Patrick Troughton

Patrick Troughton

Ah, Patrick Troughton. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again- it will take something pretty spectacular to unseat him as my favorite Doctor. He is funny, with an elastic face and a slightly manic manner, great comic timing and a talent for impersonations. He introduces the sonic screwdriver. He always has a plan, and half the time it fails completely. He is parental and caring, willing to self-sacrifice, for his companions. He isn’t afraid to get into the action himself. And he quickly unseated Hartnell as my new favorite. A fair-weather fan, I, falling for the charms of whichever Doctor is on my screen? I think not- this fellow will be hard to top. (Note from Andrew, 2012: Indeed, in viewing all the way up through the 22nd year and the 6th Doctor, Troughton has not been topped by the Old Series or the New.)

William Hartnell said that there was only one man he’d trust to take over the role, and I heartily agree with him. Patrick Troughton  is practically the template for everything the Doctor’s become, and definitely the inspiration for the current showrunner, Matt Smith… as well as for Fifth Doctor Peter Davison and Sixth Doctor Colin Baker. He may not have any particular super-powers like Hartnell did- he doesn’t master hypnosis, do vocal impressions, or possess a signet ring… he only shows us a hint of the depth of powers he may possess at the end, assembling his hypercube, and his only ability may well be playing the recorder.

But he is friendly and disarming, yet clever and wily. He left generously, not under a grudging and denying note (despite the character’s protestations), but on a generously accepting note, paving the way for audience acceptance of his successor. He left as he arrived- with humor. My heart is buoyed knowing we shall see him again thrice in specials- to quote David Tennat, the 10th Doctor, “You know what, Doctor? You were my Doctor.” And so, I suspect, you will remain, even after I’ve seen all 11. Or 12. Or ever.

Patrick Troughton, you are the best.

“You can’t kill me- I’m a genius!”

My Top 10 Favorite Second Doctor Moments

10. Naming and playing with ‘Alpha,’ ‘Beeta,’ and ‘Omeega’/Confronting the Dalek Emperor/Declaring the Daleks’ "Final End" (Evil of the Daleks):
All fantastic moments, but all too brief. The Doctor being delighted with Daleks, for once? Having a showdown with an imensly powerful enemy on the Dalek homeworld? Pronouncing final sentence on his greatest foes- their epitaph? How does one choose? I think, if pressed, I would have to go with Alpha, Beeta, and Omeega- and not just from the endless source of bafflement and bemusement that his odd pronunciations elicits.  Whereas the First Doctor’s favored moments for me came from the times when he won the day, had the upper hand, took charge, became the hero the Doctor would eventually be… the Second Doctor is always at his best in my book when he is funny, happy, whimsical, warm, friendly, loving… humanized- (though not human, heaven forbid- don’t string me up, Enemy Within-haters! He isn’t half human! I know!) a different aspect of the Doctor brought to the fore. And in this case, a simple moment of child-like playtime with three members of his greatest race of foes, in turn humanizing them, and seeing the potential for a race of monsters to be truly reformed, the Doctor ceases to be the day-saver, plotter, and schemer for a moment, and simply enjoys his life for a change- something haunted 9th would seldom do (except when “Everybody lives!”) and gloomy, depressed 10th started off doing, but quickly forgot how to do as a mopey, dark, brooding character. And something that every Doctor needs to be able to do, I think, lest the audience get lost in the darkness of the void through which his eternal quest reaches…

9. “Lesterson, listen…” (Power of the Daleks):
While post-regenerative madness wouldn’t hit in full comedic force until the Third Doctor in Spearhead From Space, the Second Doctor still spends much of his first serial in an off-kilter precursor that seems to be practically the inspiration for Matt Smith’s ongoing performance of the 11th Doctor. For much of the time, he simply seems out-of-it, but this moment of slightly-giddy, self-amused repetition- trying to get Lesterson’s attention and then repeating the phrase over and over to himself, to his great amusement, really started to sell the character for me, and was the first glimpse of the ‘funny’ Doctor we were soon to receive.

8. Playing dumb (The Dominators):
It’s a simple bit- believing all inhabitants of the planet they’re conquering to be foolish, idiotic sheep (and rightly so, as it turns out), the haughty Dominators capture Jamie and the Doctor as specimens for testing, to determine their true intelligence level. In order to get them to underestimate him, the Doctor plays along- taking the torments like a confused child, helplessly throwing up his hands and expressing panicked bewilderment at the slightest challenge, even willingly submitting himself to electric shocks to accomplish the ruse, with quite enjoyable results. (Honorable almost-mention – The scene of the Doctor breaking through the tunnel wall into the shaft leading to the planet’s core and catching the bomb as it’s dropped down the shaft at the last minute would definitely make this list… if the cheap so-and-sos that ran the show hadn’t had the whole thing occur off-screen!!!)

7. Treating the symptoms (Highlanders):
The Highlanders, Troughton’s second serial, was a sterling showcase for his comedic talents, offering the Doctor the chance for multiple impersonations, impressions, and comedic bits. Perhaps the best was his German physician, who played on the hypochondria of his captors to convince them they were sick and then crafted all manner of outlandish treatments to incapacitate and disable them, much in the manner of Bugs Bunny. From his insistence that his patient had eye problems, and the sound of a superior (locked in the closet) shouting for help was “All in your head… in your eyes!” to his convincing a lackey that the proper treatment consisted of slamming the man’s head against a desk until he passed out, this was a brilliant comedy sequence that transcended even the reconstruction stills that contained it.

6. Putting Jamie’s face on wrong – (The Mind Robbers):
In the surreal Mind Robbers, surrounded by dozens of great Second Doctor moments, mostly revolving around belief and disbelief (see my review for a full accounting, or, better yet, go watch the serial!), Troughton faces one of the strangest actor-absence plot-points ever devised- Jamie is shot in the forehead by a redcoat and turns into a cardboard cutout, and then his face disappears, replaced by a blank white space- while a pasteboard with a series of mouths, noses, and eyes appears beside it. Responding to this apparent cruel-sense-of-humor-whim on the part of the Master of the Land of Fiction, the Doctor obligingly picks out Jamie’s facial elements and re-applies them… only he gets it wrong, much to his outspoken dismay… and Jamie is played by another actor for an episode (with an uncanny and dead-on impersonation!). Finally, Jamie is shot in the head again (one fears for his long-term odds of survival after his return into history in The War Games), and the scenario repeats itself, this time with Zoe there to guide the Doctor through. After several corrections to his initial choices, Zoe indignantly realizes that the Doctor had done this before, and gotten it wrong. His embarrassed, chagrined shushing is worth the price of admission by itself in what’s already a fantastic serial.

5. Trial (The War Games):
Caught and tried by his people for breaking their noninterference laws, the Doctor gives a passionate defense of his actions, giving a speech about how evil exists in the galaxy, showing and summarizing some of his most notable foes (plus the non-starter Quarks) and pleading for his fate- and then, once sentenced, facing alternating panic at being stuck on Earth and being forcibly regenerated, relief over being able to choose his appearance, annoyance and disgust with the presented choices, and indignant denial as he is finally sent to Series 6B… errrrr… his regeneration… a very strong set of scenes to close out Troughton’s run on the Doctor.

