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riverdresses& now, here we go, off on the second three recaps of the great & mighty Troughton rewatch-athon!
The Smugglers
- So this serial picks up from where we left off at the end of The War Machines, with Ben & Polly going into the TARDIS to return One's key to him, then him taking off with them inside. This could be a bit harder to recap, because it's a recon, but I'll do my best!
One seems quite angry to have uninvited guests in his ship this time, but actually, I don't think of him as being angry so much as just very surprised. He says himself he thought he would finally be alone after leaving 1966. I think if he were really angry, he would have made a point of throwing Ben & Polly off the TARDIS right then & there, if they hadn't already demateralised. Also, I doubt he would have explained certain aspects of the TARDIS to them like he did if he was so angry or he was planning on ditching them at some point.
- I love Ben's initial shock when he & Polly are inside the TARDIS for the first time. Polly seems to stay very level headed, even though she's just stepped into a huge room in what she thought was a mere police box. It's a good contrast to Ben's shock & general reactions, I think. She doesn't scream or panic, she just listens & asks questions. Very good on her!
- I am a bit surprised that Ben refuses to believe that he's in a time machine, considering what he just went through with One in The War Machines. But I suppose those were a bit of a different set of circumstances - Ben was in his own time, dealing with something dangerous on his territory, not in an alien land millions of years in the past or future. So his reactions are a bit surprising to me, but also a fair bit understandable.
- Teehee! Polly pinched Ben! Well, he did ask for it, so he can't complain now, eh? ::giggles::
- & of course the Doctor's off to follow them - did you really believe he wouldn't? Did anyone really believe he didn't want to keep Ben & Polly safe?
- Polly's enthusiasm is so cute! & any thoughts I may have had as to One's feelings toward them? All gone, save for that he does want them there!
- O dear . . . seventeenth century?
- Polly doesn't like being called Duchess & she doesn't like being called a lad. But Ben just said one of my favourite lines ever! 'Listen to our little dolly rocker Duchess!' LOVE YA, BEN!
- Polly's pragmatic side is showing & Ben's sarcastic, annoyed side is coming out. But still, v. awesome, the both of them! & I DO love how the first things on Ben's mind is some good beer. ::giggles:: Sailors! ::giggle::
- Ben ready to fight for One! GO BEN! ::waves pompoms:: Seriously, I ♥ Ben even more every minute.
- I quite like how Polly insists that Ben be seen to after somebody finally shows up to help her. & I'm glad Ben wasn't too severely injured!
- ARGH NOW I'M WORRIED FOR ONE DAMMIT. I know he can help himself, but still, I'm worried how he's going to get away from a band of pirates & their ship. ::chews fingers::
- WHAT THE HELL WHY ARE BEN & POLLY BEING ARRESTED. Another reason to worry now! & I am worried if they're going to find out Polly's no boy - that could be quite dangerous for her.
- One is quite brave (& a bit saucy!) when being threatened by pirates! & surprisingly, still dapper-looking even when a bit torn up.
- POLLY LOVES THEIR PREDICAMENT! & Ben's all whiny & sour about it - ha! Polly = the better adventuress of the two, perhaps? But seriously, I love how Polly's the one finding the adventure & excitement in their problem, even if she has been accused of murder & is currently sitting in gaol.
- Wait, Polly's excited one minute, then she's screaming about a rat? EXCUSE ME? Hello, inconsistant writing.
Or maybe not inconsistent, but that bit bugs me a fair bit.
- Ah, but Kickass!Polly returns just a bit later, with her plan of faking witchery! ::grins:: Go Polly, go Polly! But alas, for her good moment, we must have her irritating fear of rats - girl, you're in a seventeenth-century gaol - OF COURSE THERE'LL BE RATS! Don't tell me you expected it to be all nice & clean!
(but really, I blame the writers, not Polly. Silly writers.)
- One's got brains, gentility, & he knows how to work the right people in the write places - I'm jealous of Susan getting to be his granddaughter! I love One's manipulation of Captain Pike by playing to his apparent vanity & his flattery of him. One is a BADASS, I must reiterate!
- Polly's become 'Paul' now & GO GIRL, GO GIRL, PLAY ON SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY FEAR LIKE THAT! ::hugs her:: & Ben is a great accomplice in her plans, I must say. But Polly Wright FTMFW, BITCHES! & YAY, THEY'RE FREE! Thanks to Polly's snappy thinking, of course!
Seriously. I love this girl. She's as worthy a companion to the Doctor as any of her predecessors!
- Ben & Polly playing detective together is kind of cute, actually. & awww, Ben's worried about Polly's safety. ♥
- Ben, while not as sophisticated as One, is pretty good at getting information when he wants it, at least so far.
- Hmm. The Squire sounds a bit like One. Just a note!
- & quite an ending to leave off on - I'm rather worried for Ben & Polly now! Where is One, o, where IS he?!
- OMG, One's telling fortunes now! HOW DOES HE GET MORE AWESOME WITH EVERY SERIAL? & hmm . . . I wonder what One's up to . . . doesn't seem like him, telling fortunes - O! PLOY! V. good show Doctor, v. good show! ::shan't doubt One again::
(but I'd not be surprised if the Doctor knew how to tell fortunes in different ways - even if he's really more a man of science & exploration, that doesn't mean he wouldn't know how to perhaps read a tea leaf or two, or cut a Tarot deck.)
- Phew! At last, Ben & Polly have a partial believer! But a partial believer is better than what they had before - nothing!
- OMG ONE'S BACK!! ::hugs him:: Now, the three of them shall kick some pirate arse!
- Wow. One . . . damn, I haven't even got words, but the fact that he feels so morally obligated & responsible for protecting the village is . . . wow. I am . . . I mean, I know all of the Doctor is like that, but hearing him explain it in such solid terms just blows me away. Not that I didn't expect him to try & save the village, along with Ben & Polly, nor did I expect him to run off & leave the village to its own fate so the three of them could go elsewhere, but I don't think I'd expected him to be so open in explaining his feelings about it to Ben. I really can see Barbara's good influence shining through now & I can see that is something she left with him & that he'll not lose, ever.
