Today has been a busy and productive day. I had a morning of exercise, which felt very good. I need to do more of that. The running and the weights really do improve how I feel, and how I view myself. That put me in the mood to do more organizing; this time of the clearing out variety, which needs to be done, to downsize the stuff I have simply accumulated and not looked at again, over the years. (Not the Doctor Who stuff, of course. Some collections have to remain intact!)
Episode 1 – Planet of Giants
Oh look, everyone has changed their clothes. The Doctor seems to have taken a fancy to cloaks! They mention the previous adventure as if it had just occurred, but it looks like they have all recovered nicely, until the door-opening-crisis begins. The reasoning is very straightforward – “space pressure”; no technobabble here!
There is a lot of fun to be had in the early scenes of the crew exploring their surroundings, and trying work out where they are. The set looks quite impressive. It’s ironic that Ian’s scripted comment about it being a weird exhibition where everything has been made bigger, is likely what the set seemed to be in the studio.
It’s interesting that the script has Susan and the Doctor come up with the answer to their situation at the same time, showing that they both think the same way, and can conceive of things beyond the 20th century minds of Ian and Barbara.
While our travelers try to work out how to rescue Ian and get themselves back to normal size, there is an environmental subplot going on, with the a typical greedy businessman acting as the villain. It’s not the most compelling or original idea, but it works very nicely with the concept of this story, allowing the Doctor and his companions to see the effects of the pesticide first hand, as insects are dying all around them.
Episode 2 – Dangerous Journey
That’s a very committed scientist, and he presents the other side of the arguments of the previous episode. He is shocked by the murderous actions of his partner, which taint work he thinks of as pure and noble, even if it appears that the results are not what he would want.
We now move to a different locale for the effects and design team to sink their teeth into. Not all of the perspective shots really work, but when they put together large versions of everyday objects, it is far more effective, and the fly that is the centerpiece of the episode is especially good.
Barbara’s so brave. She doesn’t want to let on that she is being affected by the insecticide. Ian’s concern for her shines through, but the fate of the fly scares her even more. Never has Barbara seemed more helpless, and it’s quite disturbing to see someone who is usually so together be so afraid.
Who would ever have though that turning on a tap (faucet for your Americans!) could be a cliffhanger? But here it is!
Episode 3 - Crisis
The effect of the water falling down in front of Susan and the Doctor looks really good, as they cower in the overflow drain.
To see Barbara get weaker and weaker is truly shocking, and upsetting. She wants to confess what has happened, but doesn’t want to have the others worrying about them. Fortunately the Doctor is alert enough to be able to figure it out, and knows what needs to be done.
Despite the failure with the telephone (initially anyway), the Doctor’s decision to “cause mischief” is just what is needed and helps the crew with their escape. And this coincides with the couple at the exchange, who previously seemed as though they were just comic relief in the tale, turn out to be vital and able to save the day, as the murderous Forester feels the effect of the crews homemade incendiary, and ends up helping the police officer with his enquiries.
Of course, everyone regaining normal size is just what Barbara needs to recover as the poison is now almost nothing in her system now that she is normal size and her body can handle it with no problems. It’s a relief to see her back to normal at the end of the episode, and ready for wherever the TARDIS will take me, and her crew, next.
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