"He reads a lot, you know!"

[thisbluespirit]

Okay, my thoughts (definitely spoilers all over the place this time, because this is new to me).

I enjoyed that.  It's not just Robots; I like Chris Boucher's writing, it now appears.  A lot of interesting ideas being played around with, characters who seem to have lives (even if some of them are walking stereotypes and / or have dodgy accents - this is normal in DW; them having lives and characters as well isn't always.)

A slow build up and then very gripping.  And the Doctor's been distinctly harsh and alien for the last few stories.  Here he's actually being charming from time to time, which is good.  There are some themes being developed on from Face of Evil and Robots of Death - and, again, we see a lot of the story through a guest character.  And some lovely dialogue. 

Colby's opening monologue to the skull.  (Sorry, it made me smile) and the Doctor talking to the cows  "Ladies...".

Also these:
Doctor: "You must have been sent by Providence!"
Ted Moss: "No, I were sent by the Council to cut the verges."

Mrs Tyler: "How come he knows so much?"
Doctor: "I read a lot!"

Leela's talk of the Doctor and how wonderful he is, crossed with him locked up and kicking boxes in a huff.

I mean, there are flaws.  Quite a few, really.  Some are too obvious to mention.  (It always seems mean to pick on the poor old monsters.  At least DW always had a go before declaring things were impossible...)  And I've already noted the dodgy accents.  But local yokels who actually aren't total idiots, despite their 'backwardness' and who survive?  Again, it's not knowing the clever words that makes you wise.  The Tylers would have been doomed in any UNIT story.  I bet Colby would have sacrificed himself and all (having lost Thea, you know).  (Again, themes recurring - the Doctor's learned to take notice of Leela's instincts, too).  There are some good deaths (and some survivors). 

Leela is a flirt (well, I said so all along).  John Tyler takes a liking to her and she kisses Colby (which is the nearest anyone comes to noting that Thea's been killed, definitely one of the flaws).  And she's compassionate to someone scared out of their wits once again.  And her new dress is scarily flimsy.  I was relieved when she put the old one back on. 

I'm just slightly freaked out by the Doctor/Leela-ness of it all.  Have I been reading too much fanfic?  I mean, there are 'ships that would be easy to do, if you wanted to, but completely unbacked up by anything on screen and I'd have put Four/Leela in that category.  Then this.  There was a kind of odd shippiness about it anyway and then came episode 3, which then cast a different light on everything, especially the TARDIS scenes.  I'm definitely disturbed now.  I may need to go and wash my brain out.  (Sorry, if other people haven't seen it quite so recently: Leela's rescue of the Doctor involves knocking him off his chair, to fall on top of her.  Where they stay for rather too long for my comfort.  And then all the compliments on Leela's dresses start becoming worrying.  I was trying to ignore it until then.)  

And, About Time and the Discontinuity Guide point out another insoluable plot problem that's very similar to the sabotage thing from Robots.  (Maybe it was a secret ongoing story that would have come out had not Chris Boucher been swallowed by Blake's 7?  Who knows?)  Who lets the Doctor out when he's been locked up?  (About Time suggests Mrs Tyler has psycho-kinetic powers.)

The only problem is that now I'm left wanting to find the bit in DWM that made fun of the names.  ("You might as well call them Adam Square-Jaw, Wendy Doomed...")  I've worked out that it must be the 'Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned from the Fourth Doctor.' article.  I used to keep the mags with those in to one side because they amused me no end (little things, again, remember), but I think I refiled them in order.  Argh.)


Edit: Now I'm a bit scared about the commentary.  Hmm.  I'm sure Louise will slap Tom if he gets carried away by the scene I mentioned above.  Well, hopefully she will.

Comments

[clocketpatch]

I like Leela as a character, but her fashion sense and interactions with he Doctor both scare and make me vaguely uncomfortable.

As for the episode... if I remember right it contained one of the few instances of people on TV doing radio-carbon dating properly, which made me very happy (I think... it could easily have been the opposite.. it's been awhile). The dodgy monsters were almost as terrifying as Leela's dress. I think I love them.