(um, in short, One is love. & I totally love him even more now, if such a thing is possible.)
- & I love how Polly sides with One completely. She's full of strength & compassion & I love her so. & Ben! I'm a bit disappointed in him for wanting to run off & let the village die so easily, but I'm glad he came around somewhat.
Polly > Ben
- Ooo! Ben & Polly's lark in the graveyard helped One figure out the churchwarden's riddle! & they're getting all the pieces together at quite a pace!
- One's v. brave to make Ben & Polly leave him like that to keep them safe. & Ben's awesome for saying he'll be back for him. ::nods::
- One's so honourable, even when dealing with the likes of Captain Pike. ♥ WHY DO PEOPLE DISRESPECT HIM SO MUCH?!
- ::sighs:: I sort of find Ben rescuing Polly from pirates to be terribly romantic. ::blushes::
- & off they (& I!) go onto their next destination, which, sadly, will be One's final story. But it must be faced with a clear mind, & a brave heart.
The Tenth Planet
- Oooo, the opening titles are quite ominous for this serial - I love them! Immediately makes me think of Cybermen. (& yay, a Kit Pedler story!)
- This serial, if I remember right, is almost entirely intact, save for the final story, which is a recon. So it should be a bit easier for me to recap for the most part. (I'm thinking recapping a serial that's a recon is an art that must be learnt a bit slowly, if one means to pick it up properly!)
- 'Doctor, you have a fantastic wardrobe!' YES! Proof that the Doctor's always had one hell of a wardrobe, even if he was only travelling with Susan! & I LOVE Polly's choice - supercute & warm! & aww, how sweet is it that she gently fusses over One's warmth? 'Like toast, my dear!' LOVE.
- Random fashion note: Polly's carrying a muff! Stylish indeed!
- Sigh, men gawking at pretty, dolly, jolly Polly already? MEN.Ben's not going to like this. I think!
- Ha, One doesn't tolerate ANYONE speaking him in a rude tone! Respect the Doctor or get cut!
- 1986?! OMG. I was expecting them to land in the twenty-first century myself, but 1986?! That's three years before I was born! Wild, man.
- Hmm, so this tenth planet is between Mars & Venus? Why did I think it was near Pluto? (yes, this was the 1960s, Pluto was still a planet!)
- One's knowledge of what this planet means is sort of giving me the creeps. I don't really want to speculate as to what the planet is myself, but his knowing it is just creepy.
- LOLZ, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY & BREAK INTO THE TARDIS? LOLZ, I SAY AGAIN.
- UM. I think we just had our first - no, we HAVE just had our first sighting of Mondasian Cybermen! WHOA. & yes, they disturb me as well as the Telosian ones do. Right now, it's all in their faces.
- Okay, the Cybermen are in the base now. & they're scary, okay?! & their voices are kind of creeeepy.
- Mondasian Cybermen are an interesting breed & they are NOT like the Telosian breed, which is what most of us have seen in future serials - the Mondasian breed only had one serial, I think, & it was this one.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nentari & I have/are having quite an interesting talk about the differences between Mondasian, Telosian & Cybus Cybermen, the latter being the new series ones. The Mondasian ones seem, to me, just a slight bit more human than the Telosian ones, or even the Cybus ones. They're more willing to answer human queries about who & what they are, as well as how they became what they are now. They also seem more inclined to carry on a conversation, or something like one, with humans, whereas Telosian & Cybus Cybermen are more of the 'convert delete or kill' sort.
Also, their design is vastly different from their counterparts - more bulky & more tubed in the front, & far less of a metallic face. In fact, their faces remind me of clown faces - & I'm somewhat scared of clowns.
& also, the Mondasian Cybermen still have the stealth of the Telosian ones - which is something the Cybus Cybermen of the new series irritatingly lost - honestly, if the Mondasian Cybermen & the Telosian Cybermen went around stomping & clanking like ghosts with rusty chains attached, it would be far too easy for the Doctor to wipe them out before they even showed up!
- So now the Cybermen threw Ben in a projection room & yet, he's learnt from the Doctor already - never give up, no matter how bleak a situation looks. & his remorse at being forced to kill a Cybermen . . . o, Ben. ::hugs::
(& Polly's at his side already!)
- I was actually only planning to go to the second story tonight, but I'm on the third story & I just can't stop watching! Anyway, Cybermen are - O FUCK! One just collapsed! One just collapsed & the Cybermen are bringing in more & along with spaceships. This is not the best time for One to be taken ill!
- Polly says he just seems worn out. I'm pretty worried about the Doctor, my own self! But I rather liked how Ben insists that he & Polly get back to the others & that there's nothing they can do for him. Be that as it may, I'm worried about One.
- HA. Polly may appear to be making coffee, but that girl's working her ulterior motives in-between adding sugar & cream! To all the Polly haters - SHE'S NOT JUST THE MOTHERFUCKING TEA GIRL, BITCHES! She's got someone on her, Ben & One's side now. Not bad for someone everyone always calls a 'screamer' & 'a tea lady'. IN YOUR FACES, POLLY'S AWESOME.
- Oooo, v. James Bond there Ben, crawling through ventilation shafts like that! & he's got his pocket knife! He's ready, folks.
- Another random note - I LOVE Polly's dress! (or is it a jumper?) Overall, she really looks just fabulous! & her EYES! I WANT HER EYES, OR AT LEAST, HER EYE MAKEUP.
- JERK KNOCKED BEN OUT! ::growls:: But at least Polly's there to help him out a bit. (he looks so sweet whilst unconscious . . . but they both look quite sweet together.)
- Okay, we're in recon mode now - & it is a GREAT recon, seriously. An absolutely cracking recon.
- 'I guess this old body of mine is wearing a bit thin.'
O, One. I . . . I know what will come next . . . but I don't want you to leave!
- Wow, owing a Cyberman your life . . . not a concept I'm so readily familiar with. & saving a Cyberman as well . . . wow.
- Ben is going to cut a Cyberman if they touch Polly. Seriously.
- FUCKERS ARE NOT CONVERTING POLLY, FUCK THAT NOISE. & if they do, Ben & One will rip their heads right off.
