The Doctor Who Real Time Marathon: The Sea Devils
The Sea Devils: Episode One (26/02/12)
Only episode one and already this is really good! The Doctor and Jo have gone to visit the Master (!) who's being held at a fort on an island off the south coast - apparently a lot of people wanted him executed (!!!) but he got life imprisonment instead - under the eye of fuddy-duddy ex-Colonial Trenchard. Trenchard proved to the Doctor that all the guards were hypnosis-proof (in an obvious set up) and the Master convinced the Doctor that he's turned over a new leaf! However, Trenchard is actually collaborating with the Master and providing Naval charts; probably something to do with mysteriously sinking ships in the area (surrounding a nearby sea fort). Trenchard's mention of missing ships piqued the Doctor's interest and having learnt from local ferryman Robbins that the Navy at the local secret Naval Base hold the only remnant of the missing ships - a scorched lifeboat - the Doctor gave him a bribe and went off to look in his boat.
Caught by the Naval authorities whilst checking out the scorch pattern, the Doctor was soon joined by Jo, who'd also bribed Robbins and borrowed his motorbike! Having learnt from the base's commander, Captain Hart, that the sea fort is right in the middle of the ships' last recorded locations, and having been dismissed, the Doctor and Jo took Robbins' launch to the sea fort where two maintenance engineers have been stalked by a Reptile Man (but not like the Silurians as this one's green). One of them has been killed and the Reptile Man (in his fishnet shirt - he'd fit right in at G.A.Y. Late!) has blown up Robbins' launch, trapping the Doctor and Jo and whoever's lumbering towards them - my guess is it's the fat Irish maintenance worker as it looked like his silhouette before the credits!
So, quite gritty, all concrete and metal, with great location work, interesting subplots, and some weird music! Good to see the Master back (watching 'The Clangers'!) after his blatant over-use last year, and great to have a sea/coastal adventure for the first time since 'Fury From The Deep' - it gives some nice variety. This season's doing really well so far. Impressive stuff.
The Sea Devils: Episode Two (04/03/12)
It's difficult to decide which of the stories so far this year is my favourite! They've all been really good but so very different. This one continues to be gritty in a Season 7 way but without the scientific bases.
It was the fat Irish guy, sent wappy by finding his mate dead and encountering the Sea Devil - some sort of amphibious turtle-version of the Silurians (who now, according to the Doctor, should be called Eocenes). The Sea Devil attacked the Doctor but the Doctor electrocuted it and it jumped into the sea, leaving the Doctor to spend the night making a transmitter out of a radio.
Learning that they'd disappeared, along with Robbins' boat, Captain Hart sent Air Sea Rescue to look for them, and before long the Doctor was trying to persuade Captain Hart of the danger. They were interrupted, however, by a visit from Trenchard playing the buffoon. He was acting as a distraction while the Master, smuggled by Trenchard into the Naval Base and disguised as an Admiral or something, stole some electronics from the Naval stores. He was found by a Petty Officer but knocked him out (when his hypnosis failed) and would've got away with it had Jo not seen him from Hart's office window.
So, the Doctor and Jo took a Navy jeep to the prison fort and confronted Trenchard who denied everything. Consulting the Master, he was instructed to send the Doctor to his cell so he could explain everything and get the Doctor on their side. The Doctor sent Jo back to the Naval Base then visited the Master's cell, but the Master had nicked his guard's gun and knife and another prolonged fight sequence ensued (featuring fencing swords which randomly decorated the prison walls). This fight was more fun and stagy than the one on Peladon, replete with witty banter, but ended with the Master chucking a knife at the Doctor. I don't for a minute believe it'll hit him, but that doesn't change the fact that this was yet another excellent episode! They really seem to have got a hold of the series now. It hasn't been this consistently good since Season 3!
The Sea Devils: Episode Three (11/03/12)
The Master missed, obviously, and Trenchard walked in. The Doctor was arrested for 'trying to kill the Master' but, detained at the entrance, Jo beat up two guards and legged it! Captain Hart sent one of his Captains to investigate the area around the Sea Fort in a submarine and his Aide, Blythe, reported that the Doctor and Jo had allegedly gone back to UNIT from the castle prison, which was suspicious, doubly so because they hadn't returned nor used the jeep they borrowed to get to the harbour.
The Master used the stolen Naval supplies to build a machine which he told Trenchard would communicate with their enemies; the most dangerous saboteurs Britain has known - so now we know why Trenchard is so willing to help the Master!
