So finally, following the tragic death of Elisabeth Sladen earlier this year, we bade a fond farewell to the character she played for so many years this week. It was a brave decision on the part of CBBC, to show the 3 final stories of the Sarah Jane Adventures. It is also a shame that these stories were not the strongest that the Dr Who spin-off has seen. However, the final story - "The Man Who Never Was" - was as near to a good send-off for Sarah Jane Smith as we could have hoped for in the circumstances.
Sarah left the Dr Who universe in exactly the way she entered it - a plucky, fearless investigative journalist, determined to get to the truth. The great thing about the character of Sarah Jane is that she was that rarest of companions - a solid character. It is obvious with most of the female companions in the classic series (with the obvious exception of Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush) that they were cast as much for their sex appeal, as they were for their ability to portray a strong foil for the Doctor.
Now, please don't get me wrong. I am not saying that Elisabeth Sladen lacked attractiveness, but her portrayal of SJS down the years was so much more than just a reason for dads to stay tuned. Whilst the feminst thrust of the early appearances was watered down somewhat during the latter stages of her first tenure in the Whoniverse, it cannot be denied that as a role-model for young female viewers of the show, Sarah Jane was the most admirable.
In this final episode of the Sarah Jane Adventures, we didn't see the character killed off, or retired. But what we saw was a return to Bannerman Road for Luke, meaning that the core Bannerman Road gang were present for Elisabeth's swansong. It would, of course, have been nice to see Maria return briefly, and perhaps even the Doctor, but we must be thankful for what budget, circumstance, and time allow.
Its evident from watching the 2 episodes, that the fun factor that SJA is renowned for on set was still in evidence, and Sladen's final performances as the character lacked nothing in terms of energy. I have reservations about the suitability of Clyde's "grateful for a full-stop" gag on a children's show, but generally speaking the episode is good, and there is a lovely "Survival"-esque epilogue to the series spoken over the final scene.
Having seen the first transmission of "The Time Warrior", and grown up with Sarah's adjustment to life in the TARDIS, regeneration, blindness, possession, and all the other escapades the reporter from the Metropolitan faced in her travels, it is with a great deal of sadness that your blogger looks back on the entire body of episodes to feature Miss Smith.
I'm sure I am not alone in hoping that the final sentiment - that the stories will go on for ever and ever - is true. Goodbye, our Sarah Jane. It was a lovely 37 years.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Spiral Mutterings 14: Hooray for Who-Ray!
So, just had a FANTASTIC day, helping out the good folks at Who-Ray! in Stockton with their birthday celebrations. For those of you who don't know it, Who-Ray! is a shop that, in addition to various gifts, cards, and aromatic whatnots, specialises in a veritable cornucopia of Who-related merchandise. Check out their online presences at Facebook (www.facebook.com/Who-Ray.shop), and of course, the online shop shop.who-ray.co.uk.
In order to celebrate, Brian and Martin (proprietors, and all round splendid chaps - both of them), invited a host of Who-related entertainments for the good people of Stockton. Matt Smith lookalikes, Daleks, a Cyberman, 2 Weeping Angels and the last human herself, Cassandra all put in great turns for the masses. Opening the event was a short fan-film, by local film-makers Jay Moussa and oh...er...me! Entitled IDENTITY, it tells the story of UNIT trying to ascertain the identity of a man with amnesia, found at the site of a temporal disturbance. It will shortly get an interwebnet release, so watch this space.
I was a tad nervous about the film - it was filmed in one afternoon (last Sunday, to be precise), and was edited in software I had barely used previously. To say the version that was shown today was rough around the edges is to understate the case massively. So I was prepared for the film to be met with a stony silence. I did a brief intro, and then pressed play. The fact that most of the cast and crew were in the room with me should have helped my fear, but instead it increased it. After all, none of them had seen it since I took the raw footage away from the set!
The film ended with a round of applause. I was, quite frankly, stunned! Then it was on to the main order of business. Between us, we had choreographed a staged entrance for the cosplay volunteers, the cyberman and the Daleks. Apart from the Daleks big entrance, it was a back-of-a-fag packet, seat of the pants style bit of theatre, but it worked. Our 11th Doctor lookalike (who was very convincing - either he was separated from Matt Smith at birth, or he has studied every nuance of his mannerisms very closely) came out of the TARDIS, mingled with the audience, then had to nip out for a part for the TARDIS. Only to be confronted by a Cyberman. As he backed away, frantically trying to aim his sonic at the Telosian menace, the back wall burst asunder, and out came the Daleks.
And is if all this wasn't enough, this was all just to pave the way for the guest of honour, the legendary Doctor Who director Graeme Harper. Considering his status amongst fans of the show, Graeme is a pleasant, unassuming man ("I don't even think about whether my stuff is brilliant. As long as its as good as it can be, and people enjoy it"). Graeme held court at various points throughout the day, riveting fans with his easy, conversational style of Dr Who anecdotes. Signing copies of his book "Calling the Shots", having photos taken, and being grilled relentlessly by BBC Tees' very own Bob Fisher, the great man himself never flagged, and was pretty much game for any thing put to him. 10 lucky ticket holders even got to have tea with him at a secret location.
When Graeme wasn't holding court, there was still entertainment to be had. Daleks Mack, Bruce, George and Nation were on-hand, exhibiting some rare Skaroese charm, and mischievous humour. Nearby Star Wars specialists, Hunter Toys, also had something going on, and soon the Daleks were entering into battle with Darth Maul and a Jedi Knight. Seriously, this is the kind of thing that can only happen in Stockton.
By 6pm, the fun was over, and we stood as a group - thoroughly knackered but strangely happy. All the proceeds from the day were to go to Butterwick Hospice, which was a lovely gesture by Brian and Martin. I suspect the shop may have made a few bob as well - as we were completely unprepared for the size of the crowd waiting to be entertained! After a group hug, and bidding fond farewells, we all made our various ways home.
And I was suddenly struck by the way it reminded me of similar events back in the 80s. Small events, where people banded together and forged friendships in order to promote some Who-related product or service. And you know, I think some more friendships were forged today. I am seriously looking forward to the next event - DALEKMANIA...watch this space.
