POINTS OF DEBATE continues as August moves on. I mentioned in the last entry that the 96 Telemovie has created a fair amount of controversy that I'd like to address in this format. I already discussed some of its disruptive influence in the previous essay so let's draw away from that for a bit and tackle a different topic.
We're probably going to get into, at least, a bit of a social justice discussion in this entry (which might upset some of you since you were certain all of Series 11 was riddled with pesky SJW messages). Most specifically, we'll be looking at some of the ideas presented by those who consider themselves transgendered. As usual, I'm going to try to skirt the issue as much as possible. Pretentious Doctor Who Essays will always try to stay away from political discussions and stick as much as possible to just nerdy Doctor Who stuff. However, how transgenders (or trans, for short) view themselves is a handy way to perceive Time Lords who have regenerated into both forms. So we're probably going to incorporate an ideology or two that they use.
A while back, when I tried to properly chronicle River Song's timeline, we got into a brief discussion of Right To Life vs Pro Choice. No feathers seemed to get ruffled on that occasion. I'm hoping the same happens here.
ACTUAL TIME LORDS WHO HAVE CROSSED GENDERS
While even Sydney Newman, himself, was open to the concept of Time Lords being able to alternate reproductive organs from incarnation to incarnation, we've not seen this actually happen until very recently. Here are the only Time Lords, thus far, who have demonstrated this ability:
The Corsair - We've never actually seen the Corsair. We've only heard talk of him. The Doctor mentioned in The Doctor's Wife that he seemed to be mainly male but occasionally switched to female during certain incarnations.
Missy - This was the first hard evidence that Time Lords could change genders (Eleven could talk a lot of nonsense, sometimes, so we weren't entirely sure if what he was saying about the Corsair was actually true). After being the Master for many incarnations, he has a regeneration where he becomes a woman and chooses to alter her title accordingly. It's my personal theory that there are multiple incarnations of the Master that we never saw onscreen. (I explain this theory better here: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-1.html). While we may not have witnessed every body the Master has worn, to the best of our knowledge, he was always male until Missy.
The General - The first gender change regeneration that we see happen before our very eyes. In this instance, the General has always been female with just one male body.
The Doctor - Finally, it happens to our protagonist. Once more, this is a Time Lord that has been pre-dominantly male. Even if we count those "secret incarnations" that we saw in Brain of Morbius as being valid (which I dismiss as balderdash, anyway. Those were Morbius' previous bodies), they were all men. Thirteen is the first Woman Doctor.
I think it's safe to say that there is a definite pattern, here. While Time Lords can change genders, they tend to stick to one of them most of the time. This will help validate, at least, one of the theories regarding what type of pronoun to assign them. We'll explore that idea soon enough....
It may be entirely possible that there are Time Lords who bounce back and forth frequently. They're male one incarnation - female the next. Then back to male. Then back to female. And so on... We have never seen a Time Lord like this, yet. So, until we do, I like to think that Time Lords choose a sort of "main gender" and only occasionally deviate from it.
With that mind then, let's look at our first method of gender assignation:
PREDOMINANT PRONOUN
It's a simple enough idea, of course. Whichever sex a Time Lord is most of the time receives the appropriate pronoun. The Corsair, Master and Doctor were all, mainly, men. So we use "he" or "him" when we talk about them. The General would be called "she" or "her" because she's a woman throughout most of her incarnations.
The problem with this method becomes apparent very quickly. When we are talking about something the Time Lord did while they were in their recessive gender - it starts to sound stupid.
For example: The General tried to stop the Doctor from stealing The Moment during the Time Wars. However, when she arrived at the appropriate storage chamber in the Omega Vault, the Moment was already gone.
I intentionally used the General since she was in a male incarnation when we first met her. So assigning a pronoun that doesn't suit what she was doing during any of the events of Day of the Doctor feels extra odd.
But we can see how this doesn't really work with other Time Lords, too.
Example 2: At the climax of Death In Heaven, Missy reveals that he has been building a Cyber Army for his arch nemesis the whole time. All those Cybermen are meant to be a gift for the Doctor.
That one makes even less sense since we're even using a female name but assigning her a male pronoun. The Predominant Pronoun idea seems to be only so applicable.
THE SLASHES - PART 1: HIM/HER
In many ways, this one probably works best. It is the most comprehensive, at least. Whenever you are talking about a Time Lord that has crossed into both genders, you don't use a gender specific pronoun, anymore. You assign them with him/her, instead. This allows you to explore any exploit they've done in whatever body and you never get the gender wrong.
Example: At first, we believe the Doctor is the only being in the Universe to own a TARDIS. But we discover quite quickly that he/she is not alone. By the end of Season Two, we encounter his/her first rival Time Lord: The Monk!
Even though we're talking about adventures involving the First Doctor, we are never forgetting the fact that later incarnations will not always be men. It's a very safe blanket statement that makes us never forget that the Doctor is both sexes.
The biggest drawback to this is that he/she does start becoming tedious quite quickly. Yes, it is a very inclusive way to address him/her. But, honestly, we just want to start assigning a specific gender after a while rather than using "the slash" all the time. I know this is an issue of aesthetics more than anything. But whenever I start saying him/her or he/she a lot, I just feel like it's getting tired. It's really best to only use it in instances where you're addressing all the incarnations of a Time Lord.
Example 2: Throughout all of his/her incarnations, the Master/Missy has frequently shown selfish motives and a strong leaning towards destructiveness. Once in a while, he/she will actually form an alliance with the Doctor and do selfless and constructive things - but there's always an ulterior motive behind the gesture.
I do find this method works well in a situation like this. We are talking about the entire personal history of the Doctor's greatest rival. So both pronouns should be assigned, here. Note that I even said Master/Missy since I am discussing all of his/her incarnations. A Time Lord that changes titles depending on the gender of the incarnation should have both names mentioned when speaking of them in such a context.
THE SLASHES - PART 2: THEY/THEM
Here is where we actually borrow a concept from the Transgender Community. A Time Lord that changes gender once in a while vaguely resembles what we might call someone who is "non-binary" or "gender fluid". Like these Time Lords, they mainly identify as one gender. They might be born female but identify as male most of the time. Frequently, you will see someone like this dressing to look like a man. However, some trans people will actually feel like the gender they were born with once in a while. So, on certain days, someone female-born who mainly identifies as male may actually choose to put on a dress, wear make-up and put their hair up in a feminine style (or wear a wig that is female-looking). Again, most of the time, they appear male. But they have these feminine days every now and again. When they do, they change their appearance accordingly. The same thing can happen, of course, with a male-born trans who is non-binary or gender fluid.
People of this persuasion prefer that we use the pronouns they/them when referring to them. Again, it's very inclusive and gets us to remember that, though they frequently identify as just one gender, this is not always the case. This concept can work with the Doctor, too. Particularly when referring to the exploits of all incarnations.
Example: Wherever they go in Time and Space, the Doctor always chooses to stand up for the oppressed and defeat the tyrant. The evil dictator may even appear to hold some victory over them during part of the battle. But, in the end, the Doctor usually wins.
Another problem of aesthetics arises with this method. It's a pluralization. So it starts to sound like we are talking about several people (which is, sort of, the case with a Time Lord) when we are actually only meant to be discussing a single character. Yes, a Time Lord is represented by many different incarnations but they are meant to be one individual. Using this particular pronoun becomes legitimately confusing.
I do actually have a few non-binary or gender fluid friends. They even admit that, while this is the way they prefer to be addressed, they can see how it can get really complicated, sometimes. There are moments when it really does just sound like you're talking about an entire group rather than a single person!
ONE METHOD THAT DEFINITELY WORKS - BUT ONLY IN CERTAIN CONTEXTS
Since this is a POINTS OF DEBATE essay, I am choosing to show advantages and disadvantages to every theory I present rather than trying to take a specific side on the issue. However, I do feel that there is one method that definitely works - just not all of the time.
Quite simply, when we are talking about the specific exploits of a certain incarnation - we should employ the gender of that incarnation. If something happened exclusively to the Fourth Doctor, then we would refer to the Doctor as he/him. By the same token, if it's a Thirteenth Doctor adventure, then we switch to she/her.
Example 1: Sutehk made a conscious effort in the early 1900s to escape from the prison his people placed him in. Fortunately, the Doctor was able to thwart him. However, he came very close to losing...
Example 2: The Pting is, perhaps, one of the most dangerous creatures in the Universe. However, on the only occasion that we've seen the Doctor encounter one, she came up with a clever solution to rid herself of it.
As we can see, these are references to very specific stories featuring a certain incarnation of the Doctor. In such an instance, we should use the gender of that incarnation. Something broader doesn't really work well. So why not just commit to the appropriate pronoun?
ULTIMATE CONCLUSION:
When dealing with something isolated, calling Doctors One to Twelve "boys" and Thirteen a "girl" is the best way to go. But what should we use when dealing with all the incarnations of a gender fluid Time Lord?
I was inspired to write up this debate because I find myself actually asking this quite frequently when I work on these essays. If I'm talking about the entire history of the Doctor or the Master/Missy (or the other two we mentioned) I am often puzzling over what pronoun to assign them.
Have I found a personal preference? No. This really is a huge grey area for me. If you should start looking through previous essays that I've composed since some of these characters have changed genders, you will find that I use all of these methods.
Sometimes, I employ a predominant pronoun. Other times, it's she/him. Other times, still, it's they/them. To be quite honest, a lot of it depends on my mood. I get tired of using one technique and think the entry might look nicer if I switch it up to another for a bit. There are even moments when I just don't feel inclined to use a certain form of address at all when I'm writing something that deals with this. It really can be as simple as that.
I truly am a fickle creature, sometimes!
And that's another POINT OF DEBATE done. Hope you didn't find the gender politics annoying! But this issue really does prey upon me, sometimes, when I am trying to write in here....
Some of what I wrote in this particular entry relates quite a bit to an UNADULTERATED BOORISH OPINION essay that I wrote a while back. Check it out if you'd like:
A FEMALE DOCTOR
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2017/07/unadulterated-boorish-opinion-female.html
Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Wednesday, 7 August 2019
POINTS OF DEBATE: WHAT IS UP WITH THE EYE OF HARMONY?
POINTS OF DEBATE is a newer topic that I introduced last year. It's fun to explore certain areas of the show that have been left ambiguous and postulate on what they might actually mean. So far, there's been only a few entries on the matter. It's time to change that. I'm going to try to make August the month where we debate a few more points.
THE EYE OF HARMONY: IN THE BEGINNING....
So we're sitting somewhere in the mid-to-late 70s and The Deadly Assassin, the all-time coolest Doctor Who story, ever, gets transmitted (it's true! This really is my favorite story. Read the review: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-1.html). One of the things that makes this such an enjoyable yarn is all the important continuity that it finally establishes. Continuity that is, often, maintained throughout the rest of the show's life. Time Lords, for instance, are still wearing those crazy collars and funny hats. The Matrix is still the repository of all Time Lord knowledge. And so on...
But there is one crucial fact about Time Lord culture that has become a bit fuzzy. As Deadly Assassin draws towards its conclusion, we learn that Gallifrey has a very unique power source. It seems that, way back in the Ancient Times, Rassilon took a Black Hole (possibly the one Omega created with his stellar manipulator) and rigged it up so that his people could draw energy from it. Apparently, the Black Hole now rests on Gallifrey, itself, and can be accessed through use of certain artifacts that the Lord President is in possession of. The Master, who was at the end of his first regeneration cycle, attempted to use this power source to save himself from death. Such a gesture would have destroyed the entire planet of the Time Lords. Fortunately, the Doctor was around to stop him.
This unique power source was given a very high-handed title: the Eye of Harmony. For the rest of the Classic Series, the facts established about its nature in Deadly Assassin are respected. It isn't talked about much (it only gets name-checked one more time in The Five Doctors) but we know it's always there, keeping the lights on for all of Gallifrey. It's a firm piece of established continuity. As solid as Time Lord apparel or the Wisdom of the Matrix.
Or is it?
THE EYE OF HARMONY - THE McGANN YEARS...
After Seven long years of depression and sadness, Doctor Who returns ever-so-briefly to our screens. The production team bringing the show back honor all sorts of things regarding the show's past. They even go to the trouble of bringing back Sylvester McCoy for a bit so that he can have a proper regeneration into Paul McGann.
There's jelly babies and 900-year old diaries (that, technically, had only been a 500 year old diary before - but, we get it: the Doctor needs a longer diary) and even the sonic screwdriver is back. It's even pretty awesome that the Doctor now keeps gold dust for any Cybermen trouble.
But there is one piece of continuity that starts to get a little convoluted. Like Deadly Assassin, the story's climax revolves, once more, around the Eye of Harmony. Which would lead one to believe that the Doctor and the Master must head back to Gallifrey. Cause that's where the Eye of Harmony is, right?
But it's not. It's now aboard the Doctor's TARDIS. The Master is still in a state of regeneration crisis and is tapping the Eye of Harmony again to fix the problem. This time, he's using the Eye's power to steal all of the Doctor's remaining lives. Fortunately the Doctor is able to stop him and re-seal the Eye. Just like he did in Assassin.
But what's happened, here? Why is the power source of the Time Lords now sitting in the cloister room of the TARDIS? How did this occur?
We're never given a proper answer. Which means, of course, that we can formulate a debate.
THE ACTUAL DEBATE
There are several theories that can be used to solve this discrepancy. All of them receive some evidence in certain stories to back them up. But none of that evidence can be considered conclusive. Which is why this still remains a, sort of, unsolved grey area.
