Revelation of the Daleks: they're made of HAM!

[annathepiper]

I was home sick today. This is pertinent to this post because I figured that, on the grounds that I was flopped out on the couch and feeling generally queasy, brain-dead, and blah, that would be a perfect time to watch the first bit of one of spazzkat's remaining Dalek Doctor episodes. Unfortunately, I'm down to the Sixth Doctor and "Revelation of the Daleks", as well as a First Doctor one that I'm told is pretty dull and which I'm saving for last, just as a palette cleanser. I think I'm going to need it. ;)

Anyway, I watched the first episode of this storyline. The Dalek part actually isn't half-bad on paper--Daleks infiltrating a center where people are keeping themselves in suspended animation in the hopes of surviving until science can cure their ills (a familiar plot idea from elsewhere, but not bad), and then using those hapless victims as fodder for making more Daleks. I'm down with that. The Daleks got started as mutations from a humanoid race anyway, and I don't think they're actually much likely to breed on their own, so it stands to reason they have to make more somehow. We see this whole idea later on in Tenth Doctor, too, though they implemented it differently.

But guh. The accent on Peri. She wasn't a half-bad character in that novel I just read, as I'd mentioned, but actually seeing her on screen was painful. Not because of anything she did, necessarily, but because of that accent. It was like listening to someone sing off key for forty-five minutes. Ugh. The Doctor himself was a bit less of an asshat than I was expecting, given what I know of Six... but there were certainly moments there, and that blue cape he was wearing was oddly way more painful to look at than that multi-colored coat of his. I actually don't mind the coat, it's distinctive, but that cape was horrid. Also, memo to whoever decided to shoot the Doctor from below as he was helping Peri climb over a wall: bad idea. Not a flattering angle for Six, I'm afraid.

Last but most definitely not least: dear gods, that "DJ" type. Who the blazes thought that was a good idea? I'm seriously torn about whether to watch the rest of this storyline, because I can't decide whether I desperately want to see if that nimrod gets launched into space, or whether I will be severely annoyed if he doesn't.

Comments

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

Watch the rest - the good moments outweigh the bad, I promise!

The person responsible for the DJ was the then-producer of DW, John Nathan-Turner, universally known as JNT, and the pet hate of classic DW fandom; the man considered responsible for its downfall and eventual demise. JNT had a theory that the best way to get good audience figures was to have celebrities on the show - hence Bonnie Langford as the godawful companion Mel, who followed Peri. So the DJ was Alexei Sayle, a famous British comedian of the time.

I have no idea why someone wanted poor Nicola Bryant to affect that accent throughout her tenure - I'm sure she found it just as irritating as the audiences did :-(

[annathepiper]

Ahh, okay, that character's presence in this episode makes slightly more sense now. Slightly. I still hope he gets launched into space by the end of the episode. ;)

I can buy wanting to have an American companion for once, just for variety... but guh, they couldn't have cast an American for the part, or somebody who was better at accents? I don't think I have anything against the character per se--and certainly, Peri certainly has a challenge in being the one who's on hand for Five's transition to Six, which had to be rather alerming. I did like her in the book I just read, and I was sympathetic to her when she broke the Doctor's watch trying to climb over that wall and he was a bit of an asshat about it. But. Yeah, I can't imagine Ms. Bryant had fun trying to do that accent that entire time.

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

Peri wasn't given much of a role - she wasn't smart like Nyssa or tough like Leela, she was just generic girl companion, which has got to be hard on an actress to make a real character from. But even Hugh Laurie admits he finds doing the accent trying, and his is pretty much perfect!

[annathepiper]

I can imagine that anyone trying to do an accent that isn't their natural one must find it a bit trying, yeah.

And yeah, "generic girl companion" isn't much to work with, especially when you're trying to play off Six. Does she do much with the whole "eek, the Doctor changed and now he's a crazy asshat!" aspect of seeing him regenerate? ;)

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

It's there at first, but then it has to wear off of course or she wouldn't stay, and that story/character arc's really more his than hers.

[annathepiper]

That makes sense. I'll see if I get a chance to watch for this; KBTC's still in Fourth Doctor, so it may be a while. :)