I have to be honest - the last time I watched it I really didn't like this episode. I was pretty put off by the Doctor calling everyone (particularly Jo) stupid. But more than that, I just didn't like it all that much - and yet people absolutely rave about it. It's considered a classic and I don't really get why. I'm not meaning to be a pill - I'm actually genuinely curious about the huge outpouring of fandom love for this episode in particular. (You, madam, have always had my deepest respect for being able to love just about everything, which is what makes reading your reactions so thoroughly enjoyable). But yeah. Thoughts?
---- In other news HOLY SHIT BESSIE IS ALIVE.
So...every single character including you? :P
Hey, hey guys, remember that time that the Master decided that putting on glasses would be a great disguise?
Well, to be fair, compare it to some of his other disguises...
Also, Sergent is disappointed in sandwiches.
...you're making me want to count how many times in the Three era people fail to receive the sandwiches they deserve.
Don'tcha hate it when you pull a boulder down in a cave and a huge snowstorm comes out? Me too.
inorite? (see, this is why I read your blog - laughing so hard right now).
"Come on, first thing's first." "What? Like breakfast, you mean, sir?" Benton. BENTON. I love you.
Okay, okay, Benton is rather magnificent in this episode. AND IN ALL THE EPISODES.
And of course that U-Team video seems to have vanished from YouTube. Balls, I loved that mashup.
Sadness! That was the best ever! "Doctor John Smith, the World's Foremost Authority" hee hee hee.
Also, I kind of love how Hawthorne has taken the most instant of instant shines to Benton.
Yeah... she's his Damsel in Distress!
"Jo, did you fail Latin as well as science? Magister is the Latin word for Master!" Three sees through your celophane-thin disguise, Master.
See? See the unnecessary meanness? For why?
Unless I'm mistaken, Three just repelled a monster with a random incantation and a small garden trowel.
Yes! Okay, that is my very favorite thing in the entire episode. The idea that Bok himself is just as superstitious as everyone else. Oh, and in case you didn't recognize it, you'll hear that "incantation" again...with melody.
*sigh* Okay, I have to say I'm really not fond of plots with a "this species was crucial to the development of human civilization" twist.
Yeah... Although I think Doctor Who only did it about 3 or so times...no, at least four... as you say, *sigh*
Ouch. Yates, I thought you liked Jo, stop calling her an idiot so much.
inorite? It's like "in this episode, everyone will call Jo an idiot." And what purpose does it serve?
MORRIS DANCERS. Suddenly everything makes sense
You know...I don't know that anyone has ever expressed this particular sentiment before. (And out of context it's just beautiful)
Some say "the secret to your power was inside you the whole time," but for Qui Quae Quod's "magic," it was made of pure Benton.
Being able to summon the power of pure Benton is nothing to sneeze at.
I kinda love how the Master seems *physically incapable* of comprehending the fact that a giant alien monster won't do what he tells it to.
It's basically his fatal flaw. Until he trades it for Totally Unnecessary Disguises.
("Jon Pertwee took the model Bok home and kept it in his garden as a quirky alternative to a gnome.") #thebestpeople
That...that is all kinds of awesome. Wow.
And now Benton has the Master at gunpoint. This must be an incredibly satisfying moment for UNIT.
Benton is surprisingly good at temporarily getting the drop on the Master. And the Master is always personally offended by it, like "dude, you're a mook! You're not supposed to capture me! Who are you?"
("Christopher Barry asked the villagers to boo the Master as he goes but the children liked him so much that they wanted to cheer instead.")
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Oh man.
So, as predicted, reading your reactions is making me like this episode more than I remember doing. Cheers!
Glad to be of service! I have to admit, I didn't really catch on to the abundance of Jo-bashing by other characters in this story, but there were a few parts that I thought were rather uncalled for.
Good point. How many disguises does he have where he doesn't really do anything except change clothes?
I bet if I mentioned the Power of Pure Benton to my Tumblr friends, some mock-up advertisement might emerge from one of their Photoshops (I haven't seen a lot of them lately, but making weird Who 'shops used to be A Thing with us. Jamie's Highland Fresh was a particular favorite of mine. Good times.)
Lovable villains are the best kind of villains. I suspect that's part of the reason Loki has skyrocketed in nerd popularity since Thor and The Avengers came out. (I think Tumblr has reached a consensus that The Avengers has overridden most other major fandoms for the time being. I know I'm going to be watching the animated series in conjunction with Torchwood during my hiatus.)
I may have overstated the Jo-bashing, but I mostly remember that it ruined my enjoyment of the story. I am glad that it did not ruin yours.
See, in some sense I forgive the Master's paper-thin disguises more than his later unnecessarily intricate disguises of the Fifth Doctor era. ...now I kind of want to go through and evaluate all the Master's disguises...
