Okay, here's a post I've been meaning to complete for quite some time, now. No doubt, I'm the only one who even remembers that I had promised a second part to this essay. But part of being a fan is being super-anal about stuff.
WHAT IS A PROGRESSIVE DOCTOR?
Since it's been a while since I've written in this particular series, I thought I should re-state what exactly constitutes a Progressive Doctor. I'll cut and paste a section of that definition, here:
A Progressive Doctor is the result of a collaboration between the actor playing the role and the production team to move the main character through a series of changes that take place over an extended period of time. By extended period of time, I mean, several seasons or even the entire period of time that the actor played the role. The progression also usually moves in a positive direction.
If you would like a more detailed definition, click on this particular link:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/02/analytical-progressive-doctors-part-1.html
THE FIRST DOCTOR'S PROGRESSION - EPISODE 2: ACTUALLY BECOMING LIKEABLE
In our first episode, we looked at how the original Doctor progressed from an uncaring, amoral character to someone who stood for justice and peace. This time, however, it's going to be a bit more of a psychological exploration rather than one of ethics. Like most "arrogant Doctors" the character does eventually soften and become more accessible. We're going to chart those points where that growth happens. Maybe, even, pinpoint a few spots where he regresses, too.
STARTING POINT
Again, we're going to cut and paste a bit from the first part of this essay on this particular Doctor:
At the very beginning, the Doctor was far from likable. He was, in fact, a legitimate anti-hero.
Of course, the sequence that best shows us just how rotten of a fellow the Doctor is occurs in Episode Three of his first adventure. Lumbered with the inconvenience of an injured caveman that he does not want to help because it will slow down his escape, the Doctor actually appears to be making a move to kill him. That's the sort of fellow he is back when we first meet him. It's hard to believe he would ever be this way - given how high-principled and genuinely good-hearted he is, these days. But that's how he started.
His callousness doesn't stop there. In the next story, he campaigns to get a race of peace-loving people to fight on his behalf to recover his fluid link. In the story after that, he is ready to just fling Ian and Barbara out of the TARDIS into what appears to be a fairly hostile environment.
Basically, in his first few stories, he is just not a pleasant man .
If you want a better look at the first part of this essay - here's the link;
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/04/progressive-doctors-2-first-doctor-part.html
That first link, by the way, is an essay on the Twelfth Doctor. So I'm not posting the same link twice. These are other essays on Progressive Doctors for you to look at more intensely if you should so desire...
STREAM 2: SOFTENING THE CHARACTER
So now we're exploring a second stream in this Doctor's progression. We've seen where his moral compass develops and he becomes a legitimate hero. But the moral journey was only part of the growth we watched him go through.
In Unearthly Child, the Doctor - for the most part - doesn't like people. He's unpleasant to most strangers when he first meets them. Or, at the very least, standoffish. He's particularly rude to Ian and Barbara because he doesn't want them to interfere with the life of his granddaughter. But, in general, he's not very nice to anyone.
Had it not been for the presence of Susan in his life, the First Doctor would've been happy being a complete loner. He appears genuinely misanthropic. Others seem to just interfere with his enjoyment of life. It's almost like he would be happier with an empty Universe that allows him to explore its sciences - instead of a cosmos full of independently-thinking beings for him to interact with and learn from.
By the end of his reign, he is a very different man. Sure, there are still moments of tetchiness and he's never good at suffering fools - but the First Doctor does genuinely appreciate the company he surrounds himself with. At the beginning of his era, he is a protective grandfather to Susan. But, by The Tenth Planet, he seems to have become everyone's grandfather. He connects with people now and shows genuine care for them. It's masked by his harshness and, sometime, abrupt behavior. But we still see it.
How did he go through such a strong change in sentiment? We're going to chart that growth throughout the rest of this post.
MAKING AMENDS
It doesn't actually take long to see the first few cracks in the Doctor's hard shell. Every time he makes a mistake and apologizes for it, he allows himself to be that little bit more approachable. As if realizing that he's fallible makes him want to, somehow, connect that little bit more with the people around him. In the later episodes of The Daleks, when he confesses to the lie he told about the fluid links and apologizes for it, we see that first little bit of humility in him. Which, in turn, gets him to be just that little bit kinder to Ian and Barbara.
It is through his relationship with the two schoolteachers that we best see this process at work. How he interacts with Susan has an entirely different set of rules that we will discuss in a few paragraphs.The way he treats Ian and Barbara, however, best exemplifies how he responds to everyone he meets. Unless the person he's dealing with has something he needs or is threatening his safety, he's rather cold and impersonal. But as he learns to relate better to the two Coal Hill staffmembers, he seems to lighten up with everyone else, too.
While his apology in The Daleks does scratch away a bit at his harsh veneer, the real breakthrough happens near the end of Edge of Destruction. If you've bothered to read my 10 Most Pivotal Moments in the Doctor's Life essay (http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2015/05/book-of-lists-10-most-pivotal-moments.html - just in case you're interested!) you'll know I've attached a good deal of importance to this moment. It's a key point in the time traveler's life. He admits to a lot of culpability as he and Barbara sit together after the TARDIS has been repaired. He even makes a sort of promise to treat her and Ian better. This is a crucial sequence where the Doctor sheds much of his unpleasant anti-hero image and begins a consistent effort to be a kinder person. So far, it seems to be external forces that are prompting these moves. He has to make big errors in judgement before he feels prompted to change for the better. He doesn't just make these decisions of his own internal volition.
Still, his mistakes seem to be making him into a better person. Or, at least, someone who treats his company better.
SUSAN
By no means is the Doctor a complete island onto himself. As we first meet him in Season One, Susan is the one person that he shows tenderness to. But, because he's so cold to everyone else, it creates an enormous sense of emotional dependence on her. He is gentle and protective of her most of the time. On any number of occasions that Susan must face some degree of trauma, we see her running to her grandfather's arms. The Doctor always welcomes her embrace and offers her comfort. He also gives her endless encouragement and lets her know how proud he is of her. But no one else sees much of this sort of treatment from him in the first season. It is reserved only for Susan.
But there is a downside to being in her grandfather's Good Graces. Because she is the only person he has formed this sort of bond with, the Doctor desperately fears losing Susan. Should she show too much independence, the Doctor tries to bark it down. We see the best example of this in The Sensorites when Susan elects to go down to the Sense-Sphere on her own. A furious argument erupts between the two of them as the Doctor insists she will not journey alone to the planet. He claims it's too dangerous but we all get the impression that there other reasons why he won't let her. Quite simply, such an act shows that Susan doesn't need her grandfather as much as she used to. And the Doctor can't stand that idea. He needs to be needed. The fact that he only wants that from one person can put tremendous stress on that particular relationship. Because of this dynamic, he also puts tremendous expectations on his granddaughter. The heavy scolding he gives her for the stumble that Susan has at the beginning of Dalek Invasion of Earth is a great example of this. He really comes down hard on her for such an honest mistake.
The First Doctor's need to always have a young lady in his life to protect and mentor is a drive we see throughout his entire era. He might travel with men or older women - but he needs that young girl. It's an important relationship that is vital to the way he shows tenderness. As creepy as that may sound taken out of context!
STEPS FORWARD AND BACK
As we progress through Season One, the Doctor opens his heart more and more to the two schoolteachers that have been thrust upon him. One of the best examples of this is when he, at last, re-unites with the rest of the TARDIS crew in the city of Millenius during The Keys of Marinus. He is not just ecstatic to see his granddaughter again, he's just as happy to see Ian and Barbara. This is the first real hint of the Doctor becoming a grandfather to everyone. There is genuine love in him for someone outside of Susan. He has definitely become more warm-hearted towards his new companions. We also see a serious melancholy fall over him when he fails to defend Ian properly in court for the murder of Eprin. Because he's going to lose him, the Doctor truly sees how close he's become to Ian in these last few adventures. Already, we can barely recognize him from the fleeing coward who was ready to kill off a wounded caveman only a few episodes back.
Often, however, Progressive Doctors backslide. Particularly in their early days. We see a major one happen at the end of The Sensorites. Ian just happens to express himself poorly to the Doctor and hurts his pride. In a fit of pique, the Time Lord decides he will be throwing the schoolteachers off his TARDIS the next time they land. It's a huge over-reaction, of course. One almost has to wonder if being kind to others and socializing in a pleasant manner was getting to be a bit too much for him and he's looking to cast out the individuals that have been stretching him so much. It definitely comes off as something drawn more from interior motives than external influences. Even if Ian set him off, it's almost as if the Doctor was looking for something like this to have an excuse for the actions he takes.
Fortunately, Ian tries to talk the Doctor into having one last drink with him and Barbara before bidding adieu. The proposal succeeds and the events of The Reign of Terror ensue. By the end of the adventure, the Doctor feels more close to his two new friends than ever. Casting them out of the TARDIS has been forgotten. Season One ends on a high note as the group of adventurers anticipate what might come next for them. They are a true team, now. The relationships are solidified. The First Doctor now allows three people to be close to him.
SUSAN TO VICKI
After a fun little runaround with Planet of Giants, we move on to a story that will bring about one of the greatest changes in the First Doctor's progression. As Dalek Invasion of Earth concludes, the unthinkable happens. Susan decides to remain on Earth with her new-found love: David Campbell. There had been "teases" throughout Season One that the fledgling might, someday, fly the coop. But now it's actually happening.
The Doctor is, of course, devastated. That moment at the beginning of The Rescue where he accidentally calls out to Susan and then remembers she's no longer there is especially touching (and far more effective than all the pining Ten did for Rose - sometimes, it pays to be economical!). It is fortunate that he has formed a bond with Ian and Barbara but they are still not quite enough to fill the void his granddaughter has left.
And then Vicki comes along and the Doctor finds someone new to be protective toward. There is a nice long scene in The Rescue where he comforts the young girl. It is a crucial character moment for both of them. Vicki steps in to substitute for Susan. It almost seems like a very conscious act. She sees the Doctor has need to take someone under his wing. She also sees the advantages he offers by looking after her and accepts the role. The Doctor feels he can function again and the two become as thick as thieves very quickly. It helps that they have stories like The Romans where the two of them go off on their own adventure without Ian and Barbara.
WIDENING HIS CIRCLES AND LOSING MORE FRIENDS
While the Doctor is happy to have a new Susan in his life, he also seems to recognize a need to reach out still more in his quest to get close to people. He can't just rely solely on the TARDIS crew, he needs to form bonds with people that he runs into in his travels.
A good chunk of the Doctor's character arc during Season 2 is based on this premise. Over and over, we see him being a warmer more approachable person to the people he meets. Even forming real friendships with many of them. Lady Joanna from The Crusade is a good example of this. Yes, she's a friend in high places and those are always handy. But a real bond does form between them. Look at the way he's willing to reveal Vicki's secret to the princess once he feels he can trust her. A Season One Doctor would've been more prone to concealing such a thing til the bitter end. But the Doctor is beginning to understand the importance of sharing trust with people. It's an important step in his need to attach more to the people around him. Had it not been for Susan's departure, this may have never happened. With her gone from his life, he needed to go out and genuinely connect with people. He could no longer rely on the social stimuli that she provided for him and had to emerge from his cocoon.
