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Classic Doctor Who, Season 7 Review
Last week I officially set one of my goals for this coming year: to watch one season of Classic Doctor Who per month. While it took me a year to get through the first six seasons, they were each roughly 40 episodes long, wheres subsequent seasons are half that length, making this goal much more reasonable than it would've been other (and basically the same amount of content as last year).
So boldly going into the Color era and first season featuring the Third Doctor, it feels like the show has gotten a shot in the arm despite resetting the cast and putting the TARDIS on standby. This is in no small part thanks to an excellent supporting cast and the introduction of two of the more recognizable of the franchise's monsters. I still think season 6 was a bit more ambitious creatively, but this season was cozy and grounded in a way we haven't really seen on the show before (and frankly, the early 70's through the lens of this show just seems like a fun throwback).
Like the previous five seasons, the serials are available to watch via streaming on Britbox, but from this point on none of them are missing! (Though supposedly some episodes are missing their colorized versions, which isn't the case this season). This season only had four stories, and this was probably the easiest ranking I've done so far.
The Characters
Jon Pertwee as The Third Doctor - Pertwee's take on the Doctor seems to fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of Hartnell and Troughton's portrayals. (I've seen him described as "fancy grandpa", which is extremely accurate). It's such a seamless transition that it's hard for me to comment on it after only one season, as he seemed to immediately embody the Doctor from the very first moment onscreen. His willingness to leave his commitments in order to leave in the TARDIS is a new dimension to the character though, which meshes with his previous history but is only something that can be portrayed now due to his current status quo and the show's willingness to touch on that lore now.
Caroline John as Liz Shaw - I can't say enough good things about Liz Shaw. She has the self-determination of characters like Barbara and Polly without any desire to conform to the niceties of her era. It feels like she has the upper hand even in situations where she clearly doesn't. She's not without warmth, because she has no time to coddle the feelings of her male contemporaries because she's a scientist, damnit, and she has a job to do. The fact that the producers at the time wrote off her character as a failure is insane to me, and I wish they had had the sense to bring her back to the show after John's maternity leave. I'm already annoyed knowing that she doesn't get a proper onscreen exit, but damn if Inferno isn't a great note to go out on.
Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - The Brigadier is something of an infamous character in Doctor Who due to his longevity. While he appeared twice during the Second Doctor's tenure, it's here in a regular role that we finally get a deeper sense of the character. I have to say bringing him on full-time was an excellent choice. He doesn't at all fit the archetype of a companion (even compared to a 'non-audience surrogate' companion such as Liz) and essentially acts as an office supervisor. An ally, but one the Doctor is often very annoyed with. Like Liz, his turn in Inferno is a thing of beauty, and I'm looking forward to seeing much more of him.
John Levene as Sergeant Benton - I'll be honest and say that if you held a gun to my head I wouldn't be able to pick out Benton's scenes from his previous appearance last season in The Invasion. That said, he definitely has more of a recognizable presence here, if for nothing else his role in Inferno as the Brigadier's right hand man. Hopefully the show will give him more substantial material so I can get a better sense of the character.
The Serials
I've ranked the serials based off my own personal preference which is only tangentially related to how good they are on a critical level.
4) Serial 3, Episodes 12-18 - The Ambassadors of Death
This serial cashed in a lot on a tense atmosphere and some really well-choreographed scenes. Liz being chased by a set of bad guys through a field and by a damn is one of the most dynamic sequences the show has produced thus far. However, I say "a set of bad guys" because there was more than one set... I think? Mostly? I honestly don't think the plot of this serial was all that complicated, but delayed explanations in order to build up the corporate intrigue angle, combined with the fact that this serial had too many characters to begin with, made it really difficult to figure out why anyone was doing anything. It also means that there are a lot of areas in this sequel where the story simply drags, and it feels like a particularly cutthroat editor should've edited this down from seven episodes to four. Easily the weakest part of this serial is the very end, when the villain is confronted and his simply gives up, and the Doctor tells the other characters how to fix everything and goes home, cut to credits. A microcosm of this serial's narrative and pacing problems.
