Latest / A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife - a Doctor Who Commentary podcast / Talks to Dave, Daniel & Lucy about their choice of Planet of Evil (2/4)

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Talks to Dave, Daniel & Lucy about their choice of Planet of Evil (2/4) · A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife - a Doctor Who Commentary podcast

0:40
Do you feel comfortable doing it before we do this?
0:43
Oh yeah, I'm just thinking maybe 10 minutes, don't know my
0:46
struggle. If they get off, thank you so
0:47
much. See we could talk about the
0:49
hook, talk about the episode. Just remember it's called a
0:54
hamster, blunt penknife know what?
0:58
I'm going to ask you. Okay, no problem.
1:06
Okay. Well I Four, three two, go.
1:13
Welcome back to the apps with a blunt penknife, the Doctor Who
1:16
commented podcast. And I'm Dave Rennie, and I'm a
1:20
guest Joe's somewhere in an amount of universe or something
1:24
else. But there's four of us.
1:25
So here for plan of Evil part 2, we've got whiskey McCall's
1:28
Heroes here. Hello!
1:30
We've got Daniel Nate. Hello and George have you
1:36
survived the animal various? Yeah.
1:39
I've just popped up of a massive hole.
1:46
The kick this way over. You said Joy you had a question
1:48
for me. Why do you have a question for
1:50
you? Yes.
1:51
And the other day I was using my Kettle and I were playing with a
1:55
bit of string at the same time by pure child's.
2:00
I look to my podcast catcher and there was a podcast called a
2:04
kettle and a bit of string. Yeah.
2:07
What about I've just thought I would create but wouldn't talk
2:12
to report cast of thought about too much Doctor Who stuff to say
2:18
in my head? So I thought why don't I just
2:19
create a podcast just get out there.
2:22
So yeah created a talk to podcast called a cat would
2:25
substring. I nearly said, I'm still the
2:27
pump a knife and yeah so it's really cool that are used On to
2:38
miser and then we get story and I'll get a stone and most the
2:43
ones I've done so far. Sadly, it is just like six
2:46
episodes of like I've done now, and we'll just do a deep dive
2:50
through the storage topic story and go off and tangents and see
2:53
whatever we go. So we've had Daniels done one.
2:57
Yeah. No.
2:57
I've seen your guest list. All right.
2:59
It's very similar to mine. I'm just using your guests with
3:04
the same crew. Cab all the seams off the shelf.
3:06
Where do you think they put guess?
3:10
But yeah, on Daniel here is already done with on the city to
3:13
the other week which was fun and we still probably be contacting
3:17
you after. It's really enjoys.
3:20
You're going to do one a couple weeks that's all you do my
3:22
mother off next week. I am.
3:25
Yes. What you doing quite off?
3:26
The Daleks. Oh go.
3:27
You never going to shut up about one.
3:30
I love that story. Looking forward to that.
3:33
But what am I do me up doing it just because if he's innocent
3:36
fascia and with Nathan, well, I'm if they fit is very expect
3:40
opinions, all right? That's that's faded.
3:43
I'm looking forward to other each other and just to say so
3:47
where can people find that? Is that on all good podcast
3:50
captures? Yeah, it's on.
3:54
Let me see it. So, an anchor.
3:55
It's an apple. It's think one or two.
3:59
Others are kind of in for top my head.
4:01
But yeah, it's almost there Ben platforms.
4:04
Yeah, honestly folks listen to his sexy accent.
4:06
I mean, you get to listen to this on a Every episode come on
4:10
one more excuse. Do you need to press play?
4:37
So are we ready to find out what happens next?
4:41
Yep. So five. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
4:47
And let's go into part 2. So Cliff hangers in this error
4:56
of doctors you are I think probably the best clothes
5:00
hangers in the whole City's. But what do it everyone, Faker
5:03
that Lucy Yeah, I'd like I mean, I like I like a good Cliffhanger
5:07
Cliffhanger as part of my, my personal problem with the The
5:12
Comeback Doctor Who is the lack of Cliffhangers and the lack of
5:16
sort of the lack of building up and then a cliffhanger and then
5:19
building up again and then another Cliffhanger, and I know
5:21
that the stories of probably actually a similar length, but
5:25
it felt more push together. But I'd like, I like the
5:30
Cliffhangers in this area because you do quite often get a
5:33
payoff after Words and I don't like it when you're just kind of
5:38
let down and it so that didn't happen Daniel your thoughts.
