BOOK OF LISTS: APPENDIX 4 - RANKING THE MASTER

We're nearing the end of December. I'm going to try squeeze in two more entries before 2020 is over. Given that I'm living in an area where we are back in Lockdown, this doesn't seem like something too impossible. 

I've been very conscious of scale as I've been writing these. I started with something reasonably large and attention-grabbing in my first essay of the month. I looked at where my preference for the Doctor's most current regeneration fits in with all the others (here it is, right here, if you haven't looked at it, yet: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2020/12/book-of-lists-appendix-1-ranking.html). After that essay, however, I made Appendixes for lists that I figured people might not be as interested in (Top 6 Favorite Episodes: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2020/12/book-of-lists-appendix-2-top-6-episodes.html and Top Five Two-Timers: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2020/12/book-of-lists-appendix-2-top-6-episodes.html). Basically, I tried to "hook you in" with something more exciting but then go low-key for a bit. 

But now, as the countdown reaches its conclusion, it's time to bring out the Big Guns. We're going to finish things off with some developments in the show that have had major impact on some of my tastes. This essay, for instance, will cover how I feel about this latest incarnation of the Master. 

THE DHAWAN MASTER   

Since composing my RANKING THE MASTER lists, we have had one more actor take on the part. There has been some debate regarding where exactly this interpretation of the role fits in regards to the renegade Time Lord's timeline. Some are sure he must be between the Simm Master and Gomez. Others are sure he comes after Missy. I make my opinion on the issue clear in this entry: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2020/06/chronologies-and-timelines-appendixes.html (it's the second part of the essay). So I won't go into it again, here. 

What I will focus on, of course, is the quality of Sacha Dhawan's performance and the calibre of Chris Chibnall's writing of the character. I will say, up front, that I have great appreciation for this latest incarnation and feel that the actor and writer are both doing excellently. 

I will also admit, however, that it is very difficult to truly determine where he fits in the rankings. Really, we have not seen that much of the character, yet. Technically, he's only gotten two full episodes. 

Yes, he was in both parts of Spyfall. But he was pretending to be someone else through most of the first episode. And he doesn't come into the Cybermen Three-Parter at the season finale of Series Twelve until the very end of Ascension of the Cybermen. So he really only has a solid presence in Spyfall - Part Two and The Timeless Children. 

Two episodes doesn't give us much to go on. But I do think it's enough to give him some sort of status on the list. Admittedly, as we get more episodes, his position might change. More than likely, it will go up. I really am enjoying this version of the Master. I do think that, the more I see him, the more I will like him. 

THE LIST 

This entry seems to be pretty "link heavy", already, But I will add one more. Here is the first essay in the countdown: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html. For once, I am recommending that you do really look over this one. You should, at the very least, read those first few paragraphs where I explain my rules and exceptions to the rules for ranking the Masters the way I did. You may have a harder time understanding my choices if you don't 

After that, however, if you'd rather not get into some heavy reading - here's the short version of things. As always, I'm going from least favorite to most:    

Eric Roberts Master

John Simm Master

Roger Delgado Master

Corpse Master 

Anthony Ainley Master 

Missy 

I'm sure, if you never read the entries when they first came out, you're reeling from shock over where I placed Delgado. You might want to look at that specific entry about him to see why I made such a blasphemous choice. (Oh, all right! Another link, then: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html). 

THE SACHA DHAWAN REVIEW - THE SUPERFICIAL STUFF

I will admit, there are a couple of superficial issues that get me to really like this latest incarnation. So let's get them out of the way, immediately: 

1) The Master finally has a TARDIS: When the character was first re-introduced in the RTD era, it looked like he was stranded without one and had to use the Doctor's to get around. Sometime after The End of Time, he finally got one of his own, again. But it was only ever talked about. Never seen. 

To me it was so beautiful to see that bungalow floating alongside the jetplane. Finally, we were definitely seeing that Master using his TARDIS. It just felt so good. While some complained about how the interior looked (basically, still just a bungalow but with a really funky-looking console at the middle), I quite liked it. The Doctor and the Master just don't quite seem like equals unless we see both of them operating their TARDISes a bit in a story. We've got that back, now. And I love it. 

2) His surprise return: While Utopia did do a great job of putting the Master right under our nose and then revealing him, I do think the ending of Spyfall - Part One accomplishes this task even better. There is, pehaps, too much attention given to Professor Yana - which gets us a bit suspicious that there is more to him than meets the eye. "O" is so pleasant and unassuming. We mistake him for just being a nice supporting character that will help the Doctor for the adventure. And then we pick our jaws up off the floor as he makes the "spy-master" pun. It's sheer brilliance!

Yes, just like John Barrowman in Fugitive of the Judoon, there were vague rumours of Sacha Dhawan playing a new incarnation of the Master. But we weren't taking them that seriously. The fact that he does such a convincing job as "O" gets us to take think, all-the-more, that the speculation was wrong. And then the tables turn oh-so-viciously in the final minutes of the episode. It might just be one of the best surprise reveals the show has ever achieved. 