In order to celebrate, Brian and Martin (proprietors, and all round splendid chaps - both of them), invited a host of Who-related entertainments for the good people of Stockton. Matt Smith lookalikes, Daleks, a Cyberman, 2 Weeping Angels and the last human herself, Cassandra all put in great turns for the masses. Opening the event was a short fan-film, by local film-makers Jay Moussa and oh...er...me! Entitled IDENTITY, it tells the story of UNIT trying to ascertain the identity of a man with amnesia, found at the site of a temporal disturbance. It will shortly get an interwebnet release, so watch this space.
I was a tad nervous about the film - it was filmed in one afternoon (last Sunday, to be precise), and was edited in software I had barely used previously. To say the version that was shown today was rough around the edges is to understate the case massively. So I was prepared for the film to be met with a stony silence. I did a brief intro, and then pressed play. The fact that most of the cast and crew were in the room with me should have helped my fear, but instead it increased it. After all, none of them had seen it since I took the raw footage away from the set!
The film ended with a round of applause. I was, quite frankly, stunned! Then it was on to the main order of business. Between us, we had choreographed a staged entrance for the cosplay volunteers, the cyberman and the Daleks. Apart from the Daleks big entrance, it was a back-of-a-fag packet, seat of the pants style bit of theatre, but it worked. Our 11th Doctor lookalike (who was very convincing - either he was separated from Matt Smith at birth, or he has studied every nuance of his mannerisms very closely) came out of the TARDIS, mingled with the audience, then had to nip out for a part for the TARDIS. Only to be confronted by a Cyberman. As he backed away, frantically trying to aim his sonic at the Telosian menace, the back wall burst asunder, and out came the Daleks.
And is if all this wasn't enough, this was all just to pave the way for the guest of honour, the legendary Doctor Who director Graeme Harper. Considering his status amongst fans of the show, Graeme is a pleasant, unassuming man ("I don't even think about whether my stuff is brilliant. As long as its as good as it can be, and people enjoy it"). Graeme held court at various points throughout the day, riveting fans with his easy, conversational style of Dr Who anecdotes. Signing copies of his book "Calling the Shots", having photos taken, and being grilled relentlessly by BBC Tees' very own Bob Fisher, the great man himself never flagged, and was pretty much game for any thing put to him. 10 lucky ticket holders even got to have tea with him at a secret location.
When Graeme wasn't holding court, there was still entertainment to be had. Daleks Mack, Bruce, George and Nation were on-hand, exhibiting some rare Skaroese charm, and mischievous humour. Nearby Star Wars specialists, Hunter Toys, also had something going on, and soon the Daleks were entering into battle with Darth Maul and a Jedi Knight. Seriously, this is the kind of thing that can only happen in Stockton.
By 6pm, the fun was over, and we stood as a group - thoroughly knackered but strangely happy. All the proceeds from the day were to go to Butterwick Hospice, which was a lovely gesture by Brian and Martin. I suspect the shop may have made a few bob as well - as we were completely unprepared for the size of the crowd waiting to be entertained! After a group hug, and bidding fond farewells, we all made our various ways home.
And I was suddenly struck by the way it reminded me of similar events back in the 80s. Small events, where people banded together and forged friendships in order to promote some Who-related product or service. And you know, I think some more friendships were forged today. I am seriously looking forward to the next event - DALEKMANIA...watch this space.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Spiral Muttering 13 - The Regeneration Game
Spiral Mutterings are a bit like buses at the moment. Don't see one for ages, and then 2 pop up in rapid succession. OK, so its not often that the gap between buses is 8 years, but there you go. Anyway, as we are 1 and a bit seasons into the tenure of the Eleventh Doctor, I thought it a timely moment to ruminate on the subject of regenerations.
So - RTD mischief in the Sarah Jane Adventures aside (Clyde asks the Doctor how many times he can regenerate, and the Doctor replies 507 in Death of the Doctor) - it has been firmly established in the series that Time Lords can regenerate 12 times - giving us 13 incarnations. Of course, there are certain caveats - if a Time Lord is killed again before a regeneration cycle completes, he is properly dead. Also, it appears that a Time Lord can start a partial regeneration to heal an injury.
So should we be worried that the Doctor only (apparently) has 2 bodies left to go? Possibly not. First of all, we already know that the producers of the new series are not averse to a reboot or two. Secondly, incidents in the series past have hinted that it is possible for a Time Lord to survive beyond the 13th incarnation (eg: The Master), and even be given a whole new regenerative cycle (The Five Doctors). Of course the latter may only be possible if granted by the Time Lords, who don't exist in the current Doctor Who universe. However, there may still be hope. What follows may, at times, seem whackier than a whacky thing at the World Whacky Championships, but it may be a less convoluted solution than current producers may be looking at.
When we first see the Doctor change, in The Tenth Planet, he complains that his body is old, and wearing out. Once in the TARDIS, he collapses and begins to change. This process is referred to as "rejuvenation" on-screen. Now, we do know that the TARDIS can have positive effects on the regenerative process, so is it possible that when a regeneration takes place in the TARDIS, it is more akin to the partial processs that heals the body, rather than a full regeneration? If this is the case, and you haven't dismissed me as a lunatic yet, then read on.
So, William Hartnell "rejuvenates", and becomes Patrick Troughton. So, Patrick Troughton is still the first Doctor - just a younger, healthier version. At the end of The War Games, Patrick Troughton's Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords - and exiled to Earth. It is decided that his appearance will be changed. As there is no evidence of the Time Lords using capital punishment on the Doctor, i.e killing him to force a regeneration, it is possible to assume that they used some form of advanced Gallifreyan plastic surgery. So, Jon Pertwee is STILL the first Doctor.
So, our first full regeneration comes at the end of Planet of the Spiders. The Doctor, exposed to a lethal dose of radiation, returns to Earth, collapses, and changes. The process is nudged by a fellow Time Lord, but otherwise, this is a full-on regeneration. Therefore, Tom Baker is now the Second Doctor.