5:43
Yeah, I mean, certainly the Cliffhanger to this episode
5:47
because David Maloney uses his eyes.
5:51
It was not his trademark for, but he's the only actor who's
5:54
the only directed to use a freeze frame, this Indian in
5:56
some of his episodes. Use it, use it for this one.
5:59
And then for Genesis, the Daleks with Sarah falling down the
6:03
falling off the The rocket Silo that the scaffolding although
6:08
she's just saying that when he does find she does somehow
6:11
managed to swing back in and underneath and there's a
6:14
platform there and of course the famous one which which gave Mary
6:18
Whitehouse the vapors which is the the drowning one.
6:22
At the end of part 3 of Deadly Assassin and I think it works
6:26
really really well. I can't think of any other
6:28
episodes where there was a freeze frame that probably are
6:31
somebody's somebody's listening to this and shouting out that an
6:34
So difficult, but for the life of me, I can't think and it does
6:37
it they've really effective and as a kid they yeah, they got you
6:43
watching the next week and as you say this is an era of very
6:47
strong Cliffhanger is and not and and the payoffs are not,
6:52
it's not just, you know, a villain comes in and says, I'm
6:55
going to kill you doctor in Portugal and then, you know,
6:57
close up on the doctors face, which some other areas are quite
7:03
guilty of doing. But No, these are great
7:06
Cliffhangers. I think, what do you think?
7:08
Do I know that? You don't like false Jeopardy
7:10
Cliffhangers? No, but actually I think the
7:14
Cliffhangers in this there's only one literal Cliffhanger in
7:18
this is this again. They're episode 3, where they're
7:20
inside the thing and they're going to be ejected into space
7:23
where you kind of know what the Jeopardy is.
7:26
But in the end of episode one, never seen that creature before.
7:29
So, you're like, what the hell is that thing coming towards the
7:32
that great red curd and the end of the And one is Tom Baker
7:35
diving headfirst into a massive black hole.
7:38
I mean, we've all been there but like with that we that sorry
7:42
there's no self. Oh yeah.
7:46
Sorry. We're not open, but I think and
7:51
I think Louis Marx, is actually being a bit clever with his
7:53
Cliffhangers and it's almost like, well, what's going on and
7:57
what's going to happen next rather than yeah?
8:00
You know, they're like like the fourth doomsday, Cliffhanger of,
8:03
is Ed's going to be chopped off and Things like that.
8:05
I think the Hinchcliffe era is absolutely era of Doctor Who
8:10
Cliffhangers, but I think they're all great Cliffhangers
8:12
in other areas, but I think they were often, like we're going to
8:16
get back next week in the his liver.
8:18
And you can see from the ratings boy.
8:20
Oh boy. Did they succeed?
8:22
So yeah, I think they're really good in this.
8:24
Sr fish and ski. Who's got the John Perry?
8:27
Chase going on. I think I was going to ask was
8:32
that tool on the wall? What on Earth was that tool
8:35
about anything that print is Hancock?
8:48
It's just random. It's just random kit, isn't it?
8:52
Yeah, to make it look like a work to make it look like a
8:55
laboratory or a workshop or something.
8:58
So this is the fact that they've got the holes on the wall for
9:01
the tools to go into. Yeah, yeah.
9:03
It's it does look like a sort of like a base that's been built
9:06
though, doesn't it? That bit.
9:08
It just looks more like a weapon that probably do it just looks
9:10
like it's going to start. You can stop something hit with
9:12
a kind of see it going in. The soils are very different.
9:20
I mean, here's the jungle K900 kept going on about your job
9:22
going. So you'll keep your own but
9:26
Direction David Mahoney One of the best directors in classic
9:31
Who up there with Taki Canfield claim Harper.
9:36
SSS, best story directed Lucy. Must be one of I think it's
9:42
really well directed. I think it's really the
9:46
atmosphere that he manages to get.
