Terror of the Autons
Previous: Season 7: Inferno
Terror of the Autons
An Auton story opening at the circus? Gee, I don't see this ending badly at ALL.
OH HELLO MAGICALLY APPEARING TRUCK THAT SOUNDS LIKE A TARDIS.
And he just jumps out the back door and strolls away like nothing. Ladies and gentlemen: the one, the only, the diabolical, the Master.
"Who the heck are you?" What the heck is your accent?
"I am usually referred to as the Master."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Universally."
So, I have to admit, this is a much less ceremonious introduction than I would expect for such a major character.
Wow. He didn't even have to use a "you will obey me" on him. And why did that guard need a bluescreened background for that one shot?
"Iiiii didn't meeeean to set the woooorld on fiiirrrrre...OFFF" *boom*
Three! It's been a long time! And who's that at the door? JO GRANT! Haven't seen you since...well...Death of the Doctor!
"...this area is strictly out of bounds to everybody except the tea lady and the Brigadier's personal staff?"
"I'm your new assistant!"
I'll bet Jo is the only new companion to come right up to the Doctor and tell him in as many words to his face. Awesome.
Well, at least we've got the Autons identified right off the bat.
Meanwhile, atop a radio tower, SCIENCE!
I'll bet that was the first use of the Master's TCE. I have to admit, it looked less phallic back in the '70s.
Ack, closeup of the Nestene sphere reveals, like many things on this show, production shoddiness. Balls. I liked that prop.
BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG!
"What you need Doctor as Miss Shaw herself so often remarked is someone to pass you your test tubes, and to tell you how brilliant you are."
Things I've missed lately: that smug look the Brig gives the Doctor when he knows he's right.
Ooo, first mention of Yates! I wonder if we'll get to meet him this episode?
Ah, there he is! Hello, Yates!
So right when I'm thinking "oh wait, The Time Warrior was the last Three serial I watched and that was this spring..." what.
No seriously. I think the Master's TARDIS just materialized as...a...dude...with...a cane...in mid-air...what.
Unless...that's...another Time Lord...? What?
Ah, so it is. Three hears the Master's on the loose and all he says is "that jackanapes, all he ever does is cause trouble!" UNDERSTATEMENT.
"He's a...he's an unimaginative plodder!"
"His degree in cosmic science was of a higher class...than yours." #oooburn
Wow. Whoever this Time Lord is, he seems to be present solely for the purpose of smug mockery towards Three.
And I don't mean that in the nice fun Brigly way, either.
This has been another edition of Oh So That's Where That Gif Came From!
Oh wow. With Ainley they always made little models of the TCE victims, but here they're actually showing the scaled-down actors.
"I thought you took an A-level in science."
"Didn't say I passed."
Ah, THERE'S our "you will obey me."
Jo, I think you're in trouble now.
I really hope Jo gets out of that hypnosis soon, because this really isn't a good way to introduce a new companion.
On a lighter note, BENTON!
Aaaand suddenly the two company execs are arguing over the place as a family business. Okay.
Okay seriously what's up with all the greenscreened backgrounds in this episode? Was the budget so low they couldn't afford studio shots?
Did...Jo just punch Yates in the stomach? Yes, I think she did. That would be awesome if she wasn't doing it For Evil.
I was going to mention this in the first ep, but the music they're using is the Second Doctor's theme. I thought they'd shortened it by now?
Aaaaaand UNIT HQ is conveniently next to a bay into which Three can throw the bomb. Well. That was handy. Hi, seagulls.
An unfortunate pitfall of Classic Who: at the right angle, you can very clearly see that the TARDIS prop is completely empty.
"This plastic has got unique properties." Like MURRRRRDEEEEEERRRR.
Oh god. Especially with that music, that is a VERY sinister armchair. Holy crap.
"Try sitting in it." AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO END.
And the children of Britain never sat in plastic chairs, or slept, ever again. #omnomnom
I'm surprised Three is just talking to Jo to revive her instead of using one of his Time Lord mind powers.
Family business time, and now we've brought in Daddy!
Looks like he also comes equipped with +5 immunity against hypnosis.
Unfortunately that won't stop the Master from throwing the creepiest troll doll ever into the back of his car.
Awww, at least Three's quick to forgive Jo for the whole s'plosion fiasco.
"You know, Brigadier, your methods have all the refined subtlety of a bull in a china shop." This bickering will never get old. Ever.
............why is there a blowfish hanging from the ceiling.
Did Yates just say "what's up, then?" in a playful and possibly-hitting-on-Jo kind of way? Okay.
Evil plastic trolls are heat-activated, apparently.
Ohhhhhhhh Master you cheeky cheeky bastard. You were three steps ahead this whole time instead of just one.
Awww, elephants :D
Suddenly, completely-expected-Jo!
"There's something...evil about it." ACK, DON'T GIVE US A CLOSE-UP OF THE TROLL NONONONO.
"What's his name?"
"He's name's none 'o your business."
"Hmm. That's a strange name."
Racefail of the Day: The circus master has a black strongman do his dirty work. Wearing a leopard skin. Wow, guys.
"You'll stay in the background until I arrive, is that clear?" Brig, rule 1 of companions: they never willingly "stay in the background."