This second Doctor unfortunately becomes a relatively early regeneratee. Following his fall from the Pharos radio telescope, the Doctor lays on the floor and, again, outside the TARDIS, regenerates. A slight deviation, with the introduction of a "intermediate stage" called the Watcher, but a regeneration nonetheless. So, Peter Davison becomes the Third Doctor.
Our dashing Third Doctor succumbs to Spectrox Toxaemia poisoning, and with only enough antidote for Peri, he changes. INSIDE the TARDIS. So its feasible that this is only a partial process - enough to cleanse the toxin from his body, and indeed, change his form - but its feasible its not a full regeneration. So, the man in the garish coat is still the Third Doctor.
Suffering a severe knock to the head, inside the TARDIS (I mean, come on! The Doctor has survived much worse than that!), I think we can safely assume more of a healing, partial regeneration at the start of Time And The Rani.So our last regular TV Doctor from the classic series is still the Third Doctor.
Of course, being shot several times in a San Francisco back alley, being rushed to hospital, and dying in the operating theatre during open heart surgery, AND waking up in a mortuary, means that Paul McGann becomes the Fourth Doctor.
Of course, between McGann and Ecclestone, any attempt to formulate a history for the Doctor is purely conjecture. We know there was a huge Time War, and a massive event that led to the Time Lords and Daleks being destroyed, so I think its safe to assume that somewhere in that lot, there was a full on regeneration. So 2005 started with the first televised adventure of the Fifth Doctor.
Now, both Ecclestone and Tennant had regenerations that took place inside the TARDIS, so we can (based on my initial premise) state that Matt Smith is, in fact, still the Fifth Doctor.
So, its actually less of a problem than we thought. Of course, the producers of Doctor Who may have a master plan in place to take us beyond the 13th incarnation, but if they choose my theory, cheques can be sent to the usual address.
That's it from the Mutterings for now. See you soon-ish.
So - RTD mischief in the Sarah Jane Adventures aside (Clyde asks the Doctor how many times he can regenerate, and the Doctor replies 507 in Death of the Doctor) - it has been firmly established in the series that Time Lords can regenerate 12 times - giving us 13 incarnations. Of course, there are certain caveats - if a Time Lord is killed again before a regeneration cycle completes, he is properly dead. Also, it appears that a Time Lord can start a partial regeneration to heal an injury.
So should we be worried that the Doctor only (apparently) has 2 bodies left to go? Possibly not. First of all, we already know that the producers of the new series are not averse to a reboot or two. Secondly, incidents in the series past have hinted that it is possible for a Time Lord to survive beyond the 13th incarnation (eg: The Master), and even be given a whole new regenerative cycle (The Five Doctors). Of course the latter may only be possible if granted by the Time Lords, who don't exist in the current Doctor Who universe. However, there may still be hope. What follows may, at times, seem whackier than a whacky thing at the World Whacky Championships, but it may be a less convoluted solution than current producers may be looking at.
When we first see the Doctor change, in The Tenth Planet, he complains that his body is old, and wearing out. Once in the TARDIS, he collapses and begins to change. This process is referred to as "rejuvenation" on-screen. Now, we do know that the TARDIS can have positive effects on the regenerative process, so is it possible that when a regeneration takes place in the TARDIS, it is more akin to the partial processs that heals the body, rather than a full regeneration? If this is the case, and you haven't dismissed me as a lunatic yet, then read on.
So, William Hartnell "rejuvenates", and becomes Patrick Troughton. So, Patrick Troughton is still the first Doctor - just a younger, healthier version. At the end of The War Games, Patrick Troughton's Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords - and exiled to Earth. It is decided that his appearance will be changed. As there is no evidence of the Time Lords using capital punishment on the Doctor, i.e killing him to force a regeneration, it is possible to assume that they used some form of advanced Gallifreyan plastic surgery. So, Jon Pertwee is STILL the first Doctor.
So, our first full regeneration comes at the end of Planet of the Spiders. The Doctor, exposed to a lethal dose of radiation, returns to Earth, collapses, and changes. The process is nudged by a fellow Time Lord, but otherwise, this is a full-on regeneration. Therefore, Tom Baker is now the Second Doctor.
This second Doctor unfortunately becomes a relatively early regeneratee. Following his fall from the Pharos radio telescope, the Doctor lays on the floor and, again, outside the TARDIS, regenerates. A slight deviation, with the introduction of a "intermediate stage" called the Watcher, but a regeneration nonetheless. So, Peter Davison becomes the Third Doctor.
Our dashing Third Doctor succumbs to Spectrox Toxaemia poisoning, and with only enough antidote for Peri, he changes. INSIDE the TARDIS. So its feasible that this is only a partial process - enough to cleanse the toxin from his body, and indeed, change his form - but its feasible its not a full regeneration. So, the man in the garish coat is still the Third Doctor.
Suffering a severe knock to the head, inside the TARDIS (I mean, come on! The Doctor has survived much worse than that!), I think we can safely assume more of a healing, partial regeneration at the start of Time And The Rani.So our last regular TV Doctor from the classic series is still the Third Doctor.
Of course, being shot several times in a San Francisco back alley, being rushed to hospital, and dying in the operating theatre during open heart surgery, AND waking up in a mortuary, means that Paul McGann becomes the Fourth Doctor.
Of course, between McGann and Ecclestone, any attempt to formulate a history for the Doctor is purely conjecture. We know there was a huge Time War, and a massive event that led to the Time Lords and Daleks being destroyed, so I think its safe to assume that somewhere in that lot, there was a full on regeneration. So 2005 started with the first televised adventure of the Fifth Doctor.
Now, both Ecclestone and Tennant had regenerations that took place inside the TARDIS, so we can (based on my initial premise) state that Matt Smith is, in fact, still the Fifth Doctor.
So, its actually less of a problem than we thought. Of course, the producers of Doctor Who may have a master plan in place to take us beyond the 13th incarnation, but if they choose my theory, cheques can be sent to the usual address.
