The people I represent can never have too much plastic

[shadowhive]

So yesterday the Doctor Who season 8 boxset arrived and, instead of waiting till a Monday like an usually do, I decided to watch it last night. I think this’ll be the way I continue watching the season (the ep on Saturday and the special features Sunday) since I think it works better and will mean I won’t miss Maxx’s streams or have to watch the ep late.

The first episode of season 8 was Terror Of The Autons, which saw the return of the Autons (from season 7) as well as the introduction of some new characters, Jo, The Master and Mike Yates. While the episode’s title has the Autons in the name (and they certainly have stuff to do) the story is very much focussed on the Master. Right from the start he’s introduced, showing his hypnotic powers, his ruthlessness and his ability to manipulate people. In fact the time lords consider him such a threat they actually send someone to warn the Doctor he’s there (though just warn, they don’t give him any help whatsoever which you think they would considering how dangerous he is). As such I think it does a pretty good job of introducing him.

Jo joins in this ep as the Doctor’s new assistant, though it’s a little sad that Liz doesn’t get a send off (just getting a comment that she went back to Cambridge). The ep does a good job of introducing her though, she’s sweet and a little clumsy but she’s also quite capable. Mike’s introduced as another UNIT guy and I liked that he was mentioned to have been part of the clean up from the Autons first appearance.

As for the Autons themselves, while they appear mostly in plastic doll form they also bring with them a variety of seemingly innocuous plastic based weapons. There’s an inflatable chair that eats someone, a phone wire that wraps around the Doctor and daffodils that spray a film designed to suffocate someone. And then there the troll doll which looks... well, ugly and creepy. The original plan was they were meant to more involved, being given away from a circus, though that had to be dropped as there was issues with the guy performing the movements. I think that’s a good call because who would want one of those? Even for free.

It’s perhaps ironic that the episode ends with the Doctor and a Master on a radio telescope thing (considering that results in the fourth Doctor regenerating) although this time the Doctor convinces him the Autons will turn on him. Would they really though? It was unclear, though the Autons were definitely willing to drive off and leave him behind when he was late one time so who knows.

The addition on the blu ray came with some updated effects and I think they worked pretty well. They replaced the dolls movements (making it creepier) and I think they also improved the Nestene’s arrival at the end. I really hope that they do a similar thing when they get to season 11, improving Invasion Of The Dinosaurs.

I’m looking forward to seeing the other eps of the season too, I’ve not seen any of them in a long time. I think the last one I seen was Claws Of Axos cause it was one of the last dvds I got (and I got it signed).

After watching the ep I watched one of the special features which was a making of (clearly done for the original dvd). The first part of it was nice, covering the introductions of the new characters as well as including a few stories that were mentioned in the box set’s booklet. It was also nice that they included some clips from a Jon Pertwee interview from before his death. However there was a problem with it towards the end as it stopped being about the episode itself and became more of a comparison with the new series, which I didn’t think was either fair or fit too well.

I’m gonna watch the rest of the special features tonight, which includes behind the sofa, something about the master and something on plastic.

I was gonna read the Klaus comics earlier but I’ve been a bit headache and blah which sucks.

Comments

[writedragon]

Terror of the Autons is a classic! Excellent choice. Happy watching --

[shadowhive]

It really is, thanks🖤

[rhoda_rants]

I really need to spend some time on the classic series. I recognize none of these names. It's also kind of fascinating just how many of those monsters were introduced in the classic series and how. The Autons are a terrifying concept, and they keep finding new ways to make them scary again.

[shadowhive]

The classic stuff is pretty good and I’m glad they’re releasing the stuff in seasons now as you can get things in proper context (the dvd releases were always so random bar a few exceptions).

Yeah! In new Who there used to be roughly one old race re-introduced Per season but that’s kinda tapered off now. (The Autons/Nestene, Daleks, Cybermen, The Master, Sontarans, Davros, Silurians, Ice Warriors and Zygons are all old Who.) yeah they really are!

[rhoda_rants]

They are SO random! That's why I was always so confused: I had no idea where to start. And I know it doesn't necessarily matter, you can kind of watch them out of order, but I also don't really like doing that. I'll have to see if my library is getting any of the newly released DVDs.