3) Serial 2, Episodes 5-11 - Doctor Who and the Silurians
This serial does a lot of things right. The aliens and the lore surrounding them are well done, compelling, and morally complex. The set-pieces such as the plotline with the man hiding the orb in his barn was interesting and well executed. All the leads played varied and pivotal roles in the plot. However, the sum of its parts is a bit weaker, as it tends to burn through certain plot points (the infighting within the ranks of the Silurians, The pushback within the human organizations) and straight up forget about others (the antagonistic assistant woman who just disappears from the story, the DINOSAUR that was the main focus of the first two episodes). Because of this, it feels like a rough draft of a much better story. That said, the ending sequence where the Doctor and Liz watch as the Brigadier orders the destruction of the Silurians is easily one of the highlights of the whole season, and the most well done, morally complex actions of the series as a whole.
2) Serial 1, Episodes 1-4 - Spearhead from Space
This is easily the best introductory serial for a new Doctor thus far, and gracefully transitions the show into it's new story format. Pertwee is given a lot of different things to do to show off his range, and the combative personalities of Liz and the Brigadier work very well for this story. The Autons, while a more simplistic recurring villain, are very effective in their first appearance and the story is interesting and complex enough without dropping any elements or losing momentum. The fact that this story was almost entirely shot on location probably helped keep it's story tighter, and the fact that it was shot on film means it looks a lot better in 2019 than a lot of the other episodes of this era.
1) Serial 4, Episodes 19-25 - Inferno
Inferno may be one of the best serials this show has produced period. Not only did it justify it's runtime, but it managed to make virtually every element gripping and compelling, and the cast clearly had a lot of fun playing alternate versions of themselves. (x)
Inferno is essentially two parallel stories (of two parallel universes) folded into one. It's one of the few "longer" stories that really justifies its runtime, and even the scenes where characters are simply standing around talking have a sense of purpose and momentum that similar setups often lack. The premise of the "power mad project manager" is a well this series has gone to a lot before, but the show manages to avoid repeating itself by focusing on different aspects of that plot setup. For example, instead of turning into a battle with the Doctor, the Doctor (in what's initially a C-plot of the episode) gets the TARDIS console "working" again and is transported out of the story during episode 3, leaving the other characters to act in his absence, and for the show to have fun with alternate versions of the cast. It's easy to see how much fun the actors - particularly John and Courtney - are having playing the same roles in a very different way, and the premise doesn't wear out it's welcome.
Unfortunately, this serves as the swan song for Liz Shaw. While she doesn't get a legitimate exit scene, the fact that she went out on such a strong note in one of the best stories the show has produced is definitely something.
Final Thoughts
The show's format changed radically this season, and frankly it had every reason not to work. The fact that it did - and did so well - is a testament to the strength of the show's writing and it's knowledge of what makes the show viable at it's core: The Doctor and his interactions with his companions. The decision to bring back the Brigadier was a crucial one, as it ties the show even more directly to the Second Doctor's era and grounds the show in a familiar element, while Liz Shaw is allowed to be more outspoken than any companion, much less a female companion, has been allowed to be before. The fact that two of the franchises most well-known monsters - the Autons and the Silurians - were introduced this season is not lost on me either. The removal of the travels through time and space as a plot element is a loss for the show's versatility, but it's one that made the writers work to make the earth-set stories much more interesting.
I once again reiterate my disappointment that Liz Shaw was not afforded an exit scene from the show. She may be my favorite companion from the Classic era so far, and I look forward to eventually seeing her again in the P.R.O.B.E spinoff films. That said, I am still very excited for next season when I get to meet Jo Grant and witness the debut of the Master. (And for serials to no longer be seven episodes long. Not everything can be Inferno.)