When Ian and Barbara find a way to get back home during The Chase, he doesn't take that news well, either. He claims that stealing the Daleks' timeship is just too dangerous - but we all know the truth. These were the people who first got him to come out of his shell - he doesn't want to lose them. Meekly, he submits to them, though. In the end, he loves his friends and wants to see them happy.
But perhaps the best display of the Doctor's growing tenderness is seen at the beginning The Time Meddler. As much as he needs the company, he checks with Vicki to be sure that she is still enjoying her travels. With this scene, we see the Doctor truly is losing his selfish streak and understanding what real friendship is all about. Regardless of how much it may hurt, he's concerned about Vicki's happiness more than his own personal needs.
The Doctor truly is growing...
SEASON THREE - EVERYTHING STABILIZES
In much the same way that the Doctor's moral compass seems fully defined by Season Three, the same can be said about his interpersonal skills. There will always be moments where his temper becomes short, but his heart(s) of gold always manages to shine through. He continues befriending people where he can in his various adventures and values his closer friends that are travelling with him in the TARDIS.
Those closer friends seem to start changing up quite quickly. But the Doctor is now at a point where he can take it all in stride. This is, perhaps, the best evidence that the misanthrope is truly laid to rest. When Vicki leaves in The Mythmakers or even when Katarina and Sara Kingdom die in The Dalek Masterplan, he doesn't let this stop him from going out and forming new bonds. He mourns his losses but doesn't wallow in them. Nor does he use them as an excuse to withdraw from personal interaction.
There is, of course, one more moment where the Doctor comes dangerously close to backsliding again. Those famous last few minutes of The Massacre, sadly, only exist in telesnap and audio format - but they are still very stirring to watch. When the Doctor and Steven seem to be parting ways, he legitimately contemplates giving up on his travels and returning to Gallifrey. But for the caprice of chance, that may have actually happened. Dodo just happens to wander into the TARDIS and this prompts a change of heart in the Doctor. He decides to continue his journeys through Time and Space. He also continues on his own personal journey.
NEARING THE END...
And so, the Doctor continues on. Taking on new companions and saying goodbye to the old ones when the time comes for them to go (or, in the case of Dodo, he doesn't even do that!). He does seem to still be a bit functional in some of his relationships. In The War Machines, he senses something evil about the new Post Office Tower and feels he must do something about it. Immediately, he befriends the right sort of influential people who will enable him to investigate it. But we can hardly criticize him for it. He needed to get to the bottom of things and he does still seem to form real bonds with these people.
While this does not truly happen in his "proper era", we do see one last attempt at a sort of ultimate personal withdrawal. His refusal to regenerate in Twice Upon A Time definitely represents some serious anti-social behavior. But, again, the regression is short-lived. The Doctor is now someone who is not only fascinated by the sciences that affect the Universe, he also loves the many varied lifeforms that inhabit it. Other Doctors might come along and also have difficulties dealing with people - but we know, deep down inside, that he's a good man. And it's because of the personal journey we got to watch happen in his very first incarnation.
He really did become everyone's gentle grandfather.
Finally! I finished that particular thread of this essay. That loose end has been tied and I can get on with my life. Again, if you should want to see the first part of the series, here it is:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/04/progressive-doctors-2-first-doctor-part.html
Wednesday, 24 January 2018
Wednesday, 3 January 2018
ANOTHER SPECIAL BONUS: APPENDIXES AND UPDATES
Happy New Year, everyone!!!
In my constant effort to make sure that what's currently going on with the show lines up with the silly theories I postulate about in here - I find myself writing more and more Special Appendixes. Which is not really a bother for me. I still remember those sad Wilderness Years where there was no New Who being made. I'm far happier adjusting my opinions to new episodes than not having new episodes to adjust my opinion to!
Usually, there's enough material in these Appendixes to merit a full entry. But, this time, I find myself in a situation that resembles my Quick Fixes Series. There's some things I'd like to discuss but they will only fill a few paragraphs, at best. So I'll just accumulate these short points into one entry and deal with them all, here.
ANALYTICAL: THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND MULTI-INCARNATION ENCOUNTERS - APPENDIX A
In anticipation of Twice Upon A Time, I found myself thinking quite heavily about other occasions when the Doctor has had adventures with his previous incarnations. I decided to watch all those tales and see if they worked according to any patterns. I discovered that they did. And that those patterns might even have something to say about the Doctor's own psychological make-up. Here are the observations that I made:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/analytical-psychology-behind-multi.html
I was bold, of course. I came up with all these conclusions before Twice Upon a Time aired. It was entirely possible that this new adventure with more than one incarnation of the Doctor might flatly contradict a whole bunch of these "rules" that I drew out from the other stories. I was quite lucky. For the most part, what we see with One and Twelve agrees with the conclusions I came to in my essay. Let's take a closer look at them:
Similarities:
My biggest concern was a premise I put forward about large gaps between incarnations. I postulate that when incarnations aren't too far apart - they tend to argue more. But wider gaps tend to make the Doctor more at peace with himself and he can get along a lot better with his past.
In case you didn't bother to follow the link, here are my precise thoughts on the matter:
"Again, if we use this Doctor not being happy with himself model, it makes a sort of sense. A person who is heavily into personal growth would have more trouble seeing their more recent past. If I ran into a version of Rob Tymec from only two or three years ago - I'd probably be frustrated to see that I was a much more immature person in my recent past than I had remembered myself to be. But if I met me when I was only ten years old - I would be far more detached and understanding. I was just a kid back then. I'm allowed to be childish at that age. So I probably won't be so harsh with me. Whereas I really wouldn't like to meet me from only a few years back. I'm pretty sure I'd just want to tell myself off for still being such a twit when I should've grown up, by now.
Perhaps it works in a similar way with the Doctor. To go back only an incarnation or two is like a human seeing himself from only two to five years ago. Depending on the human's personality - he's probably not going to like what he sees. But a Time Lord going back three or more incarnations is like a human encountering himself from twenty or so years ago. He's just too far-removed from who he once was and it's not so tough on him, anymore, to see himself behaving so poorly. Essentially, t's easier to forgive a considerably younger version of yourself. With the Doctor, of course, it takes a bigger set of years for him to feel this way. His longevity gives him a greater breadth of vision. So even if there might be a century or two between incarnations that are back-to-back - that's not long enough for him to not be awkward about what he's seeing"
Naturally enough, my big fear was that we would see One and Twelve fight like cats and dogs throughout the entire story. This would get my Gaps Between Incarnations theory to fall completely to pieces.
Fortunately enough, the First and Twelfth Doctor tend to get along fairly well. Twelve, being a bit wiser and more experienced, actually tends to bark out a fair amount of instructions to One. One doesn't put up much argument when he does, The closest they come to a legitimate debate is when they're approaching Rusty's Tower on Villengard and Twelve wants to go up alone. One fights him for the briefest of moments. But, when Twelve points out the danger of the two of them going up together, One sees the logic of it all quite quickly and falls into line. It's very similar to the fight Five and One have in the TARDIS during The Five Doctors. There's the slightest hint of resistance but One yields quickly when presented with solid logic.
Slight Contradicitons:
I will be the first to admit, the Gap Between Incarnations theory doesn't fit perfectly with this story. There are moments where these two incarnations do still "rankle" each other slightly. But their reactions aren't nearly is volatile as, say, the fights Two and Three have had. In fact, their disagreements manifest themselves' in far gentler tones.
In the case of One viewing Twelve, he does become a bit disappointed in some of the choices he's made. He certainly isn't pleased with the sunglasses. But even in his harshest moment of criticism (throwing the shades on the floor) it's handled fairly lightly. Especially when you consider how vicious One usually was when he disagreed with someone. He does become a bit angry with Twelve as he brags about how he will escape the Testimony and fight them. He quite disagrees with such a flagrant display of bravado. But the tetchiness is pretty short-lived. He gets on with just cooperating with Twelve and following his cues as they grab on to the chains hooked into the TARDIS and escape.
The times Twelve disagrees with One are largely overshadowed with embarrassment rather than anger. I know some fans disagree with how old-fashioned Moff made the First Doctor seem. But, the truth of the matter is, those moments are there in his actual episodes (it especially helps re-enforce this idea when he had One directly quote himself from Dalek Invasion of Earth, at one point). We don't usually see them in such great abundance in just one story but we can't deny that the First Doctor could have some pretty conservative values. This clash with more modern ideas was even seen back in The Five Doctors when One tells Tegan to make some refreshments for them.
When One displays his outdated ideas, Twelve tries to brush the whole thing under the carpet rather than directly scold him. Again, this isn't like the usual banter we would see between different incarnations that are closer together. I wouldn't even see these reactions as contradictions to my theory. But rather, special nuances that occur between distant incarnations. Especially since this is the greatest gap we've seen, so far, in a multi-incarnation story (a good 1 500 years by Twelve's estimation). Essentially, even with a great age difference, two Doctors will disagree. But when they're so far apart, the disagreement tends to be far less rooted in anger. "Softer" negative emotions like disappointment or embarrassment tend to come into play.
One Other Important Similarity:
Another important moment that we see over and over in most of these types of stories is the Doctor making peace with himself. This usually happens just before the incarnations are about to separate again. It happens in Twice Upon a Time as the two Doctors enjoy the Christmas Armistice of 1914. One finally has made his choice about regenerating or dying. Just before he leaves, he turns to Twelve and indicates that he doesn't care what Twelve's choice might be. It's not for him to make the decision (well, not yet, at least). But One does shake his hand and wish him good luck. I actually love that we almost always get a moment like this in a multi-incarnation adventure. It says a lot about the type of person the Doctor is.
UNADULTERATED BOORISH OPINION: THE SILLINESS OF GENERAL FAN CONSENSUS - APPENDIX A
I really thought this particular essay was going to get me more flack than it did. But perhaps it's because you haven't read it, yet. So, here it is:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/07/unadulterated-boorish-opinion-silliness.html
My main point in this particular essay is how often fans like to scream "re-tread!" when it really isn't. We might be seeing slight similarities between two things from two different stories - but this is hardly a re-tread. It's just two things that resemble each other slightly.
To be clear, a good example of a re-tread would be The Force Awakens in the Star Wars franchise. To me, it is a blatant attempt to re-create A New Hope. Both stories center around a droid trying to deliver an important message. We need to blow up another Death Star (Star Killer Base - same difference). There's another creature cantina scene. We have another tall, dark, masked villain (who doesn't really need to wear a mask - why does he wear that thing except to look more like Darth Vader?!). That's just a few of the more obvious similarities. There's plenty of smaller ones (evil villain tortures pretty heroine, big spaceship battle at the end, Death Star demonstrates its strength to the galaxy, a desert planet is a key location). When you have that many similarities (more, in fact, I just won't bother to highlight them because this is supposed to be a Doctor Who blog not a Star Wars blog), you can claim it's a re-tread and no one can really argue with you. The truth of the matter is: there's a lot of stuff in Force Awakens that imitates New Hope.
