Day two of my personal Doctor Who marathon began at 9:05 AM PST with Planet of Giants (movie version.) [BTW it’s now 9:15 PST, the crew has just figured out that they have been made small, and it’s the actual anniversary now – 5:15 PM GMT 11/23/1963…] A great little story that had been in the works since the series was conceived. The TARDIS and its crew get small; and have to deal with oversized insects, animals, and murderers. The sets are realized brilliantly, and the two separate storylines tie in neatly. Even the fact that the final episode is a combination of two episodes does not hurt the story at all. Definitely shows what the program is capable of 4/5
I’ve decided to skip Dalek Invasion of Earth, as I’ve watched it a couple of times in the past month. A great story, a touch padded (typical Nation…) 4/5
10:25 AM PST The Rescue (movie version.) A story of hope and deception. A new beginning for Doctor Who. And the answer to a silly trivia question: Which companion killed a house pet: Barbara did… A quick little adventure. 3.5/5
11:15 AM PST The Romans (movie version.) Comedy, danger, adventure, conspiracies, comedy and no Russell Crowe. The TARDIS crew takes a month’s holiday in Nero’s Rome, but something’s always going to happen in the end. Barbara and Ian are sold off as slaves, and the Doctor and Vicky go to see Nero (under a mistaken identity…) A classic. 4/5
1:00 PM PST The Web Planet (movie version.) Believe it or not, I can’t say I actually ever remember seeing this story. I recorded it back in the mid-eighties, and never looked at it. Plodding with a capital PLOD. I even nodded off in the middle somewhere. The smeary look was a bit distracting, and some of the costumes are laughable. As with most of the longer serials, I find that it could easily have been trimmed. Now I’m beginning to understand why JN-T didn’t like using them. 2/5
I do not have The Crusades tape, and I’ve recently viewed the Space Museum – which I would give a 3/5 (though the first episode is more of a 4/5…)
3:30 PM PST The Chase (movie version.) The Daleks are back, and this time they have a space/time machine. Let the chase commence. This story shows what fun you can have in one story, traveling about from place to place (somewhat like Keys of Marinus did.) Like all other long (and Terry Nation’s) stories, this could have been trimmed up a bit. Glad the mechanoids never caught on. What ever happened to the space/time visualizer. Did the Doctor cannibalize it for the time scanner (as seen at the end of the Moonbase?) Well, at least Ian and Barbara got to go home – and enter future Blue Peter presenter Peter Purvis. 3.5/5
6:40 PM PST The Time Meddler (movie version.) The first historical that wasn’t. The first time we see another TARDIS, and another member of the Doctor’s people. A fun romp, pitting our time travelers against a time traveller who like to meddle. 4/5.
8:15 PM PST The Ark (movie version.) A good example of cause and effect in time travel. The TARDIS crew infects the last of mankind with a cold, and eventually saves them from it. Then they return 700 years later to find out that the monoids (mop-topped creatures who were helping the humans) have taken over and have enslaved the humans. A surprisingly good story. 3.5/5.
9:50 PM PST: I’ve decided to call it an evening. The marathon will continue over the next week, though slowly.