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[shadowhive]

Yeah I think that’s something that can absolutely be off putting for people because there’s so many! I can give some recs of ones if you’d like!

[rhoda_rants]

Please! Who's your favorite Classic Doctor? Let's start there. Because I like Sylvester McCoy, but many of his episodes are hard to find. And the ones I'm told are the best--like "Battlefield"--I've seen already. HOWEVER I feel like my favorite my change if I could get hold of some of the good ones from earlier years.

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[shadowhive]

My favourite alternates between Fourth and Third usually. (seven is pretty good though, the next boxset coming out is his first season).

A big problem with the first and second doctor’s is that a lot of eps are still missing (and also some could be overlong). However one of my favourite Eps is a second Doctor one, Tomb Of The Cybermen because it actually makes them pretty creepy.

The third doctor has so many good eps. The Three Doctors is the first multi Doctor ep with (as the name implies) the first three doctors. It’s a fun story and gives you a good taste of how they are. The Green Death is an environmental story set in a Welsh mining town. The Time Warrior is the first sontaran episode, as well as the first ep with Sarah Jane. The Invasion Of The Dinosaurs is a great story, though let down by the effects (hence why I hope the blu ray one will update them).

Robot is the first Fourth Doctor ep so is a pretty good intro to him and gets to show Sarah Jane investigating. The Ark In Space is an ep that’s set on the titular ark and has shades of Alien. Robots Of Death is another one which is one of my favs, set on a mining ship with the titular robots.

The first old Who ep I ever saw was the Five Doctors, which again, gives a taste of all the different Doctors and companions (although it’s a bit of a misnomer as the fourth Doctor doesn’t do anything).

My favourite Sixth Doctor ep is Mark Of The Rani which introduced The Rani, another renegade Time Lord (why she hasn’t been bought back is beyond me).

Delta And The Bannerman is one of Seventh Doctor’s eps that I enjoyed, so I’m glad to see it again in the summer with the boxset.

Of course if there’s a specific enemy or character you liked I’d recommend tracking eps with them down too

[turps]

I haven't actually watched any classic Who for a very long time, just some eps when they were originally broadcast back in the day and I was a kidlet. But I do enjoy reading your take on things.

Fannish enthusiasm is always fabulous.

[shadowhive]

Aww🖤 I never saw any of the original run, not until I got dvds... and for most I’ve only seen once so I’m glad for the blu ray seasons (plus the bonus content is always fun!

It always is

[turlough]

I love Delgado! He's totally the BEST Master! So wonderfully suave and corteous and completely ruthless.

I wish they'd kept Liz Shaw on for at least one more season. Jo is alright and she grows a lot through her stint but I've always have a soft spot for Liz. And as you say, it's really sad she didn't get a real sendoff.

That troll doll is so ugly and really, really creepy. I have to confess to fastforwarding during the sequence when it comes alive at home. It's too creepy for me to enjoy watching.

I'm in two minds about updated effects. Yes, the originals are often incredibly clumsy and badly done BUT updated effects can really jar when they're set against the visual impact of the rest of the program. So I usually prefer the watch the original version even if there is an updated one.

[shadowhive]

Yeah he’s a great master! It’s such a shame that he died🥺

Yeah me too! I remember liking her, not that I’ve seen her eps in awhile, but it’s really is such a shame she had no send off. It would’ve been nice if she’d just be in one ep at least

It really is! I dunno how it was supposed to appeal to people in universe

There’s not been updated effects for too many eps, I think there’s only been 3, maybe four? Most of the times they fit well (I think they make the doll’s movements in this one really creepy). I do think that invasion of the dinosaurs is one that could benefit from them though, they were told they’d get these great effects of the dinos and yet all they got were pretty static ones

[turlough]

My opinion about updated effects might be a little skewed since most of the examples I'm thinking of, like the snake at the end of Kinda or the shimmering aliens in Invasion of Time, are rather early ones. Later ones like those made for the blueray boxes are hopefully less jarring. And I do agree with you about Invasion of the Dinosaurs - the horrid puppets they got stuck with originally do detract dreadfully from the otherwise first class story.

[shadowhive]

Ohh I forgot invasion had them! Possibly since I haven’t seen it in ages. I liked the Kinda snake though.

Oh yeah absolutely!