- I'm sorry, but the Mondasian Cybermen have faces that are freaking me the fuck out - they look too fucking much like clowns! ::hides::
- WHOA, WHOA, GO BEN! He's caught on that Cybermen can't handle radiation! That would make him the first companion of the Doctor's to realise that Cybermen cannot face radiation without dying.
(incidentally, Polly's the one who kicked some Cybermen arse with nail varnish remover! Those two were damn good against Cybermen!)
- ::is scared for Polly & One::
- Ben is showing his snappy, hit-the-ground-fighting traits again, just like he showed us in The War Machines. ROCK ON, BEN! I just hope he'll be okay after being so close to radioactive materials!
- I love Ben. Sometimes, so far, he's bugged me a bit, but he's awesome & I do love him. He really is a great companion.
- WHOA. Mondas disintegrates, & so do the Cybermen? AWESOME!
- & now Ben's saving Polly & One! But One . . . he doesn't look good at all. He sounds awful & he looks so weak . . .
- Okay, this is . . . not good. He can barely even get Ben & Polly inside the TARDIS! & the TARDIS doesn't even sound like herself!
- & . . . . he's gone. Just like that. He collapsed & One . . . isn't One anymore.
(okay, going to have a bit of sap for a moment here.)
In the mix I made about the nine times the Doctor has regenerated, I used the song Airbag by Radiohead, because, based on the research I'd done on One's regeneration, I felt like it fit his moment of regeneration, particularly the line 'In an interstellar burst/I'm back to save the universe'.
& that's just what happens.
Still . . . I miss One already. ::sad sigh::
Also,nentari & I once had a bit of discussion on what it was that caused One to regenerate - was it because of the Cybermen, or was it simply because his original body was finally forced to regenerate, or he would have died? After watching, I'm pretty much solid on the idea of his regeneration coming about because his first body was just too old & had been through too much & if he hadn't regenerated when he did, he would have died altogether. Also, there is enough evidence throughout the story that his body was finally showing signs of age & that a regeneration would have to come soon.
(I should also say that I am one hundred percent sure that the first body we see the Doctor in is the body he was born with.)
The Power of the Daleks
- Picking up where we left off, One has just regenerated into his second body on the floor of the TARDIS, in front of Ben & Polly, who are lost as fuck as to what's just happened.
- & Patrick Troughton's off to a GREAT start as our second Doctor! I love his post-regeneration scene - v. well played & v. in-keeping with what I've seen the Doctor like after he's regenerated.
- Teehee! Now he's got to examine his new face. & his muscles are a bit tight, alas.
- Now everything's beginning to fall into place for all three of them - Two knows he's the Doctor now, or at least he seems to.
- THE RECORDER!! I LOVE IT! Aww! & he's got his five hundred year diary & knows who Ben is - okay, getting there now, I'd say.
- I love how Polly's the one with full faith in the Doctor; that it is the Doctor & he'll be okay, while Ben's insanely sceptical about everything that's going on around him. It's a good contrast both to each other & to Two's own confusion.
- HE'S PLAYING IT AGAIN. ♥ & Ben appears to be none too happy about it. He's even shouted at Polly. Yeah, he's not in the best of moods. & AWWW, STILL PLAYING IT. I think he's rather good, myself.
- O yeah, this is so the Doctor - plotty, cunning, sneaky & with just the right card up his sleeve. ::grins:: Loving him already, on his first serial! I do hope Ben cuts the 'OMG THIS AIN'T THE DOCTOR!' bollocks already. Preferably very soon.
- I have a really bad feeling about that capsule & the first serial's half over. Meep.
- Two is awesomely sneaky, I have GOT to say that.
- FUCK. Daleks. Well . . . they don't look as deadly as the ones I've seen, but WHAT is that thing on the floor?! & where's the fourth one?
- GAH THAT THING IS DISGUSTING! It looks like a bloody mutated jellyfish!
(I think I've also forgotten that this IS the first time Ben & Polly have ever seen a Dalek. They've met Cybermen, but not Daleks.)
- Christ on a cracker . . . I'm sorry, Cybermen may scare me more, but Daleks can do it pretty well too. & Two saying only one Dalek would be needed to wipe out the whole colony on Vulcan . . . I find it chilling.
- HA! Two's sauciness is sexy! ::blows kiss::
- He's only just regenerated, but he's got the spark & fire of his later time - ♥ Two ♥
- DUDE, WTF, ARE YOU AN IDIOT? WHY ARE TRYING TO REVIVE THE DALEKS? Why don't people just listen to the Doctor when he talks?! Melt the pepperpots down!
- Hee, reference to his meeting Marco Polo! & BEN, CUT THE BITCHING, PLEASE. Polly, however, gets a cupcake for believing him to be the real Doctor.
- 'I never talk nonsense. Well, hardly ever.'
- Wow. Two's actually giving me a bit of a spook in this serial - he's never done that before. It's his mysteriousness, his sense of confusion, the hint of darkness I keep feeling from him. I don't think I've ever known one to be like this - he's always been the Doctor I'd want to be best friends with, to go dancing with, & learn to play recorder from. I know there's more to him than his outward silliness & cheerful disposition, like how there's more to Eight than his giddiness & Romantic tendencies, but unlike with Eight, I've never seen Two's darker side - or maybe I have & don't remember it - prior to now. I've seen his cleverness, his wit, his capabilities, but not so much this . . . darkness I just feel from him in this story.
- EARTH PEOPLE ARE TWITS. WHY, WHY, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO REVIVE A DAMN DALEK?! Okay, FINE, get your silly selves exterminated, so you don't pollute the rest of the human gene pool by procreating. ::sighs loudly::
- More recorder playing! & I love the discussion between Polly & Ben over the deputy governor's guilt or innocence. I think it's an interesting showcase of their personalities, as well as their emotions & of course, their feelings on the situation at hand.
- O, FUCK ME, WHY ARE EARTH PEOPLE SUCH FOOLS. & Two agrees with me, I see. ::glares:: (& maybe NOW Ben will quit the bitching about him being the Doctor or not.)
- The very last half of the second serial, when the Dalek begins to speak, & Two's desperately trying to explain a Dalek's true nature & both are sort of vocally (or should I say aurally?) overlaid is both haunting & chilling.