That's it from the Mutterings for now. See you soon-ish.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Spiral Mutterings 12: Silence Has Fallen
Hello, dear Reader.
Its been a long time since the last Spiral Muttering, a good 8 or 9 years, and all I've written since is a few annotations when the Mutterings got re-homed here. Well, that's not strictly true - I've written loads of stuff recently, just not here. But I'm back, and its STILL about Time.
I thought, for my first post back in the blogsphere, I'd take advantage of the mid-season lull, to take a look at the pro's and con's of the new series to date. Its been 6 glorious years since that iconic Police Box materialised onto our screens, and lets face it - its been one hell of a ride. Three Doctors, five companions, new monsters, old monsters, and familiar faces returning to the world of Doctor Who. But has it all been good? Overall, I'd have to say "Yes", but some bits have been better than others. So, its time to make a list of the good, the bad, and the fugly of Doctor Who seasons 27 - 31.5.
PRO's
1. Three excellent new Doctors. Although, in order, I'd have to rate them as Matt Smith, David Tennant, Chris Ecclestone. Now don't get me wrong, Chris and David are both fine actors, but Matt is the one who has most finely balanced the elements of the Doctor. Ecclestone, for me, always looked a bit awkward when handling the comedic elements of the role (and Doctor Who has always had that element - its not some post-modern, RTD/Moffatt new invention). Tennant addressed that, but I felt that sometimes his performances were a little over the top. Indeed, towards the end of his tenure, I was rather put in mind of the later Tom Baker episodes, where the performances rather over-emphasised the Doctor's alien nature. Matt, so far, has been brilliant. Like many, I thought he seemed too young to handle the role. Yet something about him looks really old - in many ways he is the perfect embodiment of the Doctor as described in many a novelisation: a young-old face. Well done, Mr Smith. May you pilot the Tardis for a good long while yet.
2. Special FX. The show now has them! And some of them are REALLY special. Huge Dalek fleets, massive Cyber armies, and monsters that look like so much more than mere men in rubber suits. Now, don't get me wrong, there will always be a special place in my heart for the inflated condoms used in the long shots of The Green Death, and the bubble wrap on Noah's arm on The Ark In Space, but I don't think its a co-incidence that the new show has become established stateside a hell of a lot quicker than old Who did. The most mind-blowing effect I can remember from the classic series was the flyby of the Time Lord spacestation at the beginning of Trial of a Time Lord. Well, the Mill have done excellent work in knocking that into a cocked hat! Sure, there have been low points - the Atraxi eye in Eleventh Hour, the Slitheen, and the Reapers from Father's Day all had a cartoony feel to them, but they're still way ahead of anything we saw previously.
3. Spin-offs. Back in the day, there were often rumours about spin-offs. In the sixties, Terry Nation tried to get a Dalek series off the ground. In the seventies, spin-offs involving both UNIT and the unlikely duo of Jago and Lightfoot (now gloriously brought to life by Big Finish) were mooted. The only one ever to make it off the drawing board, however, was the ill-fated and much-maligned "K-9 and Company". Yes, it was low-budget, and yes - it did have a poor storyline, but it got made, and was - ultimately - a prototype for what was to come later. The new series has had not one, but TWO, hugely successful spin-offs in "Torchwood", and "The Sarah Jane Adventures". Although the latter is now sadly at an end, due to the untimely and saddening death of Elisabeth Sladen, this series allowed a whole new generation of children to be captivated by the plucky investigative journalist we first met in The Time Warrior. And Torchwood, despite the sporadic nature of its appearances, has grown into a huge, multinational co-production, and goes from strength-to-strength.
4. Christmas Specials. When I was growing up, the best we Whovians could look forward to at Christmas was a Boxing Day omnibus of one of the previous season's stories. I'm sure its not the case, but my memory (ailing though it is, these days) is convinced it was always Genesis Of The Daleks, or The Green Death - although I'm sure some guardian of the Radio Times archive can correct me on that. Now though, we get specially commissioned, extended length episodes of Doctor Who on Christmas Day. All shiny and new, like anything on Xmas Day should be. Indeed, when the Tenth Doctor left us, we got Xmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day specials. Oh BBC, you are spoiling us now!
5. Arc-plots. Rich, season long, theme-defining arc-plots are now the order of the day. We've had Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Saxon, the Doctor/Donna, and Silence Falling. Oh, I know it occasionally happened in the classic series - Trial of A Time Lord, and Key to Time spanned entires seasons, and we had the mini-arcs of The Black Guardian, E-Space and Master trilogies, but they were more often than not merely used as loose structures to hang individual stories on, rather than woven into the narrative. As I write, I'm still not convinced that the Silence arc is fully done yet.
There is more - so much more - that is good about the new series, but these are my top 5. But now, in the interest of balance, comes the Cons.
CONS
1. Returning Monsters. "What?" I hear you cry. Well, bear with me. RTD and Stephen Moffatt have both voiced a reluctance to rely too heavily on the series' past. Yet both have used the Autons, Daleks, Sontarans, and Cybermen. RTD also (rather tackily, I thought) brought back the Macra for one story only. Moffatt has also brought back the Silurians. The Daleks are now being rested, at least for a time, we are told. Which is a shame, as we last saw them squawking about being more powerful, more destructive, and more...well, just more, really. All have them have been re-designed for the 21st century, and yet its not been altogether successful. The Silurians, whilst well executed, were too human looking for my taste - and what happened to that distinctive 3rd eye? The Cybus Cybermen appear to wear flares. And the Daleks we saw at the end of Victory were (as described by many) like a Skaroese version of the Power Rangers - all primary colours and shoulder pads. Whilst the strength of Doctor Who has always been that there is something new out there, there is also a lot to be said for bringing back popular, but under-used, enemies of yesteryear. The scope for Ice Warriors is great, and the Zygons (one of the best-executed monsters from the 70s) could be fantastic. And surely, something as powerful as the Great Intelligence would survive a measly Time War. Yeti done by the Mill could be amazing.
