More Top 5 answers

[thisbluespirit]

In other news, I just went for my walk round the block and was rather touched to see that in one of the streets in particular, people had been colouring pictures of rainbows and putting them on the windows with encouraging messages. ♥

shewhostaples asked top five planets in Doctor Who

(Well, actually, they asked for top 5 fruits, but mainly anything to do with food is Complicated, but #1 is bananas in case anyone else was filled with the same burning fruit curiosity).

And I was trying to think about this, because New Who must have some good planets, but I think they mostly just have occasional pretty because they rarely have time for planetary world-building, so the only one I can really think of right now is the Rings of Akhaten where you got a feel for a culture and it was interesting. I'm sure there are others! My brain is like a sieve.)

1. Kaldor (we never even see it but it and its dangerously robot-dependent culture, decadence, art deco creepy robots, and snarky politicking is totally real and my fave. Bonus points because of Kaldor City)
2. Varos (again, we get a sense of its history as a prison colony, where it came from, and Etta and Arak's 'chorus' like function adds more. Not that I'd like to live there. I wouldn't want to live on Kaldor, but it'd be way better than Varos. Provided the robots weren't trying to kill you or Uvanov wasn't after your job or something).
3. Gallifrey (it's a stuffy old place, but pretty in New Who and we see a lot of it and who does not love the many Accessories of Rassilon? "I didn't know he was musical...")
4. The Rings of Akhaten
5. Inferno!Earth

(I am probably forgetting things here, but in my defence most DW classic planets are just a quarry again. The Doctor's always, like, "I'll take you to an amazing holiday planet!" and then you wind up in a quarry/Antarctica/Wales or you make it to the amazing holiday planet only to find it's being invaded. etc.)


lirazel asked for Top 5 Press Gang characters and while I'm sure Lynda would be totally okay with them all being Lynda, I shall not do that:

1. Lynda Day (I expect there probably is someone out there who might have a fave PG character who isn't Lynda Day, but not necessarily more than one and it certainly isn't me)
2. Kenny Phillips (so nice teddy bears sneer at him)
3. Colin Mathews (is Colin)
4. Spike Thomson (Lynda would be cross if we left him off)
5. Sam Black (I'm very sorry they couldn't get Gabrielle Anwar back for S3-5, even if Julie is also v good)


swordznsorcery asked B7 episodes:

1. Blake (I'm sorry, but yes!)
2. Star One
3. The Way Back
4. Rumours of Death
5. Orbit (Probably? At this point it gets tough)

Comments

[paranoidangel]

I don't know how Lynda can't be anyone's favourite! And she would definitely say that she should be all of the top 5.

Blake is also my favourite Blake's 7 episode.

[theseatheseatheopensea]

(I am probably forgetting things here, but in my defence most DW classic planets are just a quarry again. The Doctor's always, like, "I'll take you to an amazing holiday planet!" and then you wind up in a quarry/Antarctica/Wales or you make it to the amazing holiday planet only to find it's being invaded. etc.)

This made me laugh because it's So Very True.

Also, I agree: bananas are #1.

[thisbluespirit]

Never let the Doctor try to take you on holiday! XD

[thisbluespirit]

And she would definitely say that she should be all of the top 5.

She would! And she would make sure it happened, too.

Blake is also my favourite Blake's 7 episode.

*high fives fellow sadist*

[hamsterwoman]

people had been colouring pictures of rainbows and putting them on the windows with encouraging messages. ♥

Aww, that's lovely!

Of the 3 Blake's 7 eps that I've seen already (I'm kind of stalled out on s4, midway through "Stardrive", though I do want to continue, in order to get to the good part... which, where would you say the good part of s4 begins?), Star One and RoD are definitely on my current top 5 too :) But I was surprised to see that the first one ranked so high with you! Is it a thing that you appreciated more on rewatch, or?

[thisbluespirit]

I was wondering how you were getting on and, ha, Stardrive! Oh dear. I think things start looking up after that, basically, although there's still "Animals", except I kind of don't hate it, unlike other people. How did you cope with "Power"?

