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Decided to have a re-watch (and in some cases a first time watch) of some earlier Who, to fill in some of the Who-less weeks. I was going to leave "The Dæmons" until later, but I remember it as being particularly good, so I thought I'd start with it instead. Haven't seen it since it got that repeat on BBC2 back in the nineties. 1994, was that? I seem to remember watching it in the common room at college, but I'm not sure. (Nope, just checked. It was 1992). Anyways, what a great start to the re-watch! This is fabulous, fabulous stuff. Creepy village setting, weird goings-on, gradual build up of tension and events - stuff we've never seen in the new series. I love New Who, sure (except for "Last of The Time Lords"), but with most of the stories having to tell themselves in forty-five minutes, there's little of this sort of dramatic build up or pacing; and RTD claims that stories set in small villages are irrelevant. You're wrong, RTD. There's nothing irrelevant or dated about setting a story in the countryside for a change. Nothing at all. "The Dæmons" isn't one of the most popular Who stories ever for no reason. And the great thing? I've watched two episodes, and I still have another three to go.
It's a simple enough story. An archaeologist is working on a dig, and the Doctor suspects that it might be dangerous, so dashes across the country to try to stop him. He's too late, and something is released into the world. Mike and Benton whizz off in their cute little pocket-sized chopper to give their assistance, and Jo bounces around the place being no particular use to anybody, though in an entertaining fashion. I like Jo. She really doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose save the wearing of mad fashion items; and given her remarkable ability to get herself kidnapped, she's more a liability than a help. She's sweet, though, and I like her determination. Keep trying, Jo. You may get to be useful one day. So far not a lot has happened save the Master chanting a lot, Benton being beaten up by invisible somethings, and Jo and the Doctor being trapped in a tent by a walking gargoyle, but it's all plenty entertaining enough. One of my particular favourite moments (aside from the brilliantly lame background acting of a UNIT extra at the beginning of episode two) is Jo's inexplicable relief at the arrival on the scene of dear old Sergeant Benton and Mike Yates. Why anybody would be at all reassured by the arrival of a man in red flares, and his orange-jacketed, orange sunglassed travelling companion is beyond me. Shortly after they arrive, the village is cut off from the outside world by a powerful heat barrier, and the scene is set for the not remotely dramatic revelation that the Master is behind it all! Not remotely dramatic, because the audience has known all along, and the cast must surely expect his presence as a matter of course. It's season eight, for heaven's sakes. Of course it's the Master! There's still a dramatic chord when his name is first mentioned, though, just to make sure that everybody is paying attention.
I love this stuff. I miss stories that played out over weeks, and Doctors that actually looked older than their companions. Says the person whose favourite Doctor is Peter Davison, the youngest ever. Be nice to think that Eleven will be older, but I'm not holding my breath. And you know, watching this story back in the nineties, this must have been the first time I saw Mike Yates (except for "The Five Doctors", I suppose, though that doesn't really count). I'd read about him in the Targets, and in Doctor Who Magazine, but I'd never actually seen him before. Which is weird, given that I'd already written him his own spin-off series, but there you go. He never did quite live up to the image I had of him (and still have of him) in my head. Whenever anybody mentions Mike Yates, it's still my version I think of. Sorry Mike... Still, he's endearing enough, and fabulously, fabulously un-military. Which is weird, as Richard Franklin was actually in the army at one time.
It's all jolly exciting, anyway, and I've left the Doctor and Jo in quite a rough patch, at the mercy of Bok the deadly gargoyle. Jeepers, I hope they'll be okay. Perhaps I shall find out tomorrow. In the meantime - pretty pictures!
BBC3, twenty-five years early. Hurrah!
Our boys at UNIT HQ. Note rubbish background acting.
The Master, being very bad.
Telephone acting! Again, note rubbish one in background.
Dashing to the rescue in their chopper - The Fashion Brigade.
No clothing too awful, no colour too bright.
And Jo is actually relieved when they arrive...
The lovely Sergeant Benton finds a batty old woman in a box.
As you do.
At this point, given how the Doctor is dressed, I should apologise to Mike
and Benton for what I said about their clothes.
But I shan't.
Bessie! Hurrah!
