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Doctor Who: season 8
Master! Master!
Terror of the Autons
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mraltariel: Delgado is instantly great and this has several classic scary moments: the chair, the doll.
altariel: The masks!
mraltariel: And that great stunt that's not a stunt where the guy falls down the gravel pit and has the presence of mind to get up and carry on as if he'd meant to fall that spectacularly.
altariel: That's the public service broadcasting ethos in action...
mraltariel: By Havoc!
The Mind of Evil
mraltariel: So this is the first of the stories that develops the precarious international situation that continues in the next season or two.
altariel: Yes, I was surprised about that, and it just goes to show how much the rebooted show owes to the Pertwee era when it's not owing stuff to the Hartnell era. I love this one because it's set in a prison and I like prisons. Not actually, but conceptually. No, not conceptually...
mraltariel: Quit while you're behind.
altariel: I don't think I explained myself well there. What I mean is: you don't often see things that are about criminal justice and the ethics of punishment. Yes. That's what I mean.
mraltariel: Porridge.
altariel: Fuck off.
The Claws of Axos
mraltariel: I hated the Target novelization of this for no good reason.
altariel: There must be a reason.
mraltariel: There does not have to be a reason for me to hate something.
altariel: Good point. I liked this story, I thought it looked interesting and a bit yukky.
mraltariel: I like the spaghetti monsters.
altariel: But not in prose. Pertwee is not annoying me as much as I thought, and - more amazingly - neither is Jo Grant.
mraltariel: Yes, that is rather unexpected. And we've seen Jo's knickers far less often than I've been led to believe.
altariel: Truly the Pertwee era is...
mraltariel: The pinnacle of female emancipation?
altariel: Quite.
Colony in Space
mraltariel: That was an another joy! Four stories woven neatly together and properly filling out six episodes. Bet they never manage that again.
altariel: Of ye of little faith!
mraltariel: Why do people say this one's boring? I genuinely don't understand why people say this one is boring.
altariel: It doesn't crack along, but the story is interesting and thoughtful, and I think everyone does a really nice job of their parts. I liked this one too.
The Daemons
mraltariel: I don't know why, because it's full of good parts, good dialogue and a nice setting, but it was realllllly boring. Loads of repetition, whole episodes in which the plot isn't advanced.
altariel: And the daemon looks a bit rubbish.
mraltariel: And spits a lot because of his falsh teesh.
altariel: This one isn't as good as propaganda makes it. And it should be fantastic. I think it's probably an episode too long and would have made a classic four-parter.
Ranking
The Mind of Evil
Colony in Space
The Claws of Axos
The Daemons
Terror of the Autons
mraltariel: This ranking is easily disputed because these stories are, in general, of a consistently decent standard. There's a lot less variability by comparison with the last few years.
altariel: Good solid stuff, all-round great performances with Delgado an absolute treat, and some good surprises from stories that don't generally get much attention. Bring on the next season!
Terror of the Autons
mraltariel: Delgado is instantly great and this has several classic scary moments: the chair, the doll. altariel: The masks!mraltariel: And that great stunt that's not a stunt where the guy falls down the gravel pit and has the presence of mind to get up and carry on as if he'd meant to fall that spectacularly. altariel: That's the public service broadcasting ethos in action... mraltariel: By Havoc!The Mind of Evil
mraltariel: So this is the first of the stories that develops the precarious international situation that continues in the next season or two. altariel: Yes, I was surprised about that, and it just goes to show how much the rebooted show owes to the Pertwee era when it's not owing stuff to the Hartnell era. I love this one because it's set in a prison and I like prisons. Not actually, but conceptually. No, not conceptually...mraltariel: Quit while you're behind. altariel: I don't think I explained myself well there. What I mean is: you don't often see things that are about criminal justice and the ethics of punishment. Yes. That's what I mean. mraltariel: Porridge. altariel: Fuck off. The Claws of Axos
mraltariel: I hated the Target novelization of this for no good reason. altariel: There must be a reason. mraltariel: There does not have to be a reason for me to hate something. altariel: Good point. I liked this story, I thought it looked interesting and a bit yukky. mraltariel: I like the spaghetti monsters. altariel: But not in prose. Pertwee is not annoying me as much as I thought, and - more amazingly - neither is Jo Grant. mraltariel: Yes, that is rather unexpected. And we've seen Jo's knickers far less often than I've been led to believe. altariel: Truly the Pertwee era is...mraltariel: The pinnacle of female emancipation?altariel: Quite.Colony in Space
mraltariel: That was an another joy! Four stories woven neatly together and properly filling out six episodes. Bet they never manage that again. altariel: Of ye of little faith!mraltariel: Why do people say this one's boring? I genuinely don't understand why people say this one is boring. altariel: It doesn't crack along, but the story is interesting and thoughtful, and I think everyone does a really nice job of their parts. I liked this one too. The Daemons
mraltariel: I don't know why, because it's full of good parts, good dialogue and a nice setting, but it was realllllly boring. Loads of repetition, whole episodes in which the plot isn't advanced.altariel: And the daemon looks a bit rubbish. mraltariel: And spits a lot because of his falsh teesh.altariel: This one isn't as good as propaganda makes it. And it should be fantastic. I think it's probably an episode too long and would have made a classic four-parter. Ranking
The Mind of Evil
Colony in Space
The Claws of Axos
The Daemons
Terror of the Autons
mraltariel: This ranking is easily disputed because these stories are, in general, of a consistently decent standard. There's a lot less variability by comparison with the last few years. altariel: Good solid stuff, all-round great performances with Delgado an absolute treat, and some good surprises from stories that don't generally get much attention. Bring on the next season!