Return To The Valley Of The Wrinklies

stanmore wrote:You know, "lacks the depth and subtlety... of The Visitation" might be the harshest thing I've ever seen in a review...

Cruel to be kind, cruel to be kind...

I still think Earthshock is a great story. Bold, daring and genuinely shocking on more than one occasion. It stands out against a very indifferent season.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:I still think Earthshock is a great story. Bold, daring and genuinely shocking on more than one occasion. It stands out against a very indifferent season.

It's absolutely fine for what it is, a ripping yarn with Cybermen and Beryl Reid, and indeed it had a great impact on me at the time. I'm fond of it even though I see all its glaring faults now but my favourite of that year was Kinda. I know...I know!

You know better than to go there with me young man!

I think my current opinion of Earthshock is very high because I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Sutton & Clare Cliiford a couple of months ago. They were both so lovely, and clearly had such fond memories of recording the show.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:You know better than to go there with me young man!

I think my current opinion of Earthshock is very high because I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Sutton & Clare Cliiford a couple of months ago. They were both so lovely, and clearly had such fond memories of recording the show.

I know its your favourite!

I've never known why Beryl Reid has got such a bad reputation amongst fandom. Captain Briggs always reminds me of bosses down at the council house; seemingly likable slightly doddery late-middle-aged ladies, but cross 'em and they go mental.

stanmore wrote:I've never known why Beryl Reid has got such a bad reputation amongst fandom. Captain Briggs always reminds me of bosses down at the council house; seemingly likable slightly doddery late-middle-aged ladies, but cross 'em and they go mental.

Yes, but in charge of a spaceship!? I half expect her to get her knitting out as Cybermen slaughter the crew! Love Beryl and she did OK as Briggs but...

Frank wrote:

stanmore wrote:I've never known why Beryl Reid has got such a bad reputation amongst fandom. Captain Briggs always reminds me of bosses down at the council house; seemingly likable slightly doddery late-middle-aged ladies, but cross 'em and they go mental.

Yes, but in charge of a spaceship!? I half expect her to get her knitting out as Cybermen slaughter the crew! Love Beryl and she did OK as Briggs but...

I can see it. You know, in this version of the 26th century space travel has become a monotonous everyday occurrence; I can see the job not attracting the Captain Kirk sort of character. Briggs is the kind of character that's now in charge just because she's been there forty-five years and knows how to impress in the interview...

Frank wrote:

stanmore wrote:I've never known why Beryl Reid has got such a bad reputation amongst fandom. Captain Briggs always reminds me of bosses down at the council house; seemingly likable slightly doddery late-middle-aged ladies, but cross 'em and they go mental.

Yes, but in charge of a spaceship!? I half expect her to get her knitting out as Cybermen slaughter the crew! Love Beryl and she did OK as Briggs but...

at least mooncat didn't appear!

You know, in preparation for an article I'm contributing to CT, I've been re-watching Earthshock. It's still a big favorite for me, but I'm now struck by how it hasn't aged well. (Well, nearly thirty years on, who has?) But it was a big daring thing to do.

Frank is right, though. Eric Saward relied a bit too heavily on variations of this theme for the next several seasons. Earthshock once was great. Earthshock remade and named into Warriors of the Deep, Resurrection of the Daleks, Attack of the Cybermen, etc., became one of the nails in the shows coffin in the 80s.

Well, not that I'm not joined at the hip to that flamin' book I thought I'd bob back in here and get this thread back into resus.

Where were we? Oh, yeah. Earthshock. Which means...Time Flight is next. Oh, gawd.

Last time I 'reviewed' this I did it in the form of a sketch. It seems highly appropriate to appropriate that sketch here before we carry on.

Time Flight
March 1982

Somewhere near White City...we hear a shop door bell tinkling.

An afghan coat wearing, bubble permed, bearded gentleman, wearing a 'The memory cheats' sweatshirt enters the shop:

'Morning...'

'Hello, sir...and what can I get you?'

'Oh, let me think...erm. Oh, I know...I'll take one of your Concordes please...no I'll have two. One might get lost in a time contour and...'

