REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: THE THIRD DOCTOR ERA

And we're movin' on with rating the first appearances of recurring foes. As always, I'll attach the entry with the "rules" up here. Just in case you missed it. You should read this first before you go any further:

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html

We're on the Third Doctor Era, already. If you didn't read them, I'll set up links to Doctors One and Two at the end of the post. 

THE THIRD DOCTOR ERA 

Doctor Who really seems to figure itself out during this period. Season Seven still feels very experimental in certain places. But, from Season Eight onwards, there's definitely a formula being established. In fact - as I have often complained - it sticks a little too hard to that formula, sometimes! 

But now that it does have its feet firmly on the ground (only took about seven years!), the show really is getting its head around the process of creating a good recurring foe. You can see it, quite clearly, sometimes. We get an interesting alien like the Axons. But we can tell they've really only got one story in them. But then someone like the Master comes along and we know we'll see this guy again and again (in all five stories of a season, in fact!). 

Now that they have the making of recurring foes down to a science, a lot of them start to spring up. In fact, we never see more recurring foes than we do during this period. Which is why I'm devoting yet another entire entry to just one Doctor. 

SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE 

Recurring Foe: The Nestene Consciousness 

Right from his first story, Doctor Three is meeting a nasty baddie that will come back to haunt him again next season. Then a few more times in New Who. Even a companion becomes one for a while. They didn't cause Praxeus, though. Not their style... 

Writing:          ........................................          9

The Nestene and its evil Auton servants are, for the most part, very well-constructed. A great concept for a monster. Particularly the notion of the whole race being just one mind. We've seen hints of this trait in other creatures from past seasons, but it's illustrated in greater detail, here. The internal logic of the whole Hive Mind works pretty good. Most of the time. 

Performance:  .......................................         10 

Everybody that's meant to be part of the Nestene Consciousness does a great job. Channing is completely chilling, of course. The actor totally immerses himself in the part and gives us an absolutely terrifying portrayal. But even the guys running around in the boiler suits and Halloween masks really sell it. All who represent the Nestene come across as genuinely alien and completely sinister. 

The Actual Story:  ................................            9

Robert Holmes, by this point, is really starting to hit his stride. This is an extremely solid plot that feels only slightly too light, in places. Overall, though, it's a very tight story that gives great attention to both the introduction of a new Doctor and the development of an invasion plan by a very interesting alien. Very quickly, the Nestene causes us to become scared of all things plastic. Particularly mannequins! 

It should also be noted that this is one of the most visually-stunning Doctor Who stories in the whole history of the show. Shooting it all on film made it absolutely gorgeous. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ....      9

Right off the bat, we see that we're back to a Doctor that likes to get up in the baddie's face. His confrontation with Channing in the last few minutes of Part Four is the sort of stuff I absolutely adore. The Doctor standing strong against his foe and giving him a Royal Tell-Off is always one of my favorite parts of the show. I still enjoyed how Troughton talked to his enemies. It was an interesting new direction to take with the protagonist. But it's nice to see the Doctor acting this way again when facing the antagonist of the story. 

Long-Term Impact:  ....................................     10

Another one of those foes that surprises us by coming back long after we thought he was done for. For years, it felt like the Nestene would only make its two appearances in the Third Doctor Era. There was vague talk of bringing them back in the original plans for Season Twenty-Three but then that fell through. We finally get to 2005 and, lo and behold, the Nestene is there as we get re-introduced to Doctor Who. It was a nice touch for the New Series to start with such a classic foe. It was also great to see them return again during the Matt Smith Era. A really great legacy that began with a near-classic adventure.

FINAL SCORE: 47

There's probably no better way to start a new Doctor's era than a well-written script by Robert Holmes that invents a new returning villain at the same time! 

DOCTOR WHO AND THE SILURIANS 

Recurring Foe: Homo-Reptilia 

"But Rob!" some of you might be saying, "Homo-Reptilia are good guys! They don't qualify as recurring foes!"    

With the exception of Lady Vastra and some Silurians that helped him in A Good Man Goes to War, these guys are a mix of friends and enemies. In their very first story, for example, the Old Silurian is fairly decent (but still needs to be convinced that he shouldn't be harming humans). But the Young Silurian is a total jerk that just wants to wipe us out. In the case of stories like Warriors of the Deep and Legend of the Sea Devils, absolutely none of the lizard folks are particularly nice at all. They just want ape primitives to die as they have lived - in a sea of their own blood!

This amount of malevolence within their species makes them nasty enough to be considered recurring foes. In most stories, there's enough of them causing serious problems to make them villains that the Doctor must fight almost every time he meets them. That, in my book, qualifies them to be in this analysis. 

Writing:          .............................................       8

In many ways, having both "good" and "bad" Silurians makes the nasty ones stand out all-the-more. Watching Young Silurian confront any of the other members of the revived colony really does highlight his villainy. He seems especially cruel when he finally kills Old Silurian and takes over. The fact that this is how succession to leadership works within their society is about the only issue I genuinely have with how they're written. I expected such a sophisticated race to be a bit more democratic!  

Performance:  .............................................      10 

I love the work of the artistes in the Silurian costumes. Giving them full-headed masks was probably not the best of moves. Unlike most monsters on the show, they were being imbued with personalities. In order to convey their characters better, they should have been given masks that allowed for more expression. Like what the Draconians would get in a few years' time. 

But the performers inside the rubber suits still do a great job of conveying emotion within their restrictions. In fact, I have never seen heads bob about so effectively!  

The Actual Story:   ......................................      9

Of the three Seven-Parters of the season, this one is the most unwieldy. It certainly drags, in places. The whole sequence with the wounded Silurian is the strongest demonstration of this problem. It moves at a snail's pace. But Doctor Who and the Silurians is still, very much, an act of brilliance. Hulke's best script. It totally re-invents the formula of a stereotypical Doctor Who story. Rather than taking an actual side, the Doctor tries to mediate between the two conflicting groups. The execution of such a different approach is done magnificently.  

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:   ......    8

A very different confrontation from the one he just had with the Nestene. Pertwee definitely recognizes that he needs to be a bit more nuanced with how he deals with the scenes where he interacts with Silurians. When actually facing some of the nastier ones, he tends to plead with them rather than tell them off. It might have been a bit more engaging if he had, legitimately, gotten up in the Young Silurian's face a bit more. But, overall, this is all great stuff. It's absolutely beautiful when he offers the hand of friendship to the Silurian Quinn has been keeping in his cottage. 

Long-Term Impact:    ....................................     8

A great first story that leads to so many more fantastic encounters. Although, I do find tales that strictly involve Sea Devils to not go so well. But I do like that Homo-Reptilia are "nicer" in some adventures than they are in others. It makes each new appearance that much more appealing. We always wonder how vicious they're going to be when they come back.  

FINAL SCORE: 43 

Another great monster that just keeps coming back. The fact that they are a lot more nuanced than most recurring foes makes each experience the Doctor has with them highly engaging. Can't wait to see what's up with the one we saw in the trailer for Joy to the World.

TERROR OF THE AUTONS

Recurring Foe: The Master 

At long last, a rival of "Moriatric" Proportions. Up until the Valeyard, the Master would be the ultimate anti-thesis of the Doctor. But, whereas the Doctor's Darker Side only gets one long story and a few name-checks in New Who, the Master is still plaguing the Doctor on a regular basis.    

Writing:             .......................................        9 

In terms of introducing the Master, this story does a near-perfect job. Right from his first scene with Lou Russell, we see this new villain's raw power. There's some great stuff in the middle episodes where the Master keeps firing at the Doctor from a distance. Then, finally, as we near the end, we get some magnificent confrontations between the two rivals. Only in those final moments does the Master suddenly stop making sense. I should actually penalize this category more for the absolutely ridiculous pivot the character makes, but so much of the writing for this enemy is so well-done that I'm able to forgive how Holmes resolves the conflict between the two Time Lords. 

Performance:   ........................................        10

I don't think we could give Delgado any less for his first appearance in the role. He absolutely nails the character perfectly.  So much so, that we almost don't notice his very unlikely change of heart near the story's climax. He does sell even that moment very well. 

While I hate to speak ill of the dead, I do feel that fandom does tend to almost "overappreciate" what the actor did. He's not always as magnificent in subsequent stories as some people claim he is. But in Terror of the Autons, he is awesome. His excellent performance solidifies the villain's future. 

The Actual Story:  ..................................          7

I have to say, Robert Holmes really only does okay, here. Inevitably, one can't help but make the comparison to the first story involving the Nestene. And we see a substantial difference in quality. No doubt, he does a great job writing the Master. But the plot, in general, is somewhat unwieldy. There's lots of bits where characters have some highly unlikely motivations in order to propel certain elements of the plot forward. And then, of course, there's that huge change of heart the Master suddenly has at the end. After about a ten second speech from the Doctor, he decides "You know what?! Those Autons are real buggers, after all!" and brings the whole adventure to a very unlikely ending. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  .....     10

Another well-deserved perfect score. Pertwee totally steps up to the plate as he faces this foe and delivers an incredible level of energy that makes their scenes together really shine. Even before they meet and the Doctor's just talking crap about him to the other Time Lord, we love the whole vibe he's giving off. It's clear these two have an intense rivalry. It explodes on the screen in front of us as they, at last, meet. It's great to watch. Later encounters between these two might not go as well (and I'm talking, specifically about Delgado and Pertwee - I don't always think they get the chemistry right), but there really is nothing to complain about, here. 

Long-Term Impact:       ..............................        10

Another recurring foe that can't get anything less than a perfect score in this category. The Master is such an important enemy to the whole formula of the show. I find it almost difficult to believe that it took eight years before we finally meet him for the first time! But all the fascinating things that get done with the character as he returns over and over in days to come is incredible. He has enhanced Doctor Who immeasurably.

FINAL SCORE: 46

Not too many superlatives I have left to use, here. The Master is great. End of story. So happy to finally see him introduced into the Lore of the show. 

DAY OF THE DALEKS 

Recurring Foe: The Ogrons 

Admittedly, I might be stretching the definition of Recurring Foe a bit, here. The Ogrons aren't so much a true returning enemy as they are someone who recurring foes hire on a semi-regular basis to assist in their plans. They are only actively fighting against the Doctor because someone has enlisted them to do it.  

