Hello everyone, the Historian here. Thanks for bearing with us during the technical difficulties encountered last week. We’re all here this week and ready to watch the third episode of this still fairly mysterious (to most of the Project) story! Let’s get to the episode! This episode first aired 28 September, 1968.
H = Historian
K = Ketina
R = Ronelyn (at the end)
Sc = Schmallturn (briefly)
Sp = Spoo
EG = ElfGrrl
SG = SpookyGrrly
P = Photobug
A = Altair
E = Ezio
—
P: Is it me or is it every episode where our kilted friend has to climb.
K: But it’s not as fun if no one is climbing up after him.
P: Yeah. I was a little worried about that spear.
H: Bayonet
EG: Why was there medusa in the first place. And why was there like myths. Like the buffalo man and medusa?
Sc: You failed as a parent!
<He speaks! He’s always here, he just never speaks.>
<laughter>
SG: There’s a lot to teach as a parent!
H: Well, Elfgrrl, they’re myths because they’re stories. And they’re in the land of stories.
EG: Oh! What about the men?
H: You mean the guy that they were talking to?
EG: No. The clip clop clip clop..
H: Those are toys. Giant toy soldiers.
EG: Weeeeeeeird!
K: So how long did it take everyone else to figure out he was Gulliver?
Sp: About the same time as the Doctor.
E: Same.
H: I have to ask, how many of us here have actually read Gulliver’s Travels.
SG & Sc: <hands go up>
Sp: It’s been years and years.
EG: Raise your hand if you have not read Gulliver’s travels. <raises hand>
E, A, & P: <also raises hand>
K: Long time ago for me. Maybe junior high. I just remember the book had a heck of a lot more islands than the movies did. Something about horses.
<brief discussion of the book>
H: So yeah. The Mind Robber, everyone.
K: So, did he have horns. Cause I swear, I saw tiny little horns.
P: I saw shadows of horns.
H: I’m not going to say anything.
K: But not racist?
H: Well. No more than 60’s British television could generally be. But no, no.
EG: So, the buffalo guy <laughter> kinda looked like… one of the monsters on “Where the Wild Things Are.”
E: I wonder if that was the inspiration?
K: I think he was just supposed to… while poorly… look like a minotaur.
H: I like that they keep him in shadow most of the time. That was really effective… until they showed the prop.
K: That was not the best prop.
EG: I think where Jamie was, was in a spaceship that outside looked like a castle and it was built in. Kinda like Invader Zim when he made his house.
<brief discussion of Invader Zim. Is it, truly, a classic? Or will it be some day?>
H: So yeah. The Mind Robber everyone.
E: So, is what Jamie did considered breaking the fourth wall? Breaking and entering the fourth wall? Climbing the fourth wall?
H: Yes.
Sp: Alright. I rather enjoyed this week’s installment of “Doctor Who and the Gnome Illusionist.” It was thrilling to watch the Doctor and Zoe make both of their Will saves…
H: Actually I think they blew that second one.
E: Actually we won’t know until next week, will we.
P: They die.
E: The Doctor can’t die. He has how many more regenerations to go through.
P: We don’t know that yet at this point in Doctor Who.
H: Anyway…
Sp: Well we can tell that the story is kicking into its next gear, not simply because we know which episode number this is, but because the Doctor has Figured It Out. He’s found a puzzle, and he’s starting to have fun, which means he’ll probably stumble upon the bad guy in about an act and a half. And nice to see Frazer Hines make a full recovery from “the pox.”
K: I didn’t even see any scars.
E: The magic of makeup, everyone.
H: I’m going to say again what I said last week, I’m still very impressed with the story editor’s ability to roll with it when one his leads suddenly has to be out sick for a week.
P: Well, regenerating was a little obvious.
E: Granted, they had pretty much the perfect environment to get away with it. Any other story and it probably would have been really hard.
H: Any other story and they probably would have written the character out for a week, which is why this is so impressively inventive.
E: As a writer myself, tip of the hat to them. Also, was anyone else reminded of movie “Stranger than Fiction?”
H: I haven’t seen it.
SG: It was actually pretty good, but it doesn’t really remind me of it. Other than it was people in books.
E: It wasn’t a strong reminder. Just tiny.
H: So, so far we’ve seen toys, we’ve seen fairy tales, we’ve seen myths, and we’ve seen children and adult literature. All of which we’ve kind of recognized.
P: Unless you’re nine.
K: So what? The Mind Robber has a library? Well, we kind of saw what he has. I think what’s in common is that everything is fiction. But I’m trying to say that without being spoiler-y.
H: Sure. The Doctor has already surmised that it’s a land of fiction.
Sp: And we saw the ticker tape that was spitting out the events of the episode, real time.
H: Which poses an interesting question.
K: Which we will leave off asking until the end of the last episode.
H: Damn right.
Sp: But it’s presence there worked as a nice little dramatic device to move both sub plots along and link together Jamie with the Doctor and Zoe.
