[Review written for Gallifrey One: Spring 2006]
Tooth and Claw’ is an exceptional piece of drama. The direction is virtually perfect, the atmosphere is oozing and the acting is top notch. You can’t fault the flawless production and the story has a confident depth which shows Russell T Davies doing what some fans suspected he couldn’t; good old fashioned suspense and terror.
Overall, this Scotland based Victorian tale has close associations with Series 1’s ‘The Unquiet Dead’; it’s style, historical context and pacing are slightly similar. ‘Tooth and Claw’ is a little more dynamic than Gatiss’ tale. This doesn’t mean the dynamic is to the detriment of the stories historical depth. In fact, this story has even more confidence in it’s depiction of the Realm of Queen Victoria than perhaps the Dickensian scene of ‘The Unquiet Dead’.
The opening however, certain betrays the the episodes general ambience; a very slick brawl akin to ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’. Some may find this a little jarring with the rest of the story, I personally had no problem with such. Doctor Who is, in it’s essence, a very eclectic show which borrows, twists and parodies from a variety of styles. The fight scene makes for a confident and aggressive opening which certainly peaks the adrenaline and curiousity. The following scene’s monster tease makes for a good introduction cliff-hanger as the show moves into the theme sequence.
The monster is - as the title suggests - a Wolf, or more specifically, a Werewolf. Doctor Who has stepped into the classic monster genre on several occasions. This is nothing new in that respect, however the focus of the plot remains closer to the monster’s myth than any science fiction twist. The science fiction is there, just not too prominent.
The Werewolf is well realised, both as a wolf and as the human host. In fact, the scenes leading up to it’s transformation are as spellbinding as the revelation of the beast itself. The use of sound is also very powerful. Indeed the most atmospheric moment is the sound of the beast hunting for a way into the room in which the Doctor’s trapped in. I can almost guarantee a room of silent, spellbound viewers as that particular scene plays out.
The other ‘monster’ or ‘heroine’ (take your pick) is Queen Victoria. She’s played by Pauline Collins, a lady who the elderly fan may remember from the Troughton adventure ‘The Faceless Ones’. Collins is a versatile actress and barely recognizable in the role. As well as being well acted, the character is indeed well written. I’m not particularly versed in the character of Queen Victoria, so I can’t attest to the writer’s skill at capturing her historically, but she comes across as a deep and unpredictable character within the story.
I’m afraid some of the episodes weakest elements come from the two leads. I’m sorry to say after a previously strong episode for Miss Piper and Rose, ‘Tooth and Claw’ proves to be her most annoying outing ever. This is by no means an attack on Billie’s acting; she’s as solid as ever, nor is it an attack on the writing of Rose who remains equally believable. But that’s the problem; she is too real, and real people are often annoying. Few would argue that as a person, Rose is perfect. She is both cocky, rude and occasionally manipulative. In this story, some of these negative characteristics are used for story humour that results in Rose becoming distractingly annoying.
If there is a blame finger to point, it invariably has to be at writer Russell T Davies. Davies seems to overuse her in the initial set up to this story. Her constant attempts to get Queen Victoria to declare “We are not amused” (for a bet with the Doctor) is not only tiring, but intrusive. Comedy is indeed subjective so I’m sure some viewers found it funny, but I just found the gag did not warm me to Rose at all. Queen Victoria is a great historical character and to have the companion constantly mock her seems to belittle the Queen’s dignity irrelevantly. We don’t see too many versions of Victoria played on the small screen, so I was curious to see how she was portrayed. Victoria’s introduction and continuing scenes felt as if they were being constantly interrupted by what I can only call ‘companion heckle’. It wouldn’t be so annoying if it was once, but it’s almost continual for the entire first act. So while I can picture the character of Rose behaving just like this, within the narrative it feels way too intrusive. Humour is subjective, and in ‘Tooth and Clar’ it’s laid on a little too thick as it sours the story for those who were not so easily amused by Rose’s hilarious antics.
Furthermore, as viewers are still keen to quantify this new Doctor, this continual gag keeps pushing Rose into the spotlight and the Doctor into the background. At this early stage of the tenth Doctor’s career, I think viewers are more keen to watch him than Rose, who dominated much of the last series - and rightly so as that was her introduction season. We now have a new Doctor and for the second episode in a row, Rose is very much at the forefront.
Thankfully, this balance alters as the pace kicks up a notch. The Doctor moves to center stage and we get to see Tennant in action. Well, sort of. As with “New Earth”, Tennant’s Doctor seems surprisingly inactive, in a way similar to Davison. There is no doubt you feel his presence, but you don’t feel the control that Eccleston had. In the context of this story, this works to ‘it’s advantage’; you don’t want the Doctor in too much control as you risk diminishing the hack and slash power of the werewolf. I am, however, looking forward to an episode in which the Doctor is a little more in the spotlight and a little more proactive, as he was in ‘The Christmas Invasion’.
Nevertheless, Tennant’s acting and dialogue are spot on. It’s this reviewer’s hope he gets a little more proactive screen time in future episodes. He does a great deal of running away in ‘Tooth and Claw’, which again, is good for the suspense, but one feels an urge to see the Doctor get a story in which he has a more central dynamic. That’s not to underplay some great moments in this story, from his first encounter with the Werewolf to the scene in which he runs for the books, Tennant IS the Doctor.
The ending is particularly worth a mention. We have a strong scene for Queen Victoria that almost makes up for all the hassle she and the audience suffered from Rose earlier. It is also an audience reminder that in victory, not all necessarily ends well. The Doctor and Rose’s banishment from the realm was a surprise and a superb character turn for Victoria. Furthermore, the walk back to the TARDIS has a great nostalgic feel to it, very reminiscent of the end of one of my other favourite (Scottish) Who tales, Terror Of The Zygons.
So overall, aside from some slightly in-your-face Rose Tyler moments and a rather inactive Doctor, this is another solid and enjoyable romp for Series 2. A good script, some well implemented genre bites (watch out for the tiny but fun homage to Alien 3) and a story brimming with tension, ‘Tooth and Claw’ is the perfect journey into Who horror.
One question:
Just where did those monks pop off to?
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
REVIEW: Doctor Who - BBC AUDIO - Death Comes To Time
[Review written for Gallifrey One: Spring 2005]
Death Comes To Time is an unusual affair. For one of the BBC’s first in-house online dramas, it’s neither mainstream nor fan friendly. Too confusing for the casual listener and far too radical for most fans to enjoy. There is quite likely a group - be it a small group - of both camps who sit apart from this animosity, for them, this is quite a superb little drama. I must confess I sit in this camp.
DCTT is unrecognised landmark in Doctor Who history. It’s interesting how in 2001, the show was seen in such a different light to how it would be just three years later. The show, an aborted production given a second lease of light, really feels like the swansong of Doctor Who. Despite rumours of it being a potential pilot, the story feels like anything but. Regardless of what it intended to be, DCTT feels like an official end to a show and in that context, it does a remarkably good job.
DCTT is a tale about Time Lords. It is a different perspective on the traditional myths. The premise is that Time Lords are not casual masters of Time, they are more like gods constrained by the power potential they have. A Time Lord is far more than he appears because he himself knows the power he has is beyond the constraints of his actions. Simply put, the use of such power could bring the end and even the most power mad Time Lord would not even think of breaking such a cardinal rule.
It’s a usual perspective and for me, not as jarring as it is for most fans. Some fans feel this is a rewrite as what Time Lords are, something I can’t agree with simply as Time Lords were never utterly defined. In fact, due to the nature of the show, nothing really was in the first place. In this respect, as Cartmel found in season 25, anything is game.
