further, the Companion dynamics are a bit odd. Although this is smack in the middle of Nyssa's time in the TARDIS, she appears for a total of about 3 minutes in the entire story, at the very beginning and end. The others get separated early in the first episode, leaving Tegan to play her key role in the unfolding drama, while Adric tags along with the Doctor. When Tegan and Adric finally are reunited, they snark at each other so much you wonder how no blood has yet been shed in the TARDIS. In fact, it was this exchange - which painted Adric in a particularly poor light, as a self-absorbed ass - that finally gave me a better sense of why so many fans dislike him so thoroughly.
Behind those slight oddities, though, there are some incredibly intriguing concepts. First off, there's a flavor of British Imperialism much as there was in The Mutants, though not so relentless. Given the commanding officer Sanders' attitude regarding the native people, the Kinda ("What point of view could they have? They're savages!"), the viewer is unsurprised to find that a major aspect of Kinda culture (not to mention its overall sophistication) has escaped the notice of the survey team: although the Kinda they have observed do not "have voice," certain wise females are allowed (or able?) to speak, the rest using telepathy to communicate.
The most blatant theme, though, is one of religious symbolism. While viewers familiar with the Christian tradition will immediately pick up on snake and apple references, students of Buddhism will find even more familiar ground. A multitude of names are taken right out of Buddhist mythology: Mara (temptation), Panna (wisdom), and Karuna (compassion), to name a few. Even the name of the planet (Deva Loka; Celestial Region) is borrowed from Sanskrit. And what individual with even minimal knowledge of Buddhism could miss the references to the turning of the Wheel? All of these combine to make the story a more philosophical and thoughtful one than any I can readily recall.
DVD Release Date: 12 Apr 11
Original Air Date: 18 - 26 Jan 1983
Doctor/Companion: Five, Nyssa of Traken, Tegan
Stars: Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding
Preceding Story: Arc of Infinity (Five, Nyssa, Tegan)
Succeeding Story: Mawydryn Undead (Five, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, the Brigadier)
Snakedance is essentially writer Christopher Bailey’s do-over on Kinda The same underlying evil, which springs from the hearts of people, is still present, but here exists in a venue in which the Doctor can really do what he does best: Save the Day. The resolution relies on him, his cleverness, and his ability to conquer the imperfections within himself.
This story happens a season later than Kinda, on a completely different planet, and with Nyssa rather than Adric. By the time our heroes reach Manussa, the evil of the Mara has been reduced to legend by the intervening centuries since its local defeat. The tawdry commercialism surrounding the decennial Festival will have a familiar feel to people from many countries all over our world in its parallel to the secularization of actual earthbound religious holidays like (the nominally Christian holiday) Christmas.
The pomp and circumstance are certainly entertaining, though. There’s a lovely shot in the first episode when the crew first steps out of the TARDIS into the market, which is incredibly reminiscent (from the Neowhovian perspective) of scenes in The Fires of Pompeii and Turn Left. Later, at the height of the Festival, the motion of the massive papier-mâché snake that’s paraded through the town put me a bit in mind of a Chinese dragon.
Another theme throughout is the unofficial rivalry between “old religion” and “new reason,” so to speak. Some on Manussa truly believe the Mara will return some day and either retreat to the wilderness to become Snake Dancers or keep their leanings relatively quiet. Meanwhile, the official state position is that there’s no solid evidence to support any of the legends, and so they can be nothing more than stories.
Perhaps my favorite ideas from Snakedance, though, go back to its Buddhist roots. It is attachment that leads to misery (note Ambril's distress over ruined artifacts). One must cast aside the “Three Temptations” (as they are named at the height of the Ceremony): Fear, Despair, Greed. I think all of us could probably do better without so much of those.
DVD Release Date: 08 Mar 11
Original Air Date: 31 Jan - 06 Mar 1976
Doctor/Companion: Four, Sarah Jane Smith
Stars: Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen
Preceding Story: The Brain of Morbius (Four, Sarah Jane)
Succeeding Story: The Masque of Mandragora (Four, Sarah Jane)
As I've mentioned before, sometimes Tom Baker's performances as Four leave me a bit cold. Not this time. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but The Seeds of Doom really worked for me. From the opening moment in the Antarctic (is that Hoth?) to the closing moments where the Doctor and Sarah Jane have a timey-wimey moment, this is a classic, full-on romp.
Obviously, there's personal danger and a threat to the entire planet, but the baddie is amusing (you know he's bad, because he wears his black leather gloves inside, and all the time) and the alien menace is suitably absurd. Most of the effects used to realize said menace are also pretty good, as Who goes, though the spanner one character uses to bludgeon another was very obviously rubber (spanners aren't generally so wobbly), and I have to admit that the camera-flash-on-a-stick "laser guns" literally made me laugh out loud.
One thing I really enjoyed about this story was the "flash-forward" meta-references, only noticeable from this future perspective. Several times I was put in mind of other Who episodes (like Midnight, while the Doctor, Sarah Jane, and some of the baddies are holed up, hiding from the Krynoid), and one can't help but draw the parallel with Fargo when the composter is introduced.
But the best bits for me were all about the Doctor. It's actually a bit of an odd tale, in that the TARDIS is nowhere to be seen (I kept expecting them to vworp into the Antarctic research station at the beginning, and was really puzzled that the scientists there had to wait for the Doctor and Sarah Jane to arrive by chopper), so there's no Time Lord technology to save the day here. Only UNIT, who put the Doctor on the case in the first place, is there at the end to back him up with the aforementioned laser guns. But while the soldiers run around like a bunch of herbicidal maniacs, the Doctor is reprising his role as Action Hero (very reminiscent of Three).
It's almost out of character, the way he gamely jumps through a skylight to land on a baddie and hold him at gunpoint with his own confiscated weapon. In fact, at various points in the story, the Doctor punches someone out, stabs the Krynoid with a sword, and grapples with another pursuer - going so far as to twist his neck in a move that in Hollywood would have broken said pursuer's neck, killing him (he was only momentarily incapacitated here, though). One wonders when Hand-to-hand Combat Doctor action figures were meant to go on sale.
, this is probably my favorite of Four's stories so far (keep in mind, I haven't seen them all, and many of them only once). Having had such a feel-good gut reaction, I can enthusiastically give Seeds of Doom "two leaves up."
An Eye to the Future
Review of The Ark (#23)
DVD Release Date: 08 Mar 11
Original Air Date: 05 - 26 Mar 1966
Doctor/Companion: One, Steven Taylor, Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet
Stars: William Hartnell, Peter Purves, Jackie Lane
Preceding Story: The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve (One, Steven)
Succeeding Story: The Celestial Toymaker (One, Steven, Dodo)
Although we don't really figure it out until halfway through, The Ark is sort of two stories wrapped into one. Beginning with a rather typical "outsiders bring harmless-to-them germs into a closed population, threatening to wipe out said population" plot, the story soon takes a turn toward more socio-political themes. Groups are set against each other and make plans of varying degrees of stupidity and brutality. Obviously, this being Doctor Who, there's also a time-travel twist to the tale (which I won't completely spoil here), but that is primarily clever storytelling rather than a necessary element for plot advancement.
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the story, at least on the surface, is the abysmal quality of the monster-of-the-week, which is poor even by Doctor Who's standards (and that's saying quite a lot!). The actors playing the Monoids could not have been comfortable with body-length rubber sheaths that included huge (clearly visible) zippers up the back, mangy wigs draping down over half their faces, and ping pong balls painted as eyeballs in their mouths. Every time one of these pathetic critters waddles on set, you can't help but snicker and think about the mechanics of wearing the costume (particularly themoutheyeball - nor does it help to learn that it actually was ping pong balls they used). Yet somehow, the Monoids manage to fulfill their literary roles in (both parts of) the story relatively well. Clearly that's a testament to the quality of the tale the writers had to tell.