3) The tissue compressor!: Easily, the silliest and most superficial reason for why I enjoy this incarnation so much. I have always loved the concept of a weapon that seems to shrink its victim to death. I'm not sure why. But it just seems so fun! Especially the way it leaves doll-like corpses behind. 

With Delgado and the Corpse Master, we only got glimpses of it. It was Ainley that truly brought the tissue compression eliminator to the forefront. In almost every tale the Ainley Master showed up in, he uses it on, at least, one occasion. In most stories, several victims are killed by it. And, always, shrunken bodies are left behind as a sort of "calling card" for the Doctor to find. It's the Master's sadistic way of letting his rival know that he's around, somewhere. Waiting to strike... 

I am absolutely thrilled to see this weapon is finally back and being used in great abundance. It's ridiculous how happy the return of the tissue compressor has made me. Naturally enough, because it's this Master that has brought it back, I can't help but love him for it.  

THE SACHA DHAWAN REVIEW - THE HEAVIER STUFF

And now, let's look at some legitimate reasons for why I enjoy this Master as much as I do: 

What I think I am enjoying most about this incarnation is his straightforwardness. He hates the Doctor and wants to kill her. He wants to take over the Universe. Those are his two prime motives and, for the most part, he sticks to them. Other Masters that we've seen in the New Series have tended to be more complicated than that. They did weird out-of-character things that we'd never really see Classic Who Masters do. In some cases, like the redemption arc that Missy moved through, I felt that this worked. In other instances, like the Simm Master willing himself to death after he'd been shot (particularly since the Doctor had just called his suicidal bluff a few minutes earlier), I wasn't so keen on it. So, for me, stripping the Master back down to basics is a happy thing. I'm glad to see him back to doing what he does best. Admittedly, this might get a bit too "one note" further down the road. But I'm assuming that if that starts to happen, the character will get re-invented a bit. 

The other thing I've really adored about this Master is the energy Dhawan is giving to the role. Yes, the Simm Master also demanded a lot of enthusiasm from its performer. But there were moments where Simm almost seemed to be turning to the camera and giving us a wink. Which led to a certain level of campiness to the character that I never particularly enjoyed.  Dhawan performs the role with this disturbing level of conviction. Even when he does silly things like imitate the heavy footsteps of the Cyber-Masters, he sells it. He's a demented child trapped in an adult's body. Rather than an adult who kinda knows he's being silly. It's only a slight difference in the way the role is portrayed, but it can have a tremendous effect on an audience's appreciation. Because of Dhawan's commitment to the part, he is genuinely chilling. He's almost even a bit exhausting to watch - but in a good way. All the effort he's putting into the part is sincere. So that high level of energy really impresses me. I imagine that, at the end of every shoot, he's pretty damned tired. And I applaud him for what he's putting into the whole thing. 

In a lot of ways, he is reminding me of the Ainley Master of the 80s. Not just because he likes to use the tissue compressor so much or enjoys dressing up in costumes. Ainley's Master was also very basic in his motives and the actor, himself, was tremendously committed to the part, too. Now, if you bother to look at where this incarnation ranks on my list (or even go read his review: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html), you'll see that I am paying Dhawan the highest of compliments. I really loved that particular version of the evil renegade. So I'm really enjoying this latest one, too. 

Have I any complaints? I am just a bit bothered that we've got yet another "zany Master" in the New Series. If you look through my reviews, you'll see that I am clamouring a bit for something more in keeping with the Delgado portrayal. Essentially, I'd like a more conservative Master, again. We can still see that he's a sadistic bastard, but he's not so unabashed about it. His heart(s) is/are a bit less on his sleeve and we can find ourselves occasionally wondering what's really going on inside of him. The character is a bit more three-dimensional when he's played this way.

Having said that, however, if the actor is still doing a good job as they make their character very obviously insane (as Michelle Gomez did when she played the part) then I can live with the decision of yet-another Master who is nuttier than squirrel shit. So far, Dhawan is achieving this. I love every second that he's onscreen. Even if he is doing something with the role that I'm getting a bit tired of. 

WHERE HE RANKS

Okay, so those are my feelings on the matter. Both the superficial and the heavier stuff. Let's get on to the most important point: where does he fit on the list? 

I should specify, again, before I make my reveal that it is a bit early to truly commit to a ranking. I am guessing that, in a few more episodes, he will probably move up in position. I don't know if he'll ever make it all-the-way to the top. But it's entirely possible. I do really love Missy. Gomez was exceptional in the role and Moffat did a great job of writing her. However, Dhawan is really impressing me too. 

For now, though, I'm going to put him in Third Place. Just after the Corpse Master, but before Ainley. That seems the best spot for him. I'm going to guess he will, someday, beat Ainley. I just need a bit more time with him. 

When he does beat Ainley, of course, I will feel as though I have betrayed an old friend!   

All righty, then. Appendix Four complete. Our final entry of the year: What do I think of Jodie Whitaker's Doctor? Where does she fit on my List of DOCTORS - WORST TO BEST?

Sit tight. I'll be revealing that soon enough...