While Hart payed a visit to Trenchard and was duly fobbed off, the Master entertained a bound Doctor in his room/cell, explaining that he knew of the Reptiles - cousins of the Silurians - and planned to help them regain control of the Earth and drive Humanity out! He then left to show Trenchard his completed transmitter and, while he was gone, Jo rescued the Doctor and they escaped to the beach, chased by the Master and Trenchard. The Master activated his machine and a Sea Devil came out of the water, leaving the Doctor and Jo trapped between it, a minefield, a Citroen Dyane full of guards, and a cliff with the Master and Trenchard at the top!
Still really good with some nice script touches, such as Jo's escape and the charming rescue of the Doctor - signing to him through a window to distract the guard (moustache) in five minutes and keep him talking (chatty hands). Good to see this ditsy companion isn't as ditsy as she seems. She's had a really good run of stories so far this year. And she can unlock handcuffs using a couple of electrical screwdrivers! AND her hair has the ability to go from straight on location to bodied and wavy in the studio! Oh, and before I forget, the submarine was attacked, drained of power, sank to the sea bed, and invaded by Sea Devils. Again, really enjoyable.
The Sea Devils: Episode Four (18/03/12)
The Doctor and Jo escaped across the minefield, using the sonic screwdriver to detect the mines while the Sea Devil attacked the prison guards. This, clearly, isn't what the Master intended when he called it up with his device, so he used the device to send it after the Doctor and Jo, but by this point they'd made some headway and the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to explode some mines behind them and scare the Sea Devil off.
Meanwhile, more Sea Devils had broken into the bridge of the submarine and forced the Captain to take them to the sea fort. The Doctor and Jo got back to the Naval Base and informed Captain Hart of what was going on, eventually convincing him, and the Master contacted the Sea Devils again.
Trenchard had begun questioning the Master at this point and suspecting he didn't quite have mankind's benefit in mind since the Master had called the Reptiles 'enemy spies' and concealed their true identity. Behind the Master's back, he contacted the Ministry but couldn't get through to anyone. The the Sea Devils stormed the prison (to free the Master) and Trenchard and all his guards were killed trying to stop them.
Having picked up a sonar trace of an object (the submarine) heading for the sea fort, the Doctor persuaded Captain Hart to take him out there so he could investigate in a diving bell. Lowered to the sea bed, a Sea Devil appeared at its porthole, communications were severed with the ship, and when the diving bell was brought back up it was empty!
Pretty good, again, with some great location filming and an almost redeeming fate for Trenchard. Lots of Sea Devils emerging from the sea and running around, although a bit disappointing that Jo had bugger all to do but worry about the Doctor, not get to eat some sandwiches, and pose in a diving bell for a crash-zoom cliffhanger shot. Nevertheless, still great, very entertaining and another good episode. This series is going very well!
The Sea Devils: Episode Five (25/03/12)
Very good, this week; all action and negotiation and stuff. The episode started off with the arrival of a Parliamentary Private Secretary, Barker, to sort out the missing ships business and patronise Blythe. He ordered an attack on the Sea Devils' base, despite Captain Hart's protests, whilst the Doctor was attempting (and succeeding) to persuade the Sea Devil leader (they'd taken him to their base in some weird diving bell of their own) to try for peace with the Humans - despite the Master's protests; he's there to repair their hibernation units and point out how the Doctor failed to help the reptiles on Wenley Moor.
However, just as the Doctor was succeeding, the attack took place and the Doctor was taken away to be killed. Fortunately, he escaped, found the Captain and First Mate of the submarine, and helped them regain control of their submarine and eventually escape.
The Master, meanwhile, got the Sea Devils to release some debris and corpses to make it look like the base had been destroyed and the attack was called off. Upon his return to the Naval Base, the Doctor immediately got off on the wrong foot with Barker (now there's a surprise!) but eventually persuaded him to let him go back to the Sea Devils' base to make another attempt at peace. However, the Master had already agreed to help revive the remaining Sea Devils and help defeat the Humans so the Reptiles could have the Earth once more, starting with a raid on the Naval Base for supplies.
Very fast moving, very well plotted, with some nice characterisation and lots of great footage of real Navy ships detonating real Navy bombs in the sea. I think this must be one of the most sophisticated episodes of the series I've seen, no doubt thanks to the Navy's cooperation with the production team. As with Malcolm Hulke's last reptile story, the Sea Devils are quite sympathetic creatures being manipulated by an antagonistic Human(oid). Great episode. Looking forward to next week.