Oh, this is fabulous. Mike and the Brig have the best radio conversation ever:
Brig: "I see, Yates. So, the Doctor was frozen stiff at the barrow and was then revived by a freak heatwave, Benton was beaten up by invisible forces, and the local white witch claims she's seen the devil?"
Mike: "Yes, sir. I know it sounds a bit wild..." :D
The Master, being dastardly again.
And, yet, not being a charmless loon with drums in his head.
So yay for that, obviously.
Bok!
The Doctor and Jo in deadly danger! Gasp!
More some other time. :)
It's a simple enough story. An archaeologist is working on a dig, and the Doctor suspects that it might be dangerous, so dashes across the country to try to stop him. He's too late, and something is released into the world. Mike and Benton whizz off in their cute little pocket-sized chopper to give their assistance, and Jo bounces around the place being no particular use to anybody, though in an entertaining fashion. I like Jo. She really doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose save the wearing of mad fashion items; and given her remarkable ability to get herself kidnapped, she's more a liability than a help. She's sweet, though, and I like her determination. Keep trying, Jo. You may get to be useful one day. So far not a lot has happened save the Master chanting a lot, Benton being beaten up by invisible somethings, and Jo and the Doctor being trapped in a tent by a walking gargoyle, but it's all plenty entertaining enough. One of my particular favourite moments (aside from the brilliantly lame background acting of a UNIT extra at the beginning of episode two) is Jo's inexplicable relief at the arrival on the scene of dear old Sergeant Benton and Mike Yates. Why anybody would be at all reassured by the arrival of a man in red flares, and his orange-jacketed, orange sunglassed travelling companion is beyond me. Shortly after they arrive, the village is cut off from the outside world by a powerful heat barrier, and the scene is set for the not remotely dramatic revelation that the Master is behind it all! Not remotely dramatic, because the audience has known all along, and the cast must surely expect his presence as a matter of course. It's season eight, for heaven's sakes. Of course it's the Master! There's still a dramatic chord when his name is first mentioned, though, just to make sure that everybody is paying attention.
I love this stuff. I miss stories that played out over weeks, and Doctors that actually looked older than their companions. Says the person whose favourite Doctor is Peter Davison, the youngest ever. Be nice to think that Eleven will be older, but I'm not holding my breath. And you know, watching this story back in the nineties, this must have been the first time I saw Mike Yates (except for "The Five Doctors", I suppose, though that doesn't really count). I'd read about him in the Targets, and in Doctor Who Magazine, but I'd never actually seen him before. Which is weird, given that I'd already written him his own spin-off series, but there you go. He never did quite live up to the image I had of him (and still have of him) in my head. Whenever anybody mentions Mike Yates, it's still my version I think of. Sorry Mike... Still, he's endearing enough, and fabulously, fabulously un-military. Which is weird, as Richard Franklin was actually in the army at one time.
It's all jolly exciting, anyway, and I've left the Doctor and Jo in quite a rough patch, at the mercy of Bok the deadly gargoyle. Jeepers, I hope they'll be okay. Perhaps I shall find out tomorrow. In the meantime - pretty pictures!
BBC3, twenty-five years early. Hurrah!
Our boys at UNIT HQ. Note rubbish background acting.
The Master, being very bad.
Telephone acting! Again, note rubbish one in background.
Dashing to the rescue in their chopper - The Fashion Brigade.
No clothing too awful, no colour too bright.
And Jo is actually relieved when they arrive...
The lovely Sergeant Benton finds a batty old woman in a box.
As you do.
At this point, given how the Doctor is dressed, I should apologise to Mike
and Benton for what I said about their clothes.
But I shan't.
Bessie! Hurrah!
Oh, this is fabulous. Mike and the Brig have the best radio conversation ever:
Brig: "I see, Yates. So, the Doctor was frozen stiff at the barrow and was then revived by a freak heatwave, Benton was beaten up by invisible forces, and the local white witch claims she's seen the devil?"
Mike: "Yes, sir. I know it sounds a bit wild..." :D
The Master, being dastardly again.
And, yet, not being a charmless loon with drums in his head.
So yay for that, obviously.
Bok!
The Doctor and Jo in deadly danger! Gasp!
More some other time. :)
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