Doctor Who Reactions: "Battlefield" (SPOILERS)

1)And so, Ben Aaronovitch moves from having the Doctor fight 20th Century technofascists to fighting 19th Century Romantics...hmm, what other movements can he fight?

 

2)I must say this story is a much better comeback for Lethbridge-Stewart than "Maudlin Undead" was. I gather the initial plan was to kill him off at the end, but Aaronovitch backed off at the last minute. I also liked the attempt to make UNIT more "international", rather than the all-British force it traditionally was.

 

3)Angela Bruce was OK as Bambera, I particularly liked he rinteraction with Ancelyn, and their various "mating rituals".

 

4)Always good to see Jean Marsh again this time as Morgaine. Aaronovitch calls it an extension of her role in Willow, which I've never seen, so I can't comment. I also liked the first meeting between Morgaine and Lethbridge-Stewart, two enemies that nevertheless respect one another. The bit at the end where Morgaine remembers Arthur was good, too.

 

5)I liked the bit with the Doctor's money, with the one coin that started walking away.

 

6)"Merlin" - I also liked the way in which they had the Doctor's future come back to haunt him.

 

7)Mordred sure does like to overact.

 

8)Aaronovitch is actually fairly critical of his own script - he says that the business about the scabbard was supposed to lead somewhere but he never resolved it.

 

9)What Morgaine does to Lavel is one of the most chilling moments I can recall in the show ever, but the way she then goes on to casually cure the other woman's blindness makes it even more chilling, somehow.

 

10)It funny, but the way the Doctor hypnotizes Warmsly is also chilling - he come sacross as somewhat sinister, almost like the Master.

 

11)Good to see Bessie again, too.

 

12)Some good scenes between Aldred and Ling Tai, too - especially the bit when they're trapped in the circle and Morgaine is trying to freak them out.

 

13)The Destoryer was quite good for an 80's Doctor Who monster.

 

14)Some fun quotes:

  • "Sergeant Benton, tree-planting party, at the double."
  • "Who's Elizabeth Shaw?" "Oh, never mind, just think like a physicist."
  • "You don't need to go on playing soldier anymore." "I'm not playing."
  • "It says 'Dig hole here'."
  • "One of these days, we're going to have a nice, long talk about acceptable safety standards."
  • "When I say 'run', run!"
  • "What are you doing in the lake?" "Drowning. Here, you can be King of England."
  • "I just can't let you out of my sight, can I, Doctor?"  I liked that the Brigadier recognized the Doctor - he, of all people, should.
  • "Something's wrong." "What?" "We haven't been attacked yet."
  • "Silver bullets, have we any?"
  • "Do you think we should sprinkle holy water or something?" "I don't know, it's not my mythology."
  • "Look me in the eye, end my life." A callback to "The Happiness Patrol", of all things.
  • "Ware this man, Mordred, he is steeped in blood."  Yeah, just ask the Silurians.
  • "Die well, my son."  "Thanks, Mom!"
  • "Exotic alien swords are easy to come by. Aces are rare."
  • "Geronimo!"
  • "I just do the best I can."
  • "Are these the weapons you would use?" Had to get thate anti-nuke message in there.
  • "Lock up his mother." How, precisely, are you going to manage that trick?

 

)Cliffhangers:

  • Part One: "Kill them. KIll them now!"
  • Part Two: Ace is trapped in the water tank and the Doctor is knocked out! (Real-life cliffhanger: Aldred is trapped in the water tank as the glass begins to crack!  You can see the cracks at the start of Part Three, Aldred credits McCoy with spotting it and having them get her out before she was hurt.)
  • Part Three: Morgaine threatens Ace and Shou Yuing with the Destroyer!
  • Part Four: "I'll cook supper!"

 

Overall:

Another good one - certain bits, especially the parts where they try to predict the near future, (the "talking phone", the mention of the "King", and so on) are a bit creaky, but by and large this still watches quite well.

 

[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]

 

 

 

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