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tree_and_leaf... I'm tempted to complain about the give-the-plot-away title, but in fact it's not even accurate, as the Daleks have been there for quite some time before the story starts. It's more 'the Dalek Occupation of Earth', or even 'The Human Rebellion Against the Daleks' (yes, I know that's not a snappy title, but neither's the original...
Anyway: this is the last story with the original configuration of characters, namely the first Doctor, Barbara, Ian, and Susan, who here lives up to the not particularly accurate companion stereotype of twisting her ankle in the first episode, and also managing to bury the TARDIS under the ruins of a bridge.
It's compelling stuff - not as fast as modern Who, of course, but it doesn't, thus far, feel padded. As always I'm struck by how good the character writing was in that era. No attention is drawn to the Emotionally Significant moements, but they're there, organically, whether it's the Doctor's touching wish not to blight Barbara and Ian's first moments back in London ("I wouldn't spoil your home-coming for the world"), alternating with a nagging feeling that something isn't right; Barbara and Susan being protective of each other (and the lovely moment where the Doctor scolds Susan and Ian, walking past, ruffles her hair consolingly); or the strong bond we see between the Doctor and Ian when they're taken captive by the Daleks. Actually, the scene where the Doctor and Ian worked out how to get out of the cell - while their fellow captor watched in bafflement, and was patronised by the Doctor - reminded me rather strongly of Ten. Despite One's not inconsiderable ego ("You sometimes astonish me, Doctor!" "Only sometimes? What's wrong with your memory?") and testiness, he's mellowed a lot from the days of the "Unearthly Child" or "The Edge of Destruction"; he cares about all his companions and has obviously come to think highly of Barbara and Ian. As well he should! And there are some subtly done moments where we feel Barbara and Ian's growing sense of unease at the wrongness of the future London they've found themselves in.
One slight disappointment for me is that Barabra has been relatively low-profile so far, though she did have one excellent moment when she proposed a battle strategy. But Ian's been so good that I don't mind too much. The Earth resistance are interesting, too - the core group seem like individuals, the sense that things are getting desperate but that people are still more or less holding it together by the three British virtues in adversity of stoicism, tea and sarcasm (the Daleks keep broadcasting 'Surrender or die' messages, which naturally inspires one of the resistance fighters to Dalek imitations - 'You-will-o-bey-the-me-tal-dust-bins!'
I'm looking forward to the rest of it.
Anyway: this is the last story with the original configuration of characters, namely the first Doctor, Barbara, Ian, and Susan, who here lives up to the not particularly accurate companion stereotype of twisting her ankle in the first episode, and also managing to bury the TARDIS under the ruins of a bridge.
It's compelling stuff - not as fast as modern Who, of course, but it doesn't, thus far, feel padded. As always I'm struck by how good the character writing was in that era. No attention is drawn to the Emotionally Significant moements, but they're there, organically, whether it's the Doctor's touching wish not to blight Barbara and Ian's first moments back in London ("I wouldn't spoil your home-coming for the world"), alternating with a nagging feeling that something isn't right; Barbara and Susan being protective of each other (and the lovely moment where the Doctor scolds Susan and Ian, walking past, ruffles her hair consolingly); or the strong bond we see between the Doctor and Ian when they're taken captive by the Daleks. Actually, the scene where the Doctor and Ian worked out how to get out of the cell - while their fellow captor watched in bafflement, and was patronised by the Doctor - reminded me rather strongly of Ten. Despite One's not inconsiderable ego ("You sometimes astonish me, Doctor!" "Only sometimes? What's wrong with your memory?") and testiness, he's mellowed a lot from the days of the "Unearthly Child" or "The Edge of Destruction"; he cares about all his companions and has obviously come to think highly of Barbara and Ian. As well he should! And there are some subtly done moments where we feel Barbara and Ian's growing sense of unease at the wrongness of the future London they've found themselves in.
One slight disappointment for me is that Barabra has been relatively low-profile so far, though she did have one excellent moment when she proposed a battle strategy. But Ian's been so good that I don't mind too much. The Earth resistance are interesting, too - the core group seem like individuals, the sense that things are getting desperate but that people are still more or less holding it together by the three British virtues in adversity of stoicism, tea and sarcasm (the Daleks keep broadcasting 'Surrender or die' messages, which naturally inspires one of the resistance fighters to Dalek imitations - 'You-will-o-bey-the-me-tal-dust-bins!'
I'm looking forward to the rest of it.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-09 12:12 am (UTC)I like this story very much. There's an unselfconscious theatricality about the presentation which isn't showbizzy and is at times very brutal. The Robomen are I think the first instances of 'body horror' in the series, and the Doctor's resolution that "we must pit our wits against them and defeat them!" indicates that within a year he has turned from the reluctant interventionist into someone who saves the situation every story and enjoys doing it, and ropes those he likes into helping at the same time.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-09 01:19 am (UTC)I really like the serial so far! You're right about the change in the Doctor, and his new enthusiasm for pulling rabbits out of hats.