I was surprised to see that the first one ranked so high with you! Is it a thing that you appreciated more on rewatch, or?

The first time I watched it, I really wasn't expecting something so adult and 1984, I think. I was really impressed, and that feeling has just grown on rewatches. It's a really good establishing of what they're fighting. Even if it doesn't have Avon in it!

[hamsterwoman]

It's a really good establishing of what they're fighting.

Ah! That makes sense, and I can definitely agree with that.

I think things start looking up after that, basically, although there's still "Animals", except I kind of don't hate it,

That is encouraging! (It's not even that I'm disliking "Stardrive" or actively disliked most of the earlier episodes -- I did like "Rescue" a lot, btw -- it's that they no longer seem to be doing the thing for me that s2-s3 and even much of s1 was doing. Dunno if it's the cast turnover or the writing or what. Hopefully the writing and that will turn around with future episodes.

"Power", oh boy. So I can definitively say that "Moloch" is my favorite Ben Steed episode (as in, I actually kind of like it!). "Kairos" is so over the top that I can't actually be all that mad at it, in retrospect -- it's so dumb! (and I did like that trick with Avon's pet rock). So I think "Power" has got to be my least favorite, because I didn't find it interesting, and the actual plot is wrapped around the incredibly dumb war of the sexes idea (and then we get a line about it, in case it wasn't clear). And yeah, that scene between Avon and the Seska lady, which not only was not a great Avon scene, but from a worldbuilding perspective -- if it was this easy to withstand their power... (also, I did pretty recently finish Naomi Alderman's The Power which had women with superpowers too, and while it's not fair to compare a full-length modern novel to an episode of 40-year-old TV, well, I still did, and it wasn't in the episode's favor. (Avon bugged me in that scene, of course, but actually I haven't been liking him much this whole season so far...)

[thisbluespirit]

And yeah, that scene between Avon and the Seska lady

My hair stood on end and not in the good way.

Avon bugged me in that scene, of course, but actually I haven't been liking him much this whole season so far...

To be fair, Avon in S4 is, following Terminal and all that he lost in it (through his own "sentiment" that he doesn't even believe he has, after all), really heading for the edge at speed. So, you know, it depends how you feel about that as it goes on, because that's a lot of what's going on in S4, and comes to a head in the finale. Some people really don't like S4 at all, though, so it would not be unusual not to anyway. I do, though! (I like nearly everything once I like a thing. Heh. XD Except for Ben Steed, that would be silly. And Children of Auron.)

I did like "Rescue" a lot, btw

Yay! There are a few of us. XD

o I can definitively say that "Moloch" is my favorite Ben Steed episode (as in, I actually kind of like it!). "Kairos" is so over the top that I can't actually be all that mad at it, in retrospect -- it's so dumb! (and I did like that trick with Avon's pet rock). So I think "Power" has got to be my least favorite

You are totally in the able to rate Ben Steed's awfulness club now. Welcome!

[hamsterwoman]

To be fair, Avon in S4 is, following Terminal and all that he lost in it (through his own "sentiment" that he doesn't even believe he has, after all), really heading for the edge at speed.

Yeah, it... I can't claim that it doesn't make sense as a character choice, because he's been a little unhinged (from his usual) ever since Servalan told him Blake was dead in "Terminal", and I can appreciate that, but I don't actually enjoy watching it, I find. I guess we'll see how it develops / whether the better episodes sell me on it as entertaining/worthwhile (in addition to plausible).

Yay! There are a few of us. XD

Oh, is that an unpopular opinion? (I didn't really care about the cave of Dorian Gray thing, but I enjoyed the main character dynamics in that one.)

You are totally in the able to rate Ben Steed's awfulness club now. Welcome!

Thank you! :D I do feel like I worked hard to earn that honor. :D

[thisbluespirit]

I guess we'll see how it develops / whether the better episodes sell me on it as entertaining/worthwhile (in addition to plausible).