Who fans don't seem to work by that rule. They tend to see one slight similarity and have to scream "re-tread!!" at the top of their lungs. As I say in the essay itself, Sci-Fi has its tropes. As long as you explore a trope in a new and different way every time you use it - I think that's fine. The Weeping Angels and The Silence can do something nasty to you as you look away from them. But they both do very different nasty things. Weeping Angels send you back in time. Silence just makes you forget about them. There's a world of difference there - so I don't consider that a re-tread.
See how that works?
Unfortunately, some fans still don't. I'm seeing stuff in fan groups where folks are claiming that Jodie's introductory scene is an exact copy of Matt Smith's. Yup, there's one similarity going on: because the Doctor has held in his regeneration for too long, it appears to have damaged the TARDIS in some way. Making for a very nasty ride for the new Doctor. But, really, that's where similarities end.
Let's look at the differences (and there are plenty):
Matt Smith is getting jostled around a lot. The TARDIS just seems to be swerving and spinning a lot. During one of those nastier dips, it causes Smith to roll out the door and nearly run into Big Ben. The TARDIS just manages to avoid the collision and Smith pulls himself back into the TARDIS to try to get it under control. Or, at least, land.
With Jodie, the TARDIS is very consciously trying to eject her. It's not dipping and swirling, it just flings open its doors and tilts at an angle that will make Whitaker fall out. Because Jodie clings to the console, it even seems to intentionally rip itself apart to throw her out. After a few seconds of serious flinging, she loses grip and appears to be plunging to her doom.
That's a bunch of variables there, guys. One Doctor is just getting bumped around a lot, nearly falls out of the TARDIS, nearly collides with a major monument and then lands. The other Doctor is - flat-out - flung out of the TARDIS and seems to be falling to her death. Yup, in both cases, a new Doctor is getting a bad first ride. But that's where the similarities end. So, seriously, if you want to claim copycat: go watch New Hope and Force Awakens back-to-back. You have every right to complain about that one. However, in the case of Smith and Whitaker - these aren't the re-treads you're looking for...
A SPECIAL APPENDIX TO THE SPECIAL APPENDIX:
Just as I did in the original entry about multi-incarnation adventures, I'm going to add a special appendix about story structure. Twice Upon a Time uses several of the conventions that other stories of this nature engage in.
Threads:
We don't see a particular "scoop up moment" like we do in The Three and Five Doctors. Instead, we follow the plot thread of a previous incarnation until he meets the current Doctor. And then we see him returned to his timeline, afterwards. That thread, of course, is a loving re-creation of The Tenth Planet. We get actual footage from the story blended with a modern re-shoot. We are then returned to the conclusion of Tenth Planet at the end of the tale. Again, footage of Bradley and Hartnell are mixed together.
As is often the case when it's just two incarnations (The Two Doctors, Time Crash and World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls), the meeting occurs by timestreams accidentally intersecting. Generally, when it's more than two incarnations (The Three and Five Doctor and Day of the Doctor) an external force causes the incarnations to unite.
More Technical Glitches:
As is often the case, incarnations meeting each other create temporal anomalies. Most often, we see certain incarnations being caught in Time Bubbles of some sort. But there can be other repercussions. In this instance, One and Twelve feeling suicidal together interferes enough with the timelines to cause a scoop up the Testimony is attempting to go wrong. The Brig's Grandpa accidentally plops into the two Doctors' timestream and has an adventure with them rather than just being sent directly back to the time of his death.
There also seems to be some memory issues. Which doesn't usually happen with just two incarnations (even with the Simm Master and Missy reunion, I think she's lying to him when she says she can't recall the encounter). But Twelve can't remember anything that's happened with him and One on this adventure. More than likely, all the external influences of the Testimony have created some extra interference. Those time freezes within a temporal anomaly are making the timelines too tangled and the Doctor doesn't retain things, after all.
All righty, then - that's all my latest appendixes covered. Everything feels sorted out in my convoluted Universe, again!
In my constant effort to make sure that what's currently going on with the show lines up with the silly theories I postulate about in here - I find myself writing more and more Special Appendixes. Which is not really a bother for me. I still remember those sad Wilderness Years where there was no New Who being made. I'm far happier adjusting my opinions to new episodes than not having new episodes to adjust my opinion to!
Usually, there's enough material in these Appendixes to merit a full entry. But, this time, I find myself in a situation that resembles my Quick Fixes Series. There's some things I'd like to discuss but they will only fill a few paragraphs, at best. So I'll just accumulate these short points into one entry and deal with them all, here.
ANALYTICAL: THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND MULTI-INCARNATION ENCOUNTERS - APPENDIX A
In anticipation of Twice Upon A Time, I found myself thinking quite heavily about other occasions when the Doctor has had adventures with his previous incarnations. I decided to watch all those tales and see if they worked according to any patterns. I discovered that they did. And that those patterns might even have something to say about the Doctor's own psychological make-up. Here are the observations that I made:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/analytical-psychology-behind-multi.html
I was bold, of course. I came up with all these conclusions before Twice Upon a Time aired. It was entirely possible that this new adventure with more than one incarnation of the Doctor might flatly contradict a whole bunch of these "rules" that I drew out from the other stories. I was quite lucky. For the most part, what we see with One and Twelve agrees with the conclusions I came to in my essay. Let's take a closer look at them:
Similarities:
My biggest concern was a premise I put forward about large gaps between incarnations. I postulate that when incarnations aren't too far apart - they tend to argue more. But wider gaps tend to make the Doctor more at peace with himself and he can get along a lot better with his past.
In case you didn't bother to follow the link, here are my precise thoughts on the matter:
"Again, if we use this Doctor not being happy with himself model, it makes a sort of sense. A person who is heavily into personal growth would have more trouble seeing their more recent past. If I ran into a version of Rob Tymec from only two or three years ago - I'd probably be frustrated to see that I was a much more immature person in my recent past than I had remembered myself to be. But if I met me when I was only ten years old - I would be far more detached and understanding. I was just a kid back then. I'm allowed to be childish at that age. So I probably won't be so harsh with me. Whereas I really wouldn't like to meet me from only a few years back. I'm pretty sure I'd just want to tell myself off for still being such a twit when I should've grown up, by now.
Perhaps it works in a similar way with the Doctor. To go back only an incarnation or two is like a human seeing himself from only two to five years ago. Depending on the human's personality - he's probably not going to like what he sees. But a Time Lord going back three or more incarnations is like a human encountering himself from twenty or so years ago. He's just too far-removed from who he once was and it's not so tough on him, anymore, to see himself behaving so poorly. Essentially, t's easier to forgive a considerably younger version of yourself. With the Doctor, of course, it takes a bigger set of years for him to feel this way. His longevity gives him a greater breadth of vision. So even if there might be a century or two between incarnations that are back-to-back - that's not long enough for him to not be awkward about what he's seeing"
Naturally enough, my big fear was that we would see One and Twelve fight like cats and dogs throughout the entire story. This would get my Gaps Between Incarnations theory to fall completely to pieces.
Fortunately enough, the First and Twelfth Doctor tend to get along fairly well. Twelve, being a bit wiser and more experienced, actually tends to bark out a fair amount of instructions to One. One doesn't put up much argument when he does, The closest they come to a legitimate debate is when they're approaching Rusty's Tower on Villengard and Twelve wants to go up alone. One fights him for the briefest of moments. But, when Twelve points out the danger of the two of them going up together, One sees the logic of it all quite quickly and falls into line. It's very similar to the fight Five and One have in the TARDIS during The Five Doctors. There's the slightest hint of resistance but One yields quickly when presented with solid logic.
Slight Contradicitons:
I will be the first to admit, the Gap Between Incarnations theory doesn't fit perfectly with this story. There are moments where these two incarnations do still "rankle" each other slightly. But their reactions aren't nearly is volatile as, say, the fights Two and Three have had. In fact, their disagreements manifest themselves' in far gentler tones.
In the case of One viewing Twelve, he does become a bit disappointed in some of the choices he's made. He certainly isn't pleased with the sunglasses. But even in his harshest moment of criticism (throwing the shades on the floor) it's handled fairly lightly. Especially when you consider how vicious One usually was when he disagreed with someone. He does become a bit angry with Twelve as he brags about how he will escape the Testimony and fight them. He quite disagrees with such a flagrant display of bravado. But the tetchiness is pretty short-lived. He gets on with just cooperating with Twelve and following his cues as they grab on to the chains hooked into the TARDIS and escape.
The times Twelve disagrees with One are largely overshadowed with embarrassment rather than anger. I know some fans disagree with how old-fashioned Moff made the First Doctor seem. But, the truth of the matter is, those moments are there in his actual episodes (it especially helps re-enforce this idea when he had One directly quote himself from Dalek Invasion of Earth, at one point). We don't usually see them in such great abundance in just one story but we can't deny that the First Doctor could have some pretty conservative values. This clash with more modern ideas was even seen back in The Five Doctors when One tells Tegan to make some refreshments for them.
When One displays his outdated ideas, Twelve tries to brush the whole thing under the carpet rather than directly scold him. Again, this isn't like the usual banter we would see between different incarnations that are closer together. I wouldn't even see these reactions as contradictions to my theory. But rather, special nuances that occur between distant incarnations. Especially since this is the greatest gap we've seen, so far, in a multi-incarnation story (a good 1 500 years by Twelve's estimation). Essentially, even with a great age difference, two Doctors will disagree. But when they're so far apart, the disagreement tends to be far less rooted in anger. "Softer" negative emotions like disappointment or embarrassment tend to come into play.
One Other Important Similarity:
Another important moment that we see over and over in most of these types of stories is the Doctor making peace with himself. This usually happens just before the incarnations are about to separate again. It happens in Twice Upon a Time as the two Doctors enjoy the Christmas Armistice of 1914. One finally has made his choice about regenerating or dying. Just before he leaves, he turns to Twelve and indicates that he doesn't care what Twelve's choice might be. It's not for him to make the decision (well, not yet, at least). But One does shake his hand and wish him good luck. I actually love that we almost always get a moment like this in a multi-incarnation adventure. It says a lot about the type of person the Doctor is.
UNADULTERATED BOORISH OPINION: THE SILLINESS OF GENERAL FAN CONSENSUS - APPENDIX A
I really thought this particular essay was going to get me more flack than it did. But perhaps it's because you haven't read it, yet. So, here it is:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/07/unadulterated-boorish-opinion-silliness.html
My main point in this particular essay is how often fans like to scream "re-tread!" when it really isn't. We might be seeing slight similarities between two things from two different stories - but this is hardly a re-tread. It's just two things that resemble each other slightly.
To be clear, a good example of a re-tread would be The Force Awakens in the Star Wars franchise. To me, it is a blatant attempt to re-create A New Hope. Both stories center around a droid trying to deliver an important message. We need to blow up another Death Star (Star Killer Base - same difference). There's another creature cantina scene. We have another tall, dark, masked villain (who doesn't really need to wear a mask - why does he wear that thing except to look more like Darth Vader?!). That's just a few of the more obvious similarities. There's plenty of smaller ones (evil villain tortures pretty heroine, big spaceship battle at the end, Death Star demonstrates its strength to the galaxy, a desert planet is a key location). When you have that many similarities (more, in fact, I just won't bother to highlight them because this is supposed to be a Doctor Who blog not a Star Wars blog), you can claim it's a re-tread and no one can really argue with you. The truth of the matter is: there's a lot of stuff in Force Awakens that imitates New Hope.
