Trial of a Time Lord (Parts 5-8): Mindwarp

[ADAMK]

What do people make of this (Season 23) 1986 story written by Philip Martin?

This is the analysis from the official BBC website (WARNING! SPOILERS): http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/ ... ysis.shtml

[Tom N.]

I've got to say, this one's pretty dire thus far. The direction is flat as a pancake and it's very difficult to care about what's going on. And did anyone else think that Part 2 (Part 6 of the overall arc) coud have used some more incidental music? Some scenes in Crozier's lab were obviously meant to be thrilling and exciting and dramatic, but they were utterly devoid of music which made it seem more like an early rehearsal than a final edit.

About the only good bit occurred near the beginning:

Doctor: I OBJECT!!!!
Inquisitor (from out of shot): Sit down and shut up! (reflecting the feelings of the viewer, perhaps?)

I laughed my head off at that, but unfortunately there was precious little to enjoy afterwards.

[charlie]

I saw parts one and two today. They were TERRIBLE!!!! The music is half the show what was going on?! The story was a regular doctor who thing but why wasnt there music. That was the worst doctor Ive ever seen.

And Sil didnt seem quite the same. Did anyone else notice that we never saw Sil when he was gurgling his tougne. It always focused on who he was gurgling at.

[charlie]

Yay parts three and four are back to normal!

I pray that I never see another atrocity such as parts one and two.

[Wester]

Very rarely do I vote 'Turkey'. However, for this installment its a case of 'gobble, gobble, gobble'.

[meglos]

Sad to see the end of Peri.

[SharazJek]

I'd rather watch this over Happiness Patrol any day. Brian Blessed is one of the best OTT actors of the 20th century. Love it!

Crozier was also well played.

I fail to see what is so wrong with it.

It would have been fun to have Peri's brain transferred into Kiv's body and continue her adventures with the Doctor.

Someone pass the marshmillows!!

[Genlock]

I glad someone else (Tom N. & Charlie) noticed the incidental music was missing from Part 02 of "Mindwarp". I'll have to drag out the Tardis Tin with the complete TOATL on it and see if it's the same.

Or did the ABC just get a dud copy?

I remember (does anyone else?) that when Tom Baker was leaving the role (or was it Peter Davidson?), that rumours flew that Brian Blessed was to be the new Doctor. It even got a piece in the local "SMH TV Pink Guide" of the time. Of course it wasn't true, just Brian Blessed having some fun and telling tall tales at some exhibition. Can you imagine what the show would have been like with Brian Blessed as "The Doctor"?

Personally I'm waiting to hear the words "take six" which legend has it can be heard somewhere during this trial.

[Dougy]

Possibly the worst WHO set of episodes ever. THe only good part was Nicols brilliant acting once she has changed. What is it with the WHO actresses being better when they are "possesed" then when they are actually in character?

[Genlock]

A friend just pointed out the following which I completely missed.

The writer credits at the start of "Trial" Pt.07 or "Mindwarp" Pt.03 are wrong, and you can see a jump in the picture where the edit takes place. As my friend said; "Who was at the wheel when this one got past?".

And yes, "Mindwarp" Pt.02 has no incidental music or SFX, which are present on the VHS copy. And the edit broadcast by the ABC is also just slightly different from the VHS version.

Good to see the distributors are concerned that we the viewers only get the best.

[Davros]

Sad to see the end of Peri.

Too true, I didnt see the start of this one or the end of the other ...how did she go out of the show and how did Mel come into it?

thanks

[hallhotdogma]

Episode 2 without the incidentals showed it up for the crap that it is. My girlfriend was none to impressed!

[Genlock]

Episode 2 without the incidentals showed it up for the crap that it is. My girlfriend was none to impressed!

It does demonstrate how important music and sfx are when "viewing" a film. Some decent music can really inprove an average film.

[Theta Sigma]

The Part 5 information text on the DVD release speculated whether the Valeyard's address of sagacity to the Inquisitor was whether it was her name or Gallifreyan term of endearment. The notes says it is probably the latter due to the dictionary definition of sagacity. (The writer of the notes certainly had time to look up the word 'sagacity' unlike the word 'jurists' for the previous segment [Parts 1 to 4] when he clearly got that word confused with 'jurors'.) In the commentary writer Philip Martin said that he used the word 'sagacity' because he likes the sound of it and gave no indication whether it was ever intended to be the Inquisitor's name.

The Inquisitor eventually does get a name in Big Finish's Gallifrey audio series as it is revealed to be Darkel.

According to the notes, the script described the Doctor's CD phaser as a weapon and it is out of character for the Doctor to possess dangerous weapons.

