The Doctor Who Real Time Marathon: The Highlanders
The Highlanders - Part One (17/12/06)
The Doctor, Polly and Ben have arrived in Scotland in the 1700s and almost immediately got caught by some Highland rebels. Their Laird was injured so after Ben managed to pull a gun on them and the Doctor had managed to reason with them, Polly went off with the Laird's daughter to fetch some water. Then some Redcoats arrived and tried to hang the rebels, the Doctor and Ben, but a Lawyer turned up and took them off to be sent to the Americas as slaves. Then Polly fell down a hole.
A pretty good episode - nice to be back on Earth with a recognisable location again. Polly was very good - her contrast with the over-emotional Kirsty was well played. Had a few laughs, too, notably a possible gay joke concerning the Dragoons, and the Doctor pretending to be German ("Doctor Von Wer." "Doctor Who?" "That's what I said!"). Getting used to this Doctor now, but he's a bit weird.
There was a fair bit of violence, too, with the rebels killing some Redcoats in the opening scene and then a rebel getting gunned down as he charged towards a group of soldiers - a bit bloodthirsty, but ultimately a rather good episode.
The Highlanders - Part Two (24/12/06)
It feels weird - this time last year the Doctor, Steven and Sara were half way through their battle with the Daleks. Katarina had died, Sara was yet to and we hadn't met Dodo yet, never mind the new Doctor! This is the first time we've had Christmas without a Dalek episode (nearby, at least). It feels like a different programme!
Not too sure I like the Doctor's new personality. He's very erratic, fond of pretending to be somebody else be it Examiners or 18th Century physicians (so how do we get to know him?) and this week he was beating the shit out of someone for no readily apparent reason! Nevertheless, this was a good episode, especially for Polly (Thank god for Polly and Ben!) who proved exactly how pro-active, clever and strong a companion can be, trapping and blackmailing F-Finch in some of the laugh-out-loud funniest scenes this year, and dealing with weepy/psycho Kirsty!
Meanwhile, Ben had to defend the Doctor against Jamie the Piper because the Doctor's got a plan (involving dressing up as an old woman - god only knows why!) that means he ends up looking like a German traitor, before being carted off to a ship and being shown that anyone who doesn't comply with the slave traders' demands gets keelhauled. Nice.
This is turning into a rather good, grown-up story, but I still have my doubts about the new Doctor. I much preferred William Hartnell. Patrick Troughton's Doctor seems much more difficult to pin down and warm to. Admittedly, the original Doctor took some time to warm to, and he was a bit nasty to begin with, but this is just odd and unpleasant. I hope I get used to his weird behaviour. I probably will - after all, this is only his second story. But like I said, thank god for Polly and Ben!
The Highlanders - Part Three (31/12/06)
A pretty good episode with Polly and Ben doing lots but the Doctor doing fuck all really, to put it bluntly. Polly got Kirsty to get some dresses and some oranges and they've tracked down Solicitor Gray to Inverness where they planned to use him to rescue the Doctor and Ben, not knowing that the Doctor had escaped. Meanwhile, Ben, Jamie and the Laird met the deposed owner of the ship (the Annabelle), and when they and the many other Scottish prisoners were almost forced to sign a contract saying they'd agree to deportation, Ben ripped it up! Then he was knocked out and at the end it looked like he'd been drowned!
In the meantime, Polly and Kirsty were found by the Doctor (still dressed as an old woman) but all he seems to be interested in doing is sleeping! At least they found reasons for Bill Hartnell's Doctor to be absent from large portions of an episode, but to have the Doctor do fuck all but be there in only his ninth episode is shit! He brought in some weapons toward the end and spoke to Gray's assistant, but I'm just not getting any idea of him being the Doctor! Polly and Ben are carrying this story so far, which is okay but not the point. He'd better improve next year!