Still, I think that's enough to let them get analyzed in this little study. Especially since they really are great fun to watch in their all-too-scant appearances.     

Writing:        .....................................          9

The Ogrons really do have a very unique presence in this story. They're lumbering around in the background of so many scenes, adding extra menace to the true antagonists of the story. They create such a great atmosphere that causes us to be absolutely fascinated with them. We've not really had a monster quite like this. Which causes us to appreciate them in a whole new kind of way. 

It might have been nice to give them just a little bit more spotlight, though. Their second story, for instance, expands greatly on their background. I would have enjoyed it if they had gotten just a bit more of that sort of thing in their first one, though. Not a lot, but a bit. Just to flesh them out slightly better. 

Performance:  ..................................          9

Thankyou artistes playing the Ogrons for portraying ape-like beings and not giving us any of the cliched mannerisms such creatures usually get in these situations. No one's scratching their armpits or pursing their lips ridiculously as they make silly chimp noises! Everyone feels very formidable and intimidating. The way grunt-like security guards are meant to come across. 

Sadly, however, I must deduct one point for: "No complications."!    

The Actual Story:  .............................        8 

There seems to be a general disdain for Dalek stories in the Pertwee Era. I'm not entirely sure why. For the most part, they're solidly-written. I quite enjoy Day of the Daleks for the way it looks so deeply into the cause-and-effects of time travel. 

The Daleks do feel a tad generic, here. Like it really could have been any old monster running the Earth (and, at one point in the script-writing process, it was!). So I can see why the fans might be a bit disgruntled with the tale. But it's still a pretty damned tight plot. Which, for me, makes it better-than-average. Not necessarily amazing. But still pretty damned good.    

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  .... 7

In many ways, the Doctor immediately recognizes the Ogrons for what they are. A somewhat mindless servant-class for a far more formidable enemy. So he doesn't waste much breath trying to talk to them. In his first encounter with Ogrons, he beats one up a bit with some Venusian aikido. A minute or two later, he even shoots one dead! But, in the end, there's not much else he can do to reason with them. They've been given orders by their masters and he can't really counteract those instructions with just mere words. So he has to resort to violence to deal with them.

It might have bene better, however, if he had made some sort of attempt of that nature in some later scenes. He is, perhaps, just a tad too cold in his treatment of these particular foes.  

Long-Term Impact:     ...........................      7

Only one more full story during the Pertwee Era and a brief cameo in Carnival of Monsters. That's all we've gotten. The Ogrons should be popping up all over the place. Not just in Dalek stories. But we should see other beings recruiting them to their cause. Like the Monk way back in the times of the First Doctor, they deserve a better legacy than they've gotten. They're not quite as intriguing as he was, but they still should have gotten more appearances on the show. 

FINAL SCORE: 40

The Ogrons are great fun. We love them. They will never truly be a great enemy of the Doctor's. But they can keep doing a great job of accentuating the ones that are. Come on, New Who, bring 'em back!   

THE THREE DOCTORS

Recurring Foe: Omega 

One of those villains that isn't just great fun to watch as he chews up the scenery, he also makes a fairly big contribution to the show's canon. 

Writing:         ............................................        10

What a magnificently-constructed villain Omega is. His whole backstory is making a huge contribution to the Doctor's own origins. That's pretty spectacular in and of itself. But the fact the Omega is a really fascinating character on top of that really makes the writing of his character excellent. We actually feel for the guy as he's stranded in the Singularity Point. It's absolutely horrible to discover that his body has corroded away and only his actual will is left. Omega just works so well on so many levels. He's also got one of my fave lines, ever: 

"A hero? I should have been a god!" 

Absolutely great stuff. Extra props to Bob Baker and Dave Martin for showing their classical education by making Omega a traditional Greek Tragic Hero. The costume helps to convey that, of course. But it's there in the writing first. 

Performance:   ..........................................         10 

For quite some time, Stephen Thorne pops up all over the place in Doctor Who. Like Michael Kilgarriff, he gets a lot of roles because he can back up his physical size with a very strong presence, in general. Essentially, he can act as big as he looks! 

Also like Kilgarriff, he has one role that he really shines in. This is that part. He's amazing as Omega. The character clearly needs to be melodramatic, in places. Thorne pulls that off beautifully but never actually feels hammy. He really should, sometimes. There are a few scenes where Omega just completely loses his mind. But Thorne always makes it feel believable. We think to ourselves: "Yeah. If I was stranded in a Black Hole between our Universe and the Universe of Anti-Matter, I'd probably be a bit over-the-top, too!" 

The Actual Story:        ..................................        8

Oh, how threadbare the plot is! It's even quite obvious. A whole lot of nothing happens during Episode Two. Not much more happens in Three. One and Four are the parts where any real serious developments occur. Even then, we get a scene in Part Four involving characters stepping into dry ice mist that drags on forever! 

But the core premise of the story gets us too forgive so much. Previous actors that have played the Doctor are being brought back to reprise their roles. And this is such great fun to watch. In fact, it brings about another one of my favorite lines:    

"So this is what I become, eh? A dandy and clown!" 

I should be more upset with this threadbare plot. But I can't be! 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:    .......    10 

The confrontation scenes between Omega and the Doctors are great. We start with Three standing up to Omega but also according him a measure of reverence. It's an interesting dynamic for him to have with a villain. 

But then along comes Two - doing his usual shenanigans! He plays the fool in order to get Omega to lower his guard and reveal his weaknesses. It's so great to see him up to his old tricks, again. 

Being able to watch two different incarnations deal with a villain in their own unique way was a great little spectacle. I can't give anything less than a perfect score!   

Long-Term Impact:       ..................................          8

Every anniversary year, I find myself holding my breath a bit. Omega popped up for the tenth and twentieth years of Doctor Who. I keep hoping we'll see him again as the show reaches another benchmark. So far, no luck. 

It is just a bit sad that Arc of Infinity is not the best of stories. Thus robbing this category of a perfect score. However, I do love how much they changed the character in the sequel. Omega is tired, now. He just wants to come home. And that gives him quite a bit of pathos. Davison is also incredible in Part Four when he's playing him for a bit. He really does seem like a whole different person. 

FINAL SCORE: 46

Another one of those recurring foes that gets let down a bit by their only sequel and is, therefore, never seen again after it. This happens from time-to-time on Doctor Who. Personally, I don't even think we should wait for an anniversary year. Bring back Omega as soon as possible. He's great!   

THE TIME WARRIOR

Recurring Foe: The Sontarans 

The final member of the Great Recurring Foe Pantheon, at last, makes his debut. Like the Ice Warriors, the Potato Heads don't return quite as often as Daleks and Cybermen do. But they still come back a hell of a lot! 

Writing:         ...............................................           11  

One of the rare occasions where you will see me "cheat" just a little bit in the rating system. Linx the Sontaran is, easily, the best-written recurring monster. He deserves the bonus point. 

Within the context of the four episodes, his whole background is given a healthy exploration. We learn everything we need to know about Sontarans but not a single bit of the dialogue ever feels too expositional. It's a remarkable work of world-building. Or monster-creation. Or something of that nature!

Performance:  ..............................................          10 

There seems to be a certain nostalgic prejudice regarding monsters and/or villains in Doctor Who that get played by multiple actors. The first performer we see in the role tends to become the favorite. In some instances, it's merited. The portrayal is iconic. Other times, it really is just a bit of 'member berries going on (as the old South Park episodes used to say!). 

Kevin Lindsay, however, deserves all the praise he gets. He makes so many excellent choices that would influence anyone else who would play the part in the many years to come. And, unlike Cho-Je, he would be a lot less racially-offensive!   

The Actual Story:    ......................................         7

A more-than-perfect score loses a few points in this category. There are a few problems with the script. It starts off quite well. But, as we get further into it, it meanders more and more. Holmes just didn't give us enough plot to sustain the four parts. Which leads us to some pretty ridiculous time-fillers. The worst being an extended sequence involving the Doctor dodging bullets at point-blank range for the better part of five minutes! 

There are still some really great moments in The Time Warrior. But there's some pretty bad stuff in there, too.     

How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ........       10 

And.... back we go to a perfect score! I love the way the Doctor tells Linx off in every scene that they have. I also love how words, eventually, turn to action and they fight hand-to-hand. It's especially-impressive that Linx actually wins the fight. Very few characters have been able to withstand the might of the Third Doctor's Venusian Karate!   

Long-Term Impact:        .................................       10 

Admittedly, a few of their return-appearances have been a bit on the weak side. But, overall, the Sontarans really are glorious. I'm quite glad to see that their latest appearance saw them defeating both the Daleks and the Cybermen!   

FINAL SCORE:  48

The Sontarans just might be the Recurring Foe that get the very best first appearance. 

I'm the first to admit, there's a lot of mean stuff that I say about the Third Doctor Era. I'm a pretty big Negative Nancy about this period. But this is one of the best times for introductions to Recurring Foes! Some really great monsters and villains make their debut while Jon Pertwee is the Star. 

Just in case you've missed some of this series: 

The First Doctor Era: 

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_18.html

The Second Doctor Era: 

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_22.html

REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: THE SECOND DOCTOR ERA

The REVIEW OVERVIEW of first appearances of recurring foes continues. Just in case you're late in coming, here's an explanation of the Grading System: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html

And, here's my review of recurring foes that make their first appearance in the First Doctor Era: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_18.html

THE SECOND DOCTOR ERA: 

While the Second Doctor reigns, the show starts settling into a proper formula. The Doctor is the Hero. The companions are really just meant to ask: "What is it, Doctor?!" And there's lots of scary monsters that really want to invade people's bases!  

Having said that, however, there's still quite a bit of experimentation going on. Sixties Doctor Who hasn't quite figured itself out. Which means the show also hasn't perfected the manufacturing of the Perfect Recurring Foe. There's a lot of hit-or-miss going on, here. We will witness monsters and/or villains that merited return appearances but didn't get one. At the same time, we will also see characters that, maybe, should have never come back. 

While the First Doctor Era always seemed to bring back the enemies they should have, it's a bit more of a mixed bag when Troughton takes the helm. 

