The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve
Previous: The Daleks' Master Plan
The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve
Companion officially identified by scrolling text as Steven Taylor. First time seeing him!
Which begs the question, is he One's sole companion at the moment?
This is usually where I'd check wikipedia for the answer, but I'm actually more interested to find out by watching.
"Ah, that strange brotherhood of apothecaries..." Wow. Even back then, the Doctor was the master of Saying Stuff That People Just Don't Say.
"We must go in and change."
"Have you got the right clothes?"
"Oh, you'd be surprised what I've got in my wardrobe."
Strange. This is one of the only times I've seen period costume brought up.
You guys have NO idea how weird it is to hear the phrase "here in Paris" spoken with a British accent. It just...I dunno...GAH.
BAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh man why do I find their period dress so funny...
Also it would appear that, yes, One IS indeed just traveling with Steven at the moment.
"Will you promise me you won't get into trouble?" GEE. I WONDER WHERE THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE GOING.
Hmm, introduction of a female character at last...could this be Dodo? I know this is supposed to be her introductory story...
"She doesn't appear to care for the cardinal's service. I suggest you let her go." Ooo, I like this guy.
Okay, so that's not Dodo. *checks wikipedia* Oh! That's probably her sister! They both have the same last name, so...
Ah, 17th century religious conflict. Such wonderful charming material for children's television.
So why can't Steven just go back and wait in the TARDIS for the night? Oh yeah, plot reasons...
Wait...THE DOCTOR is the Abbot??? *checks wikipedia again* ...no, apparently it's a different character played by William Hartnell. ...okay.
Of course, they're in France so it WOULD be pronounced "shap-LAY" and not "CHAP-let". Oh, childhood French, why have you deserted me?
I like that every time they use the same actor for two different characters, the similarity become part of the plot somehow.
I have to admit, watching the old black-and-white historicals before they added the sci-fi feels like watching a completely different show.
"It is just possible that the Doctor is PRETENDING to be the Abbot!" And if not, then that might just make this a Classic Doctor-lite story?
This is probably the first time I've ever said this about Doctor Who but...this serial is quite a sausagefest. I like Anne but where's Dodo?
So important people didn't meet the Abbot until "yesterday"? Hmmm...
Reconstructed sword fight? This'll be interesting. Or not.
"(Gaston furiously lashes out at everything in sight.)" And yet we're not hearing a lot of clanging and crashing.
Make up your minds! Is "the sea beggar" supposed to be a negative term or a positive one?
Hartnell's back! Notice that it took nearly 10 minutes for anything particularly interesting to happen in this episode.
Also, he's still playing the Abbot. If he IS really the Doctor, he's hiding it pretty well.
I certainly hope Steven can properly explain to Anne that he did NOT just betray her.
Gun barrel sticking out of a window. That can't be good...
I would say "BOOM HEADSHOT!" except it would be more like "BOOM ARMSHOT!"
"It is strange, Father Abbot, that since you came, everything which had been so carefully planned had gone wrong." Hmm, Doctor interference?
AND NOW HE'S BEEN ORDERED DEAD ON THE SPOT FOR TREACHERY. WHAT.
Then again, it's 17th century France. Should I really expect any less?
Lesson of the Day: NEVER interrupt a king while he's in the middle of a tennis match. "WILL I NEVER HAVE ANY PEACE?!?!?" *RAEG*
"Oh, my admiral...my little father...I will see you avenged." I'm going to have to wikipedia the entire plot after this, won't I?
Because seriously, I only have about half an idea what's going on.
So if they're saying that the Abbot is dead now, that could mean one of two things:
1) One really ISN'T the Abbot and a murder DID just happen.
2) The Doctor is, as usual, immune to death until the plot calls for it.
The king is threatening to have his own mother arrested and thrown into a convent. Oh you crazy French...
And now they're showing Hartnell as a dead Abbot body. Which begs the question...who's that guy in the crowd who looks remarkably like him?
Or is my imagination just being overactive? I mean, the picture's pretty low quality, being a reconstruction and everything...
Yeah, just my imagination. And now Steven has an ANGRY FRENCH MOB CHASING HIM.
"Are you going to go back to your friend, the Doctor?"
"I can't...he's dead."
Oh yes, this was back before regeneration was created...
ONE'S CANE LOCATED. Let's see where it goes from here...
...HOLY CRAP HELLO ONE WELCOME BACK AFTER A MOST-OF-THE-SERIAL ABSENCE.
"Is there anything you need, admiral?"
"......stay with me..."
"...of course."
Awwww...
"What year is it boy?"
"I don't know. What difference does it make?"
Steven, this ALWAYS makes a difference when you travel with the Doctor.
1572. Okay, so it's the 16th century, not the 17th century. Also, when is One going to explain WHERE EXACTLY HE WAS?
"There is NO TIME for me to explain! Come along, boy!" Umm, actually you've still got a good 15 minutes of episode left...
Religious massacres. Again, charming subject for children's television.
Then again, Britain has much different standards for what children can handle...*glares malevolently at my puritan-founded country*
"The order has been given. You may begin."
"My men are ready. Where's the list?"
"There IS no list."
Ho boy...
"We will unleash the wolves of Paris. None are to be spared." HO boy...
Wait...they're leaving in the TARDIS already? What are they going to do for the last 10 minutes?
You know, like, other than this historical paintings montage of the actual massacre.
Looks like we're going to have a TARDIS talk! The subject? "Why did we leave Anne Chaplet behind to be slaughtered?"
"You can't say for certain that you weren't responsible for that girl's death." Suddenly my mind jumps to the family from Fires of Pompeii.
"I tell you this much, Doctor: wherever this machine of yours lands next, I'm getting off!" *resists wikipedia for now...*
WOAH. HANG ON. ACTUAL FOOTAGE. AND I THOUGHT THERE WASN'T ANY THAT SURVIVED. Unless this is stock footage of the central column moving...
...and of the TARDIS doors opening.
"(Steven leaves the TARDIS)" But is that really it? We've still got 5 minutes left, and we still haven't met Dodo!
"And now...they've all gone. ALL gone..." Poor Doctor, all alone again...
"None of them could understand...not even...my little Susan..." ;______;
"Chesterton..." HOLY CRAP DID HE JUST FINALLY GET IAN'S NAME RIGHT.
Completely Random Girl just ran inside the TARDIS.
"Who are you?"
"...Where's the telephone?"
WHY HELLO YOU MUST BE DODO!
Steven's back! And I really hope those police find another ACTUAL police box to get help for that kid...
This has GOT to be a record-setting speed for establishing companion backstory.
Ahhhh, so Anne was Dodo's ANCESTOR. And the latter's last name IS pronounced "CHAP-let"!
And over the beginning of the end credits is a VO ad for next week's "new episode," which begs the question...
WAS THE AUDIO FROM THE RECONSTRUCTION USED FROM SOMEONE RECORDING IT WHEN IT?!?!? FIRST?!?!? AIRED?!?!?!? HOLY FU
EXCUSE ME GUYS I'M HAVING KIND OF A HUGE DORKGASM RIGHT NOW OH MY GOD
And I just realized that One never really DID explain where he'd been that whole time, did he? Unless he was with the apothecary...
Next: The Ark