It's building up for a while now, but it's time to come clean. There is something that I nearly universally loath of about classic who so far. It's the music. At some point during the second doctor's era the music went from occasionally odd to down right terrible and annoying. I've tolerated it with gritted teeth for a while now, but this serial was the last straw. It's meant to be a serious (relatively) storyline and you have this TERRIBLE and completely tonally inappropriate music ruining any sense of mood or suspenion of disbelief. It is like the show has decided to openly mock me and the characters for even trying to get into what is happening and take it seriously.
Like I get the weird sound design this show has, they are trying to go an alien feel, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But the alien, weird sound doesn't stop with the aliens - it shows up in the music too, mostly when it makes no sense. I'm sorry guys but I will NEVER understand the decision to play music that sounds like one of those trash can playing bands and/or a man playing a kazoo in a scene set on earth in a unit lab. There is nothing REMOTELY alien about that setting. It's frankly just terrible, distracting, and actively keeping me from engaging with and enjoying the story. My entire viewing of this serial is tainted by that terrible music.
Seriously, please tell me this music leaves SOON.
Anyway, sorry about that rant first, onward to the episode.
This serial was largely base under seige-ish, but there were some welcome changes from that format. I really like the disease angle. It's something brand new to the show and added some real tension. It's also quite creative how they came up with monsters while the doctor was still grounded. The origin of these monsters now make a lot of sense. Also, the Silurians look WAY different from their modern counterparts though. I must confess though, Silurians aren't my favorite monsters (*shakes off flashbacks to Cold Earth* - it's the only one of two modern storylines I haven't finished).
The Doctor was good in this serial. But his actions were insane! This is something no other doctor, even modern doctors would do. The third doctor is just naive enough to think these two speicies could live together. And it's very rare modern doctor would put the other speices over Humans. It's clear the Doctor isn't fully attached to earth and humanity the way he is in the future. He doesn't see if as his second, and eventually, only thing he has close to a home.
Also, I am wondering when the Brig will just stop questioning and go with the Doctor. Seriously Brig, the doctor's always right. Remember this (though the doctor isn't right about the best thing for everyone involved). I liked that they had the Brig blow up the entrance. Conflict is nice and I'm curious to see if it will carry on to the next serial.
On the flipside, poor Liz was given not much of anything to do. I like that she isn't actively helpless, I like that they occasionally have her speak up, but I don't like the fact the Doctor doesn't let he get involved. She's a professional woman, she doesn't need to be put away for her own safety. And I don't like that fact the writers just have her okay with it. It would be one thing if she preferred to stay in the lab - she is a scientist after all - but she keep trying to come and everyone would stop her. She's a member of UNIT too, not a civilians. :\
Overall, a serial that was frustrated by bad music and marginalization of Liz.
First I loved the color, of course. And the locations, so many LOCATIONS, that was just fantastic. The pacing and the storytelling was really good too. That probably partially a result of it being 4 parter, they tend to be faster pace.
Honestly, it almost feels like a totally different show. It's kind of like the transition between 10 and 11. Everything is wiped clean and you see mostly new characters and a huge jump in production quality.
But it wasn't just that. They pulled away from the Doctor narratively. That something they don't normally do, unless it's two guest characters expositioning at each other. I liked getting to see both the Brig and Liz taking to each other about something other then the villain of the week. We got a real sense of their personalities.
Overall, it just felt more modern, more like a show we would see on TV today, both in production quality and narrative style.
Speaking of, I LOVED Liz. She was a little snotty, and bossy, but she knows her mind, knows what she is capable of and refused to be pushed around. I hope those characteristics really stick with her whole run, otherwise I am going to be super disappointed let me tell you.
The brig should also be fun to see more of. He kind of reminds me of Agent Coulson from the Marvel movie universe in the calm way he just takes all the weird stuff. I'm hoping we get to know more about him as a person and see some new side to his personality.
The villains were good. I've never found the plastic people all that scary, but they did a good job setting up the tension and making use of them for the smaller scale serial.
And of course, I won't forget to bring up the third Doctor! There was so much mystery surrounding his entry (and new canon information about his Time Lordness). I loved them trying to figure out who he was and what was up with him. It reminded me a lot of david tennants first episode.
The 3rd Doctor surprised me. He was far more like the second doctor then I thought he was going to be. His action and dialogue in this serial were a lot like the second doctor. I'm curious to see if this is just a result of them still writing in the second Doctor's "voice" or if this is how he is going to be. I hope not (I'm really ready for something different), and think not, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how he develops into his own unique Doctor.
I'm overall pretty excited about the third Doctor era. For several reasons. The first is that Terry Dicks, the guy who wrote the War Games, was the script writer for his era, so I'm hoping we'll see some more creativity in the plotlines. I'm also interested to see the Doctor earth bound. I'm hoping this forces the writers to use properly developed reoccuring side characters. Also, I just really want some innerpersonal drama in this show. (I'm not talking soap opera levels, but can I just get something dynamic happening between the doctor and his companions - please??? Some character development, some conflict. I would love you forever writers.)
Anyway, a solid start to the third Doctor and I'm hoping for more awesome serials to come!