Let's look at the strongest theories:
1. Just A Link
This is the most popular theory that fans prefer to believe in.We did not actually see the Eye of Harmony in the TARDIS during the 96 Telemovie. But, rather, a physical link that the TARDIS has to the Eye. Apparently, all TARDISes draw from the power source on Gallifrey to function. Within every TARDIS interior is a portal of sorts that leads directly to the Eye. The portal is meant to stay closed. This seals the link between TARDIS and Eye of Harmony and gives the time craft a constant flow of energy to draw from. But the portal can be opened so that the energy from the Eye can be applied to other tasks. It is, however, a very dangerous thing to do and can cause damage to localized time and space near a TARDIS if you're not careful. Naturally enough, the Master did not care what harm he might cause. He just opened the portal and tried to steal the Doctor's regenerations.
The basic idea is that instead of saying: "This is a link to the Eye of Harmony on Gallifrey" the Doctor and the Master use a bit of shorthand to make things less contrived. They just call it the Eye of Harmony. Since that's what you, technically, find on the other end of the link.
2. Every TARDIS Has An Eye of Harmony
This one is slightly harder to swallow - but there are some corners of fandom that support this theory. The Doctor and the Master call the strange contraption in the center of the cloister room the Eye of Harmony because it is, essentially, the same thing that exists on Gallifrey. As every TARDIS is built, a Black Hole is, somehow, taken from the Universe and placed inside the time vessel to be used as a power source. It seems a bit like overkill, really. Does a TARDIS really need the same level of energy that is used to power an entire world? There also seems to be quite a few TARDISes in existence. Can the Time Lords really find that many Black Holes out there to use as generators for TARDISes? As absurd as this may seem, there is some interesting evidence to support this.
3. The Doctor Stole the Eye
This is more of a pet theory that I haven't heard a whole lot of other fans discuss. But I must admit, I like the idea of it. We saw the Doctor in possession of two powerful artifacts from Galifrey during Season 25. It seems he's really good at stealing important stuff from his home planet. Could he have also stolen its power source? Was there, perhaps, an unseen adventure that took place where the Doctor saw it as necessary to take the Eye of Harmony away from the Time Lords?
My guess is that a link still exists between the Eye and Gallifrey, but it works in the exact reverse of the link described in the first theory. The Doctor has rigged the Eye to power his TARDIS, but he is also sending energy from the Eye back to his homeworld at the same time. This is why the Time Lords aren't chasing him down to get the Eye back. The planet still has its power source, it's just no longer located on Gallifrey. The Doctor has it, now.
My guess is that some sort of evil renegade among the Time Lords was going to use it for a nefarious deed of some sort. Or perhaps an alien invader tried to steal it away. Whatever it was, the Doctor decided the Eye would be safer if he kept it in his own hands. So he took it away from Gallifrey but still sends them the energy they need to maintain their lifestyle.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - BOOMTOWN
Technically, the Eye of Harmony received no mention until seven seasons after the series was revived in 2005. But, even in those first six seasons, certain allusions have been made to it. Several of which support different theories that we just discussed. The strongest example, in fact, takes place right in the very first season.
The way the Doctor re-fuels the TARDIS in Boomtown does, sort of, re-enforce the premise that TARDISes have a link to the Eye of Harmony that powers them. That pit-stop in Cardiff is the first time in the history of the show that we see the Doctor need to "gas up" his vehicle. Could this be because the TARDIS relied on a different source of energy up until recently?
At this point in his personal history, the Doctor believes that he has destroyed Gallifrey. He doesn't realize, yet, that it's just been sealed in a stasis cube. Either way, if the TARDIS had a link to the Eye of Harmony to power it, that connection would now be broken. He would need to find an alternative fuel source. He discovers a way to harness time rifts to keep his ship going and makes the occasional visit to places like Cardiff to power it back up.
While the Doctor offers no explanation to the nature of: "I didn't have to do this all the time. I used to be able to just leech off the Eye of Harmony." as he re-fuels in Boomtown, we can still draw certain inferences from the gesture. This need to suddenly get petrol for the TARDIS does give some degree of evidence that the Eye of Harmony we saw in the Cloister Room was more of just a link than the actual artifact. Now that the link is broken, he has to find other ways to keep his vehicle going.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE TARDIS
Finally, we reach the mid-way point of Series Seven and the Eye of Harmony receives a name-check in the tale: Journey to the Center of the TARDIS. If you're watching close enough, you see it first on a read-out of one of the screens on the TARDIS console. A short while later, the Doctor very hastily explains what the Eye of Harmony is to Clara and two of the VanBaalen brothers as they run past it in the center of the TARDIS. Seeing the Eye again in the TARDIS strongly re-enforces ideas put forward in Theories 2 and 3.
The Eye of Harmony we see in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS might be a Black Hole that was taken from time and space to specifically power the TARDIS. It receives the same name as the power source on Gallifrey because it works on the same basic principles. But it is not the same Eye of Harmony that we saw in Deadly Assassin. It is a special Eye of Harmony made specifically for a TARDIS.
Alternatively, this could be the same Black Hole that was powering Gallifrey in Assassin. The Doctor stole it some time before the events of the 96 Telemovie and is now using it to power his TARDIS.
With that nice scary scene in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, we seem to be capable of eliminating Theory 1, altogether. Or is that truly the case? There are some discrepancies to address...
DISCREPANCIES IN JOURNEY
There are, at least, three things that make the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS different from the other times we've seen it:
1. Aesthetics
At no point in its previous appearances has the Eye of Harmony looked like a big nasty sun raging away. Yes, it has taken a different shape each time we've seen it. But this form is extremely different from how it's looked before. Which would insinuate that this is a very different Eye of Harmony, altogether.
2. Effects
The Eye of Harmony can be a dangerous thing to be around. In Assassin, you needed a special Sash to protect yourself from its harmful effects. In 96 Telemovie, it did some pretty crazy stuff to time and space. But we've never seen it have this weird burning effect like it does in Journey.
3. Origins
The explanation the Doctor offers to Clara and the VanBaalen brothers of what the Eye of Harmony actually is seems somewhat different from the one we get as Spandrell and the Doctor are enjoying a drink in the Central Register. With Spandrell, it seems to be explained as a Black Hole held in stasis. With Clara and the bros, it's a star in the process of a becoming a Black Hole that's held in stasis.
These are all pretty big differences. Which may lead one to believe that this is an Eye of Harmony that the Doctor engineered himself sometime after the events of Boomtown. Tired of making pit-stops to refuel, the Doctor went out and found a star on the verge of death and sealed it within his TARDIS.
This means Theory 1 might still have some credence. The Eye of Harmony we see in 96 Telemovie is still just a link to the one on Gallifrey. After the Time Wars end, that link is broken. For a time, the Doctor depends upon Rift Energy to keep his TARDIS alive. Eventually, however, he creates his own version of the Eye and uses it as a power source.
Does this mean Theories 2 and 3 no longer hold any water? Of course not! We can still get them to make sense quite easily.
DISCREPANCIES TO THE DISCREPANCIES
While the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS may seem different from when we've seen it previously, this doesn't mean it is not the same artifact. Such discrepancies can be easily explained away.
1. Aesthetics
Yes, it looks very different in Journey. But, as I've already mentioned, it's changed appearances every time we've seen it. This would suggest, to me, that its outside environment influences its aesthetics. The Eye of Harmony is such an advanced piece of technology that it might be sensitive to these sort of things and would take on new shapes in new situations.
If we are going with Theory 3 - then, when it was resting for all those years on Gallifrey, it took on the form of a sort of gem-shaped column. When the Doctor stole it and placed it in his TARDIS, it took on a half-spherical form. Eventually, the TARDIS receives some serious damage during the Time Wars which caused the Eye of Harmony to change in appearance, again.
If we are simply going with Theory 2 - then the shape the Eye has on Gallifrey has no bearing. It's not the same Eye of Harmony. However, it would still have similar qualities to the power source we see on the planet of the Time Lords. Which means that, again, damage from the Time Wars would cause it to change shape.
2 and 3. Origins and Effects
If we continue with this idea that the Eye is shaped by its environment, than the discrepancies in its origins and effects can line up quite easily, too.
In Theory 2, we see the Eye of Harmony in the Doctor's TARDIS before and after the Time Wars. My guess would be that the Eye took some serious damage during a battle and actually stopped working for a bit. For a while, the Doctor depends on Rift energy but eventually gets the Eye repaired. However, he has to "roll it back" a bit. Instead of it being a Black Hole, it is now a star on the verge of becoming a Black Hole. Such a change in its nature causes it to have very different effects on anyone who comes near it, too. Now, if you're too close to the Eye for too long, it burns you alive.
With Theory 3, those damages from the Time War would be even more extreme. After all, the Eye was still powering Gallifrey at the same time that it was charging the Doctor's TARDIS. With All Things Time Lord seemingly destroyed, there would be all kinds of excess energy with nowhere to go. Perhaps the Doctor had to, flat-out, shut the Eye of Harmony down for a bit until he could find a better way to control it. So, for a time, he's dependent on Rift energy. But, just like in Theory 2, he changes the nature of the Eye to get it working again. So, once more, it can easily be the same Eye we've seen in Assassin and Telemovie.
ULTIMATE CONCLUSION
The title I've just composed for this particular subsection is highly inaccurate. I say: "Ultimate Conclusion" but there is none. All three theories that I've been kicking around hold equal merit. All three of them could explain why the Eye of Harmony seems so different every time we've seen it in the show. There is still nothing that has been stated in dialogue that gets any theory to be more accurate.
Someday there may be another story that takes place deep in the bowels of the TARDIS where we come across the Eye again. When this happens, the Doctor might say something to the nature of: "Of course, this isn't the true Eye of Harmony - that's actually on Gallifrey. Every TARDIS had a link to it. But, because of the Time Wars, I had to come up with my own special version of it." Or he might just say: "This is an Eye of Harmony. There are, in fact, many. Every TARDIS has one and then there's one that powers Gallifrey, too." Or he might even say: "Just like the TARDIS, I also stole the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey. For a while, I got into collecting powerful Gallifreyan artifacts. You should have seen what the Hand of Omega could do!" Any statements of this nature could really clear this issue up.
More than likely, though, we'll never get any kind of clarification. The many-changing appearances, origins and effects of the Eye of Harmony will forever remain a mystery....
There we go: First POINT OF DEBATE that we will tackle this month. That crazy 96 Telemovie will have bearing in another debate that is to follow....
As I have mentioned before, POINTS OF DEBATE and FIXING CONTINUITY GLITCHES are quite similar to each other. This particular essay shows that even better than the others. This is a legitimate continuity issue that does need solving. But, truth be told, there is still not enough conclusive evidence to come up with a solid explanation. Which is why I've chosen to put it under the category that I have. It's all just too ambiguous, still. Better to let it just rest in a haze of multiple theories than to commit myself to a single one.
Do I have a theory that I prefer over the others? Yes. I do like the idea that, at some point after Survival, the Seventh Doctor had some wild adventure where he felt the need to take the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey for safe possession. He has been holding it ever since.
I just like the image that it conjures....
Other POINTS OF DEBATE:
Something About Missy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2018/08/points-of-debate-was-missy-truly.html
Something About Goronwy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/01/point-of-debate-was-goronwy-from-delta.html
THE EYE OF HARMONY: IN THE BEGINNING....
So we're sitting somewhere in the mid-to-late 70s and The Deadly Assassin, the all-time coolest Doctor Who story, ever, gets transmitted (it's true! This really is my favorite story. Read the review: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-1.html). One of the things that makes this such an enjoyable yarn is all the important continuity that it finally establishes. Continuity that is, often, maintained throughout the rest of the show's life. Time Lords, for instance, are still wearing those crazy collars and funny hats. The Matrix is still the repository of all Time Lord knowledge. And so on...
But there is one crucial fact about Time Lord culture that has become a bit fuzzy. As Deadly Assassin draws towards its conclusion, we learn that Gallifrey has a very unique power source. It seems that, way back in the Ancient Times, Rassilon took a Black Hole (possibly the one Omega created with his stellar manipulator) and rigged it up so that his people could draw energy from it. Apparently, the Black Hole now rests on Gallifrey, itself, and can be accessed through use of certain artifacts that the Lord President is in possession of. The Master, who was at the end of his first regeneration cycle, attempted to use this power source to save himself from death. Such a gesture would have destroyed the entire planet of the Time Lords. Fortunately, the Doctor was around to stop him.
This unique power source was given a very high-handed title: the Eye of Harmony. For the rest of the Classic Series, the facts established about its nature in Deadly Assassin are respected. It isn't talked about much (it only gets name-checked one more time in The Five Doctors) but we know it's always there, keeping the lights on for all of Gallifrey. It's a firm piece of established continuity. As solid as Time Lord apparel or the Wisdom of the Matrix.
Or is it?
THE EYE OF HARMONY - THE McGANN YEARS...
After Seven long years of depression and sadness, Doctor Who returns ever-so-briefly to our screens. The production team bringing the show back honor all sorts of things regarding the show's past. They even go to the trouble of bringing back Sylvester McCoy for a bit so that he can have a proper regeneration into Paul McGann.
There's jelly babies and 900-year old diaries (that, technically, had only been a 500 year old diary before - but, we get it: the Doctor needs a longer diary) and even the sonic screwdriver is back. It's even pretty awesome that the Doctor now keeps gold dust for any Cybermen trouble.