Who fans don't seem to work by that rule. They tend to see one slight similarity and have to scream "re-tread!!" at the top of their lungs. As I say in the essay itself, Sci-Fi has its tropes. As long as you explore a trope in a new and different way every time you use it - I think that's fine. The Weeping Angels and The Silence can do something nasty to you as you look away from them. But they both do very different nasty things. Weeping Angels send you back in time. Silence just makes you forget about them. There's a world of difference there - so I don't consider that a re-tread.
See how that works?
Unfortunately, some fans still don't. I'm seeing stuff in fan groups where folks are claiming that Jodie's introductory scene is an exact copy of Matt Smith's. Yup, there's one similarity going on: because the Doctor has held in his regeneration for too long, it appears to have damaged the TARDIS in some way. Making for a very nasty ride for the new Doctor. But, really, that's where similarities end.
Let's look at the differences (and there are plenty):
Matt Smith is getting jostled around a lot. The TARDIS just seems to be swerving and spinning a lot. During one of those nastier dips, it causes Smith to roll out the door and nearly run into Big Ben. The TARDIS just manages to avoid the collision and Smith pulls himself back into the TARDIS to try to get it under control. Or, at least, land.
With Jodie, the TARDIS is very consciously trying to eject her. It's not dipping and swirling, it just flings open its doors and tilts at an angle that will make Whitaker fall out. Because Jodie clings to the console, it even seems to intentionally rip itself apart to throw her out. After a few seconds of serious flinging, she loses grip and appears to be plunging to her doom.
That's a bunch of variables there, guys. One Doctor is just getting bumped around a lot, nearly falls out of the TARDIS, nearly collides with a major monument and then lands. The other Doctor is - flat-out - flung out of the TARDIS and seems to be falling to her death. Yup, in both cases, a new Doctor is getting a bad first ride. But that's where the similarities end. So, seriously, if you want to claim copycat: go watch New Hope and Force Awakens back-to-back. You have every right to complain about that one. However, in the case of Smith and Whitaker - these aren't the re-treads you're looking for...
A SPECIAL APPENDIX TO THE SPECIAL APPENDIX:
Just as I did in the original entry about multi-incarnation adventures, I'm going to add a special appendix about story structure. Twice Upon a Time uses several of the conventions that other stories of this nature engage in.
Threads:
We don't see a particular "scoop up moment" like we do in The Three and Five Doctors. Instead, we follow the plot thread of a previous incarnation until he meets the current Doctor. And then we see him returned to his timeline, afterwards. That thread, of course, is a loving re-creation of The Tenth Planet. We get actual footage from the story blended with a modern re-shoot. We are then returned to the conclusion of Tenth Planet at the end of the tale. Again, footage of Bradley and Hartnell are mixed together.
As is often the case when it's just two incarnations (The Two Doctors, Time Crash and World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls), the meeting occurs by timestreams accidentally intersecting. Generally, when it's more than two incarnations (The Three and Five Doctor and Day of the Doctor) an external force causes the incarnations to unite.
More Technical Glitches:
As is often the case, incarnations meeting each other create temporal anomalies. Most often, we see certain incarnations being caught in Time Bubbles of some sort. But there can be other repercussions. In this instance, One and Twelve feeling suicidal together interferes enough with the timelines to cause a scoop up the Testimony is attempting to go wrong. The Brig's Grandpa accidentally plops into the two Doctors' timestream and has an adventure with them rather than just being sent directly back to the time of his death.
There also seems to be some memory issues. Which doesn't usually happen with just two incarnations (even with the Simm Master and Missy reunion, I think she's lying to him when she says she can't recall the encounter). But Twelve can't remember anything that's happened with him and One on this adventure. More than likely, all the external influences of the Testimony have created some extra interference. Those time freezes within a temporal anomaly are making the timelines too tangled and the Doctor doesn't retain things, after all.
All righty, then - that's all my latest appendixes covered. Everything feels sorted out in my convoluted Universe, again!
Monday, 25 December 2017
SPECIAL BONUS! A REVIEW OF SLEEP NO MORE
The very lovely Simon Meade moderates two really good Doctor Who Fan Pages on Facebook (Journey Into The TARDIS https://www.facebook.com/groups/journeytardis/ and The Ark In Space https://www.facebook.com/groups/arkinspace/ - check them out!). He's asked some of the members to write up reviews of a Capaldi story of their choice to help commemorate his departure from the show.
Knowing that a lot of fans don't have the nicest things to say about Sleep No More, I thought I would tackle it and give it some more positive representation. Deciding it might also be fun to put one more entry in the blog before the year was over, I decided to post it here.
Hope you enjoy this Special Bonus. Happy Holidays!
SLEEP NO MORE
In all honesty, I adore the "Found Footage" genre. It's not even a guilty pleasure - I think it's a great way to put a story together. I haven't just enjoyed the popular stuff like Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. I've gone into more obscure realms like The Last Excorcism. I've even gone all the way back to the beginning and sat through Cannibal Holocaust (be warned: you will lose just a little bit of your soul if you watch this movie). Found Footage works especially well for scary stuff. So much horror, nowadays, feels so overproduced. The are so many super-choreographed, slow motion sequences going on that we're too busy marveling at the visuals and actually forgetting to be frightened. Found Footage returns things to a nice brutal raw state. The horror becomes very natural again. And that can be very effective.
When I heard Doctor Who was doing a Found Footage story, I was a bit on the ecstatic side. I know a lot of fandom was very uncertain about it - but I was looking forward to it. I was pretty sure, even before I saw it, that I would love it.
I was right.
One thing that I really appreciate about Sleep No More is that it immediately sidesteps one of the biggest problems of the Found Footage genre. The "Why would anyone keep holding on to a camera during all this horrible stuff?!" problem. A few years back, I sat through the movie Cloverfield. About two-thirds of the way into the film, I could no longer suspend my disbelief. For the plain and simple reason that I could no longer support the idea that any human being would still be filming everything while he was trying to leg it out of a city that was being attacked by a Godzilla-like giant monster. He would have dropped the camera ages ago cause it was slowing him down too much and the movie should have ended at that point.
Sleep No More sets up a clever premise that enables us to maintain our belief. Rasmussen, a clearly mad scientist, has created a special story for us using the security cameras of the space station he's on and the helmet cams of a rescue team that arrives there. Later, of course, things get even more surreal as we discover that the very dust can stream footage. But, for me, it all works. We can enjoy the rawness of the genre without having its credulity pushed too far. And Doctor Who can delve into a whole new realm effectively. In order to truly cement the boldness of it all, we get the first episode in the long history of the show that doesn't use the title sequence. These clever conventions, alone, cause me to fall in love with this adventure.
But there's so much more to Sleep No More than just a clever use of the genre. It really is a cool story. Yes, perhaps a few elements are a bit hard to swallow. Monsters made of eye-boogers is a bit of a stretch. But that's probably the closest I come to a genuine complaint. Otherwise, I think the whole thing flows quite smoothly. There's definitely a lot of tension and suspense to the tale. Most of it created by the cinematography. Yes, it's a futuristic sci fi story on a space station - but it still feels like we're watching something real. And that makes it feel all the creepier.
This is, perhaps, not Mark Gatiss' best script. I don't mean that in a cruel way. It's still very solidly written - it's just that he has stories I enjoy better! I certainly like the futuristic society that he creates here, though. Particularly the way everyone says "May the gods look favorably upon you." It's a nice touch.
Sleep No More offers a few nice twists, too. Most of them evolving around Rasmussen, himself. As we learn, more and more, what this special video is all about (he did warn us not to watch it!) we have to give some serious props to Gatiss. He put in some nice layers. And the final reveal of what Rasmussen truly is becomes a very iconic and chilling moment. I will, forever, remember the image of him crumbling away and pointing out: "You have something right there in the corner of your eye"
Speaking of endings, I love that Sleep No More joins the ranks of stories like Genesis and Victory of the Daleks by having a conclusion where the Doctor doesn't quite win. The Sandmen will continue to proliferate while our heroic Time Lord merely takes off in his TARDIS happy to have his skin intact. There's meant to be a sequel, of course. So far, it hasn't happened. I almost hope it doesn't. It's just so much creepier to leave things off on this note.
I know lots of people don't share the same opinion that I have of Sleep No More. A Doctor Who episode being shot in such a manner strayed too far from the show's established formula. But that's actually why I do like the episode so much. It's yet more proof that Doctor Who can do anything. Even if it's not always accepted so well by everybody!
Knowing that a lot of fans don't have the nicest things to say about Sleep No More, I thought I would tackle it and give it some more positive representation. Deciding it might also be fun to put one more entry in the blog before the year was over, I decided to post it here.
Hope you enjoy this Special Bonus. Happy Holidays!
SLEEP NO MORE
In all honesty, I adore the "Found Footage" genre. It's not even a guilty pleasure - I think it's a great way to put a story together. I haven't just enjoyed the popular stuff like Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. I've gone into more obscure realms like The Last Excorcism. I've even gone all the way back to the beginning and sat through Cannibal Holocaust (be warned: you will lose just a little bit of your soul if you watch this movie). Found Footage works especially well for scary stuff. So much horror, nowadays, feels so overproduced. The are so many super-choreographed, slow motion sequences going on that we're too busy marveling at the visuals and actually forgetting to be frightened. Found Footage returns things to a nice brutal raw state. The horror becomes very natural again. And that can be very effective.
When I heard Doctor Who was doing a Found Footage story, I was a bit on the ecstatic side. I know a lot of fandom was very uncertain about it - but I was looking forward to it. I was pretty sure, even before I saw it, that I would love it.
I was right.
One thing that I really appreciate about Sleep No More is that it immediately sidesteps one of the biggest problems of the Found Footage genre. The "Why would anyone keep holding on to a camera during all this horrible stuff?!" problem. A few years back, I sat through the movie Cloverfield. About two-thirds of the way into the film, I could no longer suspend my disbelief. For the plain and simple reason that I could no longer support the idea that any human being would still be filming everything while he was trying to leg it out of a city that was being attacked by a Godzilla-like giant monster. He would have dropped the camera ages ago cause it was slowing him down too much and the movie should have ended at that point.
Sleep No More sets up a clever premise that enables us to maintain our belief. Rasmussen, a clearly mad scientist, has created a special story for us using the security cameras of the space station he's on and the helmet cams of a rescue team that arrives there. Later, of course, things get even more surreal as we discover that the very dust can stream footage. But, for me, it all works. We can enjoy the rawness of the genre without having its credulity pushed too far. And Doctor Who can delve into a whole new realm effectively. In order to truly cement the boldness of it all, we get the first episode in the long history of the show that doesn't use the title sequence. These clever conventions, alone, cause me to fall in love with this adventure.
But there's so much more to Sleep No More than just a clever use of the genre. It really is a cool story. Yes, perhaps a few elements are a bit hard to swallow. Monsters made of eye-boogers is a bit of a stretch. But that's probably the closest I come to a genuine complaint. Otherwise, I think the whole thing flows quite smoothly. There's definitely a lot of tension and suspense to the tale. Most of it created by the cinematography. Yes, it's a futuristic sci fi story on a space station - but it still feels like we're watching something real. And that makes it feel all the creepier.