. . . Okay, it's just scary. To me, anyway. People, just melt down the Daleks before you get yourselves wiped out!
- Any time a Dalek claims to be 'helping' a human? It's time to bash the thing in the eyestalk with a baseball bat.
- GET YOUR GRUBBY HANDS OFF MY DUCHESS BASTARDS!
- More recorder playing! & when Ben finds out they've kidnapped Polly, he is going to blow a frakkin' fuse.
- O, sure, let's just hand over lots of shiny stuff to the Daleks all willy-nilly, why don't we? ::sighs even louder::
- O.fuck.me. The Daleks have all been reactivated. That colony is SCREWED.
- O no. Two's been discovered. Now HE'S screwed!
- & now people are leaving pseudo-ransom notes about Polly? ::glowers:: NOT ON.
- HALLELUJAH, SOMEONE'S SLOWLY BEGINNING TO AGREE WITH TWO.
- Dalek reproduction is . . . . well . . . . let's pretend I don't know about it, okay?
- 'You think you're very tough, don't you, pushing a girl around. I'd like to see you come up against a real man.'
'Like who?'
'Like Ben for instance!'
♥♥♥♥
Polly-girl, you are the awesome.
- . . . . Did Two just use his recorder to break out of a prison cell?
THAT RECORDER IS A WEAPON IN HIS HANDS! & he is made of some serious win, people.
- For some reason, I find Two telling Polly that Ben can take care of himself to be quite sweet.
- & yes, the ending of the fifth part gave me some massive chills. Dalek voices are v. scary when they layer over each other like that.
- My shippy little heart went all fluttery when Ben & Polly finally got to see each other again. Awww.
- Ben comforting Polly! O . . . ♥♥
- 'Why can't you just take all the plugs out and cut the power?'
'Because I prefer to do it my way!'
Hee! I love Two's stubbornness; it's one of my favourite things about him.
- Something I've not noted yet - the concept of one scientist 'giving' life to the Daleks - it feels very Frankenstein-esque, in my opinion. Not only were the Daleks brought to life by a human, they killed humans as well. Of course, all under very different circumstances. But it did put me in mind of the story.
- Ah, a sneaky escape, as the Doctor prefers. ::smiles:: & more recorder playing!!
- & away they go, off to new places & new faces! Bravo, bravo! ::claps::
Whew! This was the official beginning of the great & mighty Troughton rewatch-athon & alas, the ending point of the Hartnell era for now. (but I've a load of Hartnell-era serials to watch!) The next three serials will be The Highlanders (!!!), The Underwater Menace & The Moonbase, the last two I may supplement with my Lost in Time DVD collection.
Previous recaps
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Time Meddler
The War Machines
The Smugglers
- So this serial picks up from where we left off at the end of The War Machines, with Ben & Polly going into the TARDIS to return One's key to him, then him taking off with them inside. This could be a bit harder to recap, because it's a recon, but I'll do my best!
One seems quite angry to have uninvited guests in his ship this time, but actually, I don't think of him as being angry so much as just very surprised. He says himself he thought he would finally be alone after leaving 1966. I think if he were really angry, he would have made a point of throwing Ben & Polly off the TARDIS right then & there, if they hadn't already demateralised. Also, I doubt he would have explained certain aspects of the TARDIS to them like he did if he was so angry or he was planning on ditching them at some point.
- I love Ben's initial shock when he & Polly are inside the TARDIS for the first time. Polly seems to stay very level headed, even though she's just stepped into a huge room in what she thought was a mere police box. It's a good contrast to Ben's shock & general reactions, I think. She doesn't scream or panic, she just listens & asks questions. Very good on her!
- I am a bit surprised that Ben refuses to believe that he's in a time machine, considering what he just went through with One in The War Machines. But I suppose those were a bit of a different set of circumstances - Ben was in his own time, dealing with something dangerous on his territory, not in an alien land millions of years in the past or future. So his reactions are a bit surprising to me, but also a fair bit understandable.
- Teehee! Polly pinched Ben! Well, he did ask for it, so he can't complain now, eh? ::giggles::
- & of course the Doctor's off to follow them - did you really believe he wouldn't? Did anyone really believe he didn't want to keep Ben & Polly safe?
- Polly's enthusiasm is so cute! & any thoughts I may have had as to One's feelings toward them? All gone, save for that he does want them there!
- O dear . . . seventeenth century?
- Polly doesn't like being called Duchess & she doesn't like being called a lad. But Ben just said one of my favourite lines ever! 'Listen to our little dolly rocker Duchess!' LOVE YA, BEN!
- Polly's pragmatic side is showing & Ben's sarcastic, annoyed side is coming out. But still, v. awesome, the both of them! & I DO love how the first things on Ben's mind is some good beer. ::giggles:: Sailors! ::giggle::
- Ben ready to fight for One! GO BEN! ::waves pompoms:: Seriously, I ♥ Ben even more every minute.
- I quite like how Polly insists that Ben be seen to after somebody finally shows up to help her. & I'm glad Ben wasn't too severely injured!
- ARGH NOW I'M WORRIED FOR ONE DAMMIT. I know he can help himself, but still, I'm worried how he's going to get away from a band of pirates & their ship. ::chews fingers::
- WHAT THE HELL WHY ARE BEN & POLLY BEING ARRESTED. Another reason to worry now! & I am worried if they're going to find out Polly's no boy - that could be quite dangerous for her.
- One is quite brave (& a bit saucy!) when being threatened by pirates! & surprisingly, still dapper-looking even when a bit torn up.
- POLLY LOVES THEIR PREDICAMENT! & Ben's all whiny & sour about it - ha! Polly = the better adventuress of the two, perhaps? But seriously, I love how Polly's the one finding the adventure & excitement in their problem, even if she has been accused of murder & is currently sitting in gaol.
- Wait, Polly's excited one minute, then she's screaming about a rat? EXCUSE ME? Hello, inconsistant writing.
Or maybe not inconsistent, but that bit bugs me a fair bit.