The idea that Time Lords could be so utterly powerful, to the extent they could kill with a single word doesn’t see so at odds. This is about a power they cannot wield rather than about defining one they can. So quite the nature of such a power doesn’t affect canon in the slightest since it’s never been used. As the narrative of the show quite rightly puts it, we’re talking about beings that walk in a dimension we don’t understand and can never understand. The idea of godlike power does raise questions about the nature of the Doctor and Time Lords, but it’s not one that can be dismissed as invalid since we’re dealing with beings that touch dimensions and concepts beyond the human mind. DCTT tells us they are bound by rules and to me; this doesn’t seem out of place with what we see of the Doctor or his people. His intelligence seems limitless, his pockets never empty and his ability to master situations with no bounds. He is a character beyond human definition, but does that mean that his race can’t be defined by something larger?
What I enjoy about DCTT is the willingness to look at Doctor Who from another perspective. This isn’t a rewrite, as people have complained previously, this is another angle. This has the same concept, same characters, and the same battles just all taken from a different position. After all, depending on how you look at an object affects how you define it. Whether a man is a terrorist or a freedom fighter, whether a god controls you or protects you, whether an alien is just a whimsical man in a blue box, or part of a godlike race whose dominion over Time is beyond our understanding.
So yes, DCTT is very much about ideology. Not just in it’s concept, but in it’s narrative and in it’s dialogue. The script is brimming with proverbs, theology, philosophy and smugness. It’s unashamed in its task and it does its task well; it answers the very nature of Doctor Who. In other words, it gives it an ending.
This is arguably the full stop that Survival wasn’t. We see the Time Lords training Ace into being the next generation of Time Lords, we see Earth successfully protect itself from invasion (for once) and finally we see the Time Lords of Gallifrey, through the lonely Doctor, give up their existence.
The acting is exceptional. McCoy gives his best radio performance I’ve heard, sounding utterly comfortable with the script. Aldred does a fine job as Ace and again I would say it’s possibly her best radio performance I’ve encountered. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any of the cast who don’t sound at home in this production. Stephen Fry is as charming and eloquent in his delivery as always and John Sessions is superbly evil as Tannis.
That’s not to say it’s a prefect production. Naturally there are issues that the plot doesn’t really resolve. The story seems to run on the pretext that there are no evil Time Lords aside from Tannis. We’ve seen several dubious ones and thereby the question of this ultimate power that “Colin Meek” describes seems questionable. Would not the Master have tried to manipulate it somehow? Or is it so engrained into the nature of the Time Lord even he would never try and control it? It could simply be another issue that is complicated beyond the nature of human understanding and as the story often likes to remind us, those are many. However, some clarification on this would have been nice.
Furthermore, despite the wonderful presentation of the project, there are scenes that lack clarity upon listening. Of course, one could argue this was illustrated, but a good radio/web drama should work on audio alone without the necessity to rely on another medium to convey the story. Sometimes DCTT can seem a little confusing. Its story rarely indulges its listener with exposition so it cannot afford any moments of muddle.
With a great cast, some lovely dialogue and a great score (if one ignores the theme redux) this is an enjoyable listen. We now know Doctor Who is far from over, but if you hate the new series, hate the novels, hate the Big Finish audio plays, hate McGann and hate Survival as a finale to a series, then this is for you. A solid ending to Doctor Who that doesn’t betray the ethos of the show: no, not continuity my dear WHO fans, but evolution and change.
The crew should be proud, it would almost be worth being a “2005 WHO” hater just to be able to accept this an interesting an unexpected finale to the original show.
Death Comes To Time is an unusual affair. For one of the BBC’s first in-house online dramas, it’s neither mainstream nor fan friendly. Too confusing for the casual listener and far too radical for most fans to enjoy. There is quite likely a group - be it a small group - of both camps who sit apart from this animosity, for them, this is quite a superb little drama. I must confess I sit in this camp.
DCTT is unrecognised landmark in Doctor Who history. It’s interesting how in 2001, the show was seen in such a different light to how it would be just three years later. The show, an aborted production given a second lease of light, really feels like the swansong of Doctor Who. Despite rumours of it being a potential pilot, the story feels like anything but. Regardless of what it intended to be, DCTT feels like an official end to a show and in that context, it does a remarkably good job.
DCTT is a tale about Time Lords. It is a different perspective on the traditional myths. The premise is that Time Lords are not casual masters of Time, they are more like gods constrained by the power potential they have. A Time Lord is far more than he appears because he himself knows the power he has is beyond the constraints of his actions. Simply put, the use of such power could bring the end and even the most power mad Time Lord would not even think of breaking such a cardinal rule.
It’s a usual perspective and for me, not as jarring as it is for most fans. Some fans feel this is a rewrite as what Time Lords are, something I can’t agree with simply as Time Lords were never utterly defined. In fact, due to the nature of the show, nothing really was in the first place. In this respect, as Cartmel found in season 25, anything is game.
The idea that Time Lords could be so utterly powerful, to the extent they could kill with a single word doesn’t see so at odds. This is about a power they cannot wield rather than about defining one they can. So quite the nature of such a power doesn’t affect canon in the slightest since it’s never been used. As the narrative of the show quite rightly puts it, we’re talking about beings that walk in a dimension we don’t understand and can never understand. The idea of godlike power does raise questions about the nature of the Doctor and Time Lords, but it’s not one that can be dismissed as invalid since we’re dealing with beings that touch dimensions and concepts beyond the human mind. DCTT tells us they are bound by rules and to me; this doesn’t seem out of place with what we see of the Doctor or his people. His intelligence seems limitless, his pockets never empty and his ability to master situations with no bounds. He is a character beyond human definition, but does that mean that his race can’t be defined by something larger?
What I enjoy about DCTT is the willingness to look at Doctor Who from another perspective. This isn’t a rewrite, as people have complained previously, this is another angle. This has the same concept, same characters, and the same battles just all taken from a different position. After all, depending on how you look at an object affects how you define it. Whether a man is a terrorist or a freedom fighter, whether a god controls you or protects you, whether an alien is just a whimsical man in a blue box, or part of a godlike race whose dominion over Time is beyond our understanding.
So yes, DCTT is very much about ideology. Not just in it’s concept, but in it’s narrative and in it’s dialogue. The script is brimming with proverbs, theology, philosophy and smugness. It’s unashamed in its task and it does its task well; it answers the very nature of Doctor Who. In other words, it gives it an ending.
This is arguably the full stop that Survival wasn’t. We see the Time Lords training Ace into being the next generation of Time Lords, we see Earth successfully protect itself from invasion (for once) and finally we see the Time Lords of Gallifrey, through the lonely Doctor, give up their existence.
The acting is exceptional. McCoy gives his best radio performance I’ve heard, sounding utterly comfortable with the script. Aldred does a fine job as Ace and again I would say it’s possibly her best radio performance I’ve encountered. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any of the cast who don’t sound at home in this production. Stephen Fry is as charming and eloquent in his delivery as always and John Sessions is superbly evil as Tannis.
That’s not to say it’s a prefect production. Naturally there are issues that the plot doesn’t really resolve. The story seems to run on the pretext that there are no evil Time Lords aside from Tannis. We’ve seen several dubious ones and thereby the question of this ultimate power that “Colin Meek” describes seems questionable. Would not the Master have tried to manipulate it somehow? Or is it so engrained into the nature of the Time Lord even he would never try and control it? It could simply be another issue that is complicated beyond the nature of human understanding and as the story often likes to remind us, those are many. However, some clarification on this would have been nice.