2. Reboots. It all started with a reboot - the great Time War had messed up the universe. No Time Lords, no Daleks (or so we thought). A few refugees from time-sensitive species, but that was it. And a lone survivor - the Doctor. Fair enough - a show that's been off the air for 9 years needed something. But then we had the Paradox Machine, then just pulling out of bringing the Time Lords back, then rebooting the entire universe in the Pandorica episodes....seriously...what version of the Time Line are we on?
3. Three Doctors. It has been stated in classic Dr Who that a Time Lord can regenerate 12 times, giving 13 possible Doctors. We are already on to number 11. That means 2 further Doctors and thats it. Two more strikes, and the Doctor is, canonically, out. Reboots (and conspiracies to be found in my next blog) aside, this is worrying news for fans. The Doctor has two more bodies, and then he's at the end of the shelf life. Best before date expired. Doomed to the "Reduced for quick sale" basket.
4. Soap Opera Sci-fi. Honestly, I wasn't one of the ones who went all "This is just plain WRONG" when Paul Mcgann kissed Daphne Ashbrook in the TV Movie. However, the whole Doctor/Rose love thang, the Doctor/Martha unrequited love thing, and the various boyfriend, mother, family subplots were just a bit too Eastenders for me. (Except the stuff with Donna's Grandad, cos you'd have to be dead inside not to love Bernard Cribbins OBE-at-long-last). I honestly don't understand the need to bring such down-to-earth angst into escapist fantasy. It ruined the Spiderman movies, and it marred my enjoyment of new Who. Its why I don't watch soaps - why try to escape the misery and drudgery of everyday life, by watching fictitious people trudge their way through everyday life?
5. 45 minute eps. Of all the hallmarks that made Dr Who great, the one I miss the most is the cliffhanger. Oh, sure, since 2005 we've had the occasional 2 or 3 part story with a cliffhanger - but hell! Back in the day we got between 2 and six episodes, with a cliffhanger in all bar the last one. Of course, in the truly glorious days of yore, Doctor Who was on our screens for a good 6 months of the year.
On balance, I have to say that the return of Doctor Who has been nothing short of a triumph. You, dear reader, are welcome to add your comments, thoughts and musings to your hearts desire. Who knows? I may even read them....
Its been a long time since the last Spiral Muttering, a good 8 or 9 years, and all I've written since is a few annotations when the Mutterings got re-homed here. Well, that's not strictly true - I've written loads of stuff recently, just not here. But I'm back, and its STILL about Time.
I thought, for my first post back in the blogsphere, I'd take advantage of the mid-season lull, to take a look at the pro's and con's of the new series to date. Its been 6 glorious years since that iconic Police Box materialised onto our screens, and lets face it - its been one hell of a ride. Three Doctors, five companions, new monsters, old monsters, and familiar faces returning to the world of Doctor Who. But has it all been good? Overall, I'd have to say "Yes", but some bits have been better than others. So, its time to make a list of the good, the bad, and the fugly of Doctor Who seasons 27 - 31.5.
PRO's
1. Three excellent new Doctors. Although, in order, I'd have to rate them as Matt Smith, David Tennant, Chris Ecclestone. Now don't get me wrong, Chris and David are both fine actors, but Matt is the one who has most finely balanced the elements of the Doctor. Ecclestone, for me, always looked a bit awkward when handling the comedic elements of the role (and Doctor Who has always had that element - its not some post-modern, RTD/Moffatt new invention). Tennant addressed that, but I felt that sometimes his performances were a little over the top. Indeed, towards the end of his tenure, I was rather put in mind of the later Tom Baker episodes, where the performances rather over-emphasised the Doctor's alien nature. Matt, so far, has been brilliant. Like many, I thought he seemed too young to handle the role. Yet something about him looks really old - in many ways he is the perfect embodiment of the Doctor as described in many a novelisation: a young-old face. Well done, Mr Smith. May you pilot the Tardis for a good long while yet.
2. Special FX. The show now has them! And some of them are REALLY special. Huge Dalek fleets, massive Cyber armies, and monsters that look like so much more than mere men in rubber suits. Now, don't get me wrong, there will always be a special place in my heart for the inflated condoms used in the long shots of The Green Death, and the bubble wrap on Noah's arm on The Ark In Space, but I don't think its a co-incidence that the new show has become established stateside a hell of a lot quicker than old Who did. The most mind-blowing effect I can remember from the classic series was the flyby of the Time Lord spacestation at the beginning of Trial of a Time Lord. Well, the Mill have done excellent work in knocking that into a cocked hat! Sure, there have been low points - the Atraxi eye in Eleventh Hour, the Slitheen, and the Reapers from Father's Day all had a cartoony feel to them, but they're still way ahead of anything we saw previously.
3. Spin-offs. Back in the day, there were often rumours about spin-offs. In the sixties, Terry Nation tried to get a Dalek series off the ground. In the seventies, spin-offs involving both UNIT and the unlikely duo of Jago and Lightfoot (now gloriously brought to life by Big Finish) were mooted. The only one ever to make it off the drawing board, however, was the ill-fated and much-maligned "K-9 and Company". Yes, it was low-budget, and yes - it did have a poor storyline, but it got made, and was - ultimately - a prototype for what was to come later. The new series has had not one, but TWO, hugely successful spin-offs in "Torchwood", and "The Sarah Jane Adventures". Although the latter is now sadly at an end, due to the untimely and saddening death of Elisabeth Sladen, this series allowed a whole new generation of children to be captivated by the plucky investigative journalist we first met in The Time Warrior. And Torchwood, despite the sporadic nature of its appearances, has grown into a huge, multinational co-production, and goes from strength-to-strength.
4. Christmas Specials. When I was growing up, the best we Whovians could look forward to at Christmas was a Boxing Day omnibus of one of the previous season's stories. I'm sure its not the case, but my memory (ailing though it is, these days) is convinced it was always Genesis Of The Daleks, or The Green Death - although I'm sure some guardian of the Radio Times archive can correct me on that. Now though, we get specially commissioned, extended length episodes of Doctor Who on Christmas Day. All shiny and new, like anything on Xmas Day should be. Indeed, when the Tenth Doctor left us, we got Xmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day specials. Oh BBC, you are spoiling us now!
