Doctor Who: season 18

[altariel]

The Leisure Hive
mraltariel: I hated the book of this when I was little. And the long panning shot along the beach at the start is just weird. And what have they done to the titles?
altariel: I have to say, I think this kick-starts the show again brilliantly. I think it is bright, fresh, shiny and exciting.
mraltariel: Yes, I agree, once they fritzed poor old K9 again, it does pick up a lot.
altariel: Also, it oozes the 1980s.
mraltariel: But not the rubbish make up and hairdos we seem to have inflicted upon us again. Its like the 1980s, the good-bits version.
altariel: So you don't think the Argolins' hair is ridiculous?
mraltariel: Not if you're a plant, no.

Meglos
mraltariel: Oh dear. This is a bit of a festive roast bird, isn't it?
altariel: To steal from the recent twitter thread #apatheticwho "Meh-glos". Tom the Cactus looks good, though.
mraltariel: Yes; and it is nice to see Barbara back, although what she's doing running some dodgy religion, I don't know.
altariel: There's a theme emerging, isn't there?
mraltariel: What with the seedpods popping out of people's heads in the last one...
altariel: And people turning into cacti.
mraltariel: Or cacti turning into people.
altariel: Yes.
mraltariel: What's the theme then?
altariel: Aging, or physical change. I think this might be called "foreshadowing".
mraltariel: You with your writer talk.

Full Circle
mraltariel: This one's smashing. I like the teeny swamp creature.
altariel: I like the melons. Yes, this is an entirely satisfying story, and I'm glad you knew some of the back story. Although not knowing it didn't interfere with my enjoyment.
mraltariel: It is a surprisingly convincing society, for saying it is only sketched in very quickly.
altariel: You know the author has imagined it all, that's why. Also, I'll say this now, and goshdarn anyone who disagrees with me, but I think Matthew Waterhouse is good, and I like Adric.
mraltariel: He is good in this, definitely.
altariel: So there.

State of Decay
mraltariel: OooooOOoooOOOOOOOoooooOOOOooOOo. SpoooooOOOOOOooOOOOOoooky.
altariel: Have you gone bats? For saying I don't like vampires, I like it when Doctor Who does vampires.
mraltariel: Yes, they've done a good job with this. And I always like an "apocalypse causes people to forget where the on-button is" stories.
altariel: So you like 'Deliverance' in Blake's 7?
mraltariel: That's the one after 'Bounty' is it?
altariel: That's the one with Meegat.
mraltariel: Is she the one who stands behind some nipples?
altariel: No, that's Sinofar.
mraltariel: Right, so Meegat has no distinguishing features at all, then?
altariel: She worships Paul Darrow as a God. That's pretty distinctive.
mraltariel: I've met plenty of people like that. You've introduced half of them to me!
altariel: Do you think we may have got sidetracked somewhat?
mraltariel: Mebbe.

Warriors' Gate
mraltariel: This could all be a bit too SciFi for me. But then it isn't.
altariel: Intellectually, I see that it is brilliant, however I do find it rather baffling.
mraltariel: Its got Kessler in it. And Marty Hopkirk.
altariel: What do I want to say about 'Warrior's Gate'? Very stylish, unusual story, another great experiment in this season.
mraltariel: Yes; the all-CSO with bits of set thing works very well.
altariel: Sad to see Romana go. But a good exit. I wouldn't go back to Gallifrey either.

The Keeper of Traken
mraltariel: This was not nearly as good as I had hoped.
altariel: Really?
mraltariel: It rather loses its way after episode 2.
altariel: I'll agree that the story is rather routine. However, I love the distinctive feel of the world: half fantasy, half high technology. I like the cross between Tolkien (Melkur) and Le Guin (the Grove); and for some reason it really feels like a big civilization.
mraltariel: I like that no-one comments on the fact that they're using their tech to hold down an entire galactic empire. But they're basically benevolent, so that seems to be OK.
altariel: TRAKEN HAD IT COMING! What about Nyssa?
mraltariel: What about Nyssa? It is nice that they've got a smart girl in the tardis as well as a smart boy, but that their smarts are different - even though both have very formal education.
altariel: I'm still liking Adric. I like his relationship with Tom. Sort of distantly mentorish.

Logopolis
mraltariel: Episode 1 is smashing! Poor Aunty Vanessa. Tom does look very gloomy. Like Eeyore.
altariel: Disappointed with this one, about which I have very fond memories. There's much less on Logopolis, and I love those little huts.
mraltariel: I never liked Logopolis (the planet/city/computerthing) until this viewing. Now I really like the little huts too.
altariel: The maths sweatshop is a bit more worrying.
mraltariel: At least Tegan calls them on it. And they do all die.
altariel: That's all right then. Oh, and I like Tegan too.
mraltariel and altariel: SO HE WAS THE DOCTOR ALL ALONG! (And he would've got away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids.)