4. “No Victoria, don’t hit me!” (Enemy of the World):
The title practically speaks for itself. In this doubles episode in which Troughton plays the dual roles of hero and villain (The Doctor and the treacherous Salamander), numerous cases of mistaken identity abound. Towards the end, the Doctor impersonates Salamander interrogating Victoria, apparently for a bit of fun- but his sinister façade breaks into the titular cry and a cowardly cringe when Victoria’s ire is raised and she moves towards him threateningly, revealing the true Doctor within. (Honorable mention to the excellent final sequence in which Salamander gets aboard the TARDIS while impersonating the Doctor, the two confront each other, and the climactic final battle- all excellent sequences!)

3. “I was bored.” (The War Games):
In Troughton’s final serial, we received many revelations- the name and nature of his people, the fact that he had stolen the TARDIS, and his motivation for traveling around time and space: boredom. It’s such an off-handed and Doctorish comment that you almost miss the character implications in the humor of the moment. Here, we get an insight into the man we’ve been watching for the last six years- he is a restless wanderer, an explorer at heart, traveling to see the wonders of the galaxy; and also a man of conscience- reading between the lines, it was his people’s policy of non-interference that chafed on him, not a prohibition against travel; the Doctor says it himself later in the serial- There is evil to be opposed in the universe, and someone has to do it. The Doctor could not just sit idly still, watching from a position of great power while tragedy befell those whom his people considered “lesser races” (reminiscent of the Ancients from Stargate SG1)- instead, he had to steal a ship, become a fugitive, give up his home and the incredible powers the Time Lords are shown to exercise, all for the sake of being able to interfere, to help people. And yet he doesn’t seek acknowledgement or recognition- he tries to mask over his noble self-sacrifice with an indifferent “I was bored,” leaving the true implications of his statement to remain unstated.

2. Run to the rescue (Seeds of Death):
A good old fashioned Doctor-to-the-rescue moment, the Doctor realizes, in conversation with the program director, that Jamie and Zoe are missing- and likely headed to the last location that an Ice Warrior was spotted. He takes off running through toxic foam and various obstacles to reach them. While far more a visual moment and difficult to describe here, it’s a real action hero moment for the Doctor- followed by a near-death desperate encounter in the foam, a slapstick chase, and a total Schwarzenegger action sequence with his solar hand-cannons. It’s really a great ‘action’ sequence for the Doctor, and it involves the now legendary element of the Doctor Who mythos so integral to everything: running. “When I say run… run!”

1. Taking the test (The Krotons):
When brilliant-but-naïve Zoe dons a teaching headset on a whim to test her intelligence, and scores highly (qualifying her for a quick death at the hands of the Krotons, to be called into the dark portal of their sinister spaceship as a sort of sacrifice), the Doctor doesn’t even hesitate, immediately donning a headset himself to score highly and follow her in. While the following scene- in which he overthinks things, gets stressed out, and makes mistakes that flunk him the first time around before successfully testing the second time- is funny, the core of this scene is Troughton’s caring, almost parental willingness to sacrifice himself so that Zoe will not have to face her trials alone. He doesn’t blink, doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t have to take a moment to decide- he just acts, immediately, with no question in his mind. This was the moment that made me ‘fall in love’ with this Doctor, a man who cared for his companions like they were his children.

Also, here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make my top 10 list, but I feel are worthy of notation for their distinctiveness:
Passing the test (at the last minute!) from the Ice warriors. The old woman impersonation and various hilarious others in The Highlanders. The alley run from The Invasion. The exercise machine from the Macra Terror (During the ‘Merry old Land of Oz’ makeover sequence, when the Doctor is displeased with how clean and pressed his clothes appear, and leaps into the exercise machine under its owner’s protests to rumple them up). And the whimsical slapstick ‘heist’ abduction and marketplace antics from The Underwater Menace.



So, this is it. The end of an era. Before we go on, I’m going to take a look back at the Black & White series, the era that we’re leaving behind.

It was evenly split between two Doctors- one stern and gruff, the other friendly and goofy- the patriarch and the comedian. We started with suspicions and mistrust, then forged a family- all whilst meeting most of the classic monsters that we know and love today, and struggling to find it’s footing, niche, length, and pacing. Then, the cast changed; the Doctor was rehabilitating a hurting man, helping his two companions to grow to maturity in a grandfatherly mentor role. But soon, both left, and the Doctor tried to get hip with Ben and Polly. Sadly, due to the failing health of William Hartnell, the next change was to the Doctor, not the companions. In a unique and relatively unheard-of maneuver, the main character changed roles whilst remaining the same character, with an in-story explanation. And soon, he gained his own companions- a group of impetuous youngsters in need of a more fatherly guidance, as the Doctor bumbled and stumbled his way through dozens of menacing situations, but always came out on top.

Things tended to look cheaper, simpler, more studio-bound (and often they were), yet this lent a more stylized, more easily accepted fantasy aspect to the show. Effects either looked really hokey, or ultra-slick (like the void sequences in The Mind Robbers). We had only one take available during filming, so performances were rougher, editing was simpler, there were less cuts, less stunts, and less practical effects. Actors often got clumsily written-out for a serial (occasionally a blessing) when they went on vacation (errrr… ‘holiday’) or were sick. 'Future' costumes were often laughable. Companions tended to be 2-3, a male-female mixture, whereas later series trended towards a single female companion. The dynamic was more like a family, and the Doctor was often mysterious and uncommunicative. Aliens were more commonly monsters (with a few exceptions) to be destroyed instead of antagonists to be negotiated with while possessing their own unique point of view. This was the only period with historical, pure educational adventures. It has a charm to it- occasionally a chuckle-able “How quaint!” laugh at the naiveté, but more often a genuine charm and style all of its own.

Even through the course of 6 years (for perspective, almost as long as each of the three long-running Star Trek series ran), you can see major changes in production quality- not only from An Unearthly Child to The War Games, but even from Series 1 to Series 2, and at intervals between. Though the show changed concepts (abandoning the alternating sci-fi/historical and educational concepts, for one thing) and character/theme focuses several times, it always remained true to its concept- something which is about to undergo radical changes in the series to come- and even though far, FAR too much of this era is lost to the ravages of missing episodes and reconstructions, it was an entertaining and rewarding ride. Sometimes it was a slog, but more often, it was a unique insight into the show’s history and a set of stories to be enjoyed on their own merit and qualities, and not as some artifacts of a bygone age. Make no mistake, this was truly a period of classics. In fact, to close out, let me share with you my favorites of this black and white era…