Furthermore, despite the wonderful presentation of the project, there are scenes that lack clarity upon listening. Of course, one could argue this was illustrated, but a good radio/web drama should work on audio alone without the necessity to rely on another medium to convey the story. Sometimes DCTT can seem a little confusing. Its story rarely indulges its listener with exposition so it cannot afford any moments of muddle.
With a great cast, some lovely dialogue and a great score (if one ignores the theme redux) this is an enjoyable listen. We now know Doctor Who is far from over, but if you hate the new series, hate the novels, hate the Big Finish audio plays, hate McGann and hate Survival as a finale to a series, then this is for you. A solid ending to Doctor Who that doesn’t betray the ethos of the show: no, not continuity my dear WHO fans, but evolution and change.
The crew should be proud, it would almost be worth being a “2005 WHO” hater just to be able to accept this an interesting an unexpected finale to the original show.
REVIEW: Doctor Who - SERIES 2 PREMIERE: New Earth
[Review written for Gallifrey One: Spring 2006]
“New Earth” requires a couple of viewings. Before moving on, I suggest that viewers looking for an objective opinion on the story are best to give the episode a repeat look. Why? Because there is a great deal going on, arguably a little too much for a 45 minute slot, but personally I would rather a Who episode brimming with ideas than the old fashioned four episode story that consists of the Doctor running back and forth up and down wobbly corridors.
“New Earth” is a tale that combines a heavy mixture of storylines and ideas. We are introduced to a future planet and society that in turn opens up a curious medical mystery. We have the welcome return of the Face Of Boe who is preparing to pass on a major secret to the Doctor. Another past character pops up in the form of Cassandra who is back from the dead plotting revenge. On top of all this, we have new humans; deep dark experiments breaking out unleashing havoc. With a rather large dabble of mind swapping to boot; it’s a busy story.
The story is the first new televised Doctor Who to be set on a different planet. The opening shots of New Earth are beautiful and the use of outside location combined with computer imagery gives the future planet a very honest and believable ambience.
The hospital is nicely designed, using a mix of studio, CGI and Cardiff architecture to create this key location. Like the planet itself, it works well. The lower levels may slap ardent fans with memories of the Nestene lair in “Rose” because, well, that’s what it is. Personally I’m okay with location reuse. As a Doctor Who fan I’m used to a lot worse and Blake’s 7 used the same area of the same quarry a good 4-5 times through the series. Veteran fans can’t grumble, the location is redressed and works well within the context of the story. In the end, that’s what is important.
The return of Cassandra is a surprisingly welcome one. Moving Cassandra away from the living skin trampoline allows the character to be reused without rehash; she isn’t just back for more of the same, she’s back to cause havoc in an entirely different way. This time Cassandra is jumping bodies in the hope of finding a new vessel for her snobbish persona. Given how well this works in context to the story, I can forgive Mr Davies for using such an old sci-fi cliché. The mind swap truly injects new life into an old character. Furthermore her reintroduction serves as a bridge the series divide for the new audiences, reminding them this is still the same show and operates as strong comic relief to a rather visually nasty story.
The mind swap also gives Billie Piper and to a lesser extent, David Tennant, something new to play with. Wisely, the mind swapping is kept mostly with Piper; the tenth Doctor needs space to expand on his own without too much mind control interference. However, when the Lady Cassandra possesses the Doctor, Tennant doesn’t shy from the chance to have some real fun.
Piper is excellent as Cassandra, and it’s nice to see her getting a chance to have some laughs. Piper has proved she can do drama on several occasions in Series One, but aside from acting as a humour foil, she never got a really proactive comic role. In “New Earth” Piper is virtually flawless. You really believe she’s Cassandra and it’s rare to see such versatility in young TV actresses, being they are so often picked for the aesthetic than broad acting ability. Once again, I must doff my hat to Miss Piper, from her shallow pop star roots she has come far.
“New Earth” has a script full of both comedy and drama that should keep the casual and ardent fan watching. The supporting cast give a solid performance, and the make-up throughout the episode is exceptional. The feline Sisters of Plenitude look super and it’s a pity that the TARDIS doesn’t actually work because a bit of time travel back to 1989 could have done wonders for the Cat People in Survival.
So let’s look at the new fangled Doctor. Not quite as show stopping as he was in “The Christmas Invasion”, Tennant’s Doctor is a little more subdued in comparison. Probably a good thing in retrospect as there is always a danger of the show being suffocated if it’s lead man hogs the spotlight. Tom Baker’s era suffered from precisely this problem in the later years of his tenure.
Nevertheless, Tennant has the chance to portray some comedy, drama and serious Doctor energy throughout the episode. His character retains those elements quintessential to the Doctor; he’s compassionate, eccentric, dynamic and heroic. As with his seventh and ninth regenerations, he has a nasty temper when people cross his ideology and he is still willing to risk his own skin if it will saves others. Certainly a more charming Doctor than the more sorrowful ninth Doctor, and not as in control as the seventh. He has the sparkle of the forth and the dashing dynamic of the fifth. He’s a good mix of what’s come before with a dab of something new. Tennant is very different to Eccleston yet unlike previous regenerations, say between Baker and Davison or Troughton and Pertwee, the character of ‘The Doctor’ feels less challenged. He’s a different man once more, yet he retains far more consistency than many of the previous transitions.
So what’s wrong with “New Earth”? First off, let’s dispel some fan criticism. In “New Earth”, there is what some people would call ‘serious plot holes’, which to me, can be translated as ‘aspects of the plot which aren’t explained because they really aren’t that important’. Strangely, we still live in a time where sci-fi shows are meant to punctuate every last aspect of the plot. People are still looking for the “What’s going on Doctor?” or “What is it Doctor?” or “What are you doing Doctor?” type of explanations. The frustrating thing is, that any fiction that creates such a futuristic Earth is all made up anyhow. Any explanations that are forthcoming are no more than technobabble, yet for some reason, fans still feel cheated without it. “How do the drug compounds work?” “How does mixing the drugs make them more potent?” “How did Cassandra move her essence from one being to another?” It all boils down to needless babble, wasteful babble and dull, dull techno babble. We are told what the drugs will do in the same way we used to be constantly told that “reversing the polarity of the neutron flow” would remove a force field. We know Cassandra can jump bodies, we also know such a feat is physically impossible, so why do we need to have it made pseudo-factual by some technowaffle? We don’t need to waste valuable story time with superfluous explanations, yet if the fans don’t get these answers they condemn the story. After years of complaints about excess technoyawn from Star Trek, I’d hoped fans would have moved on from expecting explanations at every corner - clearly not.
It’s a pity that there are such wasteful demands on the show as it’s real focus is the drama, not the sci-fi pokery. Television and it’s audience are slowly learning that no matter how much we move fiction into future or onto other planets, the drama always remains contemporary. Only be being contemporary in it’s dramatic elements can a story create the audience empathy it requires. Nowadays, science fiction dialogue and plots are trying less and less to be “out of this world” fearing sounding silly. I far rather that Cassandra and her ilk use contemporary terms like “chav”, offer dialogue with relevance to contemporary satire or play 21st century pop music than continually attempt to create new sci-fi jargon. It’s those pop culture and topical elements that help give the series a stronger rapport with a greater audience. I don’t mind people not liking this writing approach, but it’s a pity the writer gets attacked for “terrible writing” when it’s simply using a specific writing technique.