Hahah! Jamie's Highland Fresh. Nice! And the Power of Pure Benton would be what - an energy drink? This sounds hilarious.
Loveable villains are the best. The thing about Loki, though, is that he's not just loveable, he's also pitiable. He's a Woobie Destroyer of Worlds (which the Master is not) - you kind of want to give him a hug.
...animated series? I'm going to have to check this out.
----
In other news HOLY SHIT BESSIE IS ALIVE.
So...every single character including you? :P
Hey, hey guys, remember that time that the Master decided that putting on glasses would be a great disguise?
Well, to be fair, compare it to some of his other disguises...
Also, Sergent is disappointed in sandwiches.
...you're making me want to count how many times in the Three era people fail to receive the sandwiches they deserve.
Don'tcha hate it when you pull a boulder down in a cave and a huge snowstorm comes out? Me too.
inorite? (see, this is why I read your blog - laughing so hard right now).
"Come on, first thing's first."
"What? Like breakfast, you mean, sir?"
Benton. BENTON. I love you.
Okay, okay, Benton is rather magnificent in this episode. AND IN ALL THE EPISODES.
And of course that U-Team video seems to have vanished from YouTube. Balls, I loved that mashup.
Sadness! That was the best ever! "Doctor John Smith, the World's Foremost Authority" hee hee hee.
Also, I kind of love how Hawthorne has taken the most instant of instant shines to Benton.
Yeah... she's his Damsel in Distress!
"Jo, did you fail Latin as well as science? Magister is the Latin word for Master!" Three sees through your celophane-thin disguise, Master.
See? See the unnecessary meanness? For why?
Unless I'm mistaken, Three just repelled a monster with a random incantation and a small garden trowel.
Yes! Okay, that is my very favorite thing in the entire episode. The idea that Bok himself is just as superstitious as everyone else. Oh, and in case you didn't recognize it, you'll hear that "incantation" again...with melody.
*sigh* Okay, I have to say I'm really not fond of plots with a "this species was crucial to the development of human civilization" twist.
Yeah... Although I think Doctor Who only did it about 3 or so times...no, at least four... as you say, *sigh*
Ouch. Yates, I thought you liked Jo, stop calling her an idiot so much.
inorite? It's like "in this episode, everyone will call Jo an idiot." And what purpose does it serve?
MORRIS DANCERS. Suddenly everything makes sense
You know...I don't know that anyone has ever expressed this particular sentiment before. (And out of context it's just beautiful)
Some say "the secret to your power was inside you the whole time," but for Qui Quae Quod's "magic," it was made of pure Benton.
Being able to summon the power of pure Benton is nothing to sneeze at.
I kinda love how the Master seems *physically incapable* of comprehending the fact that a giant alien monster won't do what he tells it to.
It's basically his fatal flaw. Until he trades it for Totally Unnecessary Disguises.
("Jon Pertwee took the model Bok home and kept it in his garden as a quirky alternative to a gnome.") #thebestpeople
That...that is all kinds of awesome. Wow.
And now Benton has the Master at gunpoint. This must be an incredibly satisfying moment for UNIT.
Benton is surprisingly good at temporarily getting the drop on the Master. And the Master is always personally offended by it, like "dude, you're a mook! You're not supposed to capture me! Who are you?"
("Christopher Barry asked the villagers to boo the Master as he goes but the children liked him so much that they wanted to cheer instead.")
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Oh man.
So, as predicted, reading your reactions is making me like this episode more than I remember doing. Cheers!
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Good point. How many disguises does he have where he doesn't really do anything except change clothes?
I bet if I mentioned the Power of Pure Benton to my Tumblr friends, some mock-up advertisement might emerge from one of their Photoshops (I haven't seen a lot of them lately, but making weird Who 'shops used to be A Thing with us. Jamie's Highland Fresh was a particular favorite of mine. Good times.)
Lovable villains are the best kind of villains. I suspect that's part of the reason Loki has skyrocketed in nerd popularity since Thor and The Avengers came out. (I think Tumblr has reached a consensus that The Avengers has overridden most other major fandoms for the time being. I know I'm going to be watching the animated series in conjunction with Torchwood during my hiatus.)
Reply
See, in some sense I forgive the Master's paper-thin disguises more than his later unnecessarily intricate disguises of the Fifth Doctor era. ...now I kind of want to go through and evaluate all the Master's disguises...
Hahah! Jamie's Highland Fresh. Nice! And the Power of Pure Benton would be what - an energy drink? This sounds hilarious.
Loveable villains are the best. The thing about Loki, though, is that he's not just loveable, he's also pitiable. He's a Woobie Destroyer of Worlds (which the Master is not) - you kind of want to give him a hug.
...animated series? I'm going to have to check this out.
Reply
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