Top 10 BWW Serials
10. Enemy of the World – A brilliant dual performance with a stunning climax, despite being a reconstruction, this is a highlight of the Second Doctor era.
9. The Aztecs – Barbara’s breakout serial, it has a strong story and a great little subplot for the Doctor.
8. The Space Museum – A dull latter half puts this one so low on the list, but a brilliant and spellbinding first episode puts this one on the map as fantastic. Very eerie and cool.
7. The Myth Makers – This is, perhaps, the funniest Doctor Who serial ever written, even in bare-minimum-pictures reconstruction mode.
6. The Rescue – A nice short-and-sweet story that introduces the sweet and innocent Vicki and features a brilliantly cinematographed and well-written climax that is nothing short of epic!
5. Celestial Toymaker – Surreal and unusual, not just a battle of wits, but a series of them- this unique story with a strong villain deserves better than the reconstruction that it has.
4. Keys of Marinus – A brilliant anthology of short-stories with a framing device, this video-game-esque set of quest stories are fast-paced, full of variety, entertaining, sometimes unintentionally funny, and in the case of the jungle, spine-tingling and scary. The first truly stellar serial of Doctor Who.
3. Faceless Ones – What makes this relatively sedate airport-based mystery so memorable, especially when most of it is reconstructed? The great villain effects? The mystery? The characters who make real growth and react reasonably instead of like two-dimensional stock characters? The fact that the story doesn’t spin it’s wheels and re-hash the same developments over and over until the final episode, but keeps moving forward, allowing the Doctor to get proof, gain allies, make discoveries, etc., keeping up a steady sense of momentum? It’s the kind of run-around and try to figure things out move-and-counter-move story I usually detest, but it’s so well-written and well-paced that it never loses energy or interest, and all of the characters feel real, not like video game characters programmed in with 2 or 3 stock responses to any and all actions you might take. No one’s unreasonable, no one’s unyielding in the face of evidence, and everything flows. It’s fantastic!
2. Daleks Master Plan – A true epic in every sense of the word, this one has it all- Daleks, aliens, the Monk (yay!), a volcanic planet, a prison world, the first companion deaths, ancient Egyptians vs. Daleks, invisible monsters, ship thefts, the Doctor in disguise, personal force fields, Varga plants, Doctor/Dalek standoffs, a 4th-wall-breaking Christmas special, and more! It’s more reconstruction than video, sadly, but still eminently watchable, and as a 12-part epic, it doesn’t flag, drag, or snag- it keeps moving and packs every episode brilliantly!
1. The Mind Robber – Surreal and scary, funny and clever, a masterpiece of mood (seriously, if you made me write this blog without using the words “Moody,” “Atmospheric,” “Fantastic,” or “Brilliant,” it’d probably fall apart overnight), filled with excellent concepts, exciting set-pieces, great showdowns, wonderful humor, fake-Jamie, and just all-around weirdness and awesomeness… plus that first episode’s psychotically scary and bizarre moments in the white and black voids, and that volcano opening- this is one NOT to miss!



This list was almost impossible to narrow down to 10. Here are some very close honorable mentions- unfortunately, most seem to be the Second Doctor’s, suggesting that while I prefer him as a Doctor, Hartnell had the superior scripts:
Fury from the Deep – If it wasn’t a reconstruction, it might bump something else off!
The Invasion – Great villain, just a little bit slow to make the top 10.
Seeds of Death – This was closest to staying on the list; it’s really fantastic, but the middle drags just a tad. Still, that ending…!
Highlanders – A decent story with some fantastic performances and a comedic showcase for the Doctor... rendered snooze-worthy by being a reconstruction. If Troughton’s hilarious impressions were in video, this might just top the list!
Tomb of the Cybermen – It was really solid. Great serial. The others just had an extra zing to put them over the top that this didn’t, for me.
Evil of the Daleks - The first half drags a bit for me, but this one is truly epic, filled with fantastic concepts, characters, and confrontations!
The Web Planet – In a so-bad-it’s-good way, it’s hilarious to watch in its awfulness. Top 10 most entertaining list? Yes. Top 10 best list? Not a chance.
The Time Meddler – A great ending, and a great foil- if he and the Doctor had more screen time together, this would be a top 10. As it is, that’s one of the reasons that Dalek Master Plan is, instead.
The Chase – The Chase has its moments (see that blog) and a greatly fun concept, but it lags and is sort of unfocused. Still highly recommended!

...As is the entire 60s monochrome era... do yourself a favor and go check it out!

Doctor Who: Reconstruction Retrospective

Reconstructions...

The sad tale has already been told in this blog- how the BBC, in their folly, burned the masters, thinking that they had backups. How dozens of episodes of classic Black & White Who kissed the flames and never returned to tell. How the massacre of the archives was total and fierce. How the only salvation lay in prints sent to collectors, overseas, or somehow saved from their slated destruction. How, at time of writing, none such had been found since 2004’s recovery of an episode of The Daleks’ Master Plan… and perhaps none would ever be found again... and how last December's joyous tiding- the return of TWO episodes at once, a Hartnell and a Troughton- has brought hope back for the faithful! (A life-size Dalek- the originals, not the horrid plastic abominations they have today in the New Series- awaits anyone who can find another missing episode.)

And yet, I’ve seen every one of these wretched souls, watched every single one from start to finish. How is this possible?

In the days before VCRs, shows were run once and then gone- maybe shown as a repeat again someday, but they had their run and that was that. (Never was that so true than for many of the classic Hartnell and Troughton episodes…!) In those days, the BBC hired people to take ‘telesnaps’- essentially, a snapshot or photo of the TV screen. Their job was to capture important moments, each of the actors, significant scenes, etc.- to be used as promotional images, for magazine or newspaper articles, for actors’ resumes, etc. So, visual reference for what each place, character, and setting looks like still exist- no one torched those archives. Meanwhile, a number of fans made audio-recordings of the show, as that was one personal home recorder that DID exist in those days- a tape recorder. Those, combined with audio prints kept in a separate archive, conspired to preserve the complete AUDIO of every episode (in varying quality). These, along with publicity photos, and the occasional clips loaned out to a documentary or other show, or video-taped off a TV screen with primitive camcorders, could all be combined together to create a sort of slide-show with audio, wherein you could listen to the episode and watch still pictures (and the occasional video clip if you were lucky) or what was supposed to be happening on-screen at the time.

A few groups arose to start putting together these ‘reconstructions’- using still pictures and surviving audio to create a still-picture facsimile of what the episodes once were. Doctor Who fans, a tenacious bunch, strung together these slide-show reconstructions (with little closed-captioning bars at the bottom to describe actions being taken, based on the original shooting scripts, that weren’t obvious from the pictures or the audio). Fan group Loose Canon Productions quickly came to the forefront, using CGI Daleks and Spaceships, photoshop composite images (placing pictures of characters from another episode into the background for this one, or taking images of a guest-star actor from other media they appeared in and pasting their face onto a costume-appropriate body to create an image of an actor for which no surviving pictures exist), hand-created animations (blinking lights are made to blink, doors slide open, etc.), video clips out-of-context that can be re-edited or zoomed to match the action, and even freshly-shot insert footage ('second unit' stuff- close-ups of hands, etc. that can be re-created using replica props and costumes, in which original actors can’t be seen) to create the most complete reconstructions available. Meanwhile, the BBC took things in another direction, releasing the audio portions of the episodes on CD with narration (by various individuals, often the actors who portrayed the companions back in the day) filling the silence and describing actions much in the way that closed-captioning did for the visuals, converting the missing episodes into an almost storybook-narrated audio drama version of themselves. And enterprising Yotube reconstructionists of late have taken the superior Loose Canon videos, added in the occasional higher-quality photos or stills that have turned up since the Loose Canons were created, and merged them with the BBC narrated audio (omitting the closed captioning for redundancy), creating what I consider to be the ultimate reconstruction experience that mixes the best of all possible worlds.

Even so… you’re still mostly watching a slideshow of dull, still pictures (no matter how impressively created) to a glorified audiobook. So… it can be a challenge. Historical stories were the hardest hit, since recovered videos were often from overseas prints, and overseas markets were less interested in ordering prints of stories about the history of Western civilization. Some sci-fis were lost, but historical were hardest-hit… very few of them are intact.

Now that we have vanquished the reconstructions at last with the completion of the final missing serial (depending on how you view Tom Baker's Shada, which was never finished in the first place), The Space Pirates- having already survived the Series-5-end ‘Hump,’ I thought it would be appropriate to look back at the reconstructions past. If you’re not interested in a look at each of the comparative reconstructions, then skip to the bottom for a slightly different, audience-participation discussion.

