Downtime

[dbskyler]

OMG you guys, so I just saw Downtime for the first time, and that was the trippiest thing I've watched in a long, long time.



It was ridiculously bad -- especially the special effects -- and then there was the background music, which was eerily just like really old, '70s-era DW background music, and there was this silver sphere that was menacing as only a silver sphere can be (and kept reminding me of The Prisoner), and dusty-looking Yeti outfits, and masses of cobwebs, and the Brigadier being all Brigadier-y through it all, and Sarah Jane being wonderful (although under-used), and Victoria Waterfield being sort of weird and mysterious, and not getting the redemption she should have gotten at the end (let alone a proper reunion scene with the Brig). And that's not even to mention the weird Daniel ghost, and the henchman guy who was never really explained, or poor John Leeson who was there for no particular reason and then died by cobwebs for no particular reason. And then there was the tragic decision of the Great Intelligence to invade the internet but not ever actually get out of the university's mainframe.

All of which is to say that it was so bad, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I think I would like to make a drinking game out of it.

There's also a whole second DVD of "extras," and I'm kind of afraid to find out what is on it.

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

It's such a trip, I love it! 😆

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I had no idea what to expect, but even with prior warning, there's no way I would have expected that. It really is an amazing video. :D

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Yeah!

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

I'm very intrigued now. What's Downtime? I feel like I've heard about it before, but I'm coming up blank on the details.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

It's a direct-to-video Doctor Who spinoff / episode that was made in 1995 during the cancellation years. It was made as a sequel to the DW episodes "The Abominable Snowmen" and "Web of Fear," with the Great Intelligence trying to gain power again. (I guess it's now also a sequel to the Eleventh Doctor episode "The Snowmen" and a prequel to the Eleventh Doctor episode "Name of the Doctor.")

It has Deborah Watling reprising her role as Victoria Waterfield, Jack Watling (her real-life father) reprising his role as Professor Travers, Nicholas Courtney reprising his role as the Brigadier, and Elisabeth Sladen reprising her role as Sarah Jane Smith.

It also introduces the Brig's daughter Kate, although she's not involved with UNIT and seems very different from the Kate Stewart we get to know later.

I don't think people tend to consider it canon, but aside from Kate being different, it's pretty consistent with the rest of DW canon (certainly as far as DW consistency tends to go, anyway). It's also an amazing thing of wonder. There are multiple scenes that take place on the astral plane, and there's this weird ghost-like person, and there's a very menacing silver sphere that rolls. Seriously, beware the rolling silver sphere. I recommend watching it if you ever get the chance.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

And look, there's a trailer! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmNZOLF06wA

It actually does a pretty good job of telling you what you're in for. I did honestly enjoy it, but it is pretty ridiculously bad.

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

The sweatshirts just scream "1990s!" to me. But it doesn't look that bad. Though you're right about the Yeti; they do look a bit dusty. :-)

I may have to track this down. It can't be any worse than "Dimensions in Time".