'...you'll need the other one to rescue it. Gift wrapped?'

'No, I think just straight off the Heathrow tarmac will do. Do I get the obligatory 'permission for Doctor Who to film here' gift certificate with that?'

'Yes, you do sir. But you are limited to filming in sub-zero temperatures. Might make the actors' noses go red. And Britain will be at a standstill.'

'And, er...that'll do. Oh I'll take a bunch of very camp British Airways air crew. Do I get a discount if I buy two sets?'

'Not if you want the 'very camp' versions and only if you loan the 'airport traffic control in a box' play set.'

'Go on then.'

'I do have an unconvincing primeval landscape going cheap. Any way of fitting that in?'

'No problem. I can get Peter to crow-bar that into his plot. And talking of the plot...can you supply an Arabian Nights type wizard who turns out to be an evil Time Lord in disguise?'

'Just consult the database for a mo'....telephone engineer, naval officer, an adjudicator, Portreve, Kalid...ah...Kalid. Will that one do?'

'Yes. It's the perfect pointless disguise. I mean Kalid's got to be in there for a reason, eh? You don't think it sounds too much like Kaled do you? Don't want obsessive continuity to rear its ugly head when we don't want it to. Oh, tell you what, we might need a French knight for later so can I pop back?'

'No problem. Mind you, these latest versions are really...pointless. And the Kalid comes with the novelty foaming nostrils. Very messy.'

'Smashing.'

'Anything else, sir?'

'Right...got the planes, the location, the villain, camp air crew....need some monsters and aliens I suppose.'

'Splendid offer here for you. Some rubbish blobby things that froth up loads of Fairy Liquid on camera...er Plasmatons...and a bonus group of telepathic aliens in silver spandex, Xeraphin from Xeraphas.'

'Do they have to be spelt with an X? That's so bloomin' 'sci-fi'. Honestly, it's really hard making light drama-tainment these days. Everyone takes it so seriously. Davison's hopping mad...something about the script summing up why he thinks the show is crap'

'No call for that, is there?. Alas, I've only got the versions spelt with an X.

'Yeah. Grimmers'll just have to fit them in. It's a weak looking script anyway. Why he didn't just stick to directing, goodness knows. Although, Eric thinks it has some interesting elements.'

'Righto. For that lot I can chuck in a manifestation of Adric, the Melkur and a mention of UNIT.'

'Really! A bargain. Gosh, the fans'll love this. And I've hardly spent anything. Here you go'

'Lovely. Hope it goes well. Oh, whilst Dodo packs those up for you can I just see to this gentleman....yes, sir'

A bespectacled Welshman wearing a 'How marvellous' T shirt asks:

'Don't know if you can help me...but I need an Empire State Building, some Daleks, some pig-men...er a Broadway chorus...a Frankenstein type laboratory thingy...?'

'Dear oh dear...I won't be able to get those in till 2006. Should I place an order and then you can come back and collect later?'

The Welshman suddenly bursts into flames and is replaced by a dark haired Scotsman wearing a 'Spoilers' shirt...

'No, that's so old hat. Can I book the bumper pack of villains and the Stonehenge play-set for 2010 please?'

Sheer, unadulterated comedy gold. I'm so delighted to see this thread return from...Beyond The Grave.

Normal service will be resumed very soon with 'Arc of Infinity'...

Goody!

*settles in to wait*

Yay

Elliott H. Seadevil wrote:Yay

Yay, indeed, hatchling. You really should read through this thread. Frank has given us some brilliant reviews of Who stories which will definitely enable you to enjoy and understand them more.

Ok

Elliott H. Seadevil wrote:Ok

Great stuff. Enjoy your reading.

Ok

A marvellous *return* my dear Francis.

Indeed.

Indeed

Indeed

Sid Seadevil wrote:Sheer, unadulterated comedy gold. I'm so delighted to see this thread return from...Beyond The Grave.

What this fellow said, good to have the thread back.

Frank wrote:Normal service will be resumed very soon with 'Arc of Infinity'...

Frank, I do remember your original review for Arc of Infinity. Told by the Ergon, if memory serves. That was comedic gold.