BBCA "The Companions" special

Okay, I admit that I didn't have high hopes for this special -- it had all the earmarks of a typical BBCA special (mindless fluff interspersed with clips). But while those are indeed the basic ingredients, the execution this time around is very well done. First of all, the "fluff" interviews, while indeed fluff, are delivered by people I actually want to hear from -- i.e., the actors involved. We don't have "person I've never heard of" giving their opinion on Amelia Pond, we have Karen Gillan giving her opinion. Which instantly makes it much more interesting. We also have Arthur Darvill, and Freema Agyeman, and Noel Clarke, and John Barrowman, and Jenna Louise-Coleman, and Steven Moffat, and David Tennant, and Matt Smith.

The other thing they have finally got right is that instead of just giving us clips, they are giving us backstage moments. There are backstage scenes I've never seen before, and scenes from the show that are from a backstage angle (i.e., you can see sound crew or camera crew in the shot), which again makes it far more interesting to watch. (Hee hee, I'm typing this as I'm watching, and they just did a clip where Nick Briggs is chanting "exterminate" into the microphone, and we hear the director yell "cut!" and the "exterminate"s kind of peter out in a very funny way.)

And yes, they covered Sarah Jane, and oh it was so sad but also so sweet. David Tennant and John Barrowman both fanboyed about her, which I always love because they became fans at the same time as I did, back in the '70s, and in the same way, through growing up watching her episodes. John: "If you have a little Sarah Jane in your companion, you're a good companion." Awwwwww!

And, it just ended. I'm actually sad. And now, the Third Doctor special is up next. Hopefully it will be good, too!

BBCA Third Doctor special

The one good thing about commercials is they give me a chance to immediately type up my reactions, so here we go for the Third Doctor special.

Camille Coduri! Camille Coduri talking about how sexy Jon Pertwee is! Hurrah!!

And Hugh Bonneville??!! It's a little bizarre to have him talking about the Third Doctor, but I suppose that he too is of the correct age to have grown up watching those episodes.

And Richard Franklin!!!

Steven Moffat on "Spearhead from Space": "What was the plan, exactly? 'We're going to conquer the world by planting dummies in shop windows!'"

Aww, and Moffat is heaping praise on Nicholas Courtney and on Roger Delgado. Yes, I agree completely!!!

And of course everyone is also praising Jon Pertwee, which is only fair as this is his special. Now I wonder if they will actually interview Tom Baker in the Fourth Doctor special. Oooh, I hope they do!

Speaking of actors who are still alive, we don't have anything from Katy Manning yet. Perhaps they didn't include her. Bah. Well, maybe she wasn't available.

. . . and it just ended. No Katy. And nothing on Sarah Jane, although they did cover Liz Shaw and Jo Grant. That's a little disappointing, but I suspect they will do a lot on Sarah Jane for the Fourth Doctor special. Except they have a lot of companions to cover for him. But then maybe they'll do the same thing and leave Adric and Nyssa and Tegan for the Fifth Doctor?

Okay, on to watching (or rather, re-watching) "Spearhead from Space!" And here I thought they were going to choose "Terror of the Autons" as the Third Doctor episode to screen. Do I get partial credit for at least getting the invading force correct?