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Episodes three and four tonight, though sadly episode four has large chunks missing from it, and for the most part is nothing but a soundtrack. It's nice and clear and clean, though, so maybe the people who animated the missing episodes of "The Invasion" will do the same with this. I did read that they don't think the sound is good enough quality for a commercial release like that, but it sounds good enough to me. And it's my opinion that matters. Ha.
Anyways, episodes three and four, then. This is wonderful stuff, you know. It really is. The acting is terrific, the sets are beautiful, the costumes and props are a delight. It's a ghastly injustice that episodes were destroyed by the BBC. Still, I don't want to start ranting about that practice again, so I'll say no more about that. Suffice to say that a lot of sterling work went into producing this. Much as I love eighties Who - it's what I grew up with, after all - seeing all this stuff now does rather show that some of the critics of those later adventures have a point. The eighties stuff still has a lot to recommend it; and goodness knows they were doing their best; but it doesn't compare to this stuff in production terms - and can't. They didn't have a chance, poor sods. Stuff like this, though, is reminiscent of the new series. Proper resources, proper support. The chance to make a half decent programme even if the funding isn't as good as it might be. Not like the John Nathan Turner days, when he was supposed to make the show on 50p per episode, with no backing from the brass at all.
And I'm straying from the point again. Barbara and Susan are shipped off to the guillotine, and Great Rassilon, Susan is pathetic. It's no wonder the poor girl quit soon after this. She's supposed to be the Doctor's grand daughter. Granted at this point in time he's hardly the extra-resilient alien that he was to become in later years, but she used to have something about her that was different, and stronger. Yet here she's reduced to fainting spells and headaches, flopping about in the cart and refusing to make an escape attempt because she feels a bit iffy. I'm surprised Barbara doesn't clobber her one. Fortunately they're rescued, and whisked off to a house nearby, where Susan flops off to bed, and Barbara chats with the locals. Jacqueline Hill excels at this kind of scene, and really shows off what a good companion Barbara was. She makes a good job of fitting in just about anywhere, whatever the era, holding her own in conversation with anybody. She's got such grace, too. She's an incredibly self-confident and authoritative person, not like most of her successors. RTD likes to wax lyrical about what a great and strong companion Rose was, but I'll take Barbara any day, thanks. Rose was lovely, at least in season one, but she's no Barbara.
Back at the prison, Ian takes advantage of a drunken jailer - oops - apologies to former English teachers - gaoler - to make his escape. He goes off to complete the mission entrusted to him by the dying prisoner in episode two, which gets him bashed over the head by Barbara's new friends, who don't like the fact that he was asking after them. This does at least get him reunited - briefly - with Barbara, though, just before she nips off to the local doctor's office with Susan. The local doctor - Ronald Pickup! - promptly turns them in to the police, suspecting something, so it's back to square one for them. Or is it? The Doctor is there, disguised as a regional officer, so there's a reunion of sorts. Local magistratey-type Lemaitre suspects the Doctor, though, and listens in on his reunion with Barbara. He's planning something. Ooh. The plot thickens. That's half of the fun with these two episodes. There's loads of intrigue and plotting. It's genuinely exciting and engaging stuff, with all sorts of bits and pieces to unravel; not least the dastardly Leon. Barbara meets him at the end of episode three, not long after her rescue, and is clearly rather taken with him. He seems a nice, if secretive, man, with something to hide. In episode four we find out what it is. As Ian goes for a rendezvous with Leon, hoping that this will help him to fulfil his obligation to his ill-fated former cellmate, Leon reveals that he's working for the other side. Whichever side that is. Their rendezvous point fills with soldiers, and Ian is in trouble again. Golly!
Mind you, Leon is played by Edward Brayshaw, so it's impossible to be angry with him. Mr Meaker! Hurrah!
Pretty pictures, though none from episode four, I'm afraid. What remains of that is too much of a mess.
The Doctor arrives in Paris at last.
Lemaitre discusses beheading quotas with the gaoler.
Ian contemplates breakfast.
Susan complains that she has too bad a headache to make an escape.
That's not a great thing to say on your way to the guillotine, Susan...
Meanwhile the Doctor barters for a change of clothing at a local tailor's shop.
Some lovely costumes and props from the BBC costumes and props departments.
All gone, now. Outsourced. That's progress for you...
Ian escapes from gaol. Or jail. He's probably not fussy.
The Doctor and his splendid new hat chat with the gaoler and Lemaitre at the Conciergerie.