While I appreciate sci-fi does have a more natural requirement for explanation than contemporary drama, I don’t think it needs to waste valuable character and plot time explaining what makes no sense anyway. With Buffy, Battlestar Galactica and now Doctor Who moving in this direction in the sci-fi genre, fans need to move on too. It’s not just perceptions of sci-fi that are changing, it’s sci-fi as a whole. We are no longer being spoon-fed – get used to it.
That said, there are still a few glitches here. The Rose and Doctor connection is laid on a little thick for my taste. Not an objective criticism for as we all know, sexual tension sells to mainstream markets and it’s mainstream interest which justifies budget. Doctor Who exists comfortably because of mainstream support, not fan loyalty. Personally, I found the dialogue outside the TARDIS a little icky but I know I just have to like it or lump it – it has to be there for the shows continual broad success.
Also in regards to such mainstream contexts, Rose does spend an awful amount of time touching herself in front of a mirror. Certainly, this works within the context of the plot but does feel a little ‘for the dads’ and that is an element of ‘old Doctor Who’ I hoped we were moving past. Most likely this was simply a character requirement to the episode, but it did feel slightly overdone and Piper has had a large makeover for this season. I just hope there is no attempt to move Rose into sex symbol territory. Keeping mainstream interest is one thing, but I’d hate Doctor Who to lose the dignity it has created for itself.
That said, such “show concerns” from fans like myself are amusing mocked by the writer, who seems to enjoy adding references that seem there just to irritate our anal fandom. Such references to certain Doctor body parts being “hardly used” are bound to create fury by purists. Good on you Davies, keep on pushing the boundaries. Doctor Who should never be safe, no matter how much many fans would like it to remain within certain boundaries.
Another minor gripe is the music, some of which is a return to the “End Of The World” motif. It’s not bad at all, but a little heavy at times. This has always been a problem in the new series, feels it could be pushed back a bit in the mix.
On the first watch of “New Earth” I was a little dissatisfied. There is a lot going on and as such it does sometimes feel as the story is screaming for some space to expand certain scenes. The contagion’s final cure in the finale feels a little rushed. The episode made a big issue of the amount of human containers opened in the basement, yet we see only a roomful of humans cured and that doesn’t give the impression of how fast this cure must be spreading through the diseased humans. It’s not a major issue, but the episode suffers from a few similar minor quibbles that on a first viewing seem bigger than they actually are.
Overall, this was a nice journey into the future and proof the show has come far from “Rose”. It’s not perfect; it’s a little over crammed with plots and ideas which in turn do take a slight toil on the pacing, but in comparison to the old show, it’s still miles out there in terms of script, production and drama. A good watch, an even better second viewing, this is far better than some of fandom will admit to. This is good New Who and while I fear for it’s critical success, with the media looking for a time to knock down what they’ve spend a year to build up, I think the production can be proud of this entrance into the second series. Well done – ignore the old school thinking from the sci-fi community and keeping moving forwards. My grandfather always used to say things were better in the old days and now I fear, it’s turn for my generation to start declaring the same.
“New Earth” requires a couple of viewings. Before moving on, I suggest that viewers looking for an objective opinion on the story are best to give the episode a repeat look. Why? Because there is a great deal going on, arguably a little too much for a 45 minute slot, but personally I would rather a Who episode brimming with ideas than the old fashioned four episode story that consists of the Doctor running back and forth up and down wobbly corridors.
“New Earth” is a tale that combines a heavy mixture of storylines and ideas. We are introduced to a future planet and society that in turn opens up a curious medical mystery. We have the welcome return of the Face Of Boe who is preparing to pass on a major secret to the Doctor. Another past character pops up in the form of Cassandra who is back from the dead plotting revenge. On top of all this, we have new humans; deep dark experiments breaking out unleashing havoc. With a rather large dabble of mind swapping to boot; it’s a busy story.
The story is the first new televised Doctor Who to be set on a different planet. The opening shots of New Earth are beautiful and the use of outside location combined with computer imagery gives the future planet a very honest and believable ambience.
The hospital is nicely designed, using a mix of studio, CGI and Cardiff architecture to create this key location. Like the planet itself, it works well. The lower levels may slap ardent fans with memories of the Nestene lair in “Rose” because, well, that’s what it is. Personally I’m okay with location reuse. As a Doctor Who fan I’m used to a lot worse and Blake’s 7 used the same area of the same quarry a good 4-5 times through the series. Veteran fans can’t grumble, the location is redressed and works well within the context of the story. In the end, that’s what is important.
The return of Cassandra is a surprisingly welcome one. Moving Cassandra away from the living skin trampoline allows the character to be reused without rehash; she isn’t just back for more of the same, she’s back to cause havoc in an entirely different way. This time Cassandra is jumping bodies in the hope of finding a new vessel for her snobbish persona. Given how well this works in context to the story, I can forgive Mr Davies for using such an old sci-fi cliché. The mind swap truly injects new life into an old character. Furthermore her reintroduction serves as a bridge the series divide for the new audiences, reminding them this is still the same show and operates as strong comic relief to a rather visually nasty story.
The mind swap also gives Billie Piper and to a lesser extent, David Tennant, something new to play with. Wisely, the mind swapping is kept mostly with Piper; the tenth Doctor needs space to expand on his own without too much mind control interference. However, when the Lady Cassandra possesses the Doctor, Tennant doesn’t shy from the chance to have some real fun.
Piper is excellent as Cassandra, and it’s nice to see her getting a chance to have some laughs. Piper has proved she can do drama on several occasions in Series One, but aside from acting as a humour foil, she never got a really proactive comic role. In “New Earth” Piper is virtually flawless. You really believe she’s Cassandra and it’s rare to see such versatility in young TV actresses, being they are so often picked for the aesthetic than broad acting ability. Once again, I must doff my hat to Miss Piper, from her shallow pop star roots she has come far.
“New Earth” has a script full of both comedy and drama that should keep the casual and ardent fan watching. The supporting cast give a solid performance, and the make-up throughout the episode is exceptional. The feline Sisters of Plenitude look super and it’s a pity that the TARDIS doesn’t actually work because a bit of time travel back to 1989 could have done wonders for the Cat People in Survival.
So let’s look at the new fangled Doctor. Not quite as show stopping as he was in “The Christmas Invasion”, Tennant’s Doctor is a little more subdued in comparison. Probably a good thing in retrospect as there is always a danger of the show being suffocated if it’s lead man hogs the spotlight. Tom Baker’s era suffered from precisely this problem in the later years of his tenure.
Nevertheless, Tennant has the chance to portray some comedy, drama and serious Doctor energy throughout the episode. His character retains those elements quintessential to the Doctor; he’s compassionate, eccentric, dynamic and heroic. As with his seventh and ninth regenerations, he has a nasty temper when people cross his ideology and he is still willing to risk his own skin if it will saves others. Certainly a more charming Doctor than the more sorrowful ninth Doctor, and not as in control as the seventh. He has the sparkle of the forth and the dashing dynamic of the fifth. He’s a good mix of what’s come before with a dab of something new. Tennant is very different to Eccleston yet unlike previous regenerations, say between Baker and Davison or Troughton and Pertwee, the character of ‘The Doctor’ feels less challenged. He’s a different man once more, yet he retains far more consistency than many of the previous transitions.