But there is one piece of continuity that starts to get a little convoluted. Like Deadly Assassin, the story's climax revolves, once more, around the Eye of Harmony. Which would lead one to believe that the Doctor and the Master must head back to Gallifrey. Cause that's where the Eye of Harmony is, right?
But it's not. It's now aboard the Doctor's TARDIS. The Master is still in a state of regeneration crisis and is tapping the Eye of Harmony again to fix the problem. This time, he's using the Eye's power to steal all of the Doctor's remaining lives. Fortunately the Doctor is able to stop him and re-seal the Eye. Just like he did in Assassin.
But what's happened, here? Why is the power source of the Time Lords now sitting in the cloister room of the TARDIS? How did this occur?
We're never given a proper answer. Which means, of course, that we can formulate a debate.
THE ACTUAL DEBATE
There are several theories that can be used to solve this discrepancy. All of them receive some evidence in certain stories to back them up. But none of that evidence can be considered conclusive. Which is why this still remains a, sort of, unsolved grey area.
Let's look at the strongest theories:
1. Just A Link
This is the most popular theory that fans prefer to believe in.We did not actually see the Eye of Harmony in the TARDIS during the 96 Telemovie. But, rather, a physical link that the TARDIS has to the Eye. Apparently, all TARDISes draw from the power source on Gallifrey to function. Within every TARDIS interior is a portal of sorts that leads directly to the Eye. The portal is meant to stay closed. This seals the link between TARDIS and Eye of Harmony and gives the time craft a constant flow of energy to draw from. But the portal can be opened so that the energy from the Eye can be applied to other tasks. It is, however, a very dangerous thing to do and can cause damage to localized time and space near a TARDIS if you're not careful. Naturally enough, the Master did not care what harm he might cause. He just opened the portal and tried to steal the Doctor's regenerations.
The basic idea is that instead of saying: "This is a link to the Eye of Harmony on Gallifrey" the Doctor and the Master use a bit of shorthand to make things less contrived. They just call it the Eye of Harmony. Since that's what you, technically, find on the other end of the link.
2. Every TARDIS Has An Eye of Harmony
This one is slightly harder to swallow - but there are some corners of fandom that support this theory. The Doctor and the Master call the strange contraption in the center of the cloister room the Eye of Harmony because it is, essentially, the same thing that exists on Gallifrey. As every TARDIS is built, a Black Hole is, somehow, taken from the Universe and placed inside the time vessel to be used as a power source. It seems a bit like overkill, really. Does a TARDIS really need the same level of energy that is used to power an entire world? There also seems to be quite a few TARDISes in existence. Can the Time Lords really find that many Black Holes out there to use as generators for TARDISes? As absurd as this may seem, there is some interesting evidence to support this.
3. The Doctor Stole the Eye
This is more of a pet theory that I haven't heard a whole lot of other fans discuss. But I must admit, I like the idea of it. We saw the Doctor in possession of two powerful artifacts from Galifrey during Season 25. It seems he's really good at stealing important stuff from his home planet. Could he have also stolen its power source? Was there, perhaps, an unseen adventure that took place where the Doctor saw it as necessary to take the Eye of Harmony away from the Time Lords?
My guess is that a link still exists between the Eye and Gallifrey, but it works in the exact reverse of the link described in the first theory. The Doctor has rigged the Eye to power his TARDIS, but he is also sending energy from the Eye back to his homeworld at the same time. This is why the Time Lords aren't chasing him down to get the Eye back. The planet still has its power source, it's just no longer located on Gallifrey. The Doctor has it, now.
My guess is that some sort of evil renegade among the Time Lords was going to use it for a nefarious deed of some sort. Or perhaps an alien invader tried to steal it away. Whatever it was, the Doctor decided the Eye would be safer if he kept it in his own hands. So he took it away from Gallifrey but still sends them the energy they need to maintain their lifestyle.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - BOOMTOWN
Technically, the Eye of Harmony received no mention until seven seasons after the series was revived in 2005. But, even in those first six seasons, certain allusions have been made to it. Several of which support different theories that we just discussed. The strongest example, in fact, takes place right in the very first season.
The way the Doctor re-fuels the TARDIS in Boomtown does, sort of, re-enforce the premise that TARDISes have a link to the Eye of Harmony that powers them. That pit-stop in Cardiff is the first time in the history of the show that we see the Doctor need to "gas up" his vehicle. Could this be because the TARDIS relied on a different source of energy up until recently?
At this point in his personal history, the Doctor believes that he has destroyed Gallifrey. He doesn't realize, yet, that it's just been sealed in a stasis cube. Either way, if the TARDIS had a link to the Eye of Harmony to power it, that connection would now be broken. He would need to find an alternative fuel source. He discovers a way to harness time rifts to keep his ship going and makes the occasional visit to places like Cardiff to power it back up.
While the Doctor offers no explanation to the nature of: "I didn't have to do this all the time. I used to be able to just leech off the Eye of Harmony." as he re-fuels in Boomtown, we can still draw certain inferences from the gesture. This need to suddenly get petrol for the TARDIS does give some degree of evidence that the Eye of Harmony we saw in the Cloister Room was more of just a link than the actual artifact. Now that the link is broken, he has to find other ways to keep his vehicle going.
THE EYE OF HARMONY IN THE NEW SERIES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE TARDIS
Finally, we reach the mid-way point of Series Seven and the Eye of Harmony receives a name-check in the tale: Journey to the Center of the TARDIS. If you're watching close enough, you see it first on a read-out of one of the screens on the TARDIS console. A short while later, the Doctor very hastily explains what the Eye of Harmony is to Clara and two of the VanBaalen brothers as they run past it in the center of the TARDIS. Seeing the Eye again in the TARDIS strongly re-enforces ideas put forward in Theories 2 and 3.
The Eye of Harmony we see in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS might be a Black Hole that was taken from time and space to specifically power the TARDIS. It receives the same name as the power source on Gallifrey because it works on the same basic principles. But it is not the same Eye of Harmony that we saw in Deadly Assassin. It is a special Eye of Harmony made specifically for a TARDIS.
Alternatively, this could be the same Black Hole that was powering Gallifrey in Assassin. The Doctor stole it some time before the events of the 96 Telemovie and is now using it to power his TARDIS.
With that nice scary scene in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, we seem to be capable of eliminating Theory 1, altogether. Or is that truly the case? There are some discrepancies to address...
DISCREPANCIES IN JOURNEY
There are, at least, three things that make the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS different from the other times we've seen it:
1. Aesthetics
At no point in its previous appearances has the Eye of Harmony looked like a big nasty sun raging away. Yes, it has taken a different shape each time we've seen it. But this form is extremely different from how it's looked before. Which would insinuate that this is a very different Eye of Harmony, altogether.
2. Effects
The Eye of Harmony can be a dangerous thing to be around. In Assassin, you needed a special Sash to protect yourself from its harmful effects. In 96 Telemovie, it did some pretty crazy stuff to time and space. But we've never seen it have this weird burning effect like it does in Journey.
3. Origins
The explanation the Doctor offers to Clara and the VanBaalen brothers of what the Eye of Harmony actually is seems somewhat different from the one we get as Spandrell and the Doctor are enjoying a drink in the Central Register. With Spandrell, it seems to be explained as a Black Hole held in stasis. With Clara and the bros, it's a star in the process of a becoming a Black Hole that's held in stasis.
These are all pretty big differences. Which may lead one to believe that this is an Eye of Harmony that the Doctor engineered himself sometime after the events of Boomtown. Tired of making pit-stops to refuel, the Doctor went out and found a star on the verge of death and sealed it within his TARDIS.
This means Theory 1 might still have some credence. The Eye of Harmony we see in 96 Telemovie is still just a link to the one on Gallifrey. After the Time Wars end, that link is broken. For a time, the Doctor depends upon Rift Energy to keep his TARDIS alive. Eventually, however, he creates his own version of the Eye and uses it as a power source.
Does this mean Theories 2 and 3 no longer hold any water? Of course not! We can still get them to make sense quite easily.
DISCREPANCIES TO THE DISCREPANCIES
While the Eye of Harmony in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS may seem different from when we've seen it previously, this doesn't mean it is not the same artifact. Such discrepancies can be easily explained away.
1. Aesthetics
Yes, it looks very different in Journey. But, as I've already mentioned, it's changed appearances every time we've seen it. This would suggest, to me, that its outside environment influences its aesthetics. The Eye of Harmony is such an advanced piece of technology that it might be sensitive to these sort of things and would take on new shapes in new situations.
If we are going with Theory 3 - then, when it was resting for all those years on Gallifrey, it took on the form of a sort of gem-shaped column. When the Doctor stole it and placed it in his TARDIS, it took on a half-spherical form. Eventually, the TARDIS receives some serious damage during the Time Wars which caused the Eye of Harmony to change in appearance, again.
If we are simply going with Theory 2 - then the shape the Eye has on Gallifrey has no bearing. It's not the same Eye of Harmony. However, it would still have similar qualities to the power source we see on the planet of the Time Lords. Which means that, again, damage from the Time Wars would cause it to change shape.
2 and 3. Origins and Effects
If we continue with this idea that the Eye is shaped by its environment, than the discrepancies in its origins and effects can line up quite easily, too.
In Theory 2, we see the Eye of Harmony in the Doctor's TARDIS before and after the Time Wars. My guess would be that the Eye took some serious damage during a battle and actually stopped working for a bit. For a while, the Doctor depends on Rift energy but eventually gets the Eye repaired. However, he has to "roll it back" a bit. Instead of it being a Black Hole, it is now a star on the verge of becoming a Black Hole. Such a change in its nature causes it to have very different effects on anyone who comes near it, too. Now, if you're too close to the Eye for too long, it burns you alive.
With Theory 3, those damages from the Time War would be even more extreme. After all, the Eye was still powering Gallifrey at the same time that it was charging the Doctor's TARDIS. With All Things Time Lord seemingly destroyed, there would be all kinds of excess energy with nowhere to go. Perhaps the Doctor had to, flat-out, shut the Eye of Harmony down for a bit until he could find a better way to control it. So, for a time, he's dependent on Rift energy. But, just like in Theory 2, he changes the nature of the Eye to get it working again. So, once more, it can easily be the same Eye we've seen in Assassin and Telemovie.
ULTIMATE CONCLUSION
The title I've just composed for this particular subsection is highly inaccurate. I say: "Ultimate Conclusion" but there is none. All three theories that I've been kicking around hold equal merit. All three of them could explain why the Eye of Harmony seems so different every time we've seen it in the show. There is still nothing that has been stated in dialogue that gets any theory to be more accurate.
Someday there may be another story that takes place deep in the bowels of the TARDIS where we come across the Eye again. When this happens, the Doctor might say something to the nature of: "Of course, this isn't the true Eye of Harmony - that's actually on Gallifrey. Every TARDIS had a link to it. But, because of the Time Wars, I had to come up with my own special version of it." Or he might just say: "This is an Eye of Harmony. There are, in fact, many. Every TARDIS has one and then there's one that powers Gallifrey, too." Or he might even say: "Just like the TARDIS, I also stole the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey. For a while, I got into collecting powerful Gallifreyan artifacts. You should have seen what the Hand of Omega could do!" Any statements of this nature could really clear this issue up.
More than likely, though, we'll never get any kind of clarification. The many-changing appearances, origins and effects of the Eye of Harmony will forever remain a mystery....
There we go: First POINT OF DEBATE that we will tackle this month. That crazy 96 Telemovie will have bearing in another debate that is to follow....
As I have mentioned before, POINTS OF DEBATE and FIXING CONTINUITY GLITCHES are quite similar to each other. This particular essay shows that even better than the others. This is a legitimate continuity issue that does need solving. But, truth be told, there is still not enough conclusive evidence to come up with a solid explanation. Which is why I've chosen to put it under the category that I have. It's all just too ambiguous, still. Better to let it just rest in a haze of multiple theories than to commit myself to a single one.
Do I have a theory that I prefer over the others? Yes. I do like the idea that, at some point after Survival, the Seventh Doctor had some wild adventure where he felt the need to take the Eye of Harmony from Gallifrey for safe possession. He has been holding it ever since.
I just like the image that it conjures....
Other POINTS OF DEBATE:
Something About Missy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2018/08/points-of-debate-was-missy-truly.html
Something About Goronwy:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/01/point-of-debate-was-goronwy-from-delta.html
Thursday, 1 August 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: TOP 5 TWO-TIMERS - NUMBER THREE
The Two-Timer Countdown continues. Again, we're going to 60s Who...
Doctor Who in the 60s did an excellent job with the crafting of its two-timers. We don't actually see a whole lot of them. But when they do come along, they're an absolute delight! It's almost obvious by the end of their first appearance that we need to see them again.
This particular two-timer even concludes his first story on a very open-ended note. He shakes his fist towards the heavens and vows revenge on the Doctor. And, as we watch him do this, we can't wait to see that next clash.
A TRULY UNIQUE VILLAIN
It's strange that fans don't rant and rave more about The Time Meddler. The story makes a huge contribution to established continuity. It reveals, for the first time, that the Doctor is not the only owner of a TARDIS. That he seems to come from a whole race of beings that can time travel. That, alone, should have fans foaming at the mouth as they watch this four-parter. But no one actually seems all that thrilled about the tale. Most fans complain that things move too slowly. Yes, it can feel a bit cumbersome in places. But what Willian Hartnell story doesn't suffer from that problem?!