This is, perhaps, not Mark Gatiss' best script. I don't mean that in a cruel way. It's still very solidly written - it's just that he has stories I enjoy better! I certainly like the futuristic society that he creates here, though. Particularly the way everyone says "May the gods look favorably upon you." It's a nice touch.
Sleep No More offers a few nice twists, too. Most of them evolving around Rasmussen, himself. As we learn, more and more, what this special video is all about (he did warn us not to watch it!) we have to give some serious props to Gatiss. He put in some nice layers. And the final reveal of what Rasmussen truly is becomes a very iconic and chilling moment. I will, forever, remember the image of him crumbling away and pointing out: "You have something right there in the corner of your eye"
Speaking of endings, I love that Sleep No More joins the ranks of stories like Genesis and Victory of the Daleks by having a conclusion where the Doctor doesn't quite win. The Sandmen will continue to proliferate while our heroic Time Lord merely takes off in his TARDIS happy to have his skin intact. There's meant to be a sequel, of course. So far, it hasn't happened. I almost hope it doesn't. It's just so much creepier to leave things off on this note.
I know lots of people don't share the same opinion that I have of Sleep No More. A Doctor Who episode being shot in such a manner strayed too far from the show's established formula. But that's actually why I do like the episode so much. It's yet more proof that Doctor Who can do anything. Even if it's not always accepted so well by everybody!
Friday, 22 December 2017
BOOK OF LISTS - RANKING THE MASTER - PART 6
And so, we reach the end...
MISSY
Admittedly, Missy was difficult to accept. For some reason, I did not like the idea that Time Lords could change genders when they regenerate (forgive me if that causes me to appear sexist). Yes, there had already been any number of discussions about casting a woman as a Doctor - but it was all talk. It hadn't happened yet so I could stay happy in my theory that male Time Lords always stay male and Time Ladies are always Time Ladies. Even when it's mentioned in The Doctor's Wife that the Corsair could, sometimes, be a woman - I took that more as the Doctor just talking nonsense (Eleven was quite good for that).
But then we get that big revelation at the end of Dark Water. The Master has done what I never wanted a Time Lord to do. This is truly it: Gallifreyans can have sex changes without major surgery. And they've demonstrated this fact through the Time Lord I least wanted to see do it!
Still, that revelation was made in a totally awesome manner. Giving us the most stupendous of cliffhangers. But even if the whole thing hadn't been done in such a spectacular fashion, I knew I needed to give a proper chance to this new incarnation of what I feel is the greatest TV villain (and one of the best villains, ever) before passing judgement.
I was so glad I kept my mind open!
I think what I love most about Missy is just how truly unique she is from her predecessors. Not only is she a different gender - but her character, in general, is handled very differently from the rest of the rogue's gallery that she's a part of.
There are, of course, many traits that make her so different. But there's two that I really want to home in on:
1) Cameo Appearances:
Do you remember the flashback sequence in Caves of Androzani? All these floating heads of the Fifth Doctor's former companions are calling out to him and telling him not to die. And then, suddenly, the Ainley Master appears and tells him to do the exact opposite. And it would seem that it's the goading of his enemy rather than the support of his friends that compels him to survive.
It's a cool sequence for various reasons. One of them being that it was great to just see the Master do a cameo. Up until then, if the Master appeared, it meant we were going to get a Master Story. It was so cool to just see him pop up briefly in an adventure that wasn't really about him.
Amazingly enough, no one thinks of doing this again until Deep Breath. But when Missy does appear at the end to greet the deceased cyborg, it's a magnificent moment that builds up all sorts of intrigue. Missy's cameos throughout Series Eight become the main arc of the season. Which gives her a real presence in all kinds of episodes that aren't properly about her. It's a great device that causes those final two episodes of Series Eight to be all the more poignant.
That device gets used again but in a different way throughout Series Ten. Even though it's not revealed that Missy is inside the Vault until Episode Six, her presence is still felt throughout the first half of the season. Whatever mystery lies within the Vault is discussed quite heavily in each episode. Little clues that insinuate her presence are given throughout those first five episodes, too. Like the way the piano music gets excited when the Doctor tells her he's got a story about teenagers dying.
Of course, after it's revealed that Missy is in the Vault, her cameos increase. The latter half of Series Ten focuses quite heavily on an attempt to reform her. Once more,we get to enjoy Missy in small doses throughout those episodes. Only in the season finale is she featured more fully. Again, it's done very effectively.
I love that Missy is used in such a manner. It gives us the same effect as the notorious Delgado Season without actually over-using the villain. We really feel that we know Missy because we've seen so much more of her. But we haven't gotten tired of her. It was a great way to involve her in the show.
2) Character Growth:
Easily, the trait about her that I love the most. This is, in fact, the thing that made her climb to Number One on this list. In his other incarnations, the Master is more of just a foil to the Doctor. An anti-thesis, if you will. He represents the exact opposite choice the Doctor made.
Because of this, the character stays very constant. Yes, he tends to go more and more mad as he gets older, but there's still no real sense of growth to the character within each incarnation. The Delgado Master, for instance, seems like the same person in Frontier In Space that he was in Terror of the Autons. He has neither progressed or regressed at any point. He's this very suave-but-evil man who seems to seek some sort of approval from the Doctor as much as he wants to destroy him. That sense of consistency has a certain entertainment value to it. But it would have been nice to see him be a bit more three-dimensional. To, maybe, see him learn a lesson or two from his experiences. Or even soften a bit in later adventures (perhaps he actually shows mercy to one of those people he uses on a regular basis by allowing them to live rather than killing them once they have fulfilled their function). Or anything that indicates the years have changed him a bit. But he's still just a repressed sadist throughout his entire era. It almost seems like he's grown a bit at the beginning of The Sea Devils, but we see in later episodes that it was all just a front.
This is not another attempt from me to criticize the Great Delgado. I could use any incarnation that we've seen and make the same point (in this sense, you can't pick on Roberts too hard - how much character growth can you put into just one appearance?!). The idea of trying to get the character to evolve a bit has just never been explored.
Until, at last, we reach Missy.
The first sign of character development happens during that huge twist at the end of Death In Heaven. After building an unbeatable Cyber-army, she hands control of all her forces over to the Doctor. Never could we imagine any other versions of the Master doing this. The fact that Missy does indicates that the character is going to go in some very different directions than her predecessors.
The evolution continues in Magician's Apprentice/Witch's Familiar as Missy sets out to, specifically, save the Doctor. Yes, there have been alliances between the two of them over the years. The Master was even influential in saving the Doctor in his trial during Ultimate Foe. But any time he's been helpful to his arch-rival it's because he stood to benefit from the gesture in some way. This is the first time the character has acted out of sheer friendship. She's still quick to point out that she's evil - but we can see Missy continuing to move along a redemption arc.
Of course, a key aspect of Series 10 is that final journey that Missy takes to become truly good. While she's very shaky, in places (particularly as she starts interacting with her previous self), Missy does choose to stand at the Doctor's side at the end of her time. Her journey does complete itself.
Even if she had, ultimately, chosen to remain a baddie - watching a character that has always remained constant go through an evolutionary process of some sort was an absolute delight. There's a lot of things that I greatly enjoyed about Missy. But it's the fact that Moff decided to take her through a character arc of any sort that sets her above all the rest. It completely re-defined the rules of the Master. It even offered us a little hope. No matter how genuinely evil a person may seem, there's hope they can change for the better. It's a bit beautiful, really. An adjective I never thought I could attach to the character.
Final Thoughts...
Some of you who have followed this may have been noticing a certain inconsistency, here. A few entries back, I complain about the Simm Master being so crazy. That the New Series Master really shouldn't keep moving in that direction. But Missy is quite openly mad, too. Shouldn't I be just as bothered by this?
Yes, I should. But, somehow, I'm not. I think it's how Michelle Gomez plays the role that gets me to be okay with it. Simm seems to go too OTT with it whereas Gomez is more controlled and measured. She just gets it to work even though I really would like the character to go in a different direction. Moff's writing probably has something to do with it, too. A lot of her dialogue seems to indicate that she's quite aware that she's out of her head. And, somehow, that keeps the camp that Simm over-indulged in down to a bare minimum.
Michelle Gomez has announced that she intends to leave when Capaldi leaves (or, at the very best, she'll come back to do a regeneration scene). I'm saddened, of course. The only thing that would make her cooler is if she did an Anthony Ainley and played against several Doctors. But, like his/her greatest adversary, changes must happen from time-to-time. We will get a new Master and/or Missy soon. I don't envy the replacement. They have big shoes to fill.
And thus concludes our annual end-of-the-year countdown. Enjoy what's left of 2017, folks. I'll see you again in the New Year with new subjects to be pedantic about...
The other posts in the series:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html
Part 4:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-master-part-4.html
Part 5:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-master-part-5.html
Didn't get enough of the Master? Here's a whole special series I wrote about him a while back:
Part 1:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-1.html
Part 2:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of.html
Part 3:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-3.html
Appendix A:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/07/chronlogies-and-timeline-history-of.html
MISSY
Admittedly, Missy was difficult to accept. For some reason, I did not like the idea that Time Lords could change genders when they regenerate (forgive me if that causes me to appear sexist). Yes, there had already been any number of discussions about casting a woman as a Doctor - but it was all talk. It hadn't happened yet so I could stay happy in my theory that male Time Lords always stay male and Time Ladies are always Time Ladies. Even when it's mentioned in The Doctor's Wife that the Corsair could, sometimes, be a woman - I took that more as the Doctor just talking nonsense (Eleven was quite good for that).
But then we get that big revelation at the end of Dark Water. The Master has done what I never wanted a Time Lord to do. This is truly it: Gallifreyans can have sex changes without major surgery. And they've demonstrated this fact through the Time Lord I least wanted to see do it!
Still, that revelation was made in a totally awesome manner. Giving us the most stupendous of cliffhangers. But even if the whole thing hadn't been done in such a spectacular fashion, I knew I needed to give a proper chance to this new incarnation of what I feel is the greatest TV villain (and one of the best villains, ever) before passing judgement.
I was so glad I kept my mind open!
I think what I love most about Missy is just how truly unique she is from her predecessors. Not only is she a different gender - but her character, in general, is handled very differently from the rest of the rogue's gallery that she's a part of.
There are, of course, many traits that make her so different. But there's two that I really want to home in on:
1) Cameo Appearances:
Do you remember the flashback sequence in Caves of Androzani? All these floating heads of the Fifth Doctor's former companions are calling out to him and telling him not to die. And then, suddenly, the Ainley Master appears and tells him to do the exact opposite. And it would seem that it's the goading of his enemy rather than the support of his friends that compels him to survive.
It's a cool sequence for various reasons. One of them being that it was great to just see the Master do a cameo. Up until then, if the Master appeared, it meant we were going to get a Master Story. It was so cool to just see him pop up briefly in an adventure that wasn't really about him.
Amazingly enough, no one thinks of doing this again until Deep Breath. But when Missy does appear at the end to greet the deceased cyborg, it's a magnificent moment that builds up all sorts of intrigue. Missy's cameos throughout Series Eight become the main arc of the season. Which gives her a real presence in all kinds of episodes that aren't properly about her. It's a great device that causes those final two episodes of Series Eight to be all the more poignant.
