Story 2 - The Daleks.
I put on the infotext. Is that cheating? It is distracting from what I watch.
I don't know whose numbering system I am using here. I guess eventually it will be my own, or 2Entertain's. In fact, that's what it should be. When I get to Shada who knows what I'll do. I've watched the one with Richard E. Grant as well as the Tom Baker Recon, so I'm not sure which one I'll choose. I do like its story, though. Shame.
If I get all serious and thematic than my icons will all correspond to the correct doctor. But I don't have enough icons to make every one different. I guess there are going to be a lot of repeats!
As always, running commentary first, very stream of consciousness, then a summary with some opinions.
Episode One - The Dead Planet
Short summary: The group lands on a planet that is not earth. It turns out to be a petrified forest. The Doctor wants to explore the city they see below, but the others object. So, the Doctor sabotages the ship. Susan thinks she sees something, but the others don't believe her. A metal box is left outside the ship with something in it, but they are too spooked to explore what it is. When they go down to the city they separate to explore and look for mercury. No one is feeling well. And Barbara gets captured by...
I'm typing one handed; there's a cat using my left hand as a pillow. She does like the snuggle.
Cool bas-relief effect! And all in camera. So amazing.
I love the doctor's curiosity. Barbara's negativity at the beginning surprises me too. I remember her being more "get on with it" but she's got a lot of despair.
I love this monster prop. Metal exoskeleton. It's nice and alien.
The city model is well done, too. Nice and ghostly.
I actually do like the domesticity of these first scenes as well. It doesn't seem much like what Terry Nation would do; I wonder how much of it is David Whitaker's additions. There shouldn't be quite so much scientific explanation of machines, though. Once you try to make sense of things, the stories do fall apart a bit. What about nutrients in the food? Taste has component parts? I always thought sci fi shows cheesed out on the food. Except for Farscape. Farscape did a great job with alien food.
I do love William Hartnell's sneaky happiness. Ian is so cheeky and pushy towards him all the time.
Such impractical shoes on the ladies. For tromping through forests?! I guess they are at least flats.
In future eps isn't the doctor immune to most radiation? I can't remember. I guess I could find the discontinuity guide and figure it out. No, in the future he still has some problems with radiation, though there was that bit where he "spit" it out in Doctor 10 time.
Small doors is a nice touch. But letting Barbara go off by herself? What kind of craziness is that.
There it is! Nice scream from Jacqueline Hill. What is that crazy sink plunger?
Episode Two - The Survivors
Short summary: Barbara doesn't show up for the rendezvous, and the group sets off to look for her. They discover they are suffering from radiation sickness, and get captured by the fully revealed Daleks. Ian gets shot and loses control of his legs, temporarily. The Doctor is interrogated by the Daleks and learns of their history, while also learning that the metal box left outside the Tardis probably contained anti-radiation meds. Susan is the only one well enough to go back to the ship to get the meds. She gets to the ship, and as she is leaving she spies something terrifying....
The creepy machine background noise is good. I wonder if it's supposed to be diegetic? I don't remember the incidental sound in the forest. It seems like in the previous story the sound was mostly non-diegetic mood-type music. I'm guessing we are supposed to think this sound is the sound of the city.
The admission of cheating with the removal of the fluid link is a great performance by Hartnell as well. He is ornery and crotchety, but not bad. I wonder why they chose to light only his face in this scene? It's like he has a spotlight on his face but Ian and Susan are in darkness.
Revelation of Daleks!
Ian, don't do it! He always is very silly and brave.
I wonder that there really is so much radiation if they are "miles underground."
That laugh of Susan's also nice and hysterical.
It seems the Dalek's main purpose in this episode is for exposition. The doctor has nice defiance.
I love how they are all discussing who is going to the ship to get the radiation drugs like any of them would have any say at the end.
This democracy of the Daleks is kind of interesting as well. They are having discussions about policy. Different from there being a supreme Dalek and all that later on. They are communal but not hive-minded.
Episode Three - The Escape
Short summary: Alydon, a Thal who turns out not to be scary at all. Susan bonds with him, returns with 2 sets of anti radiation meds and the Daleks take one set. The Thals are questing for food. They are a peaceful people, and only want to find food and be on their way. Some are more trusting than others. The Daleks convince Susan they mean to give the Thals food in exchange for meds and help. The groups works out how to escape from the Daleks, having learned that now the Thals have been lured they serve no further use. The Daleks have a creature inside...