While Christopher Ryan (Kiv) is mentioned to have returned to Doctor Who for the 2008 series starring David Tennant's Doctor the notes however did not mentioned his 2008 episodes The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky by name and that he had played General Staal. The notes simply says that he had played a Sontaran warrior.
Usually whenever an actor's other Doctor Who roles is brought up by the notes, the name of the actor's other Doctor Who stories and characters is mentioned. This wasn't the case for Ryan's Sontaran episodes and undoubtedly it is because of the DVD releases of what has been called the classic series making a distinction between the adventures of the first eight Doctors with that of Doctor Who since 2005.

[jfisher01]

The Part 5 information text on the DVD release speculated whether the Valeyard's address of sagacity to the Inquisitor was whether it was her name or Gallifreyan term of endearment. The notes says it is probably the latter due to the dictionary definition of sagacity. (The writer of the notes certainly had time to look up the word 'sagacity' unlike the word 'jurists' for the previous segment [Parts 1 to 4] when he clearly got that word confused with 'jurors'.) In the commentary writer Philip Martin said that he used the word 'sagacity' because he likes the sound of it and gave no indication whether it was ever intended to be the Inquisitor's name.

The Inquisitor eventually does get a name in Big Finish's Gallifrey audio series as it is revealed to be Darkel.

According to the notes, the script described the Doctor's CD phaser as a weapon and it is out of character for the Doctor to possess dangerous weapons.

While Christopher Ryan (Kiv) is mentioned to have returned to Doctor Who for the 2008 series starring David Tennant's Doctor the notes however did not mentioned his 2008 episodes The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky by name and that he had played General Staal. The notes simply says that he had played a Sontaran warrior.
Usually whenever an actor's other Doctor Who roles is brought up by the notes, the name of the actor's other Doctor Who stories and characters is mentioned. This wasn't the case for Ryan's Sontaran episodes and undoubtedly it is because of the DVD releases of what has been called the classic series making a distinction between the adventures of the first eight Doctors with that of Doctor Who since 2005.

Wow. What a tragedy. That is so sad, that they didn't mention a characters name.

[Theta Sigma]

Wow. What a tragedy. That is so sad, that they didn't mention a characters name.

First of all the only time you should roll anything is when you ousted someone from a job. Just like the Doctor rolled Harriet Jones. Please do not do that thing with your eyes again.

You are rather missing the point, the point I was presenting is the distinct approach that has been made with the DVD releases regarding information between pre-2005 Doctor Who and Doctor Who since 2005. The approach is not actually consistent with all the classic series releases, for instance a documentary on The Edge of Destruction DVD included clips of Boom Town & Parting of The Ways in its explanation of how the TARDIS works which was the focus of The Edge of Destruction.

[jfisher01]

Yes, but the point is, that anyone who actually cares about whether it's listed or not will no doubt already know that. There's no point getting worked up over it.

And last time I checked, to roll your eyes means 'How pointless is that?'

[Theta Sigma]

The DVD notes for Part 6 mentioned Nabil Shaban's previous appearance as Sil in Vengeance on Varos. It says that Shaban got the role of Sil due to two people, one of whom was Rosalind Ayres, recommending him to the Doctor Who production team. The notes mentioned Ayres being the wife of Martin Jarvis but not the fact that he was Shaban's co-star in Vengeance of Varos.
I would have thought that Jarvis being in Vengeance on Varos was of more relevance to Shaban's casting in the story than who Jarvis is married to. Since Jarvis' casting in Vengeance on Varos was not mentioned in the Trial notes it was therefore not necessary to mention him just for merely being Ayres' husband. Rosalind Ayres can be presented as being her own person without the mention of who she is married to.

[Greg]

The DVD notes for Part 6 mentioned Nabil Shaban's previous appearance as Sil in Vengeance on Varos. It says that Shaban got the role of Sil due to two people, one of whom was Rosalind Ayres, recommending him to the Doctor Who production team. The notes mentioned Ayres being the wife of Martin Jarvis but not the fact that he was Shaban's co-star in Vengeance of Varos.
I would have thought that Jarvis being in Vengeance on Varos was of more relevance to Shaban's casting in the story than who Jarvis is married to. Since Jarvis' casting in Vengeance on Varos was not mentioned in the Trial notes it was therefore not necessary to mention him just for merely being Ayres' husband. Rosalind Ayres can be presented as being her own person without the mention of who she is married to.

Oh my god.

Most pointless post EVER!

[Sulp Niar]

You really could be DW's next Continuity Advisor, TS.