Doctor Who: season 12

[altariel]

Robot
mraltariel: I was expecting not to like this, because in the past I have always thought it "too Pertwee". Having recently watched lots of Pertwee, I now see this in a new light. It's really rather good! Plenty for everyone to do, and this new Doctor seems OK.
altariel: I thought this was a lot of fun. Brash and plenty going on, and the Robot's story is really rather touching. Some nice secondary characters, and crypto-fascists. Can't complain.
mraltariel: The crypto-fascists are my least favourite bit of this story. They're always too panto, which is a shame. I hope we don't have any more this season.
altariel: No, surely we must be done with examining fascism now.

The Ark in Space
mraltariel: I think it looks terrific. The long curving corridor is like no corridor we've seen before.
altariel: I was slightly underwhelmed, but I think that was because for some reason I'd convinced myself this was a six-parter, and I kept thinking, "God, this is going to be interminable..." And then it ended. In retrospect, I like it.
mraltariel: It wasn't as good as I was expecting. The highs are high, but it descends into some chaos towards the end and just sort of stops.
altariel: I have to put a special word in for the bubble wrap.

The Sontaran Experiment
mraltariel: The first episode has one of the most spectacularly shit robots committed to Doctor Who, which warbles about ineffectively while people fall down holes. Not a great start.
altariel: Episode 2 is nasty and violent. I thoroughly dislike this story. The torture is voyeuristic and unpleasant. Do Not Like.
mraltariel: It is well made though.
altariel: That's a fair comment.

Genesis of the Daleks
mraltariel: Oh dear. For all that there are a couple of good speeches, it's all panto Nazis and giant clams. And hardly any Sarah.
altariel: Yes, she's disappeared in this season. I do have a soft spot for Harry, I think he's sweet, but Sarah may as well not be there.
mraltariel: Oh yes, we've not mentioned Harry, and he's the new companion! He has quite a lot in common with Ian Chesterton. That is all I have to say about him.
altariel: On this story, I've tried and tried to see what it is that makes people think it's one of the best. I just don't see it. Mostly it's a runaround...
mraltariel: With unconvincing secondary characters and a cod moral dilemma.
altariel: And it's no fun. I don't mind serious, but I don't think this is serious. I think it's dull.

Revenge of the Cybermen
mraltariel: Surprisingly, I quite like this.
altariel: I think it's shite.
mraltariel: Despite it being absolutely shite! The plot's a mess, the Cybermen are farcical, and like most of the rest of this season, there's too little story spread out across too many episodes.
altariel: There's some more torture too - this time instigated by the Doctor, which doesn't seem right. Poor show all round.

Ranking
Robot
The Ark in Space
Genesis of the Daleks
The Sontaran Experiment
Revenge of the Cybermen


mraltariel: Oh dear. This doesn't bode well.
altariel: I think this season is a bit of a disaster. Tom's not bad though.
mraltariel: The high points are moments in individual stories, there's no really excellent story.
altariel: And the low points are low.
mraltariel: The low points are boring, and boring is a bigger crime than stupid. The biggest tragedy is that they've completely wasted Sarah. For the first time ever, I'm approaching the next season with some trepidation.

Comments

[iainjcoleman.livejournal.com]

Robot is in the Pertwee mould, but that just makes the new guy's performance all the more contrasting. A great example is the scene where the Brigadier and Benton (is it Benton? I'll assume it is) are examining the cut-open wire fence following one of the Robot's attacks. It's framed with the Brig on one side, ?Benton on the other, discussing the ripped fence, and a great big hole in the middle where you would expect Pertwee to be. Instead, in the middle of the screen but away in the background, is Tom lounging on the grass checking out the daisies. It's a visual moment that sums up the new Doctor's relationship with UNIT, and with authority in general.

I can forgive Genesis and Revenge a great deal for Elisabeth Sladen in tight-fitting camo pants.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

a great big hole in the middle where you would expect Pertwee to be. Instead, in the middle of the screen but away in the background, is Tom lounging on the grass checking out the daisies

Aw, that's sweet!

Sarah doesn't put those camo pants on soon enough in Genesis, IMHO,