Doo-wee-doo
Apr. 21st, 2013 08:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
regndoftTaking a break in writing a presentation on Lucretius (that I thought was due to wednesday, but apparently need to be done tomorrow, eep) to write a weekly Who update.
The Wormery: This one was loads of fun. It's cracky and absurd but also very atmospheric with a well-written plot at the heart of it, and I love Katy Manning's voice acting so much. This is the first time I've been exposed to Iris Wildthyme, and I'm... not exactly in love, but I like her well enough? She's amusing and well-used in the grand scheme of this audio. The only thing that puts me off is my squick for mind control/emotional manipulation, but that's a personal thing above all.
Scherzo: I. I listened to the first half of this before sleep. Not recommended.
This is a very acclaimed audio, and for good reason; the setting, the plot, everything about it is unique and takes full advantage of the audio medium; it could never be managed on screen. The sound engineering is slick and the acting good and overall it's just damn cool. However, I have a confession to make.
I don't actually care for Charley Pollard. To me, she's... kind of Big Finish's equivalent to Rose Tyler (yes, I know I just committed sacrilege or something) in that I don't even particularly dislike her, she's just terribly generic to me. Consequently, it's difficult for me to understand why fandom (and the Doctor) love her so much.
And the relationship between Charley and the Doctor is what's at the heart of Scherzo, something I'm, in the end, completely uninterested in. So. There's that.
The Creed of the Kromon: "Wow we have this whole new universe to play around in, where shall we start? HOW ABOUT THE MOST TRITE AND CONTRIVED SCI-FI CLICHÉ EVER WITH BONUS MISOGYNIC TROPE".
I just. Eugh. So many things about this doesn't make any sense and it's boring. Blah.
The Natural History of Fear: This is an extremely well-crafted audio, and... perhaps a bit too much so; it really doesn't resolve until the very end, and while the twist ending is definitely strong it leaves you kind of empty. Perhaps I'm just not a big enough fan of the Orwellian theme.
The Twilight Kingdom: Did... did anything actually happen in this audio? Like, at all? At some point I think I just zoned out completely. Although I did like the concept of the story revealed in the ending, it just... wasn't worth two hours (would have made a decent NuWho episode, perhaps?).
Also I lol'd at the very end because REALLY? IS THIS REALLY WHERE THE DIVERGENT UNIVERSE IS GOING? Jesus.
Dreamtime: I... don't think I should find this enjoyable, except I kind of did? If only because of Ace and Hex. The first episode is very atmospheric, but at some point it just falls apart into a mess that doesn't even TRY to come up with a semi-scientific explanation for what's going on. Also, I worried the Aborginal theme was going to be uncomfortably appropriative, but it... could have been worse. Though the underlying message is still not one I'm happy with a Doctor Who story having (and is overall a topic that should be way, way more delicately handled than as plot fuel).
But at least the cover is pretty. And I really adore Seven, Ace and Hex, they are such cuties. <3
Aaaand this week's episode (spoilers as usual)...
This was another Neil Cross episode, and it amuses me somewhat that the reasons I liked this are exactly what was missing from Rings of Akhaten (which I also liked). That is, a coherent plot.
I admit to having a certain weakness for the haunted house formula, so I was delighted to see a somewhat new take on it. I did guess it would be some kind of "imprint through space and time", but I didn't see the pocket universe coming. So that was... nice. The main plot was uncomplicated, but nice. And Eleven and Clara were cute for the most part (Ghostbusters!) although I kind of resent the obligatory "the Doctor is a dark tortured sould who WALKS IN ETERNITY" scene that has become so very common in the new series. It feels cheap, and repeating it isn't going to make me more inclined to buy it (the only time that kind of "we must be like ghosts to you" conversation has had any emotional impact on me is the last minutes of The Holy Terror). Also way to be a douche with your talk about mysteries, Doctor.
In a way, what I liked about The Rings of Akhaten to the extent that it made me forgive the lack of coherent plot is what doesn't work here: the emotional centre of the episode. In addition to the scene between Clara and Eleven, the love story between the professor and his assistant feels pasted on and unnecessary. The characters themselves were largely uninteresting, too.
I did like the sort-of twist at the ending, but with the lack of time left it felt way, way too forced; they should've cut out the bit with the Doctor stranded in the pocket universe in order to make way for more of a plot focused on the epic eldritch abomination romance or just skipped it. Also, am I being too queer to function or does Eleven's "boy meets girl" talk come off as way too heteronormative for a millenia-old alien who travels through time and space? Yes, I probably am.
This was also Classic Who reference galore! The Eye of Harmony, which no one can seem to decide what or where it exists or not (Deadly Assassin says on Gallifrey, movie says in the TARDIS, nuWho says the power source on Gallifrey is unavailable and calls for pit stops in Cardiff city, now Neil Cross says it's somehow there anyway...).
And the Doctor conveniently forgot to mention that the last psychic he hooked up to a Metebelis III crystal had his brains fried. Smooth.
(I have to admit, for a moment I also worried he was actually going to GO BACK to Metebelis, which, let's face it, if he forgot he was responsible for someone's death by crystal he could also forget he died returning said crystal to where he picked it up...)
So yeah, it was ok, but not a favourite.
The Wormery: This one was loads of fun. It's cracky and absurd but also very atmospheric with a well-written plot at the heart of it, and I love Katy Manning's voice acting so much. This is the first time I've been exposed to Iris Wildthyme, and I'm... not exactly in love, but I like her well enough? She's amusing and well-used in the grand scheme of this audio. The only thing that puts me off is my squick for mind control/emotional manipulation, but that's a personal thing above all.
