Day Sixty-Three: Inferno (The Romans, Episode Four)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Sixty-Three: Inferno (The Romans, Episode Four)

Dear Diary,

I've mused on this before (most notably under my posts about Farewell Great Macedon), but when you watch through these early historical adventures in order, you really do get the sense of an emerging narrative - the kind of thing that we'd call a story arc these days.

To recap; in The Aztecs, the Doctor is quite adamant with Barbara - 'You can't change history! Not one line!' - when she even dares to suggest putting her own stamp on the Aztecs and trying to change the course of history. The Reign of Terror sees Ian and Barbara muse on the futility of fighting for a side that history tells them will lose.

They then go on, in the same story, to wonder what will happen if they try to change history, and it's suggested that history will find a way to persevere. This is seen to be true in Farewell Great Macedon (even though it's not technically part of the 'canon' of this arc, if we're dealing exclusively with the early years of the programme).

Here, though, we enter a new territory, when the Doctor becomes actively responsible for giving Nero the idea to burn down Rome. The great fire, which Vicki describes as being read about in history books for 'thousands and thousands of years' all stems from the Doctor's actions in the court.

He refutes this thoroughly to begin with, pointing out again that history would have found a way to give the emperor the same idea. And then there's a wonderful moment;

                THE DOCTOR

Now look here, young lady, let's settle this! Insinuating that all this is my fault!

[He stops. Thinks. The penny drops, and he bursts into a wide smile as he begins to laugh]

My fault! Haha!

This is surely the moment that the Doctor realises that history is a little more flexible than he thought. He's well aware that the fire had to start somehow, but now he's realised that he can have an actual impact on historical events - even if it's just to ensure that they run the way that they're supposed to.

A couple of stories time from now (and following a trip back to the Crusades), the idea of the historical story will be well and truly shaken up. I'll examine the 'arc' more when we reach that point, but it's genuinely fascinating to see the way that things are building up as I make my way through.

Elsewhere in this episode… well, the good news is that I've enjoyed it more than I have the last couple. I'm not sure quite why that is - perhaps venting yesterday has helped to clear my mind somewhat? I've found everything about this episode much more enjoyable than I have so far, right up to Derek Francis' performance as Nero.

He seems to have decided that if this is to be his last episode, then he's going to really just go for it. His scene early on, when he takes a soldier's sword, only to cut the man down with it, while dryly declaring 'He didn't fight hard enough' is possibly my favourite Nero moment (is that a thing? Does everyone have a favourite 'Nero Moment'?).

And then we're back to the villa, the TARDIS team reunited and ready to head off on another adventure. I can't decide whether Ian and Barbara not running into the Doctor and Vicki during their simultaneous trips back is a great end to the repetitive 'not-quite-meetings' that we've had over the last couple of days or a really annoying one. I'm not going to dwell on it much, as I'm not sure I'll like the answer.

What I am sure I like is the last five minutes or so. It's great to have all four of the regulars back together again, and I love how well Maureen O'Brien has slotted into the group. In many ways, she seems to have found a comfortable nook that I'm not sure Carole Ann Ford ever had.

Oh, and returning to my musings on Ian and Barbara's status during Episode One; yes, they're definitely more than friends by now. Just look at the way they resort to a play fight mere minutes after they get back to the villa and find it deserted. It's quite sweet, in its own way…

Next Episode: The Web Planet

 Day Sixty-Two: Conspiracy (The Romans, Episode Three)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Sixty-Two: Conspiracy (The Romans, Episode Three)

Dear diary,

I'd been banking on this episode to turn things around for me. The last two have been alright, but I was hoping that Episode Three and it's fabled farcical style would be the one which raised this story up in my estimation. I'm quite keen on a good comedy historical (The Unicorn and the Wasp remains, five years on, my favourite 'new series' adventure, for example). Unfortunately, that's not happened.

…

You can't tell, but that ellipsis says a lot about this story so far. The way I'm doing this marathon is that I'm sitting down to watch each episode, then once it's over, I take a glance at any notes I might have made and then write up my thoughts, before posting them to Doctor Who Online. Then I carry on with my day. Nice and simple. I'm used to the routine, now, having down it for over two months.

Sometimes there's plenty to say, sometimes there's not so much, but either way I tend to find something to write about. Today's been a bit different, though. I typed that first paragraph, then just sort of… stared at the screen a bit. I even tried staring at the keyboard for a while, just in case that had some inspirational effect. It didn't. It never does, really.