So what’s wrong with “New Earth”? First off, let’s dispel some fan criticism. In “New Earth”, there is what some people would call ‘serious plot holes’, which to me, can be translated as ‘aspects of the plot which aren’t explained because they really aren’t that important’. Strangely, we still live in a time where sci-fi shows are meant to punctuate every last aspect of the plot. People are still looking for the “What’s going on Doctor?” or “What is it Doctor?” or “What are you doing Doctor?” type of explanations. The frustrating thing is, that any fiction that creates such a futuristic Earth is all made up anyhow. Any explanations that are forthcoming are no more than technobabble, yet for some reason, fans still feel cheated without it. “How do the drug compounds work?” “How does mixing the drugs make them more potent?” “How did Cassandra move her essence from one being to another?” It all boils down to needless babble, wasteful babble and dull, dull techno babble. We are told what the drugs will do in the same way we used to be constantly told that “reversing the polarity of the neutron flow” would remove a force field. We know Cassandra can jump bodies, we also know such a feat is physically impossible, so why do we need to have it made pseudo-factual by some technowaffle? We don’t need to waste valuable story time with superfluous explanations, yet if the fans don’t get these answers they condemn the story. After years of complaints about excess technoyawn from Star Trek, I’d hoped fans would have moved on from expecting explanations at every corner - clearly not.
It’s a pity that there are such wasteful demands on the show as it’s real focus is the drama, not the sci-fi pokery. Television and it’s audience are slowly learning that no matter how much we move fiction into future or onto other planets, the drama always remains contemporary. Only be being contemporary in it’s dramatic elements can a story create the audience empathy it requires. Nowadays, science fiction dialogue and plots are trying less and less to be “out of this world” fearing sounding silly. I far rather that Cassandra and her ilk use contemporary terms like “chav”, offer dialogue with relevance to contemporary satire or play 21st century pop music than continually attempt to create new sci-fi jargon. It’s those pop culture and topical elements that help give the series a stronger rapport with a greater audience. I don’t mind people not liking this writing approach, but it’s a pity the writer gets attacked for “terrible writing” when it’s simply using a specific writing technique.
While I appreciate sci-fi does have a more natural requirement for explanation than contemporary drama, I don’t think it needs to waste valuable character and plot time explaining what makes no sense anyway. With Buffy, Battlestar Galactica and now Doctor Who moving in this direction in the sci-fi genre, fans need to move on too. It’s not just perceptions of sci-fi that are changing, it’s sci-fi as a whole. We are no longer being spoon-fed – get used to it.
That said, there are still a few glitches here. The Rose and Doctor connection is laid on a little thick for my taste. Not an objective criticism for as we all know, sexual tension sells to mainstream markets and it’s mainstream interest which justifies budget. Doctor Who exists comfortably because of mainstream support, not fan loyalty. Personally, I found the dialogue outside the TARDIS a little icky but I know I just have to like it or lump it – it has to be there for the shows continual broad success.
Also in regards to such mainstream contexts, Rose does spend an awful amount of time touching herself in front of a mirror. Certainly, this works within the context of the plot but does feel a little ‘for the dads’ and that is an element of ‘old Doctor Who’ I hoped we were moving past. Most likely this was simply a character requirement to the episode, but it did feel slightly overdone and Piper has had a large makeover for this season. I just hope there is no attempt to move Rose into sex symbol territory. Keeping mainstream interest is one thing, but I’d hate Doctor Who to lose the dignity it has created for itself.
That said, such “show concerns” from fans like myself are amusing mocked by the writer, who seems to enjoy adding references that seem there just to irritate our anal fandom. Such references to certain Doctor body parts being “hardly used” are bound to create fury by purists. Good on you Davies, keep on pushing the boundaries. Doctor Who should never be safe, no matter how much many fans would like it to remain within certain boundaries.
Another minor gripe is the music, some of which is a return to the “End Of The World” motif. It’s not bad at all, but a little heavy at times. This has always been a problem in the new series, feels it could be pushed back a bit in the mix.
On the first watch of “New Earth” I was a little dissatisfied. There is a lot going on and as such it does sometimes feel as the story is screaming for some space to expand certain scenes. The contagion’s final cure in the finale feels a little rushed. The episode made a big issue of the amount of human containers opened in the basement, yet we see only a roomful of humans cured and that doesn’t give the impression of how fast this cure must be spreading through the diseased humans. It’s not a major issue, but the episode suffers from a few similar minor quibbles that on a first viewing seem bigger than they actually are.
Overall, this was a nice journey into the future and proof the show has come far from “Rose”. It’s not perfect; it’s a little over crammed with plots and ideas which in turn do take a slight toil on the pacing, but in comparison to the old show, it’s still miles out there in terms of script, production and drama. A good watch, an even better second viewing, this is far better than some of fandom will admit to. This is good New Who and while I fear for it’s critical success, with the media looking for a time to knock down what they’ve spend a year to build up, I think the production can be proud of this entrance into the second series. Well done – ignore the old school thinking from the sci-fi community and keeping moving forwards. My grandfather always used to say things were better in the old days and now I fear, it’s turn for my generation to start declaring the same.
Monday, May 15, 2006
REVIEW: JLU - Destroyer
[Review written for World's Finest: Spring 2006]
So here we are. The finale. The final one. The end. Excited?
I bet you are.
And what a mixed bag it is. Two sides to this, my ill-metaphored sword.
On one side, it's a shinning beacon to all that is JLU; it has action, it has heroes, it has battles. It has great animation, some really smart one liners and it treats all it's characters with dignity. On the other side, it is all slightly ill paced, utilizes the worst case of deux ex machina I've seen on TV and lacks a little character detail for my personal taste.
In a little more depth (or in the context of the plot, maybe a little less), "Destroyer" concludes the season arc "Legion Of Doom". Lex Luthor's Legion returns to Earth after accidentally unleashing the maniac god Darkseid instead of the maniac machine, Brainiac. The Justice League and the Legion Of Doom (or Secret Society as DC would prefer) come together in alliance to stop this threat as revenge thirsty Darkseid and his creatures invade Earth.
There isn't much more than this to the story, but then the whole episode is designed to be a virtual homage to all that is super-hero action. One shouldn't condemn this episode for the weak plot, it's all about action, action, action.
Action certainly comes thick and fast. It's fluid, dynamic and very exciting stuff. Some pretty nasty scenes there; a spear in Shayera's wing, a decapitation of one of Darkseid's many goons.. It's all fun, occasionally shocking and unlike some of the previous episodes, the action scenes feel well placed and not contrived. After-all, action is the whole point to the story.
While it means there is little in terns of story-depth, this approach allows the show to pay it's respects to as many characters equally and fairly. This seems rather appropriate for a show about a whole league of super-heroes.
In between the action, there is some nice dialogue and a couple of welcome character scenes. J'onn makes a return. The character has clearly evolved and as he intended, found a life. Good on him.
Those expecting any serious resolutions won't find any. This is JLU-alongside-the- Legion-of-Doom-versus-Darkseid-and-minions (his generic minions, don't expect any of his usual cohorts).
The focus battle is Batman, Luthor and Superman Vs Darkseid. The arena: The remains of "The Daily Planet" building. It's a damn fine fight. A particular highlight for me was Superman's small speech before he goes "extra super" on Darkseid.
The attempts from Batman and Luthor to distract Darkseid's attack on Superman give this feud an extra layer. Some may argue having a mortal like Batman knock a virtual god over is slightly unrealistic. However, considering how vital Batman has been to Justice League, it's nice to see him have some serious interaction. It's particularly good to see Superman and Batman working together again.
This seems a good time to take a break from the good, and speak of the bad. Overall, there isn't much of this, but there were certainly some issues in this episode.
I still question (for those who read my review of the previous episode, "Alive") as to whether Darkseid needed to return. He offers nothing new here at all. It's Darkseid after Superman again and the fight is like an extended version of their last encounter in "Twilight". It's good, but with all of DC's literature at their disposal, did we need a forth reckoning? Wasn't "Twilight" major finale strong enough?