Those cloaks on the Thals are quite designy and silly. What animal created those plastic outfits?
Good on you Mr. Thal man. You are thinking, anyway.
There really is no question that these Daleks are up to no good. Susan does act so naive. And Susan does seem to have a nice crush on Alydon.
I had to take a break to move my car for Minneapolis snow emergency. Good times. This is heart attack snow.... so heavy and wet. My cats now think it's time to eat, even though that's not for several hours. Sorry crazy cats!
Susan, don't sign your name to that document. Although Temmosus's idealism makes everyone else look like cynical crazies. I do like the way that Ganatus questions everything as well.
This joking among the Thals is kind of fun, isn't it?
Why in the world would you go on a 4 year journey in those clothes, dear Thals? Especially the ladies clothing? Hello, injuries. I know this is a convention of scifi as well, crazy future clothes. But oy. We wear crazy clothes for recreation, not for farming and travel. Why would any other culture be different?
Why is it easier for me to accept that they can all understand each others language but the writing I can't accept. Translator microbes or the Tardis helping them understand spoken language or whatever magic, okay. But writing?
I'm glad the Daleks don't accept the fake fighting by the doctor and co.; it makes them less silly.
I love this collaborative scene where they devise the plan to escape. Everyone thinks and they come up with a solution. And the writing and acting does show them thinking and learning from each other to come up with a plan. It's well done.
I also quite like the Dalek's panicked "keep away from me, keep away from me." It gives them some vulnerability. And the idea that there is some kind of creature in the Dalek that the ladies shouldn't see... also a nice touch.
Those Daleks really could use some opposable thumbs.
Not the greatest cliffhanger ever. Although the dying claw of the Dalek is a nice touch.
Episode Four - The Ambush
Short summary: Which dies quite pitifully. Ian hides in the Dalek suit and they barely manage to escape. the group sees the Daleks preparing the ambush the Thals, and Ian manages to warn them, but not before the Thal leader is killed. Ian and Alydon hook up, and they reconnect with the Thals in the forest. Ian realizes the Daleks have confiscated the fluid link from him, and they really are trapped....
Nice bit of improv from Susan and Carole Ann Ford. This is more what I'd wish to see from her... some cheekiness and bravado.
Pretending to lift a heavy object acting. That must be the worst. Very few can do it, either.
Ian is either quite self-sacrificing or confident he can free himself. And yes Barbara and Susan, that is the slowest lift in the history of lifts. Pretty good in camera effect, though.
Barbara's shirt buttons up the back; that seems impractical.
The script does seem a bit on the nose about the absurdity of expecting peace from those who want war. Although it does remind me of the meeting of the Incas and Pizarro. Pizarro being the Daleks, and the Incas being the ones expecting their maybe ally/enemy to act rationally.
I like this teenage snit of Susan's better that her usual fear flameouts. Snitting because she wants to help, instead of out of random fear, seems like a better use of her experienced traveler status.
Now the background sound is definitely non-diegetic. It's so bloopy and non-musicy. I like it.
Nice effect of the melty wall during the ambush as well.
Look at the Doctor's spats! Awesome.
That on the other hand, was a very good cliffhanger. The fluid link is down in the city; what will our heroes do next?
Episode Five - The Expedition
Short summary: The Tardis crew have a big argument over the ethics of trying to involve the Thals in their attempt to get back their fluid link. In the end the Thals decide they will help, because the Daleks have made an unprovoked attack on the Thals, and therefore will probably never want to live in peace. The Daleks realize they need the high radiation levels on the planet, and decide to release the waste from their power plants into the atmosphere. The Thals split into two groups--one trying to reach the city past some swamps and caves, and the others making a technological assault on the city. The swamp group hears a scream from one of its members...
This is a good reminder as well--that the Daleks want to use the radiation drugs to work on being able to navigate the planet. It makes them more sinister.
I do not like Barbara here. Her argument makes no sense. She expects the Thals to fight for her because she wants them to, and she's angry at Ian for not seeing her point. And I don't remember this argument being solved, either. The Thals decide to fight, but it's really still just for Ian's fluid link.