THE MACRA TERROR 

Recurring Foe: The Macra 

Admittedly, this one scarcely bears looking at. It almost feels like a joke when they are brought back in New Who. But a recurring foe is a recurring foe. The pattern must be followed.  

Writing          ........................................          7

The way the Macra are written is interesting. It's another case of seeing a monster handled in such a manner for the first time so it does make them stand out a bit. For the most part, they are controlling things from behind the scenes. Getting certain humans to do the bulk of their dirty work for them. Which, as I said, is a new and interesting way to present a baddie. 

There's a considerable drawback, though. There should have been a moment where they were brought into the spotlight. A scene similar to what the Rills get in the latter half of Galaxy Four. But that never really happens. And, because it doesn't, the Macra never have all that firm of a foothold in the plot. They stick more to the shadows. Which is creepy in its own right and has some degree of merit to it. But the effect also works to the monsters' detriment. 

Performance     .........................................        4

There aren't really any performers playing the Macra. It's, moreso, a case of operators. Production did something very ambitious with the way they constructed them. But it was a tad too ambitious for a low-budget show being made in the 60s. Things, for the most part, just end up looking awkward and clunky. 

There's not much existing footage to go by, of course. But what does remain isn't particularly watchable. Lots of actors putting on horrified expressions as they are "menaced" by the slowest-moving mechanical monster you've ever seen. Or, in some cases, we get a single claw being extended into the edge of a shot and looking thoroughly unconvincing. It's all quite painful. 

The Actual Story  ......................................       6

I would say The Macra Terror is a tad sub-par. It's a bit more interesting in its first half when it's this sort of kitschy Orwellian Dystopia. But when it switches to being more about the Macra, it tends to just plod along. It takes forever, for instance, for Jamie to find his way out of a tunnel! 

The writer seems to expect that we'll find turning gas valves on and off to be a wild and exciting piece of action. It isn't, of course. Which makes the whole conclusion of the plot wildly anti-climactic. The story's biggest blessing is that it only needed to fill out four episodes. If this had been a six-parter, it might have killed me to sit through it!  

How the Doctor Interacts With Them   ......  2

He doesn't really interact with them. That's part of the problem. He, sort of, tries to talk to them through a vid-call while they're manipulating the colony's figurehead leader. And he sees them for a bit through a window! Hardly the great confrontations we usually get when he faces off with a villain. 

Long-Term Impact     .................................     2

I think when RTD brought the Macra back in Gridlock it was too show off how much of a super-fan he is. "Look Everyone! I can remember an obscure monster from the 1960s and write them into one of my scripts!" In that sense, it's a bit of a fun gesture. As a super-fan, myself, it amused me. But, really, they didn't need a second appearance. They barely deserved the first!    

FINAL SCORE: 21

In The Great Hall of Recurring Who Villains, the Macra Exhibition is found in a hidden service corridor next to the staff washroom! If you ask the Guide about them, he simply responds: "We don't talk about the Macra." and glares at you.     

TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN 

Recurring Foe: The Cyber-Controller

If we're being extremely technical, I shouldn't be writing anything up on this guy. The first appearance of the Cybermen was covered in the last entry. That should be it for anything Cyber-related. 

But, sometimes, a new and interesting recurring foe evolves from an already-established recurring foe. They deserve an analysis of their own when that happens. This, I believe, is one of those cases. In a few years' time, someone similar will grow out of Dalek lore. Way down the road, the Cybermen will do this one more time (No, I'm not talking about the Cyber-Leader. He's really just a sort of watered-down version of the Cyber-Controller. David Banks did do an awesome job of playing him in Earthshock but we're still not gonna cover him).

Writing:        ........................................          10

The Cyber-Controller is magnificently-crafted. He is, essentially, the voice of the Cyber-People. His dialogue, for the most part, is a direct manifestation of the Cyber-Philosophy of Life. With the Need to Procreate ("You will become like us") and the Need to Continue ("We will survive") always at the forefront. Giving voice to the thoughts inside the heads of all Cybermen makes these monsters that much creepier. It's an absolutely gorgeous effect. I love that a writer took the time to create such a character. It made the race the Controller hails from all-the-more menacing. 

Performance:  ......................................          9

Michael Kilgariff totally rocks at bringing the Cyber-Controller to life. His movements have just the right level of dramatic intensity as he storms about the set. He's a big man with a big presence. And was, therefore, perfect for the role. 

The portrayal loses a point, however, because of the voice-work. Something odd happens between Parts Two and Three. At the end of the second episode, the ever-chilling "You will become like us" line gets delivered with its weird electronically-synthesized tone. It sounds great. When they reprise the cliffhanger next week, you can clearly tell that they've forgotten the setting they had the vocoder at. They go for something at a higher pitch that is frequently hard to make out. You have to, pretty much, watch the story a couple of times before you truly understand everything the Cyber-Controller says. 

The Actual Story:   .................................       8

I've given Tomb of the Cybermen a pretty thorough Review elsewhere in this blog (https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2021/12/book-of-lists-top-five-cybermen-stories.html) so I won't dwell on it long. Parts One and Two are amazing. Some of the best stuff I've ever seen in 60s Who. The second half of the story, however, does get a little wonky in places. Never does it descend into being completely horrible - but there are some problems. However, the strength of the first half, somehow, makes up for a lot of these issues. In the final analysis, it's still a great story. A few problems (which causes it to get the score it's gotten), but not enough to mar my admiration of it too much. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:   ....  9 

Always wanting to give us something different from One, Troughton confronts foes in a very unique manner. Rather than being full of bluster as his predecessor frequently was, he actually seems more timid. Even a bit comical (the "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" line in Part Three cracks me up every time!). But, as is always the case with Troughton's performance, he gets it to work. While this version of the Doctor doesn't, necessarily, stand up to the bully, we still get a clear impression that he also won't yield to them. Which makes for some very engaging drama. 

Long-Term Impact:      .................................   6

This one gets a significantly lower score. The Cyber-Controller is great in his first appearance but really lacks presence any time he returns. He almost doesn't fit into the plot of Attack of the Cybermen. We would have been just fine if the Cyber-Leader had run the show. Bringing back Kilgariff to play the role all those years later was also a difficult decision to stomach (God, I'm just so hilarious!). 

And then there's those last few minutes of  Age of Steel where a converted John Lumic is claiming to be the Cyber-Controller. Quite simply, he's not. He's still got his side-handles and doesn't even have an elongated forehead!      

FINAL SCORE: 42

Oh, what a wonderful first appearance. I wish New Who would finally bring him back and properly restore him to his glory. 

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN 

Recurring Foe: The Great Intelligence 

The Great Intelligence: that evil villain who we thought we'd only ever see during the Second Doctor Era. What a delight it is when he makes a super-triumphant return during Series Seven of New Who.  

Writing:          ................................................       10

A very unique and intensely-fascinating villain. The Great Intelligence really captures our imagination. He's this mysterious figure in the earlier episodes of the story who turns into something quite terrifying as we do start getting his origins in the latter parts. On paper, he's absolutely terrifying. He's also quite different from most of the monsters we've seen thus far in the show.  

Performance:   .............................................        10 

The performance is absolutely terrifying, too. For most of the story, it's mainly about voice-work. But the tone his dialogue is delivered in is downright bone-chilling. Simply through vocalization, it feels like there are two personalities fighting to dominate the Abbot. It's all being performed in an extremely effective manner. 

Finally meeting Padmasambhava at the end can only be experienced through reconstructions. But it still looks like a totally awesome scene that was magnificently-acted by Wolfe Morris (again, the dialogue sounds like it was delivered perfectly). If only we could properly see it! 

The Actual Story:  ........................................      9 

I really am trying to find some flaws, here. But it's hard. I think everyone involved in this production did some excellent work. The plot, perhaps, didn't quite need a full six episodes to be told. But it doesn't really drag much, either. So I still find myself giving it a great score. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  .....      9

Again, things are being done here in Patrick Troughton Style. He doesn't get up in his enemy's face much. He, instead, just has pointed conversations with them where he is assessing weaknesses and figuring out a strategy to beat them. I probably would have liked the confrontation between him and the Great Intelligence to go on longer than it did. We certainly could have used a more protracted discussion to explain this mysterious being just a bit better. 

Long-Term Impact:     ................................     8

For decades, it looked like we were only ever going to get one sequel. Fortunately it was magnificent. As high-scoring as Abominable Snowmen is, I like Web of Fear even better. 

But then Moffat decides to bring the nasty old jerk back in New Who. And, for the most part, he does a great job with it. It's especially cool that he gives us a prequel to Abominable Snowmen first. The Surprise Reveals that he hands us in the first two stories are also quite wonderful ("GI" - it was right in front of us the whole time!). The final demise of the Great Intelligence works a bit strangely. But, otherwise, there's much to love in the legacy this first appearance creates. 

FINAL SCORE: 46 

While it's difficult to truly pass judgement on just one episode and then a bunch of re-construction, the brilliance of Abominable Snowmen shines through. The Great Intelligence completely deserves all the attention he gets. In both New and Classic Who, the character is handled magnificently. Especially since they got Richard E. Grant to play him in Series Seven!   

THE ICE WARRIORS 

Recurring Foe: The Ice Warriors

When it comes to returning villains, one could almost say that the Ice Warriors are a bit lucky. It's quite amazing that they ever come back since they do not make the best of first impressions.    

Writing        ................................................        4

The Ice Warriors are meant to be these vicious warriors that still adhere to a rigid set of codes and try to remain noble in their pursuits. Most of the time, their brutal tendencies put them on the wrong side of a battle with the Doctor. But, because they are still highly-principled, he has a measure of respect for them. 

The Ice Warriors we get in this story, however, are nothing like that. They are a bunch of bullies who don't seem to give a rat's ass about honor. They're just out for themselves and will brutally murder anyone that looks at them the wrong way. In this tale, they're merely a generic "monster of the week". 

Performance:   ............................................       6 

Let me say upfront that I do not fault the artistes in the slightest for this low mark. They are doing their damnedest with what's been handed to them. But, essentially, the costumes are far too restrictive. Even the mouthpieces make it difficult for them to do any kind of proper lip-synch with the voice artists that are doing their dialogue. We're kind of getting Tenth Planet Cybermen again. Except this time, the effect doesn't work. 