In the end, I gave up. Went to Asda (other supermarkets are available) to do the shopping. I've got kitchen roll again, now, so the misses can stop pointing out that I'd run out. Got some new bin bags, too. I even bought an easter-egg-sized Kinder Egg, just to see if it had an extra large Kinder Egg tub inside it (It did. It was awesome.).

Then I came home, sat here and stared at the screen some more. Frankly, I've just not got anything much to say about this episode. I don't know what it is that's stopping me, it's just… not there today.

The best that I can figure is that this is almost a bit like the season stalling a little. Planet of Giants wasn't the most thrilling story, but visually, it was very impressive. If nothing else, I was kept interested by the design of the piece. The Dalek Invasion of Earth had an epic scale that hadn't been attempted in the series yet, and every episode was better than I could remember. Even The Rescue had a great (if bizarre) looking monster to keep me amused.

The Romans, though…

I did wonder if it might have been because I've grown to love the serious historicals that I've been through so far, more than I have before. Had that style of story ruined my enjoyment of this more light-hearted take on history? The more I thought about it, though, the more I remembered that I've tried to watch The Romans before, and I don't think I made it as far as this. So it must just be the story that's not connecting with me.

It's a real shame, because there's some good performances being put in, and the humour is well judged at times. Even the perspective effect used on the corridors is very good.

But then we've got 25 minutes of the Doctor and Barbara just missing each other. Over and over. And over. And then, over again! I praised it yesterday when it happened twice, but now the joke has kind of worn off. I spent a while wondering if I liked how it had been choreographed with their movements in and out of scenes, before deciding that if I'd been reduced to considering that, then something really wasn't right with my interest in the story itself…

Next episode: Inferno

 Day Sixty-One: All Roads Lead to Rome (The Romans, Episode Two)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Sixty-One: All Roads Lead to Rome (The Romans, Episode Two)

Dear diary,

Some stories are easy. There's been more than a few episodes since the start of this marathon where I've had so much to say that I actively need to hold things back to talk about on another day, because there's a real danger that I'll just waffle on for ages.

This isn't one of those days.

Honestly, I really don't know what I'm going to talk about with this episode. There's nothing wrong with it, I've enjoyed it well enough, and it has all the elements that have been very strong in the series of late but it's just all a bit par for the course.

I think it must be telling when the thing that impresses me the most about a story is the fact that Ian has a bit of stubble! Yeah, yeah, I know this sounds like a minor thing, but actually, it was fairly impressive. Because of the way modern TV is made - with things shot so much out-of-sequence, and across a different period of time (modern telly Doctor Who takes about 18 days, for example, for an episode. Give-or-take.), it's often quite fun when you see a character with a bit of real stubble. It usually means that they've had to film those scenes early on in production, before they can have a good shave.

Here, though, with the production process meaning that they have to shoot one episode a week in order, we're able to see the time passing for the characters in almost real time. It's been about six days since Ian was captured, and it would have been seven for the audience watching at home. The stubble just helps to sell that idea. As I say - it's a tiny thing, but it interested me at least!

Something else that I couldn't help but muse on here is the way that the TARDIS crew seem to often end up separated so much. In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, they're all over the place, and they manage to work their way to meet up again in Bedfordshire (though Barbara tells Jenny this is a good plan because that's 'surely' what the Doctor would do), and in The Rescue, Ian suggests they return to the ship, as that's likely to be the best place to meet.

The same is true for many of the other stories (Planet of Giants sees Barbara and Ian transported to the lab, while The Reign of Terror sees them, and Susan, carted off to Paris), and it's fun to see this idea being played with here. Twice, the Doctor and Vicki nearly encounter Barbara - first in the market at the slave auction, then again at Nero's palace. It probably shouldn't be as amusing as it is, but considering how much I love the same trick being pulled with the Doctor and Donna in Partners in Crime, it's hard not to smile.

Oh, and speaking of which, it's just downright weird to see the Doctor declaring to a man 'Oh! So you want to fight, do you?' before giggling his way through the battle. Down. Right. Weird.

Next Episode: Conspiracy

 Day Sixty: The Slave Traders (The Romans, Episode One)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Sixty: The Slave Traders (The Romans, Episode One)

Dear diary,

I've always had one default thought when it comes to the start of The Romans - 'poor Vicki'! At the end of The Rescue, the Doctor assures her 'If you like adventure, my dear, then I can promise you an abundance of it!', and then they spend a month lounging around in a Roman villa and doing very little else! She even draws attention to it with Barbara - 'the way you spoke, I thought we were going to have adventures and see things!'.