I like Alydon calling Ian's bluff, and the story making it understood that Alydon understood that Ian was manipulating him. A little bit more complicated storytelling than the naive Thals being brought to understand some war is necessary through the superior wisdom of Ian.
Whoa, the death throes of a Dalek. Sad times. How do those 2D Daleks work? (tee hee).
Ganatus likes Barbara (sing song voice). Does he know she was earlier arguing that her life was more important than his? What is his accent?
Alydon's reasoning is better than Barbara's. Actually, them not knowing that the Daleks are going to irradiate the planet makes this a better and more morally ambiguous story. This attack is a stealth attack that isn't supposed to cause casualties, but surely the Thals know they are provoking the Daleks into possible future attacks and warfare.
This swamp set is quite good. It doesn't seem like studio floor and it bubbles nicely.
Hey Barabara's wearing those thal-man pants. I guess not all the women wear those dresses. But her shoes! for that matter all the Thal shoes, so not jungle shoes. Her pants don't seem to have the cut-outs, though.
There are lots of complicated back story relationships hinted at in this story. Here Antodus and Ganatus, brothers. Dyoni and Alydon, lovers. Hidden deaths. They seem like a real people.
Glowy eyed monsters. Good times.
Wow, that dude's scream for this cliffhanger had a good gurgle at the end. Supposed to represent his watery death?
Episode Six - The Ordeal
Short summary: Who has died a horrible death. The swamp/cave group makes their way through the caves with much hardship and trepidation. Barbara and Ganatus continue to bond. The assault group figures out how to disable the equipment that is giving the Daleks eyes on the city. The Doctor and Susan are captured after they have sabotaged the equipment. Antodus misses an important cliff jump, and ends up hanging over the cliff edge pulling Ian with him...
Ganatus's brother doesn't seem like the best man for this expedition. He has entirely too much fear. He implied that Ganatus also ran from the swamp before.
We're back with gloomy Barbara. I like her better than combative "let's kill em all" Barbara.
The foley water soundtrack is louder than they mean it to sound, I think. I don't know how he could not have heard it.
And we are back to Barbara's stupid shoes, causing problems. Of course she couldn't hold the rope steady with those shoes.
Now it really is time for cat's dinner. Break time.
Again, the relationship between Barbara and Ganatus is very nicely played by both these actors. You get a real sense of playfulness and trust between them. I like Ganatus's wry delivery of his lines.
These cave sets are also quite good. I wonder if it has something to do with the black and white. Color can look so fake, ironically.
The lower voiced Dalek seems to be the most in charge.
Antodus panic seems out of nowhere. But I do believe in their relationship.
And for all this early incarnation of the Doctor is accused of callous behavior towards those not himself, he does exhibit caring about the Thals getting blown up by "something." Plus I love the line about Alydon when he leaves "dear dear that young man gets so agitated." I would hardly call that Alydon agitated at any point in this series. Slightly het up, maybe.
Happy Doctor, don't you know not to do the stay and gloat?
I'm not quite sure I understand the point of the rope in this jumping across the chasm scene. I mean, I understand why they would use rope, but not the way they are using it. They aren't anchoring the rope to anything, so that if the person jumping fell, it would just yank the anchors arm out of socket.
How I love the angry Doctor. "Sheer murder" indeed.
Oh dear, Antodus seems to be in despair. Ian can see it as well.
Also a very good cliffhanger. Antodus cry of "I can't hold on" has a good note of despair.
Episode Seven - The Rescue
Short summary: Only to cut the rope and plunge to his death. The cave group reaches what they think is a dead end, only to have a moment of panic and "what was it all for." But then they find a way into the city. The frontal group also enters the city thanks to the Doctor's blind. He and Susan plead with the Daleks to stop their plan to no avail. Both assault groups converge on the Daleks main control room and manage to knock out the main power supply. With all their power gone, the Dalek life support machines no longer work and the Daleks all die. The Thals get food and lots of technology to learn about. The Tardis crew gets their fluid link and are off to adventure the next.
Surely not much else can happen. But a lot still has to happen! The Doctor and Susan are captured, Antodus is pulling Ian into the chasm, and Alydon is doing who knows what with the rest of the Thals.
