Lots of action, lots of body horror. The action sequences are classic and fun -- the Doctor has a fight on the roof of a train! The Doctor defuses a bLots of action, lots of body horror. The action sequences are classic and fun -- the Doctor has a fight on the roof of a train! The Doctor defuses a bomb! -- and I enjoyed the "small 1930s British village" setting. There's something a bit odd going on with the Doctor's characterization here, though -- Anji's feeling distrustful of him, and his seeming lack of caring and bursts of violence, while Fitz continues to be entirely devoted and faithful. The contrast is interesting -- gosh, I wonder what could be causing the difference in their feelings? -- but I hope this is building to something, along with the Doctor's still-present partial amnesia. (Eight as Amnesias Georg strikes again.)...more
Plot: 2.5-3? There are some really fun action sequences, but also many that drag on way too long, and I found the villain and his motivations uninspirPlot: 2.5-3? There are some really fun action sequences, but also many that drag on way too long, and I found the villain and his motivations uninspired.
Homoeroticism: off the scale. Cole ships Eight/Fitz so hard and their dynamic in this is absolutely insane. Jaw on the floor, I snipped and sent many screencaps.
"Do you love Anji?"
Now Fitz burst out laughing. "That's a good one. Er, no. We're not together in that way. We're just friends."
"Then are you lonely?" Vettul asked in her solemn voice.
"I used to be," Fitz said. "But I'm not any more. I met someone special. You saw him tonight, the Doctor."
Saw him that night, he means, when the Doctor ran forward and kissed the video screen when Fitz came on the call. You know, normal friend behavior.
The Doctor also princess carries an injured Fitz -- and then uses his legs as a battering ram.
I would pay cash monies to see this filmed....more
A sequel of sorts to the episode "The War Games" -- and a predecessor to Endgame; in classic timey-wimey fashion, I have read these out of order. Six A sequel of sorts to the episode "The War Games" -- and a predecessor to Endgame; in classic timey-wimey fashion, I have read these out of order. Six and Two are a delight, and Dicks even makes Peri tolerable -- she gets off a few good lines and hits a Nazi over the head with a chair, which will always put you in my good books. I do wish she knew anything about history, though. I perhaps know too much, at least about Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson -- even with the looming specter of fascism, it's hard to make them two of them seem like credible threats, so the book lost steam for me once the Doctor and Peri arrive in 1936. Before that, when they're trying to stop the mysterious Players from assassinating Winston Churchill in different eras, it's all very good fun. And it's nice to see Carstairs and Lady Jennifer again.
3.5, and overall a very solid outing. I wish Six and Peri had gotten material half this good on TV....more
Snoooooooooze. Honestly, this is so boring. A zillion OCs who don't feel distinct and interesting, and almost no time spent with the Doctor, who one iSnoooooooooze. Honestly, this is so boring. A zillion OCs who don't feel distinct and interesting, and almost no time spent with the Doctor, who one is presumably reading a Doctor Who book to hang out with.
Positives, that I am putting effort into scraping together: I like the AI that is Scottish, and that Jamie gets to interact with a Scottish AI; there are a few nice moments of characterization for Zoe; Jamie, originally an 18th century fella, meets some gay guys and his only reaction is to tease Zoe that she's not going to score with the one she has a crush on.
But this is a Second Doctor story; where's my favorite funny little guy?...more
Six tries to take Jamie on a date on the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary, but they end up on the Titanic instead...or do they? This story has some funSix tries to take Jamie on a date on the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary, but they end up on the Titanic instead...or do they? This story has some fun action, and also a couple amazing scenes where the Doctor is just so painfully in love. One in particular, where the Doctor and Jamie have gotten split up (as they inevitably do), each with one half of another couple, and both pairs think the others are dead. The Doctor chats with this Victorian dude about his lost girlfriend and then the exact same tone continues as the Doctor talks about Jamie. Y'all, this lil Scot walked so Rose could run.
The plot gets frustrating though because I spent more than half of it waiting for the Doctor to figure out something that was very obvious to me, but I guess the two areas where I beat the Doctor for knowledge are Literature and Obscure Boat Facts. Anyway, just like you don't want to solve a mystery ages before Sherlock Holmes, it's not much fun to wait for the Doctor to catch up with you. Too busy thinking about what's under Jamie's kilt, eh, Doctor?
Anyway, ended on another annoying cliffhanger. But I will proceed to the next one....more
Fundamentally not my kind of story -- lots of explosions and lots of Daleks -- but well done for what it is. It's nice to see the Doctor reunited withFundamentally not my kind of story -- lots of explosions and lots of Daleks -- but well done for what it is. It's nice to see the Doctor reunited with Romana; this early Time Lord/Dalek clash gives some interesting insight into why Romana might become so "defeat the enemy at all costs" later in the EDAs (if you do consider Big Finish and the EDAs to be part of the same continuity, but that's a WHOLE other kettle of fish); and I like the cheeky explanation for why in the heck the Eye of Harmony can only be opened by a human in the TV movie. Good one, Stephen....more
I can't believe the BBC deleted Jamie's first serial, and also deprived us of seeing Two in drag. Jail for one thousand years!
It's kind of amazing to I can't believe the BBC deleted Jamie's first serial, and also deprived us of seeing Two in drag. Jail for one thousand years!
It's kind of amazing to me how firmly this story is on the side of (or at least sympathetic to) the Jacobite rebellion. All of the English characters (except, of course, for our companions Ben and Polly) are evil, or fools, or evil fools. This feels fairly radical to me for the most British of programs.
