Crossposted from Doctor Her

“Planet of the Spiders” (1974)
Season 11: Production Code ZZZ

Written by: Robert Sloman & (uncredited) Barry Letts
Directed by: Barry Letts
Script Editor: Terrance Dicks

Starring:
THE DOCTOR: Jon Pertwee & (uncredited) Tom Baker
SARAH JANE SMITH: Elisabeth Sladen
BRIGADIER LETHBRIDGE-STEWART: Nicholas Courtney
SGT. BENTON: John Levene
MIKE YATES: Richard Franklin
LUPTON: John Dearth

I once tried to convince Raeli to cosplay this outfit for a party - she had the stripy top but refused to add the spider!

This final story of the Third Doctor’s run is one of my absolute favourites, and has been since… wow. Probably since I was about the age my daughter Raeli is now. It’s a complete love letter to Jon Pertwee and the UNIT Years, with callbacks to previous stories. We even get a letter and a parcel from Jo Grant, a year after she left the show – a very rare example of a companion getting a chance to ‘call in’ after making her farewell, even if we don’t hear Katy Manning’s actual voice. We also get some cute character moments from each of the UNIT regulars, including Benton being adorably domestic, and the Brigadier unexpectedly (against his will!) revealing a snippet of his romantic history with a young lady called Doris.

I’ve been surprised in recent years to hear quite scathing criticisms of this story, especially the indulgent but completely awesome many-vehicles chase sequence, and the not-so-great acting among the Metebelis Three colonists. None of which bothers me at all, because I was raised with an Ignoring the Bad Bits lens through which to view classic Doctor Who stories. If you don’t have one, bet you wish you did. I try never to use this power for evil.

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I *saw* what you did in tonight’s episode of Outland. Just saying.

(and laughed myself into hiccups)

Original fan art by Kathleen Jennings.

Check out Kathleen’s awesome artwork at her blog, particularly her regular Dalek Game pieces! And you might like to know that Kathleen is eligible for Best Fan Artist, if you’re nominating for the Hugos…

TANSY:
This Christmas Special was probably one of the most divisive Doctor Who stories in its time, because it all came down to whether you loved or hated Donna (Catherine Tate). I liked Donna at the time, but came to love her more and more in retrospect, and so I find that I like this story more every time I watch it. Having said that, I’m not in it for the plot!

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“The Rise of the Cybermen” / “The Age of Steel”

The Doctor – David Tennant
Rose Tyler – Billie Piper
Mickey Smith – Noel Clarke

TEHANI:
I thought the early part of the first episode was notable for Ten’s high school nastiness to Mickey in the beginning of the episode (and really, throughout). Although perhaps there’s some change in his attitude as the two-parter progresses.

David would have been pleased to see the return of Pete!

TANSY:
Yes, I think this is an uneven story in some ways, but it has some great moments in it and the return of Pete (and departure of Mickey) make it worth us paying particular attention, even if it wasn’t Hugoworthy. It’s in many ways Mickey’s story, the one where we see him come into his own, not just as a hero worthy to travel in the TARDIS, but one independent of the Doctor, whose future lies elsewhere. I was sorry to see him go so soon because, as with Jack, it felt like the threesome crew were being given short shrift, but happy to see him find his future.

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“The girl in the fireplace” – Season two, episode four
The Doctor – David Tennant
Rose Tyler – Billie Piper
Mickey Smith – Noel Clarke
Sophia Myles – Reinette

DAVID:
One of the advantages the episodic format gives shows like Doctor Who is that the writers get a chance to play around with all sorts of concepts, and experiment a little. It’s one of the reasons I enjoyed the later seasons of Smallville so much, for example, because you never knew what you were going to get. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it is never boring and gives great scope for creativity. I can just imagine the writers sitting around and throwing in ideas for this one. Steampunk and clockwork? Why not? Love story? Sure!

TEHANI:
It’s Steampunk In Space!! Awesomely awesome I like the longer story arcs we get in New Who, but when the individual episodes are done this well, I love them too. This one is a standout.