Later Classic Who Ice Warrior tales would give us an Ice Lord to be the main speaking part. The actual warriors just lumber around menacingly. The bulky suits didn't get much in their way for that sort of acting. But in Ice Warriors, they have our full attention. And much of their awkward mannerisms are difficult to watch. 

The Actual Story  ........................................      6

The plot to Ice Warriors is a bit of a mess. It just seems to meander all over the place and does a miserable job of properly filling the six episodes it's been allotted. Several complications are created just to buy a bunch of time. By having Jamie badly wounded, for instance, it makes getting him back to the Ice Base a much lengthier process (that's meant to be exciting, of course, but really amounts to Peter Sallis firing a toy gun at some stock footage of a wolf). Victoria dashing about madly in ice caverns, pretty much, amounts to the same thing. There is a ton of stalling as everyone proclaims over and over "We can't do anything 'til we know what sort of engines they have!" 

It all gets a bit tiresome pretty quickly.   

How the Doctor Interacts With Them  ......      9

Troughton is quite interesting, here. For much of the time that he confronts the Ice Warriors, he is acting more like Hartnell did during these situations. He, very much, stands up to them and even taunts them a bit. He still puts some comical touches to the whole thing. Two really only can do so good of a job at throwing his weight around. But his telling off of the Martian warriors is one of the better points of the whole story. 

Long-Term Impact:    ..................................       9 

While they don't clock in quite as many stories as Daleks or Cybermen, this is still a greatly-used monster that merits the many return appearances  they've gotten. Especially since they are much better fleshed-out each time they come back. 

One could almost disqualify them as recurring foes as there is one story where they are genuinely "good". Also, the Ice Warriors we get in New Who are mildly ill-intentioned, at best. But, really, that's good enough for me. They deserve to be here. Even if their first tale is somewhat lackluster. 

FINAL SCORE: 34 

Not very great here. But the Ice Warriors will go on to do much better things. May they continue to flourish in future eps of New Who.... 

And that covers all the recurring foes for Two. Things are much more hit-or-miss during this era. But there's still quite a few of them from this period that end up having a pretty long reach. 

    

REVIEW OVERVIEW: "BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS" - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: THE FIRST DOCTOR

Having laid out some basic ground rules in the last entry (https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html), we can now get on with our review-overviewing. 

THE FIRST DOCTOR ERA 

Those glorious old days of William Hartnell at the helm of the TARDIS. So much experimentation going on as the show is trying to find its feet. Occasionally, during all that mucking about, a villain would get created that "sticks". They would be brought back again. Sometimes only once . Sometimes, still only once, but fifty or so years later. And sometimes -  just sometimes - they became a vital part of the show's lore. 

The First Doctor Era has a decent number of characters like this. Which makes sense, of course. A period of this nature is bound to be full of recurring foes appearing for the first time. The show is in the process of introducing itself to its audience. Which makes it highly likely that we're going to meet a bunch of very influential bad guys for the first time during this time. 

THE DALEKS 

Recurring Foe: The Daleks (well, duh!)

After just one story, we encounter our first recurring foe. And it's a doozy!     

Writing:          ........................................          9

The Daleks we get in this story are certainly different from the Daleks we  will eventually get down the road. During this particular tale, it does almost seem like there's a certain sense of individualism to them (by Dalek standards, at least). Which is ever-so-slightly off-putting. In future stories, these menaces will seem more homogenous. Unless they have some sort of authority, they lack any real identity of their own. We don't get much of that with this first batch of Daleks, though. The drone-like quality of a Dalek is an important trait. Because of its absence, it loses a point in the rating system.  

Aside from this one difference, however, everything else that we need to have in the Daleks is there right from the very start. The paranoia, the need to dominate, the xenophobia. Everything that continues to persist in the character over the next six decades is firmly on display. Which is exactly what was needed to capture our imaginations and get us to fall in love with what is, essentially, salt shakers with plungers and egg whisks stuck to them! 

Performance:     ........................................      10

A certain style of performance for Daleks gets introduced, here. One that we will only see now and again in future stories. In most Dalek tales, efforts are made to make them glide smoothly and seem almost elegant in their movements. Here, they are more jittery. The eyestalk and limbs that extend from them tend to wave about much more. It makes them seem just a bit neurotic. Which I think really works for the characters. It creates a great visual that belies an interesting concept: Deep down inside of that casing, the Kaled Mutant is genuinely scared.   

Again, there will be a few other stories down the road where this type of movement will be brought back. Death to the Daleks is another tale that gives us Daleks that seem like, maybe, they need to cut down on their caffeine a bit. Even New Who stories like Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks will portray the Skarosian Mutants in a much similar manner. Personally, I love seeing them like this. The smoother-moving ones work great too. But I'm just as happy with this version. 

The Actual Story:      ..............................       8

Those first four episodes are actually quite mind-blowing. This really is amazing stuff that we're seeing. Episodes Five to Seven, however, really do start to peter out. To the point where the final climactic battle in the Control Center feels fairly lack-luster. By choosing to do such a long story, Nation appears to have bitten a bit more than he can chew. Which, to me, almost kills the Daleks' chances for a return. I just don't find myself caring that much about anything as we get to the end. I just want the story to finish! 

But I can't deny how good those first four episodes are. Even as we move into the latter parts, the quality does persist quite a bit before it truly dies out. 

Which is why I'm still scoring it so high. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:     .....  8

This is another situation that we will never see again. In future Dalek tales, the Doctor is always full of bluster when he deals with them. Even in the very next adventure that features the ruthless cyborgs, the Doctor places those hands firmly on his lapels the first time he meets the Daleks in Part Two and tells them exactly where to go. 

In The Daleks, however, he's acting more like the audience. He's genuinely fearful of them. It's especially brutal to see him trying to use the TARDIS as a bargaining chip near the end of the adventure. 

But it all still works very well. Yes, it's a bit strange to see. Which is why I knock a few points off. But this is the Doctor's first time encountering them. So this very unique behavior does make a sort of sense and helps to create menace in what is, essentially, a bunch of salt shakers with plungers and egg whisks sticking out of them (where have I seen this before?!). 

Long-Term Impact:          ..............................     10 

I think it would be impossible to give this anything less than a perfect score. The Daleks does represent a very humble beginning for these monsters. They will go on to do much greater things than what we see here. But, overall, the story does a great job with getting the ball rolling. One cannot deny the impact this adventure will have on the whole future of the series. 

FINAL SCORE: 45 

A hugely-significant story that is fraught with problems. But it still excels and very much deserves the respect it has earned. 

THE TIME MEDDLER 

Recurring Foe: The Monk

Here we see an excellent example of just how much breadth the show likes to have. The second recurring foe that we meet is an anti-thesis of the Daleks. While we were meant to the Daleks very seriously, the Monk is mainly there for laughs. Even though the contrast is vast, I still deeply adore him. 

Writing:          ........................................          9

It's as plain as day that the Monk has been written to be a bumbler. There's a ton of comedic sequences built right into the plot that we watch him stumble through like a fool. To the point where it's almost difficult to perceive him as a legitimate villain (which is the reason why he doesn't get a Perfect Ten). He is still an absolutely delightful character but he, perhaps, needed just a bit more of a darker side to give him a tad more potency. 

Performance:     ...................................          10

Peter Butterworth plays the role to absolute perfection. He sees what the Monk is meant to be on paper and adds some gorgeous nuances to him. Charm is the most important trait that he imbues his character with that wasn't, necessarily, on the page. In the wrong pair of hands, the Monk could have just been an annoying fool. But Butterworth gives him a healthy dose of likeability. This is a crucial element that triggers his return. We're actually quite happy to see the Monk come back a season later because we really do enjoy him. Or, more accurately, we love how the role is played. 

The Actual Story:   ...............................          8

I do hear this fairly common complaint about Time Meddler. Apparently, it moves a bit too slow. To which I regularly respond: "What episode of 60s Doctor Who doesn't?!" Maybe the story drags even more than others but I don't really feel it. Especially since there is a lot of fun little comedy going on. 

There's also a few things that make Time Meddler quite special. It's our first "pseudo-historical" and it expands quite heavily on the show's mythos. The Doctor isn't the only individual out there travelling in a TARDIS. There are others like him. Which is infinitely fascinating...

So, yes, it does drag a bit, in places. But I'd still say it's an above-average yarn.   

How the Doctor Interacts with Them:  ......   9

Now this is more like it. The Doctor cowers in his first tale with the Daleks. But, here, he's much more in keeping with how we usually see him when dealing with an enemy. He's not afraid to get up in the Monk's face and berate him for his plans to pervert history. There's also a fair amount of chest-beating as they compare TARDISes. In Time Meddler, the basic template is set for how rival Time Lords will interact with each other. 

But there are some dynamics that are unique to the way the Doctor and the Monk interact with each other. The Doctor gets far more emotionally-involved in their game of wits than he does with most other renegade Time Lords that he faces. Look how delighted he is as he sabotages the Monk's TARDIS at the end of Part Four. Or sulky and bad-tempered he gets when the Monk locks him up. When these two battle, it's very much like a game rather than a true fight. Which tends to make the Doctor more child-like. It's great fun to watch. 

Long-Term Impact:          ........................      8

Only one other appearance from the Monk?!!  That's it??!! 

In my opinion, we should have seen way more from this guy. Particularly since he is a much lighter character than most recurring foes. While Daleks and Cybermen and the Master create fiendish plots with high stakes and big consequences, the Monk represents a breath of fresh hair. He's a big goof who can actually be dangerous if left unchecked.  He does legitimately represent some degree of threat. But, for the most part, he's just a great laugh. 

Which does limit him in some ways. Because of his triviality, a character like this can only be used so often. Otherwise, he stops being such a treat when he does appear. But only being featured in a measly two stories from the 60s and then never being seen again is a veritable crime. Regenerate the dorky little bumbler and bring him back!    

FINAL SCORE: 44 

Being such a huge contrast to the seriousness of the Daleks makes him a recurring foe that is only one point away from being as appealing as the Great Skarosian Mutants, themselves. 

THE CELESTIAL TOYMAKER 

Recurring Foe: The Toymaker (who's not Celestial, anymore)   

One of those villains that we don't see return for several decades. Although plans were made to bring him back after only twenty years instead of over fifty! 