But the Monk, himself, also breaks new ground in the show. Which is part of what makes his character so interesting. Up until him, villains all tended to be dark and ruthless and almost mad with a lust for power. Someone like Yartek from Keys of Marinus was a great example of the sort of villainy we'd been seeing in the first two seasons of Who. Yes, we did have Nero in The Romans who was definitely playing things up for laughs. But Nero wasn't truly a villain in the story - more an antagonist.
Whereas the Monk is truly up to no good and must be stopped. He is definitely the villain of the story rather than someone who is just creating a bit of conflict. But he is crafted very differently from the Yarteks we've been seeing so far. He's not cold and calculating and viciously efficient. He's more a bumbler. Aside from his very first scene where he spots the TARDIS on the shore, something always seems to be going ever-so-slightly wrong for the Monk. The Doctor is dropping pebbles on his head or the wind is blowing his snuff away before he can snort it. Or various Saxons and/or Vikings are showing up at the monastery at inopportune moments. All of it creates some great comedy of errors that Peter Butterworth is a master at playing up. He really is great fun to watch as he dithers about trying to get his plans to work but running into an endless array of distressing obstacles. We really haven't seen a baddie like this, yet. Normally, it's a much more serious portrayal going on. The Monk comes in like a breath of fresh air and gives us something very different from what we've been getting so far.
His uniqueness doesn't end there, however. When other baddies reveal their ultimate plan, it's usually some mad scheme of conquest that will result in the endless suffering of innocents. The Monk just wants to see King Harold enjoy a longer reign. We know he can't do this. That he will change history. But, beyond that, we really don't think his goals are all that horrible. His villainy, for the most part, really isn't all that loathsome. In fact, he's quite likeable. He even shows compassion at one point. While in the middle of a sneaky maneuver, Wulnoth begs him to tend to Edlred's wounds (I guess you might say Eldred must live!). The Monk wants to ignore the plea but caves in and helps the injured villager. Other nasties like Tegana from Marco Polo or Forester from Planet of Giants would have told the Saxon where to go. But the Monk stops and does the right thing. Even if it does throw a monkey wrench into his all-important plans. Up until this moment, a bad guy never showed such a softer side. It's a very nice change of tone.
JUST PLAIN FUN
Naturally enough, a character as nuanced as this needs to be cast well. Peter Butterworth seems the perfect choice. He always knows where to land with the character. He makes him comedic but doesn't go too far with it. He gives him this very gentle overtone - but we still know he's dangerous when he needs to be.
And he's so damned clever. Purposely describing the Doctor when Vicki and Steven have not told him what he looks like is a very well-executed double-bluff. Sending the Vikings to a non-existent hiding place to buy him the extra time to flee the angry Saxons is another simple-yet-effective move. Yes, the Monk is goofy and clumsy - but he's not stupid.
The taunts he gives the Doctor as they discuss the quality of their TARDISes is another really fun moment in his first story. Other Renegade Time Lords in future stories will do the same thing. But, once more, we're seeing it for the first time, here. And it's great fun. Everything in The Time Meddler screams: "This is a very entertaining and unique villain. He must return!"
Thankfully, he does.
ONLY THREE EPISODES...
Desperate to pad out The Dalek Masterplan, Dennis Spooner decides to bring the Monk back. This creates a nice revenge subplot while the principal business of the Daleks reclaiming their taranium core continues to try to span 12 episodes.
The Monk's re-appearance is only three short parts. But they are three very entertaining, fun-filled episodes. One of the other things that made the Monk so enjoyable in his initial story was all the mischievous skulking about that he did as he tried to execute his plans. We love watching him almost prance about the monastery with glee as he tries to re-write history. Spooner capitalizes on this ten-fold when he brings him back. The Monk wanders all over the place in Masterplan, causing all sorts of problems.
He vaguely resembles the Master in Ultimate Foe. He is not the central threat of the story - he's just causing all sorts of interesting side-action. He switches alliances and tells endless lies whenever it suits him. He's also sabotaging things and creating all sorts of traps. But, whereas the Master is much deadlier in Foe, the Monk is more about harmless pranks. He definitely wants to do something to the Doctor's TARDIS that will strand him. But, beyond that, he's not really up to much of anything. He just happens to accidentally get embroiled in the affairs of the Daleks and Mavic Chen. But he only wants to extricate himself from their business as quickly as possible. Any other evil Renegade Time Lord out there would have tried to steal away the Daleks' power and make it their own. But that's not what the Monk is about. He's a trouble-maker, no doubt. But, by no means, is he a sinister mustache twirler hell-bent on taking over the cosmos. That's just not his style. Again, it's a very different nuance to anything we've seen before.
In this second appearance, Spooner also remembers to give us more of that banter between the Doctor and the Monk that we love so much. Again, they seem to be comparing TARDISes like they might be penis sizes.
Part of what puts Craig Owens on this list is the way Matt Smith and James Corden interact. Hartnell and Butterworth spark off of each other just as brilliantly. The chemistry these two create as they take the piss out of each other is another huge contribution to what makes the Monk the wondrous two-timer that he is.
SADLY, THAT"S IT
Once more, the Monk is left in the same plight as we saw him in Time Meddler. The Doctor has done considerable damage to his TARDIS. Rendering it near-useless.
One would think this means another battle against the Monk was soon to come. But it never happened. And this is truly sad. The Monk should have returned countless more times. Imagine him meeting Troughton's Doctor. The two would have spent the entire story bumbling around each other. It would have been a veritable Bumble Fest. Other incarnations of the Doctor would have been quite fun, too. Perhaps the Monk would've also eventually regenerated and we could have enjoyed new and different incarnations from him. This is a two-timer that should have kept plaguing the Doctor for decades.
Sure, we got the Master, instead. And he/she has been great fun in his/her own way. But there was a special quality to the way the Monk was written. Butterworth's portrayal enhanced things considerably. Thus making him an utter delight to watch that was worthy of many more appearances. In fact, how great would it have been to see a story like Mark of the Rani where the Doctor had to deal with the Monk and the Master at the same time (Mark of the Monk?)? Or, even better: the Master, the Monk and the Rani all at once!
A gigantic missed opportunity. But, at least, we got a fantastic two-timer out of the deal!
See you again soon as we reveal Number Two.
The other two installments:
Fifth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Fourth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Doctor Who in the 60s did an excellent job with the crafting of its two-timers. We don't actually see a whole lot of them. But when they do come along, they're an absolute delight! It's almost obvious by the end of their first appearance that we need to see them again.
This particular two-timer even concludes his first story on a very open-ended note. He shakes his fist towards the heavens and vows revenge on the Doctor. And, as we watch him do this, we can't wait to see that next clash.
A TRULY UNIQUE VILLAIN
It's strange that fans don't rant and rave more about The Time Meddler. The story makes a huge contribution to established continuity. It reveals, for the first time, that the Doctor is not the only owner of a TARDIS. That he seems to come from a whole race of beings that can time travel. That, alone, should have fans foaming at the mouth as they watch this four-parter. But no one actually seems all that thrilled about the tale. Most fans complain that things move too slowly. Yes, it can feel a bit cumbersome in places. But what Willian Hartnell story doesn't suffer from that problem?!
But the Monk, himself, also breaks new ground in the show. Which is part of what makes his character so interesting. Up until him, villains all tended to be dark and ruthless and almost mad with a lust for power. Someone like Yartek from Keys of Marinus was a great example of the sort of villainy we'd been seeing in the first two seasons of Who. Yes, we did have Nero in The Romans who was definitely playing things up for laughs. But Nero wasn't truly a villain in the story - more an antagonist.
Whereas the Monk is truly up to no good and must be stopped. He is definitely the villain of the story rather than someone who is just creating a bit of conflict. But he is crafted very differently from the Yarteks we've been seeing so far. He's not cold and calculating and viciously efficient. He's more a bumbler. Aside from his very first scene where he spots the TARDIS on the shore, something always seems to be going ever-so-slightly wrong for the Monk. The Doctor is dropping pebbles on his head or the wind is blowing his snuff away before he can snort it. Or various Saxons and/or Vikings are showing up at the monastery at inopportune moments. All of it creates some great comedy of errors that Peter Butterworth is a master at playing up. He really is great fun to watch as he dithers about trying to get his plans to work but running into an endless array of distressing obstacles. We really haven't seen a baddie like this, yet. Normally, it's a much more serious portrayal going on. The Monk comes in like a breath of fresh air and gives us something very different from what we've been getting so far.
His uniqueness doesn't end there, however. When other baddies reveal their ultimate plan, it's usually some mad scheme of conquest that will result in the endless suffering of innocents. The Monk just wants to see King Harold enjoy a longer reign. We know he can't do this. That he will change history. But, beyond that, we really don't think his goals are all that horrible. His villainy, for the most part, really isn't all that loathsome. In fact, he's quite likeable. He even shows compassion at one point. While in the middle of a sneaky maneuver, Wulnoth begs him to tend to Edlred's wounds (I guess you might say Eldred must live!). The Monk wants to ignore the plea but caves in and helps the injured villager. Other nasties like Tegana from Marco Polo or Forester from Planet of Giants would have told the Saxon where to go. But the Monk stops and does the right thing. Even if it does throw a monkey wrench into his all-important plans. Up until this moment, a bad guy never showed such a softer side. It's a very nice change of tone.
JUST PLAIN FUN
Naturally enough, a character as nuanced as this needs to be cast well. Peter Butterworth seems the perfect choice. He always knows where to land with the character. He makes him comedic but doesn't go too far with it. He gives him this very gentle overtone - but we still know he's dangerous when he needs to be.
And he's so damned clever. Purposely describing the Doctor when Vicki and Steven have not told him what he looks like is a very well-executed double-bluff. Sending the Vikings to a non-existent hiding place to buy him the extra time to flee the angry Saxons is another simple-yet-effective move. Yes, the Monk is goofy and clumsy - but he's not stupid.
The taunts he gives the Doctor as they discuss the quality of their TARDISes is another really fun moment in his first story. Other Renegade Time Lords in future stories will do the same thing. But, once more, we're seeing it for the first time, here. And it's great fun. Everything in The Time Meddler screams: "This is a very entertaining and unique villain. He must return!"
Thankfully, he does.
ONLY THREE EPISODES...
Desperate to pad out The Dalek Masterplan, Dennis Spooner decides to bring the Monk back. This creates a nice revenge subplot while the principal business of the Daleks reclaiming their taranium core continues to try to span 12 episodes.
The Monk's re-appearance is only three short parts. But they are three very entertaining, fun-filled episodes. One of the other things that made the Monk so enjoyable in his initial story was all the mischievous skulking about that he did as he tried to execute his plans. We love watching him almost prance about the monastery with glee as he tries to re-write history. Spooner capitalizes on this ten-fold when he brings him back. The Monk wanders all over the place in Masterplan, causing all sorts of problems.
He vaguely resembles the Master in Ultimate Foe. He is not the central threat of the story - he's just causing all sorts of interesting side-action. He switches alliances and tells endless lies whenever it suits him. He's also sabotaging things and creating all sorts of traps. But, whereas the Master is much deadlier in Foe, the Monk is more about harmless pranks. He definitely wants to do something to the Doctor's TARDIS that will strand him. But, beyond that, he's not really up to much of anything. He just happens to accidentally get embroiled in the affairs of the Daleks and Mavic Chen. But he only wants to extricate himself from their business as quickly as possible. Any other evil Renegade Time Lord out there would have tried to steal away the Daleks' power and make it their own. But that's not what the Monk is about. He's a trouble-maker, no doubt. But, by no means, is he a sinister mustache twirler hell-bent on taking over the cosmos. That's just not his style. Again, it's a very different nuance to anything we've seen before.
In this second appearance, Spooner also remembers to give us more of that banter between the Doctor and the Monk that we love so much. Again, they seem to be comparing TARDISes like they might be penis sizes.
Part of what puts Craig Owens on this list is the way Matt Smith and James Corden interact. Hartnell and Butterworth spark off of each other just as brilliantly. The chemistry these two create as they take the piss out of each other is another huge contribution to what makes the Monk the wondrous two-timer that he is.
SADLY, THAT"S IT
Once more, the Monk is left in the same plight as we saw him in Time Meddler. The Doctor has done considerable damage to his TARDIS. Rendering it near-useless.
One would think this means another battle against the Monk was soon to come. But it never happened. And this is truly sad. The Monk should have returned countless more times. Imagine him meeting Troughton's Doctor. The two would have spent the entire story bumbling around each other. It would have been a veritable Bumble Fest. Other incarnations of the Doctor would have been quite fun, too. Perhaps the Monk would've also eventually regenerated and we could have enjoyed new and different incarnations from him. This is a two-timer that should have kept plaguing the Doctor for decades.
Sure, we got the Master, instead. And he/she has been great fun in his/her own way. But there was a special quality to the way the Monk was written. Butterworth's portrayal enhanced things considerably. Thus making him an utter delight to watch that was worthy of many more appearances. In fact, how great would it have been to see a story like Mark of the Rani where the Doctor had to deal with the Monk and the Master at the same time (Mark of the Monk?)? Or, even better: the Master, the Monk and the Rani all at once!
A gigantic missed opportunity. But, at least, we got a fantastic two-timer out of the deal!
See you again soon as we reveal Number Two.
