Revisiting Doctor Who: Part 1
Last month, I tried a 30 day free trial of the streaming service BritBox. One of the main selling points was that the platform has an extensive back catalogue of Classic Doctor Who. Although I initially tried to keep up with the reboot of the franchise in 2005 my interest waned after several seasons. I am not opposed to any of the changes made and I am very pleased that the show has found a new audience. However, it doesn’t resonate with me so much anymore and I find that there is too much human drama for my liking. So I decided to revisit my youth and watch some classic Doctor Who; episodes that I haven’t seen in over forty years (yes, I’m that old). Now I’m fully aware of the potential issues that can come from returning to things that you enjoyed in one’s youth, so I believe I did my best in managing my expectations. However, the results of my nostalgia trip were interesting. The things I thought would be a problem nowadays weren’t so and the things I expected to hold up well despite the passage of time, didn’t always succeed. It’s been a curious experience.
Last month, I tried a 30 day free trial of the streaming service BritBox. One of the main selling points was that the platform has an extensive back catalogue of Classic Doctor Who. Although I initially tried to keep up with the reboot of the franchise in 2005 my interest waned after several seasons. I am not opposed to any of the changes made and I am very pleased that the show has found a new audience. However, it doesn’t resonate with me so much anymore and I find that there is too much human drama for my liking. So I decided to revisit my youth and watch some classic Doctor Who; episodes that I haven’t seen in over forty years (yes, I’m that old). Now I’m fully aware of the potential issues that can come from returning to things that you enjoyed in one’s youth, so I believe I did my best in managing my expectations. However, the results of my nostalgia trip were interesting. The things I thought would be a problem nowadays weren’t so and the things I expected to hold up well despite the passage of time, didn’t always succeed. It’s been a curious experience.
I chose to resume watching Doctor Who at the beginning of the John Pertwee era. I have vague memories of some of the later episodes so I thought it an appropriate place to begin. I decided to temporarily bypass the first and second incarnations of the Doctor, due to the number of missing episodes and my unfamiliarity with these actor’s portrayal of the iconic Timelord. Hence I began watching Spearhead from Space which provided some continuity for me as I was familiar with the UNIT storyline. Due to industrial action within the BBC at the time, this story was entirely shot on film which gives the four episodes a very unique aesthetic. It was customary at the time to film exterior scenes on 16mm stock and record on videotape all studio scenes. However, this exclusive use of film was deemed too costly and so was not maintained. It’s a shame as the look and feel of these episodes really adds something to the show and lends it a little more gravitas.
As for Pertwee himself, although a skilled actor with definite onscreen presence, I’m not sure if the new attributes he brought to the show improve the character overall. He is more suave and dynamic than his predecessors. But often the action sequences and hand to hand fight scenes feel a little incongruous. It seems like the production team were trying to straddle too many genres and this move into Bond territory feels a little forced. Another contrivance that ends up becoming counter productive is the plot line that sees the Doctor being stranded on earth as a form of punishment by the Timelords. Hence for the first few seasons the stories centre around his role at UNIT and it all gets a little too familiar. However, the appearance of Roger Delgado as the Master is a real asset. Delgado brings a great deal of charisma to the role and effortlessly switches from charming to sinister. He was an excellent foil for Pertwee and sadly his premature death robbed the show of a suitable climax to their ongoing story arc.
Despite attempts by the production team to broaden the scope and appeal of Doctor Who during Pertwee’s tenure, there are some fundamental issues to consider. Oddly enough I found the low budget production values quite endearing and the use of chroma key video compositing quite innovative. Pertwee often had fun during such cheap and cheerful VFX sequences and his gurning is now quite noticeable. For me the more important issue is the writing and the thematic shift which happened between 1970 and 1974. Clever and nuanced stories have always been the mainstay of Doctor Who. They’re still present in this era and they don’t shy away from difficult themes. The genocidal ending to The Silurians is a good example. However, there is a strong “Nigel Kneale-esque” tone to many of the stories and at times I felt that Bernard Quatermass would have been equally at home investigating them. Again I return to my point about the more action packed Doctor and trying to embrace too many genre tropes. The BBC just didn’t have the resources to do such things justice.
Sadly as an adult, I now see that even a BBC production such as Doctor Who did not escape the prevailing societal biases of its time. I appreciate that fans are immensely fond of many of the companions that have accompanied the Doctor in his travels over the years but Jo Grant (Katy Manning) is a terribly written character, enduring all the sexist stereotypes of the time. Her final appearance in The Green Death where she falls in love with a scientist and environmental activist (who is an equally contrived creation) is somewhat embarrassing as no cliche is left unturned. Another problem that I felt quite jarring is that a lot of the stories from this era are stretched out too long. What could be effectively handled in four installments is often expanded to six or seven episodes. Sometimes events and plot twists are not evenly spaced out throughout the story, resulting in occasional dull episodes and then a narrative rush at the denouement.
I did not watch all four seasons featuring John Pertwee’s Doctor. I chose to view selected stories recommended by several fansites. However, I feel I watched sufficient to make an informed decision about his tenure. I think that this was a period of experimentation where the show tried to encompass other elements from popular entertainment of the time. Not all of it worked but I admire those involved for thinking outside the box. Certainly, when the writing hit the mark it was very good indeed. My personal favourite stories being The Daemons and The Terror of the Autons. The latter is especially creepy. However, my revisiting of Doctor Who did not end with John Pertwee. I decided to push on and jump straight into the adventures of the Fourth Doctor. I make no bones about the fact that the Tom Baker era is the one I am most familiar with. I was seven by the time he took on this iconic role and at an age where his unique persona and style left a marked impression upon me. I shall cover my thoughts on the Baker episodes that I’ve recently watched on BritBox in future blog post.