The Highlanders - Part Four (07/01/07)
? Well, that was a bit unexpected! Jamie the Piper has joined the Doctor, Polly and Ben in the TARDIS. Didn't see that coming, especially since he hasn't really done much during the story, albeit he had a good fight scene this week, but then so did Ben. I don't have a problem with him, but it seems a bit pointless cuz we already have Ben who's fitter and more interesting!
Anyhow, Ben didn't drown, was found by the Doctor, and they, Polly and Kirsty rescued the others. Trask went overboard, Perkins joined the Scotsmen on the boat heading for France, and Jamie joined the Doctor et al. to lead them back to Culloden Moor. Meanwhile, Solicitor Gray escaped and Polly conned Lt. Ffinch into helping them avoid the soldiers. For a while it looked like there might be another episode to go, but the group reached Culloden very fast and there was a final stand-off with Solicitor Gray. Fortunately, Polly had been informing Ffinch about Gray's illegal activities and he was arrested. Then the Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie went back to the TARDIS and Jamie got invited along.
A very strange episode in that it seemed like there was more to come, but there wasn't, and it was very sudden the way Jamie was invited. If they had had another episode which focused more on Jamie it may have made more sense as they would've got to know him, but I only remember him as being a vaguely dull background character.
Not sure about this Doctor's habit of dressing up - and his German accent was appalling! He seems to have developed a catchphrase, too: "I would like a hat like that!" has been used in both stories so far. He's not as good as Bill. His take on the character is too comedic. Humour is okay, but this is just daftness. The show is completely changing. Not sure if I like it. Hopefully I'll get used to it.
The Doctor, Polly and Ben have arrived in Scotland in the 1700s and almost immediately got caught by some Highland rebels. Their Laird was injured so after Ben managed to pull a gun on them and the Doctor had managed to reason with them, Polly went off with the Laird's daughter to fetch some water. Then some Redcoats arrived and tried to hang the rebels, the Doctor and Ben, but a Lawyer turned up and took them off to be sent to the Americas as slaves. Then Polly fell down a hole.
A pretty good episode - nice to be back on Earth with a recognisable location again. Polly was very good - her contrast with the over-emotional Kirsty was well played. Had a few laughs, too, notably a possible gay joke concerning the Dragoons, and the Doctor pretending to be German ("Doctor Von Wer." "Doctor Who?" "That's what I said!"). Getting used to this Doctor now, but he's a bit weird.
There was a fair bit of violence, too, with the rebels killing some Redcoats in the opening scene and then a rebel getting gunned down as he charged towards a group of soldiers - a bit bloodthirsty, but ultimately a rather good episode.
The Highlanders - Part Two (24/12/06)
It feels weird - this time last year the Doctor, Steven and Sara were half way through their battle with the Daleks. Katarina had died, Sara was yet to and we hadn't met Dodo yet, never mind the new Doctor! This is the first time we've had Christmas without a Dalek episode (nearby, at least). It feels like a different programme!
Not too sure I like the Doctor's new personality. He's very erratic, fond of pretending to be somebody else be it Examiners or 18th Century physicians (so how do we get to know him?) and this week he was beating the shit out of someone for no readily apparent reason! Nevertheless, this was a good episode, especially for Polly (Thank god for Polly and Ben!) who proved exactly how pro-active, clever and strong a companion can be, trapping and blackmailing F-Finch in some of the laugh-out-loud funniest scenes this year, and dealing with weepy/psycho Kirsty!
Meanwhile, Ben had to defend the Doctor against Jamie the Piper because the Doctor's got a plan (involving dressing up as an old woman - god only knows why!) that means he ends up looking like a German traitor, before being carted off to a ship and being shown that anyone who doesn't comply with the slave traders' demands gets keelhauled. Nice.
This is turning into a rather good, grown-up story, but I still have my doubts about the new Doctor. I much preferred William Hartnell. Patrick Troughton's Doctor seems much more difficult to pin down and warm to. Admittedly, the original Doctor took some time to warm to, and he was a bit nasty to begin with, but this is just odd and unpleasant. I hope I get used to his weird behaviour. I probably will - after all, this is only his second story. But like I said, thank god for Polly and Ben!