- Ah, but Kickass!Polly returns just a bit later, with her plan of faking witchery! ::grins:: Go Polly, go Polly! But alas, for her good moment, we must have her irritating fear of rats - girl, you're in a seventeenth-century gaol - OF COURSE THERE'LL BE RATS! Don't tell me you expected it to be all nice & clean!
(but really, I blame the writers, not Polly. Silly writers.)
- One's got brains, gentility, & he knows how to work the right people in the write places - I'm jealous of Susan getting to be his granddaughter! I love One's manipulation of Captain Pike by playing to his apparent vanity & his flattery of him. One is a BADASS, I must reiterate!
- Polly's become 'Paul' now & GO GIRL, GO GIRL, PLAY ON SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY FEAR LIKE THAT! ::hugs her:: & Ben is a great accomplice in her plans, I must say. But Polly Wright FTMFW, BITCHES! & YAY, THEY'RE FREE! Thanks to Polly's snappy thinking, of course!
Seriously. I love this girl. She's as worthy a companion to the Doctor as any of her predecessors!
- Ben & Polly playing detective together is kind of cute, actually. & awww, Ben's worried about Polly's safety. ♥
- Ben, while not as sophisticated as One, is pretty good at getting information when he wants it, at least so far.
- Hmm. The Squire sounds a bit like One. Just a note!
- & quite an ending to leave off on - I'm rather worried for Ben & Polly now! Where is One, o, where IS he?!
- OMG, One's telling fortunes now! HOW DOES HE GET MORE AWESOME WITH EVERY SERIAL? & hmm . . . I wonder what One's up to . . . doesn't seem like him, telling fortunes - O! PLOY! V. good show Doctor, v. good show! ::shan't doubt One again::
(but I'd not be surprised if the Doctor knew how to tell fortunes in different ways - even if he's really more a man of science & exploration, that doesn't mean he wouldn't know how to perhaps read a tea leaf or two, or cut a Tarot deck.)
- Phew! At last, Ben & Polly have a partial believer! But a partial believer is better than what they had before - nothing!
- OMG ONE'S BACK!! ::hugs him:: Now, the three of them shall kick some pirate arse!
- Wow. One . . . damn, I haven't even got words, but the fact that he feels so morally obligated & responsible for protecting the village is . . . wow. I am . . . I mean, I know all of the Doctor is like that, but hearing him explain it in such solid terms just blows me away. Not that I didn't expect him to try & save the village, along with Ben & Polly, nor did I expect him to run off & leave the village to its own fate so the three of them could go elsewhere, but I don't think I'd expected him to be so open in explaining his feelings about it to Ben. I really can see Barbara's good influence shining through now & I can see that is something she left with him & that he'll not lose, ever.
(um, in short, One is love. & I totally love him even more now, if such a thing is possible.)
- & I love how Polly sides with One completely. She's full of strength & compassion & I love her so. & Ben! I'm a bit disappointed in him for wanting to run off & let the village die so easily, but I'm glad he came around somewhat.
- Ooo! Ben & Polly's lark in the graveyard helped One figure out the churchwarden's riddle! & they're getting all the pieces together at quite a pace!
- One's v. brave to make Ben & Polly leave him like that to keep them safe. & Ben's awesome for saying he'll be back for him. ::nods::
- One's so honourable, even when dealing with the likes of Captain Pike. ♥ WHY DO PEOPLE DISRESPECT HIM SO MUCH?!
- ::sighs:: I sort of find Ben rescuing Polly from pirates to be terribly romantic. ::blushes::
- & off they (& I!) go onto their next destination, which, sadly, will be One's final story. But it must be faced with a clear mind, & a brave heart.
The Tenth Planet
- Oooo, the opening titles are quite ominous for this serial - I love them! Immediately makes me think of Cybermen. (& yay, a Kit Pedler story!)
- This serial, if I remember right, is almost entirely intact, save for the final story, which is a recon. So it should be a bit easier for me to recap for the most part. (I'm thinking recapping a serial that's a recon is an art that must be learnt a bit slowly, if one means to pick it up properly!)
- 'Doctor, you have a fantastic wardrobe!' YES! Proof that the Doctor's always had one hell of a wardrobe, even if he was only travelling with Susan! & I LOVE Polly's choice - supercute & warm! & aww, how sweet is it that she gently fusses over One's warmth? 'Like toast, my dear!' LOVE.
- Random fashion note: Polly's carrying a muff! Stylish indeed!
- Sigh, men gawking at pretty, dolly, jolly Polly already? MEN.
- Ha, One doesn't tolerate ANYONE speaking him in a rude tone! Respect the Doctor or get cut!
- 1986?! OMG. I was expecting them to land in the twenty-first century myself, but 1986?! That's three years before I was born! Wild, man.
- Hmm, so this tenth planet is between Mars & Venus? Why did I think it was near Pluto? (yes, this was the 1960s, Pluto was still a planet!)
- One's knowledge of what this planet means is sort of giving me the creeps. I don't really want to speculate as to what the planet is myself, but his knowing it is just creepy.
- LOLZ, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY & BREAK INTO THE TARDIS? LOLZ, I SAY AGAIN.
- UM. I think we just had our first - no, we HAVE just had our first sighting of Mondasian Cybermen! WHOA. & yes, they disturb me as well as the Telosian ones do. Right now, it's all in their faces.
- Okay, the Cybermen are in the base now. & they're scary, okay?! & their voices are kind of creeeepy.
- Mondasian Cybermen are an interesting breed & they are NOT like the Telosian breed, which is what most of us have seen in future serials - the Mondasian breed only had one serial, I think, & it was this one.
nentari & I have/are having quite an interesting talk about the differences between Mondasian, Telosian & Cybus Cybermen, the latter being the new series ones. The Mondasian ones seem, to me, just a slight bit more human than the Telosian ones, or even the Cybus ones. They're more willing to answer human queries about who & what they are, as well as how they became what they are now. They also seem more inclined to carry on a conversation, or something like one, with humans, whereas Telosian & Cybus Cybermen are more of the 'convert Also, their design is vastly different from their counterparts - more bulky & more tubed in the front, & far less of a metallic face. In fact, their faces remind me of clown faces - & I'm somewhat scared of clowns.