The Idiot Box
Thoughts on TV shows and my current viewing habits.
The last instalment of The Idiot Box was back in February, just before the lockdown started here in the UK. Since then, like so many people, my leisure time has increased dramatically due to being confined at home and the constraints placed upon my real world activities. Hence our household has watched a lot more TV than usual as a means of occupying ourselves. In some respects this has been a boon, being presented with an opportunity to catch up with our viewing. All those miscellaneous programmes that you record on your DVR “for some particular reason” and swear blind that “you’ll get round to watching”, have finally been cleared. I’ve also started working my way through my “to do” list of movies and TV shows that I’m supposed to be reviewing. But there have also been some curious downsides as a result of the quarantine restrictions.
Thoughts on TV shows and my current viewing habits.
The last instalment of The Idiot Box was back in February, just before the lockdown started here in the UK. Since then, like so many people, my leisure time has increased dramatically due to being confined at home and the constraints placed upon my real world activities. Hence our household has watched a lot more TV than usual as a means of occupying ourselves. In some respects this has been a boon, being presented with an opportunity to catch up with our viewing. All those miscellaneous programmes that you record on your DVR “for some particular reason” and swear blind that “you’ll get round to watching”, have finally been cleared. I’ve also started working my way through my “to do” list of movies and TV shows that I’m supposed to be reviewing. But there have also been some curious downsides as a result of the quarantine restrictions.
Many of the ongoing TV shows that were approaching the end of their seasons in March and April, ended somewhat prematurely. NCIS usually finishes on a cliffhanger or features a story arc that will be continued in Autumn. That did not happen this time round. In fact many shows were two or three episodes short of a full season. Apparently the lockdown impacted upon post production and some episodes could not be completed. As mass gatherings have been prohibited, many TV (and radio) shows have not been recorded in front of “live audiences”. This does have an impact. Take for example the popular UK satirical news panel show, Have I Got News For You. This usually is recorded in a studio in front of several hundred people. This season the panel members interacted via videoconferencing (and the show was edited using Final Cut Pro X). The quality of material was just as good as usual but the lack of audience laughter altered the dynamic of the show. It oddly seemed less funny, which upon reflection wasn’t the case.
As I’m not a sports enthusiast, its conspicuous absence from TV has not been an issue. But I do appreciate that this is a major source of entertainment for many people and hence a major inconvenience. I cannot say for certain whether repeating classic content has been an adequate substitute or not but from those I have spoken with it has been a lacklustre replacement. Another issue stemming from the lockdown is the closure of ongoing TV and film productions. There’s a good chance that many eagerly awaited TV shows will not be ready on time and we have already seen the release date of numerous high profile movies postponed. Subsequently, there’s a real chance that there may be a shortage of new content on many of the major streaming services in Autumn. As for cinemas reopening, irrespective of whether this happens sooner or later, it will take a lot to convince me that it is safe to return to these air conditioned germ incubators.
In times of crisis, there are always winners and losers. Streaming TV subscription services have certainly been in the former group over the last four months. I already subscribe to Netflix and Amazon Prime which offers a broad range of material but with the increase in leisure time I decided to try a few others. My son has access to Disney+ so I got to check out what it has on offer recently. I can see why he has it, having twin five year old daughters who have totally bought into the “Disney Princess” concept. However, as I’m done with the MCU and my love affair with Star Wars is rapidly waning (apart for The Mandalorian), there’s not much for me or Mrs P. I also don’t care for the way that some films have been “tinkered” with to make them more family friendly, such as the adding of digital hair to hide Daryl Hannah’s minor nudity in Splash. And the withdrawal of the 30 day free trial just prior to the release of Hamilton on the platform was hardly good PR.
However BritBox has proven to be far more beneficial. If you like in depth and character driven dramas such as Broadchurch, Unforgotten and Call the Midwife then there’s plenty of such content. There’s also a wealth of classic British sitcoms and a good selection of classic movies. The main selling point for me is the extensive collection of Doctor Who episodes spanning all incarnations of the timelord. This has given me a great opportunity to re-evaluate material I previously watched when I was 5 years old and has proven quite a revelation. The other major selling point of BritBox is that they’ve recently added most of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation shows, so I’ve been revisiting Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet yet again. I suspect that once the free 30 day trial has expired I shall continue subscribing for the immediate future.
So has there been any standout viewing in the Peril household over the last 4 months? Yes there has. Mrs P is a very social creature (yes that’s very ironic considering my temperament) and has found the lockdown very frustrating as it has curtailed her regular meetings with friends. However, one particular show which she binged watched (twice) on Netflix and found great enjoyment in is Schitt's Creek. She feels it takes a couple of episodes for the show to hit its stride but when it does the characters come to life and it is both equally touching and extremely funny. I’ll vouch for the fact then while she’s been watching it, you can hear constant uproarious laughter. For myself, my highlight of lockdown viewing has been Nebula-75 which is produced by a 3 man crew in self isolation. It’s available on YouTube. However, I shall dedicate a future blog post to this creative endeavour.