EG: A few… aka a lot talks earlier… my Dad’s been watching Supernatural, and I’ve seen one episode kind of. And the writer… he’s drunk and he makes stories, and the stories actually come to life.
K: Yeah. Likely being the only one in the room who has seen Supernatural…
H: Besides ElfGrrl.
K: Besides ElfGrrl, and Ronelyn and Cz, neither of whom are here tonight… but the one likely to have seen that entire episode currently here… I would say that it really doesn’t have much to do with the Mind Robber.
EG: Yeah. It definitely doesn’t have enough to do with the Mind Robber. I’ll try not to talk about things other than Doctor Who on a Doctor Who night.
H: I think we’re at final thoughts.
E: This was an interesting episode. I could so many fourth wall jokes out of this.
K: You already did.
E: Oh yeah. But I have more. But I’ll spare you the agony and won’t tell you any of them.
H: Okay.
A: When Jamie was reading the story on the ticker tape, I think just that would have made an awesome cliff hanger.
H: I did like the animation. I thought that was pretty surprisingly good.
K: Medusa? It got very Harryhausen.
<general agreement>
P: I like the overacting that the Doctor and Zoe did together when they were scared. Even though I thought it was over the top, it went really well.
E: Hey man. If I had a medusa coming for me, I’d be scared too.
P: It was nice to be scared of statues again. I didn’t know Gulliver’s Travels well enough to see the character be recognized in advance. But I still appreciated it.
K: I think even not recognizing the specific book, it was pretty apparent that he was always quoting from a book. Which is the more important point, I think.
P: I thought the toy soldier looks very good in its costume design. I though the story really moved the plot along pretty well during the whole installment. I can see that we’ve made progress even though it’s not leading us directly to the end. I was slightly underwhelmed by our “gnome.” I really enjoyed Jamie ending up in what was then the electronic library. I thought they did a good job imagining it.
A: He’s found Project Gutenberg.
P: That’s impressive Altair. I’m looking forward to next week.
H: Okay.
<Ronelyn walks in>
H: Final thought, Ronelyn?
R: IT STINKS!
<general laughter>
EG: <giggles> I wish Jamie knew how to use that future thing. Typing thing.
Sp: The ticker tape that was telling the story?
EG: Yeah. I wish he could do it because they he could tell the story. And then he could make himself handsome and rich! And have ladies! <giggles again>
R: <Scottish accent> “This story doesn’t have enough haggis!”
EG: And he’s a super hero!
H: So, did you like it?
EG: Um? I hate the “to be continued.” For that I have to say “It stinks!”
R: You stole my line!
EG: I did not steal your line. I liked your line, so I used it.
H: So did you like it?
EG: I always like “to be continued” <silly arm wavy gesture>
H: Okay… moving on to Spoo.
Sp: This week reminded me that Doctor Who is for kids.
<laughter>
Sp: And I mean that in a very, very good way.
EG: No wonder I liked it!
Sp: Not only because ElfGrrl enjoyed it so obviously, but because the pace and the content and the… delivery by Patrick Troughton, and the delight that the Doctor was taking in fighting this kind of fight on this kind of turf… you put it all together and that’s a rousing children’s story.
P: Like the Phantom Tollbooth.
Sp: Yup. Exactly.
K: Me?
Sp: Yes. It’s your turn.
H: That’s my job. You stole my line!
Sp: No, no, no. I disbelieve you.
K: Did I make my Will save? Anyway… I really like this story. I agree with Spoo that it has a delightful whimsical feel to it, aiming really well at the kid audience. It’s fun, with a lot of unexpected turns. I like the puzzle solving. Although I kind of wish we got “fake Jamie” a little longer, because his impersonation was so well done… despite the bad wig.
Sp: What do you think about the Master?
K: Well, it isn’t “The Master” the Master. I can say that much.
Sp: Well, yeah. I’m reasonably sure that the Delgado Master could… I don’t know… work security cameras.
K: Your turn, boss.
H: Don’t call me boss.
Sp: Take us home, Historian.
H: The thing about it is, I agree with you that this is more of a childlike friendly story. But it doesn’t talk down, so it’s easy for adults to be entertained as well. And that’s what Doctor Who is, it’s a family program. I can only say “I like this story.” I can’t say anything else that doesn’t give things away.
P: Like what?
H: Watch it, you!
—
Ketina often makes fun of these little bits, since I generally say basically the same thing–sometimes that’s because I write them for her ahead of time, to assist in getting posts up quickly. (Which is what I’m doing now!) So, instead of pretending I know how the Project viewed this episode (though I will predict that they enjoyed it!), this week I’ll once again ask, nay, beg for your comments. I’m sure there are a few of you out there, somewhere, and we would really like to hear from you to let us know how we’re doing. The Project has existed in a vacuum for a very long time, and it’d be nice to know what you thought! We promise to answer any questions as best we can and reply to (real, non-spam) comments.
Well, now that’s done, it only remains for me to say that we will be back next week with the penultimate episode of this very interesting story. Until then, I remain
THE HISTORIAN
NEXT WEEK: THE MIND ROBBER EPISODE 4