& also, the Mondasian Cybermen still have the stealth of the Telosian ones - which is something the Cybus Cybermen of the new series irritatingly lost - honestly, if the Mondasian Cybermen & the Telosian Cybermen went around stomping & clanking like ghosts with rusty chains attached, it would be far too easy for the Doctor to wipe them out before they even showed up!
- So now the Cybermen threw Ben in a projection room & yet, he's learnt from the Doctor already - never give up, no matter how bleak a situation looks. & his remorse at being forced to kill a Cybermen . . . o, Ben. ::hugs::
(& Polly's at his side already!)
- I was actually only planning to go to the second story tonight, but I'm on the third story & I just can't stop watching! Anyway, Cybermen are - O FUCK! One just collapsed! One just collapsed & the Cybermen are bringing in more & along with spaceships. This is not the best time for One to be taken ill!
- Polly says he just seems worn out. I'm pretty worried about the Doctor, my own self! But I rather liked how Ben insists that he & Polly get back to the others & that there's nothing they can do for him. Be that as it may, I'm worried about One.
- HA. Polly may appear to be making coffee, but that girl's working her ulterior motives in-between adding sugar & cream! To all the Polly haters - SHE'S NOT JUST THE MOTHERFUCKING TEA GIRL, BITCHES! She's got someone on her, Ben & One's side now. Not bad for someone everyone always calls a 'screamer' & 'a tea lady'. IN YOUR FACES, POLLY'S AWESOME.
- Oooo, v. James Bond there Ben, crawling through ventilation shafts like that! & he's got his pocket knife! He's ready, folks.
- Another random note - I LOVE Polly's dress! (or is it a jumper?) Overall, she really looks just fabulous! & her EYES! I WANT HER EYES, OR AT LEAST, HER EYE MAKEUP.
- JERK KNOCKED BEN OUT! ::growls:: But at least Polly's there to help him out a bit. (he looks so sweet whilst unconscious . . . but they both look quite sweet together.)
- Okay, we're in recon mode now - & it is a GREAT recon, seriously. An absolutely cracking recon.
- 'I guess this old body of mine is wearing a bit thin.'
O, One. I . . . I know what will come next . . . but I don't want you to leave!
- Wow, owing a Cyberman your life . . . not a concept I'm so readily familiar with. & saving a Cyberman as well . . . wow.
- Ben is going to cut a Cyberman if they touch Polly. Seriously.
- FUCKERS ARE NOT CONVERTING POLLY, FUCK THAT NOISE. & if they do, Ben & One will rip their heads right off.
- I'm sorry, but the Mondasian Cybermen have faces that are freaking me the fuck out - they look too fucking much like clowns! ::hides::
- WHOA, WHOA, GO BEN! He's caught on that Cybermen can't handle radiation! That would make him the first companion of the Doctor's to realise that Cybermen cannot face radiation without dying.
(incidentally, Polly's the one who kicked some Cybermen arse with nail varnish remover! Those two were damn good against Cybermen!)
- ::is scared for Polly & One::
- Ben is showing his snappy, hit-the-ground-fighting traits again, just like he showed us in The War Machines. ROCK ON, BEN! I just hope he'll be okay after being so close to radioactive materials!
- I love Ben. Sometimes, so far, he's bugged me a bit, but he's awesome & I do love him. He really is a great companion.
- WHOA. Mondas disintegrates, & so do the Cybermen? AWESOME!
- & now Ben's saving Polly & One! But One . . . he doesn't look good at all. He sounds awful & he looks so weak . . .
- Okay, this is . . . not good. He can barely even get Ben & Polly inside the TARDIS! & the TARDIS doesn't even sound like herself!
- & . . . . he's gone. Just like that. He collapsed & One . . . isn't One anymore.
(okay, going to have a bit of sap for a moment here.)
In the mix I made about the nine times the Doctor has regenerated, I used the song Airbag by Radiohead, because, based on the research I'd done on One's regeneration, I felt like it fit his moment of regeneration, particularly the line 'In an interstellar burst/I'm back to save the universe'.
& that's just what happens.
Still . . . I miss One already. ::sad sigh::
Also,
nentari & I once had a bit of discussion on what it was that caused One to regenerate - was it because of the Cybermen, or was it simply because his original body was finally forced to regenerate, or he would have died? After watching, I'm pretty much solid on the idea of his regeneration coming about because his first body was just too old & had been through too much & if he hadn't regenerated when he did, he would have died altogether. Also, there is enough evidence throughout the story that his body was finally showing signs of age & that a regeneration would have to come soon.(I should also say that I am one hundred percent sure that the first body we see the Doctor in is the body he was born with.)
The Power of the Daleks
- Picking up where we left off, One has just regenerated into his second body on the floor of the TARDIS, in front of Ben & Polly, who are lost as fuck as to what's just happened.
- & Patrick Troughton's off to a GREAT start as our second Doctor! I love his post-regeneration scene - v. well played & v. in-keeping with what I've seen the Doctor like after he's regenerated.
- Teehee! Now he's got to examine his new face. & his muscles are a bit tight, alas.
- Now everything's beginning to fall into place for all three of them - Two knows he's the Doctor now, or at least he seems to.
- THE RECORDER!! I LOVE IT! Aww! & he's got his five hundred year diary & knows who Ben is - okay, getting there now, I'd say.
- I love how Polly's the one with full faith in the Doctor; that it is the Doctor & he'll be okay, while Ben's insanely sceptical about everything that's going on around him. It's a good contrast both to each other & to Two's own confusion.
- HE'S PLAYING IT AGAIN. ♥ & Ben appears to be none too happy about it. He's even shouted at Polly. Yeah, he's not in the best of moods. & AWWW, STILL PLAYING IT. I think he's rather good, myself.
- O yeah, this is so the Doctor - plotty, cunning, sneaky & with just the right card up his sleeve. ::grins:: Loving him already, on his first serial! I do hope Ben cuts the 'OMG THIS AIN'T THE DOCTOR!' bollocks already. Preferably very soon.
- I have a really bad feeling about that capsule & the first serial's half over. Meep.
- Two is awesomely sneaky, I have GOT to say that.