Writing:           .........................................          9

A well-constructed villain who, at the time, would have a very new and interesting vibe. Basically, he really feels like the Master. He has a profound hatred of the Doctor that he doesn't conceal in the slightest. He also seems to relish being evil. And, while he wishes nothing but ill for the Time Lord, he loves the games they play against each other. We would, eventually, see this dynamic over and over again in years to come. But we are witnessing for the first time, here. And it's done gorgeously. 

Performance:     ......................................         10

Like Butterworth with the Monk, we get some top-notch acting from Michael Gough. It's one thing to create a sort of Traditional Melodrama Villain on paper, it's another thing to bring him to life. The performance has to be pitched just right. You need to chew the scenery a bit but not go too far with it. Gough hits all the right notes with his performance. It's an absolute treat to watch. Or, at least it is in the one episode that's still left!  

The Actual Story:    .................................         8

As has just been mentioned, there is only one part of this story that still exists. It is a bit difficult to work off of the various re-constructions, but it is still possible to get a fairly general gist of the story from them. Celestial Toymaker is delightfully surreal with some very dark undertones masked in child-like imagery. It's only significant flaw might be that watching Steven and Dodo have to play through so many goofy games does seem to drag a bit. Still, it's something very cool and unique. We would get other strange stories like this in the future. But seeing it for the first time, here, makes the tale all-the-more special. 

How the Doctor Interacts with Them:    .....     10 

Hartnell and Gough are great, here. They spark off each other brilliantly in a vicious game of wits. Again, this feels very similar to what we would get with the Master in a few years' time. This sort of chemistry between the Doctor and a rival is always a splendid experience. Both actors have to be at the top of their game for it to work properly. And we definitely get that, here.

Long-Term Impact:     ....................................    10 

While it took forever to finally see him truly come back, it's obvious this is a foe we've wanted to see more of. We would have actually gotten more of Gough had the original plans for Season Twenty-Three succeeded. But, in some ways, it's a bit good that it all fell through. The implication, now, is that the Toymaker changes his form each time he's defeated. Which means more fantastic actors can take on the role. Lets hope they don't take so long to bring him back for a third battle. He's a great villain.    

FINAL SCORE: 47

Woah! The Toymaker beat the Daleks! He deserved it. He makes an excellent first impression... 

THE TENTH PLANET

Recurring Foe: The Cybermen 

Just before bowing out, the First Doctor gives us one more massive returning enemy. 

Writing:          ........................................          9

In many ways, it felt like much more thought went into the crafting of this monster. Which makes sense. Production could feel that their grip on the Daleks was becoming tenuous and wanted something to replace them. The success of the Daleks had been a happy accident. This time, they were intentionally going for a new and exciting monster that would haunt the Doctor again and again. 

Fortunately, they get things right. Oftentimes, when you do this sort of thing on purpose, it fails miserably. You can't get lightning to strike in the same place twice. But Kit Pedlar manages to do that. And we get another great race of monsters that the Doctor will battle over and over throughout the years.

Performance:      ....................................       9

The artistes in the Cybermen outfits have an absolute party creating their characters. Like the writing, you can see a lot of thought was put into all of this. Particularly the way they made the decision not to properly lip-synch their dialogue. Instead, we get something that comes across as very weird and creepy. 

The potency of their performance is best affirmed by the fact that the show will re-create the Mondasian Cybermen several decades later. They stick pretty close to the original costume design. Which, at best, makes a performer very stiff and clumsy. But the sinister quality of that initial performance shines through and inspires a whole new generation to hide behind the sofa from it. 

The Actual Story   ....................................      8

The plot to Tenth Planet is a bit weak, in places. There's not quite enough of it to fill the four parts. We get something akin to captures-and-escapes to mark time. We would see this time-killing trick in other base-under-siege adventures. Instead of capturing-and-escaping, it's more akin to "the monsters break in for a bit, get kicked out, then break back in some more later." Most of the story is still quite good, though. And the Doctor's regeneration at the end does nothing to overshadow the presence of the Cybermen. They still make a tremendous impact. Really, it's two major developments for the show's lore in just one adventure. Which helps to boost its score a bit. 

How the Doctor Interacts with Them:   ..... 8

"Emotions. Love, pride, hate, fear. Have you no emotions, sir?" The Doctor's confrontations with the Mondasian Menaces are full of rich dialogue like this. How can we not love how he deals with them? Although, it does feel a bit like his first encounter with Daleks. He's not that pissy with them, yet. Tell-offs like the one we got in Dalek Invasion of Earth will come later. It does almost feel like the Doctor's trying to understand this new enemy properly before really laying into them. But much of it is still great stuff to watch. 

Long-Term Impact:          ..........................     10 

This would be another monster that deserves a perfect score in this category. That excellent first appearance creates a tremendous legacy of adventures that will never end. For as long as we have Doctor Who, we'll have Cybermen. And I'm thankful for that. Whether they're the coldly logical versions we get in the 60s and 2000s or the more sadistic models of the 70s and 80s, I adore them all. 

FINAL SCORE: 44 

Another great recurring foe. The First Doctor Era is chocked full of them. It was a great time for villains and monsters that would make return appearances. They were all handled magnificently. 

The Second Doctor Era also has quite a few recurring foes to contend with. That will make for another sizeable entry. So he'll get a post of his own, too.    

 

REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES

So I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy my more-or-less full collection of Doctor Who videos. Recently, I thought to myself: "Hey! The Doctor's got a ton of recurring foes. Let's just watch the very first adventure of each of them and see what I think."  It's an interesting study. Some villains are fully-fleshed right in their first appearance. Others take some time to grow into the monsters they will become. The whole experience is quite fascinating to watch. 

Initially, this was just a study I was doing for my own sake. But, oftentimes, when I undertake such ventures - it turns into a blog. Or, in this case, a whole series of blogs! 

A REVIEW OVERVIEW entry is a great way of restraining my blowhard opinions. Instead of just looking at something from the show and spewing out unfounded nonsense like: "I like this but I don't like that!", I have to work to a sort of grading system. Adhering to such a construct makes me more analytical or even objective about the material I'm reviewing. 

It's also a method that works well with broader themes that span several years of the show. My very first post of this nature, for instance, looked at all the different stories that have featured Homo-Reptilia. A species we first saw way back in Season Seven that is still making appearances to this very day. Breaking so many stories down into categories that received "marks" made the whole process of comparing them go more smoothly. 

So now I want to look at the first stories of all recurring foes and see how effective they were. Particularly in relation to each other. That's another big topic to cover. Best to come at it with something systematic rather than just say stuff like: "The Daleks is way better than The Tenth Planet. So there!"

As an introduction to this series, I'm just going to take the time to explain the Five-Point Grading System. In subsequent posts, we'll go through various eras of the show and cover them in their own distinct entries. 

So, here we go:    

Writing: This section will look at how well the actual foe was written in their very first story. Did the author do a good job of constructing them or was it subsequent yarns involving them (that were, perhaps, penned by other writers) that built them up properly?     

Performance: Writing is, of course, only half the battle in making a good recurring villain and/or monster. The actor that was hired to portray the miscreant contributes massively to their success. There are times when that initial performance is what captured the audience's imagination and earned the return appearance(s). On other occasions, subsequent iterations of the role outshine the original.     

The Actual Story: Setting aside the foe for just a moment, how well-executed was the plot of the story that featured them? A good narrative can help massively with determining whether or not we see someone come back. Not just in terms of the quality of the script. Production, in general, can have a huge bearing on this sort of thing. 

How They Interact With the Doctor: How the Doctor deals with these foes in their initial confrontation can also be crucial to their success. There are any number of foes that made return appearances because they sparked off of him so well in their first adventure. 

Long-Term Impact:  Something a bit more abstract that still relates to the quality of the initial story. How were the subsequent adventures that featured the foe? What sort of legacy did that initial tale create?   

IMPORTANT NOTE #1: Each category will receive a score between 1 and 10. I will also give a relatively short dissertation on why it received that mark. 

IMPORTANT NOTE #2: We should properly define Recurring Foe: 

This is a character or group of characters that the Doctor openly opposes on all occasions that they meet each other. They may form brief alliances to handle certain problems (ie: the Doctor and the Master fighting entropy together during Logopolis), But, overall, the Doctor is trying to foil whatever sinister plans the foe is brewing. Obviously, they also have to have, at least, two separate encounters in two different stories to qualify as a recurring foe. 

IMPORTANT NOTE #3: It should be noted that the definition I just gave does have grey areas. There will be some characters that don't fit the description perfectly that will still be included in the analysis (ie: the Ice Warriors are, for the most part, nasty to deal with). There may even be certain individuals that don't make the cut that you feel should have (ie: As much as I love Sabalom Glitz, he is very much the Doctor's friend in Dragonfire. So he's disqualified). 

All righty, then. The Rules have been defined. Lets start Review-Overviewing (that's totally a real verb). In the next post, I'll be looking at the First Doctor Era. He meets quite a few returning baddies for the first time so he'll get an entry all his own...   

I review-overview 

You review-overview 

He/She review-overviews

and so on.... 

 

DOCTOR WHO: SEASON-BY-SEASON - SEASON ONE (OR SERIES FOURTEEN. OR, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET CRAZY, SEASON FORTY!)

The Essay about Time Loops continues to wait.... 

It seems my decision to watch and review every season of Doctor Who during the 60th anniversary year was a good one. A lot of people responded to it well and it reflected nicely in my readership numbers, too (just so you know, by the way, I have refused to monetize this blog as I did not want to flood it with annoying ads. I do this all out of sheer fan love!). 

As someone who enjoys patterns and structure, my intention with my Season Reviews was to wait until the next ten year anniversary and start doing them again. But I, very quickly, realized what a silly plan that was. Would I be still writing this blog in a decade's time? Would blogs even exist that far into the future?! Would Doctor Who still be on the air for its 70th anniversary? There are a lot uncertainties going on, here. At the same time as I pondered all this, I made an important realization: Folks really love these Season Reviews. Why make them wait so long to get some more?!   

So, from now on, I will do a Review at the end of every season. That seems the best way. 