(Now, keep in mind, when I look at whether the enjoyability or watchability was affected… it always is, by watching stills. These will always be less enjoyable than seeing the real thing- what this section evaluates is whether the story was more affected than the norm, if reconstructedness detracts beyond the simple less-enjoyable nature and does something to actively steal away an element of the story.)

Marco Polo
How much was lost? All of it. The whole thing. All 7 episodes. Not even any clips.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? It was very nice, though basic- unique in that it was comprised entirely of color photos, giving us our first taste of color Who very early on. I’d call it a very good average baseline.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? I don’t think so. Pacing and length episodes still plagued the show at this juncture, which dragged down the overall enjoyability, but I don’t think having it in video would affect that much.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Yes, this was the first historical… and the first historical casualty.

Reign of Terror
How much was lost? Episodes 4 and 5 (of 6 total)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? It was decent, but suffered from a strange overuse of the same closing-door half-second clip every time someone entered or exited a room. Got kind of annoying after a while.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? No, it was largely unaffected, thankfully.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? No- this season-ender and first on-location shooting serial preserved all of the important bits in video.
Note: An animated reconstruction of this one (like the Invasion) will be coming out in fall!

The Crusade

How much was lost? Episodes 2 and 4 of 4 (1 and 3 are intact)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Absolutely average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not especially- actually, the performances really shone through this one despite the reconstruction, putting this one a bit above-average.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Nope, just another run-of-the-mill lost historical…
Note: Follows a mercifully intact second series, and a long absence of missing episodes.

Galaxy 4
How much was lost? Everything, all 4 episodes (Minus a 5-min stretch in Episode 1). (Actually, Episode 3 has just been found- but not generally released yet.)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Masterfully done and technically flawless, with filmed inserts and the like- this was above average, in the top tier.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not in the slightest. The story would have been absolute unwatchable garbage regardless.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? No video of the alien creatures, exploding planet, or generally, this series-premiere.
Note: It’s RUBBISH!!!

Mission to the Unknown
How much was lost? Every frame of the single episode.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Very well, above average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story?  A bit, yes. This story is carried by visuals- actions and performances. Both are sadly lost.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? This whole episode is a milestone, the only stand-alone episode of the serial era, and a prequel to the Daleks’ Master Plan.


The Myth Makers
How much was lost? All 4 episodes in their entirety.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Pacing and entertainment wise? Far below average, one of Loose Canon’s worst. Technically, and considering extenuating circumstances (see below)? One of their finest, and in the top tier, considering.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Only slightly- there were SO FEW stills (see below). However, most of the humor managed to transcend stills.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Vicki’s departure, Katarina’s arrival, the Trojan horse model.
Note: No telesnaps exist for this serial, making every image seen a photoshop composite. Viewed in that light, it’s an impressive technical achievement! It’s still just not a very good reconstruction to watch.

The Daleks’ Master Plan
How much was lost? Everything except for episodes 2, 5, and 10 (out of 12 total, 9 are lost, and 3 are saved).
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon for the win!
How did the reconstruction stack up? Phenomenal and incredible- probably the best of the best.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? No, save for Episode 7 (the Christmas episode) which was predominantly visual. It’s still a GREAT watch.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Plenty. The first companion deaths, Dalek mutants, the volcanic planet, the first Christmas special, etc.

The Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Eve
How much was lost? All 4 episodes, every last bit.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Slightly below average; a little sparse.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? A bit, yes. Only a bit, though- it was pretty dull regardless of video or still.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? The introduction of *shudder* Dodo… and Hartnell’s dual role.

The Celestial Toymaker
How much was lost? Episodes 1-3 of 4… the final episode survives.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Not so hot, unfortunately. Well below average, though that may be due to lack of material.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Yes. This was a very visual story. It was still good, but it could have been amazing in motion.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Not really.

The Savages
How much was lost? All 4 episodes, barring teeny-tiny scraps of video.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Butterfly Productions…?
How did the reconstruction stack up? Ugh! It was HORRIBLE!
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Yes. Get the Loose Canon version if you want to check it out- don’t watch the others!!!
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Jano’s Hartnell impressions, Steven’s departure.

The Smugglers
How much was lost? All 4 episodes, minus, amusingly, every death scene. Due to surviving censor clips cut out of the print, everyone but the main villain dies in video.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Very average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not especially, though I’d’ve loved to see the Tarot scene…
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? The last regular First Doctor serial.

The Tenth Planet
How much was lost? Episode 4 of 4. The first 3 are intact, but the big regeneration episode…
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Official BBC reconstruction
How did the reconstruction stack up? Above average- the images were slide-show standard, but with a nice slick-looking animated frame.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not at all, surprisingly!
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? THE FIRST REGENERATION!!!

The Power of the Daleks
How much was lost? All 6 episodes, minus small clips.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Slightly above average, with some nice innovations- but also one SERIOUSLY Uncanny Valley Lesterson
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? A bit, yes. Much of Troughton’s post-regeneration performance is silent… and lost.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? The First Troughton story!

The Highlanders
How much was lost? All 4 episodes
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Unknown fan production
How did the reconstruction stack up? Below average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Yes. So many of the Doctor’s excellent impressions and roles are strongly visual, this is one of the wrost-suffering serials for it.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Jamie’s first serial. The final historical.

The Underwater Menace

How much was lost? Episode 1 and 4 of 4- Episodes 2 and 3 survived.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Unknown fan production
How did the reconstruction stack up? Average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not especially, though some model work and set design that would have been interesting was lost.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? No.

The Moonbase
How much was lost? Episodes 1 and 3 of 4.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not especially.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Nope.

The Macra Terror
How much was lost? The whole dang 4-episode ball of wax.
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Slightly below average; very dark and grainy.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Yes, it was hard to tell what was being seen.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? The Macra!


The Faceless Ones
How much was lost? Everything except for episodes 1 and 3 (out of 6).
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Loose Canon
How did the reconstruction stack up? Average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not in the slightest- still 100% enjoyable despite the reconstruction.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? The departure of Ben and Polly.

The Evil of the Daleks
How much was lost? All but episode 2 (of 7).
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Average
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? A little bit, with Jamie’s trials and the playing Daleks, which would've been great to see.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Victoria’s introduction.

The Abominable Snowmen
How much was lost? All but episode 2 and a smattering of clips (Out of 6).
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Above average
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Somewhat, but the reconstruction compensated for it very well.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Introduction of the Yeti and Professor Travers. Padmasambavar.


The Ice Warriors
How much was lost? Episodes 2 and 3 (out of 6).
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Official BBC
How did the reconstruction stack up? It was PHENOMENAL.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? It compressed both episodes to 15 mins. total, but in exchange, kept the pace so that it wasn’t dull.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? No.

The Enemy of the World
How much was lost? All but Episode 3 (of 6).
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Yes, a bit- the episodes would be so much better if you could SEE the dual performances!
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? The Troughton dual role, HELICOPTERS, and the into-the-void finale.


The Web of Fear
How much was lost? All but episode 1 (of 6)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Poor.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Yes, it was practically unwatchable. Way too visual for audio and dark screenshots.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? First appearance of the Brigadier, return of the Yeti.