Boy I really do believe bad things are happening, though. Brave Antodus.
It looks like Kristas is getting paid to talk this week. Good times.
Nice move using the animal claws from the metal skeleton. Alydon is a good leader, I guess.
I think the Doctor is giving away too much in trying to bargain for his life. What's his plan here? The Tardis will help the Daleks how?
These corridors actually are a good place for a battle. Because of the tightness of the corridors, the Daleks can't use their weapons en masse but must resort to "hand to hand" contact, and at that level the humans have more of a chance of getting around behind them and overpowering them that way.
Ian's sweater is torn. Oh, I like that detail.
Countdown from 100; that seems like giving the attackers enough time to change the plans.
Oh dear, it looks like the final battle won't be in the corridors. So much for my great idea.
Oh, wait I take it back. I like the whole throwing rocks against the Daleks. Rocks make them mad.
Wow that last death cry of the Dalek was moving. Even though I know it was going to kill everyone and had no feelings about it. And Kristas was a great hero! Hooray.
Okay, seriously, Susan wants that cloak?
And a touching goodbye between Ganatus and Barbara. I wish he were going along. And a kiss! And people say there was no romance on old Who. Now his brother is dead and his would be lover is gone. Maybe he'll write some good poetry.
What the?! Stay tuned for next week.
Thoughts to Think.
This is another episode group I like quite a lot. I am surprised, actually, because its pace is mannered and slow. The space it's given for a bit of domesticity is silly, but does a lot to establish that there is life in the ship and that its inhabitants have relationships. Ian is still contending with the Doctor for a leadership role, and the Doctor is sly and untrusting. He still thinks of Ian and Barbara and "them" and not "us" and it shows in William Hartnell's performance.
I see the interactions between Susan, Ian and Barbara and wonder how in the world Susan did with the Doctor before they came along. She is the only character so far who seems ill-formed to me. She vacillates in skill sets and action to fit the needs of the story. I don't know if I'm totally being fair to her, either. I know a lot more about time lords than they did, or that they were even time lords. She doesn't seem like she could really be a time traveling rebel adventurer. She does seem like a quite skittish sheltered teen. She would have made more sense as another stowaway. But then the whole premise falls apart. The actress does fine, I think with the brief she was probably given. And you do see flashes of bravery for all her youth. And I love her fab haircut. I'm trying to remember if she ever gets more interesting, and I'm hard pressed to say.
Here's the thing I wonder about this story--why can't the Thals go back to their plateau? I mean, yes, we find out the Daleks are going to irradiate the planet again, but the Thals tried to make peace with the Daleks and barely got away. The Daleks have superior technology and a compunction to kill. Not the easiest of enemies. It makes the story, that the Daleks are all evil, easier. But since the Thals don't know that the Daleks will definitely chase after and kill them, their attack is less defensive. They and we treat Alydon's "reason" as fact, but we know things he doesn't know about the Daleks and their motivations. I like that the story is more complicated upon inspection. I had always seen it as a thinly veiled "pacifists are dumb" allegory, and I don't think it's quite that.
The sets are varied and look great!
I also might be vaguely in love with Ganatus myself. What? He's so sly and flirty.
Of course, contextually, this is the episode that put the show on the map. The viewing figures went from 6.4 million on serial 1 to 10.4 million for the last show. The obviousness of the Daleks is one reason. The Daleks captured the imagination of Brits at Saturday teatime.
I also think it has something to do with this. As a nomadic time travel show, the main risk is that we won't care about the world we arrive in and their inhabitants in the short time we have to spend with them. This series did a good job of making me care about both the Thals in general and in individual Thals. (Dyoni was a bit wooden; as the historian and lover of Alydon she could have had more depth.) It highlighted human ingenuity (even though they were officially Thals) in the face of adversity and the importance of fighting for what you believe in. This story had a very good anchor, and excellent monsters. And I liked that they weren't defeated with magic, or any blahblah whatever that someone pulled out of nowhere, but the derringdo and smarts of the characters we had come to care about. The slow build and characters moments in the earliest episodes made the battles earned, the deaths tragic, and the triumph understandable.
So what do I think? Maybe I shouldn't have given the last episode an 8? I think this one is 8.5? Did I start off too high because story 1 was better than I remember. Oh the horror.
