The Doctor Who Real Time Marathon: The Nightmare Begins - Coronas Of The Sun
Doctor Who - The Nightmare Begins (13/11/05)
When I saw the writer of this story was Terry Nation I was hoping that the title wouldn't be apt (in a Marinus kind of way). Fortunately, it isn't.
Yep, this is what Mission To The Unknown was all about. Daleks that are scary are back. There was a particularly gruesome scene where they killed Brian Cant, and some good model work. Katarina's a bit weird, but I guess I'll get used to her. There's a guy called Mavic Chen - Guardian Of The Solar System, who started off seeming benevolent but now seems to be selling out to the Daleks. And a guy called Brett Vyon who is trying to hijack the TARDIS.
The Doctor's found the message Marc Cory recorded but the Daleks have found the TARDIS! Very good so far - well written and gripping. The treachery of Mavic Chen is interesting and the story's hit the ground running (although technically it's episode two). The quality of stories is just improving this season - this, like the last episode and Mission To The Unknown, is quite dark, spotted with a little humour. I get the impression this may be a six parter, but better than the last Dalek story; well, it couldn't be much worse!
Doctor Who - Day Of Armageddon (20/11/05)
Really good this week. Brett Vyon has teamed up with the Doctor and they've decided to nick Mavic Chen's space ship. You got to see lots of Delegates again (The Christmas Tree was missing but there was a new Seaweed person) some of whom were quite sexy (the black and white spotted one and the female one), and all well realised - Trantis' teeth were brilliant! Katarina is still a bit strange, but such a contrast to Susan, Ian, Barbara and Vicki; going on about reaching the Place of Perfection and revering the Doctor like a god.
It seems the Daleks have created a Time Destructor for which Mavic Chen has provided the power source. However, the Doctor disguised himself in the Seaweed Guy's cloak and found out the Daleks' plan and nicked the core. However, the alarm has been raised by Seaweed Guy Zephon and Brett Vyon looks like he's going to leg it without the Doctor!
Oh, and Steven's well again.
The story so far is really good. The aliens are creepy and look great; the acting and sets are marvellous, and for once Terry Nation seems to be writing a decent story with a decent plot with (and this is where he usually fucks up) decent dialogue! Once again I can't wait until next week!
Doctor Who - Devil's Planet (27/11/05)
Not a lot really happened this week. The Doctor got to the Spar and they all escaped and the Daleks sent a ship after them. They also executed Zephon for being a bit of a twat, and Mavic Chen has returned to Earth to find out if the Doctor et al. are from there. Meanwhile, there was a lot of chat and the Daleks forced the Spar to land on a prison planet where the local criminals failed to gain access.The Daleks landed, but the Spar took off. However, something has got into the air lock and made Katarina scream.
All in all, not a bad episode, but sparse on plot. It seems they're heading to Earth which is where Mavic Chen has gone, so I'm guessing they're setting up events for the next couple of episodes. Bearing in mind they've got to go back to Kembel cos the TARDIS is there, I'm a bit concerned that once again Terry Nation is going to cram a big load of plot into the last episode and spoil it by rushing. Having said that, this story could always be more than six episodes long.
Doctor Who - The Traitors (04/12/05)
Oh my god! Katarina and Brett are dead!
There was a criminal in the air lock who took Katarina hostage and rather than return to Kembel like he demanded, Katarina blasted them both into space. And this was only minutes into the episode! The Daleks called off their pursuit ship and destroyed it for failing (!), ordering Mavic Chen to deal with the Doctor and the others when they arrived on Earth. The Spar landed at an experimental complex where Brett thought there was a friend he could trust. However, he turned out to be a traitor and Brett killed him.
Meanwhile, Chen enlisted an SSS agent to hunt the Doctor's party down and retrieve the Taranium core. She found them, and the Doctor and Steven escaped, but the agent - Sara Kingdom - killed Brett. Meanwhile, Chen is trying to con the Daleks into believing that Trantis (of the cool teeth) is behind the theft of the core, but they're not having it.
All in all, a shocking episode with tonnes happening in it. Considering this is part four it's wearing very well, especially since it's a Terry Nation story! The Daleks are ruthless and smart, and Chen is quite clearly mad! I'm really enjoying this. Still a bit surprised and upset about Katarina's death but I am looking forward to next week.
