[via RoboGeek]
Merrick here...
...with a quick look at The Claws of Axos, a four part Pertwee-era DOCTOR WHO originally transmitted March-April 1971.
More on Claws shortly, but first....
SCRIPTER STEPHEN THOMPSON TALKS ABOUT JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE TARDIS!!
I’ll totally confess to dropping the ball on this one.
I heard about Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS a few weeks ago - and somehow got the impression it was fan wankery...and not an actual, honest-to-God episode...and pretty much dismissed it on the spot. I was, clearly, highly erroneous in my characterization. Evidenced by THIS piece over at DoctorWhoTV (via DOCTOR WHO Magazine).
In the piece, writer Stephen Thompson discusses meeting with WHO overlord Steven Moffat to pitch some script notions...
Before I even open my mouth and pitch to the room, Steven goes ‘I want you to do x.’ And his idea is so wonderful, and so much more clever and interesting than anything mere mortals like myself could come up with, you end up saying ‘Yes’ and the meeting’s over in record time.
[EDIT]
he needed me to write something light. This year got to indulge my inner fan. (And I got to ask my kids what rooms in the TARDIS they’ve always wanted to find.)
[EDIT]
“This episode will be different in many ways, not least because the star won’t necessarily be the usual person. You might not even see the star, it might be the guy at the drawing board. It just might be the designer…”
Fascinating.
So...yeah. I think further exploration of the TARDIS will be tremendously entertaining, although I deeply hope the show never reveals the shape of the vessel as a whole. There’s something delightfully non-specific and whimsical about not having a working sense of the device’s native configuration...presuming there is one “true” form...beyond the Police Box shape it’s inadvertently stuck on.
Journey to the Center of the TARDIS will transmit later in Season/Series 7 (i.e. Springish 2013).
Thanks to Man_of_Vertue for the heads up about this...
The Claws of Axos
"I suppose you can take the normal precautions against nuclear blasts.
Sticky tape on the windows...that sort of thing". - The Master, Claws of Axos Episode 3...
On 20th Century Earth, strange allegiances and wobbly motives abound when a mysterious space vessel comes to Earth, supposedly seeking aid.
But if that ship is as well-intentioned as it appears to be, why is the Doctor’s nemesis...the Master...on-board?
Scripted by Bob Baker and Dave Martin (The Three Doctors - Pertwee, Story #65), what’s most interesting about The Claws of Axos isn't the story it's telling as much as how it tells it. There's certainly a discernible plot line here, and a reasonably interesting one at that. But, at the end of the day, this story primarily thrives on compelling situational dynamics - both inherent and Machiavellian. Claws is powered by the motivations and schemings of many of its characters, leading to a complex web of 'Whys' and 'What ifs...' that is often more intriguing than the tale’s primary aliens-eating-Earth storyline.
A "depersonalized" Axon - complete with bullwhip-like tentacles which are very bad news. The symbolism of this horrible, violent spaghetti monster lurking beneath a surreal gold exterior can not be overlooked.
In fact, this story so hinges on the manipulations and machinations by all involved that Claws ends on a slightly nihilistic beat. Altruism is in scare supply in this one, lending a decidedly different tone to proceedings across the board. Here, there’s the most fleeting, strategically underplayed sense of ‘Are any of these characters worth saving?’ - a daringly reflective and wholly unexpected point to advance in any show, and a heady moral touchstone.
Despite occasionally uneven make-up, the expressionless golden “personalized” Axons are strangely eerie.
While direction by Michael Ferguson (The Ambassadors of Death - Pertwee, Story #53) often leans towards workmanlike, a few nicely charged flourishes are peppered throughout, serving as nice pick-me-ups when the episode’s pace coasts along on neutral. One such moment finds the Master (Roger Delgado) riding on top of a truck through a tunnel (in a shot which very clearly shows the actor and not a stunt dude), while a later gag features some energized and well-conceived editing as companion Jo is forcibly aged by scummy Axons attempting to pressure the Doctor.
Although a bit on the slow side, Claws ultimately emerges as a relatively consistent story. It’s driven by nuanced subtexts of greed, manipulation, and selfishness which are more challenging (thus more consequential) than many show makers would either allow or attempt even today. And while there are certainly shortcomings to be argued here (Dudley Simpson’s score, for example), the ballsiness of these thematics quickly render Claws worthy of exploration and further consideration. It may never achieve total artistic greatness, but the grandness of its ideas alone shape a story that feels surprisingly relevant and worthy, sometimes despite itself.
The two disc, recently restored Claws of Axos can be found HERE in the US and HERE in the UK.
Extras include...
Axon Stations (26 minutes)
-- the making of this story...
Directing WHO (14 minutes)
Claws director Michael Ferguson...
Studio Recording (73 minutes)
A tad ponderous (which shooting a show often is), but a fascinating look into the filming of this story via raw, on-set video...the earliest known to exist for the show.
Living with Levine (35 mins)
Toby hadoke spends a weekend with John Levine, who played UNIT Sgt. Benton...