5. Arc-plots. Rich, season long, theme-defining arc-plots are now the order of the day. We've had Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Saxon, the Doctor/Donna, and Silence Falling. Oh, I know it occasionally happened in the classic series - Trial of A Time Lord, and Key to Time spanned entires seasons, and we had the mini-arcs of The Black Guardian, E-Space and Master trilogies, but they were more often than not merely used as loose structures to hang individual stories on, rather than woven into the narrative. As I write, I'm still not convinced that the Silence arc is fully done yet.
There is more - so much more - that is good about the new series, but these are my top 5. But now, in the interest of balance, comes the Cons.
CONS
1. Returning Monsters. "What?" I hear you cry. Well, bear with me. RTD and Stephen Moffatt have both voiced a reluctance to rely too heavily on the series' past. Yet both have used the Autons, Daleks, Sontarans, and Cybermen. RTD also (rather tackily, I thought) brought back the Macra for one story only. Moffatt has also brought back the Silurians. The Daleks are now being rested, at least for a time, we are told. Which is a shame, as we last saw them squawking about being more powerful, more destructive, and more...well, just more, really. All have them have been re-designed for the 21st century, and yet its not been altogether successful. The Silurians, whilst well executed, were too human looking for my taste - and what happened to that distinctive 3rd eye? The Cybus Cybermen appear to wear flares. And the Daleks we saw at the end of Victory were (as described by many) like a Skaroese version of the Power Rangers - all primary colours and shoulder pads. Whilst the strength of Doctor Who has always been that there is something new out there, there is also a lot to be said for bringing back popular, but under-used, enemies of yesteryear. The scope for Ice Warriors is great, and the Zygons (one of the best-executed monsters from the 70s) could be fantastic. And surely, something as powerful as the Great Intelligence would survive a measly Time War. Yeti done by the Mill could be amazing.
2. Reboots. It all started with a reboot - the great Time War had messed up the universe. No Time Lords, no Daleks (or so we thought). A few refugees from time-sensitive species, but that was it. And a lone survivor - the Doctor. Fair enough - a show that's been off the air for 9 years needed something. But then we had the Paradox Machine, then just pulling out of bringing the Time Lords back, then rebooting the entire universe in the Pandorica episodes....seriously...what version of the Time Line are we on?
3. Three Doctors. It has been stated in classic Dr Who that a Time Lord can regenerate 12 times, giving 13 possible Doctors. We are already on to number 11. That means 2 further Doctors and thats it. Two more strikes, and the Doctor is, canonically, out. Reboots (and conspiracies to be found in my next blog) aside, this is worrying news for fans. The Doctor has two more bodies, and then he's at the end of the shelf life. Best before date expired. Doomed to the "Reduced for quick sale" basket.
4. Soap Opera Sci-fi. Honestly, I wasn't one of the ones who went all "This is just plain WRONG" when Paul Mcgann kissed Daphne Ashbrook in the TV Movie. However, the whole Doctor/Rose love thang, the Doctor/Martha unrequited love thing, and the various boyfriend, mother, family subplots were just a bit too Eastenders for me. (Except the stuff with Donna's Grandad, cos you'd have to be dead inside not to love Bernard Cribbins OBE-at-long-last). I honestly don't understand the need to bring such down-to-earth angst into escapist fantasy. It ruined the Spiderman movies, and it marred my enjoyment of new Who. Its why I don't watch soaps - why try to escape the misery and drudgery of everyday life, by watching fictitious people trudge their way through everyday life?
5. 45 minute eps. Of all the hallmarks that made Dr Who great, the one I miss the most is the cliffhanger. Oh, sure, since 2005 we've had the occasional 2 or 3 part story with a cliffhanger - but hell! Back in the day we got between 2 and six episodes, with a cliffhanger in all bar the last one. Of course, in the truly glorious days of yore, Doctor Who was on our screens for a good 6 months of the year.
On balance, I have to say that the return of Doctor Who has been nothing short of a triumph. You, dear reader, are welcome to add your comments, thoughts and musings to your hearts desire. Who knows? I may even read them....
SPIRAL MUTTERINGS WILL RETURN IN
The Regeneration Game
Monday, June 12, 2006
Spiral Mutterings 11: A Man is the Sum of his Memories...
So said Peter Davison in "The Five Doctors".
I am writing this piece after returning from a trip to my native Yorkshire, to see my beloved Leeds Utd play Celtic in a testimonial game for Gary Kelly. As I had two days in God's own country, I took advantage of the time to visit relatives, and reminisce. As I proudly announced that some of my work was being published, albeit on the internet at the moment, it got me to thinking about why Doctor Who has meant so much to me over the years. What follows is a very personal journey through the "Why I am a Doctor Who fan" story.
Mine may be a very particular story, but hopefully, it will touch nerves with others out there. I was born in 1968, the illegitimate son of a civil servant and a divorcee. My maternal grandmother was very Victorian in her outlook on life, and as such, it was deemed the done thing for my mother to stay at home and look after her in her dotage. Whenever it looked as though my mother was going to settle down, Grandma stepped in and threatened to disown her. So it was that when I came on the scene, and my father wanted to settle down with me and mother (and an older brother from my mum's previous marriage), Grandma said that we would never be allowed to darken her door again. So Mum never left, Dad settled down with someone else, and was not allowed to see me.
Now, at the time I was born, doctors discovered a tumour in my mother, and recommended surgery. Unwilling to leave my Grandma alone with me and my 9 year old sibling, the said operation was refused by my mum. As a result, by 1972, she had died, and I was thrown into a custody battle. Times being what they were, a grandma was deemed more suitable than a father to bring up a child. So I was brought up, as the youngest child in a family consisting of grandma, and 2 grandchildren. Needless to say, this was not the world's happiest environment. I am fully convinced that the reason I have not captained an England team in the World Cup is due to the fact that I lacked a father figure to kick a ball around with (that, and a lack of any footballing ability whatsoever - though it never stops Phil Neville being picked!).