I don't know whose numbering system I am using here. I guess eventually it will be my own, or 2Entertain's. In fact, that's what it should be. When I get to Shada who knows what I'll do. I've watched the one with Richard E. Grant as well as the Tom Baker Recon, so I'm not sure which one I'll choose. I do like its story, though. Shame.
If I get all serious and thematic than my icons will all correspond to the correct doctor. But I don't have enough icons to make every one different. I guess there are going to be a lot of repeats!
As always, running commentary first, very stream of consciousness, then a summary with some opinions.
Episode One - The Dead Planet
Short summary: The group lands on a planet that is not earth. It turns out to be a petrified forest. The Doctor wants to explore the city they see below, but the others object. So, the Doctor sabotages the ship. Susan thinks she sees something, but the others don't believe her. A metal box is left outside the ship with something in it, but they are too spooked to explore what it is. When they go down to the city they separate to explore and look for mercury. No one is feeling well. And Barbara gets captured by...
I'm typing one handed; there's a cat using my left hand as a pillow. She does like the snuggle.
Cool bas-relief effect! And all in camera. So amazing.
I love the doctor's curiosity. Barbara's negativity at the beginning surprises me too. I remember her being more "get on with it" but she's got a lot of despair.
I love this monster prop. Metal exoskeleton. It's nice and alien.
The city model is well done, too. Nice and ghostly.
I actually do like the domesticity of these first scenes as well. It doesn't seem much like what Terry Nation would do; I wonder how much of it is David Whitaker's additions. There shouldn't be quite so much scientific explanation of machines, though. Once you try to make sense of things, the stories do fall apart a bit. What about nutrients in the food? Taste has component parts? I always thought sci fi shows cheesed out on the food. Except for Farscape. Farscape did a great job with alien food.
I do love William Hartnell's sneaky happiness. Ian is so cheeky and pushy towards him all the time.
Such impractical shoes on the ladies. For tromping through forests?! I guess they are at least flats.
In future eps isn't the doctor immune to most radiation? I can't remember. I guess I could find the discontinuity guide and figure it out. No, in the future he still has some problems with radiation, though there was that bit where he "spit" it out in Doctor 10 time.
Small doors is a nice touch. But letting Barbara go off by herself? What kind of craziness is that.
There it is! Nice scream from Jacqueline Hill. What is that crazy sink plunger?
Episode Two - The Survivors
Short summary: Barbara doesn't show up for the rendezvous, and the group sets off to look for her. They discover they are suffering from radiation sickness, and get captured by the fully revealed Daleks. Ian gets shot and loses control of his legs, temporarily. The Doctor is interrogated by the Daleks and learns of their history, while also learning that the metal box left outside the Tardis probably contained anti-radiation meds. Susan is the only one well enough to go back to the ship to get the meds. She gets to the ship, and as she is leaving she spies something terrifying....
The creepy machine background noise is good. I wonder if it's supposed to be diegetic? I don't remember the incidental sound in the forest. It seems like in the previous story the sound was mostly non-diegetic mood-type music. I'm guessing we are supposed to think this sound is the sound of the city.
The admission of cheating with the removal of the fluid link is a great performance by Hartnell as well. He is ornery and crotchety, but not bad. I wonder why they chose to light only his face in this scene? It's like he has a spotlight on his face but Ian and Susan are in darkness.
Revelation of Daleks!
Ian, don't do it! He always is very silly and brave.
I wonder that there really is so much radiation if they are "miles underground."
That laugh of Susan's also nice and hysterical.
It seems the Dalek's main purpose in this episode is for exposition. The doctor has nice defiance.
I love how they are all discussing who is going to the ship to get the radiation drugs like any of them would have any say at the end.
This democracy of the Daleks is kind of interesting as well. They are having discussions about policy. Different from there being a supreme Dalek and all that later on. They are communal but not hive-minded.
Episode Three - The Escape
Short summary: Alydon, a Thal who turns out not to be scary at all. Susan bonds with him, returns with 2 sets of anti radiation meds and the Daleks take one set. The Thals are questing for food. They are a peaceful people, and only want to find food and be on their way. Some are more trusting than others. The Daleks convince Susan they mean to give the Thals food in exchange for meds and help. The groups works out how to escape from the Daleks, having learned that now the Thals have been lured they serve no further use. The Daleks have a creature inside...