STORY-BY-STORY 

Just like when I was reviewing those 14-part seasons from the late 80s, this series is short enough to just go through it episode-by-episode. Which is ever-so-slightly alarming, of course. Those 14-parters were the beginning of the end for Classic Who. I can't help but wonder if New Who is on the same course.

Anyhow, if you read my Review of the 60th Anniversary Specials, you'll notice I did not include The Church on Ruby Road in it. It didn't really feel like it belonged there. While we do get a fair amount of Ncuti in The Giggle, it's still not his first "proper" story. Church on Ruby Road, on the other hand, definitely feels like the start of something new. Personally, I feel it belongs in his first season rather than part of the 60th Anniversary. Even though the episode actually came out in 2023. 

On the other end of the spectrum, we do have Joy to the World coming up as the 2024 Christmas Special. Something that I suspect will probably fit in better with the Season Two (or Series Fifteen or Season Forty-One) Review. Some major arcs came to a conclusion at the end of Empire of Death. More than likely, this year's Christmas Special will embark upon some new storylines. 

Which means, of course, that this season runs from Church on Ruby Road to Empire of Death (in my opinion, at least). 

Now that we've made that clear, let's get on with picking the eps apart! 

HELLO RUBY SUNDAY (WHO COULD HANG A NAME ON YOU?)

I will just say it: this new era is off to a very shaky start. RTD wanted the Christmas Special to have a one-hour run-time but forgot to bring enough plot along to fill it! 

For a considerable amount of time, absolutely nothing happens in this story. It's just an endless array of spindly arms suddenly popping into a shot and secretly arranging for nasty things to happen (sometimes under impossible conditions - how exactly does a goblin sneak up to Ruby in the middle of an open street and pierce a hole in the bottom of her grocery bag without anyone noticing?!). This sort of thing goes on for about the first twenty minutes of the story. Even on my very first viewing - where I'm still very excited to be watching a new episode - I found myself saying: "Yup. We get it. Goblins are up to some mischief. Can we move on to something else, now, please?!" 

The Goblin Mischief does settle down a bit for us to meet Ruby's family. While a bit heartwarming (how can we not adore the grandma that just wants a damn tea?!), this whole sequence feels like it's dragging too. The episode really would have worked sooo much better within a 46-minute format. We would have gotten to the good stuff faster and not have to go through an endless amount of stalling.

And there is some good stuff in Church on Ruby Road. When they do finally climb aboard the Goblin Ship, things get quite interesting. It's especially fun watching the Doctor trying to figure out a whole new science. And, while the musical sequence had the potential to fall flat on its ass and feel really dumb, it actually works quite well. Especially when the Doctor realizes he can draw things out long enough to come up with a solution by keeping the song going. 

The alternative reality where Ruby got eaten as a baby is the other really good bit in this story. The gigantic tonal shift was very well-executed. Particularly the performance we get from Michelle Greenidge - the actress playing Ruby's Mom. She is such a changed woman in this scene and we truly get swept up in the despair of a life without her adopted daughter. 

That's the good stuff. But there's still a substantial bit of story left after it's over. And quite a lot of it really only goes so well.  The Doctor suddenly producing a gadget we've never seen before that ends up saving the day frequently feels like a weak plot device. His mass-canceling gloves definitely have that effect. They become, pretty much, the fix for everything. And the fact that they can do so much with only 3% power left becomes just a bit too much of a stretch on credulity. I wish my phone worked that well when the charge was that low!

While Church on Ruby Road is largely disappointing, it does have one more saving grace that is worth mentioning: I am already in love with Ncuti's Doctor. Not only does he bring something new and interesting to the role, but RTD even appears to be writing him differently. Gone are the days of the mile-a-minute hyperactive chatterbox fanboy/girl that we've been getting throughout most of New Who's Reign. The Doctor feels truly different in this new incarnation. And I'm so happy to see that! 

CONFESSIONS OF A CURMUDGEONLY OLD FAN  

While it is sad that RTD2 is only going so well up to this point, there is a certain amount of pettiness that is being satisfied in me as his new episodes are rolling out. 

Fandom, as usual, has been frustrating me. For quite some time, folks have been going on endlessly about the greatness of RTD's first run as Headwriter. How amazing the whole era was and how they wish the rest of New Who was as enjoyable as this period. 

"You were Twelve when you were watching it." I want to say back, "Lots of stuff seemed awesome at that age. Brush away the Nostalgia and I think you'll find that RTD's first four seasons were largely uneven." 

My frustrations grow as we hit Chibnall's Time in the Showrunner's Seat. Certain fans become impossible to satisfy. Hypercriticizing every aspect of the show and tearing it down for elements that were actually celebrated when other Headwriters were running things. 

"What we need," these annoying fans are proclaiming, "is for RTD to come back and save the day. He knew how to make spectacular episodes (even though I haven't re-watched any of them since I was Twelve)!" 

And then these fans got what they wanted. And I was annoyed even more as they danced with joy and took their last few potshots at poor Chibbers as he made his way to the door. 

"Phooey on youey!" they spat at him as he exited (they really said that, I swear), "You were so bad and RTD is so awesome! He's going to make Who Great Again. Hey. Isn't that a Trump slogan?! Oh well!!" 

At this point, I've had it with this very vocal segment of Fandom. So much of what they're saying feels so "off" to me. Their vison seems very clouded. Admittedly, I don't consider Chibnall or RTD to be absolutely perfect writers (there's really no such thing - as much as I'd like to believe I am one!). But I found the stuff we got from Chibs to be far more consistent in quality. Whereas much of what Russell gave us was peaks and valleys. Brilliance one week and absolute trash, the next. I can even forgive him a bit for this kind of problem. He was trying to get a show with an extended history to fit into the Twenty-First Century TV landscape. Missteps were inevitable. But I couldn't believe other fans weren't seeing this. There was just so much: Chibnall sucks! RTD is the man! going on. I, for one, was getting sick of it.

As much as I always want my favorite show to succeed, I was experiencing just a glimmer of smug satisfaction as 2023 was wrapping up. The four Specials RTD had produced were only so good. I wasn't the only one who felt this way. A lot of fans were let down by what they had watched and expressed it. Quite a few were even admitting that Power of the Doctor was a far better anniversary celebration than what we ended up getting from Chibnall's successor. 

I couldn't help but feel just a little bit vindicated! 

But I was also concerned. Would these problems persist into the new season that was waiting for us in 2024? I mean, I liked getting a little satisfaction from RTD's failings, but I didn't want this to go on forever. Having been proved ever-so-slightly right, I was now hoping that things would radically improve. 

After a largely-disappointing Anniversary Year, I desperately wanted Doctor Who to get really good again.    

SPACE: THE BABY FRONTIER

Watching Space Babies for the first time was just a bit excruciating for me, in places. But probably not for the reasons you're thinking. 

I was seeing some pretty stark tonal shifts during the 2023 Specials. Which became all-the-more alarming when you consider what was going on behind the scenes. As was widely publicized, Disney was now sinking some serious cash into the show. "It's just a distribution deal!" the BBC was swearing, "We still retain creative control. Don't worry!" 

But none of us were being fooled. A company like Disney doesn't dip into its coffers to help fund something and not be allowed some measure of influence in the story-telling. Some of the input they had given was actually quite useful. The suggestion of bringing the Doctor into the narrative sooner during Church on Ruby Road was exactly what the story needed. The scene with the falling snowman decoration perked up the episode considerably. 

On the other hand, though, we were suddenly seeing a lot more "cutesiness" in various stories. Which is just the sort of thing that Disney goes in for. Not only did we have goblins prancing about in the Christmas Special, but Beep the Meep was quite adorable too. Even after the Meep reveals their dark side, we still want to give them a big cuddle! 

And now we're getting talking babies running a space station. Once some introductory stuff between Fifteen and Ruby is out of the way (that, at the same time, establishes the show's premise to all these new fans RTD is anticipating), this is the plot we start settling into. Admittedly, I'm getting very nervous. Is there going to be no real reason for why there's toddlers with the power of speech running the bridge of a satellite? Is this just the way the show is doing things, now? Making fun Disneyesque adventures that have little or no internal logic to them? 

"This could be it." I shudder, "This could be the moment where Doctor Who actually becomes really stupid!" 

Fortunately, we do get a half-decent explanation for all the preposterous cuteness (one that is to my satisfaction, at least). Space Babies ends up being a fun little ride that doesn't go too far with consciously-Disneyesque tropes. I knew it would bother some people, of course. In many ways, this is the Slitheen all over again. There's some fairly juvenile humor at play in parts of the plot. Particularly when the entire space station seems to be getting propelled by what is, essentially, a giant fart. Such antics are bound to upset the sensibilities of a certain type of fan. But I'm not one of them. In fact, I can even applaud RTD a bit for giving us something else Slitheenesque. I admire his courage. 

What I like the most about this episode, however, are the lengths the Doctor goes to in order to save the Bogeyman. This is the Doctor I love. Risking his life to save an intentionally-nasty creature made up of snot. The strong moral compass that we saw in Thirteen seems to have persisted into this incarnation. Which I'm very happy about. Personally, I was getting very tired of all the cyborg-killing and Solomon- slaughtering and watching-Lady-Cassandra-dry-up-to-death-without-helping-her that we'd been getting prior to Jodie. It had been an interesting "edge" to the character for a little while. But it was starting to feel distinctly undoctorish. Saving the bogeyman, to me, represented a signal from RTD that he wanted to preserve yet another direction Chibnall had taken the show in. I'm very grateful for the gesture. 

All in all, I'm quite happy with Space Babies. Its adorableness is fun rather than unbearable. I do feel the season is off to a half-decent start. Doctor Who has not become stupid!   

THE DEVIL IS IN THE CHORDS (AND THE DETAILS, TOO!)

From this point onward, we get a slew of amazing Doctor Who stories. Quite honestly, I am madly in love with these next few episodes. 

And it starts with The Devil's Chord. With Neil Patrick Harris' performance still fresh in my memory, I'm astounded to see another larger-than-life actor giving us just as fun of a villain only a short while later. Jinkx Monsoon chews up the scenery in an entirely different way than their terrible father did, but it's equally-fun to watch. This is one of the strongest points of the whole yarn. Its villain is an absolute delight. Every second that they're onscreen is played to perfection. Incredibly OTT, yes. But never too big. Just right.  