Doctor Who - Counter Plot (11/12/05)
Hmmm. Maybe it is a six episoder. The Doctor and Steven went into a room where an experiment with a transmitter with mice in was being held. Sara found them, at which point they were transported to the planet Mira (inhabited by invisible monsters). While there, they've convinced Sara they are the good guys (in a shock improbability moment it was revealed that Brett was Sara's brother - so one of them had married?). Chen continued to exhibit signs of total fruit-loopiness and has told the Daleks where the Doctor is, so the cliffhanger was inevitably the Doctor's group getting caught.
The plot has again slowed, and there were lots of infill scenes of the scientists running the transmat experiment talking about nothing much. Mira looks good, though, and Chen's Number 2 is amazingly freaky-looking.
The Daleks continued their upward ruthless streak by slaughtering the mice once they arrived on Mira. No doubt next week they'll return to Kembel and the plot will be resolved before Christmas. Still can't get over Katarina being killed, but Sara looks like she might be her replacement - very Emma Peel! Want to see more of Trantis and the other Delegates, but like I said, next week they'll probably return to Kembel so no doubt we'll see them then.
Doctor Who - Coronas Of The Sun (18/12/05)
Really good this week, but a bit of a let down with the conclusion. The Doctor managed to make a fake Taranium core to give to the Daleks and managed to con them on their return to Kembel. Steven made himself immune to the Dalek guns by experimenting with the Dalek ship's G-forces (didn't quite understand that bit, but it worked in a narrative way) and they all got back to the TARDIS.
They were rescued by the invisible monsters attacking on Mira and nicked the Dalek ship (should have said that first, really). Bit of a speedy ending, but it's possible that Mavic Chen and the Daleks will turn up again once they realise they've been conned. Didn't see the Delegates again (very disappointed) and although the conclusion didn't really tie up all the loose ends it was good.
It looks like they'll be starting another adventure next week. The end of the episode certainly had that feel to it, but then, like I said, there are loose ends. No doubt we'll find out on Christmas Day!
When I saw the writer of this story was Terry Nation I was hoping that the title wouldn't be apt (in a Marinus kind of way). Fortunately, it isn't.
Yep, this is what Mission To The Unknown was all about. Daleks that are scary are back. There was a particularly gruesome scene where they killed Brian Cant, and some good model work. Katarina's a bit weird, but I guess I'll get used to her. There's a guy called Mavic Chen - Guardian Of The Solar System, who started off seeming benevolent but now seems to be selling out to the Daleks. And a guy called Brett Vyon who is trying to hijack the TARDIS.
The Doctor's found the message Marc Cory recorded but the Daleks have found the TARDIS! Very good so far - well written and gripping. The treachery of Mavic Chen is interesting and the story's hit the ground running (although technically it's episode two). The quality of stories is just improving this season - this, like the last episode and Mission To The Unknown, is quite dark, spotted with a little humour. I get the impression this may be a six parter, but better than the last Dalek story; well, it couldn't be much worse!
Doctor Who - Day Of Armageddon (20/11/05)
Really good this week. Brett Vyon has teamed up with the Doctor and they've decided to nick Mavic Chen's space ship. You got to see lots of Delegates again (The Christmas Tree was missing but there was a new Seaweed person) some of whom were quite sexy (the black and white spotted one and the female one), and all well realised - Trantis' teeth were brilliant! Katarina is still a bit strange, but such a contrast to Susan, Ian, Barbara and Vicki; going on about reaching the Place of Perfection and revering the Doctor like a god.
It seems the Daleks have created a Time Destructor for which Mavic Chen has provided the power source. However, the Doctor disguised himself in the Seaweed Guy's cloak and found out the Daleks' plan and nicked the core. However, the alarm has been raised by Seaweed Guy Zephon and Brett Vyon looks like he's going to leg it without the Doctor!
Oh, and Steven's well again.
The story so far is really good. The aliens are creepy and look great; the acting and sets are marvellous, and for once Terry Nation seems to be writing a decent story with a decent plot with (and this is where he usually fucks up) decent dialogue! Once again I can't wait until next week!
Doctor Who - Devil's Planet (27/11/05)
Not a lot really happened this week. The Doctor got to the Spar and they all escaped and the Daleks sent a ship after them. They also executed Zephon for being a bit of a twat, and Mavic Chen has returned to Earth to find out if the Doctor et al. are from there. Meanwhile, there was a lot of chat and the Daleks forced the Spar to land on a prison planet where the local criminals failed to gain access.The Daleks landed, but the Spar took off. However, something has got into the air lock and made Katarina scream.
All in all, not a bad episode, but sparse on plot. It seems they're heading to Earth which is where Mavic Chen has gone, so I'm guessing they're setting up events for the next couple of episodes. Bearing in mind they've got to go back to Kembel cos the TARDIS is there, I'm a bit concerned that once again Terry Nation is going to cram a big load of plot into the last episode and spoil it by rushing. Having said that, this story could always be more than six episodes long.
