We call it the pits…
Warning: this commentary contains strong language and adult themes. As Sue would say, this definitely isn’t for the kids…
And before you start, yes, it’s probably very unfair for Sue to mark this out of ten. We rambled all the way through it. I have therefore decided that we definitely won’t be doing a commentary for the 20th anniversary story after all, but we may cover Black Orchid or The Awakening without edits instead. Stay tuned.
The Final Score
If you can’t watch the video, but you want to see Sue’s score, please highlight the text below…
2/10
The experiment continues…
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‘I love wood.’
So does the Doctor, it seems.
I’d get Stephen Fry to do K-9′s voice!
Pretty fair to scrap the plan for the 20th anniversary story – it’s great, sometimes, to have a commentary but it’s a bit shit that Sue has to go and Wiki the episodes. Maybe, in future, have subtitles on so at least Sue can follow the dialogue as you go along?
Great comments as usual though
Well thank you very much. I spat my coffee over the coffee table (Im not sure thats what they are really for) at the point Neil asks
“if you were thrown into a pit, how would you escape?”
“I dunno. I’d take me trousers off…”
Very very silly and immature for me not to wait till the end of the sentence but it was still a priceless moment
Quote for the mug has to come from Neil (accompanied by Erato pic) : ‘I never make it past the fellatio stage’.
Some of us never make to that stage in the first place :-0
“The Doctor’s TEABAGGED!” – on a mug – now. (But don’t let kids see it!)
“One teabag or two?” could be the kid-friendly version.
People can’t understand a word Sue says? FFS
An amusing commentary, though I wonder if it is worth doing more of them if it makes it too difficult for Sue to follow the story (if you are persisting, I would do Black Orchid rather than The Awakening, as The Awakening is hard enough to understand as it is). I do love her voice though, particularly when she is clearly bored with what’s on screen. That “can’t wait” at the end was great, though I also loved the Adrasta “I’m a lesbian” moment.
Regardless of how much she could follow the plot, I’m pretty much with Sue on Creature. It’s a dull, lacklustre affair, with only that unfortunate scene in part 3 to make it memorable. The jungle and the Wolfweeds are pretty nifty, admittedly, but they deserved to feature in a better story. You also get the feeling that they had run out of plot by the start of part 4, leading to that final, rather contrived race against time to stop the neutron star.
I was amused by Sue’s ambivalent reaction to David Brierley’s debut. He tries his best, but for me he’s just too high-pitched to successfully replicate Leeson’s voice. It’ll be interesting to see if Sue has settled her view on him by the end of Nimon…
I disagree. Black Orchid is the first historical for years so it would be better for Sue to do a generic monster story and let her appreciate Black Orchid as it is.
When Neil said “I think you could be onto something” about the K9 hoover idea, I heard it as “I think you could be on something”…
Is it Snow white and the seven dwarves?
Highlight. But you may have glutted by the ennui displayed. Give it a break. Both of you sounded fed up.
Really? I thought we were in a pretty good mood!
I agree.
Sue sounded pretty chirpy throughout and you kept laughing at her bon mots.
May I suggest you make your Doctor Who tat shelves off limits for Sue’s cleaning rota and you dust ‘em yourself.
I LOVE the video/audio shows. And I appreciate the swearies being left in – not least in case you ever require another daft tune from me with samples in it (I did ‘Love Theme From Wife In Space’ a.k.a ‘Terry F**kin’ Nation’ for the Pertwee Podcast). It’s easier to put my own bleeps in.
Sue: “Really? This is really his last story?…….oooh s***…”
So simple, but so genius! This really cheered me up!!
It was interesting, another video/audio commentary.
But I’m glad you’ve abandoned the idea for future significant stories.
There’s a lot more insight into the stories and into Sue’s opinion when it’s just text.
What ruins the video commentary isn’t that it’s not text, it’s that the flow of the story keeps getting interrupted by all those inane questions. It would really be fine if you did everything just as you would for a regular entry, but cobbled together a video afterwards rather than cobbling together a transcript.
Or have reactions etc and then questions between episodes?
I like that idea.
This was probably a bad choice for a video commentary – it’s actually not that bad if you’re not talking all over it, apart from Erato and K9′s voice obviously. Horns Of Nimon would have worked much better, way more stuff to make fun of in that.