There are better eps than Power and Stardrive, and maybe the best ever episode at the end as well. But you wouldn't be alone in disliking it if you did, so only further attempts to finish off the space punks and move on will tell. Good luck! ♥

Thank you! :D I do feel like I worked hard to earn that honor.

We should have badges.

[hamsterwoman]

so only further attempts to finish off the space punks and move on will tell. Good luck! ♥

Haha, well! This was enough encouragement to at least get to the end of "Stardrive" (god, the space punks... that was so ridiculous, and not, I'm afraid, in a good way, as far as I'm concerned XD -- and I'd actually been enjoying the first part of the episode, before they go down on the planet) and start "Animals". At least so far it appears that I've traded up?

[thisbluespirit]

No, not in a good way at all! I have three episodes I rarely ever rewatch and they are Children of Auron, Power and Stardrive. So, um, you have made it through my least favourite 3 eps, if nothing else?

and start "Animals". At least so far it appears that I've traded up?

LOL. Many people would disagree! (Animals is skeevy, but kind of in a the federation is skeevy way... so. but it is. Poor Dayna.)

Though you do get the bit where Paul Darrow goes sliding across the set and knocked over a chair and they still kept it in. And Og. Although by this point with B7, Og is just par for the course. XD

[hamsterwoman]

So, um, you have made it through my least favourite 3 eps, if nothing else?

That IS encouraging! :D

I finished "Animals" last night, and didn't think it was bad at all! I think it's actually the one I've enjoyed most this season after "Rescue", although, to be fair, that's not saying a ton. And, like, the Federation stuff was skeevy, but not in any unexpected way.

And I actually didn't mind Og! He had nice horns. And the setup kept reminding me of the Decima back in season 1, and this was SO MUCH BETTER from an SFX perspective, I was downright happy with Og.

Though you do get the bit where Paul Darrow goes sliding across the set and knocked over a chair and they still kept it in

Ha! I'm not sure I would've noticed that it wasn't on purpose if you hadn't mentioned it, but this way I did. Very sturdy chair, that XD

[thisbluespirit]

And I actually didn't mind Og! He had nice horns. And the setup kept reminding me of the Decima back in season 1, and this was SO MUCH BETTER from an SFX perspective, I was downright happy with Og.

LOL, I feel I need to apologise for breaking you here. XD Watching B7: yr SFX standards lower sharply over the four seasons...

Ha! I'm not sure I would've noticed that it wasn't on purpose if you hadn't mentioned it, but this way I did. Very sturdy chair, that XD

Apparently Paul's ability to break the props was legendary, so things needed to be!

Anyway, I checked the list of episodes, and (for me anyway), from this point there's nothing really duff left, although only two or three really great ones. (Like I said, S4 is more of a standard after the first few, S3 goes much more sharply up and down, from these marvellous peaks to OMG what even why am I watching this?)

Good luck and I look forward to seeing your reaction to some of the later incidents. XD

[hamsterwoman]

Watching B7: yr SFX standards lower sharply over the four seasons...

Heh, well, low standards are the key to a happy life, so, I should be grateful, really :P

I'm back in the groove after "Animals", it seems! "Headhunter" was ridiculous but in a fun way, and I genuinely enjoyed "Assassin", and now I'm on "Games" and still having fun. And s4!Avon isn't bugging me anymore, so I do think that was just the rocky writing on those early episodes rather than actual character choices.

[thisbluespirit]

Yay, good! "Headhunter" is ridiculous, but it also has some good character stuff (and even some foreshadowing going on). And "Assassin" is the one where Servalan temporarily gets to buy Avon at the market, which is def. one of those "OMG they really went there" moments.

And s4!Avon isn't bugging me anymore, so I do think that was just the rocky writing on those early episodes rather than actual character choices.

I'm glad.

*gives evil laugh*

*looks innocent*

[hamsterwoman]

And "Assassin" is the one where Servalan temporarily gets to buy Avon at the market,

Yes, yes it is :D (definitely one of the highlights of the episode for me, another being Servalan addressing abound Avon over the intercom).

