The Invasion Begins Jun 17 2017 2nd Doctor Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot Oh, there are just so so many things to say about The Invasion, which I started today. It's a slow-burner of a story (although not originally intended to be), and contains a long list of firsts for the show. But before I get there, just a bit about my progress -- after fighting mightily to break below the 280 mark, I had a very rapid drop of weight in what seemed like a very short time. It felt like I dropped from 280 to 274 virtually overnight. As generally happens whenever I have a rapid drop like that, it is followed by a short bounce-back, which is where I have been the past few days. The good news is, although the five day moving average still went up a bit again today, I am very much back on a downward trend in the daily numbers. I expect to see it turn around again tomorrow. In the grand scheme of things I am very much on pace with where I want to be. As a matter of fact, tomorrow I need to go shopping for a new belt because I have already punched one extra hole in my current belt and now that's too loose. How's that for a happy problem? Anyway, getting back to The Invasion... let's talk about that. Read more ...
Brevity is the Soul of Wit Jun 16 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot With a running time of just barely over 18 minutes, the final episode of today's viewing of The Mind Robber is easily the shortest single episode of Doctor Who ever aired on television. Sure, in the modern era there are some web shorts and some Red Nose Day skits that run shorter, but nothing that ever played on television as a complete episode in the regular time slot. Honestly, the abbreviated nature of these ones served the story well -- even if it was a happy accident. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
He May Be _A_ Master, But He's Not _THE_ Master Jun 15 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot Only glimpsed briefly and unnamed in the first episode of The Mind Robber, today's episodes more fully introduced and named the primary antagonist of the story (although we only ever hear his voice and see the back of his head). The baddie is named The Master, but don't get too excited. It's not the first appearance of the Doctor's arch-enemy from Gallifrey -- in fact, to date the Doctor's home world has not even been named. No, it's just the local Big Bad in the Land of Fiction. This is a totally surreal story, very much in the same vein as The Celestial Toymaker, and it is turning out to be much more enjoyable than I had expected. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
Hello, Kitty! Jun 14 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot Originally I had intended to only watch the last episode of The Dominators today, but then I figured since The Mind Robber also has an odd number of episodes I may as well start on that. I was not optimistic for either episode, really. For the end of the stupid, stupid Dominators story my lack of anticipation was well-founded. For the opening to The Mind Robber, however, it wasn't quite as dreadful as I had feared. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
The Domi-not-ors Jun 13 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot Ugh, day two of this stupid, stupid story. There's a chance that it's not as awful as I think it is, and that I am just in a cranky mood. But I'm pretty sure it's just no good. Apparently it was originally supposed to be a six-parter but was cut down to five at the script stage, and I can see why. I wish it had been cut down to zero parts. It wasn't though, so here I am slogging through it all for you, my imaginary readers. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
The Dumbenators Jun 12 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot Oh, god. I have reached the Planet of Giants of the Patrick Troughton era, and it has sapped my will to live. Season six opens with The Dominators -- a five part story that is clearly going to test my endurance in every possible way. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
Dude, Careful With That Mercury! Jun 11 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot There is a moment at the end of The Wheel in Space in which the Doctor, having roundly defeated the Cybermen, is pouring liquid mercury bare-handed into a filler port on the top of the TARDIS console using a plastic funnel. It was the most terrifying thing in the entire story, just how carelessly the Doctor treated a very dangerous material that is easily spilled and difficult to safely clean up. I don't know if the control console has any heat sources, but mercury vaporizes easily and is a virulent poison that can cause serious issue both short- and long-term. But other than that, it was a good story. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
Cybermats Eat the Bernalium Jun 10 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot Geez, I almost forgot to post about today's viewing. I was having a nice, lazy day (aside from the hour on the treadmill) and it just got away from me. So, anyway, The Wheel in Space... Let's talk very briefly about that? Read more ...
Fluid Links are a Pain in the Arse Jun 09 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Zoe Heriot First things first: holy cow, the treadmill kicked my butt today. I didn't even make it the full 55 minutes like usual, I barely staggered through the first two episodes of The Wheel in Space and then I had to bail. I must be getting old. But skinnier. Anyway, at the end of the last story Victoria left. By the second episode of this new story Zoe is introduced, although she isn't all companion-y yet. Let's talk about that. Read more ...
Farewell, Victoria! Also: Weed Kills! Also: The Horror of Halitosis! Jun 08 2017 2nd Doctor Jamie McCrimmon Victoria Waterfield Oh, so many things happened in today's episodes of Fury from the Deep! I very nearly had another unexpected day without Doctor Who, but fortunately a window of opportunity opened up this afternoon and I was able to fit it in amidst visits to the vet, mowing the lawn during the first break in the Florida rain for nearly a week, and other family emergencies. But hey, at least my home wasn't overrun by sentient seaweed and foam, so it's all good. Let's talk about that. Read more ...