Someone on RPGnet spotted that Clara will have featured in ten episodes when this series ends, which is one per Doctor before the Eleventh for the anniversary special...
With the alien mummy and the Vigil who look rather like the guys from Underworld, this week would be the Tom Baker episode? In terms of some style choices sure, but not really in content. Last week’s episode was definitely rather Pertwee, however - modern Earth, mundane things turned fearful, riding a bike, UNIT at the end. The Snowmen would then be the Troughton - it rather fits with a Troughton villain returning from an episode of a related title. And presumably Asylum Of The Daleks would be the Hartnell? Can’t say I noticed in that case, barring the fact it was about Daleks.
The theory gets a bit wonky next week as it all sounds very Troughton, Base Under Siege and returning Troughton monster last seen in the Pertwee era and all...
It could a great basis for a season-sized run, however, particularly in a celebratory year - throw the TARDIS travellers into an homage to a different era of the show every week, emphasise the stylistic differences between Doctors and their stories. As a multi-Doctor story does, emphasising the distinctions between Doctors rather than the constant core.
Follow the stylistic advice from each Doctor’s sourcebook to get the right feel, bring back era-specific characters and monsters... So a Historical for the First Doctor, a Base Under Siege for the Second, a UNIT story for the Third, a horror pastiche for the Fourth...
Yeah, I think we fans will be imposing meaning where there likely isn't. For example, if it's not in order of Doctors, then I'd say Snowmen is more fourth because of the Holmesian interest in Victoriana, or that Rings was first Doctor because of the emphasis on exploring the strange culture rather than the threat itself.
ReplyDeleteOr it could work if we're only looking for references: Asylum has Hartnell Daleks, Snowmen has the Great Intelligence, UNIT in Bells, and there's a number of refs in Rings, including Omega which should be either 3rd or 5th, but not 4th (Zygons are fourth, so it's like he's been held back).
See what I mean?
Aye. Pattern recognition. Apparently it's why humans make such good artists...
DeleteYeah, it's how we can understand comic book panels and read Tarot cards.
ReplyDeleteOther species are, of course, rubbish at this.
"I love humans! Always seeing patterns in things that aren't there."
DeleteThe bit about that making us artists was apparently just me thinking so.