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Episode four's a fun one. Not a great deal happens, mind - I'm guessing that this story could easily have been a four-parter, but I'm enjoying it so far, so I don't care. It doesn't drag the way that some other six-parters do. The performances are all really good, too, although I may only be saying that because Cho-je doesn't feature in this episode. Tommy is still bloody annoying, but less so as the episode progresses, for reasons that we'll come to in a moment. The only bit I'm not convinced about is the human colony on Metebelis, but I think that's an accent thing. Why is it that an old-fashioned semi-West Country accent is shorthand for backward in the Pertwee Era?! And they're supposed to be downtrodden peasants, but they dress like hippies, complete with love beads. Still, who's to say that a culture like that wouldn't ever develop.
So, like I said, not a great deal happens in this episode. The Doctor has been allegedly deaded by the spider-minions, but with the aid of a machine from the TARDIS, he manages to save himself. He sends Sarah to fetch the machine, which is nice, as she has to use his TARDIS key to get in there. We see a nice close up of it. Aw. The proper TARDIS key. Yes, I know that they used to use a Yale key in the old days, but to me the TARDIS key will always be the grand affair of the Pertwee and McGann eras - probably not least because I've got one myself (McGann style, rather than Pertwee style. It's slightly different). RTD can say what he likes about Yale keys being more relevant to the children of today, but who gives a toss about relevancy? Yale key = boring. Fancy TARDIS key = cool.
Exhibit A: A cool TARDIS key.
He then uses the same machine - never seen before, undoutedly never seen again - to scan all the stones in the vicinity, in order to find one that he hopes will be a shield against the weapons used by the spider-minions. Meanwhile Sarah Jane has been captured, and taken to the spiders' larder. Hurrah! She's all wrapped up in spider silk and dumped on a shelf, though it was jolly considerate of the spiders to supply her with a pillow to keep her neck comfortable as she waits to be eaten. Whilst there she hears the history of the colony from a fellow noshee, who tells her that the spider colony is descended from an ordinary Earth spider, changed by the blue crystals of Metebelis into a giant, super-intelligent beastie. I'm left wondering at this point if this story was originally written for Jo rather than Sarah, as Sarah rolls her eyes and mutters about the Metebelis Crystal as though she's had myriad problems with it in the past. But I don't recall Sarah ever having much to do with the thing, or even seeing it before. Jo did, certainly, and various members of UNIT have come into contact with it. Not Sarah, though. Anyway, back at the human colony, the Doctor is hearing the same story over a bowl of mutton soup. The poor, poor man. Doctor, I can only apologise. No other culture in the universe could come up with something as horrible as mutton anything. Still, at least it wasn't mutton pie. That really is bad.
Back on Earth, Tommy struggles to read a book - he's reading the Ladybird book about going to school! I've got that! - when the Metebelis Crystal that he half-inched from Lupton in the last episode starts glowing, and does its usual brain-frying trick. In his case, though, it has the same effect as it did on the spider, and expands his intelligence. This not only allows him to read easily, but also changes his voice. Say bye bye to the regional accent - guess which one - and say hello to RP. Why should suddenly becoming brainy make you start speaking RP?! Oh, the seventies. What a strange muddle of prejudices it was. Still, it makes him far less annoying, as Tommy with learning difficulties was pretty cringeworhty at times. Anyways, he beetles off to raid the library, whilst Mike beetles off to listen in on Lupton's associates. He tries to talk to them, but gets bashed over the head for his pains. Oh, Mike... Later he wakes up tied up on a bed. Bondage. Again. The man seems to attract it. Although check this out:
Worst gagging ever. Just spit it out, man, and stop pretending! There's no way that's stopping him from talking. Whilst he struggles on the bed, and pretends that he can't talk, the Doctor sets off for the spider city in an attempt to do something. Not sure what. He gets captured, anyway, and dumped in the larder with Sarah. Whoops.
Pretty (and not so pretty) picture time:
Sarah Jane in a cunning disguise.
The allegedly dead Doctor, in a decidedly dodgy pose.
It's his knee. Honest.
The brilliantly jumpy and smarmy Lupton sits with the spider council.
Sarah Jane is taken to the spiders' larder for storage.
All three of our regulars manage to wind up unconscious at the same time. Not the liveliest part of the episode.
Note the pillow that the spiders thoughtfully provide for the comfort of their snacks.