That device gets used again but in a different way throughout Series Ten. Even though it's not revealed that Missy is inside the Vault until Episode Six, her presence is still felt throughout the first half of the season. Whatever mystery lies within the Vault is discussed quite heavily in each episode. Little clues that insinuate her presence are given throughout those first five episodes, too. Like the way the piano music gets excited when the Doctor tells her he's got a story about teenagers dying.
Of course, after it's revealed that Missy is in the Vault, her cameos increase. The latter half of Series Ten focuses quite heavily on an attempt to reform her. Once more,we get to enjoy Missy in small doses throughout those episodes. Only in the season finale is she featured more fully. Again, it's done very effectively.
I love that Missy is used in such a manner. It gives us the same effect as the notorious Delgado Season without actually over-using the villain. We really feel that we know Missy because we've seen so much more of her. But we haven't gotten tired of her. It was a great way to involve her in the show.
2) Character Growth:
Easily, the trait about her that I love the most. This is, in fact, the thing that made her climb to Number One on this list. In his other incarnations, the Master is more of just a foil to the Doctor. An anti-thesis, if you will. He represents the exact opposite choice the Doctor made.
Because of this, the character stays very constant. Yes, he tends to go more and more mad as he gets older, but there's still no real sense of growth to the character within each incarnation. The Delgado Master, for instance, seems like the same person in Frontier In Space that he was in Terror of the Autons. He has neither progressed or regressed at any point. He's this very suave-but-evil man who seems to seek some sort of approval from the Doctor as much as he wants to destroy him. That sense of consistency has a certain entertainment value to it. But it would have been nice to see him be a bit more three-dimensional. To, maybe, see him learn a lesson or two from his experiences. Or even soften a bit in later adventures (perhaps he actually shows mercy to one of those people he uses on a regular basis by allowing them to live rather than killing them once they have fulfilled their function). Or anything that indicates the years have changed him a bit. But he's still just a repressed sadist throughout his entire era. It almost seems like he's grown a bit at the beginning of The Sea Devils, but we see in later episodes that it was all just a front.
This is not another attempt from me to criticize the Great Delgado. I could use any incarnation that we've seen and make the same point (in this sense, you can't pick on Roberts too hard - how much character growth can you put into just one appearance?!). The idea of trying to get the character to evolve a bit has just never been explored.
Until, at last, we reach Missy.
The first sign of character development happens during that huge twist at the end of Death In Heaven. After building an unbeatable Cyber-army, she hands control of all her forces over to the Doctor. Never could we imagine any other versions of the Master doing this. The fact that Missy does indicates that the character is going to go in some very different directions than her predecessors.
The evolution continues in Magician's Apprentice/Witch's Familiar as Missy sets out to, specifically, save the Doctor. Yes, there have been alliances between the two of them over the years. The Master was even influential in saving the Doctor in his trial during Ultimate Foe. But any time he's been helpful to his arch-rival it's because he stood to benefit from the gesture in some way. This is the first time the character has acted out of sheer friendship. She's still quick to point out that she's evil - but we can see Missy continuing to move along a redemption arc.
Of course, a key aspect of Series 10 is that final journey that Missy takes to become truly good. While she's very shaky, in places (particularly as she starts interacting with her previous self), Missy does choose to stand at the Doctor's side at the end of her time. Her journey does complete itself.
Even if she had, ultimately, chosen to remain a baddie - watching a character that has always remained constant go through an evolutionary process of some sort was an absolute delight. There's a lot of things that I greatly enjoyed about Missy. But it's the fact that Moff decided to take her through a character arc of any sort that sets her above all the rest. It completely re-defined the rules of the Master. It even offered us a little hope. No matter how genuinely evil a person may seem, there's hope they can change for the better. It's a bit beautiful, really. An adjective I never thought I could attach to the character.
Final Thoughts...
Some of you who have followed this may have been noticing a certain inconsistency, here. A few entries back, I complain about the Simm Master being so crazy. That the New Series Master really shouldn't keep moving in that direction. But Missy is quite openly mad, too. Shouldn't I be just as bothered by this?
Yes, I should. But, somehow, I'm not. I think it's how Michelle Gomez plays the role that gets me to be okay with it. Simm seems to go too OTT with it whereas Gomez is more controlled and measured. She just gets it to work even though I really would like the character to go in a different direction. Moff's writing probably has something to do with it, too. A lot of her dialogue seems to indicate that she's quite aware that she's out of her head. And, somehow, that keeps the camp that Simm over-indulged in down to a bare minimum.
Michelle Gomez has announced that she intends to leave when Capaldi leaves (or, at the very best, she'll come back to do a regeneration scene). I'm saddened, of course. The only thing that would make her cooler is if she did an Anthony Ainley and played against several Doctors. But, like his/her greatest adversary, changes must happen from time-to-time. We will get a new Master and/or Missy soon. I don't envy the replacement. They have big shoes to fill.
And thus concludes our annual end-of-the-year countdown. Enjoy what's left of 2017, folks. I'll see you again in the New Year with new subjects to be pedantic about...
The other posts in the series:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html
Part 4:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-master-part-4.html
Part 5:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-master-part-5.html
Didn't get enough of the Master? Here's a whole special series I wrote about him a while back:
Part 1:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-1.html
Part 2:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of.html
Part 3:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-3.html
Appendix A:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/07/chronlogies-and-timeline-history-of.html
Monday, 11 December 2017
BOOK OF LISTS: RANKING THE MASTER - PART 4
THE CORPSE MASTER (PETER PRATT/GEOFFREY BEEVERS)
"What?!!" you may be saying to yourself, right now, "Is he really trying to say he liked the Corpse Master better than Roger Delgado?!!"
There is something delightful about the unabashed earnestness of the Corpse Master. Particularly since he follows Delgado. While Delgado waltzed about acting charming most of the time and only hinted at being an evil sadist, Corpse Master does the exact opposite. He makes no pretenses. You need only glance at him to see he's rotten to the core. The contrast between him and the previous incarnation we've seen makes clear the point of desperation that he's reached. He's truly at his bottom.
Because he's so desperate, he is more treacherous and ruthless than he's ever been (and ever will be, for that matter). His manipulation of Gallifreyan politics and complete meglamania as he seizes control of the Eye of Harmony just to extend his lifespan are great spectacles to behold. For once, the Master really does seem effective. The Doctor beats him out of luck more than anything (if that service shaft hadn't been there - he would've been done for!).
Yes, there is one big problem with his first appearance. The fright mask does get in the way of things a bit. But, really, Peter Pratt acts his socks off so much that I don't think it's much of a problem. And I really do love the Master in this story. He is so consumed with hatred that we really do buy into what the Doctor says when he claims him to be "the quintessence of evil". His appearance and attitude are downright Satanic. I would have been more-than-happy to see this Master several more times. It's certainly implied at the end of Deadly Assassin that we will.
Unfortunately, he only returns one more time. Confusingly enough, he's played by a different actor. Fortunately, Geoffrey Beevers does an equally effective performance.
While there are slight changes in the interpretation - this is definitely the same Master. His M.O. remains constant. Once more, he's playing a Long Game in which he's taking advantage of delicate political situations. And it's all being done to get close to an enormous source of power that will enable him to artificially extend his lifespan. This is, perhaps, the one advantage to only two appearances of this incarnation. The story is, more or less, the same on both occasions. But, because it's not five Delgados in a row, we can actually enjoy the consistency.
Beevers goes for a slightly subtler performance because he doesn't have to shout through a mask. But he is still just as chilling and genuinely unsettling as his predecessor. Sadly, we don't see him properly revealed as the Master until Keeper of Traken is nearly over. But that voice! It gives such presence to an art-deco statue with glowing eyes! Melkur is actually a pretty good villain even before we find out the truth of him. The fact that it was actually the Master all along makes the whole thing that much more awesome!
Those final few moments between the Beevers Master and Doctor Four are very brief but still gripping. Both actors seem to do so much with so little. Both seem to really understand the history between the two characters and play it up to its fullest. Beevers' escape in a nearby grandfather clock is great fun (only when writing about Doctor Who, can you use terms like "escape in a nearby grandfather clock"!). Watching him take over Tremas' body at four minutes to midnight is the most fantastic of codas.
I love this Master. I wish he had been explored more on television. I understand that Big Finish has done a lot more to develop him - but I am a purist about these things. I like to see legitimate screentime rather than audio plays and suchlike. Both versions of the Corpse Master were utter delights to watch. A great incarnation that should have gotten more attention than it did.
Previous installments:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html
How is it possible for this incarnation of the Master to be played by two different actors? I explore this idea a bit here:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of.html
"What?!!" you may be saying to yourself, right now, "Is he really trying to say he liked the Corpse Master better than Roger Delgado?!!"
There is something delightful about the unabashed earnestness of the Corpse Master. Particularly since he follows Delgado. While Delgado waltzed about acting charming most of the time and only hinted at being an evil sadist, Corpse Master does the exact opposite. He makes no pretenses. You need only glance at him to see he's rotten to the core. The contrast between him and the previous incarnation we've seen makes clear the point of desperation that he's reached. He's truly at his bottom.
Because he's so desperate, he is more treacherous and ruthless than he's ever been (and ever will be, for that matter). His manipulation of Gallifreyan politics and complete meglamania as he seizes control of the Eye of Harmony just to extend his lifespan are great spectacles to behold. For once, the Master really does seem effective. The Doctor beats him out of luck more than anything (if that service shaft hadn't been there - he would've been done for!).
Yes, there is one big problem with his first appearance. The fright mask does get in the way of things a bit. But, really, Peter Pratt acts his socks off so much that I don't think it's much of a problem. And I really do love the Master in this story. He is so consumed with hatred that we really do buy into what the Doctor says when he claims him to be "the quintessence of evil". His appearance and attitude are downright Satanic. I would have been more-than-happy to see this Master several more times. It's certainly implied at the end of Deadly Assassin that we will.
Unfortunately, he only returns one more time. Confusingly enough, he's played by a different actor. Fortunately, Geoffrey Beevers does an equally effective performance.
While there are slight changes in the interpretation - this is definitely the same Master. His M.O. remains constant. Once more, he's playing a Long Game in which he's taking advantage of delicate political situations. And it's all being done to get close to an enormous source of power that will enable him to artificially extend his lifespan. This is, perhaps, the one advantage to only two appearances of this incarnation. The story is, more or less, the same on both occasions. But, because it's not five Delgados in a row, we can actually enjoy the consistency.
Beevers goes for a slightly subtler performance because he doesn't have to shout through a mask. But he is still just as chilling and genuinely unsettling as his predecessor. Sadly, we don't see him properly revealed as the Master until Keeper of Traken is nearly over. But that voice! It gives such presence to an art-deco statue with glowing eyes! Melkur is actually a pretty good villain even before we find out the truth of him. The fact that it was actually the Master all along makes the whole thing that much more awesome!
