November 23rd!
Today is November 23rd! I almost forgot! Happy 47th, team!
And we just started the Key to Time. "The Invasion of Time" really bogged down for whatever reason...and didn't end up making a whole lot of sense in the end. It's such a joy to get back to Robert Holmes. And Mary Tamm! Huzzah! I always hate to see Leela go, but yay, Fred Romana!
"The Ribos Operation" is a well-constructed episode that hangs together well. It's not one of my favorites in the series, nor is it one of the overall best or most significant, but it is good. Good acting, good dialog, everything makes sense and everybody's motivations are clear...eventually. One of the things I've noticed on this very deliberate watch-through is how the Robert Holmes episodes seem to just shine out. Robert Frickin Holmes, man. And that I don't like the 4th Doctor.
For what it's worth, for the Anniversary last year, we were watching "The Krotons" - Robert Holmes' first story. It would be really interesting if next year landed us on "The Ultimate Foe." So here's to Mr. Robert Holmes, writer of more consistantly good Who than any other man or woman, across 20 years of the show's 47 and counting (really, he gets 20 out of 27 if you just look at the original run - or 32 if you include the new series - a truly impressive proportion). Anyway, we salute you sir. I would say that Robert Holmes is the Stephen Moffett of the last century, but more accurately, the Grand Moff is trying to be the Robert Holmes of this century. We shall see if he succeeds.
Speaking of...the big 5-0 is coming up. I hope our beloved Grand Moff has sufficient festivities planned. Every other significant anniversary has had Patrick Troughton in it, but that's sadly no longer on the table. Sam, perhaps?
And we just started the Key to Time. "The Invasion of Time" really bogged down for whatever reason...and didn't end up making a whole lot of sense in the end. It's such a joy to get back to Robert Holmes. And Mary Tamm! Huzzah! I always hate to see Leela go, but yay, Fred Romana!
"The Ribos Operation" is a well-constructed episode that hangs together well. It's not one of my favorites in the series, nor is it one of the overall best or most significant, but it is good. Good acting, good dialog, everything makes sense and everybody's motivations are clear...eventually. One of the things I've noticed on this very deliberate watch-through is how the Robert Holmes episodes seem to just shine out. Robert Frickin Holmes, man. And that I don't like the 4th Doctor.
For what it's worth, for the Anniversary last year, we were watching "The Krotons" - Robert Holmes' first story. It would be really interesting if next year landed us on "The Ultimate Foe." So here's to Mr. Robert Holmes, writer of more consistantly good Who than any other man or woman, across 20 years of the show's 47 and counting (really, he gets 20 out of 27 if you just look at the original run - or 32 if you include the new series - a truly impressive proportion). Anyway, we salute you sir. I would say that Robert Holmes is the Stephen Moffett of the last century, but more accurately, the Grand Moff is trying to be the Robert Holmes of this century. We shall see if he succeeds.
Speaking of...the big 5-0 is coming up. I hope our beloved Grand Moff has sufficient festivities planned. Every other significant anniversary has had Patrick Troughton in it, but that's sadly no longer on the table. Sam, perhaps?