Peri-Peri
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Destroyer Of Worlds
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Circular logic will only make you dizzy, Doctor
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« on: October 10, 2011, 11:33:03 am » |
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Firstly, apologies that this is late this week. I was meant to sort it yesterday but was unable to get online to do it. This week's story is The Edge OF Destruction featuring the First Doctor. A mysterious blast renders the TARDIS crew unconscious. They awake disorientated and soon find that the TARDIS is malfunctioning strangely. As all the systems break down, the behaviour of the crew becomes more erratic. Soon the Doctor comes to believe that the school teachers have caused the problems to blackmail him into taking them home.
The Edge of Destruction was the third story of Season 1 of Doctor Who. The story is unique in the original series in that it is set entirely inside the TARDIS and features only the regular cast members.
The BBC initially committed to four episodes of Doctor Who. Mid-way through the production of An Unearthly Child, this was upped to Thirteen. Together, An Unearthly Child and The Daleks only totaled eleven. So, with a tiny budget, The Edge of Destruction was commissioned to fill the remaining two episodes and fill out the season.
Narratively, the story was crucial as the events bonded the travellers so that they were no longer just mismatched people forced together, but a group that could trust one another. It also saw the first hint that the Doctor's TARDIS was not his own, shown by his lack of understanding of its abilities. The Edge of Destruction was the first instance of the Doctor namedropping historical figures.The next story will be posted on Sunday October 16th.
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It eats you, starting with your bottom
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Vampyros Adric
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He is also vain, ego-centric and quite mad
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« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2011, 08:18:21 pm » |
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This is one of those magical episodes from the dawn of the show that fortunately survived the cull of the mid sixties! The expenditure of the shows earliest episodes (new TARDIS set in An Unearthly Child and the magic of The Daleks) meant that a studio show was needed to keep costs down and utilise the standing sets. Thus was born The Edge of Destruction.
I think the thing that I like most about this episode was the "alien-ness" of the Doctor. To pick out one member of the cast is slightly unfair because this was a marvellous ensemble piece but I thought Hartnell was absolutely imperious! Yes, the ending was a little naff but actually the almost inconsequential nature of the fault actually gave a fascinating perspective on the peril of travelling in the TARDIS. A great little story which really showcased the emerging characters within the show. I gave it 4/5
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Saber
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« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2011, 01:31:21 pm » |
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I remember the very first time I watched this story. I enjoyed it a lot but I never really 'got' it. It's one of those serials that sort of reveals more to you the more you watch, and the more you watch the more you understand. Now I have seen it a good few times I can say I love it and think it is a great story but I think if I was watching it for the first time now I probably wouldn't rate it so highly. The ending of it is what I didn't fully appreciate before. You watch it build and grow and become more tense and then the payoff just seems totally naff, but the more you think about it and how something so silly and insignificant can turn events potentially dangerous and deadly, it's actually sort of genius and a good indication of what is to come later down the line. It was also a good opportunity to really get the team to gel together. They have all sort of been thrust into this situation. Susan didn't want to travel, Ian and Barbara didn't want to be kidnapped and the Doctor certainly didn't want them on board, but this story worked to bond them all because they had to learn to trust each other and help each other out. I really enjoy it more every time I watch.
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Saber
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« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2011, 01:31:34 pm » |
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And I rated it a four.
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Roranicus
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« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2011, 04:35:49 pm » |
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I've gone with a three. I always quite enjoy it when I watch but I think it is always highly obvious that it was thrown together at the last minute. Some of the acting gets a little ropey too and the payoff at the end always feels a little bit of a letdown. That said though, it is an easy watch and for the most part it's a decent story.
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Oh my god Karen, you can't just ask someone why they're white!
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Nyki
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« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2011, 12:42:39 am » |
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I gave it a 5. Yes, there are faults, but I don't particularly care about them. This was a story that made a big impact on me at nine, and stayed with me quite vividly till I saw it again. I love the way this story started the TARDIS mythology that culminated (so far) in The Doctor's Wife, and the journey the four character go on in the course of the two episodes.
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Peri-Peri
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Destroyer Of Worlds
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Circular logic will only make you dizzy, Doctor
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« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2011, 06:56:08 pm » |
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I have given this a 5. It was very different, very early on which was probably a bit of a risk considering that it hadn't even been fully picked up at this point, but I think it paid off and despite being a short story it didn't feel like it was lacking in anything.
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It eats you, starting with your bottom
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TheDoctorDonna
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Whatchoo Lookin' At?
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« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2011, 01:32:19 pm » |
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I've gone with a four for this. A short but strong story, I think they did a good job of giving it a feeling of claustraphobia and real danger despite a bit of dodgy reasoning behind it all. The acting was good and though it all took place in one small space it never felt constrained. It won't ever top any best story lists but its a good one nonetheless.
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One! One word! Shake, milk-shake, milk! Milk! No? Not milk! Um, shake, shake, shake! Cocktail shake! What, d'you want a Harvey Wallbanger?
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Miss Wright
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« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2011, 12:04:40 am » |
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The only problem I have with this story at all is that, with all the "Fast return"ing, they never go back to the junkyard. Which makes sense, because then Ian and Barbara would leave. So never mind it, because at least they stayed, because those two really made Doctor Who work in the beginning.
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Aneurin
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« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2011, 12:25:36 pm » |
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I have given this a four. I have always quite liked this story and it would be great to see them do something similar again. They hinted towards it with things like Amys Choice and The Doctors Wife but they weren't quite the same. It had its issues but overall its a fun 50 minutes and the whole cast worked well both individually and together.
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Exterminate
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« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2011, 10:31:36 am » |
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I have gone with a three. It's not a bad story by any means, but nothing about it particularly jumps out as amazing.
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