Furthermore, his invasion forces are toned down to stupid drones and until his final attack on Superman, he doesn't seem that much more impressive than before. After so many world threats, this doesn't really FEEL much above the norm for JLU, despite seeing such a large roster here.
Personally, I feel that characters that are godly in nature tend to be restrictive. A story can only offer a certain amount of resolutions for such one sided battles. It seems, by "Destroyer", that DCAU have exhausted all angles on Darkseid. It's good fun, but nothing new is done with the character.
The deux ex machina in the final moments comes from the power of anti-life. The problems are two-fold. Its introduction, application and resolution are lightning fast. This really gives some pacing issues with the rest of the episode. It also means it falls for the danger of any such device; the audience feels slightly cheated after such a gigantic buildup.
The second problem is there is no explanation to this device or its effect. If this was a continuing series, you could forgive that, however as a finale in which it's used to resolve the whole story dilemma, it bewilders.
If you know your DC, there probably is no problem - you probably have the background knowledge required to understand the use of anti-life. However, a television show should cater for it's whole audience in the same way a school essay should work on the presumption the reader has little to no knowledge of the subject. In the end, the whole event feels very messy, unwanted and unresolved.
That said, we can now go back to the good. The ending is very touching. Some well executed comments (Superman's remark to Batman about getting old neatly points towards the next stage of the saga - Batman Beyond) and a wonderful montage of all that is JLU, visually and aurally. It's a lovely "heroes heading off into the sunset" type of finish. While some fans would rather have more resolution details, I feel we know all we need to. We know Batman, Superman and JLU carry on into the future. We know that Lantern and Shayera will have a child who joins the JLU. We know there are many more battles out there to fight in the interim between now and Batman Beyond.
So enjoy. It is overall, a great half hour. As I said, in some ways the ending is a little frustrating and one wonders whether having Clark simply beat Darkseid would have been a better ending to the big fight - even if it would have been a little more simplistic. I personally felt that Superman's final blows to Darkseid were an effective enough climax not to warrant any external intervention.
What's more to say? Oh yeah, Grodd and Tala don't come back. Nor do the captive half of the Legion from "Alive". There may have been no obvious deaths for the JLU team, but there were certainly serious casualties in this final epical battle.
A good end to an overall strong season. Not as strong as "Divided We Fall" and a little bit disappointing in relation to the seasons arc (Luthor does disappear mighty fast), but still a solid ending to a solid season. Regardless of the minor issues, JLU certainly was an epic series with an epic finale. Now, go and watch Epilogue again. I think this is the right time to do so.
So here we are. The finale. The final one. The end. Excited?
I bet you are.
And what a mixed bag it is. Two sides to this, my ill-metaphored sword.
On one side, it's a shinning beacon to all that is JLU; it has action, it has heroes, it has battles. It has great animation, some really smart one liners and it treats all it's characters with dignity. On the other side, it is all slightly ill paced, utilizes the worst case of deux ex machina I've seen on TV and lacks a little character detail for my personal taste.In a little more depth (or in the context of the plot, maybe a little less), "Destroyer" concludes the season arc "Legion Of Doom". Lex Luthor's Legion returns to Earth after accidentally unleashing the maniac god Darkseid instead of the maniac machine, Brainiac. The Justice League and the Legion Of Doom (or Secret Society as DC would prefer) come together in alliance to stop this threat as revenge thirsty Darkseid and his creatures invade Earth.
There isn't much more than this to the story, but then the whole episode is designed to be a virtual homage to all that is super-hero action. One shouldn't condemn this episode for the weak plot, it's all about action, action, action.
Action certainly comes thick and fast. It's fluid, dynamic and very exciting stuff. Some pretty nasty scenes there; a spear in Shayera's wing, a decapitation of one of Darkseid's many goons.. It's all fun, occasionally shocking and unlike some of the previous episodes, the action scenes feel well placed and not contrived. After-all, action is the whole point to the story.
While it means there is little in terns of story-depth, this approach allows the show to pay it's respects to as many characters equally and fairly. This seems rather appropriate for a show about a whole league of super-heroes.
In between the action, there is some nice dialogue and a couple of welcome character scenes. J'onn makes a return. The character has clearly evolved and as he intended, found a life. Good on him.
Those expecting any serious resolutions won't find any. This is JLU-alongside-the- Legion-of-Doom-versus-Darkseid-and-minions (his generic minions, don't expect any of his usual cohorts).
The focus battle is Batman, Luthor and Superman Vs Darkseid. The arena: The remains of "The Daily Planet" building. It's a damn fine fight. A particular highlight for me was Superman's small speech before he goes "extra super" on Darkseid.
The attempts from Batman and Luthor to distract Darkseid's attack on Superman give this feud an extra layer. Some may argue having a mortal like Batman knock a virtual god over is slightly unrealistic. However, considering how vital Batman has been to Justice League, it's nice to see him have some serious interaction. It's particularly good to see Superman and Batman working together again.
This seems a good time to take a break from the good, and speak of the bad. Overall, there isn't much of this, but there were certainly some issues in this episode.
I still question (for those who read my review of the previous episode, "Alive") as to whether Darkseid needed to return. He offers nothing new here at all. It's Darkseid after Superman again and the fight is like an extended version of their last encounter in "Twilight". It's good, but with all of DC's literature at their disposal, did we need a forth reckoning? Wasn't "Twilight" major finale strong enough?
Furthermore, his invasion forces are toned down to stupid drones and until his final attack on Superman, he doesn't seem that much more impressive than before. After so many world threats, this doesn't really FEEL much above the norm for JLU, despite seeing such a large roster here.
Personally, I feel that characters that are godly in nature tend to be restrictive. A story can only offer a certain amount of resolutions for such one sided battles. It seems, by "Destroyer", that DCAU have exhausted all angles on Darkseid. It's good fun, but nothing new is done with the character.
The deux ex machina in the final moments comes from the power of anti-life. The problems are two-fold. Its introduction, application and resolution are lightning fast. This really gives some pacing issues with the rest of the episode. It also means it falls for the danger of any such device; the audience feels slightly cheated after such a gigantic buildup.
The second problem is there is no explanation to this device or its effect. If this was a continuing series, you could forgive that, however as a finale in which it's used to resolve the whole story dilemma, it bewilders.
If you know your DC, there probably is no problem - you probably have the background knowledge required to understand the use of anti-life. However, a television show should cater for it's whole audience in the same way a school essay should work on the presumption the reader has little to no knowledge of the subject. In the end, the whole event feels very messy, unwanted and unresolved.
That said, we can now go back to the good. The ending is very touching. Some well executed comments (Superman's remark to Batman about getting old neatly points towards the next stage of the saga - Batman Beyond) and a wonderful montage of all that is JLU, visually and aurally. It's a lovely "heroes heading off into the sunset" type of finish. While some fans would rather have more resolution details, I feel we know all we need to. We know Batman, Superman and JLU carry on into the future. We know that Lantern and Shayera will have a child who joins the JLU. We know there are many more battles out there to fight in the interim between now and Batman Beyond.
So enjoy. It is overall, a great half hour. As I said, in some ways the ending is a little frustrating and one wonders whether having Clark simply beat Darkseid would have been a better ending to the big fight - even if it would have been a little more simplistic. I personally felt that Superman's final blows to Darkseid were an effective enough climax not to warrant any external intervention.
What's more to say? Oh yeah, Grodd and Tala don't come back. Nor do the captive half of the Legion from "Alive". There may have been no obvious deaths for the JLU team, but there were certainly serious casualties in this final epical battle.