The other two installments:
Fifth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Fourth Place:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: TOP 5 TWO-TIMERS - NUMBER ONE
At last, we've reached Number One in the Top 5 Two-Timers List . I'm gonna guess you're all thinking the same character I am. Could it really be anyone else?
I think what I love best about the Rani is how much she seems to contradict herself. There is all kinds of dialogue from the Master and the Doctor that makes her sound like she's, basically, a Time Lord version of a Cybermen ("I'm afraid the Rani simply sees us as walking heaps of chemicals" and other quotes of that nature). She's cold and emotionless and sees everything from a logical point-of-view. The Rani, herself, does and says all sorts of things to back this up. Just look how, at the end of Mark of the Rani, she's ready to cut her losses and leave rather than try to exact revenge on the Doctor for all the interfering he's done.
And yet, for all her cold rationale, the Rani shows all sorts of emotions that she shouldn't be. Most interesting is her sense of glee. What a big smile she has when she figures out that threatening the life of another person in the room will keep the Doctor better restrained than threatening him directly ("Touche, Doctor?"). Look how that smile appears again later when she's collecting mines from her TARDIS and she hints to the Master what sort of damage said mines will do ("Let's just say they'll change the Doctor's lifestyle dramatically"). Should someone that cold and calculating experience such perverse pleasure?
It's not just displays uncharacteristic happiness that we see, though. On the other end of the spectrum, she loses her temper quite easily, too. When she tries to get the Luddites to ambush the Master while he's walking through a tunnel and it fails, she gets pretty violent with her scanner equipment. And the endless amounts of verbal abuse that Urak suffers at her hands during her second story is near-incalculable. She really uses that Tetrap as her whipping boy. She's almost like a cruel pet owner.
And yet, on other occasions, she's true to her description. Observe how when poor Urak accidentally attacks her because he mistakes her for Mel. He's probably expecting a huge scolding for his mistake. He tries to explain himself and his mistress just cuts him off with a harsh-yet-cold: "Inquests bore me!" and then walks away. You really never know when the Rani lives up to her reputation and when she'll actually fly off the handle.
I don't consider these inconsistencies to be the result of bad writing. But, rather, an attempt on Pip and Jane Baker's behalf to show us there are layers to the character. That the Rani is more than she seems. She may try to get everyone to believe that she's emotionless and logical. She may have even convinced her rivals of this. But, deep down inside, she's brimming with strong feelings that she can barely hold in check. Give her enough time, and she'll prove to be as maniacal as the Master.
Much can be said for how Kate O'Mara gets all of these contradictions to work. She really seems to understand the mechanics of the character. So much so, that it's difficult to see anyone else in the role. Even though, like the Doctor and the Master, she can be regenerated if the production team needs her to be. Kate just really sinks her teeth into the role and knows when to let the inner psychotic out and when to stay true to how she is perceived by her enemies. It's amazing to watch those mood swings flail about so wildly and yet, at the same time, seem so controlled. We love her for it.
LEAVING HER MARK
In a story that is already featuring the Doctor and the Master, O'Mara really needs to hit the ground running. Both these characters are extremely well-established in the show's mythos and she needs to have just as much presence as the other two Time Lords populating the tale. Just to make it all the more challenging, this is not an introductory story like the Monk's first adventure was. The Rani, the Master and the Doctor all know each other from the Good 'Ole Days. So that means there has to be some real chemistry between all of them. We, as an audience, have to feel the history that they have. On top of that, we just need to find the Rani to be as interesting as her counterparts. If she doesn't shine as brightly as Ainley and Colin, the whole thing is going to fall very flat.
Kate O'Mara was an extremely intelligent casting choice. She had an extensive resume of playing "tough bitches" in other shows so she could slide into a personality like the Rani quite easily. She had also done quite a bit of work with Colin Baker in the past - so that "history" that needed to exist between their characters was fairly easy to create.
But we can't ignore the efforts of Pip and Jane Baker, either. They made a very fascinating villain for us that we can't resist wanting to see again. With things even getting, perhaps, a bit stale between the Ainley Master and the various Doctors he'd fought, the Rani comes in like a breath of fresh air. She shakes things up between these two renegades and gets us to see their petty squabbles from a whole new angle. She thoroughly takes the piss out of both of them - and that's really fun to watch.
Still, as the credits roll for Mark of the Rani, we're dying to see a re-match between the Doctor and the Rani. This time, perhaps, without the Master in the middle of things. Something a bit more one-on-one. We do get this a season or so later. But it's far from what we expected....
NO TIME
The Rani's second story definitely shows us just how much we have fallen in love with her. The plot of Time and the Rani leaves a lot to be desired. I have ranted a few times before about the unfair persecution this story gets - so I'll try to keep it short, here. I don't think it's as bad as fandom likes to lead you to believe (Creature from the Pit is far harder to sit through than this one!) but it has its fair share of problems. Probably one of the biggest ones is its attempt to almost "shoehorn" in all of the Rani's gimmicks. The land mines and disguises in Mark of the Rani were interesting and fit the story. In Time, they seem forced and over-contrived. Shortcomings like this can really mar the overall impact of the character.
And yet, Kate O'Mara steps up to the plate again and gives us another great little turn. Despite all that's working against her in the script, we still adore the Rani because of Kate. She obviously has a deep love for the character, herself. By this point in the game, she had a regular role on Dynasty - one of the most successful American TV shows, ever. She was, more than likely, making some pretty enormous amounts of cash in the States. And yet, she still came back to Britain to do Time and the Rani (wonder if she looked at the script before she got there?!). That love for the character bleeds through into the performance. We get the impression Kate would play the Rani fifty more times if she was asked to. And that love that she has makes us love the character with her
The absolutely best thing about Kate's performance in Time and the Rani is how she even lifts up the story's weaker points. Disguising herself as Mel after messing with the Doctor's memory is pretty ludicrous. But Kate is great fun to watch as she does her best Bonnie Langford impression. It's even funnier when she breaks character now and again to make off-the-cuff remarks in her Rani personae. It almost saves the whole bad idea and makes it enjoyable. This is what gets us to love the character despite the dip in quality with the writing. Kate really does save the day.
ANOTHER APPEARANCE?
Now that all of the major baddies like Daleks, Cybermen and the Master have returned, is there any other character from the Classic Series that we want to see more in the New Series than the Rani? I think not! In fact, we might long for her harder than some of the other Major Baddies that have been brought back.
How many of us were just praying that Missy would be revealed as the Rani during Series Eight? Who she actually turned out to be was still pretty awesome - don't get me wrong. But still, we were hoping...
It is, of course, intensely sad that Kate O'Mara won't be able to reprise the role. It really should have been her one more time and then we could have regenerated her. Kate just did so much for the character and it would have been great to let her have one more turn at it. Who else can handle such lines like: "Leave the girl. It's the man I want." the way she did?!
We'll miss you Kate....
And... there we go! Just getting this entry done as the month of July wraps up. Made it to my deadline by the skin of my teeth!
We shall move away from BOOK OF LISTS topics again for a bit and probably won't see another one til the end of the year. I've got a few ANALYTICAL essays in mind and, perhaps, another CHRONOLOGIES AND TIMELINES will be on its way soon. You guys do seem to love it when I work out tinelines for certain recurring characters and/or species. "Give 'em what they love.", I always say. Well, okay, I don't always say that. But I said it here, at least.
Others who made the list:
Five:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Four:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Three:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Two:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_17.html
I think what I love best about the Rani is how much she seems to contradict herself. There is all kinds of dialogue from the Master and the Doctor that makes her sound like she's, basically, a Time Lord version of a Cybermen ("I'm afraid the Rani simply sees us as walking heaps of chemicals" and other quotes of that nature). She's cold and emotionless and sees everything from a logical point-of-view. The Rani, herself, does and says all sorts of things to back this up. Just look how, at the end of Mark of the Rani, she's ready to cut her losses and leave rather than try to exact revenge on the Doctor for all the interfering he's done.
And yet, for all her cold rationale, the Rani shows all sorts of emotions that she shouldn't be. Most interesting is her sense of glee. What a big smile she has when she figures out that threatening the life of another person in the room will keep the Doctor better restrained than threatening him directly ("Touche, Doctor?"). Look how that smile appears again later when she's collecting mines from her TARDIS and she hints to the Master what sort of damage said mines will do ("Let's just say they'll change the Doctor's lifestyle dramatically"). Should someone that cold and calculating experience such perverse pleasure?
It's not just displays uncharacteristic happiness that we see, though. On the other end of the spectrum, she loses her temper quite easily, too. When she tries to get the Luddites to ambush the Master while he's walking through a tunnel and it fails, she gets pretty violent with her scanner equipment. And the endless amounts of verbal abuse that Urak suffers at her hands during her second story is near-incalculable. She really uses that Tetrap as her whipping boy. She's almost like a cruel pet owner.
And yet, on other occasions, she's true to her description. Observe how when poor Urak accidentally attacks her because he mistakes her for Mel. He's probably expecting a huge scolding for his mistake. He tries to explain himself and his mistress just cuts him off with a harsh-yet-cold: "Inquests bore me!" and then walks away. You really never know when the Rani lives up to her reputation and when she'll actually fly off the handle.
I don't consider these inconsistencies to be the result of bad writing. But, rather, an attempt on Pip and Jane Baker's behalf to show us there are layers to the character. That the Rani is more than she seems. She may try to get everyone to believe that she's emotionless and logical. She may have even convinced her rivals of this. But, deep down inside, she's brimming with strong feelings that she can barely hold in check. Give her enough time, and she'll prove to be as maniacal as the Master.
Much can be said for how Kate O'Mara gets all of these contradictions to work. She really seems to understand the mechanics of the character. So much so, that it's difficult to see anyone else in the role. Even though, like the Doctor and the Master, she can be regenerated if the production team needs her to be. Kate just really sinks her teeth into the role and knows when to let the inner psychotic out and when to stay true to how she is perceived by her enemies. It's amazing to watch those mood swings flail about so wildly and yet, at the same time, seem so controlled. We love her for it.
LEAVING HER MARK
In a story that is already featuring the Doctor and the Master, O'Mara really needs to hit the ground running. Both these characters are extremely well-established in the show's mythos and she needs to have just as much presence as the other two Time Lords populating the tale. Just to make it all the more challenging, this is not an introductory story like the Monk's first adventure was. The Rani, the Master and the Doctor all know each other from the Good 'Ole Days. So that means there has to be some real chemistry between all of them. We, as an audience, have to feel the history that they have. On top of that, we just need to find the Rani to be as interesting as her counterparts. If she doesn't shine as brightly as Ainley and Colin, the whole thing is going to fall very flat.
Kate O'Mara was an extremely intelligent casting choice. She had an extensive resume of playing "tough bitches" in other shows so she could slide into a personality like the Rani quite easily. She had also done quite a bit of work with Colin Baker in the past - so that "history" that needed to exist between their characters was fairly easy to create.
But we can't ignore the efforts of Pip and Jane Baker, either. They made a very fascinating villain for us that we can't resist wanting to see again. With things even getting, perhaps, a bit stale between the Ainley Master and the various Doctors he'd fought, the Rani comes in like a breath of fresh air. She shakes things up between these two renegades and gets us to see their petty squabbles from a whole new angle. She thoroughly takes the piss out of both of them - and that's really fun to watch.
Still, as the credits roll for Mark of the Rani, we're dying to see a re-match between the Doctor and the Rani. This time, perhaps, without the Master in the middle of things. Something a bit more one-on-one. We do get this a season or so later. But it's far from what we expected....
NO TIME
The Rani's second story definitely shows us just how much we have fallen in love with her. The plot of Time and the Rani leaves a lot to be desired. I have ranted a few times before about the unfair persecution this story gets - so I'll try to keep it short, here. I don't think it's as bad as fandom likes to lead you to believe (Creature from the Pit is far harder to sit through than this one!) but it has its fair share of problems. Probably one of the biggest ones is its attempt to almost "shoehorn" in all of the Rani's gimmicks. The land mines and disguises in Mark of the Rani were interesting and fit the story. In Time, they seem forced and over-contrived. Shortcomings like this can really mar the overall impact of the character.
And yet, Kate O'Mara steps up to the plate again and gives us another great little turn. Despite all that's working against her in the script, we still adore the Rani because of Kate. She obviously has a deep love for the character, herself. By this point in the game, she had a regular role on Dynasty - one of the most successful American TV shows, ever. She was, more than likely, making some pretty enormous amounts of cash in the States. And yet, she still came back to Britain to do Time and the Rani (wonder if she looked at the script before she got there?!). That love for the character bleeds through into the performance. We get the impression Kate would play the Rani fifty more times if she was asked to. And that love that she has makes us love the character with her
The absolutely best thing about Kate's performance in Time and the Rani is how she even lifts up the story's weaker points. Disguising herself as Mel after messing with the Doctor's memory is pretty ludicrous. But Kate is great fun to watch as she does her best Bonnie Langford impression. It's even funnier when she breaks character now and again to make off-the-cuff remarks in her Rani personae. It almost saves the whole bad idea and makes it enjoyable. This is what gets us to love the character despite the dip in quality with the writing. Kate really does save the day.
ANOTHER APPEARANCE?
Now that all of the major baddies like Daleks, Cybermen and the Master have returned, is there any other character from the Classic Series that we want to see more in the New Series than the Rani? I think not! In fact, we might long for her harder than some of the other Major Baddies that have been brought back.