- FUCK. Daleks. Well . . . they don't look as deadly as the ones I've seen, but WHAT is that thing on the floor?! & where's the fourth one?
- GAH THAT THING IS DISGUSTING! It looks like a bloody mutated jellyfish!
(I think I've also forgotten that this IS the first time Ben & Polly have ever seen a Dalek. They've met Cybermen, but not Daleks.)
- Christ on a cracker . . . I'm sorry, Cybermen may scare me more, but Daleks can do it pretty well too. & Two saying only one Dalek would be needed to wipe out the whole colony on Vulcan . . . I find it chilling.
- HA! Two's sauciness is sexy! ::blows kiss::
- He's only just regenerated, but he's got the spark & fire of his later time - ♥ Two ♥
- DUDE, WTF, ARE YOU AN IDIOT? WHY ARE TRYING TO REVIVE THE DALEKS? Why don't people just listen to the Doctor when he talks?! Melt the pepperpots down!
- Hee, reference to his meeting Marco Polo! & BEN, CUT THE BITCHING, PLEASE. Polly, however, gets a cupcake for believing him to be the real Doctor.
- 'I never talk nonsense. Well, hardly ever.'
- Wow. Two's actually giving me a bit of a spook in this serial - he's never done that before. It's his mysteriousness, his sense of confusion, the hint of darkness I keep feeling from him. I don't think I've ever known one to be like this - he's always been the Doctor I'd want to be best friends with, to go dancing with, & learn to play recorder from. I know there's more to him than his outward silliness & cheerful disposition, like how there's more to Eight than his giddiness & Romantic tendencies, but unlike with Eight, I've never seen Two's darker side - or maybe I have & don't remember it - prior to now. I've seen his cleverness, his wit, his capabilities, but not so much this . . . darkness I just feel from him in this story.
- EARTH PEOPLE ARE TWITS. WHY, WHY, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO REVIVE A DAMN DALEK?! Okay, FINE, get your silly selves exterminated, so you don't pollute the rest of the human gene pool by procreating. ::sighs loudly::
- More recorder playing! & I love the discussion between Polly & Ben over the deputy governor's guilt or innocence. I think it's an interesting showcase of their personalities, as well as their emotions & of course, their feelings on the situation at hand.
- O, FUCK ME, WHY ARE EARTH PEOPLE SUCH FOOLS. & Two agrees with me, I see. ::glares:: (& maybe NOW Ben will quit the bitching about him being the Doctor or not.)
- The very last half of the second serial, when the Dalek begins to speak, & Two's desperately trying to explain a Dalek's true nature & both are sort of vocally (or should I say aurally?) overlaid is both haunting & chilling.
. . . Okay, it's just scary. To me, anyway. People, just melt down the Daleks before you get yourselves wiped out!
- Any time a Dalek claims to be 'helping' a human? It's time to bash the thing in the eyestalk with a baseball bat.
- GET YOUR GRUBBY HANDS OFF MY DUCHESS BASTARDS!
- More recorder playing! & when Ben finds out they've kidnapped Polly, he is going to blow a frakkin' fuse.
- O, sure, let's just hand over lots of shiny stuff to the Daleks all willy-nilly, why don't we? ::sighs even louder::
- O.fuck.me. The Daleks have all been reactivated. That colony is SCREWED.
- O no. Two's been discovered. Now HE'S screwed!
- & now people are leaving pseudo-ransom notes about Polly? ::glowers:: NOT ON.
- HALLELUJAH, SOMEONE'S SLOWLY BEGINNING TO AGREE WITH TWO.
- Dalek reproduction is . . . . well . . . . let's pretend I don't know about it, okay?
- 'You think you're very tough, don't you, pushing a girl around. I'd like to see you come up against a real man.'
'Like who?'
'Like Ben for instance!'
♥♥♥♥
Polly-girl, you are the awesome.
- . . . . Did Two just use his recorder to break out of a prison cell?
THAT RECORDER IS A WEAPON IN HIS HANDS! & he is made of some serious win, people.
- For some reason, I find Two telling Polly that Ben can take care of himself to be quite sweet.
- & yes, the ending of the fifth part gave me some massive chills. Dalek voices are v. scary when they layer over each other like that.
- My shippy little heart went all fluttery when Ben & Polly finally got to see each other again. Awww.
- Ben comforting Polly! O . . . ♥♥
- 'Why can't you just take all the plugs out and cut the power?'
'Because I prefer to do it my way!'
Hee! I love Two's stubbornness; it's one of my favourite things about him.
- Something I've not noted yet - the concept of one scientist 'giving' life to the Daleks - it feels very Frankenstein-esque, in my opinion. Not only were the Daleks brought to life by a human, they killed humans as well. Of course, all under very different circumstances. But it did put me in mind of the story.
- Ah, a sneaky escape, as the Doctor prefers. ::smiles:: & more recorder playing!!
- & away they go, off to new places & new faces! Bravo, bravo! ::claps::
Whew! This was the official beginning of the great & mighty Troughton rewatch-athon & alas, the ending point of the Hartnell era for now. (but I've a load of Hartnell-era serials to watch!) The next three serials will be The Highlanders (!!!), The Underwater Menace & The Moonbase, the last two I may supplement with my Lost in Time DVD collection.
Previous recaps
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Time Meddler
The War Machines
no subject
Date: 2009-06-22 08:51 am (UTC)He was too busy milking cows in Emmerdale Farm, I think. Bad, bad Jamie.
Very bad Jamie! ::smacks him a la Zoe:: Two > milking cows!
Oh dear, priest-related cheekiness?
YES. I CANNOT HELP IT, he just looks so gorgeous as a priest! & for some reason, his hair makes me sigh like a wee schoolgirl. & of course, he IS playing something delightfully dramatic & slightly creepy, & that apparently makes me a bit fluttery.
(& incidentally, I was watching a little mashup of clips from his appearance in the show Inspector Morse where he apparently played some sort of handyman who liked to spy on the woman he was working for - now THAT'S cheeky!
& ah, twas lovely to see. & he was still so handsome, grey hair, glasses & all. Sigh. ♥)Ben would not be pleased. :D
Aye . . . but are we SURE he wouldn't? ::smiles angelically:: (ARGH, WHACKING BACK PLOT BUNNIES WITH STICKS NOW)
& YES.