Once you get past the man-in-a-rubber-suit-ness of the Monoids, The Ark is a worthwhile tale. The overall plot is engaging enough that we're willing to overlook some of the rather egregious problems with details like the aforementioned costumes, the somewhat bizarre presence of a "security kitchen," and a ship millions of years in our future yet barely beyond modern technology. In fact, I think these details highlight a very insightful point made in one of the extras that, strictly speaking, Doctor Who isn't "science fiction," because the science is bollocks - but we don't care. These stories aren't about the places strange new scientific advances take us; all that is mere background to the narratives being woven - in essence, a sort of "temporal local color." So the people and the situations are what draw us in, perhaps especially in The Ark.
This is a bit of a notable episode for the TARDIS crew, too. It's Dodo's first full serial, since she only appeared in last minutes of Massacre, and one of only two of her four stories to survive intact (only 1 episode of The Celestial Toymaker survives, and none of The Savages). Further, it seems to hark back to the era when the Doctor was the MacGuffin for the story, not its hero; as Ian before him, Steven seems clearly the protagonist of this tale. Sadly, that appears to have been a conscious decision, part of "phasing out" Hartnell as the Doctor. As Hartnell himself was painfully aware, his failing health was beginning to affect his memory, resulting in more frequent line flubs in an era where no time or resources could be spared to reshoot (which is why we hear them so often). In that sense, The Ark essentially marks the beginning of the end for One.
Although there aren't a whole lot of extras, and it's populated by some of the most ridiculous-looking Doctor Who creatures of all time, The Ark is still quite a good story; look past the ocular oddities, and it's a charming, entertaining adventure. If nothing else, it gives excellent context for the history of both Doctor Who and science fiction of the 1960s, and is well worth viewing.
It's All About Perspective
Review of The Mutants (#63)
DVD Release Date: 08 Feb 11
Original Air Date: 08 Apr - 13 May 1972
Doctor/Companion: Three, Jo Grant
Stars: Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning
Preceding Story: The Sea Devils (Three, Jo)
Succeeding Story: The Time Monster (Three, Jo)
When the Doctor is sent on yet another mission by the Time Lords, he and Jo find themselves on a skybase orbiting the planet Solos. There, officials of imperial Earth are preparing to grant the natives independence after 500 years, but the Marshal has other ideas. He wants to make Solos' atmosphere breathable by humans (which it currently isn't), rather than to Solonians (which it currently is). Due to the experiments he has commissioned, some Solonians are mutating into strange, bug-like creatures - derogatorily nicknamed "Mutts" - which the Marshal believes should be purged from the planet.
I must admit that, from my 21st century American perspective, I saw this story as primarily a commentary on our stewardship of the environment, and to a lesser degree about the treatment of indigenous peoples by colonizing cultures. However, at the time, especially to a British audience not yet completely out of imperial politics, it would have smacked rather heavily of the British withdrawal from India in 1947, not to mention South Africa or the then-current conflict in Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe). It's interesting to me that this story can play out on so many levels - standard Who story, allegory of imperialism, and allegory of environmental issues - over so many years. Perhaps that's why I was so surprised at the way a different theme came across.
Having looked at the list of extras before watching the story and thus being forewarned of a racial component, one of the things that struck me most intensely was the fact that there was a single character of color - a black soldier named, of all things, Cotton. When the irony of that particular moniker struck me, I was aghast that anyone would be so... uncouth. Granted, this was first broadcast in the early '70s (times have changed at least a bit), and after viewing the extras I recognize that it was unintentional (at least on the part of the writers), but it still strikes me as one of those moments where you realize that society has a long way to go.
Taken strictly at face value, though, The Mutants is certainly as serviceable as any of Three's stories (and more than some). Still at the mercy of the Time Lords for travel, the Doctor seems as happy as ever to be in the thick of things, ready to Save the World, whichever world it may be. However you care to approach it - for pure entertainment or a bit of philosophizing - you won't be disappointed.
A small aside:
RIP, Nicholas Courtney - your Brigadier captured my heart from the first time I saw him.
The Ugly Docling
Review of Doctor Who: The Movie (Special Edition)
DVD Release Date: 08 Feb 11
Original Air Date: 14 May 96 (US)
Doctor/Companion: Eight, Dr. Grace Holloway
Stars: Paul McGann, Daphne Ashbrook
Preceding Story: Survival (Seven, Ace) - 1989
Succeeding Story: Rose (Nine, Rose Tyler) - 2005
Notable Aspects:
There are those who think The Movie is one of the worst crimes ever committed against the Whoniverse. I am not among them. Despite some notably bad features, I actually really enjoy it. Not the least of my reasons is that it's the one and only on-screen appearance of Paul McGann as the Doctor.
The made-for-tv Movie came about (in its final form) as a "back-door pilot" for a potential series re-launch. It was to be set in the US and aimed at the US market, so the tone was somewhat "Americanized." Among other things, it added a splash of romance (much to the horror of Old Skool Whovians), a "car" chase, and an actual American Companion (as opposed to Peri - played by Nicola Bryant, a Brit). Not all of it worked, but there's a reason McGann continues to this day to get work as Eight in audio-dramas and other projects: he makes a brilliant Doctor.
After learning more about the tortuous path this story took getting to the screen (see the extras, below), it's easier to understand - and even forgive - some of its flaws. To my mind, the most notable one is the casting of Eric Roberts (that's Julia's brother, for Six Degrees of Separation buffs) as the Master. The Powers That Be wanted an American actor as the villain of the piece, so it came down to a matter of who was acceptable to the right corporate suits (and who would take the money offered), rather than who was right for the part. Roberts' resultant Master is campy, never more so than when he dons that quasi-Gallifreyan get-up. The role has always been camp (just listen to Roger Delgado's muahaha! some time if you don't believe me), but this takes the biscuit. And somehow, it's not Master-y to me at all. Where's the "devious and overcomplicated
" plot, the exceedingly clever adversary? Mostly, he just poses and attempts (poorly) to intimidate. At least there was some mind control and ruthless disregard for life to make him seem more Master-ful.
The other really awful bit, to my mind, is the infamous "half human" angle. Apparently (according to some of the DVD extras), it's a holdover from Classic scripts that never made it to the screen. I'll never understand why anyone thought that was a good idea to add into the canon, but this is one of those instances where I wholeheartedly apply River Song's Rule One ("the Doctor lies"). As far as I'm concerned, it's a non-issue - it never happened (that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!).
On the up side, though, McGann is wonderful fun to watch. The "who am I?" bit is rather overwrought, but otherwise he's got just the right blend of serious authority and wacky humor. Starting out with a wicked case of post-regenerative-brain-addlement, he gradually comes into himself, gaining confidence and settling into his usual take-charge problem-solving headspace. It's really a fairly typical regeneration story in that sense. By the end it's easy to envision him whisking Grace off onto further adventures far from turn-of-the-millennium San Francisco, and it seems unutterably sad that Eight never appeared on screen again.
[I feel that, as an aside, I must comment on the wig McGann wore for filming. The casting people loved the long hair he was sporting at the time he was cast (you can watch some of his audition in the extras), and made a point of including it for the character. Much as McGann despised it ("I hated that wig. HATED it!"), the long hair really adds to the persona. It's too bad he'd had to cut his own hair for a soldier role before filming The Movie, as clearly real hair would have been better, but I can't fault those who felt long locks belonged on the Eighth Doctor. It certainly adds to his appeal for those of us who appreciate male aesthetics.]