[thisbluespirit]

You have an icon of the scary scene!! (I was sat there: "THis is Doctor Who! Stop it at once!")

Well, they do mention an excellent potassium-argion test. Anyway, I definitely reiterate my advice to take the plunge and watch Robots of Death if you can. There's none of the above sort of thing in that. You might find for just the one story you like Leela in practice as well as theory. :-D Cos I'm with you on the scary dress, scary Doctor/Leela thing.

[thisbluespirit]

Now I've just listened to the commentary and:

a) I think I love the whole thing even more. It's going in my Top 10 of Who episodes that will never make the Top 10, but which I love unreasonably. Baby Fendahleen and "I think you have industrial relations incident." (Chris Boucher sarky-ness I do love).

b) A fun commentary, too. (Good, shiny, new DVD). Louise and Tom clearly do like each other, despite all the stories. And Tom's reaction to the above scene? "Go on, kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!!" (So definitely not just us, then.) In fact the cast are hilariously shippy. Given that we start with a Colby/Thea thing, they throw in Colby/fendalman and Thea/Max. Not to mention the whole Doctor/Leela thing again. :lol: Not to mention Leela kissing Adam. (Love the exchange on the commentary about it:

Edward Arthur: "That wasn't in the script. That was just Louise doing something very nice for me."
Tom: "She never did that for me!"
Louise: "I never did it for my husband, Andred."
Tom: "YOu never kissed your husband?"
Louise: "Not on screen.")

And Wanda Ventham getting upset about Thea. "It;s so unfair! Everyone else survives..."

Erm... I should really have done another post, not an insanely long not-really-reply, shouldn't I? Sorry.

I want to write fic off the back of it, but I have no idea what. It's just as well that I have no time for it at the moment, really. Heh.

[pedanther]

Having solved the sabotage thing from Robots, I promised to come back and give you my opinion on the bit with the door when I eventually got around to rewatching it...

I'm convinced it was intended as a delayed-reaction gag: The Doctor tries to open the big clunky old lock with his sonic screwdriver. Nothing happens. He gives up and starts kicking stuff -- and then the lock opens.

Note that when the door opens the Doctor doesn't stand around asking "How did that happen? Who's there?" He just picks up his sonic screwdriver and goes.

(I just watched that bit one more time to see if his facial expression looks smug, and you can't really see -- but when he picks up his sonic screwdriver he kisses it, which works just as well as a sign that he believes he got himself out.)

[pedanther]

And having said that, I remembered that I've had a copy of the novelisation all this time, and wondered what it had to say.

Terrance Dicks, I discover, also goes with the "it was the sonic screwdriver after all" interpretation, although he tightens it up a bit by having the Doctor's bout of box-kicking end with him kicking the door, and having that be the thing that makes the lock finally give way.

[thisbluespirit]

Heh, I'm very impressed and will take your word for it. I'm still a little dubious, because it doesn't seem like the sort of door to respond to the screwdriver - perhaps it's meant to be another thing that doesn't have an explanation?

Or, as you say!!! (And Terrance, too.)

[pedanther]

I agree that it doesn't seem like the sort of door to respond to the sonic screwdriver; but I think it's clear that the screwdriver is supposed to be the key to the Doctor's escape nonetheless.

Terrance also agrees with you:

The problem was, it was too simple, thought the Doctor gloomily. A new triple-security electronic lock he'd have had disconnected in no time. But the old-fashioned metal contraption was too big and clumsy to respond to the sonic screwdriver.

And then when the lock does give way, it's not because he succeeded in unlocking it, but because his attempts have damaged something.

[thisbluespirit]

I expect you're right - I just like the idea of this weird pick n mix approach to the 'truth' that Image seems to have! It plays with big themes and declines to explain everything but for reasons of its own. I'm sure I'm reading too much into it, but it's fun. Hence all the fic earlier in the year! ;-)

Ah, you see, I know Terrance Dicks was a man of sense (mostly). :lol:

I am very impressed by your mystery solving abilities, nonetheless.