Scherzo: I. I listened to the first half of this before sleep. Not recommended.
This is a very acclaimed audio, and for good reason; the setting, the plot, everything about it is unique and takes full advantage of the audio medium; it could never be managed on screen. The sound engineering is slick and the acting good and overall it's just damn cool. However, I have a confession to make.
I don't actually care for Charley Pollard. To me, she's... kind of Big Finish's equivalent to Rose Tyler (yes, I know I just committed sacrilege or something) in that I don't even particularly dislike her, she's just terribly generic to me. Consequently, it's difficult for me to understand why fandom (and the Doctor) love her so much.
And the relationship between Charley and the Doctor is what's at the heart of Scherzo, something I'm, in the end, completely uninterested in. So. There's that.
The Creed of the Kromon: "Wow we have this whole new universe to play around in, where shall we start? HOW ABOUT THE MOST TRITE AND CONTRIVED SCI-FI CLICHÉ EVER WITH BONUS MISOGYNIC TROPE".
I just. Eugh. So many things about this doesn't make any sense and it's boring. Blah.
The Natural History of Fear: This is an extremely well-crafted audio, and... perhaps a bit too much so; it really doesn't resolve until the very end, and while the twist ending is definitely strong it leaves you kind of empty. Perhaps I'm just not a big enough fan of the Orwellian theme.
The Twilight Kingdom: Did... did anything actually happen in this audio? Like, at all? At some point I think I just zoned out completely. Although I did like the concept of the story revealed in the ending, it just... wasn't worth two hours (would have made a decent NuWho episode, perhaps?).
Also I lol'd at the very end because REALLY? IS THIS REALLY WHERE THE DIVERGENT UNIVERSE IS GOING? Jesus.
Dreamtime: I... don't think I should find this enjoyable, except I kind of did? If only because of Ace and Hex. The first episode is very atmospheric, but at some point it just falls apart into a mess that doesn't even TRY to come up with a semi-scientific explanation for what's going on. Also, I worried the Aborginal theme was going to be uncomfortably appropriative, but it... could have been worse. Though the underlying message is still not one I'm happy with a Doctor Who story having (and is overall a topic that should be way, way more delicately handled than as plot fuel).
But at least the cover is pretty. And I really adore Seven, Ace and Hex, they are such cuties. <3
Aaaand this week's episode (spoilers as usual)...
This was another Neil Cross episode, and it amuses me somewhat that the reasons I liked this are exactly what was missing from Rings of Akhaten (which I also liked). That is, a coherent plot.
I admit to having a certain weakness for the haunted house formula, so I was delighted to see a somewhat new take on it. I did guess it would be some kind of "imprint through space and time", but I didn't see the pocket universe coming. So that was... nice. The main plot was uncomplicated, but nice. And Eleven and Clara were cute for the most part (Ghostbusters!) although I kind of resent the obligatory "the Doctor is a dark tortured sould who WALKS IN ETERNITY" scene that has become so very common in the new series. It feels cheap, and repeating it isn't going to make me more inclined to buy it (the only time that kind of "we must be like ghosts to you" conversation has had any emotional impact on me is the last minutes of The Holy Terror). Also way to be a douche with your talk about mysteries, Doctor.
In a way, what I liked about The Rings of Akhaten to the extent that it made me forgive the lack of coherent plot is what doesn't work here: the emotional centre of the episode. In addition to the scene between Clara and Eleven, the love story between the professor and his assistant feels pasted on and unnecessary. The characters themselves were largely uninteresting, too.
I did like the sort-of twist at the ending, but with the lack of time left it felt way, way too forced; they should've cut out the bit with the Doctor stranded in the pocket universe in order to make way for more of a plot focused on the epic eldritch abomination romance or just skipped it. Also, am I being too queer to function or does Eleven's "boy meets girl" talk come off as way too heteronormative for a millenia-old alien who travels through time and space? Yes, I probably am.
This was also Classic Who reference galore! The Eye of Harmony, which no one can seem to decide what or where it exists or not (Deadly Assassin says on Gallifrey, movie says in the TARDIS, nuWho says the power source on Gallifrey is unavailable and calls for pit stops in Cardiff city, now Neil Cross says it's somehow there anyway...).
And the Doctor conveniently forgot to mention that the last psychic he hooked up to a Metebelis III crystal had his brains fried. Smooth.
(I have to admit, for a moment I also worried he was actually going to GO BACK to Metebelis, which, let's face it, if he forgot he was responsible for someone's death by crystal he could also forget he died returning said crystal to where he picked it up...)
So yeah, it was ok, but not a favourite.
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Date: 2013-04-22 07:22 am (UTC)and the mention of metabelius - well, actually it didn't make me squee, it made me shout 'META-BEE-LEE-US!' at matt smith who pronounced it wrong, but mostly i was excited.
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Date: 2013-04-22 05:48 pm (UTC)Yeah, I feel like... there's no point to it but the episode clearly tries to make it seem like there is (and the little plot justification it gets is stupid so I'm going to ignore it). In the end I feel like it was added just to be there, because... Doctor Who is that kind of show now? Idk. If the characters weren't so dull I might not be so dismissive of it, but as it is: they were.
It did make me think a bit about what I look for in good one-off characters, and relationships between these characters, though.
I will accept any acknowledgement that the show existed before 2005, tbh. :P