DAVID:
This episode has so much to talk about! Given the previous episode, the theme of mortality, and how a, if not immortal, long lived being like the Doctor interacts with short lived humans was very timely. I also enjoyed the way her perceptions of the Doctor changed, which mirrors the differences between how we watch the show as children, and then as adults. And, of course, the idea of the Doctor as the hero, quite literally riding to the rescue, was something that resonated with me.

One of the other interesting things about this episode is that you could take someone who has never seen Doctor Who before, and knows nothing more about it than it’s a British sci fi show, and it would stand up completely on its own. It’s so self contained that it works as a stand alone sci fi love story, yet more excellent writing.

TANSY:
This is another of my favourites, and further evidence that Steven Moffat’s (as writer) take on the show was going to be hugely important to New Who. After being supremely cheeky in “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances” by addressing the idea of the Doctor flirting and possibly having a sex life (albeit couched in metaphor!) as well as being very relaxed around different sexual orientations, he follows up with this story which unashamedly gives the Doctor a romance.

However you feel about Rose and whether what’s going on between her and the Doctor is romantic or not (it can certainly be read either way at this point), there is no mistaking what is going on with him and Madame De Pompadour in this story. Kissing! Mind-reading! White charger! Doom!

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“School Reunion”
Season two, episode three
The Doctor – David Tennant
Rose Tyler – Billie Piper
Sarah Jane – Elisabeth Sladen

TEHANI:
We only skip one episode (the werewolf-ish “Tooth and Claw”) before we get to the first of Season Two’s Hugo nominees, “School Reunion”. I think it’s pretty obvious why this one got the fan nod. Not only does it have Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) of BTVS (My fandoms! They cross over!) but of course, we see here the return of Sarah Jane and K9! Fan heads all over the world must have exploded Tansy!

I do want to say one thing about “Tooth and Claw” – I loved how Tennant’s Scottish was showing in that one – listen hard, you’ll hear it

TANSY:
I don’t think you have to listen too hard, he’s outright doing his own accent for most of the episode! I am a little wistful they wouldn’t let him be Scottish as the Doctor generally. He has a beautiful voice.

DAVID:
Other than the last five minutes, I thought “Tooth and Claw” was an excellent episode, I really enjoyed it. Had a nice nod to Classic Who, some great character acting and an awesome fight scene!

TANSY:
Heh it’s amazing how many stories of this era are brilliant until the last five minutes. But let’s leap ahead to the head-explodey “School Reunion”!

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“New Earth”
Season two, episode one
The Doctor – David Tennant
Rose Tyler – Billie Piper

TEHANI:
Keeping in mind we’re reviewing this episode as the official Season Two opener (rather than because it was a Hugo-nominated ep or any such point of interest!), “New Earth” starts out with Rose and the Doctor leaving Jackie and Mickey behind and heading off on their new journey.

DAVID:
I wasn’t really sure what to think about this episode. It’s very ambitious in that it tries to tackles some complex moral issues (at what point does something become human, do the ends justify the means, medical ethics), which is something I really enjoy in science fiction, but I think that it was a case of great concept and average execution. It’s an odd mix of some very light hearted scenes and some far darker undertones which took a little bit of adjustment.

TANSY:
Yes, whenever I remember this episode I cringe about it and only remember the bad bits, but when I watch it, I mostly enjoy it. Though I hate the opening scene of the ridiculously-happy-honeymooning Doctor and Rose, as it represents the overall smug tone that I think was laid on far too thick this season (rewatching the season, it’s not quite as prevalent as I remembered, but comes in irritating fits and starts). I would have far preferred some hint that she is still uneasy about his transition rather than the whole NINE WHO? attitude.

TEHANI:
Rose: Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it.
Ten: Me too.
Rose, I do not think he means what you think he means there. Self-centred much?

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The Christmas Invasion – Season one Christmas Special
The Doctor – David Tennant
Rose Tyler – Billie Piper

TEHANI:
Quick, go watch the Children in Need special before you read this! (and resist the urge to click through the million other YouTube clips of cool Doctor Who stuff).

Right, you’re back now? I hadn’t seen this until Tansy pointed it out, and while it actually made the end of Season One a little less awesome for me (they KNOWINGLY left Jack to his own devices! After he was such a hero!), it is a great bridge for the new incarnation of the Doctor. Ah, David Tennant. Who I was DETERMINED not to love, because all the fangirls do, but have to admit, he does rock pretty hard.