As for the DVD, it's a break-through for those of us in North America (and in Australia, for that matter). Until now, The Movie was only available on DVD in Region 2 (Europe). If you had a region-free player and access to a R2 disk, you could see it, but now it is available to the average North American fan. Even better, the Special Edition is aptly named. The 2-disc set included a slew of extras that are certainly worth watching, including a few items that were included on the 2001 R2 release.
A Dickens of a Good Time
Review of A Christmas Carol
Try as I might, I cannot find a way to make “Christmassy-wistmassy” sound good in a sentence. But how else do you accurately describe the action in A Christmas Carol, which is simultaneously about as timey-wimey as we’ve seen and also unrelentingly inspired by the holiday season (and, more specifically, by its namesake)? After a somewhat shaky start (“Christmas is canceled!”? What kind of rubbish line is that?), the episode turns rollicksome and barely pauses for breath. Little details made me smile before the story really even began. I mean, how can you not love Amy & Rory’s discomfiture at being caught with their barely-metaphorical pants down? And after all that happened last series, it’s brilliant finally to see Arthur Darvill’s name in the credits.
From the title down, the whole episode is deliberately Dickensian – the Doctor himself makes a conscious decision to mimic the story when his answer to Amy’s query changes from “a Christmas carol” to “A Christmas Carol”. Thus it’s no surprise right off to hear Kazran’s rant (“I call it expecting something for nothing!”) so closely echo Scrooge’s complaint that Christmas is “a poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December!” It’s almost like a game to find as many references as you can, though perhaps it would be wise to stop before you started counting every little quasi-Victorian detail on the set.
While I’m on the topic of minutiae, I may as well mention the Doctor’s new jacket; his fabulous entrance; and the way he continues to be as frenetic as ever, delivering viciously funny lines that are all too easy to miss while you’re still laughing at the last one. (A few of those – like the whole bit about the face spider – feel like something Moffat couldn’t bear to leave on his Wonderfully Scary Ideas clipboard despite the fact they wouldn’t support a stand-alone episode.) I could point out how wonderful the Doctor’s comment about never having met someone “who wasn’t important” is or how well his eyes say “if only you knew” when Kazran spits his venom about trying on a broken heart for size. Maybe I should mention the subtle use of the Doctor’s Theme when Kazran’s father tells him of the machine’s completion, and he seems to reject it, going to the drawer for the sonic screwdriver before finally rejecting the Doctor. Or the way Amy’s exchange with the Doctor outside the TARDIS at the end harks back to the end of Forest of the Dead.
Perhaps, though, it would be more interesting to examine some of the overall themes of the episode. With that in mind, I’ll present the rest of my thoughts on a theme-by-theme basis.
The Redemption of Kazran Sardick
The influence of Dickens’ story is obvious throughout, but less obvious is the sort of Hero’s Journey that Kazran undertakes. His story clearly has all the hallmarks of the monomyth, though (as, for that matter, did Scrooge’s experiences). The Doctor gives him the Call to Adventure (which he refuses). It takes a Time Lord’s eye to find the clues to Kazran’s past (and I must say, the “what am I missing” scene played out here much better than it did with the experimental camerawork in Eleventh Hour), showing the old miser that he is not – does not have to be – like his father. Ever the reluctant hero, Kazran does not heed the call, and forces the Doctor’s hand.
With his guide, Kazran travels the Road of Trials during their adventure with the shark, which eventually leads him to the Meeting with the Goddess – though a bit delayed, as it takes a few outings before she notices him first. In the meantime, we see Kazran the Elder change subtly. He learns as a boy why bow ties are cool and (unless my eyes deceived me), his cravat has changed to emulate his boyhood hero’s attire. As they share more time with Abigail, the portrait in his study magically changes. The portrait is an obvious visual metaphor to let the viewer follow the struggles of our still-reluctant hero.
One of the key aspects of the Hero’s Journey is that the hero must descend into darkness and face what he fears most. “Halfway out of the dark” could hardly allude to that idea more strongly. And when he reaches his Apotheosis – at his Atonement with the Father, which is actually himself – we see him Cross the Return Threshold (a beautiful twist on the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, though I’m still scratching my head about why reality didn’t implode á la Father’s Day).
It’s all thoroughly steeped in myth, which leads us quite nicely to the following theme.
The Fairy Tale Nature of the Doctor
It struck me on my second viewing how very Peter Pan the Doctor is here. He appears at Kazran’s window to take him on a sort of adventure, then proceeds to fly around the room (bouncing on the bed), finally proving once and for all that he is not a responsible adult. The childlike joy continues as he gets distracted on the way to the vault (“Ooh! Tree!”) and peaks with the rickshaw ride. Eleven has certainly recaptured the joie de vivre that Ten nearly completely lost.
On the flip side of his puckishness, though, the Doctor is still a bit too practical at times. As he told Amy in a deleted scene from last series, without someone else through which to experience things, he just “doesn’t see it” anymore. (What’s more Christmassy than that, from a parent’s point of view?) Kazran the Younger has to tell the Doctor quite literally to shut up when he goes on about the “real” reason Abigail’s voice is able to soothe the savage beast, when it’s much purer to accept it as Kazran says: fish like the singing.
The Possibility of Foreshadowing
Maybe it’s just me, but I could’ve sworn that the be-goggled lackey who answered the call from the president at the beginning was Rory in disguise. Either I’m delusional (a possibility I don’t deny), or that’ll be coming back to us in Series Six. Then we get to the cold chamber, where the Doctor kept swatting at invisible “fish”, wondering why they kept biting him. If that doesn’t reek of series foreshadowing, I don’t know what does. I also had to wonder who the other figures in stasis were. Only two besides Abigail were ever shown. Was that a budgeting/storytelling short cut decision, or were those individuals’ faces shown to us so we could later point to them as harbingers of Plot Points Yet to Come? It’s hard to know at this point how many little details deserve our attention, since Moffat first taught us to notice them all, and later seemed to renege on that philosophy. These all seem to be items for the Time Will Tell files.
The Niggles of the Fangeek
“Fangeek” is about as lofty a title as I’m yet due, though I fly that flag high and proud. Regardless, what I mean by “niggles” (stop thinking that, you naughty thing) is the parts that don’t quite seem right – the “what were they thinking?” bits.
First and foremost, it makes absolutely no sense that the Doctor would ask Abigail about the number on her ice box and then just casually toss it aside. It’s obvious from the beginning (at least it was to me) that it’s how much time she has left – probably days (and, go figure, so it was). It’s clear that they’re whittling away what little time she has left by taking her out of storage every few Christmas Eves. So why doesn’t the Doctor – clever clogs that he is – suss that out?
Further, why talk about how ill she is without even mentioning whether or not medical technology has changed enough in the last 50 years (75? How old was Kazran when she was first frozen, and how old at the end?) to save her? I mean sure, Moffat needs to shed his “everybody lives” tendencies a bit more thoroughly, but in this case, it feels a bit of a loose thread.
One last little question. What of the Doctor’s “rebuilding” sonic screwdriver? Does it still need the other half inside the shark? Will the Doctor just come back when the shark’s life is done and reclaim it? Or will this lead to the next incarnation of his trusty omni-tool (perhaps a yellow one, if we continue the chromatic progression)? Stay tuned, gentle viewer…
Concentrating on the pluses…
I have to say that the aforementioned niggles are just that: smallish items that in no way detracted from the whole. The Christmas special lived up to the name of special (perhaps more so than any of its predecessors) with a sense of pure fun, wonderful guest artists with glorious voices (here I include Michael Gambon with Katherine Jenkins), more of the madcap Doctor we’ve come to love, and some tantalizing tidbits to mull over as we await Series Six.
Bring it.
Review of The Impossible Astronaut
Warning: This review contains episode-specific spoilers and wild speculation about future episodes.