Ranking
Full Circle
The Keeper of Traken
Warriors' Gate
State of Decay
Logopolis
The Leisure Hive
Meglos


mraltariel: We've hardly mentioned Tom this season. And that's largely because he's being good.
altariel: A low-key, sadder-but-wiser performance, I think.
mraltariel: The Tardis goes from being nearly empty to being nearly full over the episodes.
altariel: And full of youngsters.
mraltariel: And Tegan.
altariel: The whole show feels like it's had a fresh coat of paint.
mraltariel: Once you get used to the new titles (which aren't as good) and the new music (which is much better than the ultra-abbreviated version we've had since Hinchcliffe), I think it is pretty uniformally successful. It *looks* more expensive without being more expensive, and - 'Meglos' aside - the stories are more interesting and varied.
altariel: I prefer the new titles; they say Doctor Who to me. I feel like we're now in my era. What do we think this new guy will be like?
mraltariel: 'Who' knows... (agagag)

Comments

[carl-allery.livejournal.com]

What I recall from season 18 ...

Full Circle - "They're only spiders ..." and the arrival of Adthick. :(

Warriors Gate - ah, some of the best technobabble (not to mention tongue-twisters - 'The back-blast backlash will bounce back and destroy everything!') in the history of Dr Who and the classic repartée:
'Are you alone?'
'Not while you're hyar.'

Pity to lose Romana II, because the chemistry was pretty awesome, but it made perfect sense in the storyline. Why yes, I do have an audio tape of this episode on TDK D90 ... ;)

Logopolis - Tom Baker goes out in totally heroic fashion. He does it so well after the early years of clowning around.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

'The back-blast backlash will bounce back and destroy everything!'

That line is unbelievable, I can't imagine trying to get my mouth around it!

Tom is unusually sombre throughout this season: the effect of being fired, I suppose.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I liked Adric. I cried when Adric ... *mmphmmphmmphmmmmph <-- stifled spoiler*

[gair.livejournal.com]

I adored Adric, and STILL DO. When they brought the Cybermen back in New Who I freaked completely out and gerald had to walk me round the block till I calmed down. Then we bought Earthshock to try and show her why, but it is QUITE DIFFERENT ON DVD FROM HOW IT IS IN MY HEAD.

Also, altariel, I love these posts. I can hear them in your and mraltariel's voices.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I am thinking that the version in your head must be QUITE BEAUTIFUL and that is a happy thought.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yay, I'm glad you like our reviews! We are a bit behind, having watched two whole seasons of Davison episodes. So there'll be more soon.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

La la, fingers in ears, can't hear! :-D

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

The Leisure Hive: I remember (1) the music was all different and (2) they called this array of stones a 'beach'. Where I grew up, everyone knew beaches were made only of sand.

Logopolis: "Poor Aunty Vanessa" - indeed. Did you spot Tom's line "well, only a little of her"? Ouch. I suppose RTD wasn't the first to do "domestic" after all - more of Tegan's family coming up, I'm afraid. Hence that familiar life insurance question: "Are you, or have you ever been, related to a member of the Jovanka family?"

[altariel.livejournal.com]

"Are you, or have you ever been, related to a member of the Jovanka family?"

Hee! Poor Tegan has such an awful introduction to the TARDIS: first getting lost in there, then Aunt Vanessa, then the regeneration, then the Mara... No wonder she's always tense and hostile.

[sixthbrightest.livejournal.com]

Una,

I love Star Trek novels, and I love anthropological ones that deal in-depth with cultures best. I've always held Diane Duane on a pedestal for her exceptional Rihannsu work, despite its later contradiction by canon, because of how well she fleshes out the culture. I feel your work, particularly The Never-Ending Sacrifice, does the same for Cardassia. Rugal is a highly sympathetic protagonist, and he makes excellent insights on Cardassia as he struggles to survive and adapt. It now rivals The Romulan Way as my favorite Trek novel. I never really put time into thinking about Cardassia, but you really brought it to life for me. Thank you so much for writing it! I hope you get more DS9 novel work soon.

Capella

(note: commenting here because I didn't know if a comment on an old post directly related to the book would notify you.)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hi Capella! I'm sorry it's taken me a while to respond, I've had a number of teaching commitments that meant I've fallen behind on LJ the past few weeks.

I'm extremely grateful for your kind words about The Never-Ending Sacrifice. That was exactly the kind of book that I was trying to write: one that communicated a distinctive culture and also kept a strong emotional story at its heart. I'm extremely flattered by the comparison to Diane Duane - thank you very much.

Kind regards,

Una

[steve-mollmann.livejournal.com]

This is my favorite season of the old show. The Leisure Hive, Warriors' Gate, and Logopolis are all full-blown classics in my mind, and Full Circle and The Keeper of Traken are good, too.

I think Bidmead gets short shrift for how good of a writer he actually is; Logopolis is full of small, witty lines that Baker delivers perfectly. "Wooly thinking, Doctor." "Ah, but very comforting when worn close to the skin."

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Our ranking was very marginal (apart from 'Meglos'). I agree that this is a terrific season, this one and the next are amongst my favourites, as well as McCoy's last.

[manna]

I'd completely forgotten that Adric arrived with Tom Baker, although of course he must have done.

I'm looking forwards to your reviews on the next series, which are the ones I remember best.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

We are well into the Davison era now, but keep forgetting to write our reviews. So there might be a couple of posts in quick succession.

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

State of Decay: I haven't seen the story but your commentary is excellent. ;-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-)

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Just catching up. I genuinely LOLed at this exchange:

altariel: She worships Paul Darrow as a God. That's pretty distinctive.
mraltariel: I've met plenty of people like that. You've introduced half of them to me!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-D