The Krotons
chuffnobbler
Posts: 10,771 Forum Member
✭✭
Just seen it for the first time in approx fifteen years. It's really not very good, is it? In fact, I'd say it has earned its reputation.
Lots of "Doctor, look!", "What's that Doctor?" type dialogue for Jamie and Zoe. In fact, a whole scene in which Zoe was just standing there with absolutely nothing to do or say.
A lot of cardboardy characterisations for the Gonds (young hothead, shifty bloke wanting power for himself, dollybird, noble and ultimately self-sacrificing elderly leader). The monsters are a bit rubbish (their spinning heads made Mrs Chuff and me both laugh, and their voices are most odd). At the end, the Doctor just blows them up.
The aging VHS copy, freshly purchased from Ebay, seemed to run a good ten mins short of a standard 4 parter. Maybe that's why it seemed a bit naff?
The location filming is great though, and there are some good laughs (Jamie and the scientist making sulphuric acid, with no idea what they are doing).
There are so few DW stories that are totally new to me, and I am a bit disappointed to find that this one really is as poor as its reputation.
Lots of "Doctor, look!", "What's that Doctor?" type dialogue for Jamie and Zoe. In fact, a whole scene in which Zoe was just standing there with absolutely nothing to do or say.
A lot of cardboardy characterisations for the Gonds (young hothead, shifty bloke wanting power for himself, dollybird, noble and ultimately self-sacrificing elderly leader). The monsters are a bit rubbish (their spinning heads made Mrs Chuff and me both laugh, and their voices are most odd). At the end, the Doctor just blows them up.
The aging VHS copy, freshly purchased from Ebay, seemed to run a good ten mins short of a standard 4 parter. Maybe that's why it seemed a bit naff?
The location filming is great though, and there are some good laughs (Jamie and the scientist making sulphuric acid, with no idea what they are doing).
There are so few DW stories that are totally new to me, and I am a bit disappointed to find that this one really is as poor as its reputation.
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Comments
It might be a little simplistic with its themes, characterisation and society-building, but so is most of Doctor Who, particularly in the 60s when it was aimed more at a younger audience. I'd say that it's better than, say, "The Daleks", bar the invention of the titular pepperpots themselves.
It should make a great-looking DVD though, whenever it's released. One of the earlier DVDs has a Vidfired clip from the Krotons somewhere among the extras, and because the film print of this story is particularly good, the results look phenomenal. It looked like something that had been shot yesterday.
The location stuff is good in The Krotons, and Zoe's costume is (ahem) memorable but, on the whole, the story is a right load of old flange.