Wow. Where do I start?
Maybe it's best to back up and explain that in the lead-up to Series Six, especially in the last couple of weeks, I've been doing my desperate best to avoid seeing any spoilers for the series - I've even avoided some of the official BBC news items. Hopefully this attempt at isolationism will allow me to come to the series with a suitable sense of surprise as new plot points are revealed to the Doctor and his Companions. (If you've already read all the spoilers, you'll probably be able to tell me exactly where I'm going wrong in my analysis and speculations, but please don't. I really want to find out in my own time, by watching the episodes.) I have to say, I found plenty of surprises, but even more tantalizing tidbits that could be either clues or red herrings (with Moffat you never know).
From the moment in the prequel when Nixon assures his caller that "there are no monsters in the Oval Office" (a beautiful political double entendre that you can apply to your administration of choice), it's clear that we're in for a doozy. And the action really is pretty much non-stop from the rapid strides of an irate monarch right through to the moment we hear the sting into the credits.As I understand it, one of Moffat's goals was to make the season opener feel more like the finale in scope and drama. For my money, he's done it. Surely there has never yet been a single episode so crammed full of quotable (and quite possibly notable, in terms of story arc) quotes. Some are just plain hilarious (like the exchange when the Doctor's asserts that River's wearing her "'he's hot when he's clever' face"), some are poignant ("We do what the Doctor's friends always do: what we're told."), and some set off little alarm bells ("You lot. Thought I'd never get done saving you...").
But knowing the storytelling methods of The Grand Moff, one can't help but examine every little detail with an eye to the future (or even the past). How many of those moments leading up to (or immediately following) that terrible, mysterious incident on the beach will we be looking back on at the end of the series with a knowing nod? Obviously, the Doctor knows what's coming, what the individual in the Apollo spacesuit means to do, and who she or he is. (I think it's too simple for it to be River. We've been led to believe it's the Doctor she killed to get herself into the Storm Cage. But why make it that "obvious"? On the other hand, does she know something we don't (again) as, after failing to hit the retreating figure with her six-shooter, she murmurs, "of course not..."?) Something has compelled him to come offer himself up like a sheep to the slaughter, yet simultaneously call in his friends for some reason ("Avenge him?" "That's not his style." "Save him." "That's not his style either." Saving the universe, on the other hand...). We've probably had some of the clues already, if we're clever enough to find them.
What about the clues to the rest of the series? Why do River and Rory end up in a space that looks disturbingly like the interior of the crashed ship from The Lodger, down to the hand-sized spheres in the consoles? Is it some primitive form of TARDIS that our Big Bad (not the Silence themselves, I think) is working to build (as one friend hypothesizes)? Regardless, there's clearly some sort of connection back to that one otherwise utterly random episode from last series.
To me, though, the most tantalizing clue is Amy's pregnancy. It was my first interpretation of her nausea in the Oval Office (by the way - how brilliant to have the TARDIS in the Oval Office!), but I didn't really credit that interpretation at first, especially after River also feels sick right after viewing the Silence (giving us a feeling that this is the Whovian version of Buffy's evil-detecting cramps). After reviewing her big reveal, though, I have to wonder about her urgency. Why does she need so desperately to tell the Doctor, and why that look on his face when he finds out, if it's a normal pregnancy (or, dare I say, if it's Rory's baby)? Moffat also mentioned the pregnancy angle in Confidential. There's definitely more to this than first meets the eye.
Enough of the portents and predictions, though. How about the overall effect? Visually, I felt they did a stunning job - the shot of the viking funeral with everyone arrayed at different distances down the beach was gorgeous. The Oval Office was beautifully and faithfully replicated, and the shots in the desert of Utah gave the episode a lovely scope. (It's great finally to see Who come to America!) Moffat's created a wonderfully creepy pop culture mix-n-match in the Silence, too. Where else but in Doctor Who would you see a memory-stealing mash-up of a Roswellian alien and a Potterian Dementor?
The characters are also engaging, as usual. I love how poor Rory gets n00b duty, babysitting Canton (himself a cucumber-cool addition to the team) until he acclimates. But it is, of course, River who tickles our imaginations most.
For the first time, we get to be on the "in" side of one of her ubiquitous spoilers, and it's refreshing. Then we get that intimate little quiet moment with Rory (with the Doctor's theme from Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead faintly reprised in the background), reminding us that, while River usually has the upper hand on us, we (and the Doctor) have all along known something of vital import to her timeline. Yet somehow, when we'd like to feel smugly superior that we finally know something she doesn't (and cares about), we can't help just feeling rather sorry for her instead, because we've seen how that meeting plays out.
While I remain convinced that the overarching plot of the series will have a great deal to do with River and her story, I now think it will - again - have even more to do with Amy. As I thought about the moment when the Doctor charged her to "swear to me on something that matters," it struck me that in a sense, that's what this episode is all about - puzzling out what matters. What's it come down to? The identity of the "astronaut"? The motivations of the Silence? A way to save the Doctor? Or the heart and soul of a little girl. Fish fingers and custard.
DVD Release Date: 12 Apr 11
Original Air Date: 01 - 09 Feb 1982
Doctor/Companion: Five, Adric, Tegan Jovanka
Stars: Peter Davison, Matthew Waterhouse, Janet Fielding
Preceding Story: Four to Doomsday (Five, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan)
Succeeding Story: The Visitation (Five, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan)
In the UK, Kinda and Snakedance were released together (in March 2011) as a boxed set called Mara Tales. Due to that fact, not to mention the fast-approaching premiere of Series Six, I've decided to post my reviews of both DVDs together. It's my hope that that will also allow me to provide a sense of continuity between the two, which comprise the only appearances of the antagonist/creature known as the Mara.
Kinda is all about Story. There are grand ideas and deeper themes that actually kind of obscure the regular characters. More than in most cases, the Doctor is swept up in events around him, and things just happen to, rather than because of, him; his presence (unlike Tegan's) is really inconsequential. That fact alone makes it a rather atypical story, even before considering the aforementioned themes.
Further, the Companion dynamics are a bit odd. Although this is smack in the middle of Nyssa's time in the TARDIS, she appears for a total of about 3 minutes in the entire story, at the very beginning and end. The others get separated early in the first episode, leaving Tegan to play her key role in the unfolding drama, while Adric tags along with the Doctor. When Tegan and Adric finally are reunited, they snark at each other so much you wonder how no blood has yet been shed in the TARDIS. In fact, it was this exchange - which painted Adric in a particularly poor light, as a self-absorbed ass - that finally gave me a better sense of why so many fans dislike him so thoroughly.
Behind those slight oddities, though, there are some incredibly intriguing concepts. First off, there's a flavor of British Imperialism much as there was in The Mutants, though not so relentless. Given the commanding officer Sanders' attitude regarding the native people, the Kinda ("What point of view could they have? They're savages!"), the viewer is unsurprised to find that a major aspect of Kinda culture (not to mention its overall sophistication) has escaped the notice of the survey team: although the Kinda they have observed do not "have voice," certain wise females are allowed (or able?) to speak, the rest using telepathy to communicate.
The most blatant theme, though, is one of religious symbolism. While viewers familiar with the Christian tradition will immediately pick up on snake and apple references, students of Buddhism will find even more familiar ground. A multitude of names are taken right out of Buddhist mythology: Mara (temptation), Panna (wisdom), and Karuna (compassion), to name a few. Even the name of the planet (Deva Loka; Celestial Region) is borrowed from Sanskrit. And what individual with even minimal knowledge of Buddhism could miss the references to the turning of the Wheel? All of these combine to make the story a more philosophical and thoughtful one than any I can readily recall.
