Doctor Who Club of Australia

ADAMK · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 217 Location: Canberra

What do people make of this (Season 23) 1986 story written by Robert Holmes?

This is the analysis from the official BBC website (WARNING! SPOILERS): http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/trialtimelord1/analysis.shtml

hallhotdogma · Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 54

Did we have Christmas lunch yesterday - yes
Was I drunk last night - yes

Was it just me or are parts 1 & 2 not all that bad? The Doctor might have been overdoing the interested scientist bit, but hey, I was coping with it all well I thought.

Beatly · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 375 Location: London

Despite popular opinion, I'm very fond of The Trial of a Time Lord. The model shots of the Time Lord space station are astounding, considering the budget and attention lavished on the series at the time (negligible). The four stories that make up the whole are pretty good, although this first one is a little confusing as I remember it.

The worst things about it are Peri's crappy departure (the worst departure for a companion since Dodo way way back in the 60s) - she deserved much better - and the fact that episode 14 is the 6th Doctor's last! Peri's crappy departure is echoed in the next season by the Doctor's crappy regeneration. Bah...

This one is on my list of hopes for DVD release. Down, all ye naysayers, down!
Very Happy

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 892 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

Yes I really enjoy this season too.

This is the kind of relationship the Doctor and Peri should have had all along.

Tragic that Colin Baker's last words as a TV Doctor were, 'Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice.' Sad

hallhotdogma · Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 54

I wouldnt mind seeing it on dvd either - i would imagine some of the commentary could be juicy! that's what i want to see!

Tom N. · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 144 Location: Sydney, NSW

I like it so far. The opening model shot was fantastic, and the change from violence to humour is noticeable but not jarring, which is good.

Unfortunately, the new theme music is utter pants. It's totally devoid of life and has none of the mystery and ethereal excitement of other versions. And those synth trumpets - argh!

But still, I'm looking forward ot the rest of it. I guess I'll just mute the TV during the opening and closing titles. Smile

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4147

So begins The Trial of A Time Lord which is the season 23 being divided into four segments as the programme came back in September 1986 after the 18 month hiatus and its reverts back to the old 25 minute format.
Michael Jayston begins his appearances as The Valeyard. He was Tsar Nicholas II in the 1971 film Nicholas and Alexandra in which Rasputin was played by Tom Baker.
Also beginning her appearances is the gorgeous Lynda Bellingham as the Inquisitor.
Within the narrative of the Trial's first testimony The Mysterious Planet, it certainly feels a lot of time has passed since the Doctor and Peri were last seen in Revelation of the Daleks.
Quite surprised to find out when I watched The Colin Baker Years video years ago that it guest starred Carry On & later As Time Goes By star Joan Sims as Katryca.
I generally know Tom Chadbon in the series as Duggan in City of Death. Although I saw The Mysterious Planet before City of Death did not realise he was here until I looked up his entry at IMDb. He's quite good as Merdeen although obviously not as memorable as Duggan.
Katryca got it right that "women must be shared." lol.
The Mysterious Planet was written by former script editor Robert Holmes and when it began on September 6 1986, it was over three months after Holmes had died on May 26.

On a related note this morning I heard on Doctor Who At The BBC Volume 3 CD, an interview with Sarah Sutton on the Ed Doolan Show on BBC Radio WM in late 1984. On it Ed Doolan introduced her to Malcolm Prince who asked her about her time on the show as Nyssa. She said that she had watched the show before joining it with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker. She says that she adore the then new Doctor Colin Baker and that he seems to approach a Tom style with his Doctor with the curly hair, the zany dress and the moody attitude.

meglos · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 660 Location: Perth

Suprisingly, I didn't find it too bad either. Maybe it gets better on repeated viewings Smile

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

I too went to a Christmas Party and so I missed the first episode. Crying or Very sad

Dazza · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 106

I find the entire TOATL season a bit of a bore, however Mysterious Planet and Terror of the Vervoids are the pick of the bunch. TOATL just doesn't work for me - there just isn't any drama in the courtroom - the Valeyard has a pissweak case. I cringe everytime they go back to the courtroom. The stories would've been better stand alone for mine.

The theme tune is terrible and doesn't match the opening. Gone is the haunting and mystery of previous tunes. Colin's Doctor is much more palatable and his relationship with Peri is working much better.

I remember a cartoon strip in DWM which depicted a robust Colin squeezing into the TARDIS saying something like "Lucky it's bigger on the inside"

The opening to episode one blew me away when it was first screened. Quite a good effect for 1986.

hallhotdogma · Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 54

Parts 3 & 4 - not too shabby - and this time I was sober...

I dont actually remember particularly disliking it! But, the real test will be how nauseated I am by my programmed dislike of Pip and Jane Baker.

*may just be the one in a billion that likes the season*

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 892 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

No I think there are many closet admirers of season 23. Vervoids is Pip and Jane's best work in the show, so maybe you should watch it without seeing their name on the opening credits???

charlie · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:23 pm Post subject:

My clock battery ran out and I missed parts three and four Crying or Very sad