Deleted/Extended Scenes (27 minutes)
-- Radio Times Listings
Coming Soon
-- Shada (unfinished Douglas Adams story). Pre-order HERE in the US!!
___________
Glen Oliver
PREVIOUS DOCBACKS
[Season / Series Seven Docbacks - MOST RECENT DOCBACK IS HIGHLIGHTED]
[SEASON / SERIES SIX DOCBACKS]
"The Impossible Astronaut"
"Day of the Moon"
"The Curse of the Black Spot"
"The Doctor's Wife"
"The Rebel Flesh"
"The Almost People"
"The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe" (2011 Christmas Special)
[RETRO-WHO DOCBACKS ]
"An Unearthly Child" (Story #1)
"The Daleks" (Story #2)
"The Edge of Destruction" (Story #3)
"Marco Polo" (Story #4)
"The Keys of Marinus" (Story #5)
"The Aztecs" (Story #6)
"The Sensorites" (Story #7)
"The Sensorites" (Story #7 - full DVD release)
"The Reign of Terror" (Story #8)
"Planet of Giants" (Story #9)
"Planet of Giants" (Story #9, full DVD release)
"The Dalek Invasion of Earth" (Story #10)
"The Rescue" (Story #11)
"The Romans" (Story #12)
"The Web Planet" (Story #13) / SHERLOCK - "A Scandal in Belgravia" (Story #4)
"The Crusade" (Story #14)
"The Space Museum" (Story #15)
"The Chase" (Story #16)
"The Time Meddler" (Story #17)
"Galaxy 4" (Story #18)
"Mission to the Unkonwn" (Story #19)
"The Myth Makers" (Story #20)
"The Gunfighters" (Story #25)
"The Tomb of the Cybermen" (Story #37)
"The Mind Robber" (Story #45)
"The Krotons" (Story #47)
"The Seeds of Death" (Story #48)
"Spearhead from Space" (Story #51)
"The Abassadors of Death" (Story #53)
"The Colony in Space" (Story #58)
"The Daemons" (Story #59)
"Day of the Daleks" (Story #60) + Preview of the DotD Special Edition
"The Three Doctors" (Story #65)
"Carnival of Monsters" (Story #66)
"Death to the Daleks" (Story #72)
"Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (Story #71) and SHERLOCK: "The Reichenbach Fall" (Story #6)
"The Android Invasion" (Story #83) and SHERLOCK: "The Hounds of Baskerville" (Story #5)
"The Face of Evil" (Story #89)
"The Robots of Death" (Story #90)
"The Talons of Weng-Chiang" (Story #91)
"The Sun Makers" (Story #95)
"The City of Death" (Story #105)
"Nightmare of Eden" (Story #107)
"Kinda" (Story #118)
"Snakedance" (Story #125)
"The Five Doctors" (Story #129)
"The Awakening" (Story #131)
"Frontios" (Story #132)
"Resurrection of the Daleks" (Story #134)
"The Caves of Androzani" (Story #136)
"Vengeance on Varos" (Story #138)
"Time and the Rani" (Story #144)
"Paradise Towers" (Story #145) + New WHOvian Documentary / Newsbits
"Dragonfire" (Story #147)
"The Happiness Patrol" (Story #149)
"The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" (Story #151)
"Doctor Who: The Movie" (aka TVM) - McGann)
DOCTOR WHO: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SERIES
Merrick's Personal Journey With The Doctor (How Merrick Got Hooked On DOCTOR WHO)
DOCTOR WHO Title Sequences & DW At Comic-Con 2011
"The Crash of the Elysium" (Manchester version - interactive DOCTOR WHO adventure)
Why Eccleston Left, Here Comes Caroline Skinner, And Season/Series Six Part 1 on Blu-Ray And DVD
New Trailer For Season/Series Six Part 2
The Companions of DOCTOR WHO + New Trailer & Artwork For Season/Series 7
Impromptu Docback!! + Galaxy 4 'Airlock' Coming to DVD, Christmas Special 2012, And More!!
The Friday Docback Mulls The 50th...
2) matters of SPOILAGE should be handled with thoughtful consideration and sensitivity. Posts containing SPOILERS should clearly state that a SPOILER exists in its topic/headline and should never state the spoiler itself . "** SPOILER ** Regarding Rory" is OK, for example. "** SPOILER ** Battle of Zarathustra" is fine as well. " **SPOILER** Why did everyone die?" Is NOT good.
3) converse, agree, disagree, and question as much as you want - but the freedom to do so is NOT a license to be rude, crass, disrespectful, or uncivilized in any way. Not remaining courteous and civil, as well as TROLLING or undertaking sensational efforts to ignite controversy, will result in banning. Lack of courtesy may receive one (1) warning before a ban is instigated. Obvious Trolling or Spamming will result in summary banning with no warning. One word posts intended to bump-up any Docback's figures on AICN's "Top Talkbacks" sidebar will be considered actionable Spam - they not only complicate efforts to access Docback from mobile devices, but impede readers' abilities to follow or engage in flowing conversation.