Those cloaks on the Thals are quite designy and silly. What animal created those plastic outfits?
Good on you Mr. Thal man. You are thinking, anyway.
There really is no question that these Daleks are up to no good. Susan does act so naive. And Susan does seem to have a nice crush on Alydon.
I had to take a break to move my car for Minneapolis snow emergency. Good times. This is heart attack snow.... so heavy and wet. My cats now think it's time to eat, even though that's not for several hours. Sorry crazy cats!
Susan, don't sign your name to that document. Although Temmosus's idealism makes everyone else look like cynical crazies. I do like the way that Ganatus questions everything as well.
This joking among the Thals is kind of fun, isn't it?
Why in the world would you go on a 4 year journey in those clothes, dear Thals? Especially the ladies clothing? Hello, injuries. I know this is a convention of scifi as well, crazy future clothes. But oy. We wear crazy clothes for recreation, not for farming and travel. Why would any other culture be different?
Why is it easier for me to accept that they can all understand each others language but the writing I can't accept. Translator microbes or the Tardis helping them understand spoken language or whatever magic, okay. But writing?
I'm glad the Daleks don't accept the fake fighting by the doctor and co.; it makes them less silly.
I love this collaborative scene where they devise the plan to escape. Everyone thinks and they come up with a solution. And the writing and acting does show them thinking and learning from each other to come up with a plan. It's well done.
I also quite like the Dalek's panicked "keep away from me, keep away from me." It gives them some vulnerability. And the idea that there is some kind of creature in the Dalek that the ladies shouldn't see... also a nice touch.
Those Daleks really could use some opposable thumbs.
Not the greatest cliffhanger ever. Although the dying claw of the Dalek is a nice touch.
Episode Four - The Ambush
Short summary: Which dies quite pitifully. Ian hides in the Dalek suit and they barely manage to escape. the group sees the Daleks preparing the ambush the Thals, and Ian manages to warn them, but not before the Thal leader is killed. Ian and Alydon hook up, and they reconnect with the Thals in the forest. Ian realizes the Daleks have confiscated the fluid link from him, and they really are trapped....
Nice bit of improv from Susan and Carole Ann Ford. This is more what I'd wish to see from her... some cheekiness and bravado.
Pretending to lift a heavy object acting. That must be the worst. Very few can do it, either.
Ian is either quite self-sacrificing or confident he can free himself. And yes Barbara and Susan, that is the slowest lift in the history of lifts. Pretty good in camera effect, though.
Barbara's shirt buttons up the back; that seems impractical.
The script does seem a bit on the nose about the absurdity of expecting peace from those who want war. Although it does remind me of the meeting of the Incas and Pizarro. Pizarro being the Daleks, and the Incas being the ones expecting their maybe ally/enemy to act rationally.
I like this teenage snit of Susan's better that her usual fear flameouts. Snitting because she wants to help, instead of out of random fear, seems like a better use of her experienced traveler status.
Now the background sound is definitely non-diegetic. It's so bloopy and non-musicy. I like it.
Nice effect of the melty wall during the ambush as well.
Look at the Doctor's spats! Awesome.
That on the other hand, was a very good cliffhanger. The fluid link is down in the city; what will our heroes do next?
Episode Five - The Expedition
Short summary: The Tardis crew have a big argument over the ethics of trying to involve the Thals in their attempt to get back their fluid link. In the end the Thals decide they will help, because the Daleks have made an unprovoked attack on the Thals, and therefore will probably never want to live in peace. The Daleks realize they need the high radiation levels on the planet, and decide to release the waste from their power plants into the atmosphere. The Thals split into two groups--one trying to reach the city past some swamps and caves, and the others making a technological assault on the city. The swamp group hears a scream from one of its members...
This is a good reminder as well--that the Daleks want to use the radiation drugs to work on being able to navigate the planet. It makes them more sinister.
I do not like Barbara here. Her argument makes no sense. She expects the Thals to fight for her because she wants them to, and she's angry at Ian for not seeing her point. And I don't remember this argument being solved, either. The Thals decide to fight, but it's really still just for Ian's fluid link.