9:48
Now in what we know is indoors and not at night, making it look
9:55
like it's outdoors and at night and also the tension that that
10:00
builds up. I know it's written in the
10:01
script but the tension that builds up around Sorenson and
10:04
he's transformation. But, you know, there's something
10:10
badly wrong with him from the beginning, although that's
10:12
partly in Frederick ogres performance.
10:14
But it's it's also part of the direction as well or sort of
10:19
making him look. Suspicious.
10:23
Dial. I think, yeah, he's very good on
10:29
atmosphere but he's also a very good actors director and just a
10:36
moment ago. You notice there was the doctor
10:38
and Sarah walking through the jungle and the doctor and
10:41
Sarah's holding on to the doctor's scarf and Tom suddenly
10:44
does this sort of sort of being strangled by a scarf and it's
10:51
just a lovely little bit between the two of them.
10:53
It goes to show that, you know how They work well, how they
10:57
work? Well so well together.
10:59
But he allows these little moments to get and a bit like
11:04
Douglas Canfield as well that both actors directors, they
11:08
allow particularly the lead actor to all.
11:12
I've got an idea and, you know, a lot of directors Hearts would
11:15
sink when Tom says, oh I've got an idea.
11:18
Why did we do? But they actually give him an
11:21
opportunity to do. These little bits of business
11:24
and the little bits of fun. So yeah, I he is one of the best
11:30
directors on the show. Definitely, even even stories
11:34
like the protons which is one of his earlier ones and a lot of
11:39
people will you know, belittle that but I think me it's a
11:45
really really, really well directed story and the, you
11:50
know, this is a healing film studio.
11:52
So you get the depth and the it's like up.
11:55
Looks like a proper jungle with depth and you can, it's yeah,
11:59
it's so well done. And so will directed and design
12:03
and I love this bit where they start to talk about some to
12:06
start talking about. Shakespeare, I actually, I
12:08
remember the first time I saw this was at the 1993 panopticon.
12:14
They were supposed to be sure. I think it was supposed to be
12:16
showing this the stones of blood.
12:18
But they showed this one instead and I thought, oh, I gotta watch
12:20
this one because I remembered seeing it as a kid and I love
12:23
the bit where they start talking about Shakespeare, And she says,
12:26
oh, he says Charming fellow you Dreadful actor.
12:29
And I laughed and I noticed there was somebody sitting in
12:34
the aisle opposite me and they were glaring at me.
12:37
I think they probably thought I was laughing at it, but I was
12:40
laughing with it. It's just a lovely and I don't
12:42
know whether that was in the original script or whether it's
12:44
just a little bit of extra business, that Tom and Liz
12:46
worked out together. And yeah, either way, it's one
12:50
of my favorite bits adopt who you should have.
12:52
Just said, I'll get a sense of humor, honestly.
12:54
Yeah, absolutely. So what's your thoughts on
12:57
Bonnie's Direction? Well, like, David Maloney
13:00
directed, The Mind Rob are the Warrior Games.
13:04
Genesis of the Daleks, The Deadly Assassin, the talons of
13:08
Wang Chong Yang, which has gone into disrepute these days but is
13:11
brilliantly directed. So this is probably one of his
13:16
lesser stories and it's still phenomenally World relative, all
13:21
the sequences, they are the alkaloid tracker, which If that
13:26
was like pennant Roberts, you'd see that string.
13:28
It'll be wobbling all over that. It would be horrendous.
13:30
Absolutely, it's it Glides through that forest.
13:33
And then he does a shot with the okolloh tracker underneath the
13:36
camera. So we're doing a POV shot and
13:38
then he does have POV shot of of the forest.
13:43
So he does it in three different ways to make that feel like it's
13:46
real like he really thinks about like, visually putting his
13:50
stories together really impressive.
13:53
Yeah, I think it's one is best directed PCS.
13:55
And as you see that, All things here I think.
13:57
Because obviously there was these stories astonished.
14:01
We've got so long Edge. Sorry not so hard to get my
14:04
stories. Make something Professor
14:06
Sorensen and I think you look better.