The Sea Devils: Episode Six (01/04/12)
Well, that all ended with a bang! The Sea Devils took control of the Naval Base, locked Jo, Captain Hart and Barker in the inoperative communications room off Hart's office and set the Doctor at helping the Master build a machine to awaken the Sea Devil colonies around the world so they could wage war against mankind! Jo, however, escaped through the ventilation ducts, located the Doctor and went back to free Captain Hart while the Doctor caused a distraction.
Plot Hole #1: The Doctor 'reversed the polarity of the neutron flow' of the machine resulting in a very unpleasant noise which incapacitated the Sea Devils throughout the base, including the one in front of him. This is fine, but why did the Master wait so long to unplug the device? He waited long enough for Jo to free Captain Hart and for them to get from his 1st or 2nd floor office, through the base's grounds to the beach, into a hovercraft (which Jo started and piloted - cool!) and heading out to sea!
Nevermind, though. They returned with reinforcements (rather quickly, but nevermind that either) who stormed the base and drove the Sea Devils away. The Doctor, however, caught the Master escaping - cue exciting Jet Ski Chase, no doubt on Mr Pertwee's request - resulting in his recapture by the Sea Devils. Taken to the Sea Devil base along with the Master and his now-working machine, the Doctor asked if he could still persuade them to live in peace. The answer was 'no', so while Barker ordered a nuclear strike, the Doctor reversed the polarity turning the the device into a massive bomb. He and the Master were then taken away and locked up but escaped using some submarine equipment and were picked up by Hart's men in a hovercraft before the base went KA-BOOOM!!! (Several times). Then the Master faked a heart attack in order to fool some paramedics and escape in said hovercraft.
On the whole, this story was great! So far this year the quality of stories and direction, not to mention effects, has been better than ever. While the Doctor occasionally comes across as smug and abrasive, he's a lot more likeable than last year. Slightly missing UNIT, etc. but that's not to say it's lacking in action; this story was just as good for that as 'The Mind Of Evil' or any of Season 7! Rather fantastic, gritty and cool.
Only episode one and already this is really good! The Doctor and Jo have gone to visit the Master (!) who's being held at a fort on an island off the south coast - apparently a lot of people wanted him executed (!!!) but he got life imprisonment instead - under the eye of fuddy-duddy ex-Colonial Trenchard. Trenchard proved to the Doctor that all the guards were hypnosis-proof (in an obvious set up) and the Master convinced the Doctor that he's turned over a new leaf! However, Trenchard is actually collaborating with the Master and providing Naval charts; probably something to do with mysteriously sinking ships in the area (surrounding a nearby sea fort). Trenchard's mention of missing ships piqued the Doctor's interest and having learnt from local ferryman Robbins that the Navy at the local secret Naval Base hold the only remnant of the missing ships - a scorched lifeboat - the Doctor gave him a bribe and went off to look in his boat.
Caught by the Naval authorities whilst checking out the scorch pattern, the Doctor was soon joined by Jo, who'd also bribed Robbins and borrowed his motorbike! Having learnt from the base's commander, Captain Hart, that the sea fort is right in the middle of the ships' last recorded locations, and having been dismissed, the Doctor and Jo took Robbins' launch to the sea fort where two maintenance engineers have been stalked by a Reptile Man (but not like the Silurians as this one's green). One of them has been killed and the Reptile Man (in his fishnet shirt - he'd fit right in at G.A.Y. Late!) has blown up Robbins' launch, trapping the Doctor and Jo and whoever's lumbering towards them - my guess is it's the fat Irish maintenance worker as it looked like his silhouette before the credits!
So, quite gritty, all concrete and metal, with great location work, interesting subplots, and some weird music! Good to see the Master back (watching 'The Clangers'!) after his blatant over-use last year, and great to have a sea/coastal adventure for the first time since 'Fury From The Deep' - it gives some nice variety. This season's doing really well so far. Impressive stuff.
The Sea Devils: Episode Two (04/03/12)
It's difficult to decide which of the stories so far this year is my favourite! They've all been really good but so very different. This one continues to be gritty in a Season 7 way but without the scientific bases.
It was the fat Irish guy, sent wappy by finding his mate dead and encountering the Sea Devil - some sort of amphibious turtle-version of the Silurians (who now, according to the Doctor, should be called Eocenes). The Sea Devil attacked the Doctor but the Doctor electrocuted it and it jumped into the sea, leaving the Doctor to spend the night making a transmitter out of a radio.