How many of us were just praying that Missy would be revealed as the Rani during Series Eight? Who she actually turned out to be was still pretty awesome - don't get me wrong. But still, we were hoping...
It is, of course, intensely sad that Kate O'Mara won't be able to reprise the role. It really should have been her one more time and then we could have regenerated her. Kate just did so much for the character and it would have been great to let her have one more turn at it. Who else can handle such lines like: "Leave the girl. It's the man I want." the way she did?!
We'll miss you Kate....
And... there we go! Just getting this entry done as the month of July wraps up. Made it to my deadline by the skin of my teeth!
We shall move away from BOOK OF LISTS topics again for a bit and probably won't see another one til the end of the year. I've got a few ANALYTICAL essays in mind and, perhaps, another CHRONOLOGIES AND TIMELINES will be on its way soon. You guys do seem to love it when I work out tinelines for certain recurring characters and/or species. "Give 'em what they love.", I always say. Well, okay, I don't always say that. But I said it here, at least.
Others who made the list:
Five:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Four:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Three:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Two:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_17.html
Wednesday, 17 July 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: TOP 5 TWO-TIMERS - NUMBER TWO
And so we now go into the 80s for our next Two-Timer. Like the 60s, this was a great period for a character to come back a second time. Which may mean our first place holder might also come from this era....
If you're familiar with Doctor Who in its entirety, then this particular character should be somewhere in your Top 5 Two-Timer list (do other people besides me make such a list?!). If he's not, you may not be able to call yourself a fan!
As with many effective Two Timers, it's that marriage between good writing and strong acting that tends to get them to shine so brightly that we can't resist wanting to see them a second time. But, with this character, even more props than normal must be given to the actor's portrayal. He embraced the alien qualities of the personality so deeply that we really don't feel like we're watching someone in a costume. This really does seem like a creature rather than a person.
BROWN ON VAROS
Right from his opening scene, we know there's going to be something special about Sil. We're meant to be given a bit of a sense of verisimilitude as we catch him in the middle of negotiations with the Governor of Varos. But, at the same time, Nabil Shaban knows that this is the first time we're seeing his character in the story so he pitches it with just the right level of gravitas. We're immediately drawn in and we need to lean more about this slug-like creature that talks oddly. It's one of the many magical moments of Vengeance on Varos that gets it to rank in my Top 10 Favorite Doctor Who stories, ever (for the full review, go here: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-3.html)..
Sil really is a fundamental aspect of what makes me respect the story so much. Yes, Philip Martin writes him brilliantly. But there is so much to be said about Shaban's portrayal. The Devil really is in the Details, here. Because he's playing a different species, he's sure to give him all sorts of mannerisms and inflections that make him seem genuinely inhuman. He flicks his tail or does weird things with his hands or shows great relish for the suffering of others. All of these little unusual traits add up to give us something truly alien. I might even go so far to say that this is the best "non-human" performance in the history of sci-fi TV. Shaban is just that good.
Quintessentially, Sil is meant to be an amalgamation of all that is evil about corporate greed. He's not the first character we've seen like this in the show. The Usurian in The Sunmakers is quite similar and that actor does a great job with the character, too. But Sil is just that little bit more fun and interesting to watch. Again, I think much of it has to do with Shaban being so unabashedly alien in the performance. Not just in the mannerisms, but in the nuances he brings out in the character.
While he is, no doubt, meant to be in an adult stage of his life, Sil behaves like a demented child. Whenever anything gets in the way of what he wants, he pulls a tantrum. When he sees an opportunity for glory and power near the end of the story, he jumps on it and become ridiculously over-excited about the whole thing. He's constantly bullying his way around and treats anyone he dislikes with unfettered contempt. He's absolutely deplorable.
And yet, because Shaban gives him those childlike qualities - we find ourselves liking him ever-so-slightly. Sil might be like some twisted kid - but that means there is a certain naivete to the character. So it's not just all those weird alien qualities that make him so fun to watch, he also engages us just that little bit. That weird set of nuances makes us want to see him again. To learn more about where he came from.
GREEN ON THOROS BETA
Philip Martin is more-than-happy to dish us up Sil again during his contribution to the Trial of a Time Lord season. This time, though, it's not a case of just meeting the Thoros Betan on a planet he's looking to financially conquer. We actually go to Sil's homeworld. Which, in my opinion, was awesome. A great way to handle a second appearance. We're going get some real knowledge of his background, this time.
It seems apparent that some time has passed since the Doctor's first encounter with Sil on Varos. Sil's species appears to go through some pretty noticeable changes in aesthetics as they age. Not only is he a different color, but his head has even changed shape quite a bit. We're not sure if these changes are naturally or artificially induced. It's entirely possible that Sil didn't like the way he looked and had some work done. Rich folk tend to do stuff like that.
Whatever the case, there are some changes in Sil's behavior, too. In his younger days, he was this ruthless negotiator who would go to any lengths to ensure that the corporation he worked for received maximum profit at minimal expense. But, by Mindwarp, he has massively climbed the corporate ladder. We doubt he ever actually goes out to other worlds anymore to work deals - he probably has underlings to do that for him. Nowadays, he just sits on Thoros Beta and counts his money through the warp-fold relay. He seems to be second-in-command of all operations on Thoros Beta.. Answerable only to the great Lord Kiv, himself.
But rather than being drunk with power all the time, Sil has become a sniveling toadie. He kisses up to his boss so much that Kiv actually finds him annoying. Which indicates Sil probably has some legitimate business acumen or he wouldn't be in the position he's in. Kiv does not seem to appreciate "yes men" so Sil must also actually be useful in some way. Sil's personality has changed radically since his first story but Shaban is a pro and gets it all to work. He still manages to imbue the character with some of those child-like traits, again. So that, once more, the character is repugnant but we still like him just that little bit.
And, of course, we're still getting all that other fun stuff that made him such a treat to watch in his first adventure. Tongue gyrations and weird body movements and the like. That's such an important part of Sil's character. Some of the other actors playing Thoros Betans remember to put some of those mannerisms in to their portrayals - but no one nails it as well as Shaban does.
While Mindwarp might not be quite as strong a tale as Vengeance on Varos, it's still a great story for Sil. We actually see that he's gone through some sort of character growth since his first appearance. And we learn a lot more about his background. And it's great fun watching him eat! All around, Sil's return is truly triumphant.
FINAL ANALYSIS:
Sil came so close to being at the top of this list. I adore the character that much. And I would be more-than-happy to see him lose his two-timer status if it meant a return to the show. The New Series production team probably wouldn't even need to improve much on the costume - it looked pretty good, already. And it would just be great to see him wheeling and dealing again. And acting like the dark, malevolent big kid that he is.
I am hearing tell of a production team that is shooting a sort of independent film starring Shaban as Sil. Some sort of spin-off adventure. This is actually quite exciting, in itself. I love the character enough to seek him out in this format. But a return to the actual TV show would still be wonderful, too. That weaselly little Thoros Betan needs to square off with the Doctor once more....
Number One Two-Timer soon to be announced. Who do you think it will be?
Number Five:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Number Four:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Number Three:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
If you're familiar with Doctor Who in its entirety, then this particular character should be somewhere in your Top 5 Two-Timer list (do other people besides me make such a list?!). If he's not, you may not be able to call yourself a fan!
As with many effective Two Timers, it's that marriage between good writing and strong acting that tends to get them to shine so brightly that we can't resist wanting to see them a second time. But, with this character, even more props than normal must be given to the actor's portrayal. He embraced the alien qualities of the personality so deeply that we really don't feel like we're watching someone in a costume. This really does seem like a creature rather than a person.
BROWN ON VAROS
Right from his opening scene, we know there's going to be something special about Sil. We're meant to be given a bit of a sense of verisimilitude as we catch him in the middle of negotiations with the Governor of Varos. But, at the same time, Nabil Shaban knows that this is the first time we're seeing his character in the story so he pitches it with just the right level of gravitas. We're immediately drawn in and we need to lean more about this slug-like creature that talks oddly. It's one of the many magical moments of Vengeance on Varos that gets it to rank in my Top 10 Favorite Doctor Who stories, ever (for the full review, go here: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-3.html)..
Sil really is a fundamental aspect of what makes me respect the story so much. Yes, Philip Martin writes him brilliantly. But there is so much to be said about Shaban's portrayal. The Devil really is in the Details, here. Because he's playing a different species, he's sure to give him all sorts of mannerisms and inflections that make him seem genuinely inhuman. He flicks his tail or does weird things with his hands or shows great relish for the suffering of others. All of these little unusual traits add up to give us something truly alien. I might even go so far to say that this is the best "non-human" performance in the history of sci-fi TV. Shaban is just that good.
Quintessentially, Sil is meant to be an amalgamation of all that is evil about corporate greed. He's not the first character we've seen like this in the show. The Usurian in The Sunmakers is quite similar and that actor does a great job with the character, too. But Sil is just that little bit more fun and interesting to watch. Again, I think much of it has to do with Shaban being so unabashedly alien in the performance. Not just in the mannerisms, but in the nuances he brings out in the character.
While he is, no doubt, meant to be in an adult stage of his life, Sil behaves like a demented child. Whenever anything gets in the way of what he wants, he pulls a tantrum. When he sees an opportunity for glory and power near the end of the story, he jumps on it and become ridiculously over-excited about the whole thing. He's constantly bullying his way around and treats anyone he dislikes with unfettered contempt. He's absolutely deplorable.
And yet, because Shaban gives him those childlike qualities - we find ourselves liking him ever-so-slightly. Sil might be like some twisted kid - but that means there is a certain naivete to the character. So it's not just all those weird alien qualities that make him so fun to watch, he also engages us just that little bit. That weird set of nuances makes us want to see him again. To learn more about where he came from.
GREEN ON THOROS BETA
Philip Martin is more-than-happy to dish us up Sil again during his contribution to the Trial of a Time Lord season. This time, though, it's not a case of just meeting the Thoros Betan on a planet he's looking to financially conquer. We actually go to Sil's homeworld. Which, in my opinion, was awesome. A great way to handle a second appearance. We're going get some real knowledge of his background, this time.
It seems apparent that some time has passed since the Doctor's first encounter with Sil on Varos. Sil's species appears to go through some pretty noticeable changes in aesthetics as they age. Not only is he a different color, but his head has even changed shape quite a bit. We're not sure if these changes are naturally or artificially induced. It's entirely possible that Sil didn't like the way he looked and had some work done. Rich folk tend to do stuff like that.
Whatever the case, there are some changes in Sil's behavior, too. In his younger days, he was this ruthless negotiator who would go to any lengths to ensure that the corporation he worked for received maximum profit at minimal expense. But, by Mindwarp, he has massively climbed the corporate ladder. We doubt he ever actually goes out to other worlds anymore to work deals - he probably has underlings to do that for him. Nowadays, he just sits on Thoros Beta and counts his money through the warp-fold relay. He seems to be second-in-command of all operations on Thoros Beta.. Answerable only to the great Lord Kiv, himself.
But rather than being drunk with power all the time, Sil has become a sniveling toadie. He kisses up to his boss so much that Kiv actually finds him annoying. Which indicates Sil probably has some legitimate business acumen or he wouldn't be in the position he's in. Kiv does not seem to appreciate "yes men" so Sil must also actually be useful in some way. Sil's personality has changed radically since his first story but Shaban is a pro and gets it all to work. He still manages to imbue the character with some of those child-like traits, again. So that, once more, the character is repugnant but we still like him just that little bit.
And, of course, we're still getting all that other fun stuff that made him such a treat to watch in his first adventure. Tongue gyrations and weird body movements and the like. That's such an important part of Sil's character. Some of the other actors playing Thoros Betans remember to put some of those mannerisms in to their portrayals - but no one nails it as well as Shaban does.
While Mindwarp might not be quite as strong a tale as Vengeance on Varos, it's still a great story for Sil. We actually see that he's gone through some sort of character growth since his first appearance. And we learn a lot more about his background. And it's great fun watching him eat! All around, Sil's return is truly triumphant.
FINAL ANALYSIS:
Sil came so close to being at the top of this list. I adore the character that much. And I would be more-than-happy to see him lose his two-timer status if it meant a return to the show. The New Series production team probably wouldn't even need to improve much on the costume - it looked pretty good, already. And it would just be great to see him wheeling and dealing again. And acting like the dark, malevolent big kid that he is.
I am hearing tell of a production team that is shooting a sort of independent film starring Shaban as Sil. Some sort of spin-off adventure. This is actually quite exciting, in itself. I love the character enough to seek him out in this format. But a return to the actual TV show would still be wonderful, too. That weaselly little Thoros Betan needs to square off with the Doctor once more....
Number One Two-Timer soon to be announced. Who do you think it will be?
Number Five:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Number Four:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number_25.html
Number Three:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Tuesday, 25 June 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: TOP 5 TWO-TIMERS - NUMBER FOUR
Counting down the five best characters who have made two appearances on the show. This one goes back to those very early days...
SOMEONE FROM 60s WHO:
With half of his footage purged, the fact that I still like this character so much speaks volumes about his effectiveness. Professor Edward Travers is a great recurring character who deserves all the kudos he gets. He is very fondly remembered by fans who were around when the episodes were originally transmitted. But what exists in telesnaps and audio and actual episodes that are still intact is enough to get us younger fans to agree with all the fuss. He's half-decently written (particularly in Web of Fear), but the quality of Jack Watling's performance is what really gets him to work so well.