Was the score a bit generous? Just consider what would happen if the fate of the series rested on this story…..there should be an hour long dvd extra where whomever is responsible apologises. Could blame budget…and I suppose we know that the way this was shot is how it used to be shot. It lacks drama and yet it lacks comedy. The premise is fine, the cast are great. It should have been some epic gothic horror and it doesn’t even manage decent pantomime. I have to say that it is this spell between City of Death and the E-Space trilogy which makes me question which Who is best Who. For best episodes (and frequency of them) Tom wins because usual Tom can carry a bad story but was lucky to be given some corkers. Think of any other duffer you have seen up to this point and there is at least some ethereal quality to admire. When everyone is saying “Who cares?” then something must be wrong. Well done for your endurance and again excellent commentary!
I also feel subtitles would be a definite plus. Although not YouTube auto-captions you guys are funny enough.
My recommendation at this point is to go back to Death to the Daleks and listen to that splendid music as they emerge from the ship. Terrifying!!
I think Sandifer’s analysis provides a good explanation for what the story was trying to do and why it doesn’t all work:
http://tardiseruditorum.blogspot.com/2012/01/theyve-taken-this-animal-and-turned-it.html
I only remember certain parts to this story from seeing it as a kid, the cliffhanger to when the “cock and balls” smother tom ( we’ve all been there ) and Romana’s dress , its one of those i remember thinking looked great until i saw it on UK gold years later…nightmare of eden was the same..i was a bit “oh” ….
but i do like the whole “fairy tale” feel to it , the way the jungle scene’s are filmed are brillant, its a shame more wasnt seen .
Hooray! My question! Fame at last!
Sue’s answer was a bit of a dodge, but it’s a good answer.
My highlights: Neil’s inability to contain himself when Sue picked up on Erato’s, er, phallicity way before the ‘main event’, and Sue picking up on ’6 seconds’, which struck me as odd as well. Clever attempt to add an alien edge to Chloris’ civilisation (they count in base 6? or 12?)? Or just a bit weird?
Maybe Adastra allowed for an extra second because five would have been too much effort.
You’re horrible to Sue, you really are. Mind you I’d have teased her by saying Baker regenerates by falling off an exercise bike.
Not forgetting his magnificent and tear-jerking last words…..
Chronologically he was singing “On With The Motley” when we last see him… (in the future segment of “Trial”). Just after making quips about Mel being an elephant. No wonder she stuck him back on the exercise bike.
It could have been worse you know. They could have pulled a Torchwood with this story and made it a fissure instead of a pit, and called it ‘The Crack’.
The Creature from the Crack?
Isn’t that “The Eleventh Hour”? :p
Very happy to have caused a minor kerfuffle with my regeneration question.
That was genius!
Despite obvious typecasting problems, Erato did manage to find some TV work in the late 90s…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR2-xA8TXxQ
“It’s a 20ft cock and balls man, it don’t look like nothing else”
My favourite quote for the mug would be, “Killed by a giant cock and balls!” It would sit very well alongside my Pertwee mug that queries, “Do Ingrid Pitt’s breasts get their own credit?”
No comments on the next story, Lord Simon? LORD SIIIIIIIMOOOOOOOOOON.
Doh, I went and jumped the gun on that gag, didn’t I…
Keep off the vraxoin, Dave.
I need it – it gives me extra xyp.
I can’t remember ever seeing this. I think even as a 9 year old, I must have started shunning Who at this point as I can’t remember much of the next two stories either..
I think that this might be one of the last Dr Who dvds I bother to buy. I’ve still got about 70 odd left to collect… maybe it’ll be £3.99 at some point or something..
I think I went back to it in season 18, mind you..
Hehehehehe – I was highly amused, especially with the revelation regarding candle wax…
Another very entertaining video!
Although I wouldn’t dream of trying to influence you, I do rather like the edits; not least because they frequently just consist of a confused Sue pleading with Neil to try and make the story make sense! Like one of those YouTube clips which edit together every use of “what are you doing here?” said in Dr. Who, or something.
Black Orchid would produce some interesting reactions. A visually interesting but bizarre tale like Time-Flight would also surely result in some comedy commentary gold (especially the part one cliffhanger).
I love the blog. I agree with Sue about it lacking any drama or sense of threat. Possibly bodes well for season 18. If you do do another commentary, then as a left field choice I think I’d go with Earthshock. I know it’s a major story but it doesn’t actually have a huge amount of plot and I think you could still talk and watch the action stuff okay. Some live reaction would be fun for that.
Or do I mean part two? You know the one I mean, anyway.