But where does "Who" come into this cathartic piece, I hear you ask. Well that was my father figure. To date, I have had 9 fathers. Chronologically, as they affected my life, they are Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, my natural father, Sylvester McCoy, William Hartnell, Pat Troughton, and Paul McGann.You see, the misery of my childhood was escaped, for 25 minutes every Saturday evening. From 5.25pm, I was with the Doctor, and nothing could go wrong. Until that fateful time we visited Metebelis III, and Jon Pertwee collapsed in UNIT HQ.
I was 6 at the time, and openly wept as the radiation from the Great Queen's cave destroyed his cells. For those precious minutes on a Saturday evening, I was transported away from my world, and off to dangerous locations, surrounded by evil monsters such as Daleks, Silurians, Sea Devils, and Axons. But it was okay, as my pseudo-dad, The Doctor, and my big sister (first of all Jo, and then Sarah) would make it alright in the end.In 1979, it was decided by the powers that be that my Grandma was too old to care for me (in truth, this had been the case when she got custody, but watcha gonna do?). I was taken into foster care, and yet my real family still existed in a blue box that was bigger inside. In tribute to the Gearys, Meyricks, Dobsons, and Briggs's that took care of me over the next few years, my false belief in the Doctor being my male parent waned. However, the Doctor's future was somehow tied in with my own....
In 1980, I was adopted. At last I was going to have a family of my own, with a dad, a mum and two lovely sisters. They had a plan of emigrating to New Zealand. Unfortunately, as the Master battled with the Doctor on the gantry of the Pharos project in 1981, this happy future also fell to Earth with a bump. Due to the difficulties we had had, it was decided that the adoption would fall through, rather than let me start being unhappy halfway around the world. I became disillusioned with everything and everyone around me (including the Doctor...for shame!) and when I moved on to the next foster family, I left the Doctor behind as well...
In 1983, however, my interest was briefly piqued again. I discovered Drama, and became involved in a string of school productions. After I passed the audition for the part of Paddy the Chief Engineer in the musical Star Trek spoof DAZZLE, I also discovered that the good Doctor was having a reunion with his previous selves. I watched "THE FIVE FACES OF DOCTOR WHO" season with interest, but was denied watching the UK premiere of "THE FIVE DOCTORS" by an embarrassing case of diarrhoea, which kicked in just after Billy Hartnell's "I shall come back" speech. Unfortunately, I didn't come back from my ablutions until a good 60 minutes in....it would be 1990 before I saw THE FIVE DOCTORS in full.
I missed the entire Colin Baker era, as I concentrated on a new concept. Teachers had discovered I had some intelligence, and they, along with my foster parents, managed to drag me out of academic mediocrity. As I strived to achieve my "O" and "A" levels, I had something other than the Doctor to occupy me. I had also discovered two other new things in the world - pop music, and GIRLS! It was not until I met the girl who would become my wife that I revisited Dr Who. The subject got mentioned in a conversation one night. She had seen the entire first McCoy season, and had been convinced it was rather good. I agreed to watch the 25th season, and was delighted by REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS. So much was I excited by this story, by the time Season 26 came around, we were married, and our first child was on the way. Martin was born just as Survival aired.
The series died. And, as time went by, so I realised that the only thing that my wife and I had in common was "Who". We split in 1994, and I had my son at weekends. There is a theory that babies are particularly susceptible to those sounds that they pick up whilst in the womb, and this was borne out by Martin, who would only go to sleep to the haunting refrain of Ron Grainer's "Dr Who" theme. The last time I saw Martin, was in 1994, and my new partner and I took him to the 21st Anniversary of Longleat's Dr Who exhibition. I still have, to this day, the photo of father and son peering out of the doors of the mock-TARDIS entrance. Other abiding memories include Martin (a very strident 5 year old) getting into a pretend fight with Peter Davison, when at a signing session Martin told Peter "You're not Doctor Who!". The former vet was naturally upset by this and much hilarity ensued. Other fond memories include the two of us sitting in Bessie, meeting JNT, and a Cyberman that impersonated various Doctors. Happy Days......
In 1996, Dr Who's fate was once more inexorably tied up with my own. On the May bank holiday, Dr Who - The Movie aired in the UK. A day later, I achieved a long-standing ambition. I arrived to work at the BBC in London.Now, at the age of 33, I write articles on Doctor Who, and have penned a couple of pieces of short fiction. To me, Doctor Who is more than just a TV show, or a book franchise, or a series of exciting adventures in space and time. Its an old friend. And unlike so many old friends over the years, it is one I have never lost contact with.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person that over the years has contributed to the show that has been my (almost) constant companion. This especially goes out to the late Jon Pertwee, the late JNT, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylv & Sophie, David Banks, and Nic Courtney, whom I was privileged to meet.
Sentimental old sop, aren't I. This article was written in 2002, and I admit I no longer see the Doctor in quite the same fatherly way. After all, Chris Ecclestone's only a few years older than me, and David Tennant is a few years younger. However, the new series has brought with it, yet again, new adventures for me. I am about to embark on a small scale acting career. It would be a dream come true if I could one day appear behind a prosthetic mask, and utter the immortal line "Resistance is useless, Dok-tor".
I am writing this piece after returning from a trip to my native Yorkshire, to see my beloved Leeds Utd play Celtic in a testimonial game for Gary Kelly. As I had two days in God's own country, I took advantage of the time to visit relatives, and reminisce. As I proudly announced that some of my work was being published, albeit on the internet at the moment, it got me to thinking about why Doctor Who has meant so much to me over the years. What follows is a very personal journey through the "Why I am a Doctor Who fan" story.
Mine may be a very particular story, but hopefully, it will touch nerves with others out there. I was born in 1968, the illegitimate son of a civil servant and a divorcee. My maternal grandmother was very Victorian in her outlook on life, and as such, it was deemed the done thing for my mother to stay at home and look after her in her dotage. Whenever it looked as though my mother was going to settle down, Grandma stepped in and threatened to disown her. So it was that when I came on the scene, and my father wanted to settle down with me and mother (and an older brother from my mum's previous marriage), Grandma said that we would never be allowed to darken her door again. So Mum never left, Dad settled down with someone else, and was not allowed to see me.
