The Trial of a Time Lord III
I've been meaning to post my thoughts for a while, but I kept getting sidetracked. Anyway, it was a treat to enjoy the story on DVD as I have very fond memories of "Terror of the Vervoids". Considering how quickly it was written (after 3 or 4 other scripts fell through) it all holds together incredibly well. On the production side, it screams "Eighties!" doesn't it? But, as someone pointed out on the making of documentary, the Hyperion III could've had a retro Eighties theme for a space cruise.
I like Mel. There, I said it. She wasn't always well-served by the scripts (particularly during Season Twenty-Four) but her enthusiasm for time travel is wonderful after several years of companions who acted as if they didn't want to be there. Her sudden appearance of being from the Doctor's future is a novel concept. Unfortunately, not having a proper introduction story has a detrimental effect on her character. We never really learn who Melanie Bush is. All we know is that she's a perky computer programmer from Pease Pottage with a fitness fetish. And, really, that's about it.
Bonnie Langford. Living in the States, I had certainly never heard of her before. And, being without Doctor Who Magazine at the time, was unaware of the outrage fandom had toward her casting. She does a fine job with the material she's given, and I'd even argue that the Vervoid segment of the Trial is her best work for the series. She has most definitely shown how wonderful she can be in the Big Finish audio plays.
She and Colin Baker make quite a successful team. I wouldn't have minded another season of the Sixth Doctor and Mel.
Speaking of the Doctor, this is a nice story for Colin Baker. It's evident he's having a good time, and it's wonderful to see more of his Doctor's potential coming to light... even if it was only fleeting.
Honor Blackman... how fantastic is she? It's hard to believe it took 23 years to get her to appear in Doctor Who. Like Elisabeth Sladen in "The Five Doctors", it's a pity they stuck her in a costume with a rather nasty shade of Pepto-Bismol pink.
The Vervoids plant monsters look pretty good. Call me hopelessly naive, but I still don't see how they resemble anything "rude". Watching the story again made me wonder why Professor Lasky bred the creatures to not only exhale poisonous marsh gas, but also with deadly stings in their hands?
Doesn't that star chart on one of the corridor walls look familiar? Isn't it the same one we saw hanging in Adric's room?
When the Trial DVD set was first mooted, I seem to remember there being talk of both "The Mysterious Planet" and "Terror of the Vervoids" being edited as adventures of their own (i.e. without the intrusive trial sequences) as an extra. I don't know what ever became of that idea, but it would've been fun to see.
I like Mel. There, I said it. She wasn't always well-served by the scripts (particularly during Season Twenty-Four) but her enthusiasm for time travel is wonderful after several years of companions who acted as if they didn't want to be there. Her sudden appearance of being from the Doctor's future is a novel concept. Unfortunately, not having a proper introduction story has a detrimental effect on her character. We never really learn who Melanie Bush is. All we know is that she's a perky computer programmer from Pease Pottage with a fitness fetish. And, really, that's about it.
Bonnie Langford. Living in the States, I had certainly never heard of her before. And, being without Doctor Who Magazine at the time, was unaware of the outrage fandom had toward her casting. She does a fine job with the material she's given, and I'd even argue that the Vervoid segment of the Trial is her best work for the series. She has most definitely shown how wonderful she can be in the Big Finish audio plays.
She and Colin Baker make quite a successful team. I wouldn't have minded another season of the Sixth Doctor and Mel.
Speaking of the Doctor, this is a nice story for Colin Baker. It's evident he's having a good time, and it's wonderful to see more of his Doctor's potential coming to light... even if it was only fleeting.
Honor Blackman... how fantastic is she? It's hard to believe it took 23 years to get her to appear in Doctor Who. Like Elisabeth Sladen in "The Five Doctors", it's a pity they stuck her in a costume with a rather nasty shade of Pepto-Bismol pink.
The Vervoids plant monsters look pretty good. Call me hopelessly naive, but I still don't see how they resemble anything "rude". Watching the story again made me wonder why Professor Lasky bred the creatures to not only exhale poisonous marsh gas, but also with deadly stings in their hands?
Doesn't that star chart on one of the corridor walls look familiar? Isn't it the same one we saw hanging in Adric's room?
When the Trial DVD set was first mooted, I seem to remember there being talk of both "The Mysterious Planet" and "Terror of the Vervoids" being edited as adventures of their own (i.e. without the intrusive trial sequences) as an extra. I don't know what ever became of that idea, but it would've been fun to see.