All too frequently for me
I’m seeing so much poor reception for stories that I personally feel have a lot
more going for them. And The Krotons is one of those stories for sure. It
exudes everything for me that made the Pat Troughton era magnificent.
OK, let’s get the humdrum
out of the way first. Maybe this first debut script from Doctor Who legend
Robert Holmes lacks the major impact of the epic tales he would go on to write
for the show. Maybe some of the characters do seem a tad spineless and
faceless. The Gond Race seem to be quite a run of the mill rather uninteresting
bunch, but there are still some nuances to performances.
For a start we have the
ever sublime Philip Madoc as the slimy Eelek. Phil always was a consummately
superb actor and some of his later Who appearances would go down as some of the
finest character portraits the show ever conceived. (Mehendri Solon and The War
Lord spring at once to mind) Phil was adept at bringing a razor-sharp edge to
his performances in everything he was in. It truly was a sad day for the acting
world when he passed away.
James Copeland as the Gond
Leader Selris too delivers a fine performance indeed. He is wholly a three-dimensional
character and in a break from the norm for Pat Troughton tales his leader isn’t
overtly officious or loud mouthed which does make for a nice change, as we do
often get many loudmouths during the Second Doctor era. James delivers enough
pathos in his role that one is truly saddened by his demise in the final
instalment of the story.
Gilbert Wynne gives Thara
a vein of steely determination that makes his character too very sympathetic
and likeable. And his concern for Varna comes over very very well so as to make
one easily believe these two Gonds could be a couple.
James Cairncross’s Beta is
the last exceptional character. He portrays the constricted and restricted
scientist very well, and the sparks between his scenes with Eelek are
particularly good. The acid making scene with Frazer Hines Jamie too is quite a
comedic moment too.
I for one absolutely love
the look and sound of the Krotons. My first viewing of this story made me jump
out of my skin when the first shouted word of STOPPPPPPPPP! Blared from my
screen, I jest you not! I loved their mechanical, soulless booming tones and it
suited their diamond headed look no end. The Krotons are not half as clunky as
their reputation has suggested. They present a definite strong threat and to me
at least command some respect. They were an alien race ripe for expansion and
it sad they never got to appear again on the show. Patrick Tull and stalwart
monster voicer Roy Skelton instantly bring us an awesome new alien chilling
voice to quake at.
Yes, the plotting of the
story may verge on the simple side, but this is by no means a bad thing at all.
In fact, I get so confused by so many modern era episodes because their plots
are just so tangled and convoluted that one finds it impossible to enjoy them.
Also, there are some very
strikingly good visual effects on show in the Krotons too. The swirling slurry
and how the Krotons form in them is a niftily directed scene. And the melting
of the Dynatrope at the story’s climax is extremely well done.
And in this story Patrick
Troughton and Wendy Padbury are on fire. There is one excruciatingly funny
scene where the Doctor chides Zoe for using the Kroton’s teaching machines and
then raps out a line of flustered orders that instantly makes the scene a diehard
classic. Then later too we get to see them deliberately protract the leaving of
the Krotons so their plan to rid the Gonds of them can work which is also
extremely amusing. Although its plain to see Wendy’s costume is embarrassingly
flimsy as there’s a massive rip in it and Patrick valiantly keeps his arm over
her shoulder to try to conceal this. Honestly one must commend Wendy with how
she carried those poor costumes off so well!
Patrick Troughton has long
been my favourite ever Doctor on the show. To me there was never a bad moment
in his entire era. It genuinely irks me to see the Krotons get such an irksome
response from so many corners. The Krotons may not be the most absolutely
flawless production ever (and don’t ask about the snakelike protuberance that
emerges from the wall of the Dynatrope, the less said about that the better!)
but it is nonetheless stalwart and workmanlike and a very solid story indeed.
Maybe the rest of the faceless background characters could have been given just
a bit more attention, but aside from this I can find no serious fault with this
story at all. And that simply stems from the fact that there never was a bad
Second Doctor story on TV. He had 21 highly brilliant and diverting adventures
that for me at least are the cream of Doctor Who. The black and white era had a
magic uniquely its own. I always thought the show was awesome in its black and
white days. Black and white is creepier and unnerving.
And Patrick’s clownish
space elf Doctor is just so winningly awesome from the start to the climax. And
that’s why I can seldom find a single fault with the whole of his amazing and
incredible tenure as the errant Time Lord. His lined and expressive features
too are part of the magic. I don’t think there has ever been a more expressive
Doctor facially than Patrick. Oh, I’m starting to gush here, but some things happily
are worth gushing about! Just sit back and give The Krotons a chance, it may
very well surprise you just how good it is….
No comments:
Post a Comment