I watched Mindwarp episode 1 today.
As usual, the courtroom scenes are good. The Doctor and Peri arriving on Thoros Beta is beautiful. Potentially the most visually beautiful shot in the classic series actually, just as the TARDIS materialises.But you know whats the visually scary thing in this whole show? Dorf, the guy that got experimented on, looks terrifying. The make-up he has applied to him make him look like a wolf/human hybrid looks so convincing. Its a shame, cause he's a good guy.
I've seen it before, but if I were basing it on episode 1 alone, I'd rather watch this than most of the era before it, the Davidson era, bar Earthshock and Androzani, and over several of the (Tom) Bakers and McCoys as well.
I don't understand the issue people have with Trial of a Timelord nowadays. Back then yes, I get it completely. Season 23 was savaged and mauled mercilessly at the time for presenting us a "season long" version of a "story arc", which they felt certain no viewer could ever be expected to cope with. When it was released on VHS, the nature of the season meant it had to be released as "a season boxed set", which again was an anomaly compared to "proper Dr Who" releases. Most people would have felt it unlikely any fan would want to "binge watch" the set and even when it got a DVD season boxed set release around 11 or 12 years ago, critics assured us it was a horrible thing only ardent fans would tolerate.
Now, of course, people buy season boxed sets of much longer seasons which contain much more complex season length story arcs and they binge watch them all the time, it's all common practice now. So, season 23 was ahead of its time and accurately shaped itself to fit the path of TV drama's future. In retrospect, what it was shamed for at the time, now seems impressive and prescient.
I loved it the first time round and I'm loving it more the 2nd time. Massively ahead of its time, well produced and very under-rated. I think it may actually be the best and most consistent Season from the 80's. Yes 18 has State of Decay, 19 has Earthshock, 20 has Enlightenment, 21 has Caves of Androzani, 22 has Vengeance on Varos, 24 has Dragonfire, 25 has Rememberance of the Daleks and 26 has Curse of Fenric, but they're isolated great Stories, sometimes surrounded by weaker Stories, which cripples those Seasons.
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