I'm assuming that fandom, being fandom, has generated some AU fics along the premise of, Avon doesn't get his teleport bracelet back in the market scene :D?

*gives evil laugh*
*looks innocent*

I mean, he does seem to still be unhinged, and appears to have a death wish -- and I'm totally fine with that as a character choice! But I'm enjoying these manifestations of those things a lot more than in those earlier episodes.

[thisbluespirit]

I'm assuming that fandom, being fandom, has generated some AU fics along the premise of, Avon doesn't get his teleport bracelet back in the market scene :D?

You would think so! I'm trying to remember if I've seen any, but OTOH, last time I went through B7 on AO3 there was a lot less Avon/Servalan there and Hermit Archive hadn't been transferred over. (I'm really out of date on my B7 fic-reading. I mean to have a splurge some time!)

Yeah, my evil laughing was more me looking at the line up of eps to come, but then I added the Avon bit and that was confusing. (Ha. ahahahaha. ;-p)

[hamsterwoman]

Apparently there's at least one. I knew I could count on fandom to be fandom :D

[thisbluespirit]

Apparently there's at least one. I knew I could count on fandom to be fandom :D

Ah, yes, and still_lycoris, who is great. Remind me, when we're done to link you to the Most Amazing Coffee Shop AU Ever that they wrote (aka Straight Up and Bitter).

[romanajo123]

Good choices! Yes Kaldor sounds awesome

... * jumps in TARDIS, goes to look up Press Gang*

[thisbluespirit]

Thanks! And Press Gang was Steven MOffat's first show, and it and Lynda are both very awesome even now.

[lirazel]

I'm sure Lynda would be totally okay with them all being Lynda, I shall not do that

Hahahaha!

I'm thrilled Sam is on your list. It still breaks my heart we didn't get more of her.

[thisbluespirit]

Yes, it would have been so great if Sam had come back - Steven Moffat extended the part for her, apparently, but Gabrielle Anwar was in a film or something and so they brought Julie back instead and gave her Sam's role.

[liadt]

Kaldor if nothing else it must look nice:D And has more staying power than Gallifrey(!).

I was surprised at Colin being at no.3. I didn't think you liked him that much!

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, but a big part of the fun of Press Gang is just "Are you here to kill Colin again?" etc. etc. As Lynda says, as captialist weasels go, he's all right. XD

Yes, shiny interior decor on Kaldor! If you're privileged and nobody stabs you/strangles you/poisons you/sets the Henry Hoovers on you.

[swordznsorcery]

Your choice of favourite episode is evil. ;) My favourite is "Terminal", I think. "Blake" is bloody good though, certainly.

[thisbluespirit]

It's just the best episode, though! No matter how heartbreaking. Besides, I find Terminal too distressing to rewatch easily - I think it's more traumatic than "Blake"!

[swordznsorcery]

Because of what happens to the Liberator?

[thisbluespirit]

I'm not sure really - Liberator and Zen's death, and the whole Blake-and-Avon thing. It gets very weird and bleak, more so than any other episode, I think. I can rewatch it easier now, but I used to skip over it because I couldn't cope.

[swordznsorcery]

Poor Zen! That is very moving. So's Slave's death, and I never warmed to him or the Scorpio in anything like the same way. But yes, it's a rollercoaster of an episode. A more optimistic ending at least though!

[thisbluespirit]

Somehow it doesn't feel like it! Everything just feels terribly wrong and sad.

Whereas "Blake" is full on Shakespearean tragedy that makes everything tie together. And you can take it as bleakly as you like or as well.

I don't know why Terminal feels worse, but I do not understand fans who think it'd be somehow happier if we left it there! It'd be WORSE!!

[swordznsorcery]

I love that they're all stranded, but I wouldn't want it left there, no. I do wish we'd had more of the stranding though.

[thisbluespirit]

That would have involved even more people in gorilla suits, though, so it's probably for the best. ;-p