Speaking of backgrounds, couldn't they just use some sort of wallpaper for the trees outside the phone booth? INSTEAD OF GREENSCREEN?
AND FOR THE KITCHEN? YOU SERIOUSLY DIDN'T HAVE A KITCHEN SET SOMEWHERE AT THE BBC?
Sorry I'm getting so irrationally mad about this, it's just...getting a little exasperating.
JO GRANT SMASH!
Three and Jo appear to be under siege by a circus lynch mob. Can't say I was expecting this.
OR THAT HOLY CRAP GET THEM OUT OF THERE.
and now they're in a fake police car probably driven by Autons and the Brig is in hot pursuit and omg
"It's some sort of a quarry." Well, at least they're going into familiar territory.
GHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFHKSDHAFKLDSHFKLDSHFKL THAT FACE WHAT THE FLYING FUCK
DOCTOR SMASH! And, say it with me, RUN AWAY!
Jo blends into the foliage pretty well, but I'm a bit surprised Three's black cape and smoking jacket don't catch the enemy's eyes.
These are Yates’ Determined Teeth.
"They're Autons! Bullets can't stop them!" I can tell the Brig is probably making an exasperated face on the inside.
Wait PLEASE TELL ME YATES IS GOING TO TRY AND RUN ONE OVER WITH THE CAR.
Firstly, YES. Secondly, wow, that was some impressive stunt work.
Meanwhile, back at the Mastercave...
"The more he struggles to postpone the moment, the greater the ultimate satisfaction." #notfreudianatall
"Now where was I..."
"Ten, sir."
("Three, sir!")
You know what I just realized Three and the Brig are like? Long-distance school friends who don't have problems until they move in together.
"You know, Jo, I sometimes think that 'military intelligence' is a contradiction in terms." Posting for classic-ness.
I think that's the first time the entire room's shaken when the TARDIS tries to take off. Also, billowing white smoke can't be a good sign.
"Doctor, stop being childish."
"What's wrong with being childish? I like being childish."
Somehow, Tom carries that a lot better than Jon.
Ohhhhhhhhh snap, that's the suffocating daffodil, isn't it?
WAIT A SECOND WHY WOULD ANYONE TAKE A FLOWER FROM SOMEONE WEARING A GIANT CARTOON HEAD SERIOUSLY WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE
Oh god there's an army of them what the balls.
HANG ON. SINCE WHEN CAN THE AUTONS TALK. AND WHY DO THEY KINDA SOUND LIKE DALEKS.
Awww, Three's sticking up for the Brig. Although that's probably because this new guy called Three "some stray buffon."
The evil plastics have started killing people in their homes. This...this is actually more disturbing than the majority of Classic monsters.
You know, with UNIT doing all that extensive research into the plastics companies, you'd like a name like "Masters" would've rung a bell.
Wait...why would the widow even keep the doll after all that? Oh right... #theplot
*insert Operation joke here*
Ah HA! I KNEW the telephone guy looked suspicious...
Awww, Yates is making hot cocoa for Jo...with Three's Bunsen burner...right next to the heat-activated death doll...
JO JO TURN AROUND JO TURN AROUND JO JO JO TURN AROUND
Shoot a tiny Auton with one hand, hold two mugs and a can of cocoa in the other. Mike Yates, ladies and gentlemen.
So apparently the Master just keeps a live Auton in a safe. ...Sure, why not?
I bet I know what that phone cord's about to do...
Yup. And this is a Jon Pertwee's Face Appreciation Post.
"Help, Brigadier, HELP!" Probably the most satisfying thing the Brig's heard all serial, subconsciously speaking.
An hour and a half to stop the RAF from blowing a quarry all to shit? Three says: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
Maybe it's because I already know what the daffodils do, but part of me is looking at Three doing science and screaming "GET ON WITH IT."
HOLY CRAP. I thought the daffodils latched themselves onto people's faces, not shoot liquid plastic at them.
Suddenly, MASTER.
I love how general Classic attitude of Doctor and Master always tends to be some variant of "s'up, bro."
...Ah. Jo, I don't think you should've said that.
Well, at least Three still has a plan. And we've only got about 7-8 minutes left, so it's pretty sure to work.
Wow. That was pretty fast for getting out such a long message.
"Jo, it's a pity escapology wasn't part of your curriculum."
"Funny you should say that: look."
FREE HANDS!
Oh hey, Rex was alive this whole time! Although I can't expect that to last much longer...
What's that, Jo? You've hurt your ankle? Congratulations, you're a companion.
Looks like the Master's finally reached the point of "screw this, I'm finishing the job myself."
So they've got...3-4 minutes to resolve everything. That might be just a tad tricky.
"Change the polarity!" And...that seems to magically fix everything. Okay, cool.
The Master seems to be surrendering, which is Masterspeak for "I've got a cunning plan up my sleeve."
But then he got shot repeatedly and...OHHHHHH WAIT, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.
Oh. Actually, I was partly right, but I wasn't expecting THAT. Poor Rex. His mother loses a husband and a son in one serial.
"Think he'll turn up again, Doctor?"
"Mmm, bound to."
"You don't seem very worried about it."
"I'm not. As a matter of fact, Jo, I'm rather looking forward to it."
Get used to it, Doctor. He'll be around even through your tenth incarnation.
Next: The Mind of Evil