Learning that they'd disappeared, along with Robbins' boat, Captain Hart sent Air Sea Rescue to look for them, and before long the Doctor was trying to persuade Captain Hart of the danger. They were interrupted, however, by a visit from Trenchard playing the buffoon. He was acting as a distraction while the Master, smuggled by Trenchard into the Naval Base and disguised as an Admiral or something, stole some electronics from the Naval stores. He was found by a Petty Officer but knocked him out (when his hypnosis failed) and would've got away with it had Jo not seen him from Hart's office window.
So, the Doctor and Jo took a Navy jeep to the prison fort and confronted Trenchard who denied everything. Consulting the Master, he was instructed to send the Doctor to his cell so he could explain everything and get the Doctor on their side. The Doctor sent Jo back to the Naval Base then visited the Master's cell, but the Master had nicked his guard's gun and knife and another prolonged fight sequence ensued (featuring fencing swords which randomly decorated the prison walls). This fight was more fun and stagy than the one on Peladon, replete with witty banter, but ended with the Master chucking a knife at the Doctor. I don't for a minute believe it'll hit him, but that doesn't change the fact that this was yet another excellent episode! They really seem to have got a hold of the series now. It hasn't been this consistently good since Season 3!
The Sea Devils: Episode Three (11/03/12)
The Master missed, obviously, and Trenchard walked in. The Doctor was arrested for 'trying to kill the Master' but, detained at the entrance, Jo beat up two guards and legged it! Captain Hart sent one of his Captains to investigate the area around the Sea Fort in a submarine and his Aide, Blythe, reported that the Doctor and Jo had allegedly gone back to UNIT from the castle prison, which was suspicious, doubly so because they hadn't returned nor used the jeep they borrowed to get to the harbour.
The Master used the stolen Naval supplies to build a machine which he told Trenchard would communicate with their enemies; the most dangerous saboteurs Britain has known - so now we know why Trenchard is so willing to help the Master!
While Hart payed a visit to Trenchard and was duly fobbed off, the Master entertained a bound Doctor in his room/cell, explaining that he knew of the Reptiles - cousins of the Silurians - and planned to help them regain control of the Earth and drive Humanity out! He then left to show Trenchard his completed transmitter and, while he was gone, Jo rescued the Doctor and they escaped to the beach, chased by the Master and Trenchard. The Master activated his machine and a Sea Devil came out of the water, leaving the Doctor and Jo trapped between it, a minefield, a Citroen Dyane full of guards, and a cliff with the Master and Trenchard at the top!
Still really good with some nice script touches, such as Jo's escape and the charming rescue of the Doctor - signing to him through a window to distract the guard (moustache) in five minutes and keep him talking (chatty hands). Good to see this ditsy companion isn't as ditsy as she seems. She's had a really good run of stories so far this year. And she can unlock handcuffs using a couple of electrical screwdrivers! AND her hair has the ability to go from straight on location to bodied and wavy in the studio! Oh, and before I forget, the submarine was attacked, drained of power, sank to the sea bed, and invaded by Sea Devils. Again, really enjoyable.
The Sea Devils: Episode Four (18/03/12)
The Doctor and Jo escaped across the minefield, using the sonic screwdriver to detect the mines while the Sea Devil attacked the prison guards. This, clearly, isn't what the Master intended when he called it up with his device, so he used the device to send it after the Doctor and Jo, but by this point they'd made some headway and the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to explode some mines behind them and scare the Sea Devil off.
Meanwhile, more Sea Devils had broken into the bridge of the submarine and forced the Captain to take them to the sea fort. The Doctor and Jo got back to the Naval Base and informed Captain Hart of what was going on, eventually convincing him, and the Master contacted the Sea Devils again.
Trenchard had begun questioning the Master at this point and suspecting he didn't quite have mankind's benefit in mind since the Master had called the Reptiles 'enemy spies' and concealed their true identity. Behind the Master's back, he contacted the Ministry but couldn't get through to anyone. The the Sea Devils stormed the prison (to free the Master) and Trenchard and all his guards were killed trying to stop them.
Having picked up a sonar trace of an object (the submarine) heading for the sea fort, the Doctor persuaded Captain Hart to take him out there so he could investigate in a diving bell. Lowered to the sea bed, a Sea Devil appeared at its porthole, communications were severed with the ship, and when the diving bell was brought back up it was empty!