What's nice is that I'm already really taking to Vicki. She is very much there to fill the Susan-shaped hole in the TARDIS crew (the way she gets excited over the possibility of the dress put me in mind of Susan's similar reaction to a new dress in The Keys of Marinus), but her enthusiasm is infectious. She's so happy when the Doctor agrees to take her to Rome that she does a little jump up and down that can't fail to make you smile.

Then when they're on the way to Rome, and the Doctor decides to impersonate the musician as it's a great way to meet Nero, we've got the Doctor right back in his old mode of doing anything that will help to satisfy his curiosity. That Vicki warns him no good will come of it seems to suggest she knows the way his adventures work better than he does! Maybe they could pick up BBC 1 on Dido?

Something I've not discussed yet during this marathon, but which is perhaps most prominent during this episode; are Ian and Barbara a couple? Or, at least, very close friends? In my mind (without having seen all their stories together) I've always assumed that, yes, they are. Of course they are! It's Ian and Barbara! Surely once they returned to London they ended up tying the knot?

Here, having been left alone in the vill without the Doctor and Susan, it's not long before they're laughing and joking, Barbara is telling Ian what a 'spendid-looking' Roman he makes and she's doing his hair. A few minutes later, and we find them sprawled out in the living room looking perfectly blissful while they drink wine. Of course this pair are together by this point!

Question is; when did the relationship start? Any ideas? Feel free to Twitter them at me - I'd be interested to know your thoughts! Maybe I'll pick my favourite answers and discuss them later in the story?

For me, I don't think that they were together before they encountered the Doctor and the TARDIS. The way they act with each other in An Unearthly Child is friendly, but really it's more a kind of colleague relationship than one where they're spending lots of extra curricular time with each other. So I'm guessing it will have come about during their adventures somewhere…

Next Episode: All Roads Lead to Rome

The BBC have released a new promo image and some further information regarding Series 7B of Doctor Who.

The series is set to return to BBC One on Saturday 30th March 2013 in a modern day urban thriller, finally confirmed today as 'The Bells of St John', as the first official image is revealed (pictured-right), giving fans a sneak peak at what to expect from the epic new series. Eagle-eyed fans will also spot a sneak peek at the revamped Ice Warriors, in the promo image. For the less eagle-eyed out there, DWO have put together an image (also pictured-right) featuring all the Ice Warrior portions of the promo image.

Written by Steven Moffat, 'The Bells of St John' will mark the official introduction of the Doctor's newest companion, Clara Oswald, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman.  Having already made two appearances last year, the opening episode will be the first time fans get to see the Clara that will accompany The Doctor across the series' eight adventures.

Set in London against the backdrop of new and old iconic landmarks, The Shard and Westminster Bridge, 'The Bells of St John' will also establish a new nemesis, the Spoonheads, who will battle The Doctor as he discovers something sinister is lurking in the Wi-Fi.

Steven Moffat, executive producer and lead writer, said:

"It's the 50th year of Doctor Who and look what's going on! We're up in the sky and under the sea! We're running round the rings of an alien world and then a haunted house. There's new Cybermen, new Ice Warriors and a never before attempted journey to the centre of the TARDIS. And in the finale, the Doctor's greatest secret will at last be revealed!  If this wasn't already our most exciting year it would be anyway!"

Featuring a movie a week from a ghost story to an underwater siege to a period drama, the new series will also introduce new monsters, as well as bringing back fan favourites The Ice Warriors and The Cybermen.

Meanwhile the series' stellar list of guest stars include: Celia Imrie; Warwick Davis, Jessica Raine, Dougray Scott and Tamzin Outhwaite, as well as for the first time on screen together, mother and daughter Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling.

Check Out DWO's Guide to Series 7B, below:

W = Written By / D = Directed By:

7.6: The Bells Of St.John - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Colm McCarthy]
7.7: The Rings of Akhaten - [W: Neil Cross / D: Farren Blackburn] - Rumoured Title
7.8: The Cold War - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Douglas Mackinnon] - Rumoured Title
7.9: Phantoms Of The Hex - [W: Neil Cross / D: Jamie Payne] - Rumoured Title
7.10: Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS - [W: Stephen Thompson / D: Mat King]
7.11: The Crimson Horror - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Saul Metzstein] - Rumoured Title
7.12: The Last Cyberman - [W: Neil Gaiman / D: Stephen Wolfenden]
7.13: Untitled - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Saul Metzstein]

Watch the preview for Series 7B, below:

[youtube:0q7xbDpym0Q]

+  The Bells Of St John will air on 30th March on BBC One at Time TBC in the UK.
+  The Bells Of St John will air on 30th March on BBC America at Time TBC in the USA.
+  The Bells Of St John will air on 30th March on Space at Time TBC in Canada.

[Source: BBC Media Centre]