Fury from the Deep
How much was lost? All 6 (minus a few clips), more’s the pity…
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Above average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? No, the reconstruction managed to make up for it quite admirably.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Victoria’s departure, HELICOPTER.


The Wheel In Space
How much was lost? All but episodes 3 and 6 (of 6)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Above average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? Not especially.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Zoe’s introduction, the TARDIS compression.

The Invasion
How much was lost? Episodes 1 and 4 (out of 8)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? DVD Animation
How did the reconstruction stack up? PERFECT!
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? No, the animated segments only enhanced it!
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? HELICOPTER!!!!



The Space Pirates
How much was lost? All but Episode 2 (out of 6)
Whose reconstruction did we watch? Youtube
How did the reconstruction stack up? Well above average.
Did the reconstruction-nature of the serial affect the watchability or enjoyability of the story? No, not really- it was a great recon.
Any notable moments or milestone lost to the ages in this one? Nope! Just the last reconstruction.

And last, but not least, in looking back at the Doctor Who reconstructions, the question of ranking came up. So... though even contemplating this is probably just in the realm of futile self-torture, I got to thinking: if you had the abillity to restore 3 of the lost serials in their entirety, (and yes, three is a completely arbitrary number) at the cost of ensuring that three other reconstructeds would never, ever be found in the history of the world... which would you choose? The answers of our review team are below, but I’d be very interested in seeing yours, so leave a comment!

For my picks...
Restore:
The Faceless Ones (Still the best 2nd Doctor story of it's season, in my opinion)
Dalek Master Plan (A deserving epic!)
The Myth Makers (Doctor Who's best comedy needs to be seen, darn it!)

I know, Marco Polo should, by rights be on the list, but... I enjoy the other stories so much more, so I'm selfish. :-)  Likewise, Tenth Planet's regeneration scene, Enemy of the World's dual performances, and the Celestial Toymakers' visual setpieces are tempting runner-ups, but if I had to pick three- there they be.

Lose:
I suppose converting the Dominators and the Sensorites into missing serials to take the hit would go against my own rules? *SIGH*

Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve  (As I can never watch it without wanting to wring Gaston's neck anyhow...)
Web of Fear (it's probably a good story with visuals, and the first Brig before he was the brig, but...)
Galaxy 4 (Go to heck, Galaxy 4! You SUCK!!!)

So, those are my picks... what would yours be?

My wife's:
Restore:
Celestial Toymaker
Enemy of the World
Marco Polo

Lose:
The Highlanders
The Savages
Galaxy 4

My brother-in-law’s:
Keep:
The Daleks’ Master Plan
The Highlanders
The Celestial Toymaker

Lose:
Galaxy 4
Marco Polo
The Macra Terror


Emily Carter (Pre-eminent Doctor Who expert from nitcentral.com):
Keep:
The Daleks’ Master Plan
Power of the Daleks
Evil of the Daleks

Lose:
Galaxy 4
Reign of Terror
Space Pirates

So, besides the fact that my brother-in-law is clearly a Who heretic, what can we infer from this? The Celestial Toymaker was a near-universal choice for keeping, and Daleks’ Master Plan a strong contender- they seem to be the most sought after in our three-person survey, with strong Troughton serials (often containing episodes where he portrays more than one role) comprising the majority of the remainder. For the losses? We each have one serial at least that the other 2/the fan community at large would probably consider it shocking and heretical to condemn (Highlanders, Marco Polo, Web of Fear), and, most importantly of all: Nobody likes Galaxy 4.

Doctor Who: The Invasion

Serial Title: The Invasion

Series: 6

Episodes: 8

Doctor: Patrick Troughton

Companions: Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines), Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury)

Synopsis:

Returning from the Land of Fiction, the TARDIS materializes above Earth’s moon in- @*^$&^*!!! The ‘20^th Century,’ bloody heck gosh-darn you all!!!- and gets shot at by a missile. They revise their landing coordinates to a cow pasture in England on Earth  in the same frickin’ non-definitive time period just in time to avoid the weapon.

They find a guy in a truck who gives them a lift but then gets liquidated by some fascist policemen enforcers just after they leave. Meanwhile, something’s broken in the TARDIS (rendering it invisible), and the Doctor decides to look up good old Prof. Travers (continuity!!!) to get help in repairing it. However, someone else is living at his listed address- he and his daughter have just left for America, and cheesecake model/photographer (seriously, I think she’s wearing just a T-shirt, for no reason) Isobel Watkins lives there instead. She directs the Doctor and Jamie to local electronics/computer monopoly company International Electromatics’ headquarters (where her uncle, Prof. Watkins, who she thinks can help with the repairs, has recently disappeared). Zoe... stays to do some modeling for the camera...??? (Note from Sarah: Well why not? I mean she's there...might as well! :-D)

The Doctor and Jamie sneak in, are caught, and taken before the head of the company, Tobias Vaughn (played by Kevin “Mavic Chen” Stoney, so you just KNOW he’s a bad guy...), who plays the whole thing casually, claiming that Professor Watkins is simply wrapped up in his work. After the Doctor and Jamie leave, he opens a secret panel in his wall to communicate with aliens via a complex transmitter...

The Doctor and Jamie are abducted shortly after leaving the building, and driven to an airfield. There, in the back of an EC-130H Hercules transport plane, they find a complete command center- headed up by recently-promoted Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, their ally from 'Web of Fear.' He greets the Doctor in the name of the newly-formed UNIT, the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Quicker than you can say Backdoor-Pilot/Foreshadowing, the Doctor and UNIT are giving the Third Doctor’s era a dry ru- I mean, working together to investigate the suspicious International Electromatics. And so are Zoe and Isobel Watkins, who get tired of waiting and go to check out the company for themselves. Zoe gets annoyed by the reception computer and blows it up for a laugh.

Yes, you read that right. BLOWS IT UP.

The two are then arrested by security and taken to Vaughn- Isobel as leverage to make her uncle work, and Zoe due to her association with the Doctor and Jamie- who Vaughn’s mysterious allies recognize from the ‘Planet 14’ incident. (As per the wiki, this is suggested to be good ol’ planet Marinus, as in ‘The Keys Of,’ whose conscience device is also theorized to have spawned... ah, but that would be telling. Suffice it to say the aforementioned adventure is later fleshed out to take place in the Doctor and Jamie’s futures, and the past from this time period.)

The Doctor and Jamie head back to IE and find evidence of Zoe and Isobel’s presence, but are caught by Packer, the security chief, before they can effect a rescue. They’re taken before Vaughn, who denies the kidnapping, and instead shows the Doctor a new invention- the cerebration mentor, a teaching device that can induce emotional changes in humans. When Zoe and Isobel are spirited away, the Doctor and Jamie escape and give chase, and call in help from UNIT, who send a helicopter which rescues Zoe, Jamie, The Doctor, and Isobel.

Sneaky Vaughn hypnotizes the head of UNIT in order to get the organization to back down from its investigations. The Doctor and Jamie sneak into an IE warehouse in London where UFO sightings have been reported, and witness a ceremony to open a mysterious alien cocoon- a cocoon which then reveals... okay, cut it out, Cybermen. It was cute when I didn’t know you. But this is the third one, now- the Daleks always warn me in their titles when they’re the heavies of a serial. Look, I know they’re not here right now- but if you want to step into their niche as the Second Doctor’s big bad, then you need to show me you respect me. Use the name. Look: “Invasion of the Cybermen.” See? It even had a nice ring to it! Come on, guys, I know you can do it. Now let’s get back in there and win this one!

