bbanerje@sjuvax.UUCP (B. Banerjee) (09/02/84)
Hi,
Its been a while since I lasted posted to this group, and
in that time I have collected a number of observations and questions
regarding what has become my favourite TV program.
Last week was pledge week for WHYY (12) in Philadelphia. They
took a break from the 'Key to Time' series to show an episode 'Never
before seen in this area'. This was 'The Kings Demons' with Peter
Davisson. First some general comments...
This show only confirmed my previous impressions of Peter
Davisson as an ineffectual Doctor. He had neither the elan nor the
humor with which Tom Baker (yah!) played the Dr. His action solely
consisted of tensing his jaw, and trying to look intense while the
Master was running rings around him (Hell, i felt like rooting for
the Master). His sidekicks were also very weird. They consisted
of a rather strange Woman with a new wave hairdo, sporting a cockney
accent; and a nurd who wore a thin tie.
Now the questions ...
1) When I last saw the Master in a Tom Baker episode (the deadly
assasin?), he looked like a melting slag heap with eyes. He was
evil incarnate... and moreover, had run out of regenerations.
Now, the Master in 'The Five Doctors' and in this episode of 'The
Kings Demons' had obviously regenerated. His personality had also
changed from evil incarnate to just another rogue. How did he
manage to regenerate?
On another note... tonights episode on NJ network was 'Warriors Gate'
where Romana II and K-9 leave. I was sorry to see K-9 go. The
snotty little kid (Adric) won't be the same. The question on this
one regards Romana staying in E-space. If you saw the episode, didn't
this decision seem rather sudden? The last time we saw her, the Dr.
was planning to drop her off on Gallifrey. She, on the other hand
wished to continue roaming the Galaxy with the Doctor. You may
assume that disenchantment with the Doctors plans drove her to the
course of action that she took. However, I hardly think that this
is sufficient cause to stick around a piddly little Universe (E space)
helping some hairy creatures of suspect motives, with a rather
nebulous plan. Any speculations as to her motives here????
On another note. I find it rather interesting when the writers
base their stories on old standards. It was interesting to compare
'The Androids of Tara' to 'The Prisoner of Zenda', and to another
later spoof on it - 'Royal Flash'. Also last weeks episode
(Forget the title) with the Giant Vampire was interesting in light
of the Gothic mood the director tried to imbue it with.
One last question - Rassilon? All accounts in all stories seem to
point to him as the Super-being of the Time Lords. He is the one
that tamed the Black Hole around Gallifrey (Did I get this right?).
He built the Bow Ships that defeated the Great Vampires, and he
basically formed the basis for the Time Lord Race. Yet the Time
Lords in 'The five Doctors' appear rather ambivalent as to his
benevolence. Why the dichotomy? Any explanations?
Enough for now.
May your temporal Stabilizers never act up.
--
Binayak Banerjee
{allegra | astrovax | bpa | burdvax}!sjuvax!bbanerje
P.S.
Send Flames, I love mail.chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuqles) (09/03/84)
?This was 'The Kings Demons' with Peter
?Davisson. First some general comments...
?
? This show only confirmed my previous impressions of Peter
?Davisson as an ineffectual Doctor. He had neither the elan nor the
?humor with which Tom Baker (yah!) played the Dr.
Davisson takes a little getting used to. Our PBS station recently ran an
interview they did with the producer of Dr. Who (his name just took a
coffee break-- sigh). Whenever the Dr. changes they try to find someone who
is basically opposite of the previous. When Tom left, they brought in Peter
to be more serious and less flippant with the role. There was a feeling
that the humor had dropped into slapstick and wasn't really appropriate. My
feeling about Baker is that he wasn't quite serious enough-- ~The universe
is ending in 4 seconds if I don't do anything, how about a spot of tea?~
sort of thing. Davisson may not have been quite as consistently humorous
but I think it is because he was a little more aware of the
responsibilities of the job and they scared him a bit (I mean, saviour of
the galaxy can be quite stressful).
?His action solely
?consisted of tensing his jaw, and trying to look intense while the
?Master was running rings around him (Hell, i felt like rooting for
?the Master). His sidekicks were also very weird. They consisted
?of a rather strange Woman with a new wave hairdo, sporting a cockney
?accent; and a nurd who wore a thin tie.
Davisson's sidekicks are definitely not an asset. the Dr. seems to need a
good sidekick to keep him in line. Romana II, K-9, and Adrick were all
great sidekicks because they weren't afraid to poke fun at the Dr. Nyssa,
Teegan are there basically to scream or be rescued. Big deal. Turlow is
there so that they can do a series of things with the Black Guardian, all
of them incompetent. Leela may have just been there to look at, but at
least she was worth looking at.
Interesting side note- Have you noticed how some of the sidekicks, uh,
companions, seem to always wear the same clean clothes? Wonder what they do
while they're in the wash... (~Doctor, can I borrow your scarf, I want to
take a shower and I haven't got a robe.....~)
?Now the questions ...
?
?1) When I last saw the Master in a Tom Baker episode (the deadly
?assasin?), he looked like a melting slag heap with eyes. He was
?evil incarnate... and moreover, had run out of regenerations.
?Now, the Master in 'The Five Doctors' and in this episode of 'The
?Kings Demons' had obviously regenerated. His personality had also
?changed from evil incarnate to just another rogue. How did he
?manage to regenerate?
The master figured out a way to regenerate himself past the limit. I
haven't seen the episode but they seem to have figured out how to do so and
wrote it into a script. 'Kings Demons' was not one of his better episodes,
I'll agree. He is much more masterish other times.
?On another note... tonights episode on NJ network was 'Warriors Gate'
?where Romana II and K-9 leave. I was sorry to see K-9 go.
They had to get rid of K-9 because he was becoming a plot liability.
Writers would put the Dr. into the amazingly ugly situations and this
little box would walk up, blow open a wall, and save the universe again.
This is similar to the reason they kept having to find new and unusual ways
to break the transporters in Star Trek.
?The snotty little kid (Adric) won't be the same.
Adric gets it in 'Earthshock'-- one of the better Davisson episodes. I
personally miss Adric, he made the Dr.s life miserable by being much better
at some things and knowing it. He goes out in typical Adric fashion, too.
?One last question - Rassilon? All accounts in all stories seem to
?point to him as the Super-being of the Time Lords. He is the one
?that tamed the Black Hole around Gallifrey (Did I get this right?).
?He built the Bow Ships that defeated the Great Vampires, and he
?basically formed the basis for the Time Lord Race. Yet the Time
?Lords in 'The five Doctors' appear rather ambivalent as to his
?benevolence. Why the dichotomy? Any explanations?
Actually, Omega (oh-mih-gah) tamed the black hole and gave the time lords
time travel. He shows up in 'The Three Doctors'. Rassilon was the other
great leader of gallifrey but I believe he was a little on the crazy side
towards the end, which is where the ambivalence comes from.
chuqles
--
From the spotlight of the center ring: Chuqles Von Rospach
{amd,decwrl,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4}!nsc!chuqui nsc!chuqui@decwrl.ARPA
May all of your days be circus days!kupfer@ucbvax.ARPA (Mike Kupfer) (09/06/84)
> The master figured out a way to regenerate himself past the limit.
Actually, what happened is that the Master took over the body of Nyssa's
father. This was in "The Keeper of Traken," I think.
--
Mike Kupfer
kupfer@Berkeley
...!ucbvax!kupfer
When the going gets tough, it's time for tea.