DAVID:
I am glad I watched the CON special first, it was a great little bridge into the new Doctor and I was immediately impressed, despite the fact he seemed to be channeling Eric Idle for a little bit there! I am not sure what it was, but I warmed to him straight away … sorry, number Nine.

TANSY:
I always forget about how much I like David Tennant’s Doctor. I like the rough edges of Eccleston, and I love what Matt Smith is doing with Eleven, but David Tennant is just plain adorable. I think part of me doesn’t want to like him because he is the most popular Doctor of all time (and for other reasons that will come up in later stories)… and Ten won Raeli’s heart away from Eleven, which is very impressive. But even though I don’t always like the material he has to work with, and the things his Doctor does, I do enjoy his performance.

TEHANI:
Heh, I’m the same, Tansy. I didn’t want to love him, simply because everybody ELSE does!

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Watching New Who – in conversation with David McDonald, Tansy Rayner Roberts and Tehani Wessely

David is coming to New Who for the first time, having loved Classic Who as a kid. Tehani is a recent convert, and ploughed through Seasons 1 to 6 (so far) in just a few weeks after becoming addicted thanks to Matt Smith – she’s rewatching to keep up with David! Tansy is the expert in the team, with a history in Doctor Who fandom that goes WAY back, and a passion for Doctor Who that inspires us all (plus a six-year-old daughter who is finding her own Doctors for the first time). We’re going to work our way through New Who, using season openers and closers, and Hugo shortlisted episodes, as our blogging points. Just for fun! We have already talked about:

“Rose”, S01E01
“Dalek”, S01E06
“Father’s Day, S01E08
“The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances”, S01E09/10

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Watching New Who – in conversation with David McDonald, Tansy Rayner Roberts and Tehani Wessely

David is coming to New Who for the first time, having loved Classic Who as a kid. Tehani is a recent convert, and ploughed through Seasons 1 to 6 (so far) in just a few weeks after becoming addicted thanks to Matt Smith – she’s rewatching to keep up with David! Tansy is the expert in the team, with a history in Doctor Who fandom that goes WAY back, and a passion for Doctor Who that inspires us all (plus a six-year-old daughter who is finding her own Doctors for the first time). We’re going to work our way through New Who, using season openers and closers, and Hugo shortlisted episodes, as our blogging points. Just for fun! We have already talked about:

“Rose”, S01E01
“Dalek”, S01E06
“Father’s Day, S01E08

THE EMPTY CHILD/THE DOCTOR DANCES – Season one, episodes nine and ten
The Doctor – Christopher Eccleston
Rose Tyler – Billie Piper
Captain Jack Harkness – John Barrowman

TEHANI:
Okay, so amidst the quite horrifying gasmasks (particularly when we SEE the transformation), the tears at the resolution, and the grins over the dancing doctor, one of my main impressions of this episode is boy howdy, is John Barrowman Tom Cruise’s love child??! I really did NOT like him in this the first time around, but perhaps exposure mellowed me because he didn’t bother me at all this time – I love his completely comfortable pan-sexuality and his innate flirtatiousness. He’s not my pinup, but as a character, he’s a lot of fun, and I think, later, we get to know that he is, as the Doctor says, bigger on the inside.

DAVID:
I feel like I must be missing something here, because I didn’t think this episode was quite as good as “Father’s Day”. It was brilliant in places, but didn’t quite have the sustained excellence of Father’s Day which really only had one problem, the terrible special effects of the Reapers. Speaking of which, the special effects in this episode were great. The standout was the transformations, especially the first one. It was one of the OMG moments, it was absolutely horrifying!

I am not sure what it is, whether it is seeing a child in that monster role, but I found the child in the gas mask incredibly creepy. The looks of terror on the other children’s faces, the way it used the phones and radios, the constant refrain of “Mummy…” – they all combined to create an atmosphere of rising horror. The scene where she is under the table, or when it is at the door and they are sitting around the table and Nancy is warning the Doctor not to go out there, well I can tell you I wouldn’t have opened the door!

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