Watling seems obviously happy to be working with his daughter on a major TV show. This seems to get him to really turn on the charm for Travers. He's so good in the role that we have to see him again. And, in that return appearance, Watling does a great job of giving us a much older version of the character we first saw. Which, to me, is one of the greatest appeals of Travers. The age jump does come across as very convincing. We sincerely believe this is the same man 40 years later.
FIRST APPEARANCE - MAKING PROBLEMS
We must truly marvel at Watling in The Abominable Snowmen. Truthfully, he's not given much. I do sincerely believe that writers Haisman and Lincoln recognized that 6 episodes was a lot to fill for a plot that was just about Yeti and a Tibetan monastery. They needed to bring in some extra conflict to pad things out. Along comes Travers - conveniently on a Yeti hunt just as the TARDIS arrives. He immediately mistakes the Doctor for murdering his friend and gets the Time Lord incarcerated by the monks. Which immediately slows down the first two episodes as we deal with the unraveling of the whole case of mistaken identity. Once that's resolved, Travers creates more complications as he sneaks out of the monastery in Episode Three. Giving the story more padding.
And yet, even though he is blatantly put into the story to help with a plotting issue, Watling is still able to put a lot of meat on the bones. That sequence in Episode One where he torments the Doctor in his cell is a great example of the man's acting chops. Even with the scene now only existing in pictures and audio, Watling really delivers a very emotional moment that shines through in his voice and the limited expressions we see of him. He is a man at wit's end. And, even though he's creating problems in the Doctor's life, we feel sorry for him. In less capable hands, the speech he gives about the ridicule he's received for believing in the Yeti might not have made us so attached to him. And, if we hadn't grown so attached to him, there might not have been a second appearance. It's Watlings ability to find such moments and give them all their worth that makes us love him so much and want to see more of him.
But we shouldn't pick on the writers too hard. They do build a few things into the character that help us to like him all the more. In Episode Two, Travers offers a sincere apology when he realizes the mistake he's made about the Doctor attacking his friend. Again, Watling pounces on this opportunity and plays it for all it's worth. But Haisman and Lincoln could have easily crafted the scene differently and made Travers less likeable. Travers could have been one of those people that are too proud to apologize but the writers chose not to go that way with him. They didn't just want a plot cypher. They wanted to give him a few layers and endear him to the audience.
FIRST APPEARANCE - BECOMING USEFUL
As we get into the later episodes of Abominable Snowmen, Travers shifts gears. He goes from plot complication to useful ally. It is that shift in tone with the character that truly makes us like him. Had he just continued being a thorn in the Doctor's side, we would definitely not have craved a return appearance.
Again, he's not given all that much to work with during certain parts. Episode Four sees him just following Yeti while hiding behind rocks. In Episode Five, he's mainly just struggling with memory loss. Yet, once more, Watling does the best with what he's been handed. As Travers and the Doctor sneak out of the monastery at the end of Part Five to get that all-important second reading to locate the source of the Yeti transmissions, note how Watling latches on to the courage his character is showing and plays it for all its worth.
Finally, Episode Six sees Travers truly swinging into action. He forms his own plot strand for a while as he tries to climb up the mountain to face where he believes the real threat to be. When that fails, he returns to the monastery to try to help the Doctor and passes onto him the one shred of knowledge that will truly enable him to win. He's evolved from plot complication to story resolution. But, along the way, he's bestowed with some considerable charm through Watling's performance. As he notices what appears to be a "real Yeti" in the distance while walking the Doctor and friends back to the TARDIS, we can't help but wish him the best of luck.
THE WEB OF A SECOND APPEARANCE
When Edward Travers returns in Web of Fear, he's a very different man. 40 years or so has made him immensely more entertaining. The moodily-shot opening scene establishes that the heroic adventurer we first met in Abominable Snowmen has turned into quite the eccentric. Watling is totally unafraid to go for the laughs during that scene and it makes an adorable juxtaposition against all the creepy stuff that's meant to be going on at the same time. As we see him again in the first episode, the comedy continues. We love it when he intentionally gives Chorley a soundbyte he knows he can't use.
With all his quirky behavior (and even his eccentric costume) Travers almost begins to rival the Doctor for the coveted position of Most Interesting Character in the Story. He's just great fun to watch. Haisman and Lincoln seem to be almost conscious of that and start sidelining him more and more as the tale continues. At one point, Travers disappears for an entire episode. When he does return, he's the mouthpiece of the Great Intelligence for quite a while. All of this robs Watling of the opportunity to keep charming us the way he did in the earlier episodes.
No matter, though. Watling, once more, grabs on to whatever he can and acts his little heart out. The fact that one of the cliffhangers is Travers in danger as opposed to the Doctor or a companion speaks volumes of the attachment we've formed for him. We sincerely hope that he'll be okay when the Great Intelligence is done using him. It's a relief when he is restored to his normal self.
Once more, the character is given a touch of humility to make him more likeable. In the same way that he sincerely apologizes to the Doctor for the mistake he made in Abominable Snowmen, Travers confesses deep guilt for re-activating a control sphere and causing the whole disaster that beset London. It's a nice moment that gives the cranky old professor a bit more dimension than just the comic relief he was providing in earlier episodes. Once more, the writing and the performance rounds out the character beautifully.
FINAL VERDICT
Admittedly, a certain amount of narrative expediency may have prompted the return of Travers. Bringing back someone who knew the Doctor during his first battle against the Great Intelligence makes it easier for him to be accepted among the group that is fighting his second attack (which, only later, would we realize is actually his third attack - if you want this statement to make better sense read this: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2018/09/chronologies-and-timelines-great.html ). But, once more, Travers is not just a plot cypher. Enough is added to the character through writing and performance that he ends up being one of the most loved of all the recurring characters that we've seen in the show.
It is just a little bit sad that we don't get the third appearance of Travers that is implied in The Invasion. It would have been great to see the Good Professor and his daughter one more time (even if it would have eliminated him from this countdown!). But the character does get quite thoroughly examined during his first two tales. Particularly since such a huge gap of time occurs between the two appearances. Thanks to the brilliance of Watling's acting - we can see how the younger heroic man of action becomes the wacky eccentric of later years. In fact, it all seems quite seamless.
Well, it took me quite some time to get this entry written. My actual career seemed to get in the way of things, again (if only I could just blog about Doctor Who all the days of my life - I would be so much more content!). July slows down considerably for me. I should get the rest of this countdown done during that month.
Here is the first installment:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
SOMEONE FROM 60s WHO:
With half of his footage purged, the fact that I still like this character so much speaks volumes about his effectiveness. Professor Edward Travers is a great recurring character who deserves all the kudos he gets. He is very fondly remembered by fans who were around when the episodes were originally transmitted. But what exists in telesnaps and audio and actual episodes that are still intact is enough to get us younger fans to agree with all the fuss. He's half-decently written (particularly in Web of Fear), but the quality of Jack Watling's performance is what really gets him to work so well.
Watling seems obviously happy to be working with his daughter on a major TV show. This seems to get him to really turn on the charm for Travers. He's so good in the role that we have to see him again. And, in that return appearance, Watling does a great job of giving us a much older version of the character we first saw. Which, to me, is one of the greatest appeals of Travers. The age jump does come across as very convincing. We sincerely believe this is the same man 40 years later.
FIRST APPEARANCE - MAKING PROBLEMS
We must truly marvel at Watling in The Abominable Snowmen. Truthfully, he's not given much. I do sincerely believe that writers Haisman and Lincoln recognized that 6 episodes was a lot to fill for a plot that was just about Yeti and a Tibetan monastery. They needed to bring in some extra conflict to pad things out. Along comes Travers - conveniently on a Yeti hunt just as the TARDIS arrives. He immediately mistakes the Doctor for murdering his friend and gets the Time Lord incarcerated by the monks. Which immediately slows down the first two episodes as we deal with the unraveling of the whole case of mistaken identity. Once that's resolved, Travers creates more complications as he sneaks out of the monastery in Episode Three. Giving the story more padding.
And yet, even though he is blatantly put into the story to help with a plotting issue, Watling is still able to put a lot of meat on the bones. That sequence in Episode One where he torments the Doctor in his cell is a great example of the man's acting chops. Even with the scene now only existing in pictures and audio, Watling really delivers a very emotional moment that shines through in his voice and the limited expressions we see of him. He is a man at wit's end. And, even though he's creating problems in the Doctor's life, we feel sorry for him. In less capable hands, the speech he gives about the ridicule he's received for believing in the Yeti might not have made us so attached to him. And, if we hadn't grown so attached to him, there might not have been a second appearance. It's Watlings ability to find such moments and give them all their worth that makes us love him so much and want to see more of him.
But we shouldn't pick on the writers too hard. They do build a few things into the character that help us to like him all the more. In Episode Two, Travers offers a sincere apology when he realizes the mistake he's made about the Doctor attacking his friend. Again, Watling pounces on this opportunity and plays it for all it's worth. But Haisman and Lincoln could have easily crafted the scene differently and made Travers less likeable. Travers could have been one of those people that are too proud to apologize but the writers chose not to go that way with him. They didn't just want a plot cypher. They wanted to give him a few layers and endear him to the audience.
FIRST APPEARANCE - BECOMING USEFUL
As we get into the later episodes of Abominable Snowmen, Travers shifts gears. He goes from plot complication to useful ally. It is that shift in tone with the character that truly makes us like him. Had he just continued being a thorn in the Doctor's side, we would definitely not have craved a return appearance.
Again, he's not given all that much to work with during certain parts. Episode Four sees him just following Yeti while hiding behind rocks. In Episode Five, he's mainly just struggling with memory loss. Yet, once more, Watling does the best with what he's been handed. As Travers and the Doctor sneak out of the monastery at the end of Part Five to get that all-important second reading to locate the source of the Yeti transmissions, note how Watling latches on to the courage his character is showing and plays it for all its worth.
Finally, Episode Six sees Travers truly swinging into action. He forms his own plot strand for a while as he tries to climb up the mountain to face where he believes the real threat to be. When that fails, he returns to the monastery to try to help the Doctor and passes onto him the one shred of knowledge that will truly enable him to win. He's evolved from plot complication to story resolution. But, along the way, he's bestowed with some considerable charm through Watling's performance. As he notices what appears to be a "real Yeti" in the distance while walking the Doctor and friends back to the TARDIS, we can't help but wish him the best of luck.
THE WEB OF A SECOND APPEARANCE
When Edward Travers returns in Web of Fear, he's a very different man. 40 years or so has made him immensely more entertaining. The moodily-shot opening scene establishes that the heroic adventurer we first met in Abominable Snowmen has turned into quite the eccentric. Watling is totally unafraid to go for the laughs during that scene and it makes an adorable juxtaposition against all the creepy stuff that's meant to be going on at the same time. As we see him again in the first episode, the comedy continues. We love it when he intentionally gives Chorley a soundbyte he knows he can't use.
With all his quirky behavior (and even his eccentric costume) Travers almost begins to rival the Doctor for the coveted position of Most Interesting Character in the Story. He's just great fun to watch. Haisman and Lincoln seem to be almost conscious of that and start sidelining him more and more as the tale continues. At one point, Travers disappears for an entire episode. When he does return, he's the mouthpiece of the Great Intelligence for quite a while. All of this robs Watling of the opportunity to keep charming us the way he did in the earlier episodes.
No matter, though. Watling, once more, grabs on to whatever he can and acts his little heart out. The fact that one of the cliffhangers is Travers in danger as opposed to the Doctor or a companion speaks volumes of the attachment we've formed for him. We sincerely hope that he'll be okay when the Great Intelligence is done using him. It's a relief when he is restored to his normal self.
Once more, the character is given a touch of humility to make him more likeable. In the same way that he sincerely apologizes to the Doctor for the mistake he made in Abominable Snowmen, Travers confesses deep guilt for re-activating a control sphere and causing the whole disaster that beset London. It's a nice moment that gives the cranky old professor a bit more dimension than just the comic relief he was providing in earlier episodes. Once more, the writing and the performance rounds out the character beautifully.
FINAL VERDICT
Admittedly, a certain amount of narrative expediency may have prompted the return of Travers. Bringing back someone who knew the Doctor during his first battle against the Great Intelligence makes it easier for him to be accepted among the group that is fighting his second attack (which, only later, would we realize is actually his third attack - if you want this statement to make better sense read this: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2018/09/chronologies-and-timelines-great.html ). But, once more, Travers is not just a plot cypher. Enough is added to the character through writing and performance that he ends up being one of the most loved of all the recurring characters that we've seen in the show.
It is just a little bit sad that we don't get the third appearance of Travers that is implied in The Invasion. It would have been great to see the Good Professor and his daughter one more time (even if it would have eliminated him from this countdown!). But the character does get quite thoroughly examined during his first two tales. Particularly since such a huge gap of time occurs between the two appearances. Thanks to the brilliance of Watling's acting - we can see how the younger heroic man of action becomes the wacky eccentric of later years. In fact, it all seems quite seamless.
Well, it took me quite some time to get this entry written. My actual career seemed to get in the way of things, again (if only I could just blog about Doctor Who all the days of my life - I would be so much more content!). July slows down considerably for me. I should get the rest of this countdown done during that month.
Here is the first installment:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-of-lists-top-5-two-timers-number.html
Monday, 3 June 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: TOP 5 TWO TIMERS - NUMBER FIVE
With a constant theme of the TARDIS going somewhere new and different almost every week, we've been lucky to get a little bit of consistency thrown in now and again. Sometimes, the Doctor returns to a location he's been to before to enjoy a second visit. Like, say, the human/monoid colony ship, or Peladon, or even Satellite Five.