DVD Extras (highlights)Although many mock the denouement of Kinda for the poor effects, taken in the spirit it was meant rather than with the jaded eye of the modern viewer, it is relatively satisfying. Not least, the Doctor's lack of response to Tegan's query about the Mara's status - whether deliberate or accidental on his part - conveniently leaves the door open for another Mara story.
CGI Effects ComparisonI think one of the biggest flaws fans saw in Kinda when it was first transmitted was the less-than-stellar quality of the giant snake. That sequence, about a minute and a half long, has been redone with a modern-day CGI version of the snake inserted in the appropriate shots. You can watch a side-by-side comparison of the originally transmitted effects and the new CGI (you can also choose to watch the episode with the new effects in situ). It's rather fascinating to see what a difference nearly 30 years (and a bit of budget) can make.
Dream TimeThis episode's "making of" documentary explores the interplay among writer Christopher Bailey, director Peter Grimwade, and the three (count 'em!) script editors involved in bringing Kinda to the screen. Each of these men had a different attitude toward the story and the pros and cons of the Buddhist themes, causing them occasionally to be at odds. A few production notes and reminiscences about (and by) the guest actors are also included, though my favorite bits were from the interview with Janet Fielding, when we get to hear her thoughts about her own work. It's not the most inspiring look behind the scenes ever, but it was still worth the time.
Peter Grimwade: Directing with AttitudeThe late Grimwade was actually involved with Doctor Who not only as a director (Kinda was the third of four stories he directed), but also as a writer, though for various reasons he did not meet with as much success in the latter role. Likely of only mild interest to most fans, this biographical piece is nonetheless well crafted, and narrated by Mark Strickland (Turlough).
Review of Snakedance (#124) - Mara Tales, Part 2
DVD Release Date: 12 Apr 11
Original Air Date: 18 - 26 Jan 1983
Doctor/Companion: Five, Nyssa of Traken, Tegan
Stars: Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding
Preceding Story: Arc of Infinity (Five, Nyssa, Tegan)
Succeeding Story: Mawydryn Undead (Five, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, the Brigadier)
Snakedance is essentially writer Christopher Bailey’s do-over on Kinda The same underlying evil, which springs from the hearts of people, is still present, but here exists in a venue in which the Doctor can really do what he does best: Save the Day. The resolution relies on him, his cleverness, and his ability to conquer the imperfections within himself.
This story happens a season later than Kinda, on a completely different planet, and with Nyssa rather than Adric. By the time our heroes reach Manussa, the evil of the Mara has been reduced to legend by the intervening centuries since its local defeat. The tawdry commercialism surrounding the decennial Festival will have a familiar feel to people from many countries all over our world in its parallel to the secularization of actual earthbound religious holidays like (the nominally Christian holiday) Christmas.
The pomp and circumstance are certainly entertaining, though. There’s a lovely shot in the first episode when the crew first steps out of the TARDIS into the market, which is incredibly reminiscent (from the Neowhovian perspective) of scenes in The Fires of Pompeii and Turn Left. Later, at the height of the Festival, the motion of the massive papier-mâché snake that’s paraded through the town put me a bit in mind of a Chinese dragon.
Another theme throughout is the unofficial rivalry between “old religion” and “new reason,” so to speak. Some on Manussa truly believe the Mara will return some day and either retreat to the wilderness to become Snake Dancers or keep their leanings relatively quiet. Meanwhile, the official state position is that there’s no solid evidence to support any of the legends, and so they can be nothing more than stories.
Perhaps my favorite ideas from Snakedance, though, go back to its Buddhist roots. It is attachment that leads to misery (note Ambril's distress over ruined artifacts). One must cast aside the “Three Temptations” (as they are named at the height of the Ceremony): Fear, Despair, Greed. I think all of us could probably do better without so much of those.
DVD Extras (highlights)When the Doctor has his moment with the Old Wise Man figure, I couldn’t stop smiling (not least because of the real, live little garter snake – yay!). I was hard pressed to decide whether I loved it more because of the parallels to Buddhism (“fear is the only poison”) or because of those to Star Wars (“steady your mind; attach to nothing; let go of your fear”) – though the latter admittedly draws from the former. Either way, it was a wonderful part of the story. This one’s definitely on the re-watch list.
Snake CharmerThis time the “making of” documentary compares some of the differences in working on the two Mara stories from the perspectives of the writer and script editor (Eric Saward). It also includes comments about and by some of the actors regarding various performances in Snakedance, some cool notes about the set design, and an interesting aside about the nature of cliffhangers in the serial (N-episodes-per-story) format.
In StudioAs the production team worked to create certain effects shots, not everything worked per plan. Some of these outtakes are actually fairly amusing, but now that I’ve seen them once, there’s no reason ever to watch them again.
Deleted ScenesDespite what it says, the first half of these 3 minutes are not so much “deleted” scenes as “rearranged” ones. However, there is an alternate ending here. Personally, I think the editors made the right decision.
DVD Release Date: 08 Mar 11
Original Air Date: 31 Jan - 06 Mar 1976
Doctor/Companion: Four, Sarah Jane Smith
Stars: Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen
Preceding Story: The Brain of Morbius (Four, Sarah Jane)
Succeeding Story: The Masque of Mandragora (Four, Sarah Jane)
As I've mentioned before, sometimes Tom Baker's performances as Four leave me a bit cold. Not this time. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but The Seeds of Doom really worked for me. From the opening moment in the Antarctic (is that Hoth?) to the closing moments where the Doctor and Sarah Jane have a timey-wimey moment, this is a classic, full-on romp.
Obviously, there's personal danger and a threat to the entire planet, but the baddie is amusing (you know he's bad, because he wears his black leather gloves inside, and all the time) and the alien menace is suitably absurd. Most of the effects used to realize said menace are also pretty good, as Who goes, though the spanner one character uses to bludgeon another was very obviously rubber (spanners aren't generally so wobbly), and I have to admit that the camera-flash-on-a-stick "laser guns" literally made me laugh out loud.
One thing I really enjoyed about this story was the "flash-forward" meta-references, only noticeable from this future perspective. Several times I was put in mind of other Who episodes (like Midnight, while the Doctor, Sarah Jane, and some of the baddies are holed up, hiding from the Krynoid), and one can't help but draw the parallel with Fargo when the composter is introduced.
But the best bits for me were all about the Doctor. It's actually a bit of an odd tale, in that the TARDIS is nowhere to be seen (I kept expecting them to vworp into the Antarctic research station at the beginning, and was really puzzled that the scientists there had to wait for the Doctor and Sarah Jane to arrive by chopper), so there's no Time Lord technology to save the day here. Only UNIT, who put the Doctor on the case in the first place, is there at the end to back him up with the aforementioned laser guns. But while the soldiers run around like a bunch of herbicidal maniacs, the Doctor is reprising his role as Action Hero (very reminiscent of Three).
It's almost out of character, the way he gamely jumps through a skylight to land on a baddie and hold him at gunpoint with his own confiscated weapon. In fact, at various points in the story, the Doctor punches someone out, stabs the Krynoid with a sword, and grapples with another pursuer - going so far as to twist his neck in a move that in Hollywood would have broken said pursuer's neck, killing him (he was only momentarily incapacitated here, though). One wonders when Hand-to-hand Combat Doctor action figures were meant to go on sale.
DVD Extras (highlights)The Angry Doctor crops up rather frequently in Seeds (like when the bad guys oh-so-predictably find his Achilles' Heel, and threaten his Companion), and it seems perhaps he's taking the attitude that anger is better than fear. But the Cheeky Doctor is also in evidence, making us smile understandingly when someone covertly queries, "That chap you called in from UNIT - is he quite sane?" Frankly, it's delightful. Aside from City of Death
PodshockEvery DVD these days needs a good "making of" documentary, and this one is as informative and entertaining as any. The one big downer is an irritating fake snow effect - not just in the background but actually in front of the interviewees - which is OK for the first ten seconds or so, but rapidly becomes incredibly distracting. Thank [insert higher power of your choice here] it stopped after the first segment or two.
