I've watched "An Unearthly Child" about a million times, but for some reason I've never gone beyond that. Mostly because of the received wisdom that this first serial is pretty dull and stupid.
RECEIVED WISDOM WAS WRONG.
I mean, yes, it was a bit of a culture shock going from Community to HELLO 1963, and I sort of had to set aside everything I learned in Anthropology 101. But it was a nice, tense character drama, and I liked that. The stylised dialogue of the cave people worked for the most part, although I got a bit tired of hearing "I, Kal".
Mostly the biggest surprise was how much Barbara screamed and panicked. She's such a dignified presence in the first episode that it's almost shocking how she falls apart and has to slowly pull herself back together.
One thing I noticed, that I never spotted before: "She can't be foreign," says Ian in regard to Susan's unfamiliarity with the currency. In "Remembrance of the Daleks", Ace's Fascist Boyfriend of the Week assumes she's foreign for the same reason.
Also, Barbara's hair is magnificent. Once I'm done here, I'm planning to go off and craft my own bouffant.
Oh, the caveman episodes are where you really see the characters begin to develop, I think. Not just Barbara, but we even get to see the Doctor, who's first impression is a crotchety, suspicious old man (not without reason, I've always maintained, what with people busting into his house and all) to someone who can feel and express genuine fear and panic. Ian, too, shows up as more heroic as the serial progresses, I think. Kind of neat!
Barbara's hair must be fantastic on a windy day, the way it holds it's shape.
That was interesting, especially as I'd only seen partial clips of it before.
-- The Doctor left Earth with Ian and Barbara on board because he didn't want Susan to leave him! I'd never known that.
-- As I'd been warned, it's a pretty dire episode once we get to the cavemen. There's absolutely no mystery, and no clear evil to be fought. It's just, "how do we get away from the cavemen?" At least the cavemen did have some warring factions going on, which became another hallmark of the show.
-- The TARDIS materialization noise sounds exactly the same! Of course, why change perfection?
-- Just why did they individually name all the episode parts back then? Anyone know? And when did that change?
Just why did they individually name all the episode parts back then? Anyone know? And when did that change?
Don't know why --- I suspect it may have had something to do with accounting and keeping track of how money was spent (Verity Lambert's commentaries make it sound like the BBC weren't willing to fully commit to keeping the show on in the initial stage) --- but I know they kept doing it at least through "The Space Museum" so, what?, a year and a half?
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of_rassilon2011-10-23 09:40 am
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RECEIVED WISDOM WAS WRONG.
I mean, yes, it was a bit of a culture shock going from Community to HELLO 1963, and I sort of had to set aside everything I learned in Anthropology 101. But it was a nice, tense character drama, and I liked that. The stylised dialogue of the cave people worked for the most part, although I got a bit tired of hearing "I, Kal".
Mostly the biggest surprise was how much Barbara screamed and panicked. She's such a dignified presence in the first episode that it's almost shocking how she falls apart and has to slowly pull herself back together.
One thing I noticed, that I never spotted before: "She can't be foreign," says Ian in regard to Susan's unfamiliarity with the currency. In "Remembrance of the Daleks", Ace's Fascist Boyfriend of the Week assumes she's foreign for the same reason.
Also, Barbara's hair is magnificent. Once I'm done here, I'm planning to go off and craft my own bouffant.
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Barbara's hair must be fantastic on a windy day, the way it holds it's shape.
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But I love the cavemen episodes if only because I think cranky, useless antihero One is wonderful.
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Both the Doctor and Ian ask "Doctor Who?" in the second episode. Also, Susan and the Doctor both wonder about the TARDIS not changing shape.
So, are these cavemen on Earth in the distant past, or on another planet? I've never been clear about that.
I love what a total bastard One was sometimes.
OK, Susan is still a bit weird with the whole putting-a-human-skull-on-a-burning-stick thing. Awesome.
And the Doctor doesn't know how to drive. Heh.
Next time: FUCK YEAH DALEKS!
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-- The Doctor left Earth with Ian and Barbara on board because he didn't want Susan to leave him! I'd never known that.
-- As I'd been warned, it's a pretty dire episode once we get to the cavemen. There's absolutely no mystery, and no clear evil to be fought. It's just, "how do we get away from the cavemen?" At least the cavemen did have some warring factions going on, which became another hallmark of the show.
-- The TARDIS materialization noise sounds exactly the same! Of course, why change perfection?
-- Just why did they individually name all the episode parts back then? Anyone know? And when did that change?
no subject
Don't know why --- I suspect it may have had something to do with accounting and keeping track of how money was spent (Verity Lambert's commentaries make it sound like the BBC weren't willing to fully commit to keeping the show on in the initial stage) --- but I know they kept doing it at least through "The Space Museum" so, what?, a year and a half?
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'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, it's all my fault. I'm desperately sorry.' Not the last time we'll hear that, either.
Yep, I thought that too. *g*