But I find what makes the series more enjoyable is when he runs into the same character for a second time. There's been some nice returning good guys like Professor Travers or Rigsy. And there's been some very nice baddies, too. Like Lytton (who ended up being a bit of a good guy in the second story) and the Lady Cassandra (who also kind of turned nice toward the end too). I like to refer to characters like these as two-timers. Not because they've double-crossed the Doctor in some way (or, maybe, cheated on him?!). But because we see them twice in the show.
Lots of interesting stuff has been done with these sort of characters because they were allowed two appearances. I have a special fondness for them. Which is why I felt it was time to do a BOOK OF LISTS where I list my five favorites.
NUMBER FIVE: SOMEONE FROM THE NEW SERIES
The obvious intention with Craig Owens is comic relief. Both the character and the stories he starred in were meant to be lighter. Episodes with Craig are placed near the end of the season so that we get just a little rest from the intensity that is building up as we near the finale. It's a very smart choice on Moff's part to plot a series that way.
James Corden was the most brilliant choice for the part. It was a sheer stroke of casting luck.The guy just excels at being funny. Even in the smallest of details. I love how, during his opening scene in The Lodger, he realizes his night with Sophie is off and finds the funniest possible way to throw out a pizza menu. Seriously, watch the scene over. That pizza menu is disposed of in the most hilarious of fashions. That's just how good he is.
Naturally enough, if he can create comedic impact with most insignificant of gestures, the stuff that's really meant to be funny is done with amazing finesse. Corden is obviously a genius at making people laugh. The fact that he would later go on to host one of the most successful late night talk shows, ever, definitely cements this notion. You don't hand someone a show like that unless they know their stuff. Particularly since it's an American show. James Corden might have been well known in Britain, but no one in the States knew much about him when he was appointed host. It was his sheer talent that gained him the job - not so much his celebrity power.
Of course, part of being good at comedy is recognizing the abilities of the people you're playing off of. Matt Smith can be quite the Master of Silliness, himself. Corden takes stock of that and does an excellent job of sparking off of him. Sometimes even playing Straight Man and setting up Smith for some great jokes rather just trying to nail all the punchlines and not giving his co-star much to work with. This is another mark of a truly gifted comedian: knowing when to enjoy the Spotlight and when to offer support to someone else who is in it.
I particularly enjoy the fact that Closing Time really recognizes the strength of this duo and creates multiple opportunities for the Doctor and Craig to just be a double act. The two characters spend a lot more time in two hander scenes during Closing Time than they do in The Lodger. We really get to enjoy just how well the two work together. Take the sequence where they sneak into the shop after close. Had that not been Smith and Corden, there would have probably just been a quick establishing shot of the Doctor and Craig ducking down as George the Security Guard strolls past. Perhaps a snippet of dialogue would have transpired with the Doctor warning Craig to be quiet and then we move on to the next scene. But, because the writer knew who he was writing the dialogue for, he takes full of advantage of the comedy he can mine from them. Craig and the Doctor creeping along behind the counter goes on for quite some time. But we don't notice. Because these two actors are making the best of the jokes they've been given. And we're thoroughly amused by them.
NOT JUST COMEDY
Now, if Craig were there strictly for comic relief, he probably wouldn't have made this list. The real beauty of this character is that both the episodes he's in hinge on the fact that Craig must grow as a character. In The Lodger, he must finally overcome his fear of rejection and confess his love to Sophie. It's particularly brilliant that the story will resolve very badly if he doesn't. I found myself legitimately cheering as the Doctor seems to echo the sentiment of Sebastian the Crab and hollers at Craig:"kiss the girl!". We're not just happy that this crashed time ship is going to stop murdering people, we're equally content that Craig and Sophie - two characters we've only met a mere 40 minutes earlier - are finally falling in love. This says a lot about the acting skills of both performers involved. But, the truth of the matter is, we've fallen so much in love with Craig, ourselves, that we're glad to see him overcome his shyness and win over the woman of his dreams.
Naturally enough, we needed Craig to do something even better in Closing Time. Gareth Roberts seemed very much aware of this as he penned this second tale. He's moved the character along a bit and presented him with an even bigger challenge. He's trying to be a Dad, now. But the fumbling bachelor that was starting to resemble his couch that we saw in his first installment is still present. Craig honestly believes he can't be a good Dad. This becomes the new fear he must overcome. Once more, the climax of the story is contingent on him maturing. It was a great device in The Lodger so I was more-than-happy to see it return. And, because there were much bigger stakes involved, it gave us a great enough sense of variation that it didn't just feel like a re-tread. Craig breaking the spell of the cyber-conditioning to answer the cry of his child was actually quite moving.
Another nice new beat that Roberts adds to the character is the fact that Craig has had some time to think about his first experience with the Doctor. He understands the man better, now. It helps that he and the Doctor did have a brief telepathic communion, of course. But that also adds some extra street cred to the character. After all, we don't see the Doctor do that very often with a supporting character. And we've certainly never seen him do it with head buts!
Craig makes some interesting remarks about just how much he understands his alien friend. Not just the fact that he recognizes the Doctor as being the safest person to be around in a crisis, but it's especially touching when he points out how the Doctor pretends that he doesn't need anyone. It's one thing to understand how someone might be important to you. But it shows real depth of character when you show you've taken the time to figure out how you might help someone you care about. Without thinking, Craig runs off to help his friend when he needs him most. We absolutely love him for his courage in this moment.
Because of this, Craig's grabbing of a price scanner to use as a bluff against the Cybermen turns out to be more serious than comedic. Which shows yet more deftness of Corden's acting skills. He even knows when to dial his funny down a bit in order to let some drama shine through.
LOVE...
With the serious stuff seemingly over, Closing Time returns to something lighter. The confusion Lynda Baron has about Craig and the Doctor's relationship gets cleared up in a fun little way. Everything seems to be winding down as the Doctor starts giving a better explanation of what we just saw happen (thankyou, Gareth Roberts, for not being afraid of expository dialogue).
During that info-dump, we see one last really endearing trait that Craig possesses. While the Doctor tries to provide some super-sciency reason for why the Cybermen were defeated, Craig corrects him. "It was love." he insists with the sweetest of naivete. The Doctor tries to correct him and realizes the pointlessness of it. Craig is right. It was love.
This is what we adore most of this character. Yes, he's a dork. Yes, he excels at failing most of the time. He might even be a little bit too self-involved, on occasion. But he is also a wonderful idealist. And, when the chips are down, Craig comes through.
And there's some heavy Craig-Love for you. Hope you feel the same for him as I do.
We'll continue the countdown throughout the month of June. Hopefully, I can get all five of these out before the month is over. I like to keep these in a tidy 30 day package!
But I find what makes the series more enjoyable is when he runs into the same character for a second time. There's been some nice returning good guys like Professor Travers or Rigsy. And there's been some very nice baddies, too. Like Lytton (who ended up being a bit of a good guy in the second story) and the Lady Cassandra (who also kind of turned nice toward the end too). I like to refer to characters like these as two-timers. Not because they've double-crossed the Doctor in some way (or, maybe, cheated on him?!). But because we see them twice in the show.
Lots of interesting stuff has been done with these sort of characters because they were allowed two appearances. I have a special fondness for them. Which is why I felt it was time to do a BOOK OF LISTS where I list my five favorites.
NUMBER FIVE: SOMEONE FROM THE NEW SERIES
The obvious intention with Craig Owens is comic relief. Both the character and the stories he starred in were meant to be lighter. Episodes with Craig are placed near the end of the season so that we get just a little rest from the intensity that is building up as we near the finale. It's a very smart choice on Moff's part to plot a series that way.
James Corden was the most brilliant choice for the part. It was a sheer stroke of casting luck.The guy just excels at being funny. Even in the smallest of details. I love how, during his opening scene in The Lodger, he realizes his night with Sophie is off and finds the funniest possible way to throw out a pizza menu. Seriously, watch the scene over. That pizza menu is disposed of in the most hilarious of fashions. That's just how good he is.
Naturally enough, if he can create comedic impact with most insignificant of gestures, the stuff that's really meant to be funny is done with amazing finesse. Corden is obviously a genius at making people laugh. The fact that he would later go on to host one of the most successful late night talk shows, ever, definitely cements this notion. You don't hand someone a show like that unless they know their stuff. Particularly since it's an American show. James Corden might have been well known in Britain, but no one in the States knew much about him when he was appointed host. It was his sheer talent that gained him the job - not so much his celebrity power.
Of course, part of being good at comedy is recognizing the abilities of the people you're playing off of. Matt Smith can be quite the Master of Silliness, himself. Corden takes stock of that and does an excellent job of sparking off of him. Sometimes even playing Straight Man and setting up Smith for some great jokes rather just trying to nail all the punchlines and not giving his co-star much to work with. This is another mark of a truly gifted comedian: knowing when to enjoy the Spotlight and when to offer support to someone else who is in it.
I particularly enjoy the fact that Closing Time really recognizes the strength of this duo and creates multiple opportunities for the Doctor and Craig to just be a double act. The two characters spend a lot more time in two hander scenes during Closing Time than they do in The Lodger. We really get to enjoy just how well the two work together. Take the sequence where they sneak into the shop after close. Had that not been Smith and Corden, there would have probably just been a quick establishing shot of the Doctor and Craig ducking down as George the Security Guard strolls past. Perhaps a snippet of dialogue would have transpired with the Doctor warning Craig to be quiet and then we move on to the next scene. But, because the writer knew who he was writing the dialogue for, he takes full of advantage of the comedy he can mine from them. Craig and the Doctor creeping along behind the counter goes on for quite some time. But we don't notice. Because these two actors are making the best of the jokes they've been given. And we're thoroughly amused by them.
NOT JUST COMEDY
Now, if Craig were there strictly for comic relief, he probably wouldn't have made this list. The real beauty of this character is that both the episodes he's in hinge on the fact that Craig must grow as a character. In The Lodger, he must finally overcome his fear of rejection and confess his love to Sophie. It's particularly brilliant that the story will resolve very badly if he doesn't. I found myself legitimately cheering as the Doctor seems to echo the sentiment of Sebastian the Crab and hollers at Craig:"kiss the girl!". We're not just happy that this crashed time ship is going to stop murdering people, we're equally content that Craig and Sophie - two characters we've only met a mere 40 minutes earlier - are finally falling in love. This says a lot about the acting skills of both performers involved. But, the truth of the matter is, we've fallen so much in love with Craig, ourselves, that we're glad to see him overcome his shyness and win over the woman of his dreams.
Naturally enough, we needed Craig to do something even better in Closing Time. Gareth Roberts seemed very much aware of this as he penned this second tale. He's moved the character along a bit and presented him with an even bigger challenge. He's trying to be a Dad, now. But the fumbling bachelor that was starting to resemble his couch that we saw in his first installment is still present. Craig honestly believes he can't be a good Dad. This becomes the new fear he must overcome. Once more, the climax of the story is contingent on him maturing. It was a great device in The Lodger so I was more-than-happy to see it return. And, because there were much bigger stakes involved, it gave us a great enough sense of variation that it didn't just feel like a re-tread. Craig breaking the spell of the cyber-conditioning to answer the cry of his child was actually quite moving.
Another nice new beat that Roberts adds to the character is the fact that Craig has had some time to think about his first experience with the Doctor. He understands the man better, now. It helps that he and the Doctor did have a brief telepathic communion, of course. But that also adds some extra street cred to the character. After all, we don't see the Doctor do that very often with a supporting character. And we've certainly never seen him do it with head buts!
Craig makes some interesting remarks about just how much he understands his alien friend. Not just the fact that he recognizes the Doctor as being the safest person to be around in a crisis, but it's especially touching when he points out how the Doctor pretends that he doesn't need anyone. It's one thing to understand how someone might be important to you. But it shows real depth of character when you show you've taken the time to figure out how you might help someone you care about. Without thinking, Craig runs off to help his friend when he needs him most. We absolutely love him for his courage in this moment.
Because of this, Craig's grabbing of a price scanner to use as a bluff against the Cybermen turns out to be more serious than comedic. Which shows yet more deftness of Corden's acting skills. He even knows when to dial his funny down a bit in order to let some drama shine through.
LOVE...
With the serious stuff seemingly over, Closing Time returns to something lighter. The confusion Lynda Baron has about Craig and the Doctor's relationship gets cleared up in a fun little way. Everything seems to be winding down as the Doctor starts giving a better explanation of what we just saw happen (thankyou, Gareth Roberts, for not being afraid of expository dialogue).
During that info-dump, we see one last really endearing trait that Craig possesses. While the Doctor tries to provide some super-sciency reason for why the Cybermen were defeated, Craig corrects him. "It was love." he insists with the sweetest of naivete. The Doctor tries to correct him and realizes the pointlessness of it. Craig is right. It was love.
This is what we adore most of this character. Yes, he's a dork. Yes, he excels at failing most of the time. He might even be a little bit too self-involved, on occasion. But he is also a wonderful idealist. And, when the chips are down, Craig comes through.
And there's some heavy Craig-Love for you. Hope you feel the same for him as I do.
We'll continue the countdown throughout the month of June. Hopefully, I can get all five of these out before the month is over. I like to keep these in a tidy 30 day package!
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