I LOVE the video commentaries. Yes, it does take me longer to have a chance to hear them, but it’s worth it. My girlfriend watched this one with me and screamed at the fellatio scene and made me take a screenshot. All the commentary was great, and I love hearing how much fun you’re having with these, but for me the highlights were hearing Sue and Neil sing snatches of “Stand and Deliver” and “Cloudbusting” respectively.
As for the episode: I love the costumes, I find that Adrasta and even the Huntsman are quite easy on the eyes (I’d trim the beard a bit, mind you), I love the jungle set, I even like the wolfweeds. Those elements alone are enough to make this a pleasant watch. The problem, of course, is that the story consists largely of the Doctor and Romana being arrested and coerced, even before you get to Organon and Erato, who are insufferable and preposterous respectively.
There’s something kind of charming, though, about David Fisher’s penchant for special-effects-nightmare monsters — first the Ogri and now the wolfweeds and Erato, and say what you like but I think the FX team scored a 2 out of 3 there, considering what they were up against. I also like the fact that all 4.33 of his scripts feature women in prominent roles who are at the very least memorable, if not also downright fabulous. And one of the names “Organon” (per Neil’s singing, almost certainly a reference to Reich as much as Aristotle) and “Erato” (the muse…of love poetry) could be an accident, but two is almost certainly a deliberate joke.
Oh, also, I agree that Time-Flight would be a good choice for video commentary. You really have nothing to lose there. Plus I would like another shot at thinking of a question in time to hear Neil say “encyclops.”
I’m an American and have no trouble understanding Sue.
Never mind the Hoover/K9 crossover, I think you have more chance with Anne Summers/Wife in Space candles…!
An escapologist I met recently uses candlewax as part of his act. Before putting on a blindfold, he pours hot wax onto his closed eyes to seal them shut – an extra layer to convince his audience he genuinely can’t see anything. He said that he uses S+M candles because their wax doesn’t get as hot as normal candle wax and is therefore safer for use on the eyes… and presumably therefore other parts!
I love your written blog, you have a funny way with words, but the recorded reviews I really am not keen on. Sue particularly doesnt appear to come out and say anything of much value or funny. Begs the question in your blogs is it you who are adding to what Sue says to make it funny. Very disappointing Creature/pit review.
Must. Not. Respond.
Good work not responding.
I imagine that’s what Erato kept telling itself too, but when you’ve been stuck down a pit for years, it’s hard to help it.
With every single sentence that goes from praise to gratuitous criticism to baseless accusation!
Amazing.
Note to Sue: I know it’s impossible to avoid double entendre in current context, but – let him dust his own daleks for a while…
Now, do I dare? Yes, I think I will. I found this commentary diverting, cozy, many things. But not really very funny.
Sorry. I shall say 10 ****ing Nations and 20 Hail Cartmels as penance.
Personally, I enjoy the video commentaries, but I can appreciate that they make it hard for Sue to pay attention to what’s happening on the telly. Maybe they could be saved for special occasions like Warriors of the Deep? I think it would be more visceral to hear Sue’s reaction to the Ingrid Pitt vs Myrka fight than to read about it!
I am from yer actual London, a place where it is often believed that we don’t even try to understand people with accents outside of a 20 mile radius and I’ve never had a problem understanding anything Sue says.
Oh, and Stephen Moffat allowed Curse of the Black Spot and The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood to go out so Sue’s argument about Adams (who couldn’t have pulled a serial anyway) isn’t exactly persuasive.
Gah, I did a Stephen instead of a Steven. That doesn’t normally happen to me.
As much as I enjoy the video commentaries, I don’t think asking Sue questions adds anything. You’re both funny enough anyway and it’s just another distraction for Sue.
I rather liked the story when I first watched it but maybe it was because of the twist in Episode 4 that made me think that.
I’m not a fan of the questions in video commentaries, either. Particularly annoying in this one as, not long after Sue’s been criticising Tom Baker’s performance, he does pick up his game a bit, but it goes completely unnoticed and unremarked upon because Sue’s just been distracted with a question.
Another very entertaining entry. I love reading your reviews, but it is a joy to hear your both once in a while too. Always feel we get tremendous value for money from the two of you – Especially as we get this blog for free!!
“the effects are shit, but I still believe it”
Honestly, I find watching Doctor Who drunk makes it all far more believable, no matter how shit it is!
You know, in Sue’s defense, if she didn’t believe you when you made stuff up, she’d have no need to believe all the other stuff you tell her, surely.