The big bads revealed, Vaughn tests the cerebration mentor on one of them, driving the poor Cyberman mad- he flees on a homicidal rampage, unable to cope with emotions. The rest venture into the sewers to make their way unseen to various invasion points.

The UNIT leader stonewalls the Doctor and Lethbridge-Stewart, who realize that they need proof of the Cyberman invasion before the recalcitrant (mind-controlled) general will believe them and allow them to act. After blocking the planned hypnotism signal designed to conquer Earth (to be transmitted simultaneously from a concealed circuit within every  IE electronic product ever produced), the Doctor finds his companions missing- all three have ventured into the sewers to photograph a Cyberman and bring back the necessary proof. They barely escape an encounter with the mad Cyberman (don’t worry, this won’t be mentioned again), and the photos are a bust- that bit of padding aside, the plot continues as Watkins confronts Vaughn, and is goaded into stealing Packer’s gun and shooting Vaughn- who is revealed to be a robot or something- he has smoking holes through him but is unhurt! (Don’t worry, this won’t be mentioned again). THAT bit of padding over, the Cyberman invasion begins, and everyone outside the range of the Doctor’s telepathic blocker begins to fall sway to cyber-influence.

UNIT launches a Russian missile to destroy the source of Vaughn’s Cyberman-hypnosis signals, while the UK plans to shoot down the incoming Cyber-fleet with missiles. The Cyber-fleet is destroyed, and the remaining Cybermen blame Vaughn, who is forced to side with the Doctor when the Cybermen announce their (extremely emotional and vengeful) plan to retaliate by destroying the Earth with a Megatron Bomb. (Insert your own Transformers joke here). Vaughn uses the cerebration mentor to take down the Cybermen still on Earth (dying in the process, of course), while Zoe’s ‘living computer’ brain calculates a new trajectory in time to take down the final Cyber-ship and thwart the Megatron Bomb plot.  And Jamie is shot! (Don’t worry, this won’t be mentioned again). The day is saved with no mention of Vaughn being a robot or Jamie being hurt- even though we plainly saw both happen onscreen- and the TARDIS is made re-visible as the victorious companions depart.

Review:

The Invasion was all set up to be the 'Daleks Master Plan' of the Cybermen (and now considered a well-loved epic chosen for the unique honor of animated reconstruction)- was this to be the Cybermen's breakout high-point pinnacle of awesome? A memorable epic of truly mind-boggling proportions?

Well, it did have its own Mavic Chen. (Literally- Kevin Stoney, playing a very similar role in his handling of the Cybermen as he did to the Daleks- the one arrogant man who thinks he can control them... and is rather mad!)

As it turns out, however, it was not so much about the Cybermen as it was about inventing the trend of making Microsoft the bad guys back before Microsoft even existed. After coasting on so many sci-fi cliches, Doctor Who perpetuates one- the evil monopolizing mega-corp that builds computers and sticks something sinsiter into every one: an emotional circuit.

Errrr... you know... for transmitting... emotions...

Moving on.

This story surprised me. The Cybermen don't appear until literally halfway through. The introduction of UNIT was surprisingly low-key. It wasn't about what I thought it would be about. Was it bad? Not at all- just unexpected. Oh, and The Invasion is set in the futuristic 1976, as per the director- but not stated anywhere canonically. Announcement by a BBC narrator at time of airing indicated 1975. Neither of these dates is official, though.

The first portion is largely setup, and introduction of another female character to hang about in the background and wear tight and/or revealing clothing- methinks Doctor Who was discovering Sex Appeal. More's the pity. At least this one had an excuse- she's a model (and has a great introductory scene in which the Doctor's obnoxiously insistent doorbell buzzing keeps distracting her just as her auto-timer camera is about to go off.) Parts 2 through 4 are spent building the mystery and menace of Vaughn and his corporation, as well as establishing the Doctor's best catchphrase ever- "Shut up, you stupid machine!" Then, 5-8 are spent dealing with the aforementioned Invasion of the Cybermen, which, aside from a few street-marching shots, seems to consist of half a dozen or so advanced guards- plus the orbital fleet which (SPOILERS FOR THE SYNOPSIS ABOVE) never makes it to Earth.

This all probably sounds like harshly sarcastic judgement, but it's really more of good-natured teasing, because the serial is fun. If it had been named "Corporation of Death" or "The Chairman" or some such, there probably wouldn't be a single snarky remark- it's just that, as the serial stands, the Invasion! moniker seems almost misleading. Like a magician's sleight-of-hand- not entirely untrue, but more of a stagey distraction from the true goings-on of the story.

This tale is truly a battle of wits and a series of intelligence commando raids between Vaughn and the Doctor, backed by UNIT. So, much of the strength of the story depends on the strength of the villain. Fortunately, Tobias Vaughn doesn't disappoint, a creepy villain with cockeyed eyes (one always half-shut), and a sometimes genial, sometimes raving-lunatic demeanor encompassing a broad range. Plus, he's a robot. Not that it matters, as aforementioned. Still, that's the only single disappointing element to an otherwise excellent, competent, and charismatic villain. On the other hand, his right-hand thug, Packer, starts out as an intimidating Bond-henchman and, through a combination of incompetence and the worst wrist-communicator design ever devised, slowly becomes an over-exaggerated cartoon character of such absurd proportions that I had to actually Wikipedia his fate because I didn't notice the Cyberman shooting him- his character had degraded to such an unrecognizable caricature of himself that I didn't even recognize him in his death scene. Vaughn's office is a nice set, but the vista out the window is once again too obviously a poorly-lit painting- like the Aztecs, it's faded and doesn't look like it's supposed to really be there. Kudos, in this case, for changing out multiple backgrounds to make it day and night, though.

This serial is also an excellent continuity piece in the ongoing storyline that's being crafted in the Second Doctor's era, setting things up for the ongoing storyline that will dominate the Third's. Not only does this serial feature the return of the Brigadier and the creation of UNIT, it also references Professor Travers. This storyline- from Abominable Snowmen to Web of Fear to Invasion, is the original Bad Wolf... (or more accurately, BW's lame successor that's completely spoiled and not a surprise if you watch it at any time after it's original air date, 'Torchwood')- like Mister Saxxon or Missing planets, it's the ongoing story thread throughout the season, woven in amongst the one-shot stories, and like Cracks in the Universe, setting things up for the ongoing storyline to come in the next season. It's the original template of the ongoing arc-element that New Who has latched onto- the Rise of Unit, and the setup for the Third Doctor's ever-nearing exile.