A good end to an overall strong season. Not as strong as "Divided We Fall" and a little bit disappointing in relation to the seasons arc (Luthor does disappear mighty fast), but still a solid ending to a solid season. Regardless of the minor issues, JLU certainly was an epic series with an epic finale. Now, go and watch Epilogue again. I think this is the right time to do so.
REVIEW: JLU - Alive
[Review written for World's Finest: Spring 2006]
Alive is a dangerous beast.
Before this rare animal named "Jay El Yew" can be put to rest, we have an episode which essentially defies the protocol of the series and of action cartoons as a whole. With the show's pent-ultimate breath, it produces an episode which could arguably be the most controversial choice at the most controversial time.
With one episode of JLU to follow it, this first part of the two part finale offers no speaking heroes.
None.
Nada.
Not a muscle bound heroic whisper.
With audiences poised to watch their heroes’ final hour in their tenure on Cartoon Network, some may be horrified to find that this time has been cut by half. This episode solely spotlights the villains, and arguably, why not? They play an equal part in the heroic exploits of the JLU. They are the obstacle course that allows the hero to prove his worth. They are more than just a punching bag, they are a characters in their own right. If this series is to finish, should they not have a virtually exclusive episode?
Like it or lump it, this story focuses on the escapades Lex Luthor as he tries to balance his power base in his Secret Society with his need to merge with Brainiac.
It's a risky writing venture. The placement of this type of episode is certainly surprising. The audience is most likely to tune in to JLU to see Superman, Batman, Green Arrow and their various ilk. When the show enters it's final run, will an episode that focuses on the hero's opponents truly satisfy? Furthermore, within the story itself, there are - unsurprisngly - no villains here which can really be deemed likable. Interesting, certainly, but real empathy goes a long way in a show. We the audience, need to feel for one side or another. Tension comes from taking a side. If you don't have any empathy for a character's motivation, it automatically damages the dramatic tension. Is this unique perspective, just a little too late?
Of all the enemy characters, Tala is probably the villain the audience sympathies with. She's caught between a rock and a hard place. Attracted to power and unable to really find a place with either male, animal or otherwise. However empathy isn't the key to this episode, its motivation. The dramatic tension comes from not really wanting Lex to succeed in finding Brainaic, but at the same time, not really wanting Grodd to really stop him either. Lex is infinitely a more fascinating character than Grodd, so out of the two, I think most tend to side on Lex - despite the knowledge of his dreadful intent. The dramatic tension for the audience comes from a lack a decisive certainty as to who they should root for.
So in practical terms, this works fairly well. While hardly likable, Lex is a fine character in DCAU. We may not really root for him, but his victories are always amusing and the extent to his ruthlessness never ceases to surprise. Like with Batman, the audience can't help but relish the sight of a "normal" take victory over the giants.
Lex's quest for Brainiac leads him to the very spot we saw both Brainiac and Darkseid meet their doom in the excellent Justice League episode, "Twilight". Convincing a host of super-villains to follow Lex to the world's utter enslavement via Brainiac is made somewhat more difficult when Grodd is released by a dissatisfied Tala. The result? Another vaguely watch-able brawl.
JLU has had many multi brawls. If we combine the two seasons of Justice League, with the three of JLU, that's five seasons with collectives of super characters battling it out. So by the end of this final season, these fights are feeling somewhat tired. There are a few highlights. Toyman's small scene with his yo-yo was a delight as was Giganta and her very nasty squeezing fit with Grodd. Nevertheless, the only battle sequence I felt really held any true dramatic action this season was in "Grudge Match". I didn't personally feel "Alive" came close to matching it.
Once the battle finishes, and the audience are awakened from this extended period of thwacks and bangs by the shock of Grodd being ejected from an airlock, we have a rather unusual scene. Metron, passive observer of the cosmos pops by to offer a futile warning of what might come. Seems odd for a demigod to bother offering such an apocalypyic warning to a stubborn, arrogant and power mad mortal. Perhaps such declarations are a house rule of an immortal's job, who knows. Whatever the reason, it certainly adds a portent to what's to come..
The final twist will shock and quite possibly disappoint some of the audience. Tala is ruthlessly used to bridge the gap between the asteroid and Lex's Brainiac capturing machine. It's quite a shocking scene, but this is nothing new for this season. Be it baldy humor, realistic character interaction, topical comment or just simple plain violence, this season has not been afraid to push it's constraints. Nevertheless, this whole scene plays off with the epical proportions it requires.
And so Lex doesn't succeed in bringing Brainac back... or at least not in the way he wants.. To his clearly visible horror, his gigantic gambit has brought him a gigantic threat - Darkseid.
Personally I was a filled to the brim with an unholy mix of major thrills and minor disappointment. It certainly is a climatic and well produced scene. The arc of this season, with villain working with villain, has a logical fluidity that would accumulate with a scenario which might require villain working with villain standing next to hero alongside hero. In essence, the ultimate JLU bound together to fight against the might of Darkseid.
However, the problem lies with Darkseid himself. If Darkseid had not had several outings through DCAU already, there would be no issue here. The problem lies with Darkseid's godlike status. He is a character with limitless power. With limitless power comes limited writing potential. When the stories revolve around heroes who do have limits, how do you put such limited characters against a virtually limitless foe again and again? How do you do so without having to add more limits to the villain or less limits on the heroes? How do you prevent a resolution manifesting without having to weaken or strengthen one against their natural strength?
It's a danger all powerful villains have in stories when you reuse them. Be they Darkseid, be they Borg, It is a natural part of character writing that demands a different method of resolution each time you create adversity. Create an almost unbeatable character, you are left with almost unwinnable odds for the weaker side.
Darkseid's death in "Twilight" made his exit from Justice League a solid one. How will his return and assumed defeat affect Twlight's powerful finale? In all fairness, the audience cannot say. We can offer our natural reaction to this revelation, but no honest fan - particularly with JLU's solid track record - can presume that the finale, "Destroyer" won't hold a twist the audience has not participated. Here's hoping my assessment is stamped on by Mr Timm and company, thus proved to be utterly irrelevant. I can endure the kick to my opinionated ego if it means we have one hell of a finale.
Finally, we have the epilogue and at this point, it is slightly confusing. Darkseid is back on Apocalypse after destroying Grodd's ship along with Lex and his crew. Back on Earth, the JLU are warned about Darkseid's potential threat by .. Lex and his crew. How these threads and all of JLU will resolve (or not) is yet to be clear. Again, one is hesitant to condemn any lack of resolution until we've seen "Destroyer" and its ultimate resolution to life, JLU and well, everything.
So as a pent-ultimate episode, I must honestly say, for all it's strengths, "Alive" feels poorly placed. The mandatory battles seems too long and at this point in the show, way too extensive. It's just another excuse to see X character to battle Y character. Probably a part of the show's official mandate, but nevertheless at this point feels fairly unwelcome. That's not to say the battles are badly played out. They have their strong points, but overall they lack the real inspiration to warrant their length. As a long term watcher, I just honestly wanted to fast forward onwards to the character parts.
Furthermore, such a unique tale doesn't get the appreciation in deserves when it's placement feels like padding to the upcoming event. Unfair when assessing the show on it's own, but as part of a larger entity, one can't help feeling it was poorly timed. Knowing there is little more than half an hour left before we lose our JLU heroes forever makes "Alive" a slightly resentful watch.
Nevertheless, it's still good drama from a very respectable final season. Lex is wonderfully ruthless, there is some great pieces of direction and, as always, some super shreds of dialogue.