I like Alydon calling Ian's bluff, and the story making it understood that Alydon understood that Ian was manipulating him. A little bit more complicated storytelling than the naive Thals being brought to understand some war is necessary through the superior wisdom of Ian.
Whoa, the death throes of a Dalek. Sad times. How do those 2D Daleks work? (tee hee).
Ganatus likes Barbara (sing song voice). Does he know she was earlier arguing that her life was more important than his? What is his accent?
Alydon's reasoning is better than Barbara's. Actually, them not knowing that the Daleks are going to irradiate the planet makes this a better and more morally ambiguous story. This attack is a stealth attack that isn't supposed to cause casualties, but surely the Thals know they are provoking the Daleks into possible future attacks and warfare.
This swamp set is quite good. It doesn't seem like studio floor and it bubbles nicely.
Hey Barabara's wearing those thal-man pants. I guess not all the women wear those dresses. But her shoes! for that matter all the Thal shoes, so not jungle shoes. Her pants don't seem to have the cut-outs, though.
There are lots of complicated back story relationships hinted at in this story. Here Antodus and Ganatus, brothers. Dyoni and Alydon, lovers. Hidden deaths. They seem like a real people.
Glowy eyed monsters. Good times.
Wow, that dude's scream for this cliffhanger had a good gurgle at the end. Supposed to represent his watery death?
Episode Six - The Ordeal
Short summary: Who has died a horrible death. The swamp/cave group makes their way through the caves with much hardship and trepidation. Barbara and Ganatus continue to bond. The assault group figures out how to disable the equipment that is giving the Daleks eyes on the city. The Doctor and Susan are captured after they have sabotaged the equipment. Antodus misses an important cliff jump, and ends up hanging over the cliff edge pulling Ian with him...
Ganatus's brother doesn't seem like the best man for this expedition. He has entirely too much fear. He implied that Ganatus also ran from the swamp before.
We're back with gloomy Barbara. I like her better than combative "let's kill em all" Barbara.
The foley water soundtrack is louder than they mean it to sound, I think. I don't know how he could not have heard it.
And we are back to Barbara's stupid shoes, causing problems. Of course she couldn't hold the rope steady with those shoes.
Now it really is time for cat's dinner. Break time.
Again, the relationship between Barbara and Ganatus is very nicely played by both these actors. You get a real sense of playfulness and trust between them. I like Ganatus's wry delivery of his lines.
These cave sets are also quite good. I wonder if it has something to do with the black and white. Color can look so fake, ironically.
The lower voiced Dalek seems to be the most in charge.
Antodus panic seems out of nowhere. But I do believe in their relationship.
And for all this early incarnation of the Doctor is accused of callous behavior towards those not himself, he does exhibit caring about the Thals getting blown up by "something." Plus I love the line about Alydon when he leaves "dear dear that young man gets so agitated." I would hardly call that Alydon agitated at any point in this series. Slightly het up, maybe.
Happy Doctor, don't you know not to do the stay and gloat?
I'm not quite sure I understand the point of the rope in this jumping across the chasm scene. I mean, I understand why they would use rope, but not the way they are using it. They aren't anchoring the rope to anything, so that if the person jumping fell, it would just yank the anchors arm out of socket.
How I love the angry Doctor. "Sheer murder" indeed.
Oh dear, Antodus seems to be in despair. Ian can see it as well.
Also a very good cliffhanger. Antodus cry of "I can't hold on" has a good note of despair.
Episode Seven - The Rescue
Short summary: Only to cut the rope and plunge to his death. The cave group reaches what they think is a dead end, only to have a moment of panic and "what was it all for." But then they find a way into the city. The frontal group also enters the city thanks to the Doctor's blind. He and Susan plead with the Daleks to stop their plan to no avail. Both assault groups converge on the Daleks main control room and manage to knock out the main power supply. With all their power gone, the Dalek life support machines no longer work and the Daleks all die. The Thals get food and lots of technology to learn about. The Tardis crew gets their fluid link and are off to adventure the next.
Surely not much else can happen. But a lot still has to happen! The Doctor and Susan are captured, Antodus is pulling Ian into the chasm, and Alydon is doing who knows what with the rest of the Thals.