Those final few moments between the Beevers Master and Doctor Four are very brief but still gripping. Both actors seem to do so much with so little. Both seem to really understand the history between the two characters and play it up to its fullest. Beevers' escape in a nearby grandfather clock is great fun (only when writing about Doctor Who, can you use terms like "escape in a nearby grandfather clock"!). Watching him take over Tremas' body at four minutes to midnight is the most fantastic of codas.
I love this Master. I wish he had been explored more on television. I understand that Big Finish has done a lot more to develop him - but I am a purist about these things. I like to see legitimate screentime rather than audio plays and suchlike. Both versions of the Corpse Master were utter delights to watch. A great incarnation that should have gotten more attention than it did.
Previous installments:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html
How is it possible for this incarnation of the Master to be played by two different actors? I explore this idea a bit here:
http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of.html
Friday, 8 December 2017
BOOK OF LISTS: RANKING THE MASTER - PART 5
We're nearing the top of the list. Revealing this Master will, of course, give away who made it to Number One. I hope you will enjoy both entries. Even when you've worked things out.
THE ANTHONY AINLEY MASTER
For years, Anthony Ainley lived in the shadow of Roger Delgado. Not only did a lot of fans claim to like Delgado better, but many laid heavy criticism at Ainley's doorstep. The term "pantomime" was frequently used when describing his performance (but then, people were saying that all over the place about the JNT era. Most of them, I suspect, didn't even know what the term actually meant!). Apparently, not only was Ainley's acting terrible - but all of his stories were utter drivel. For so long, his Master was not looked upon very favorably. Some people still seem to heavily dislike him to this day.
But most of fandom came to terms with the fact that 80s Who was viewed ultra-critically and some serious re-evaluation was required. It helped, of course, that New Who fans were going back to watch the old stuff and saying: "Why are you saying this is so bad?!". Established Fan Wisdom had to get chucked out the window and those curmudgeonly Old Who Fans started becoming more objective about the stuff they had crapped on for years. As they changed their views, they were forced to admit that Ainley was actually a pretty good Master.
I, of course, am willing to sound pretentious enough to claim that I knew this all along. I have always loved Ainley's Master. Even back when it was popular to claim he was awful.
I will be the first to admit, part of this is based purely on nostalgia. Ainley was my first Master. My initial encounter with the character was in Castrovalva. I had been watching Doctor Who in a somewhat random fashion at the time (to better understand my early days viewing habits, check out my Second Anniversary Specail: http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/03/second-anniversary-special.html). Up until that story, I had no idea the Doctor even had an arch rival. I certainly thought it was cool that there was someone else in his reality that lived a similar lifestyle but sought to rule the Universe rather than just enjoy it. I even liked that he looked like a traditional melodrama villain with his dark clothes and goatee. It helped that Castrovalva was a really strong story. Particularly that "You created us, man of evil, but we are free..."ending. If I had just waited a few weeks and had started watching the show more consistently during Time Flight, I might have very different feelings about this incarnation.
As with any other incarnation I've discussed, there are shortcomings. Time Flight is certainly one of them. Even though I have admitted that it is a bit of guilty pleasure (another link so soon?! Geez! Slow down, Rob: http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/05/book-of-lists-guilty-pleasure-1.html), the story still has a lot of problems. One of the major ones being that Ainley does seem to twirl his mustache a bit too hard in this one. He's going just a little too OTT, in places and the pantomime accusations are valid, for once. Any of his other stories, I actually think he does a great job of "walking the line" between relishing his villainy but not going too far with it. But, here, it's hard to take him seriously. In Ainley's defense, he seems to learn his lesson from this misfire and reigns himself in accordingly, afterwards. Time Flight, however, is definitely his low point.
My other major problem with this Master is one based more on writing than performance. I've griped about this in several other entries so I won't dwell on it long. But I do hate how no effort was made to explain how the Master was escaping from his various horrid fates at the end of each of his stories (bar The Five Doctors). I actually loved that he was being trapped in these horrible situations. It was a great way to leave off with him. But, when I started seeing that we were never going to be told how he was getting out of them, it really marred my enjoyment of this incarnation.
Aside from that, I actually have a lot of praise for how this Master was written. Finally! We're getting a legitimate variety of plots. Yes, we still have stories like Logopolis or The King's Demons where he's still meddling with things he can't control in order to take over the Universe. That's always going to be the Master and we need stories like that from time-to-time. But we also get stories like Castrovalva or Mark of the Rani where he's trying to lay a big trap for his mortal enemy. Or stories like Time Flight, Planet of Fire and Survival where he's done something to get himself in trouble and he's just trying to get out of it. Or even the notorious "Master playing second fiddle" stories. Few fans seem to realize it, but the first story like this was The Five Doctors (Borusa was, technically, the main villain in that story). And then, of course, there's Mark of the Rani and Ultimate Foe. A lot of people actually complained about stories like these - but I loved them. I thought it was great watching the Master be more of a background character who was just wandering about causing trouble while the main villain had to deal with both him and the Doctor. It actually gave the character more of a chance to just be sinister. Particularly in Mark of the Rani - where he seems to spend the better part of the plot just sort of lurking in the shadows and being malevolent. It was great how the Master would even be helpful to the Doctor in these sorts of stories because it suited his purposes to do so. When the Master is the main baddie, it's far trickier to contrive these sort of temporary alliances. But they happen all over the place when he's not the main antagonist. No, in my book, letting the Master be a subsidiary villain from time-to-time is the best thing you can do for the character. When Delgado's Master formed alliances with other monsters, he was still the central threat. Ainley really was the first Master to take a back seat in an adventure. I think it really worked well.
One must also admire Ainley's dedication to the role. Most Masters play to only one incarnation of the Doctor and move on when he does. But Ainley played alongside the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors. He even met the first three incarnations during The Five Doctors. Really, if you want to get technical, he's the Master who has fought the Doctor the most. That, to me, adds more street cred to his incarnation.
Having the same Master stay on for so long was a nice consistency that allowed us to really see some interesting dynamics with the various Doctors. Ainley's interpretation of the role didn't change much, but how he responded to each incarnation of the Doctor changed greatly. This always made for fun viewing. It was something I looked forward to in the 80s when each new actor took on the role of the Doctor. I couldn't wait to see how he would face off against the Master. The Master always staying the same during this period made their confrontations more interesting for me. How the Master responded to the new man in front of him revealed a lot about that new man's character.
And then, of course, there's the disguises. No Master seemed to love them more than the Ainley Master. Sometimes, he took things too far. Disguising himself as Kalid for no readily apparent reason in Time Flight was certainly quite silly. But, most of the time, the Master's disguises were awesome. Did anyone see through the Portreeve in Castrovalva? I doubt it! In fact, we all thought Shardovan was the Master in disguise. Or how about the fact that he really doesn't wear all that much of a disguise in The King's Demons and still fools us? Which actually says a lot about Ainley's skills as an actor. He really can imbue different characters most effectively. Look at the fact that he, actually, plays another character entirely before we even encounter him as the Master. A character who is, very much, the anti-thesis of the Master. A warm gentle father who has the misfortune of being named Tremas. - an anagram of the villain he is to become. But Ainley really is Tremas until his moment as the Master arrives. He sells both roles very convincingly. Which makes those "pantomime performance" accusations seem all the more ludicrous. The guy has definite chops.
I'm very happy it's Ainley's Master in The Five Doctors. It's a benchmark story that we will look back upon for years to come (we already have, in fact). It pleases me that, as we look back on it, we'll see this version of the Master. The Five Doctors was a celebration of all that's wonderful in Doctor Who.
And Ainley's Master was exactly that.
Links to the rest of the List:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html
Part 4:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-master-part-4.html
THE ANTHONY AINLEY MASTER
For years, Anthony Ainley lived in the shadow of Roger Delgado. Not only did a lot of fans claim to like Delgado better, but many laid heavy criticism at Ainley's doorstep. The term "pantomime" was frequently used when describing his performance (but then, people were saying that all over the place about the JNT era. Most of them, I suspect, didn't even know what the term actually meant!). Apparently, not only was Ainley's acting terrible - but all of his stories were utter drivel. For so long, his Master was not looked upon very favorably. Some people still seem to heavily dislike him to this day.
But most of fandom came to terms with the fact that 80s Who was viewed ultra-critically and some serious re-evaluation was required. It helped, of course, that New Who fans were going back to watch the old stuff and saying: "Why are you saying this is so bad?!". Established Fan Wisdom had to get chucked out the window and those curmudgeonly Old Who Fans started becoming more objective about the stuff they had crapped on for years. As they changed their views, they were forced to admit that Ainley was actually a pretty good Master.
I, of course, am willing to sound pretentious enough to claim that I knew this all along. I have always loved Ainley's Master. Even back when it was popular to claim he was awful.
I will be the first to admit, part of this is based purely on nostalgia. Ainley was my first Master. My initial encounter with the character was in Castrovalva. I had been watching Doctor Who in a somewhat random fashion at the time (to better understand my early days viewing habits, check out my Second Anniversary Specail: http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/03/second-anniversary-special.html). Up until that story, I had no idea the Doctor even had an arch rival. I certainly thought it was cool that there was someone else in his reality that lived a similar lifestyle but sought to rule the Universe rather than just enjoy it. I even liked that he looked like a traditional melodrama villain with his dark clothes and goatee. It helped that Castrovalva was a really strong story. Particularly that "You created us, man of evil, but we are free..."ending. If I had just waited a few weeks and had started watching the show more consistently during Time Flight, I might have very different feelings about this incarnation.
As with any other incarnation I've discussed, there are shortcomings. Time Flight is certainly one of them. Even though I have admitted that it is a bit of guilty pleasure (another link so soon?! Geez! Slow down, Rob: http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/05/book-of-lists-guilty-pleasure-1.html), the story still has a lot of problems. One of the major ones being that Ainley does seem to twirl his mustache a bit too hard in this one. He's going just a little too OTT, in places and the pantomime accusations are valid, for once. Any of his other stories, I actually think he does a great job of "walking the line" between relishing his villainy but not going too far with it. But, here, it's hard to take him seriously. In Ainley's defense, he seems to learn his lesson from this misfire and reigns himself in accordingly, afterwards. Time Flight, however, is definitely his low point.
My other major problem with this Master is one based more on writing than performance. I've griped about this in several other entries so I won't dwell on it long. But I do hate how no effort was made to explain how the Master was escaping from his various horrid fates at the end of each of his stories (bar The Five Doctors). I actually loved that he was being trapped in these horrible situations. It was a great way to leave off with him. But, when I started seeing that we were never going to be told how he was getting out of them, it really marred my enjoyment of this incarnation.