14:09
You got his greatness. He's been through up to this
14:12
point. It's been scratching his head
14:13
and be no much difficulty and he's been, he just is pitching
14:18
it find which they many becomes the only man with her own, makes
14:22
it even more shocking. I just His butt is thought about
14:26
it a lot. But he's also just said that
14:30
he's what he's doing is more important and seven lives, and
14:34
that's always a warning. See a warning signal and Doctor,
14:36
Who isn't it? It's like if somebody says what
14:39
they're doing, you know, my theory will save civilization,
14:42
we need to take off immediately with my samples new think.
14:45
Oh, really? Because you look a bit not very
14:48
well and then he says, so, it's more important than seven lives.
14:50
The okay, fine. Now we know where we are, we
14:53
remember scientist territory. It's worth comparing his
14:56
performance here with the invisible.
14:58
As well where he's given a like a sort of cartoonish performers
15:02
in the invisibility. Yeah he's really subtle and
15:05
nuanced and creepy because he's possessed in The Invisible enemy
15:08
as well but he's got like mad white feathers on his face and
15:12
he's putting on that strange accent and it's all a bit camp
15:15
and a bit ridiculous. Whereas here I think he's
15:18
probably there's a scene in this where he threatens Sarah Jane,
15:23
like, he's like trying to contain it and and then he
15:27
starts Getting really angry with her and she's like, all right,
15:30
I'm not arguing with you. I think in my God, is he going
15:33
to attack her? Like, it's, it's been his, his
15:36
feasts acted. As I see, he's always like, he's
15:38
been like she can t, spend goes up to his forehead, you can tell
15:41
there is something not right? That's going on.
15:44
And it's yeah, it's very well done and but it draws based but
15:47
the black hole. Oh yes, what socket second
15:51
option, know, with old Louis, Mahoney being the first one to
15:54
be thrown down. Y'all what happens to him?
15:58
Time is flying about in blacklight, just I totally just
16:03
Falls in, doesn't he just sort of it's a sort of it's like he's
16:06
in agony and then he just Falls in as if many Beetle that I
16:09
don't know whether he's been so Dragged In but yeah, he's not
16:13
really stores. Is the other the doctor is later
16:16
on and Sorenson is released, but for some reason, pure and just.
16:24
Yeah, so he was a good story for a bit scruffy, silly because
16:28
Soros, it's not Phyllis chest there.
16:32
Yes. Sorry I was going to say that's
16:37
that's the guy who plays Russell in the war games.
16:43
So are those? Yeah.
16:45
Because a lot of these actors, they it's actives.
16:48
That David Maloney has used before obviously Prentiss
16:50
Hancock in Planet of the Daleks and groan groan.
16:55
Western. Of course Michael Wisher again,
16:56
from Genesis of the Daleks because he would use quite a few
17:02
actors, sort of. Well, a lot of a lot of
17:04
directors. Would use their resource similar
17:07
actors. We, you know, Douglas Canfield
17:09
had to like a Repertory of factors that he would use quite
17:12
often, and I think David Maloney's the same with, you
17:16
know, with Prentiss Hancock and started horses.
17:19
And other one is they burn at Horsham.
17:21
He uses them in mind, robber is Gulliver.
17:24
Yeah. In Planet of the Daleks as
17:27
Terran in The Deadly Assassin as the very, very scary mr.
17:33
Goff. He's also one of the time Lords
17:36
at the end of the war games as well, I mean yeah.
17:38
Yes. Very good actor.
17:41
Hmm. Yeah really really good.
17:45
That's seen as really that Thomas Brian Anderson.
17:48
He's so good at this, this scene where you basically is going to
17:51
tell them, right? This is the scrap.
17:53
This is, it's all going down. Oh, that's it.
17:56
Serious. You cannot take things from this
17:58
planet because you will not be able to leave.
18:00
And Tom I mean we talked about their say and seated Caitlin,
18:06
substring podcast. I didn't write that Daniel.
18:09
Bit, Thomas the best for me for this alien Collier has Yeah, so
18:16
you totally believe he's not human whereas some of the
18:20
doctors well it's whether it's good or bad fingers.
18:22
Open it debate but they play it. As a human, if you are not.
18:28
Yes, but he is so good at just, this just a subtle.
18:34
Facial expressions are great. Right now is obviously to sort
18:37
command and he's the best doctor.