Boy I really do believe bad things are happening, though. Brave Antodus.
It looks like Kristas is getting paid to talk this week. Good times.
Nice move using the animal claws from the metal skeleton. Alydon is a good leader, I guess.
I think the Doctor is giving away too much in trying to bargain for his life. What's his plan here? The Tardis will help the Daleks how?
These corridors actually are a good place for a battle. Because of the tightness of the corridors, the Daleks can't use their weapons en masse but must resort to "hand to hand" contact, and at that level the humans have more of a chance of getting around behind them and overpowering them that way.
Ian's sweater is torn. Oh, I like that detail.
Countdown from 100; that seems like giving the attackers enough time to change the plans.
Oh dear, it looks like the final battle won't be in the corridors. So much for my great idea.
Oh, wait I take it back. I like the whole throwing rocks against the Daleks. Rocks make them mad.
Wow that last death cry of the Dalek was moving. Even though I know it was going to kill everyone and had no feelings about it. And Kristas was a great hero! Hooray.
Okay, seriously, Susan wants that cloak?
And a touching goodbye between Ganatus and Barbara. I wish he were going along. And a kiss! And people say there was no romance on old Who. Now his brother is dead and his would be lover is gone. Maybe he'll write some good poetry.
What the?! Stay tuned for next week.
Thoughts to Think.
This is another episode group I like quite a lot. I am surprised, actually, because its pace is mannered and slow. The space it's given for a bit of domesticity is silly, but does a lot to establish that there is life in the ship and that its inhabitants have relationships. Ian is still contending with the Doctor for a leadership role, and the Doctor is sly and untrusting. He still thinks of Ian and Barbara and "them" and not "us" and it shows in William Hartnell's performance.
I see the interactions between Susan, Ian and Barbara and wonder how in the world Susan did with the Doctor before they came along. She is the only character so far who seems ill-formed to me. She vacillates in skill sets and action to fit the needs of the story. I don't know if I'm totally being fair to her, either. I know a lot more about time lords than they did, or that they were even time lords. She doesn't seem like she could really be a time traveling rebel adventurer. She does seem like a quite skittish sheltered teen. She would have made more sense as another stowaway. But then the whole premise falls apart. The actress does fine, I think with the brief she was probably given. And you do see flashes of bravery for all her youth. And I love her fab haircut. I'm trying to remember if she ever gets more interesting, and I'm hard pressed to say.
Here's the thing I wonder about this story--why can't the Thals go back to their plateau? I mean, yes, we find out the Daleks are going to irradiate the planet again, but the Thals tried to make peace with the Daleks and barely got away. The Daleks have superior technology and a compunction to kill. Not the easiest of enemies. It makes the story, that the Daleks are all evil, easier. But since the Thals don't know that the Daleks will definitely chase after and kill them, their attack is less defensive. They and we treat Alydon's "reason" as fact, but we know things he doesn't know about the Daleks and their motivations. I like that the story is more complicated upon inspection. I had always seen it as a thinly veiled "pacifists are dumb" allegory, and I don't think it's quite that.
The sets are varied and look great!
I also might be vaguely in love with Ganatus myself. What? He's so sly and flirty.
Of course, contextually, this is the episode that put the show on the map. The viewing figures went from 6.4 million on serial 1 to 10.4 million for the last show. The obviousness of the Daleks is one reason. The Daleks captured the imagination of Brits at Saturday teatime.
I also think it has something to do with this. As a nomadic time travel show, the main risk is that we won't care about the world we arrive in and their inhabitants in the short time we have to spend with them. This series did a good job of making me care about both the Thals in general and in individual Thals. (Dyoni was a bit wooden; as the historian and lover of Alydon she could have had more depth.) It highlighted human ingenuity (even though they were officially Thals) in the face of adversity and the importance of fighting for what you believe in. This story had a very good anchor, and excellent monsters. And I liked that they weren't defeated with magic, or any blahblah whatever that someone pulled out of nowhere, but the derringdo and smarts of the characters we had come to care about. The slow build and characters moments in the earliest episodes made the battles earned, the deaths tragic, and the triumph understandable.
So what do I think? Maybe I shouldn't have given the last episode an 8? I think this one is 8.5? Did I start off too high because story 1 was better than I remember. Oh the horror.