Now & ThenThis extra is a brief exploration of how various parts of the story coincided with the actual locations used for shooting, particularly the Athelhampton estate.
Stripped for ActionSimilar to the piece on the DVD for The Movie, this featurette covers Four's adventures in comic format, from their start in "TV Comic" to the influential shift to true Marvel style (courtesy of Marvel artists) with the birth of "Doctor Who Weekly" magazine in 1979.
, this is probably my favorite of Four's stories so far (keep in mind, I haven't seen them all, and many of them only once). Having had such a feel-good gut reaction, I can enthusiastically give Seeds of Doom "two leaves up."An Eye to the Future
Review of The Ark (#23)
DVD Release Date: 08 Mar 11
Original Air Date: 05 - 26 Mar 1966
Doctor/Companion: One, Steven Taylor, Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet
Stars: William Hartnell, Peter Purves, Jackie Lane
Preceding Story: The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve (One, Steven)
Succeeding Story: The Celestial Toymaker (One, Steven, Dodo)
Although we don't really figure it out until halfway through, The Ark is sort of two stories wrapped into one. Beginning with a rather typical "outsiders bring harmless-to-them germs into a closed population, threatening to wipe out said population" plot, the story soon takes a turn toward more socio-political themes. Groups are set against each other and make plans of varying degrees of stupidity and brutality. Obviously, this being Doctor Who, there's also a time-travel twist to the tale (which I won't completely spoil here), but that is primarily clever storytelling rather than a necessary element for plot advancement.
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the story, at least on the surface, is the abysmal quality of the monster-of-the-week, which is poor even by Doctor Who's standards (and that's saying quite a lot!). The actors playing the Monoids could not have been comfortable with body-length rubber sheaths that included huge (clearly visible) zippers up the back, mangy wigs draping down over half their faces, and ping pong balls painted as eyeballs in their mouths. Every time one of these pathetic critters waddles on set, you can't help but snicker and think about the mechanics of wearing the costume (particularly the
Once you get past the man-in-a-rubber-suit-ness of the Monoids, The Ark is a worthwhile tale. The overall plot is engaging enough that we're willing to overlook some of the rather egregious problems with details like the aforementioned costumes, the somewhat bizarre presence of a "security kitchen," and a ship millions of years in our future yet barely beyond modern technology. In fact, I think these details highlight a very insightful point made in one of the extras that, strictly speaking, Doctor Who isn't "science fiction," because the science is bollocks - but we don't care. These stories aren't about the places strange new scientific advances take us; all that is mere background to the narratives being woven - in essence, a sort of "temporal local color." So the people and the situations are what draw us in, perhaps especially in The Ark.
This is a bit of a notable episode for the TARDIS crew, too. It's Dodo's first full serial, since she only appeared in last minutes of Massacre, and one of only two of her four stories to survive intact (only 1 episode of The Celestial Toymaker survives, and none of The Savages). Further, it seems to hark back to the era when the Doctor was the MacGuffin for the story, not its hero; as Ian before him, Steven seems clearly the protagonist of this tale. Sadly, that appears to have been a conscious decision, part of "phasing out" Hartnell as the Doctor. As Hartnell himself was painfully aware, his failing health was beginning to affect his memory, resulting in more frequent line flubs in an era where no time or resources could be spared to reshoot (which is why we hear them so often). In that sense, The Ark essentially marks the beginning of the end for One.
DVD Extras (highlights)
All's Wells That Ends WellsH.G. Wells' work undoubtedly influenced Doctor Who, as it did all sorts of SF in general. This documentary covers some of the specific ways that influence can be seen in The Ark (including aspects of at least 5 stories, most notably The Time Machine) and beyond.
One Hit WonderContrary to popular perception, most adversaries in Doctor Who are one-off (or at most two-time) monsters. We get to see here why that is.
Riverside StoryMany of the early serials (seasons 2-5, with One and Two) were recorded at Riverside Studios. In this extra, an interviewer talks with Peter Purves (Steven) about his experiences recording there. It's a bit unnerving after watching the story to see Purves more than 40 years later (he's a bit hard to recognize at first), but his recollections add insight and give us a glimpse at what it was like to work with William Hartnell.
Although there aren't a whole lot of extras, and it's populated by some of the most ridiculous-looking Doctor Who creatures of all time, The Ark is still quite a good story; look past the ocular oddities, and it's a charming, entertaining adventure. If nothing else, it gives excellent context for the history of both Doctor Who and science fiction of the 1960s, and is well worth viewing.
It's All About Perspective
Review of The Mutants (#63)
DVD Release Date: 08 Feb 11
Original Air Date: 08 Apr - 13 May 1972
Doctor/Companion: Three, Jo Grant
Stars: Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning
Preceding Story: The Sea Devils (Three, Jo)
Succeeding Story: The Time Monster (Three, Jo)
When the Doctor is sent on yet another mission by the Time Lords, he and Jo find themselves on a skybase orbiting the planet Solos. There, officials of imperial Earth are preparing to grant the natives independence after 500 years, but the Marshal has other ideas. He wants to make Solos' atmosphere breathable by humans (which it currently isn't), rather than to Solonians (which it currently is). Due to the experiments he has commissioned, some Solonians are mutating into strange, bug-like creatures - derogatorily nicknamed "Mutts" - which the Marshal believes should be purged from the planet.
I must admit that, from my 21st century American perspective, I saw this story as primarily a commentary on our stewardship of the environment, and to a lesser degree about the treatment of indigenous peoples by colonizing cultures. However, at the time, especially to a British audience not yet completely out of imperial politics, it would have smacked rather heavily of the British withdrawal from India in 1947, not to mention South Africa or the then-current conflict in Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe). It's interesting to me that this story can play out on so many levels - standard Who story, allegory of imperialism, and allegory of environmental issues - over so many years. Perhaps that's why I was so surprised at the way a different theme came across.
Having looked at the list of extras before watching the story and thus being forewarned of a racial component, one of the things that struck me most intensely was the fact that there was a single character of color - a black soldier named, of all things, Cotton. When the irony of that particular moniker struck me, I was aghast that anyone would be so... uncouth. Granted, this was first broadcast in the early '70s (times have changed at least a bit), and after viewing the extras I recognize that it was unintentional (at least on the part of the writers), but it still strikes me as one of those moments where you realize that society has a long way to go.
Taken strictly at face value, though, The Mutants is certainly as serviceable as any of Three's stories (and more than some). Still at the mercy of the Time Lords for travel, the Doctor seems as happy as ever to be in the thick of things, ready to Save the World, whichever world it may be. However you care to approach it - for pure entertainment or a bit of philosophizing - you won't be disappointed.
DVD Extras (highlights)Whether intentionally or not, The Mutants has recaptured something of the series' original intent. I may not watch Doctor Who to learn about history or science (don't get me started on the astrophysical errors I've seen), but here is an example of the beauty of Who as teacher of history. All unwitting, this story's subtextual use of "current events" has given me an interest in Britain's imperial history and prompted me to go learn more on my own. It's how all the best teachers affect us.
Mutt MadA "making of" documentary is almost a requirement on DVD extras these days, but whether you generally enjoy such items or not, this one is well worth the time to watch. It included recollections from the scriptwriters, director, set designer, and at least one actor, all discussing things like the allegorical intent and the writers' surprise when black actor Rick James was cast as Cotton, who had been written as a Cockney character. Overall, it's quite interesting to hear everyone's perspectives, nearly 40 years after the fact.
