Doctor Who Reactions: "The Stones of Blood" (SPOILERS)

[The Baron]

1)A so-so story somewhat redeemed by the performance of Beatrix Lehmann as Professor Rumford.  Lehmann is one of those older actreeses that the show would employ from time-to-time as the only people who seemed able to "out-eccentric" Tom Baker.  Susan Engel did her best with the somewhat lackluster villainess Vivien Fay. The Ogri were interesting "muscle" for her, although it would have been nice if they could've come up with a name that wasn't so close to "Ogrons".

 

2)I expect if you were doing this nowadays, you'd have the Druidical Anti-Defamation League on your case.

 

3)All of the crows in this make me think of my paternal grandmother. I don't know whether it's an Irish thing or not (Figs might know), but she was extremely superstitious about birds, considering them ill omens.  I remember at her gravesite, when her coffin was being lowered in, a big ol' crow came down and perched on the tombstone. The old Man and I both noticed it at the same time and gave each other a quick "Alriiighty, then" look.

 

4)I liked the bit with the Doctor as a toreador - or shuld that be "ogriador"?

 

5)The bit with the unhappy campers was a momentary throwback to the Holmes Hinchcliffe Horror days.

 

6)As for me, I found the whole business with the Megara to be extremely tedious. The Doctor's barrister's wig was amusing.

 

7)Some fun quotes:

• "It's a warning. And a reminder."  Also a nice prompt for some exposition regarding why you're chasing after the Key to Time.
• "Anyone for tennis?"
• "I hope that knife's been properly sterilized."
• "How's your interspatial geometry?"  That's kind of a personal question, isn't it?
• "They're all the rage in Trenton, New Jersey."
• "I think Mr. De Vries is a very worried man, and worried men often sing worried songs."
• "It might be kinder to remove the cerebral core now."  Or you could just go to Best Buy and get another one.
• "A silicon-based life form is unknown, unheard of, impossible."  "Maybe it doesn't realize that."
• "I still don't understand about hyperspace." "Well, who does?" "I do." "Oh, shut up, K-9."
• "Are you from outer space?" "no." "Oh." "I'm more from what you would call 'inner time'."
• "They say it's a theoretical absurdity and that's something I've always wanted to be lost in."
• "All change at Venus for the Brighton line."
• "I'm an archaeologist, not an engineer."
• "Stop! I have new evidence."  "Too late- I've just been executed."

 

8)Cliffhangers:

• Part One: Romana falls off a cliff!
• Part Two: Vivien zaps Romana!
• Part Three: Vivien's just wicked happy about being evil!
• Part Four: The Doctor and Romana have acquired the third segment!  It turns out to be the Great Seal of Diplos.

 

Overall:

Some amusement value, but it definitely feels like a story that could've used some editing to whip it into shape.

 

[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]

 

 

 

[Luke Blanchard]

I saw the film Fiend Without a Face (1958) for the first time recently and wondered if the throbbing sound effect used with the monsters inspired the one in this serial. Speaking of Stonehenge, I found a couple of the points in this article interesting.

 

I've been a-creepin' in the cromlech

A-creepin' in the cromlech

With menhirs from back home

Who'll drain your blood down to the bone

I've been a creepin' in the cromlech.

 

They used to call me Cessair

Till I got pink skin and brown hair.

But an Ogri's gone and died

And the Megs found out that I lied

So now I'm creepin' in the cromlech

a-creeping in the cromlech (repeat and fade)

[The Baron]

Awesome.

[Henry R. Kujawa]

I liked this bit...

"Well, I'm no fashion expert..."

"No."