The Highlanders - Part Three (31/12/06)
A pretty good episode with Polly and Ben doing lots but the Doctor doing fuck all really, to put it bluntly. Polly got Kirsty to get some dresses and some oranges and they've tracked down Solicitor Gray to Inverness where they planned to use him to rescue the Doctor and Ben, not knowing that the Doctor had escaped. Meanwhile, Ben, Jamie and the Laird met the deposed owner of the ship (the Annabelle), and when they and the many other Scottish prisoners were almost forced to sign a contract saying they'd agree to deportation, Ben ripped it up! Then he was knocked out and at the end it looked like he'd been drowned!
In the meantime, Polly and Kirsty were found by the Doctor (still dressed as an old woman) but all he seems to be interested in doing is sleeping! At least they found reasons for Bill Hartnell's Doctor to be absent from large portions of an episode, but to have the Doctor do fuck all but be there in only his ninth episode is shit! He brought in some weapons toward the end and spoke to Gray's assistant, but I'm just not getting any idea of him being the Doctor! Polly and Ben are carrying this story so far, which is okay but not the point. He'd better improve next year!
The Highlanders - Part Four (07/01/07)
? Well, that was a bit unexpected! Jamie the Piper has joined the Doctor, Polly and Ben in the TARDIS. Didn't see that coming, especially since he hasn't really done much during the story, albeit he had a good fight scene this week, but then so did Ben. I don't have a problem with him, but it seems a bit pointless cuz we already have Ben who's fitter and more interesting!
Anyhow, Ben didn't drown, was found by the Doctor, and they, Polly and Kirsty rescued the others. Trask went overboard, Perkins joined the Scotsmen on the boat heading for France, and Jamie joined the Doctor et al. to lead them back to Culloden Moor. Meanwhile, Solicitor Gray escaped and Polly conned Lt. Ffinch into helping them avoid the soldiers. For a while it looked like there might be another episode to go, but the group reached Culloden very fast and there was a final stand-off with Solicitor Gray. Fortunately, Polly had been informing Ffinch about Gray's illegal activities and he was arrested. Then the Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie went back to the TARDIS and Jamie got invited along.
A very strange episode in that it seemed like there was more to come, but there wasn't, and it was very sudden the way Jamie was invited. If they had had another episode which focused more on Jamie it may have made more sense as they would've got to know him, but I only remember him as being a vaguely dull background character.
Not sure about this Doctor's habit of dressing up - and his German accent was appalling! He seems to have developed a catchphrase, too: "I would like a hat like that!" has been used in both stories so far. He's not as good as Bill. His take on the character is too comedic. Humour is okay, but this is just daftness. The show is completely changing. Not sure if I like it. Hopefully I'll get used to it.
The audience at the time clearly took to Troughton sooner than you did ;) The new Doctor is very underwritten though at first - it takes a few stories before they drop the affectations and add a steelier glint to him that then defines the character more than his initial run of stories, though he retains his childish sense of glee throughout. And make the most of this being a good story for Ben and Polly: they're never the same again now that Jamie's on board ;)
ReplyDeleteI remember (and you'll see) that I didn't take to Jamie's introduction, nor did I warm to Troughton very quickly. I'd argue that Polly and Ben have a couple more stories where they shine, but The Highlanders is basically all about them sorting stuff out while the Doctor fannies around. Polly tracks them down to Inverness and Ben incites the rebellion amongst the Scots while the Doctor buggers off, dresses up as an old woman and has a nap! Up to this point, the Fourth series has been incredibly strong, though, and it's a massive shame that this would be the last time for 14 years that we'd have an adventure with no aliens or monsters as, like the majority of its predecessors, it's a gripping and dramatic monster-free story which shows how nasty Humans can be whilst proving how resourceful and kind they can be at the same time!
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