The Doctor is a strong presence in this one- despite disappearing and receding into the background for a couple of episodes near the end- repeatedly clashing in strong confrontations with Vaughn. It's still not the 'Rescue' or 'Evil of the Daleks' modern-series style confrontations with the villain- the climactic encounter with the villain is not yet a part of this television program, leading instead to impersonal solutions, ships exploding, or various other anticlimaxes; the show's one remaining weakness, its weak endings and resolutions that don't serve the buildup given to them- but nonetheless, the Doctor has a number of great sparring and outwitting moments here, and even some action bits, including the copter sequence, and the ending battles. (Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned copter stunts were once again among the lost footage. Three for three... Enemy of the World, Fury from the Deep, and now Invasion- every chopper stunt performed on this show has been lost! At least we have an animated reconstruction for this one, but the bizarrely conspicuous assault directly on helicopter stunt footage has caused me to wonder if this is indeed the true, hidden, secret Stone-mason-esque motivation behind the BBC's tragic Jihad against the legacy of one of their most beloved programs back in the 70s... the real reason the deep and storied history of Doctor Who's earliest foundations is riddled with slide show-filled holes is that some Knight Templar-level executive put out a secretive, and as yet unexplained, hit on helicopter footage in Black and White science fiction... and tragically, the First and Second Doctors paid the price. Why this vile anti-helicopter agenda that drug so many sterling works of creativity down with it to the grave? No one knows... but perhaps it can be the arc theme of Matt Smith's Third Series. Oh, and... prediction, Andrew writing this review, 2/11/2011... by the time this blog is released, said series has already aired, because we're that far behind in our releases.) (Note From Future Andrew: The series would just be starting if the BBC weren't playing this delayed-'till-fall game...)

Jamie continues his reckless, rash, and sometimes quarrelsome behavior, which remains very human and realistic but is on the verge of losing its charm; he's mostly relegated to following the Doctor or Zoe around in this one, and doesn't have too much to do.

Zoe, on the other hand, is... bizarre. (Note from a future regeneration of Andrew – Here is the misunderstanding I mentioned in the Wheel in Space blog... at this time, I still understood Zoe to be smart yet unemotional, like a Vulcan, as a character premise... as opposed to intelligent yet immature, almost childish, as I currently understand her character premise to be. Viewed through that filter, her actions in this serial make perfect character sense, and are even amusing, as she’s SUPPOSED to be that naive. The computer destruction, heading off half-cocked because she doesn’t want to wait, etc. all fit perfectly with my current understanding of the character, and would probably give me a chuckle.)

And speaking of said body... she is once again showing herself off in the return of that oddly-hilarious glittering catsuit... but it also leads to one of the best moments I've ever seen in Doctor Who, right on par with that Zarbi running full-tilt into the camera with an audible 'THUNK.' As Zoe flits about the line of monitors in UNIT HQ, reading off figures and making her world-saving missile trajectory calculations (all the while wearing the same sparkly catsuit that, as covered previously, tends to accentuate the actress' aft attributes), she stops beside each radar operator, standing beside them to read their data screens over their shoulders- and in a hilarious moment that seems more more like actor unprofessionalism than planned character nuance, both the second and third actors in the row of UNIT personnel get completely distracted from their acting and stop to observe- the second giving a casual-but-noticeable glance back to inspect the aforementioned aft... while the third full-on turns his head ninety degrees and leans back in his chair to check her out up close in the most blatant and noticeable fashion possible (NFS: He doesn't lean WAAAY back though...the way you describe it sounds like he's practically reclining with his hands behind his head. :-D). The man probably doesn't even remember that he's on a TV show at the moment, much less that he's supposed to be acting like a disciplined military man- he's taking full advantage of the oblivious girl in tight clothing beside him, acting career be darned! (It's a hilarious moment, but also with a slightly disturbing flavor to it in light of Zoe's acting like a distinctly immature minor in this serial.) (Note from Sarah: Although if he's a military man and hasn't seen a girl for a long time...then this is a pretty good character nuance. :-D) 


Plus, there's also another embarrassingly-obvious actress-on-vacation serial in which a kidnapped Zoe doesn't appear. Jamie has a slightly more subtle-but-still-jarring absence in the final chapter for the same reason; at least this one is much better written, as you don’t really question his absence due to story events. It does, however, lead to a rather jarring moment, as mentioned before, in which he’s shot in battle, and it’s never followed up on save for a brief mention of him being in the hospital- with the shooting itself happening practically in the background- no reactions or anything, just a get-it-done-to-get-him-on-vacation wide shot. They really aren't very smooth with these breaks...

Meanwhile, we're introduced to recurring character Sgt. Benton, and reintroduced to Lethbridge-Stewart, now his properly iconic rank of 'Brigadiere'- and both are dull as dishwater, very run in the mill- though the Brig does have a few minutes of facial subtlety and good performance that gives me hope for a future demonstrative range. No, really, the problem here is that their roles- as radio voices and communications coordinators, are simply dry and without much texture of flavor. (What, am I describing a performance, or a cracker, here?) I have no doubt that in future stories, with more to do, they'll be a more impressive presence... but in this serial, they were both dull enough to cause my wife great concern that the forthcoming UNIT-based Third Doctor era would be a snorefest. I think not, or the Brig would not have become such a beloved companion... but we shall see. (Note from Future Sarah: The Brigadier turns out to be one of my most favorite characters ever....that's not to say that the Third Doctors era didn't turn out to be a snorefest though....)

The only other character of note is Isobel Watkins... with nothing much to do but have a fun introductory scene (see above) and wear only a long shirt whilst lying spread out on the floor (to 'photograph' more comfortably, I'm sure- see Doctor Who discovering sex appeal, above), she's really pretty much a Zoe clone, only less interesting. Likewise, her father was a relatively under-developed character; a man of convictions blackmailed into working for a bad guy... though his resignation at his position ("You don't even expect me to believe that, do you?") made him an interesting, if only briefly seen, character- and the shock factor of his being goaded into shooting Vaughn in what seems like it's going to be a standard "See? You don't have the guts!" moment demonstrates a surprising strength of character (as he recognizes the evil that needs to be destroyed and does what he believes he must, despite his personal reluctance and fear of doing so). He was a well-layered character despite having very little screen time, and, heck- he's the scientist I'd want on MY staff!

There are a few nice middle action highlights- the aforementioned chopper rooftop rescue under gunfire (a sequence which conspires to give us the unlikely tableau of three individuals wearing skirts climbing a ladder in the wind... perhaps it’s better that this bit was lost to the ravages of time! Fraiser Hines, the actor portraying Jamie, reportedly sewed led weights into the hem of his kilt to minimize its updraft potential), an excellent and exciting sequence that must have absolutely blown the bank, sadly lost to the Helicopter Footage Jihad (evidence of that potential broken bank coming in the rescue of professor Watkins, a scene planned but not shown due to time and money constraints... leading to the rather jarring edit in which a scene in UNIT HQ ends with the Brigadier essentially saying “Allright, let’s go rescue professor Watkins!” and then immediately cuts from a close-up of him to a close-up of a gibbering, beat-up henchmen proclaiming to Vaughn “And then UNIT hit the car hard, and all of the guards were killed, and UNIT took professor Watkins!” with nothing in-between those two shots to even indicate time had passed. In a modern movie, it might be taken as an intentional ironic editing choice, but here it smacks of didn’t-have-the-budget...), as well as the Cybermen attack in the sewers (with an excellent but completely unsupported-by-the-music moment where a Cybermen pops up to grab the escaped characters' heels as they leave)- plus some nice shocking moments- such as the unexpected shooting of the mysterious UNIT informant in the first chapter, or the unexpected goading of Doctor Watkins into shooting Vaughn to no effect partway through. Shocking in the extreme! The action climax, with the Doctor and Vaughn fleeing together, is nicely staged, but comes before the actual climax of the spaceship destruction which is weak and anti-climactic, leaving the end to flop a little bit- the Doctor/Vaughn bits should have been saved for the finale. Strangely, two of the most important elements- Vaughn being an android, apparently (Yeah, that's kind of a big deal!!!) and Jamie being shot (like, shot, with bullets, during the final battle) are NEVER DEALT WITH. No, not even slightly. They're shown briefly, and then it's like they never happened, with implications and consequences- or even a follow-up mention- not forthcoming at any point later in the serial. How do you throw in story elements that shocking and then not do ANYTHING with them?