However, there's a lot of other great stuff to enjoy, here. The Beatles are wonderful and end up being used brilliantly within the plot. The cinematic quality of the whole episode is also quite breath-taking. It really feels like we're watching a movie rather than a TV show. And then there's just the overall social commentary that's being made about the power of song. When the Doctor shows Ruby what will become of London in 2024 - we believe it. Without music, the world will crumble 

There's also some nice fan nods. The Doctor pointing out that he's, more-or-less, aligned with the events of An Unearthly Child is sweet. Even more obscurely, the story also does the subtlest of imitations of Pyramids of Mars by having the Doctor take Ruby to 2024 and letting her see the havoc the Maestro will wreak. Only as we reach the end of the season do we see that this could actually be construed as a hint of foreshadowing. 

And then, of course, there's the divisive moment: The musical number at the end. I don't hate it as some fans do. But I will admit that I'm not all that impressed by it, either. It does, at least, make a sort of sense. After starving the world of music for a while, a sort of backwash happens. Reality becomes more musical for just a little bit. Which causes the song and dance number to occur. We also see this effect turn a cross-walk into piano keys mere moments after the sequence is done. I can accept the surrealness of it all. I don't feel that throwing a musical number into a Doctor Who story is a bad thing to do. As long as we're provided with a solid enough reason for why the Fourth Wall is being broken a bit. The same sort of thing had just been done a short while ago during the Christmas Special. The goblins sing a merry tune as they offer a sacrifice to their King. An internal logic had also been created to justify that moment. So - in this sense, at least - I didn't mind either of these sequences. 

What bothered me more about There's Always a Twist at the End  was that the whole thing just felt largely superfluous. It doesn't really do anything to enhance or advance the plot. Nor was it all that tremendously entertaining. I'll even be mean enough to say that the lyrics were quite awful. I think that was done slightly intentionally. Almost as if RTD is trying to do a parody of a musical number rather than a proper one. But the whole thing does come across more as a bit of pointless distraction. It just wasn't needed. In fact, the Doctor and Ruby using the cross-walk as a piano would have been a suitably-whimsical way to conclude the episode. But, because of the song and dance that precedes it, the moment becomes less effective. It feels more like one pointless embellishment added on top of another. Because of this, the whole ending is weakened. 

I will admit that I am someone who greatly detests musicals. So you are taking the hugest of chances when you do this sort of thing with my favorite TV show. Still, I don't feel like Twist at the End ruins the whole story. But it does mar it a bit. Ultimately, I do really love this adventure. But I would have enjoyed it more if it had ended on a different note ("ended on a different note"  - see what I did, there?!). 

ANOTHER DOCTOR WHO TITLE USING ONOMATOPEIA  

I was quite happy to hear that Steven Moffat was coming back. I was in love with this man's writing even before he came to Doctor Who. Coupling is one of my all-time fave sitcoms. I still introduce it occasionally to friends who enjoy British comedy but aren't familiar with it. Even though quite a bit of it looks dated now, they're always impressed with it. Moff just really knows how to write. I'd actually go so far as to say that my respect for Moff ranks almost as highly as it does for the Great Robert Holmes, himself. 

Having said all that, I do agree with the sentiment that Moff's scripts do tend go better when someone else is the Headwriter. There was still some absolutely brilliant material that he wrote when he was in charge, but there were some other times when it definitely felt like he was stretching himself a bit too thin (Doctor, Widow and Wardrobe would probably be one of the best examples of this. On the best of days, it's still a difficult one to sit through!). Whereas, when someone else is in charge, he can really just concentrate on the one task in front of him and not worry about the whole shape of the season. Which often causes him to create the  Shining Jewel of the Year. 

Boom just-about achieves this status. It's definitely a Classic - but I wouldn't say it's quite the best episode of the season. Of course, if you're doing the math, you now realize that I will be claiming that there are two Classics this season! 

I love that New Who still has minimalist stories like Boom. It's another way in which it pays homage to its roots. Classic Who would, sometimes, try to restrain itself to just one principal set. More times than not, however, it was for budgetary reasons  ("Let's put it all in a lighthouse! Think of the money we'll save!"). In the New Series, it's a more a case of a writer flexing for us a bit. 

"Look at me!" the author seems to be saying, "I can have my whole plot take place in a weird puzzle-castle with a really tall old lady in a veil! And, even though that's all there is to it, you're still going to love it!" 

Boom produces the usual results that a tale like this creates. We fall absolutely in love with it for its utter simplicity. The very straightforward premise of the Doctor trying to find a way off a landmine becomes absolutely riveting. The layers of complexity that, somehow, manages to build around that singleness of purpose is always amazing to watch. In this sense, the episode is an absolute masterpiece.  

I do still distinctly remember my first watching of it and thinking to myself after a good dozen minutes: "Wow! This could actually become really boring soon!"  The Doctor being stuck on a landmine for, more or less, the entire run-time has the potential to stagnate. I wondered if Moff would actually pull this off. 

But plot complication after plot complication starts to build up. Various narrative threads become entangled and the tension reaches a legitimately overwhelming level. It's hard to believe so much drama could be accomplished without allowing the Doctor to ever move! By the time Ruby is lying on the ground dying, any doubt I had at the beginning of the tale about its ability to engage has been quashed. This is the sort of stuff that makes you proud to be a Who fan. 

I have a few of the most minor of issues. My first would be that the whole denouement does feel a tad too long. I don't expect the Doctor and Ruby to just jump in the TARDIS seconds after he's off the mine, but I do think that they linger on the planet, perhaps, a bit longer than they need to. I also find that Moff is getting a bit weird with the repetition of some of the dialogue. To the point where it cheapens the effectiveness of some of what's being said. Yes, Steven, "Everywhere eventually becomes a beach" (or words to that effect) is a great line - but did we really need to hear it twice?! Its second mention doesn't really suit the situation and feels more like the author is just trying to remind us that he can write really good stuff for his characters to say! 

These objections are nearly not worth mentioning - but they're also there and can't be ignored. Boom is utterly fantastic. I love how much Lore that was specifically created by Moffat influences the story-telling. I love the commentary it makes against those who profit from humanity's need to make war. I love how it shows both the beauty and stupidity of devout faith. 

I love all of it. 

THE CLASSICER CLASSIC 

Convinced Boom would be the best ep of the season, I was completely blown away by what 73 Yards brought us only a week later. Moff may have delivered us another Classic, but this tale still manages to beat it. 

"Another Ghostlight!" I squeal as the closing credits roll, "An excellently-written story that decides not to give us all the answers. Instead, it relies on us to come up with certain solutions on our own. I was certain New Who would never have the guts to do this sort of thing!" 

The ambiguity of it all is, of course, 73 Yards'strongest point. Like Ruby, we don't fully understand what's happening to her. We can only watch and try to draw our own conclusions. Never being given a proper answer to it all actually works, though. We get the distinct impression that the author of the tale has worked it all out in his head - he's just keeping some of it from us because he knows we'll have fun speculating. By no means is this lazy writing. The premise is fully-formed. It's just not completely-explained. Which actually makes it intensely realistic. Rarely in life do we get the full story on anything. We have to fill in the blank spaces, ourselves. 

But there's more to 73 Yards than just a fun guessing game. This is a ridiculously-tight script. Every instant is used in some way to help advance the plot. Even the quieter moments like Ruby looking out her window as she drinks wine and stares at the old woman on the sidewalk below serve a purpose in the Greater Scheme of Things. 

One would think that such an effect would cause the plot to move at a breakneck pace. That's not the case, here. There are plenty of situations where the story is given the chance to breathe. But there's never a sag. We're constantly engaged. Things are always moving at just the right pace. 

One must also give high praise to Millie Gibson, herself. She's carrying this whole thing on her shoulders and she accomplishes that magnificently. She does a great job of bringing us along on the gigantic journey Ruby must take in this episode. If we weren't in love with her character, already - we are now. The fact that this is the first shooting she ever did for the season makes her all-the-more impressive. Ruby had to be a fully-formed character for something like this to work. Normally that's done by giving her some episodes where she's sharing some space with another lead. Which makes things much easier since the focus is split between her and the Doctor. That's not the case, here, though. But she steps up to plate beautifully and shows us that she has some real chops. Particularly since she does feel like she's getting legitimately older in the story even though all she's really given to designate her aging is longer hair and a pair of glasses!    

Like Boom, any complaints I have are pretty minor. Ruby criticizing her bf's performance in bed as she dumps him didn't really work for me. One of the main points of the narrative is for us to be on her side as much as possible so that we're really rooting for her as she faces the various challenges that confront her throughout the episode. To have her end a relationship in a fairly tasteless manner takes away from that. Yes, the moment is a bit funny, too. But it seems more mean-spirited, than anything. 

My only other issue might be that Ruby covers those last remaining yards on the green at a ridiculously fast rate for someone walking backwards. Might have been good to have her briefly turn around and sprint for a bit.

Other than that, 73 Yards is sheer perfection. At this point, I'm ridiculously impressed with this season. But there's still quite a bit more to love... 

TWO-IN-ONE 

My word-count is really starting to get up there. Which has made me realize that my original strategy to analyze the season one episode at a time might not be so sound, after all. 

So I'll tackle two episodes quickly in one section. Both stories do hit me in the same way so it makes sense to cover them in such a manner. 

Dot and Bubble and Rogue continue the trend of excellence that we've been seeing since The Devil's Chord. But, as much as I adore both of them, I can't quite call either tale a Classic. There's a lot to love about these stories. But each has a sort of "fatal flaw" that prevents them from being the incredibly amazing works of art that Boom and 73 Yards are.

With Dot and Bubble, I think it's the plain and simple fact that "secret invasion" storylines have been done just a little too much on Doctor Who. There are some great twists that get added to the trope. The biggest one being that the protagonist of the story is a downright horrible person. Even though we don't like her in the slightest, she never gets her just desserts. She still makes it to the end and survives the catastrophe. It's not something we've really seen much of on the show before (the rich guy in Voyage of the Damned is the only thing that's all that comparable). Which makes it a different kind of story. In this sense, I greatly enjoy its morbidity. 