Doctor Who - The Traitors (04/12/05)
Oh my god! Katarina and Brett are dead!
There was a criminal in the air lock who took Katarina hostage and rather than return to Kembel like he demanded, Katarina blasted them both into space. And this was only minutes into the episode! The Daleks called off their pursuit ship and destroyed it for failing (!), ordering Mavic Chen to deal with the Doctor and the others when they arrived on Earth. The Spar landed at an experimental complex where Brett thought there was a friend he could trust. However, he turned out to be a traitor and Brett killed him.
Meanwhile, Chen enlisted an SSS agent to hunt the Doctor's party down and retrieve the Taranium core. She found them, and the Doctor and Steven escaped, but the agent - Sara Kingdom - killed Brett. Meanwhile, Chen is trying to con the Daleks into believing that Trantis (of the cool teeth) is behind the theft of the core, but they're not having it.
All in all, a shocking episode with tonnes happening in it. Considering this is part four it's wearing very well, especially since it's a Terry Nation story! The Daleks are ruthless and smart, and Chen is quite clearly mad! I'm really enjoying this. Still a bit surprised and upset about Katarina's death but I am looking forward to next week.
Doctor Who - Counter Plot (11/12/05)
Hmmm. Maybe it is a six episoder. The Doctor and Steven went into a room where an experiment with a transmitter with mice in was being held. Sara found them, at which point they were transported to the planet Mira (inhabited by invisible monsters). While there, they've convinced Sara they are the good guys (in a shock improbability moment it was revealed that Brett was Sara's brother - so one of them had married?). Chen continued to exhibit signs of total fruit-loopiness and has told the Daleks where the Doctor is, so the cliffhanger was inevitably the Doctor's group getting caught.
The plot has again slowed, and there were lots of infill scenes of the scientists running the transmat experiment talking about nothing much. Mira looks good, though, and Chen's Number 2 is amazingly freaky-looking.
The Daleks continued their upward ruthless streak by slaughtering the mice once they arrived on Mira. No doubt next week they'll return to Kembel and the plot will be resolved before Christmas. Still can't get over Katarina being killed, but Sara looks like she might be her replacement - very Emma Peel! Want to see more of Trantis and the other Delegates, but like I said, next week they'll probably return to Kembel so no doubt we'll see them then.
Doctor Who - Coronas Of The Sun (18/12/05)
Really good this week, but a bit of a let down with the conclusion. The Doctor managed to make a fake Taranium core to give to the Daleks and managed to con them on their return to Kembel. Steven made himself immune to the Dalek guns by experimenting with the Dalek ship's G-forces (didn't quite understand that bit, but it worked in a narrative way) and they all got back to the TARDIS.
They were rescued by the invisible monsters attacking on Mira and nicked the Dalek ship (should have said that first, really). Bit of a speedy ending, but it's possible that Mavic Chen and the Daleks will turn up again once they realise they've been conned. Didn't see the Delegates again (very disappointed) and although the conclusion didn't really tie up all the loose ends it was good.
It looks like they'll be starting another adventure next week. The end of the episode certainly had that feel to it, but then, like I said, there are loose ends. No doubt we'll find out on Christmas Day!
The first few episodes of this and the last few are the story proper; the rest is mostly filling. I've always thought it would have made a corker of a six-parter. Alas, it's double that length, and half as good for it. The scarier, scheming Daleks are a boon though, and Magic Chen is a great villain. And yes, the "who'll make it out alive?" aspect certainly ups the stakes.
ReplyDeleteI really like the way after six episodes it made it look like the Dalek story was over and the way the Christmas episode would seem to back that up. The fact that the first six episodes take place in the same time period makes a contrast to the previous Dalek serial, too, and whilst I'm not of the opinion that Sara Kingdom is a companion due to her only appearing in the one serial, I can understand why she's often regarded as one since the first half of the story does feel like an adventure in itself. Master Plan is one of my favourite Dalek stories - I love this season more than most because of the fantastic run of episodes early on - and whilst it is long, I do think it manages to fill its episodes fairly well without it feeling too much like padding. The Traitors really is quite a shocking episode, halving the new TARDIS team within 25 minutes - it's one episode I'd love to see recovered. It really deserves its reputation as an epic and is a brave and mostly successful attempt at making Doctor Who as gritty Sci Fi. I don't think I'd want every story to be quite so heavy, but I do wish later series had been as experimental and adventurous.
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