Aside from that, I actually have a lot of praise for how this Master was written. Finally! We're getting a legitimate variety of plots. Yes, we still have stories like Logopolis or The King's Demons where he's still meddling with things he can't control in order to take over the Universe. That's always going to be the Master and we need stories like that from time-to-time. But we also get stories like Castrovalva or Mark of the Rani where he's trying to lay a big trap for his mortal enemy. Or stories like Time Flight, Planet of Fire and Survival where he's done something to get himself in trouble and he's just trying to get out of it. Or even the notorious "Master playing second fiddle" stories. Few fans seem to realize it, but the first story like this was The Five Doctors (Borusa was, technically, the main villain in that story). And then, of course, there's Mark of the Rani and Ultimate Foe. A lot of people actually complained about stories like these - but I loved them. I thought it was great watching the Master be more of a background character who was just wandering about causing trouble while the main villain had to deal with both him and the Doctor. It actually gave the character more of a chance to just be sinister. Particularly in Mark of the Rani - where he seems to spend the better part of the plot just sort of lurking in the shadows and being malevolent. It was great how the Master would even be helpful to the Doctor in these sorts of stories because it suited his purposes to do so. When the Master is the main baddie, it's far trickier to contrive these sort of temporary alliances. But they happen all over the place when he's not the main antagonist. No, in my book, letting the Master be a subsidiary villain from time-to-time is the best thing you can do for the character. When Delgado's Master formed alliances with other monsters, he was still the central threat. Ainley really was the first Master to take a back seat in an adventure. I think it really worked well.
One must also admire Ainley's dedication to the role. Most Masters play to only one incarnation of the Doctor and move on when he does. But Ainley played alongside the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors. He even met the first three incarnations during The Five Doctors. Really, if you want to get technical, he's the Master who has fought the Doctor the most. That, to me, adds more street cred to his incarnation.
Having the same Master stay on for so long was a nice consistency that allowed us to really see some interesting dynamics with the various Doctors. Ainley's interpretation of the role didn't change much, but how he responded to each incarnation of the Doctor changed greatly. This always made for fun viewing. It was something I looked forward to in the 80s when each new actor took on the role of the Doctor. I couldn't wait to see how he would face off against the Master. The Master always staying the same during this period made their confrontations more interesting for me. How the Master responded to the new man in front of him revealed a lot about that new man's character.
And then, of course, there's the disguises. No Master seemed to love them more than the Ainley Master. Sometimes, he took things too far. Disguising himself as Kalid for no readily apparent reason in Time Flight was certainly quite silly. But, most of the time, the Master's disguises were awesome. Did anyone see through the Portreeve in Castrovalva? I doubt it! In fact, we all thought Shardovan was the Master in disguise. Or how about the fact that he really doesn't wear all that much of a disguise in The King's Demons and still fools us? Which actually says a lot about Ainley's skills as an actor. He really can imbue different characters most effectively. Look at the fact that he, actually, plays another character entirely before we even encounter him as the Master. A character who is, very much, the anti-thesis of the Master. A warm gentle father who has the misfortune of being named Tremas. - an anagram of the villain he is to become. But Ainley really is Tremas until his moment as the Master arrives. He sells both roles very convincingly. Which makes those "pantomime performance" accusations seem all the more ludicrous. The guy has definite chops.
I'm very happy it's Ainley's Master in The Five Doctors. It's a benchmark story that we will look back upon for years to come (we already have, in fact). It pleases me that, as we look back on it, we'll see this version of the Master. The Five Doctors was a celebration of all that's wonderful in Doctor Who.
And Ainley's Master was exactly that.
Links to the rest of the List:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html
Part 4:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-master-part-4.html
Saturday, 2 December 2017
BOOK OF LISTS: RANKING THE MASTERS - PART 3
Movin' right along. The ranking of this particular incarnation will, no doubt, cause some controversy. Many say he's the best. Whereas I just think he's okay.
THE ROGER DELGADO MASTER
He is, without a doubt, the definitive Master. We appreciate Delgado in much the same way that we respect Hartnell. Both create that fundamental core that all other actors to play the part must base their own interpretation upon. Just like Hartnell, we still end up seeing some very wild variations on those initial foundations. But props must still be given to Delgado for bringing the character to life. He did such a good job that the Master is still kicking around so many years later.
I will even admit that it would be nice for the next performer to take on the role to bring back some of the Delgado Master's more prominent attributes. I particularly love how suave this incarnation is. And we don't see that level of charm in any other version of him. It would be nice to see a Master who seems more composed. I loved the fact that the insanity is really only hinted at in this particular interpretation. We know the Delgado Master is a vicious sadist - but we only see it being displayed during certain extremes. Otherwise, his calmness is greatly unsettling. And there is much to be relished about that style of villainy. Delgado's Master definitely shows a lot of class.
So if he's so great - why am I only giving him a mid-ranking status? Why aren't I making him the best Master there ever was like most fans do? Well, that's the crux of it, right there - isn't it? If you've been following my blog for more than a few entries you very quickly get the impression that I don't get along well with Popular Fan Consensus. It's not some knee-jerk reaction that automatically causes me to dislike what other people like. There are plenty of things that are popular in Doctor Who that I greatly adore, too. But the stuff that fandom harps on about endlessly gets met with higher expectations when I examine them. Because I take this attitude, I do find certain things are actually a bit over-rated. Tom Baker, to me, is not the greatest Doctor, ever. Even though most seem to think so. And the same applies to the Delgado Master. I just don't think he's as awesome as most people think he is. I don't think he's awful, either. But I'm not as impressed as most of fandom is.
It's not just my oppositional attitude at play, here. Giving the Delgado Master five stories in a row when he was first introduced also did a lot of damage to my appreciation of him. So many appearances back-to-back very quickly revealed the limitations of the character. The Master, in this incarnation, always seems to be meddling with things that he thinks he can control (be it Autons, mind parasites, Doomsday Weapons or Azal the Daemon). The Doctor is always warning him that these things that he thinks he can control will come back and bite him in the ass. The Master scoffs him and presses on. The thing he thinks he can control will then turn around and bite him in the ass. The Master, in defeat, shakes his fist at the Doctor but lives to fight another day.
This is the formula for almost every Master story Delgado stars in (Claws of Axos and Frontier In Space are the two notable exceptions) and it gets the whole thing to feel just a bit tedious. That tedium is felt more poignantly when it's experienced over and over throughout an entire season. This many appearances at once also shows the Master getting defeated a whole bunch of times in a row. Being beaten so much reduces the credibility of the character considerably. By the end of Season Eight, he's not a threat I'm taking all that seriously.
Those are my two biggest issues with this incarnation of the Master. I have a few minor quibbles on top of that - but I won't bother to go into them, here.
Rather, I'll celebrate this Master a bit more. There is definitely that same sort of excitement that I get watching him as I do when I enjoy old Hartnell episodes. The character is in its infant stage and it's great watching various trademarks develop. We see, for the first time, his ability to hypnotize and his great love for disguise. We even get to witness a bit of the tissue compression eliminator at work (which gets a way better explanation in the novelization of Terror of the Autons!). It's all right there for us to enjoy with the knowledge that these traits will continue throughout many incarnations to come. It's a lot of fun.
It's this version of the Master that is also responsible for some of the most memorable moments in the show's history. I'll always remember that gorgeous scene where the Keller Machine shows the Master his greatest fear and it's a giant-sized image of the Doctor looming over him and laughing at him. Or the Master standing triumphantly at the edge of a ridge on the planet of the Ogrons and the Daleks suddenly trundle in behind him. I even love it when the Master keeps grumbling over how antiquated the Doctor's TARDIS is during Claws of Axos.
I could never get into the duel sequence in The Sea Devils, though. As fun of a fight as it is, I just can't look past the fact that a maximum security prison would leave a few swords conveniently lying around like that. Too big of a stretch for me!
The countdown will continue shortly...
Part One:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part Two:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
THE ROGER DELGADO MASTER
He is, without a doubt, the definitive Master. We appreciate Delgado in much the same way that we respect Hartnell. Both create that fundamental core that all other actors to play the part must base their own interpretation upon. Just like Hartnell, we still end up seeing some very wild variations on those initial foundations. But props must still be given to Delgado for bringing the character to life. He did such a good job that the Master is still kicking around so many years later.
I will even admit that it would be nice for the next performer to take on the role to bring back some of the Delgado Master's more prominent attributes. I particularly love how suave this incarnation is. And we don't see that level of charm in any other version of him. It would be nice to see a Master who seems more composed. I loved the fact that the insanity is really only hinted at in this particular interpretation. We know the Delgado Master is a vicious sadist - but we only see it being displayed during certain extremes. Otherwise, his calmness is greatly unsettling. And there is much to be relished about that style of villainy. Delgado's Master definitely shows a lot of class.
So if he's so great - why am I only giving him a mid-ranking status? Why aren't I making him the best Master there ever was like most fans do? Well, that's the crux of it, right there - isn't it? If you've been following my blog for more than a few entries you very quickly get the impression that I don't get along well with Popular Fan Consensus. It's not some knee-jerk reaction that automatically causes me to dislike what other people like. There are plenty of things that are popular in Doctor Who that I greatly adore, too. But the stuff that fandom harps on about endlessly gets met with higher expectations when I examine them. Because I take this attitude, I do find certain things are actually a bit over-rated. Tom Baker, to me, is not the greatest Doctor, ever. Even though most seem to think so. And the same applies to the Delgado Master. I just don't think he's as awesome as most people think he is. I don't think he's awful, either. But I'm not as impressed as most of fandom is.
It's not just my oppositional attitude at play, here. Giving the Delgado Master five stories in a row when he was first introduced also did a lot of damage to my appreciation of him. So many appearances back-to-back very quickly revealed the limitations of the character. The Master, in this incarnation, always seems to be meddling with things that he thinks he can control (be it Autons, mind parasites, Doomsday Weapons or Azal the Daemon). The Doctor is always warning him that these things that he thinks he can control will come back and bite him in the ass. The Master scoffs him and presses on. The thing he thinks he can control will then turn around and bite him in the ass. The Master, in defeat, shakes his fist at the Doctor but lives to fight another day.
This is the formula for almost every Master story Delgado stars in (Claws of Axos and Frontier In Space are the two notable exceptions) and it gets the whole thing to feel just a bit tedious. That tedium is felt more poignantly when it's experienced over and over throughout an entire season. This many appearances at once also shows the Master getting defeated a whole bunch of times in a row. Being beaten so much reduces the credibility of the character considerably. By the end of Season Eight, he's not a threat I'm taking all that seriously.
Those are my two biggest issues with this incarnation of the Master. I have a few minor quibbles on top of that - but I won't bother to go into them, here.
Rather, I'll celebrate this Master a bit more. There is definitely that same sort of excitement that I get watching him as I do when I enjoy old Hartnell episodes. The character is in its infant stage and it's great watching various trademarks develop. We see, for the first time, his ability to hypnotize and his great love for disguise. We even get to witness a bit of the tissue compression eliminator at work (which gets a way better explanation in the novelization of Terror of the Autons!). It's all right there for us to enjoy with the knowledge that these traits will continue throughout many incarnations to come. It's a lot of fun.
It's this version of the Master that is also responsible for some of the most memorable moments in the show's history. I'll always remember that gorgeous scene where the Keller Machine shows the Master his greatest fear and it's a giant-sized image of the Doctor looming over him and laughing at him. Or the Master standing triumphantly at the edge of a ridge on the planet of the Ogrons and the Daleks suddenly trundle in behind him. I even love it when the Master keeps grumbling over how antiquated the Doctor's TARDIS is during Claws of Axos.
I could never get into the duel sequence in The Sea Devils, though. As fun of a fight as it is, I just can't look past the fact that a maximum security prison would leave a few swords conveniently lying around like that. Too big of a stretch for me!
The countdown will continue shortly...
Part One:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html
Part Two:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)