The ending itself suffers from the same anticlimactic weak-finale syndrome too many Whos do in this era- an intense, impersonal, destroy-the-mothership finale that isn't very exciting or engaging, happens well after the main climax, or just plain loses all the built-up momentum... but tries to make up for it with a cool outer-space model shot to wrap things up. Sorry, but a bit of eye candy doesn't substitute having an emotional investment in the finale, a stake in the outcome, or a little bit of anticipation built into the proceedings. Again, we can only hope that climactic confrontations in Doctor Who improve with the Third Doctor's era. Oddly... it seems to be primarily the Cybermen that suffer from this truncated, sudden, or unexciting finale syndrome- Fourth Planet, Wheel in Space, Invasion, and to some degree, the Moonbase... though Tomb of the Cybermen had an excellent, personal, thrilling climax involving direct personal confrontation with the final monster (though unlike The Rescue or Evil of the Daleks, not a confrontation by the Doctor)- so we know it's possible for Cybermen stories to have a satisfying resolution- it's just that most don't.

I should probably write a blog comparing the different strong and weak points of Dalek Invasion of Earth to The Invasion, seeing what was done better and worse with each of the two major races, eh? E-mail or comment me if you'd like to see that. Let me know. Leave some feedback. E-mail me if you want a pizza roll... (And if you get THAT reference...)

Plenty of miscellaneous notes. There was some ambitious prop work with the gorgeously detailed Cyberman communicator device in Vaughn's office (with a swinging panel entrance that they were clearly overly proud of, as they showcase it WAY too often).  It's a pity, then, that such a stellar piece of prop work was destroyed, as they appear to have eliminated it in a real pyrotechnic display during it's finale destruction. Effects failures, on the other hand, do abound- from the teeny, tiny grenade explosions more akin to firecrackers in the sewers (which leads to the stumbling Cyberman, which needs to be seen to be believed, and is the fourth entry into the funniest-thing-I-ever-saw-in-Doctor-Who category alongside the Zarbi collision, Zoe check-out, and the New Series' "Vampires of Venice" bachelor party opening), the stock footage of missiles being raised into place around the world that is repeated shot for shot FOUR TIMES (including one where the trajectory was just being adjusted, but which required all of the missiles to rise out of concealment, open up, and arm anew to do so, apparently, as they use the exact same footage) and the missile impacts in space- many of which hit their cybership-targets, go spinning off into space with hilariously obvious spiral trails of out-of-control fury, and then several seconds later, the belated explosion at the point of impact is set off. Plus, the traditional Doctor Who set-extension-matte-painting-that-doesn't-match-the-angle-of-the-hallway-and-thus-is-really-obvious, in the sewers. (Also, not really a failure, but... the Cybermen are still stealing the Daleks photo-negative beam effect!) These are balanced out by the stock footage missile firings- which are about the coolest most awesome things ever captured on film (and okay, the Russian rocket is okay... but the Saturn V launches woulda been cooler!) and some excellent model work for the cool, detailed, and uniquely designed Cyber-ships (whcih make a re-appearance in Matt Smith's first 11th Doctor season finale, The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang). It would've been nice to see the Episode 1 missile/dark side of the moon, too. 

On the live-action side of things, the Doctor and Jamie end up hugging alot. The escape-into-the-elevator reminds em a lot of the Doctor's escape in Downing Street in the New Who episode World War Three (the Slitheen two-parter conclusion) and I wonder if it was staged as a tribute to this serial. The mime humor at the end was nicely done, with everyone reaching out awkwardly to look for the TARDIS. Lots of fun. Oh, and the Cybermen...  FAR easier to understand this time, finally breaking from the indecipherable 'Tomb' voice. Plus... they have lace-up sneakers that are just painted silver. Whoops! (NFS: Whoops? Or awesome? You be the judge.)

This serial also features far more incidental music than we're used to, a very nice change of pace, though not without its hitches- including the jaunty, goofy, carnival-like "Car Theme" that gets played whenever someone takes off in a jeep, regardless of how tense the situation may be (and including the brilliantly mind-boggling moment when two UNIT soldiers set out to deliver a nuclear device to Russia (always a good idea!)... driving out the back of a cargo plane in a jeep and off into the distance... apparently preparing to drive to Russia instead of taking the plane they were just in. If the irony of that situation seems limited to 'the trip will take much longer' to you, consult a map and trace the patch from England to Russia, then check the identity of that large blue patch in between)- and the previously mentioned Cybermen-popup-to-drag-you-back-down-to-Heck scare... in which the music doesn't change tone or react to this sudden tension whatsoever, continuing the peaceful, tranquil, out-of-danger tones it was already involved in as men bash at the Cyberman's forearms with rifle-butts, shout, and clamor to escape the deadly cybernetic grasp. Oh, well... despite this occasional failure, it's an overall improvement that added mood and tone to the piece, and helped to keep things lively- even throwing in some ambient source music, which I don't think we've heard since Evil of the Daleks' coffee bar. This is all thanks to composer Don Harper, hired for this serial only because the director, Douglas Camfield, refused to work with usual electronic-tonalities-and-minimalist-pulse-beats composer Dudley Simpson. So sadly, this music will be a one-off.

And did I mention how incredibly cool that budget-blowing chopper rescue would've been to see? Curse you, you Mason-Templar-Scientologist-Alien Overlord BBC execs, and your mysterious and sinister crusade against helicopter footage!!! How many must die (and believe me, the reconstruction Hump and its brethren are pretty killer!) for your secret plots???

Great moments:

The villain revealed to be a robot. Zoe vs. The Computer (Zoe wins). The helicopter escape scene. The unsubtle lecher. (Note from Sarah: I can't remember who said it but I do remember someone yelled out "did he just give her the twice-over!? Rewind that!")  Armies of Cybermen on the streets. The Doctor running and clutching his burning behind. And of course, the Cyber-stumble. 

Rating:

Overall, the Invasion is an interesting battle of wits interspersed by excellent moments of humor that manages to keep a good, constant pace that never flags, wears, or grows dull, despite an anticlimactic finale. Plus, like Tomb of the Cybermen, the restored DVD video quality is STELLAR, and looks incredible, smooth and sharp, compared to its peers. Overall, I have to give it 4 out of 5 Bickering Dominators. It wasn't my favorite story of all time (though it may have been my wife's)(NFS:I think I just thought they got the atmosphere really well, I liked the idea of an invasion in modern england and everyone underground, they did it really well.) and certainly wasn't another Daleks Master Plan... but it was entertaining, enjoyable, ambitious, and excellent.

And of course, how could I give anything BUT 5 out of 5 to the reconstruction? It's professionally animated, for pete's sake! Sure, the characters tended to be a little stiff below the neck, only occasionally breaking out the full-body animation for a wide shot that required someone walking, running, etc., and the trailer was deceptively cool in that they animate plenty of awesome and atmospheric moments from the serial that weren't actually part of the animated episodes, thus faking us out into expecting animated Cybermen awesomeness, when in fact we only receive one shot of an animated Cyberman in the whole affair, the very final shot- but still... it was excellent, well-animated, fun to watch, and well put-together... this is (no offense to our beloved and missed Loose Canon) the ONLY way to see the Invasion- animated, and on DVD!