Whilst Barbara entertains the traitorous Leon.
Naughty Mr Meaker. What would Mr Claypole say?!
More another time. :)
Anyways, episodes three and four, then. This is wonderful stuff, you know. It really is. The acting is terrific, the sets are beautiful, the costumes and props are a delight. It's a ghastly injustice that episodes were destroyed by the BBC. Still, I don't want to start ranting about that practice again, so I'll say no more about that. Suffice to say that a lot of sterling work went into producing this. Much as I love eighties Who - it's what I grew up with, after all - seeing all this stuff now does rather show that some of the critics of those later adventures have a point. The eighties stuff still has a lot to recommend it; and goodness knows they were doing their best; but it doesn't compare to this stuff in production terms - and can't. They didn't have a chance, poor sods. Stuff like this, though, is reminiscent of the new series. Proper resources, proper support. The chance to make a half decent programme even if the funding isn't as good as it might be. Not like the John Nathan Turner days, when he was supposed to make the show on 50p per episode, with no backing from the brass at all.
And I'm straying from the point again. Barbara and Susan are shipped off to the guillotine, and Great Rassilon, Susan is pathetic. It's no wonder the poor girl quit soon after this. She's supposed to be the Doctor's grand daughter. Granted at this point in time he's hardly the extra-resilient alien that he was to become in later years, but she used to have something about her that was different, and stronger. Yet here she's reduced to fainting spells and headaches, flopping about in the cart and refusing to make an escape attempt because she feels a bit iffy. I'm surprised Barbara doesn't clobber her one. Fortunately they're rescued, and whisked off to a house nearby, where Susan flops off to bed, and Barbara chats with the locals. Jacqueline Hill excels at this kind of scene, and really shows off what a good companion Barbara was. She makes a good job of fitting in just about anywhere, whatever the era, holding her own in conversation with anybody. She's got such grace, too. She's an incredibly self-confident and authoritative person, not like most of her successors. RTD likes to wax lyrical about what a great and strong companion Rose was, but I'll take Barbara any day, thanks. Rose was lovely, at least in season one, but she's no Barbara.
Back at the prison, Ian takes advantage of a drunken jailer - oops - apologies to former English teachers - gaoler - to make his escape. He goes off to complete the mission entrusted to him by the dying prisoner in episode two, which gets him bashed over the head by Barbara's new friends, who don't like the fact that he was asking after them. This does at least get him reunited - briefly - with Barbara, though, just before she nips off to the local doctor's office with Susan. The local doctor - Ronald Pickup! - promptly turns them in to the police, suspecting something, so it's back to square one for them. Or is it? The Doctor is there, disguised as a regional officer, so there's a reunion of sorts. Local magistratey-type Lemaitre suspects the Doctor, though, and listens in on his reunion with Barbara. He's planning something. Ooh. The plot thickens. That's half of the fun with these two episodes. There's loads of intrigue and plotting. It's genuinely exciting and engaging stuff, with all sorts of bits and pieces to unravel; not least the dastardly Leon. Barbara meets him at the end of episode three, not long after her rescue, and is clearly rather taken with him. He seems a nice, if secretive, man, with something to hide. In episode four we find out what it is. As Ian goes for a rendezvous with Leon, hoping that this will help him to fulfil his obligation to his ill-fated former cellmate, Leon reveals that he's working for the other side. Whichever side that is. Their rendezvous point fills with soldiers, and Ian is in trouble again. Golly!
Mind you, Leon is played by Edward Brayshaw, so it's impossible to be angry with him. Mr Meaker! Hurrah!
Pretty pictures, though none from episode four, I'm afraid. What remains of that is too much of a mess.
The Doctor arrives in Paris at last.
Lemaitre discusses beheading quotas with the gaoler.
Ian contemplates breakfast.
Susan complains that she has too bad a headache to make an escape.
That's not a great thing to say on your way to the guillotine, Susan...
Meanwhile the Doctor barters for a change of clothing at a local tailor's shop.
Some lovely costumes and props from the BBC costumes and props departments.
All gone, now. Outsourced. That's progress for you...
Ian escapes from gaol. Or jail. He's probably not fussy.
The Doctor and his splendid new hat chat with the gaoler and Lemaitre at the Conciergerie.
Whilst Barbara entertains the traitorous Leon.
Naughty Mr Meaker. What would Mr Claypole say?!
More another time. :)
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