I wish we'd gotten to see more of Ben and Polly, as Polly in particular seems delightful. Truly, we were robbed....more
The Doctor's granddaughter, Susan, remains an enigma that still haunts the show (as the teases in the current season illustrate). It's great to have tThe Doctor's granddaughter, Susan, remains an enigma that still haunts the show (as the teases in the current season illustrate). It's great to have this insightful prequel story from her point of view, which follows her and the-Doctor-who-is-not-yet-the-Doctor adjusting (or not adjusting) to their exile on Earth, and the second great act of rebellion that Susan inspires in her grandfather. The well-written side characters, spooky atmosphere, and genuinely scary villain are additionally all excellent.
Newman also portrays, or predicts, things about Susan's parentage that we're seeing appear on the show now. Good on him. ...more
The Brigadier meets Six! We also get more of Evelyn, who continues to be delightful; it feels like she and Six bring out the best in each other, whichThe Brigadier meets Six! We also get more of Evelyn, who continues to be delightful; it feels like she and Six bring out the best in each other, which is an ideal Doctor/companion relationship. And it's nice to see a retired Brig get to (view spoiler)[save the world (hide spoiler)]....more
I LOVE EVELYN! And it's so nice to see Six enjoy some good writing for once.I LOVE EVELYN! And it's so nice to see Six enjoy some good writing for once....more
Fitzie! My boy, my beautiful boy is back from the war! (It's been two days for him.)
Fitz and the Doctor's reunion did not disappoint, and I really enjFitzie! My boy, my beautiful boy is back from the war! (It's been two days for him.)
Fitz and the Doctor's reunion did not disappoint, and I really enjoyed the introduction of Anji. This is a fast-paced, fun romp -- a bit of a relief after how dark the Earth arc got, though I like that Brake didn't fully abandon the Doctor's trauma or characterization there. Perhaps sometimes he should get to bash an alien's head in, as a treat.
A sign of a good one of these is how often I was screenshotting chunks of text and sending them to friends, and I was deeply obnoxious in this case....more
A bizarre mixed bag. The broad strokes of the story are quite fun -- it's Eighth Doctor Accidental Baby Acquisition, it would be hard not to be -- butA bizarre mixed bag. The broad strokes of the story are quite fun -- it's Eighth Doctor Accidental Baby Acquisition, it would be hard not to be -- but many details jar discordantly.
--The Doctor in his '80s businessman era is described as "Thatcherism personified" (ewwwww), and while this is said by an idiot and...somewhat disputed by the text, why is he in business anyway? Yes, he needs money for Miranda, but he's been kicking around Earth for over a hundred years, if he'd opened a bank account, or patented like two inventions, he'd be golden.
--I am not a prude (you all have met me, right?) but the way Parkin talks about teenage sexual activity is kind of gross.
--Too many Nazi jokes! (One is, in fact, too many.)
--If the Doctor is a famous businessman as "the Doctor" throughout the '80s, why did UNIT -- or Four, Five, Six, or Seven -- never track him down? This could have been solved so easily just by having this be a Dr. John Smith moment. Come on, guys!
--I hate when one of these books -- when any media, really -- opens an arc for a character, and then instead of resolving it, just abruptly kills them. (view spoiler)[RIP Debbie, you deserved better. (hide spoiler)]
I definitely felt like I was missing something, not having been able to get hold of (yet) most of the rest of the stories in this arc. That's on me, II definitely felt like I was missing something, not having been able to get hold of (yet) most of the rest of the stories in this arc. That's on me, I guess. This was on the good side of fine. I wish the ending had been more impactful. (Again, that could be on me.)...more
Insane to me that this is by the same person as The Eight Doctors. I know that Terrance Dicks is much more than either of these books -- a longtime wrInsane to me that this is by the same person as The Eight Doctors. I know that Terrance Dicks is much more than either of these books -- a longtime writer of the show and like eight zillion Target tie-in novels -- but The Eight Doctors was so bad it stopped me in my tracks the first time I tried to read the EDAs, and I loved this. Despite the technical brilliance of the last book in the series, The Turing Test, this was the first time in the entire Earth/amnesia arc that I have really felt I was with the Doctor. We finally get his POV on his whole situation, and in summary: dude's depressed. Near suicidal with no interest in anything -- or in anyone, in the world anymore.
Until he crosses paths with, of all people, Kim Philby, and from there you get a wonderfully silly spy novel, with some impressive action (Eight is channeling Three at this stage of his amnesia) and just enough emotional weight in the Doctor's personal journey. He also gets a sexy haircut and a bunch of fun outfits. Just call him Smith, John Smith.
I had a blast.
The Eighth Doctor Is Tall Count: 1, from a woman who's down bad for him, so much like Fitz, she may just be delusional. ...more
A bog-standard "evil corporations are evil" plot boosted by lots of imaginative aliens and some interesting sci-fi concepts. Sam and the Doctor are seA bog-standard "evil corporations are evil" plot boosted by lots of imaginative aliens and some interesting sci-fi concepts. Sam and the Doctor are separated for all of this one, and their near-miss reunions are surprisingly poignant. Lags a bit in the final third as the climax is waaaaaay too long, but then there's a painful but good cliffhanger ending that leads perfectly into the superlative Seeing I....more
Most of this reads like a bad Tom Clancy book, which is not what I am looking for from Doctor Who. The Doctor and Sam are not given anything interestiMost of this reads like a bad Tom Clancy book, which is not what I am looking for from Doctor Who. The Doctor and Sam are not given anything interesting to do, just a lot of research and running around the grounds of a manor house (at least not corridors, for a change?). There are two short and mildly intriguing snippets from the perspective of Future Sam, but that's the only positive I can scrape up. Highly skippable....more
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