18:39
We've had other these acting though.
18:41
You know I'm perfectly convinced.
18:42
The Tom Baker might be from another planet.
18:45
Yeah, it's Yeah, he's quite an eccentric.
18:48
Could be a wave as We Know. Do you love as well?
18:53
These got a haircut 20 feet in. That's what he's got.
18:58
So save them. Yeah I just love the ongoing
19:02
sort of gag with that set up at the beginning if he's run with
19:06
what happens if you try and empty his pockets Because by the
19:10
time you get to like genesis of the Daleks you know it's coming
19:14
you know somebody's going to try and empty his pockets and you
19:17
know there's going to be an entire Cricket set in a rubber
19:20
duck or something in there and then He's got a Batmobile cart
19:25
little, little miniature Batmobile, isn't it?
19:27
It's just a sort of, it's a lighter moment in some serious
19:30
caught in serious circumstances, but it's set up so beautifully
19:34
in the first in robot. And then it just keeps going and
19:37
going and going all the way through.
19:39
I think Robert Holmes had sat so a lot of these Hinchcliffe
19:42
stories because you remember that bit in the mysterious
19:45
planet when he's facing up to drathro and he put into his
19:47
pockets he's got that teddy bear in his pocket.
19:50
That's Robert Holmes. Yeah.
19:52
Yeah, it's a great touch. I still think Sarah Jane Smith
19:58
looks great in a suit for Less Bluetooth been going on.
20:01
It's never talked about. We always talk about the Andy
20:04
Pandy or The one in Lupo is pretty nice.
20:09
But nobody ever talks about this house is just like Miss Marple
20:13
in robot. Yeah, with that she looks very,
20:17
she's getting, she gets the the sort of the outfit that she has
20:21
with the hat where she goes to Think Tank.
20:23
And then she gets that sort of 20s flapper outfit with a source
20:27
headscarf. And then at the end she's got
20:29
the dress with the looks like a roll of wallpaper.
20:34
Well, it could be done if they're small flowers.
20:36
Is all licorice allsorts which she then?
20:37
Where's at the beginning of them parking space, unfortunately
20:40
cute little hat on and all that. Look what in 2002, when they did
20:46
planet of evil, I remember Saros of, Thoroughly Modern miss one
20:50
of those that she said that she would wear this costume now.
20:53
So, it's like Sky a contemporary that it's quite sort of.
20:57
Yeah. I mean, I know this is the
20:58
seventies, but you could, you know, when I couldn't, that's
21:04
good. But you women could wear that
21:08
now. And I don't think anyone would
21:10
really bat an eyelid, it would be close to sort of Fairly I'm
21:15
trunk. What's the word?
21:16
It's fashionable. But it sort of quirks or
21:18
classical retro and trousers and shoes that don't have high
21:25
heels. It's practical.
21:27
So what cost jobs aren't in? No Lucy.
21:31
I'm still a costume next time. I'll meet you at the All right,
21:39
it's highly. The rod decided, I mean, totally
21:41
the wrong Bill to dress up as anybody so I'm not going to do
21:45
that anyway. No, it just eat it.
21:47
Annoys me. That's one of the things that
21:49
annoys me about the second. The second series of space 1999,
21:52
which is also a recent discovery rediscovery of mine, obviously
21:56
existed for many years beforehand.
21:57
But in the first series, everyone wears trousers and they
22:01
will have trousers and sensible shoes and they're all, you know,
22:03
in space. Sensible space trousers for
22:05
everyone. In the second series, all the
22:07
women have pencil skirts, which are completely impractical for
22:10
running around, on a moon base. It's just rubbish though.
22:14
See the ratings have dropped, that's why they get more people
22:18
watching. Rubbish, anyways, where were we?
22:22
And some space by 1999 is a big-budget production, and they
22:28
can only afford one wig. That one way that you've got
22:32
Christopher Lee wearing it. Then the next week, it's Joan
22:34
Collins wearing it Then the next week is Peter.
22:36
Cushing wearing it? I don't think this is a lie,
22:39
this was out on that same time, wasn't it?
