Doctor Who Club of Australia

ADAMK · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 215 Location: Canberra

What do people make of this (Season 21) 1984 story written by Eric Pringle?

This is the analysis from the official BBC website (WARNING! SPOILERS): http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/awakening/analysis.shtml

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 889 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

Can only give this a fair rating. After watching it many times, I still don't really remember what the Malus is supposed to be.

It seems like a very 'Quatermass and the Pit' kind of story to me. Lot's of potential but fizzles in the end.

I would have liked to see Will as a companion though. Jamie was very popular. There's no reason Will wouldn't have been too.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3901

Kamelion was intended to be briefly seen at the start of The Awakening but his scene got cut due to timing reasons.

I had seen Awakening on video years ago but that was before I got to see The Visitation. Therefore I did not realise until watching Awakening Part 1 again yesterday that the reference to the planet Raaga and the Terileptils was made.

In the closing credits we see a name we have not seen in a long time, designer Barry Newbery.

meglos · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 658 Location: Perth

While watching this I was interested by the village. Is this the same one that was used in Terror Of The Zygons? It looks very familiar.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3901

Wester · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 604 Location: Brisbane

Funny - I had a similar feeling when watching it - however many English villages look the same.

I liked the idea of the psychic projections.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3901

My favourite part of the serial would be when Jane opens the TARDIS door when they were all inside the TARDIS. That was cute and why I remember her fondly.
This was designer Barry Newbury's - who started out on the series with its very first story - swansong for the series. Coincidentally I currently watching The Web Planet DVD and he is mentioned in the on-screen Information text even though he himself did not work on that particular serial.

Wester · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 604 Location: Brisbane

how about a real story set in the English Civil War? that would be great to see.

Davros · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 131 Location: Skaro

Weak ...can't recall seeing a good Davidson story, I do watch all the reruns but personally think the show dropped off after the Baker era ...why? because the first four actors put all their theatrical experience behind the role!

Dougy · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:24 pm Post subject:

Personaly i reckon the series started going south as soon as they changed the theme into that techno rubbish and added the "star field" into the intro. Form then on it just seeme to be so-so.

Sulp Niar · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:40 pm Post subject:

The techno could have not been done, but I like the fact that it the theme is brought up a tone, from E to F#, because it gives it more intensity (obviously this isn't always catered to with the particular story though). Anyway, it was just a different take on the theme. For example, does the strings version piss you off? It's a reflection of the times - 80s, electronics, 2000s, contemporary.

Uh but back on topic... I completely missed episode two, but even though the story isn't the most captivating I would have liked the two new "companions" to become fully fledged. I'm a wee bit sick of Tegan and Turlough (the latter lost his interest as a character towards the end of the Black Guardian Trilogy). Funnily enough, we won't even see Tegan's departure, so I'll feel even less about it (even though I've seen it before).

I shall watch the other two eps before passing judgement.

John Lucantonio · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 58