Race Against TimeAs an American, I'm rather uncomfortably aware of the long history of race relations (especially between "black" and "white") in my own country. What I've not known much about is the state of race relations in Britain. Thus, it was with great interest that I watched this DVD extra about the way black people have been depicted in British television, and particularly in Doctor Who.
Narrated by Noel Clarke (better known to Neo-Whovians as Mickey Smith), this 37-minute documentary yielded interesting and occasionally slightly disturbing insights into British culture during the last half-century or so. Hailing as I do from a colony rather than the imperial homeland, I had never even considered some of the imperialist attitudes that have crept into the very core of mainstream British thinking. It was a bit odd to hear American television upheld as a positive example in the sense of race integration, though I would certainly concede the point after considering the case of The Black and White Minstrel Show, which ran for 20 years with white actors in blackface, a la the historic American South.
Given the themes of The Mutants, this piece is well placed with the extras. It's a fascinating look at the attitudes pervading British society and how they translate to the small screen. Don't miss it.
Dressing Doctor WhoI honestly didn't expect this piece to be as engaging as it was, but listening to Oscar-winning costume designer James Acheson (his first of three Academy Awards was in 1988 for The Last Emperor) talk about his costuming start on Doctor Who was delightful. Acheson is charming and has a great sense of humor about the variable quality of the product. The Mutants was his first foray into costuming, and Doctor Who seems to have suited him. His later work on the show included such iconic inventions as the first Sontaran's uniform, Four's scarf, and the Zygons. The behind-the-scenes stories alone are worth the proverbial price of admission.
A small aside:
RIP, Nicholas Courtney - your Brigadier captured my heart from the first time I saw him.
The Ugly Docling
Review of Doctor Who: The Movie (Special Edition)
DVD Release Date: 08 Feb 11
Original Air Date: 14 May 96 (US)
Doctor/Companion: Eight, Dr. Grace Holloway
Stars: Paul McGann, Daphne Ashbrook
Preceding Story: Survival (Seven, Ace) - 1989
Succeeding Story: Rose (Nine, Rose Tyler) - 2005
Notable Aspects:
- Only televised story to include the Eighth Doctor
- Doctor's first on-screen kiss
- Bridge between Classic and Nu-Who
- DVD: First North American video release
There are those who think The Movie is one of the worst crimes ever committed against the Whoniverse. I am not among them. Despite some notably bad features, I actually really enjoy it. Not the least of my reasons is that it's the one and only on-screen appearance of Paul McGann as the Doctor.
The made-for-tv Movie came about (in its final form) as a "back-door pilot" for a potential series re-launch. It was to be set in the US and aimed at the US market, so the tone was somewhat "Americanized." Among other things, it added a splash of romance (much to the horror of Old Skool Whovians), a "car" chase, and an actual American Companion (as opposed to Peri - played by Nicola Bryant, a Brit). Not all of it worked, but there's a reason McGann continues to this day to get work as Eight in audio-dramas and other projects: he makes a brilliant Doctor.
After learning more about the tortuous path this story took getting to the screen (see the extras, below), it's easier to understand - and even forgive - some of its flaws. To my mind, the most notable one is the casting of Eric Roberts (that's Julia's brother, for Six Degrees of Separation buffs) as the Master. The Powers That Be wanted an American actor as the villain of the piece, so it came down to a matter of who was acceptable to the right corporate suits (and who would take the money offered), rather than who was right for the part. Roberts' resultant Master is campy, never more so than when he dons that quasi-Gallifreyan get-up. The role has always been camp (just listen to Roger Delgado's muahaha! some time if you don't believe me), but this takes the biscuit. And somehow, it's not Master-y to me at all. Where's the "devious and overcomplicated
" plot, the exceedingly clever adversary? Mostly, he just poses and attempts (poorly) to intimidate. At least there was some mind control and ruthless disregard for life to make him seem more Master-ful.The other really awful bit, to my mind, is the infamous "half human" angle. Apparently (according to some of the DVD extras), it's a holdover from Classic scripts that never made it to the screen. I'll never understand why anyone thought that was a good idea to add into the canon, but this is one of those instances where I wholeheartedly apply River Song's Rule One ("the Doctor lies"). As far as I'm concerned, it's a non-issue - it never happened (that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!).
On the up side, though, McGann is wonderful fun to watch. The "who am I?" bit is rather overwrought, but otherwise he's got just the right blend of serious authority and wacky humor. Starting out with a wicked case of post-regenerative-brain-addlement, he gradually comes into himself, gaining confidence and settling into his usual take-charge problem-solving headspace. It's really a fairly typical regeneration story in that sense. By the end it's easy to envision him whisking Grace off onto further adventures far from turn-of-the-millennium San Francisco, and it seems unutterably sad that Eight never appeared on screen again.
[I feel that, as an aside, I must comment on the wig McGann wore for filming. The casting people loved the long hair he was sporting at the time he was cast (you can watch some of his audition in the extras), and made a point of including it for the character. Much as McGann despised it ("I hated that wig. HATED it!"), the long hair really adds to the persona. It's too bad he'd had to cut his own hair for a soldier role before filming The Movie, as clearly real hair would have been better, but I can't fault those who felt long locks belonged on the Eighth Doctor. It certainly adds to his appeal for those of us who appreciate male aesthetics.]
As for the DVD, it's a break-through for those of us in North America (and in Australia, for that matter). Until now, The Movie was only available on DVD in Region 2 (Europe). If you had a region-free player and access to a R2 disk, you could see it, but now it is available to the average North American fan. Even better, the Special Edition is aptly named. The 2-disc set included a slew of extras that are certainly worth watching, including a few items that were included on the 2001 R2 release.
DVD Extras (highlights)After it first aired, The Movie was much-maligned by fans. Many saw the changes it made to be an affront to the program they loved. Looking back from the modern perspective, it was really just a logical step between Classic and Nu-Who. With time, what once seemed an unbearable blemish became a respected part of the canon in its own right. Judged by the standard for a different species, it's not so terrible after all.
Audio CommentaryThere are two tracks available on the Special Edition: Track 1, with Director Geoffrey Sax; and Track 2, with Paul McGann (Eight) and Sylvester McCoy (Seven), moderated by Nicholas Briggs (known to Neo-Whovians as the voice of the Daleks et al.). You can guess which one I listened to.
It was really interesting to get a British point of view on the film. Among other things, it helped me step outside my own cultural biases a bit, and see how it really does have a more American feel than Classic Who. The best part, though, is getting a better sense of the people behind the character, and McGann and McCoy are pleasant, clever, and humorous.
The Seven Year HitchAs alluded to above, this near-hour-long piece follows the roller-coaster ride for executive producer Philip Segal as he attempted to get rights to Doctor Who and bring his own story to the screen. It's a truly convoluted, incredible tale, and worth watching.
Who Peter, 1989-2009One of the longest-running and best-loved television shows for children in Britain is Blue Peter. Throughout its run, Blue Peter has had a special relationship with Doctor Who. In this documentary, important production-team members examine Blue Peter's role in keeping the idea of Doctor Who alive even when it wasn't on the air both pre- and post-Movie (1989-1996; 1996-2005).
The Wilderness YearsFans often refer to the era when new Doctor Who episodes were not being made for television as "the wilderness years." This short documentary is a sort of tribute to the fans and the tenacity with which they refused to let their favorite show die. In a sense, because the Movie didn't get picked up and extended into an American series, it was just a brief interlude, marking the near-halfway point between Classic and Nu-Who. Fans did their part during both eras of the wilderness years.
Stripped for Action - The Eighth DoctorDoctor Who comics have a long, honorable history. This piece gives us an inside look at what those who created comics leading up to and during Eight's tenure as the "current" Doctor did with the medium.