22:41
It's not. So who is this series season
22:44
brother? Yeah I was expecting very little
22:46
for the space knows he knows. You know, I haven't watched the
22:48
second series. I know it goes a bit off the
22:50
rails there, but the second episode where this fella was
22:53
possessed and he was chasing this woman through the corridors
22:57
of the McShane. Yeah, that's really good.
23:02
Was really scary and the makeup week Cuz he's sort of burn,
23:07
isn't he? Anyway, enough of the space, 99?
23:11
All right, I've got a bit but the silent.
23:18
Yeah, he's now telling salamaua to give an order and look at her
23:22
face, it's like that's that's a kid who's been told off.
23:25
Yeah. As I can't leave because you've
23:31
said that to me in front of everyone.
23:33
Yes. That's exactly the same like
23:48
he's basically on that mission because Daddy got him involved
23:51
as well. So, yeah, Home is just commands.
23:55
And again they're seeing use the atomic accelerator knees, very
23:58
forceful. And there is not a special
24:02
effect that lightly. Yes, it's pretty fun though,
24:06
isn't it? Yeah, he's lost his scarf is
24:09
well, it seems to never end, it never appears.
24:11
They can do really well in this story.
24:14
And that yeah, is the other scarf in the episode 1.
24:17
Just a few minutes, he never gets it back.
24:22
So we must have more than one in the top of this, but he will
24:24
have Awards are full of them. Do you know what days you are
24:28
right about Tom though cheese and these things he sells it
24:31
doesn't he he's just he's the best doctor that it's not.
24:36
I wouldn't perhaps, he is my favorite doctor, but I think
24:39
he's the best. We've had some because I don't
24:40
think anyone else has ever. Go.
24:43
As I see that alien Cole identity and Peter Capaldi, try
24:48
to be alien, but I think it went too far which is kind of
24:51
complicated grumpy. He doesn't really have to be
24:55
grumpy but I just, yeah, I mean, even in late October, when he
24:59
gets more jokey and we know that it takes over the studio and all
25:02
the rest of it. But it still is because these
25:06
moments where it's just all there, Tom Baker could do it.
25:10
putting glasses of water in your pocket and things like that, you
25:12
know, it's I like the contrast, the sort of shift between joking
25:19
one minute and then absolutely serious the next like in this,
25:24
but he's absolutely serious. And the there are bits in, I
25:28
know that everybody involved in making Fang, Rock hated it,
25:31
which is a shame because I really like it, but the part
25:34
where somebody says, oh, did you find the trouble?
25:36
And he says, oh yes, I usually manage to find trouble or
25:39
something like that, just very quietly and you know,
25:41
something's up. It's what he's like smiling.
25:44
I also know that bit where you guys gentlemen.
25:46
This Lighthouse is under attack. And by morning we might all be
25:49
dead. Any questions?
25:50
It's not like he just puts his feet up on the desk as well,
25:54
doesn't it? Yeah, yeah.
25:56
Yeah. Can't forget another doctor that
25:58
we do. Like, you know, if you got that
26:00
same script as I see, it will be very Earnest about it.
26:05
Wouldn't he be? He would be.
26:07
Yeah, keep it under. Come on gentlemen.
26:08
We've got, we've got to sort this out.
26:09
Come on, he'd be so rallying. The troops as I say, get away
26:13
from that whole set. Do you know if you look very
26:15
serious when he the only one with the possibly Capaldi?
26:18
But Yeah, coming up to another Cliffhanger.
26:23
Well there he goes by fabulous on refrigerator.
26:27
Yeah. Oh yes, and you know what?
26:33
In the in the commentary and that bit Tom Baker's there and
26:36
you can actually hear him punching area?
26:38
Yes, yes, yes. It's every time there's a great
26:42
Cliff ironic commentary. It goes so excited like a little
26:45
kid watching it or there's one on the political will.
26:49
Where did the guy goes in the paper just goes wrong?
27:03
Best sequence, whatever you've got to say is we'll be back for
27:13
episode 3. Oh yes.
27:16
It join us tomorrow for part 3. I mean I bring it about every
27:23
other day now, so join us in two days.
27:25
All right, all right, I got it there.
27:28
Hey YouTube really well there. Thank you.
27:32
Oh, excuse me, who's talking?