Doctor Who Reactions: "Black Orchid" (SPOILERS)

1)Another fun commentary track, this time with just the regulars with no one to reign them in. Again, often more fun than the story itself.  Boy, Davison sure has it in for Terence Dudley, taking time to point out again that he doesn't like Dudley's writing.  The whole cast seems to hate this story except for Sutton, who got more to do in it. At the end of the commentary, the cast says "Sorry if you liked it" and you're not sure if they mean they're sorry for picking on a story that you liked or if they're sorry you liked the story!

 

2)Wow, it must of stunk for that one guy having to do the whole thing with that ashtray stuck to his lip.

 

3)A two episode story, and they spend about a quarter of it on the cricket match.

 

4)Ah, aristocrats at play always bring out the Red revolutionary in me.  People are starving while you have your lawn parties, you parasites!

 

5)Probably not a good idea for the Doctor to agree to keep the first murder secret.

 

6)Ann's kind of a horrible little wimp, always screeching and fainting.

 

7)Can't say as I think much of Latoni as a guard - always sitting with his back to the escape-prone lunatic.

 

8)Adric keeps his badge on, even when he's in fancy dress!

 

9)The Doctor yells at Madge about how dangerous it will be if George finds out he has the wrong girl, and then the next thing he does is tell George he has the wrong girl.

 

10)I gather the stunt man misjudged the fall and almost killed himself jumping off the roof.

 

11)Some fun quotes:

  • "I haven't been born yet!"  "Interesting, isn't it? And not jet lag."
  • "As a boy, I always wanted to drive one."  Me, too.
  • "I made a duck."
  • "A superb innings - worthy of the master."  "The Master?"
  • "A screwdriver." Tegan's getting likkered up! Interestingly, this is the story in which she seems the most likable. Coincidence?
  • "Why do I always let my curiosity get the better of me?" That's just the kind of jerk that you are.
  • "You pig!" "You can only be Nyssa."
  • "I'm a Time Lord."  Yeah, that'll convince a cop.
  • "From Brazil. Where the nuts come from."
  • "He will come to no harm. He is innocent." Rather an excessive faith in the legal system, I'd say.
  • "Strike me pink!"  Did people ever actually say that in real life?
  • "I could you there sooner."  Would of been funny if the TARDIS had gone off course, and they'd ended up traveling spacetime with Sir Robert and the Sergeant. The really crowded TARDIS!
  • "What's this?" "Our fancy dress!"  Yeah, 'cause you're gonna wanna be reminded of that party again in a hurry!

 

12)Cliffhangers:

  • Part One: The masked man reaches out for Ann!
  • Part Two: The Doctor gets a book!

 

Overall:

The first "true historical" the show had done in years - it's sort of like what Scooby-Doo would of been like if they'd of had a time machine.  Funny the cast didn't like it, I enjoyed it, myself.

 

[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]

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  • I think the plot was modelled after the film The Oblong Box (1969).

    The "where the nuts comes from" line is from the farce Charley's Aunt.

    This post displaced the thread Horror movies scheduled for 2018 from the homepage.

  • Interesting. I've heard of that picture, but never seen it.

  • I had a Britbox subscription for a few months (still do, through midnight tonight) and use the opportunity to watch most of Peter Davison's first season (I won't be able to fit in Time-Flight). Of the ones I watched, Black Orchid was my favorite. Possibly because I'm a little less forgiving of BBC's cheapskate SFX than I thought I'd be, but more likely because of the pacing -- this two-episode story was SO much crisper than any of the 4-part serials. 

    And, frankly, I simply love the 1920s. Plus, the Doctor got to play cricket in his cricket outfit! 

  • If you must miss a story, "Time-Flight" is a good story to miss.

    Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:

    I had a Britbox subscription for a few months (still do, through midnight tonight) and use the opportunity to watch most of Peter Davison's first season (I won't be able to fit in Time-Flight). Of the ones I watched, Black Orchid was my favorite. Possibly because I'm a little less forgiving of BBC's cheapskate SFX than I thought I'd be, but more likely because of the pacing -- this two-episode story was SO much crisper than any of the 4-part serials. 

    And, frankly, I simply love the 1920s. Plus, the Doctor got to play cricket in his cricket outfit! 

  • That moment where Tegan is left behind, though, is probably the most indelible moment in my early Doctor Who watching experience. It *really* shocked me... and I don't think I watched beyond that. (Not out of protest, more out of wherever my PBS channel scheduled the next season, whenever it aired.) I only just recently realized we see more of Tegan in the next season!

  • I think I'd had that part spoiled, already, at that point.

    Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:

    That moment where Tegan is left behind, though, is probably the most indelible moment in my early Doctor Who watching experience. It *really* shocked me... and I don't think I watched beyond that. (Not out of protest, more out of wherever my PBS channel scheduled the next season, whenever it aired.) I only just recently realized we see more of Tegan in the next season!

  • "Time-Flight" is the episode the established, beyond all doubt, that Anthony Ainley's Master is just plain batcrap crazy.
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