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dbskylerSo I just listened to the commentary for "Frontier in Space," and they did something I had never before heard of: they had someone on the commentary who was unconnected with the making of the show, whose function seemed to be to play the role of "instigator" for the others (Barry Letts, Katy Manning and Terrance Dicks), and to pose questions and just generally make sure that the flow of commentary kept coming and was reasonably interesting.
It's a great idea, and I have to say that it really worked, and I hope the BBC does it again. So well done, Clayton Hickman, who while not having made "Frontier in Space," is apparently a former editor of Doctor Who Magazine, at least according to Google. He definitely was knowledgeable about the show, and he did a wonderful job instigating the commentary.
Now for some other interesting tidbits of information from the episode and from the commentary:
I just loved Roger Delgado in this episode. I knew he was in it, but it takes awhile before he makes his entrance, so when he finally appeared, I actually applauded -- and I was alone in my livingroom at the time. Yes, I am a geek. But a happy geek to see Roger Delgado. He's my favorite Master, definitely. There's just something about him -- he's so effortlessly evil, but charming as well. I could watch him all day.
There's a fairly extensive scene where the Doctor is escaping a cell, and the Master is listening in to the conversation so Jo just starts talking, and she goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on . . . seriously, it takes an amazingly long time for the Doctor to exit that room while Jo chatters on as if he's still in the cell but she's just not letting him get a word in edgewise. Anyway, in the commentary it came out that none of that was scripted. Instead there was a general stage direction "Jo talks," and Katy Manning had to ad-lib that entire thing. And really, she just babbles on forever, but you can hear every word and it all makes sense, and not only that, it all sounds like stuff Jo would say. So, well done Katy Manning! The funniest thing was, in the commentary Katy said to Terrance Dicks (script editor) "Thanks for trusting me," and Terrance replied "If there was anyone who could do that, I knew it was you," with this clear implication that Katy herself just naturally talks a lot. Which apparently is true.
Terrance Dicks also talked about how the previous season had had the Master in every story, and how that was actually a mistake. I can't recall exactly how he put it, but basically he said: "Every episode there was some mysterious villain, and then it would turn out to be the Master. So by the end it was "Who could be behind this? Oh look, it's the Master! My word!'"
So, there you go. A really enjoyable commentary, and a good episode, too. Very sad that it was Roger Delgado's last appearance in Doctor Who, though. There's a bonus disk for the episode that apparently has a Delgado tribute on it, and I think I'll have to rent that one next.
It's a great idea, and I have to say that it really worked, and I hope the BBC does it again. So well done, Clayton Hickman, who while not having made "Frontier in Space," is apparently a former editor of Doctor Who Magazine, at least according to Google. He definitely was knowledgeable about the show, and he did a wonderful job instigating the commentary.
Now for some other interesting tidbits of information from the episode and from the commentary:
I just loved Roger Delgado in this episode. I knew he was in it, but it takes awhile before he makes his entrance, so when he finally appeared, I actually applauded -- and I was alone in my livingroom at the time. Yes, I am a geek. But a happy geek to see Roger Delgado. He's my favorite Master, definitely. There's just something about him -- he's so effortlessly evil, but charming as well. I could watch him all day.
There's a fairly extensive scene where the Doctor is escaping a cell, and the Master is listening in to the conversation so Jo just starts talking, and she goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on . . . seriously, it takes an amazingly long time for the Doctor to exit that room while Jo chatters on as if he's still in the cell but she's just not letting him get a word in edgewise. Anyway, in the commentary it came out that none of that was scripted. Instead there was a general stage direction "Jo talks," and Katy Manning had to ad-lib that entire thing. And really, she just babbles on forever, but you can hear every word and it all makes sense, and not only that, it all sounds like stuff Jo would say. So, well done Katy Manning! The funniest thing was, in the commentary Katy said to Terrance Dicks (script editor) "Thanks for trusting me," and Terrance replied "If there was anyone who could do that, I knew it was you," with this clear implication that Katy herself just naturally talks a lot. Which apparently is true.
Terrance Dicks also talked about how the previous season had had the Master in every story, and how that was actually a mistake. I can't recall exactly how he put it, but basically he said: "Every episode there was some mysterious villain, and then it would turn out to be the Master. So by the end it was "Who could be behind this? Oh look, it's the Master! My word!'"
So, there you go. A really enjoyable commentary, and a good episode, too. Very sad that it was Roger Delgado's last appearance in Doctor Who, though. There's a bonus disk for the episode that apparently has a Delgado tribute on it, and I think I'll have to rent that one next.