Tied up again. Really Mike, how do you manage it...
Great shot for displaying his appalling wardrobe to full effect.
The Pertwee Ring Collection. Always fun to spot.
It's a good game to play with Sean Pertwee, too.
The Doctor sets out for the city of the spiders, which for some reason involves walking past a big painting.
More to follow. Oh, you lucky people...
So, like I said, not a great deal happens in this episode. The Doctor has been allegedly deaded by the spider-minions, but with the aid of a machine from the TARDIS, he manages to save himself. He sends Sarah to fetch the machine, which is nice, as she has to use his TARDIS key to get in there. We see a nice close up of it. Aw. The proper TARDIS key. Yes, I know that they used to use a Yale key in the old days, but to me the TARDIS key will always be the grand affair of the Pertwee and McGann eras - probably not least because I've got one myself (McGann style, rather than Pertwee style. It's slightly different). RTD can say what he likes about Yale keys being more relevant to the children of today, but who gives a toss about relevancy? Yale key = boring. Fancy TARDIS key = cool.
Exhibit A: A cool TARDIS key.
He then uses the same machine - never seen before, undoutedly never seen again - to scan all the stones in the vicinity, in order to find one that he hopes will be a shield against the weapons used by the spider-minions. Meanwhile Sarah Jane has been captured, and taken to the spiders' larder. Hurrah! She's all wrapped up in spider silk and dumped on a shelf, though it was jolly considerate of the spiders to supply her with a pillow to keep her neck comfortable as she waits to be eaten. Whilst there she hears the history of the colony from a fellow noshee, who tells her that the spider colony is descended from an ordinary Earth spider, changed by the blue crystals of Metebelis into a giant, super-intelligent beastie. I'm left wondering at this point if this story was originally written for Jo rather than Sarah, as Sarah rolls her eyes and mutters about the Metebelis Crystal as though she's had myriad problems with it in the past. But I don't recall Sarah ever having much to do with the thing, or even seeing it before. Jo did, certainly, and various members of UNIT have come into contact with it. Not Sarah, though. Anyway, back at the human colony, the Doctor is hearing the same story over a bowl of mutton soup. The poor, poor man. Doctor, I can only apologise. No other culture in the universe could come up with something as horrible as mutton anything. Still, at least it wasn't mutton pie. That really is bad.
Back on Earth, Tommy struggles to read a book - he's reading the Ladybird book about going to school! I've got that! - when the Metebelis Crystal that he half-inched from Lupton in the last episode starts glowing, and does its usual brain-frying trick. In his case, though, it has the same effect as it did on the spider, and expands his intelligence. This not only allows him to read easily, but also changes his voice. Say bye bye to the regional accent - guess which one - and say hello to RP. Why should suddenly becoming brainy make you start speaking RP?! Oh, the seventies. What a strange muddle of prejudices it was. Still, it makes him far less annoying, as Tommy with learning difficulties was pretty cringeworhty at times. Anyways, he beetles off to raid the library, whilst Mike beetles off to listen in on Lupton's associates. He tries to talk to them, but gets bashed over the head for his pains. Oh, Mike... Later he wakes up tied up on a bed. Bondage. Again. The man seems to attract it. Although check this out:
Worst gagging ever. Just spit it out, man, and stop pretending! There's no way that's stopping him from talking. Whilst he struggles on the bed, and pretends that he can't talk, the Doctor sets off for the spider city in an attempt to do something. Not sure what. He gets captured, anyway, and dumped in the larder with Sarah. Whoops.
Pretty (and not so pretty) picture time:
Sarah Jane in a cunning disguise.
The allegedly dead Doctor, in a decidedly dodgy pose.
It's his knee. Honest.
The brilliantly jumpy and smarmy Lupton sits with the spider council.
Sarah Jane is taken to the spiders' larder for storage.
All three of our regulars manage to wind up unconscious at the same time. Not the liveliest part of the episode.
Note the pillow that the spiders thoughtfully provide for the comfort of their snacks.
Tied up again. Really Mike, how do you manage it...
Great shot for displaying his appalling wardrobe to full effect.
The Pertwee Ring Collection. Always fun to spot.
It's a good game to play with Sean Pertwee, too.
The Doctor sets out for the city of the spiders, which for some reason involves walking past a big painting.
More to follow. Oh, you lucky people...
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