The Trial of a Time Lord
The DVD set has been out for a while, but I wasn't about to pay $50+ for it. Mom got it for my birthday after I found it for under $30. Anyway, I watched both "The Mysterious Planet" and "Mind Warp" last night and I thought I'd post a few thoughts.
Now I haven't seen these episodes in AGES, and it was interesting to view them with a 'fresh eye'. Bit of trivia: this was the first full season of Doctor Who I ever recorded on VHS way back in 1986 or 1987 (I forget which year Georgia's PBS aired it). Now I do remember being terribly excited about this story; it was trailed pretty heavily on GPTV. Although from the way the announcer proclaimed we'd be seeing an adventure from the Doctor's past, I was under the impression it would be a vintage Hartnell or Troughton story the Time Lords were viewing!
I digress. It all starts with that absolutely fucking fantastic model shot of the Gallifreyan space station, which still puts any overblown CGI the New Series has offered up to shame. Shame the courtroom set doesn't live up to it. Too brightly lit, too much gold, etc. It needed something to liven it up a bit... maybe the Rassilon symbol on a drab, blank surface?
"The Mysterious Planet" is an average story from the late, great Robert Holmes. He revisits themes from his first-ever contribution to the series, "The Krotons". There's a lot going in its favor: most notably the double-act of Glitz and Dibber (damn, Glen Murphy was hot). It's also wonderful to see the Doctor and Peri getting along so well after a season of off and on squabbling (which was a nice idea that went on for far too long).
The move to videotaping location footage was a huge mistake, IMHO. Can you imagine how much better those sequences would have been on film? It would have had a completely different and more advantageous feel. Videotape makes it look horribly cheap, which is really sad.
One of my favorite moments is Peri's realization that Ravalox is actually Earth millions of years in the future. The scene is well played by both Nicola Bryant and Colin Baker, and I daresay it is a precursor for New Series character moments.
What doesn't work in the story's favor is all the complicated bits about Earth being moved light years across the universe (which isn't resolved until "The Ultimate Foe") and all that business about secrets stolen by Sleepers from Andromeda. I remember finding that concept more intriguing than the actual revelation later on. Also, I'm surprised the actors didn't demand sunglasses to perform in the Underground Dwellers' set! Did they hire in the same floodlighting from "Warriors of the Deep"? It looks ghastly. Just think of how more atmospheric those sequences might have been with the lights turned down a bit.
I'll post my thoughts on "Mind Warp" later tonight.
Now I haven't seen these episodes in AGES, and it was interesting to view them with a 'fresh eye'. Bit of trivia: this was the first full season of Doctor Who I ever recorded on VHS way back in 1986 or 1987 (I forget which year Georgia's PBS aired it). Now I do remember being terribly excited about this story; it was trailed pretty heavily on GPTV. Although from the way the announcer proclaimed we'd be seeing an adventure from the Doctor's past, I was under the impression it would be a vintage Hartnell or Troughton story the Time Lords were viewing!
I digress. It all starts with that absolutely fucking fantastic model shot of the Gallifreyan space station, which still puts any overblown CGI the New Series has offered up to shame. Shame the courtroom set doesn't live up to it. Too brightly lit, too much gold, etc. It needed something to liven it up a bit... maybe the Rassilon symbol on a drab, blank surface?
"The Mysterious Planet" is an average story from the late, great Robert Holmes. He revisits themes from his first-ever contribution to the series, "The Krotons". There's a lot going in its favor: most notably the double-act of Glitz and Dibber (damn, Glen Murphy was hot). It's also wonderful to see the Doctor and Peri getting along so well after a season of off and on squabbling (which was a nice idea that went on for far too long).
The move to videotaping location footage was a huge mistake, IMHO. Can you imagine how much better those sequences would have been on film? It would have had a completely different and more advantageous feel. Videotape makes it look horribly cheap, which is really sad.
One of my favorite moments is Peri's realization that Ravalox is actually Earth millions of years in the future. The scene is well played by both Nicola Bryant and Colin Baker, and I daresay it is a precursor for New Series character moments.
What doesn't work in the story's favor is all the complicated bits about Earth being moved light years across the universe (which isn't resolved until "The Ultimate Foe") and all that business about secrets stolen by Sleepers from Andromeda. I remember finding that concept more intriguing than the actual revelation later on. Also, I'm surprised the actors didn't demand sunglasses to perform in the Underground Dwellers' set! Did they hire in the same floodlighting from "Warriors of the Deep"? It looks ghastly. Just think of how more atmospheric those sequences might have been with the lights turned down a bit.
I'll post my thoughts on "Mind Warp" later tonight.