happydalek (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
happydalek) wrote2007-06-23 11:53 pm
happydalek) wrote2007-06-23 11:53 pm
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Sound of Drums: *WHAT*
Crack. That's what it was. Total crack. Whatever RTD was on when he wrote this, he evidently slipped some to John Simm before each take. I was inches away from literally slapping my hands over my ears and going "Lalalalalalalala!" at the whole thing. Yet, like driving past a terrible roadside accident, I couldn't tear my eyes away from it.
RTD = the Jerry Bruckheimer of Doctor Who. I'd like to know where it's written that each and every series has to end with a bigger bang than the one that preceded it? I'll tell ya, I've had just about enough of these global Mill Effects invasions. There are other ways to do wicked cool drama than throwing money at a bunch of computers, dude. And yes, it was amazingly big, Big, BIG. But holy cow, could it have spoiled us any more??
Total hurrah for a flashback of Gallifrey, but in my view, there was absolutely no need to fill in the gaps about the Master. At least, not in such a bloody detailed way. For me, I like my Master the same way I like my Doctor: mysterious. And to some extent, the explanation of the Master's existence cemented his mystery with that slighly crap Swirly Vortex of Rassilon that apparently serves no other purpose but to dement the occasional Time Tot (or three). But by the same token, if you feel the need to explain why he's evil, then explain why he's evil! For all the significance that flashback had to the story, they could have just had Tennant shrug and go "I dunno, he just is" and saved themselves the money in the budget. But I was immensely tickled to see the giant, stupid Ornamental Collar of Rassilon make its new series debut, looking as 80's-tastic as ever.
But could Tennant and Simm have had less chemistry? I get the feeling that were they given even one calm, quiet scene together it could have been really good stuff, on par with the Doctor's encounter with Finch, but Simm never stopped bouncing off the walls long enough to do it. His characterization of the Master is innovative to the point of being grossly out of character. Delgado, Pratt, Ainley and even Roberts all played it with a very similar, simmering charm. Simm is just wacko. I was really hoping his "Have fun, bye bye!" line at the end of Utopia was just post-regenerative trauma, but apparently not. The Master was always overly dramatic, emotional and evil, but he was never juvenile before, and most definitely not a patronizing, showboating clown. But then, we've never seen the Master regenerate as a proper Time Lord before, either. In theory, he's as prone to personality changes as the Doctor is, but I'm not used to it, and I don't like it.
Nor did I appreciate RTD's jokey-jokey stabs at Master-Doctor fanon. The Doctor's "You've been watching too much TV" line in response to Martha's comment that she thought they might be brothers was truly cringe-inducing. Particularly since that notion was rather thoroughly debunked with the Master's own "Are you asking me out on a date?" line. (Minds out of gutters, please!) The whole episode felt like a hugely indulgent chunk of fanboying, something the new series has always been careful to avoid in the previous two series. I never thought I'd be in the position of agreeing with that policy, but if Sound of Drums is what happens when RTD lets his raging anorak out to play, then thank goodness he's kept it on a tight leash. Til now.
I generally hesitate to pass judgement on the first of a two-parter, but this one really stirred some opinions. In RTD's favor, he's written one doozy of a cliff-hanger for this one, very reminiscent of series one's Bad Wolf / Parting of the Ways arc. I just hope Last of the Time Lords doesn't end up resolving itself with a massive deus ex machina the way that one did, but after Sound of Drums, I am not optomistic.
Total hurrah for a flashback of Gallifrey, but in my view, there was absolutely no need to fill in the gaps about the Master. At least, not in such a bloody detailed way. For me, I like my Master the same way I like my Doctor: mysterious. And to some extent, the explanation of the Master's existence cemented his mystery with that slighly crap Swirly Vortex of Rassilon that apparently serves no other purpose but to dement the occasional Time Tot (or three). But by the same token, if you feel the need to explain why he's evil, then explain why he's evil! For all the significance that flashback had to the story, they could have just had Tennant shrug and go "I dunno, he just is" and saved themselves the money in the budget. But I was immensely tickled to see the giant, stupid Ornamental Collar of Rassilon make its new series debut, looking as 80's-tastic as ever.
But could Tennant and Simm have had less chemistry? I get the feeling that were they given even one calm, quiet scene together it could have been really good stuff, on par with the Doctor's encounter with Finch, but Simm never stopped bouncing off the walls long enough to do it. His characterization of the Master is innovative to the point of being grossly out of character. Delgado, Pratt, Ainley and even Roberts all played it with a very similar, simmering charm. Simm is just wacko. I was really hoping his "Have fun, bye bye!" line at the end of Utopia was just post-regenerative trauma, but apparently not. The Master was always overly dramatic, emotional and evil, but he was never juvenile before, and most definitely not a patronizing, showboating clown. But then, we've never seen the Master regenerate as a proper Time Lord before, either. In theory, he's as prone to personality changes as the Doctor is, but I'm not used to it, and I don't like it.
Nor did I appreciate RTD's jokey-jokey stabs at Master-Doctor fanon. The Doctor's "You've been watching too much TV" line in response to Martha's comment that she thought they might be brothers was truly cringe-inducing. Particularly since that notion was rather thoroughly debunked with the Master's own "Are you asking me out on a date?" line. (Minds out of gutters, please!) The whole episode felt like a hugely indulgent chunk of fanboying, something the new series has always been careful to avoid in the previous two series. I never thought I'd be in the position of agreeing with that policy, but if Sound of Drums is what happens when RTD lets his raging anorak out to play, then thank goodness he's kept it on a tight leash. Til now.
I generally hesitate to pass judgement on the first of a two-parter, but this one really stirred some opinions. In RTD's favor, he's written one doozy of a cliff-hanger for this one, very reminiscent of series one's Bad Wolf / Parting of the Ways arc. I just hope Last of the Time Lords doesn't end up resolving itself with a massive deus ex machina the way that one did, but after Sound of Drums, I am not optomistic.