Tomorrow's Times - The Eighth Doctor"Tomorrow's Times" is a fascinating little series of documentaries outlining "contemporary press coverage" of Doctor Who for the various Doctors (see The Dominatorsfor an installment about Two). We are treated to a reading of some very telling snippets of newspaper pieces about The Movie, giving critics' views of the American take-over of Britain's iconic program.
A Dickens of a Good Time
Review of A Christmas Carol
Try as I might, I cannot find a way to make “Christmassy-wistmassy” sound good in a sentence. But how else do you accurately describe the action in A Christmas Carol, which is simultaneously about as timey-wimey as we’ve seen and also unrelentingly inspired by the holiday season (and, more specifically, by its namesake)? After a somewhat shaky start (“Christmas is canceled!”? What kind of rubbish line is that?), the episode turns rollicksome and barely pauses for breath. Little details made me smile before the story really even began. I mean, how can you not love Amy & Rory’s discomfiture at being caught with their barely-metaphorical pants down? And after all that happened last series, it’s brilliant finally to see Arthur Darvill’s name in the credits.
From the title down, the whole episode is deliberately Dickensian – the Doctor himself makes a conscious decision to mimic the story when his answer to Amy’s query changes from “a Christmas carol” to “A Christmas Carol”. Thus it’s no surprise right off to hear Kazran’s rant (“I call it expecting something for nothing!”) so closely echo Scrooge’s complaint that Christmas is “a poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December!” It’s almost like a game to find as many references as you can, though perhaps it would be wise to stop before you started counting every little quasi-Victorian detail on the set.
While I’m on the topic of minutiae, I may as well mention the Doctor’s new jacket; his fabulous entrance; and the way he continues to be as frenetic as ever, delivering viciously funny lines that are all too easy to miss while you’re still laughing at the last one. (A few of those – like the whole bit about the face spider – feel like something Moffat couldn’t bear to leave on his Wonderfully Scary Ideas clipboard despite the fact they wouldn’t support a stand-alone episode.) I could point out how wonderful the Doctor’s comment about never having met someone “who wasn’t important” is or how well his eyes say “if only you knew” when Kazran spits his venom about trying on a broken heart for size. Maybe I should mention the subtle use of the Doctor’s Theme when Kazran’s father tells him of the machine’s completion, and he seems to reject it, going to the drawer for the sonic screwdriver before finally rejecting the Doctor. Or the way Amy’s exchange with the Doctor outside the TARDIS at the end harks back to the end of Forest of the Dead.
Perhaps, though, it would be more interesting to examine some of the overall themes of the episode. With that in mind, I’ll present the rest of my thoughts on a theme-by-theme basis.
The Redemption of Kazran Sardick
The influence of Dickens’ story is obvious throughout, but less obvious is the sort of Hero’s Journey that Kazran undertakes. His story clearly has all the hallmarks of the monomyth, though (as, for that matter, did Scrooge’s experiences). The Doctor gives him the Call to Adventure (which he refuses). It takes a Time Lord’s eye to find the clues to Kazran’s past (and I must say, the “what am I missing” scene played out here much better than it did with the experimental camerawork in Eleventh Hour), showing the old miser that he is not – does not have to be – like his father. Ever the reluctant hero, Kazran does not heed the call, and forces the Doctor’s hand.
With his guide, Kazran travels the Road of Trials during their adventure with the shark, which eventually leads him to the Meeting with the Goddess – though a bit delayed, as it takes a few outings before she notices him first. In the meantime, we see Kazran the Elder change subtly. He learns as a boy why bow ties are cool and (unless my eyes deceived me), his cravat has changed to emulate his boyhood hero’s attire. As they share more time with Abigail, the portrait in his study magically changes. The portrait is an obvious visual metaphor to let the viewer follow the struggles of our still-reluctant hero.
One of the key aspects of the Hero’s Journey is that the hero must descend into darkness and face what he fears most. “Halfway out of the dark” could hardly allude to that idea more strongly. And when he reaches his Apotheosis – at his Atonement with the Father, which is actually himself – we see him Cross the Return Threshold (a beautiful twist on the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, though I’m still scratching my head about why reality didn’t implode á la Father’s Day).
It’s all thoroughly steeped in myth, which leads us quite nicely to the following theme.
The Fairy Tale Nature of the Doctor
It struck me on my second viewing how very Peter Pan the Doctor is here. He appears at Kazran’s window to take him on a sort of adventure, then proceeds to fly around the room (bouncing on the bed), finally proving once and for all that he is not a responsible adult. The childlike joy continues as he gets distracted on the way to the vault (“Ooh! Tree!”) and peaks with the rickshaw ride. Eleven has certainly recaptured the joie de vivre that Ten nearly completely lost.
On the flip side of his puckishness, though, the Doctor is still a bit too practical at times. As he told Amy in a deleted scene from last series, without someone else through which to experience things, he just “doesn’t see it” anymore. (What’s more Christmassy than that, from a parent’s point of view?) Kazran the Younger has to tell the Doctor quite literally to shut up when he goes on about the “real” reason Abigail’s voice is able to soothe the savage beast, when it’s much purer to accept it as Kazran says: fish like the singing.
The Possibility of Foreshadowing
Maybe it’s just me, but I could’ve sworn that the be-goggled lackey who answered the call from the president at the beginning was Rory in disguise. Either I’m delusional (a possibility I don’t deny), or that’ll be coming back to us in Series Six. Then we get to the cold chamber, where the Doctor kept swatting at invisible “fish”, wondering why they kept biting him. If that doesn’t reek of series foreshadowing, I don’t know what does. I also had to wonder who the other figures in stasis were. Only two besides Abigail were ever shown. Was that a budgeting/storytelling short cut decision, or were those individuals’ faces shown to us so we could later point to them as harbingers of Plot Points Yet to Come? It’s hard to know at this point how many little details deserve our attention, since Moffat first taught us to notice them all, and later seemed to renege on that philosophy. These all seem to be items for the Time Will Tell files.
The Niggles of the Fangeek
“Fangeek” is about as lofty a title as I’m yet due, though I fly that flag high and proud. Regardless, what I mean by “niggles” (stop thinking that, you naughty thing) is the parts that don’t quite seem right – the “what were they thinking?” bits.
First and foremost, it makes absolutely no sense that the Doctor would ask Abigail about the number on her ice box and then just casually toss it aside. It’s obvious from the beginning (at least it was to me) that it’s how much time she has left – probably days (and, go figure, so it was). It’s clear that they’re whittling away what little time she has left by taking her out of storage every few Christmas Eves. So why doesn’t the Doctor – clever clogs that he is – suss that out?
Further, why talk about how ill she is without even mentioning whether or not medical technology has changed enough in the last 50 years (75? How old was Kazran when she was first frozen, and how old at the end?) to save her? I mean sure, Moffat needs to shed his “everybody lives” tendencies a bit more thoroughly, but in this case, it feels a bit of a loose thread.
One last little question. What of the Doctor’s “rebuilding” sonic screwdriver? Does it still need the other half inside the shark? Will the Doctor just come back when the shark’s life is done and reclaim it? Or will this lead to the next incarnation of his trusty omni-tool (perhaps a yellow one, if we continue the chromatic progression)? Stay tuned, gentle viewer…
Concentrating on the pluses…
I have to say that the aforementioned niggles are just that: smallish items that in no way detracted from the whole. The Christmas special lived up to the name of special (perhaps more so than any of its predecessors) with a sense of pure fun, wonderful guest artists with glorious voices (here I include Michael Gambon with Katherine Jenkins), more of the madcap Doctor we’ve come to love, and some tantalizing tidbits to mull over as we await Series Six.
Bring it.