There's lots of other things that make Dot and Bubble great. It's a clever way to do another "Doctor lite" story that still gives him a strong presence in the episode. There's a great homage to Black Mirror. The "they were racists the whole time" Reveal at the end is brilliantly-executed. Particularly as the Doctor actually realizes why the spoilt rich kids won't allow him to rescue them in the TARDIS. This is all very good. But the fact that it's all built on a premise that has become just a little bit tired causes it to fall slightly short of Classic Status. 

The big problem with Rogue is that it does that thing that I really hate New Who for. Doctor Who is always about solving the main conflict first. Stopping the alien baddies or defeating the terrible menace or something of that nature should be the main focus. If the Doctor is also falling in love with someone or if there's some kind of drama going on with a companion or anything else like that, then that is the B Plot. Some writers seem to forget this and make the soap opera storyline the priority. It always drives me up the wall when they do! 

Admittedly, Rogue doesn't do this too bad. The Chuldur come perilously close to getting the attention they deserve in the tale. So it's not bothering me too much. It also helps that the romantic subplot with the Doctor and Rogue is done excellently. Ncuti and Jonathan Groff  have amazing chemistry. This is all quite similar to Girl in the Fireplace, of course. The Doctor is falling in love with someone in just one episode. It even all takes place in relatively the same time period. But I think the relationship between Fifteen and Rogue plays out better than it did with Ten and Pompadour. Overall, I prefer Fireplace. But Rogue is still awesome. And I'm desperately hoping that there will be future adventures where the Doctor is trying to find Rogue

ISN'T IT IRONIC? 

So I just lumped two separate episodes together for the sake of saving a bit of space. Now I'm going to be a bit ironic and give the one two-parter of the season a section for each episode.

I'm being even more ridiculous when you consider that I could've, easily, placed Legend of Ruby Sunday in the same category as Dot and Bubble and Rogue. All three of them, for me, have the same impact. They're very strong episodes - but I wouldn't label them Classics. 

Like the two stories before it, Legend of Ruby Sunday has that one fatal flaw that prevents it from being elevated to Classic status. In this instance, it's the fact that the whole episode is meant to be a build-up to a massive cliffhanger. The plot accomplishes this very well. We really do feel enormous amounts of tension building as we get closer and closer to discovering who  "The One Who Waits" is. The problem, however, is that this is all that's really happening for the whole episode. Beyond feeling ominous, there's really not much else going on in the narrative. 

Back in the Classic Days, you could get away with an episode like this more easily. Part One of Enlightenment, for instance, is mainly a bunch of stalling until we get to the Reveal of Sailboats in Space. We don't mind that, however, since we only had to wait about twenty minutes to get there. It took double that time in Legend of Ruby Sunday for us to finally find out it was Sutehk the whole time. That's a bit much to sit through when very little is genuinely happening in the plot. I'm vaguely reminded of Stolen Earth. Where it's mainly about a bunch of people saying: "Holy crap! That's a lot of Daleks!" and all the real story development happens in the second part. 

Since we're mentioning Sutehk, I should probably put forward my second extremely minor objection. Making the evil Osirian the One Who Waits felt just a little too much like fan-service. I, like many viewers, thought he was a magnificent villain in Pyramids of Mars. But, unlike others, I really felt he was meant to be a one-time-only baddie. I wanted to be fair, though. I wasn't going to pass too harsh of a judgement on the decision to bring him back until I saw the second part. My initial gut-reaction, however, to his Reveal at the cliffhanger was that I didn't want The One Who Waits to be Sutehk. I'd go so far to say that I would have preferred anyone but him. 

Having spent a paragraph or two voicing objections, I still want to clarify that Legend of Ruby Sunday was, for the most part, an awesome episode. The high standard of quality that we've been seeing since The Devil's Chord continues. This really is shaping up to be an incredible season. I'm very happy with everything, thus far. 

THE EMPIRE STRIKING BACK 

Empire of Death seems to have an interesting blanket effect on those who watch it. When making a statement of this nature, I should be clear that there are, technically, two types of responses that I've seen to this story.  As usual, there's a certain percentage of so-called "fans" who are just completely hating on it. But then, they've been saying this about any new episode for quite some time, now. So let's not even really count them, anymore. I've gotten pretty tired of the same drum they keep beating and can no longer care about them!

Fans that I consider better-balanced, however, do seem to be having a specific type of reaction to this story. Overall, we like it (interesting that I use the term "we" - almost as if I consider myself a well-balanced fan!). But there's also some element to the plot that doesn't sit well with us. Basically, we enjoy most of the episode - but an aspect of the tale stops it from being something we can truly consider excellent. It's not always the same thing that makes us respond this way. But it's still how we all seem to feel. 

For me, it has to do with the fact that Sutekh is sparing the Doctor and Ruby's life just because he wants to know who Ruby's Mom is. This near-omnipotent being that is hell-bent on wiping out all life in the universe is not killing two individuals just so he can learn a bit of gossip?! I mean, really, if he's that curious about the whole thing - I'm pretty sure he can just go find out for himself!  But, even if he's feeling a bit lazy and doesn't want to do the research, I'm not sure why he's not eliminating someone who's defeated him once, already. No amount of curiosity is worth allowing such an effective enemy to continue to exist. This whole idea does seem just a bit too far-fetched for me to buy into. 

Now, I know Doctor Who has a history of doing this sort of thing with god-like beings. They put some kind of weird limitation on them that almost seems a bit silly. Sometimes, it still ends up being quite cool (Fenric losing to the Doctor in a game of chess and being sealed in a flask). Other times, it's just odd and clunky (Azal the Daemon self-destructing cause he doesn't understand why Jo wants to sacrifice herself in the Doctor's place). The Destroyer of the Universe halting his ultimate objective just to learn the identity of Ruby's mother, for me, falls into the category of just a bit too damned ridiculous. RTD makes a noble effort in the denouement to explain why this became important to the Osirian, but it still doesn't really fly. It feels just a bit too much like an ill-conceived narrative contrivance that allows the Doctor to, ultimately, score a sort of cheap victory.

In short, he doesn't truly manage to outwit Sutekh. A bad plot-hole does it for him. 

Aside from this, however, there's still much to like, here. The scene with the woman who gives the Doctor a spoon is utterly gorgeous. Especially since it is there more as a bit of filler than anything. But it's beautifully-crafted and we don't care that it barely does anything to genuinely advance the story. 

It's great to see the Memory (or Remembered) TARDIS being given an actual backstory that now allows it to make a degree of sense. I also like all the great stuff that we see in it. Mel clutching to different costume pieces that belonged to Six and Seven was, oddly enough, one of my favorite moments in the whole episode! 

The Doctor dragging Sutekh into the Vortex with some bits and bobs from the Memory TARDIS is another moment of sheer brilliance. This particular Re-Set Button works nicely for me (and, like most fans, I'm not usually too fond of these things!). Killing death to create life has a weird sort of logic to it that I enjoy. Sutekh tearing away at the walls of the Vortex was a great visual. The Doctor admitting to Sutekh that the Osirian is still, ultimately, the victor was an excellent little speech too. Everything about Sutekh's final defeat was awesome. Quite properly, the high point of the season. 

There is a bit of a protracted denouement in Empire of Death. But, by no means, is this another End of Time - Part Two. I don't find it drags at all. It's just tying up some loose ends that can't really be rushed. I'm actually quite glad that RTD took his time with this. 

Making Ruby's biological mother just a normal human being who had a difficult choice to make was, perhaps, the twist that no one was expecting. I quite liked that things ended up going that way. It actually led to a very emotionally-charged scene when Ruby does find her. This creates a huge pivot in her life that causes her desire to stop travelling with the Doctor to make absolute sense. 

As a weird sidenote: I'm so glad that we got a fourth companion in a row that just chooses to leave the TARDIS rather than being forced apart from the Doctor.  A simple goodbye feels so much better than the convoluted "stuck in a parallel universe" or "trapped in a time paradox" storylines that have often been used in New Who when a member of the TARDIS crew has to go. I still remember the Good 'Ole Days when this was how must companions departed.  

FINAL VERDICT 

And so, the latest soft reboot has been implemented. While Old Doctor Who is enjoying a blissful retirement, a slightly newer version has been fluttering through the cosmos and getting into all sorts of trouble. 

Was it all worth it, though? Did the show need such a big make-over? Should we have brought RTD back to do it? Maybe it was time for Chibnall to go (I, quite honestly, wanted more of him!), but should his replacement have been a Blast From the Past? 

I never thought I'd hear myself saying this: But I am actually quite happy with what RTD has done with the show. Had he just tried to re-create what he'd given us during Series One to Four, I would have been largely dissatisfied. I might have even stopped watching. But he is definitely going for something new and different with his second run. Which is the way it should be with Doctor Who. It always needs to be exploring new territory.

I'm also very pleased with how different this Doctor is from most New Who incarnations. He's still a bit of an overexcited chatterbox, sometimes. But there are a lot of new sides to the character that are prominently on display. I completely love this. Not just because it's something different from what we've been getting for the last dozen seasons. But it's also just a very interesting interpretation of the role. I'm happy to see more of it. I even like how much the Doctor cries, now! 

There are some problems, though. If we're counting Church on Ruby Road, then the season starts and ends on a bit of a weak note. RTD definitely needs to devote more attention to how he establishes and finishes his season. First and last impressions are pretty important! 

He's also walking a very tricky path with how he constructs a story. It really does feel like he's going for a bit more of a Seasons Twenty-Five and Twenty-Six vibe, now. Rather than giving us all the answers, he's letting us reach our own conclusions about certain things. This is a very difficult style of story-telling. Cartmel seemed to nail it perfectly. He knew exactly when to let things stay ambiguous and when to sidle us with a big old info-dump. RTD doesn't always match his abilities. There are some things that needed better explanation. I can, for instance, deduce that Ruby creating snow when she thinks too hard about the day of her birth was probably a side effect of the Time Window displaying the actual event. But it might have been a good idea to slip a bit of dialogue in that mentions that. 

Keeping expository dialogue to a bare minimum continues to be a huge trend in modern-day TV writing. Which is not an entirely bad thing. But it's something an author needs to be cautious about.  If they're not careful, they just end up giving us a story that doesn't really make any sense!   

Another Season Review in the can. I went on for a bit longer than I'd planned to. Apparently, I had a lot to say!