Classic Who Review: Black Orchid (Fifth Doctor Era)
I watched the first Classic Who DVD and as announced (or perhaps threatened?) here are my two cents :)
But first, a summary of the episode; can originally be found here:
The TARDIS lands in 1925 at Cranleigh Halt, a small railway station in rural England. Tegan wonders where they are and the Doctor explains their location, saying he wished to have a train set as a boy. They walk out front to fnd a chauffeur named Tanner, who says he has been waiting for the Doctor, much to his surprise, telling him he's expected for a cricket match. Though the invitation is unexpected, the Doctor is keen to play; soon he, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan have arrived at Cranleigh Hall, home of the Cranleigh family. The Doctor is immediately put into the game, and does superbly--bringing the team back from defeat to a win and delighting Lord Charles Cranleigh, who invites the travellers to a fancy dress party that evening as thanks for a splendid performance.
After the match, the cricketers and spectators retreat to Cranleigh Hall for introductions. The Doctor is asked what his name is, but Charles explains the Doctor wishes to remain incognito. In an opulent sitting room that houses a magnificent black orchid, Lady Cranleigh laments the loss of her botanist son, George, killed on an expedition to find the rare bloom. When told that the party would be a costume party, Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan say that they do not have costumes to wear; Lady Cranleigh is confused as she believed they were already wearing costumes. While everyone asks for a drink, Lady Cranleigh wonders about Nyssa's origins, thinking she may be from a rich family she knows, but Nyssa repeatedly asserts she is not from around there. Much to everyone' surprise, Charles walks in with his fiancée, Ann Talbot, who is almost an exact double of Nyssa. The travelers set off to their rooms to prepare for the ball...
So much for the official synopsis of the first part (Black Orchid is a two-part episode), but before the above happens, in the intro, we see the struggle of two people, which ends in murder. Then we see a young woman sleeping in her bed, while a man watches her - and the same guy ends up tied to a bed, guarded by a South American Indian...
Alright - hands up please: Who figured out the whole plot and mystery based on the info I provided you with? Everyone? Good. ;) This, right here, is the main bone I have to pick with 'Black Orchid'; it wants to be a murder mystery, but the whole surprise is given away in one screencap used in the DVD menu (!) and a short dialogue pretty much in the first ten minutes of Part 1 °_°" Which means no suspense whatsoever.
I have no problem with the 1984 (?) footage, which is restored but miles away from HD (obviously), it gave me a nice tingle of nostalgia instead and simply being able to watch Classic Who on DVD (instead of streamed from YT, which I could have done ^.^) is great, but I really can't stand an utterly predictable story, especially since nothing happening in 'Black Orchid' comes as a surprise, not even the ending.
But, of course, there were positive aspects, too:
Next Up: Review for 'The Deamons' (as soon as I get around to watching it)
PS: Bought myself some of the 50th Anniversary DW novels :)
But first, a summary of the episode; can originally be found here:
The TARDIS lands in 1925 at Cranleigh Halt, a small railway station in rural England. Tegan wonders where they are and the Doctor explains their location, saying he wished to have a train set as a boy. They walk out front to fnd a chauffeur named Tanner, who says he has been waiting for the Doctor, much to his surprise, telling him he's expected for a cricket match. Though the invitation is unexpected, the Doctor is keen to play; soon he, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan have arrived at Cranleigh Hall, home of the Cranleigh family. The Doctor is immediately put into the game, and does superbly--bringing the team back from defeat to a win and delighting Lord Charles Cranleigh, who invites the travellers to a fancy dress party that evening as thanks for a splendid performance.
After the match, the cricketers and spectators retreat to Cranleigh Hall for introductions. The Doctor is asked what his name is, but Charles explains the Doctor wishes to remain incognito. In an opulent sitting room that houses a magnificent black orchid, Lady Cranleigh laments the loss of her botanist son, George, killed on an expedition to find the rare bloom. When told that the party would be a costume party, Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan say that they do not have costumes to wear; Lady Cranleigh is confused as she believed they were already wearing costumes. While everyone asks for a drink, Lady Cranleigh wonders about Nyssa's origins, thinking she may be from a rich family she knows, but Nyssa repeatedly asserts she is not from around there. Much to everyone' surprise, Charles walks in with his fiancée, Ann Talbot, who is almost an exact double of Nyssa. The travelers set off to their rooms to prepare for the ball...
So much for the official synopsis of the first part (Black Orchid is a two-part episode), but before the above happens, in the intro, we see the struggle of two people, which ends in murder. Then we see a young woman sleeping in her bed, while a man watches her - and the same guy ends up tied to a bed, guarded by a South American Indian...
Alright - hands up please: Who figured out the whole plot and mystery based on the info I provided you with? Everyone? Good. ;) This, right here, is the main bone I have to pick with 'Black Orchid'; it wants to be a murder mystery, but the whole surprise is given away in one screencap used in the DVD menu (!) and a short dialogue pretty much in the first ten minutes of Part 1 °_°" Which means no suspense whatsoever.
I have no problem with the 1984 (?) footage, which is restored but miles away from HD (obviously), it gave me a nice tingle of nostalgia instead and simply being able to watch Classic Who on DVD (instead of streamed from YT, which I could have done ^.^) is great, but I really can't stand an utterly predictable story, especially since nothing happening in 'Black Orchid' comes as a surprise, not even the ending.
But, of course, there were positive aspects, too:
- Adric and Nyssa being the only aliens in the show (aside from the Doctor himself) were used for some mostly funny dialogues playing with how strange everything on Earth was to them - I really liked that, to the point were I would wish for a New Who Doctor to get an alien Companion, too.
- Speaking of which, it was really refreshing that there were no aliens in this episode and that the world/galaxy didn't need saving. Instead we see the Doctor playing cricked, and Tegan and Nyssa dancing (while Adric eats; seems common for him, considering how Nyssa chides him).
- Not so much 'positive' but rather interesting was seeing the Fifth Doctor in action for the first time. He seems almost... shy/timid in comparison with Nine to Eleven. He acts, but doesn't really feel in charge somehow. I think without any Companions to rescue/speak/travel with... I don't really know, I think he needs an outside force to drive him, but it's just one episode, so I could be mistaken... °_°
Next Up: Review for 'The Deamons' (as soon as I get around to watching it)
PS: Bought myself some of the 50th Anniversary DW novels :)