So boldly going into the Color era and first season featuring the Third Doctor, it feels like the show has gotten a shot in the arm despite resetting the cast and putting the TARDIS on standby. This is in no small part thanks to an excellent supporting cast and the introduction of two of the more recognizable of the franchise's monsters. I still think season 6 was a bit more ambitious creatively, but this season was cozy and grounded in a way we haven't really seen on the show before (and frankly, the early 70's through the lens of this show just seems like a fun throwback).
Like the previous five seasons, the serials are available to watch via streaming on Britbox, but from this point on none of them are missing! (Though supposedly some episodes are missing their colorized versions, which isn't the case this season). This season only had four stories, and this was probably the easiest ranking I've done so far.
The Characters
Jon Pertwee as The Third Doctor - Pertwee's take on the Doctor seems to fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of Hartnell and Troughton's portrayals. (I've seen him described as "fancy grandpa", which is extremely accurate). It's such a seamless transition that it's hard for me to comment on it after only one season, as he seemed to immediately embody the Doctor from the very first moment onscreen. His willingness to leave his commitments in order to leave in the TARDIS is a new dimension to the character though, which meshes with his previous history but is only something that can be portrayed now due to his current status quo and the show's willingness to touch on that lore now.
Caroline John as Liz Shaw - I can't say enough good things about Liz Shaw. She has the self-determination of characters like Barbara and Polly without any desire to conform to the niceties of her era. It feels like she has the upper hand even in situations where she clearly doesn't. She's not without warmth, because she has no time to coddle the feelings of her male contemporaries because she's a scientist, damnit, and she has a job to do. The fact that the producers at the time wrote off her character as a failure is insane to me, and I wish they had had the sense to bring her back to the show after John's maternity leave. I'm already annoyed knowing that she doesn't get a proper onscreen exit, but damn if Inferno isn't a great note to go out on.
Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - The Brigadier is something of an infamous character in Doctor Who due to his longevity. While he appeared twice during the Second Doctor's tenure, it's here in a regular role that we finally get a deeper sense of the character. I have to say bringing him on full-time was an excellent choice. He doesn't at all fit the archetype of a companion (even compared to a 'non-audience surrogate' companion such as Liz) and essentially acts as an office supervisor. An ally, but one the Doctor is often very annoyed with. Like Liz, his turn in Inferno is a thing of beauty, and I'm looking forward to seeing much more of him.
John Levene as Sergeant Benton - I'll be honest and say that if you held a gun to my head I wouldn't be able to pick out Benton's scenes from his previous appearance last season in The Invasion. That said, he definitely has more of a recognizable presence here, if for nothing else his role in Inferno as the Brigadier's right hand man. Hopefully the show will give him more substantial material so I can get a better sense of the character.
The Serials
I've ranked the serials based off my own personal preference which is only tangentially related to how good they are on a critical level.
4) Serial 3, Episodes 12-18 - The Ambassadors of Death
The Ambassadors of Death has a lot of interesting ideas and some very well done action set-pieces, but meanders a lot and can't seem to settle on a direction. It also felt like it was two episodes too long and had an anticlimax that didn't feel satisfying and just kind of ends. (x)
This serial cashed in a lot on a tense atmosphere and some really well-choreographed scenes. Liz being chased by a set of bad guys through a field and by a damn is one of the most dynamic sequences the show has produced thus far. However, I say "a set of bad guys" because there was more than one set... I think? Mostly? I honestly don't think the plot of this serial was all that complicated, but delayed explanations in order to build up the corporate intrigue angle, combined with the fact that this serial had too many characters to begin with, made it really difficult to figure out why anyone was doing anything. It also means that there are a lot of areas in this sequel where the story simply drags, and it feels like a particularly cutthroat editor should've edited this down from seven episodes to four. Easily the weakest part of this serial is the very end, when the villain is confronted and his simply gives up, and the Doctor tells the other characters how to fix everything and goes home, cut to credits. A microcosm of this serial's narrative and pacing problems.