Now, at the time I was born, doctors discovered a tumour in my mother, and recommended surgery. Unwilling to leave my Grandma alone with me and my 9 year old sibling, the said operation was refused by my mum. As a result, by 1972, she had died, and I was thrown into a custody battle. Times being what they were, a grandma was deemed more suitable than a father to bring up a child. So I was brought up, as the youngest child in a family consisting of grandma, and 2 grandchildren. Needless to say, this was not the world's happiest environment. I am fully convinced that the reason I have not captained an England team in the World Cup is due to the fact that I lacked a father figure to kick a ball around with (that, and a lack of any footballing ability whatsoever - though it never stops Phil Neville being picked!).
But where does "Who" come into this cathartic piece, I hear you ask. Well that was my father figure. To date, I have had 9 fathers. Chronologically, as they affected my life, they are Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, my natural father, Sylvester McCoy, William Hartnell, Pat Troughton, and Paul McGann.You see, the misery of my childhood was escaped, for 25 minutes every Saturday evening. From 5.25pm, I was with the Doctor, and nothing could go wrong. Until that fateful time we visited Metebelis III, and Jon Pertwee collapsed in UNIT HQ.
I was 6 at the time, and openly wept as the radiation from the Great Queen's cave destroyed his cells. For those precious minutes on a Saturday evening, I was transported away from my world, and off to dangerous locations, surrounded by evil monsters such as Daleks, Silurians, Sea Devils, and Axons. But it was okay, as my pseudo-dad, The Doctor, and my big sister (first of all Jo, and then Sarah) would make it alright in the end.In 1979, it was decided by the powers that be that my Grandma was too old to care for me (in truth, this had been the case when she got custody, but watcha gonna do?). I was taken into foster care, and yet my real family still existed in a blue box that was bigger inside. In tribute to the Gearys, Meyricks, Dobsons, and Briggs's that took care of me over the next few years, my false belief in the Doctor being my male parent waned. However, the Doctor's future was somehow tied in with my own....
In 1980, I was adopted. At last I was going to have a family of my own, with a dad, a mum and two lovely sisters. They had a plan of emigrating to New Zealand. Unfortunately, as the Master battled with the Doctor on the gantry of the Pharos project in 1981, this happy future also fell to Earth with a bump. Due to the difficulties we had had, it was decided that the adoption would fall through, rather than let me start being unhappy halfway around the world. I became disillusioned with everything and everyone around me (including the Doctor...for shame!) and when I moved on to the next foster family, I left the Doctor behind as well...
In 1983, however, my interest was briefly piqued again. I discovered Drama, and became involved in a string of school productions. After I passed the audition for the part of Paddy the Chief Engineer in the musical Star Trek spoof DAZZLE, I also discovered that the good Doctor was having a reunion with his previous selves. I watched "THE FIVE FACES OF DOCTOR WHO" season with interest, but was denied watching the UK premiere of "THE FIVE DOCTORS" by an embarrassing case of diarrhoea, which kicked in just after Billy Hartnell's "I shall come back" speech. Unfortunately, I didn't come back from my ablutions until a good 60 minutes in....it would be 1990 before I saw THE FIVE DOCTORS in full.
I missed the entire Colin Baker era, as I concentrated on a new concept. Teachers had discovered I had some intelligence, and they, along with my foster parents, managed to drag me out of academic mediocrity. As I strived to achieve my "O" and "A" levels, I had something other than the Doctor to occupy me. I had also discovered two other new things in the world - pop music, and GIRLS! It was not until I met the girl who would become my wife that I revisited Dr Who. The subject got mentioned in a conversation one night. She had seen the entire first McCoy season, and had been convinced it was rather good. I agreed to watch the 25th season, and was delighted by REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS. So much was I excited by this story, by the time Season 26 came around, we were married, and our first child was on the way. Martin was born just as Survival aired.
The series died. And, as time went by, so I realised that the only thing that my wife and I had in common was "Who". We split in 1994, and I had my son at weekends. There is a theory that babies are particularly susceptible to those sounds that they pick up whilst in the womb, and this was borne out by Martin, who would only go to sleep to the haunting refrain of Ron Grainer's "Dr Who" theme. The last time I saw Martin, was in 1994, and my new partner and I took him to the 21st Anniversary of Longleat's Dr Who exhibition. I still have, to this day, the photo of father and son peering out of the doors of the mock-TARDIS entrance. Other abiding memories include Martin (a very strident 5 year old) getting into a pretend fight with Peter Davison, when at a signing session Martin told Peter "You're not Doctor Who!". The former vet was naturally upset by this and much hilarity ensued. Other fond memories include the two of us sitting in Bessie, meeting JNT, and a Cyberman that impersonated various Doctors. Happy Days......
In 1996, Dr Who's fate was once more inexorably tied up with my own. On the May bank holiday, Dr Who - The Movie aired in the UK. A day later, I achieved a long-standing ambition. I arrived to work at the BBC in London.Now, at the age of 33, I write articles on Doctor Who, and have penned a couple of pieces of short fiction. To me, Doctor Who is more than just a TV show, or a book franchise, or a series of exciting adventures in space and time. Its an old friend. And unlike so many old friends over the years, it is one I have never lost contact with.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person that over the years has contributed to the show that has been my (almost) constant companion. This especially goes out to the late Jon Pertwee, the late JNT, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylv & Sophie, David Banks, and Nic Courtney, whom I was privileged to meet.
Sentimental old sop, aren't I. This article was written in 2002, and I admit I no longer see the Doctor in quite the same fatherly way. After all, Chris Ecclestone's only a few years older than me, and David Tennant is a few years younger. However, the new series has brought with it, yet again, new adventures for me. I am about to embark on a small scale acting career. It would be a dream come true if I could one day appear behind a prosthetic mask, and utter the immortal line "Resistance is useless, Dok-tor".
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