Braces may have been involved.^__________^no subject
Date: 2009-06-22 10:15 am (UTC)Well, we should remember that at that point his memory had been tampered with and therefore he could do nothing besides milking the cows, right?
& incidentally, I was watching a little mashup of clips from his appearance in the show Inspector Morse where he apparently played some sort of handyman who liked to spy on the woman he was working for - now THAT'S cheeky!
Oh dear. Naughty, naughty Doctor. :P
Aye . . . but are we SURE he wouldn't? ::smiles angelically:: (ARGH, WHACKING BACK PLOT BUNNIES WITH STICKS NOW)
Well, I'm sure they wouldn't let him join them, hence him being displeased. *snorts*
Braces, hmm?
no subject
Date: 2009-06-23 07:34 am (UTC)Alas, all too true. But he probably FELT it somewhere, WHILST milking the cows - 'Something's wrong . . . I need to be somewhere . . . did I say I'd help someone today? No . . . ah, probably just imagining things' ::goes back to milking cows::
(. . . why do I think this would be an interesting season 6b story, with Fob!Watched!Two as a priest? BRAIN, SHUT UP!)
Oh dear. Naughty, naughty Doctor. :P
& actually, even naughtier - he wasn't just spying - he was a complete voyeur! I READ IT IN DWM MAGAZINE! (they did a whole feature on Two this issue! I'm going to either snap pictures of it or TRY & scan it - it was great. ^_^)
Well, I'm sure they wouldn't let him join them, hence him being displeased. *snorts*
::giggles girlishly:: Yes yes, BUT! I never said he couldn't 'accidentally' witness a slightly tipsy kiss between the two . . .
& yes, BRACES. & Jamie. But I'll just be silent & see if I can CAP the scene when I get to that serial! :D
no subject
Date: 2009-06-23 10:40 am (UTC)This, for some reason, is making me sad. *pets both Two and Jamie*
(. . . why do I think this would be an interesting season 6b story, with Fob!Watched!Two as a priest? BRAIN, SHUT UP!)
Gah.
they did a whole feature on Two this issue! I'm going to either snap pictures of it or TRY & scan it - it was great. ^_^
Ohh, yes please!
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 12:14 am (UTC)(. . . why do I think this would be an interesting season 6b story, with Fob!Watched!Two as a priest? BRAIN, SHUT UP!)
Gah.
Now is that an interested 'Gah', a 'yes-shut-up-Betsy-not-everything-can-be-readjusted-for-a-6B-story' gah, or something entirely? ::hides:: (see, this is why I never write anything; it's all just a bad idea in the end!)
& I'll most likely be snapping some pictures of it, I think - River can't hold ANY more data until I get an external - & I shall make sure to share them! :D
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 12:26 am (UTC)Oh, impressed, definitely.
Now is that an interested 'Gah', a 'yes-shut-up-Betsy-not-everything-can-be-readjusted-for-a-6B-story' gah, or something entirely?
It's more of a "whoa-if-you-write-this-I'll-need-a-fan-or-possibly-even-a-shower" kind of "Gah", actually.
see, this is why I never write anything; it's all just a bad idea in the end!
Sgould I borrow
Regarding bad ideas, I should point out that some of my attempts to write M*A*S*H fics have culminated with Frank getting naked, and yet I haven't stopped writing. But then again, my Frank ends up in worrying states of undress for comedy reasons, so people haven't complained yet. :P
& I'll most likely be snapping some pictures of it, I think - River can't hold ANY more data until I get an external - & I shall make sure to share them! :D
Looking forward to it, then. And I hope River will be better soon - I know how annoying computer problems can be.
And grah, it's nearly 1.30am, and I'm still up! I need to get up early in the morning. I better say my farewell for now...
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 08:38 am (UTC)Oh, impressed, definitely.
Well in that case . . . I wrote Jamie fic! First ever shown, officially! ::blushes slightly::
It's more of a "whoa-if-you-write-this-I'll-need-a-fan-or-possibly-even-a-shower" kind of "Gah", actually.
It's a good thing that The Omen's also set in a pretty place in England then! & hmm, I could totally watch it in the name of research - research = everything else. (I'll just close my eyes at all the scary bits - & I won't actually HAVE to watch it all the way through! EVERYTHING IS GOOD. :D)
Sgould I borrow
Yes! I'm game. ::nods:: & since I'm up to Evil of the Daleks & Tomb of the Cybermen, that'll be the perfect time to give it a try! :D
Looking forward to it, then. And I hope River will be better soon - I know how annoying computer problems can be.
Hooray! & hopefully I'll be able to UPLOAD those snaps without her having any problems - then I'll be quite irritated.
(& o dear, your icon's warning label is extremely right! I, um, thought I'd let you know. ^__^)
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 09:11 pm (UTC)Ooh!
& hmm, I could totally watch it in the name of research - research = everything else.
I have the feeling it will still give you nightmares, though. :/
(& o dear, your icon's warning label is extremely right! I, um, thought I'd let you know. ^__^)
I blame my friend Lisa. After I mentioned that the thought of concentrated Swampmen nakedidity would probably make me spontaneously combust due to excessive squeeing, she decided to make that icon just to try out my theory. I'm still here, of course, but by sheer luck. :P
no subject
Date: 2009-06-25 01:08 am (UTC)I have the feeling it will still give you nightmares, though. :/
Meeeep . . . well, still . . . RESEARCH!
& Pat in a priest outfit.I might just kind of keep my hands over my eyes until I reach the place where I can STOP watching & be all, 'Okay, survived that, NOT SLEEPING TONIGHT.'& may I say then, you have quite a bit of luck. :P
no subject
Date: 2009-06-25 06:06 am (UTC)Try to think of fluffy little sheep and see if it will work.
& may I say then, you have quite a bit of luck. :P
Indeed. How I am still here talking to you is beyond me. :P
no subject
Date: 2009-06-25 08:06 am (UTC)That's not too bad an idea - I'll give it a go! :D
Indeed. How I am still here talking to you is beyond me. :P
YES INDEED! ::laughs & glomps you::