3) Serial 2, Episodes 5-11 - Doctor Who and the Silurians
Doctor Who and the Silurians feels very reminiscent of modern Silurian stories of Doctor Who, save for the Silurian costumes themselves. Liz and the Brigadier are portrayed as more morally gray and complex than past "companions", and the show feels very refreshed as result. (x)
This serial does a lot of things right. The aliens and the lore surrounding them are well done, compelling, and morally complex. The set-pieces such as the plotline with the man hiding the orb in his barn was interesting and well executed. All the leads played varied and pivotal roles in the plot. However, the sum of its parts is a bit weaker, as it tends to burn through certain plot points (the infighting within the ranks of the Silurians, The pushback within the human organizations) and straight up forget about others (the antagonistic assistant woman who just disappears from the story, the DINOSAUR that was the main focus of the first two episodes). Because of this, it feels like a rough draft of a much better story. That said, the ending sequence where the Doctor and Liz watch as the Brigadier orders the destruction of the Silurians is easily one of the highlights of the whole season, and the most well done, morally complex actions of the series as a whole.
2) Serial 1, Episodes 1-4 - Spearhead from Space
Spearhead from Space is a really fun change of format for the show, and building the Doctor's time on Earth around the already-existing UNIT was a good idea. I already love Liz Shaw as the new "companion", and the Autons work surprisingly well as villains. (x)
This is easily the best introductory serial for a new Doctor thus far, and gracefully transitions the show into it's new story format. Pertwee is given a lot of different things to do to show off his range, and the combative personalities of Liz and the Brigadier work very well for this story. The Autons, while a more simplistic recurring villain, are very effective in their first appearance and the story is interesting and complex enough without dropping any elements or losing momentum. The fact that this story was almost entirely shot on location probably helped keep it's story tighter, and the fact that it was shot on film means it looks a lot better in 2019 than a lot of the other episodes of this era.
1) Serial 4, Episodes 19-25 - Inferno
Inferno may be one of the best serials this show has produced period. Not only did it justify it's runtime, but it managed to make virtually every element gripping and compelling, and the cast clearly had a lot of fun playing alternate versions of themselves. (x)
Inferno is essentially two parallel stories (of two parallel universes) folded into one. It's one of the few "longer" stories that really justifies its runtime, and even the scenes where characters are simply standing around talking have a sense of purpose and momentum that similar setups often lack. The premise of the "power mad project manager" is a well this series has gone to a lot before, but the show manages to avoid repeating itself by focusing on different aspects of that plot setup. For example, instead of turning into a battle with the Doctor, the Doctor (in what's initially a C-plot of the episode) gets the TARDIS console "working" again and is transported out of the story during episode 3, leaving the other characters to act in his absence, and for the show to have fun with alternate versions of the cast. It's easy to see how much fun the actors - particularly John and Courtney - are having playing the same roles in a very different way, and the premise doesn't wear out it's welcome.
Unfortunately, this serves as the swan song for Liz Shaw. While she doesn't get a legitimate exit scene, the fact that she went out on such a strong note in one of the best stories the show has produced is definitely something.
Final Thoughts
The show's format changed radically this season, and frankly it had every reason not to work. The fact that it did - and did so well - is a testament to the strength of the show's writing and it's knowledge of what makes the show viable at it's core: The Doctor and his interactions with his companions. The decision to bring back the Brigadier was a crucial one, as it ties the show even more directly to the Second Doctor's era and grounds the show in a familiar element, while Liz Shaw is allowed to be more outspoken than any companion, much less a female companion, has been allowed to be before. The fact that two of the franchises most well-known monsters - the Autons and the Silurians - were introduced this season is not lost on me either. The removal of the travels through time and space as a plot element is a loss for the show's versatility, but it's one that made the writers work to make the earth-set stories much more interesting.
I once again reiterate my disappointment that Liz Shaw was not afforded an exit scene from the show. She may be my favorite companion from the Classic era so far, and I look forward to eventually seeing her again in the P.R.O.B.E spinoff films. That said, I am still very excited for next season when I get to meet Jo Grant and witness the debut of the Master. (And for serials to no longer be seven episodes long. Not everything can be Inferno.)