Pretty good, again, with some great location filming and an almost redeeming fate for Trenchard. Lots of Sea Devils emerging from the sea and running around, although a bit disappointing that Jo had bugger all to do but worry about the Doctor, not get to eat some sandwiches, and pose in a diving bell for a crash-zoom cliffhanger shot. Nevertheless, still great, very entertaining and another good episode. This series is going very well!
The Sea Devils: Episode Five (25/03/12)
Very good, this week; all action and negotiation and stuff. The episode started off with the arrival of a Parliamentary Private Secretary, Barker, to sort out the missing ships business and patronise Blythe. He ordered an attack on the Sea Devils' base, despite Captain Hart's protests, whilst the Doctor was attempting (and succeeding) to persuade the Sea Devil leader (they'd taken him to their base in some weird diving bell of their own) to try for peace with the Humans - despite the Master's protests; he's there to repair their hibernation units and point out how the Doctor failed to help the reptiles on Wenley Moor.
However, just as the Doctor was succeeding, the attack took place and the Doctor was taken away to be killed. Fortunately, he escaped, found the Captain and First Mate of the submarine, and helped them regain control of their submarine and eventually escape.
The Master, meanwhile, got the Sea Devils to release some debris and corpses to make it look like the base had been destroyed and the attack was called off. Upon his return to the Naval Base, the Doctor immediately got off on the wrong foot with Barker (now there's a surprise!) but eventually persuaded him to let him go back to the Sea Devils' base to make another attempt at peace. However, the Master had already agreed to help revive the remaining Sea Devils and help defeat the Humans so the Reptiles could have the Earth once more, starting with a raid on the Naval Base for supplies.
Very fast moving, very well plotted, with some nice characterisation and lots of great footage of real Navy ships detonating real Navy bombs in the sea. I think this must be one of the most sophisticated episodes of the series I've seen, no doubt thanks to the Navy's cooperation with the production team. As with Malcolm Hulke's last reptile story, the Sea Devils are quite sympathetic creatures being manipulated by an antagonistic Human(oid). Great episode. Looking forward to next week.
The Sea Devils: Episode Six (01/04/12)
Well, that all ended with a bang! The Sea Devils took control of the Naval Base, locked Jo, Captain Hart and Barker in the inoperative communications room off Hart's office and set the Doctor at helping the Master build a machine to awaken the Sea Devil colonies around the world so they could wage war against mankind! Jo, however, escaped through the ventilation ducts, located the Doctor and went back to free Captain Hart while the Doctor caused a distraction.
Plot Hole #1: The Doctor 'reversed the polarity of the neutron flow' of the machine resulting in a very unpleasant noise which incapacitated the Sea Devils throughout the base, including the one in front of him. This is fine, but why did the Master wait so long to unplug the device? He waited long enough for Jo to free Captain Hart and for them to get from his 1st or 2nd floor office, through the base's grounds to the beach, into a hovercraft (which Jo started and piloted - cool!) and heading out to sea!
Nevermind, though. They returned with reinforcements (rather quickly, but nevermind that either) who stormed the base and drove the Sea Devils away. The Doctor, however, caught the Master escaping - cue exciting Jet Ski Chase, no doubt on Mr Pertwee's request - resulting in his recapture by the Sea Devils. Taken to the Sea Devil base along with the Master and his now-working machine, the Doctor asked if he could still persuade them to live in peace. The answer was 'no', so while Barker ordered a nuclear strike, the Doctor reversed the polarity turning the the device into a massive bomb. He and the Master were then taken away and locked up but escaped using some submarine equipment and were picked up by Hart's men in a hovercraft before the base went KA-BOOOM!!! (Several times). Then the Master faked a heart attack in order to fool some paramedics and escape in said hovercraft.
On the whole, this story was great! So far this year the quality of stories and direction, not to mention effects, has been better than ever. While the Doctor occasionally comes across as smug and abrasive, he's a lot more likeable than last year. Slightly missing UNIT, etc. but that's not to say it's lacking in action; this story was just as good for that as 'The Mind Of Evil' or any of Season 7! Rather fantastic, gritty and cool.
I'm not as enthusiastic as you about this story. It does look (and certainly sounds!) unique, but its basic premises are a bit flawed - for a start, it relies on a character like Trenchard being appointed the Master's keeper, which just doesn't tally; and on the whole it's a moral rehash of The Silurians, only less sophisticated and with less invested in the Sea Devils themselves. It's not bad by any means, with plenty of good character moments and memorable set pieces, but to me it feels flabby and stretched to fit six episodes and is more of a triumph of style over substance.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the whole though that this season has started well. Pity that's all about to change :D