A good watch, however it just feels such a unique episode would have been far better appreciated (and overall, more conducive to the season as a whole) if it had got an earlier slot. Watch, enjoy and do your best to forget about the time left.
Alive is a dangerous beast.
Before this rare animal named "Jay El Yew" can be put to rest, we have an episode which essentially defies the protocol of the series and of action cartoons as a whole. With the show's pent-ultimate breath, it produces an episode which could arguably be the most controversial choice at the most controversial time.
With one episode of JLU to follow it, this first part of the two part finale offers no speaking heroes.
None.
Nada.
Not a muscle bound heroic whisper.
With audiences poised to watch their heroes’ final hour in their tenure on Cartoon Network, some may be horrified to find that this time has been cut by half. This episode solely spotlights the villains, and arguably, why not? They play an equal part in the heroic exploits of the JLU. They are the obstacle course that allows the hero to prove his worth. They are more than just a punching bag, they are a characters in their own right. If this series is to finish, should they not have a virtually exclusive episode?
Like it or lump it, this story focuses on the escapades Lex Luthor as he tries to balance his power base in his Secret Society with his need to merge with Brainiac.
It's a risky writing venture. The placement of this type of episode is certainly surprising. The audience is most likely to tune in to JLU to see Superman, Batman, Green Arrow and their various ilk. When the show enters it's final run, will an episode that focuses on the hero's opponents truly satisfy? Furthermore, within the story itself, there are - unsurprisngly - no villains here which can really be deemed likable. Interesting, certainly, but real empathy goes a long way in a show. We the audience, need to feel for one side or another. Tension comes from taking a side. If you don't have any empathy for a character's motivation, it automatically damages the dramatic tension. Is this unique perspective, just a little too late?
Of all the enemy characters, Tala is probably the villain the audience sympathies with. She's caught between a rock and a hard place. Attracted to power and unable to really find a place with either male, animal or otherwise. However empathy isn't the key to this episode, its motivation. The dramatic tension comes from not really wanting Lex to succeed in finding Brainaic, but at the same time, not really wanting Grodd to really stop him either. Lex is infinitely a more fascinating character than Grodd, so out of the two, I think most tend to side on Lex - despite the knowledge of his dreadful intent. The dramatic tension for the audience comes from a lack a decisive certainty as to who they should root for.
So in practical terms, this works fairly well. While hardly likable, Lex is a fine character in DCAU. We may not really root for him, but his victories are always amusing and the extent to his ruthlessness never ceases to surprise. Like with Batman, the audience can't help but relish the sight of a "normal" take victory over the giants.
Lex's quest for Brainiac leads him to the very spot we saw both Brainiac and Darkseid meet their doom in the excellent Justice League episode, "Twilight". Convincing a host of super-villains to follow Lex to the world's utter enslavement via Brainiac is made somewhat more difficult when Grodd is released by a dissatisfied Tala. The result? Another vaguely watch-able brawl.
JLU has had many multi brawls. If we combine the two seasons of Justice League, with the three of JLU, that's five seasons with collectives of super characters battling it out. So by the end of this final season, these fights are feeling somewhat tired. There are a few highlights. Toyman's small scene with his yo-yo was a delight as was Giganta and her very nasty squeezing fit with Grodd. Nevertheless, the only battle sequence I felt really held any true dramatic action this season was in "Grudge Match". I didn't personally feel "Alive" came close to matching it.
Once the battle finishes, and the audience are awakened from this extended period of thwacks and bangs by the shock of Grodd being ejected from an airlock, we have a rather unusual scene. Metron, passive observer of the cosmos pops by to offer a futile warning of what might come. Seems odd for a demigod to bother offering such an apocalypyic warning to a stubborn, arrogant and power mad mortal. Perhaps such declarations are a house rule of an immortal's job, who knows. Whatever the reason, it certainly adds a portent to what's to come..
The final twist will shock and quite possibly disappoint some of the audience. Tala is ruthlessly used to bridge the gap between the asteroid and Lex's Brainiac capturing machine. It's quite a shocking scene, but this is nothing new for this season. Be it baldy humor, realistic character interaction, topical comment or just simple plain violence, this season has not been afraid to push it's constraints. Nevertheless, this whole scene plays off with the epical proportions it requires.
And so Lex doesn't succeed in bringing Brainac back... or at least not in the way he wants.. To his clearly visible horror, his gigantic gambit has brought him a gigantic threat - Darkseid.
Personally I was a filled to the brim with an unholy mix of major thrills and minor disappointment. It certainly is a climatic and well produced scene. The arc of this season, with villain working with villain, has a logical fluidity that would accumulate with a scenario which might require villain working with villain standing next to hero alongside hero. In essence, the ultimate JLU bound together to fight against the might of Darkseid.
However, the problem lies with Darkseid himself. If Darkseid had not had several outings through DCAU already, there would be no issue here. The problem lies with Darkseid's godlike status. He is a character with limitless power. With limitless power comes limited writing potential. When the stories revolve around heroes who do have limits, how do you put such limited characters against a virtually limitless foe again and again? How do you do so without having to add more limits to the villain or less limits on the heroes? How do you prevent a resolution manifesting without having to weaken or strengthen one against their natural strength?
It's a danger all powerful villains have in stories when you reuse them. Be they Darkseid, be they Borg, It is a natural part of character writing that demands a different method of resolution each time you create adversity. Create an almost unbeatable character, you are left with almost unwinnable odds for the weaker side.
Darkseid's death in "Twilight" made his exit from Justice League a solid one. How will his return and assumed defeat affect Twlight's powerful finale? In all fairness, the audience cannot say. We can offer our natural reaction to this revelation, but no honest fan - particularly with JLU's solid track record - can presume that the finale, "Destroyer" won't hold a twist the audience has not participated. Here's hoping my assessment is stamped on by Mr Timm and company, thus proved to be utterly irrelevant. I can endure the kick to my opinionated ego if it means we have one hell of a finale.
Finally, we have the epilogue and at this point, it is slightly confusing. Darkseid is back on Apocalypse after destroying Grodd's ship along with Lex and his crew. Back on Earth, the JLU are warned about Darkseid's potential threat by .. Lex and his crew. How these threads and all of JLU will resolve (or not) is yet to be clear. Again, one is hesitant to condemn any lack of resolution until we've seen "Destroyer" and its ultimate resolution to life, JLU and well, everything.
So as a pent-ultimate episode, I must honestly say, for all it's strengths, "Alive" feels poorly placed. The mandatory battles seems too long and at this point in the show, way too extensive. It's just another excuse to see X character to battle Y character. Probably a part of the show's official mandate, but nevertheless at this point feels fairly unwelcome. That's not to say the battles are badly played out. They have their strong points, but overall they lack the real inspiration to warrant their length. As a long term watcher, I just honestly wanted to fast forward onwards to the character parts.
Furthermore, such a unique tale doesn't get the appreciation in deserves when it's placement feels like padding to the upcoming event. Unfair when assessing the show on it's own, but as part of a larger entity, one can't help feeling it was poorly timed. Knowing there is little more than half an hour left before we lose our JLU heroes forever makes "Alive" a slightly resentful watch.
Nevertheless, it's still good drama from a very respectable final season. Lex is wonderfully ruthless, there is some great pieces of direction and, as always, some super shreds of dialogue.
A good watch, however it just feels such a unique episode would have been far better appreciated (and overall, more conducive to the season as a whole) if it had got an earlier slot. Watch, enjoy and do your best to forget about the time left.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)