well, that was interesting . . .
Jan. 30th, 2010 03:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dbskylerFinished watching both "Carnival of Monsters" and "Delta and the Bannermen," and, um, yeah. I think "Carnival of Monsters" was better (sorry, Seven fans -- but hey, Ian Marter!) but both were a little on the bizarre side, shall we say?
"Carnival" had an interesting start but fell down at the end, I thought. All of the action on the "real world" planet was pretty dire, but it got really bad when the plot started trying to build suspense with those grey bald guys and their political machinations, which just really didn't work at all. Although I did enjoy watching Davros get eaten by a Drashig. Well, Michael Wisher, but you know what I mean. And of course "Carnival" gets the extra bonus points for having Ian Marter, because Ian Marter was in it.
"Delta," on the other hand, never really went anywhere at all. Mel was terribly under-used, which disappointed me as I was hoping to get to know her character better, and the plot was basically one big giant chase scene that killed time while alien girl grew up. I also have to say that I never cared about alien girl, or alien mom, or soon-to-be-alien stepdad -- there was not nearly enough characterization given on any of them for me to understand their relationships or care, or even understand why the Bannermen were after Delta in the first place or, come to think of it, exactly who the Bannermen were either. Although the cute green baby was pretty damn cute, I'll give you that. Oh, and what was the deal with the two American characters? They seemed to serve no purpose at all. Why were they wandering around Wales calling the White House on fifties-era police boxes? If they were supposed to be covert agents, they weren't exactly subtly dressed -- plus their outfits didn't go with each other at all, and seemed chosen solely on the basis of the type of American regional accent the actors were able to put on (the New York guy was actually fairly good, but oh, that "southern" accent was painful). Finally, what a lot of aliens who were all really good at time travel! Three separate groups, all time-traveling around without a care in the universe . . . instead of trying to wrest the secret of time travel from the Time Lords, someone should tell the Sontarans to go look up that bus company next time.
"Carnival" had an interesting start but fell down at the end, I thought. All of the action on the "real world" planet was pretty dire, but it got really bad when the plot started trying to build suspense with those grey bald guys and their political machinations, which just really didn't work at all. Although I did enjoy watching Davros get eaten by a Drashig. Well, Michael Wisher, but you know what I mean. And of course "Carnival" gets the extra bonus points for having Ian Marter, because Ian Marter was in it.
"Delta," on the other hand, never really went anywhere at all. Mel was terribly under-used, which disappointed me as I was hoping to get to know her character better, and the plot was basically one big giant chase scene that killed time while alien girl grew up. I also have to say that I never cared about alien girl, or alien mom, or soon-to-be-alien stepdad -- there was not nearly enough characterization given on any of them for me to understand their relationships or care, or even understand why the Bannermen were after Delta in the first place or, come to think of it, exactly who the Bannermen were either. Although the cute green baby was pretty damn cute, I'll give you that. Oh, and what was the deal with the two American characters? They seemed to serve no purpose at all. Why were they wandering around Wales calling the White House on fifties-era police boxes? If they were supposed to be covert agents, they weren't exactly subtly dressed -- plus their outfits didn't go with each other at all, and seemed chosen solely on the basis of the type of American regional accent the actors were able to put on (the New York guy was actually fairly good, but oh, that "southern" accent was painful). Finally, what a lot of aliens who were all really good at time travel! Three separate groups, all time-traveling around without a care in the universe . . . instead of trying to wrest the secret of time travel from the Time Lords, someone should tell the Sontarans to go look up that bus company next time.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 11:17 am (UTC)LOL IAWTC!
I love Carnival purely for the sake of Ian being all proto!Harry-ish!
Delta is seriously peculiar...
(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 07:36 pm (UTC)He was very Harry-ish, wasn't he? : )
(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 07:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 02:48 pm (UTC)I have to admit, Delta is very odd - it is in no way the best Seven story, and lots of people can't stand it - but I rather like it. Except for the music. It needs better music.
I think the two US guys actually were Americans, so any dodgy accents are their own fault & not the beeb's for casting Brits, just this one. I'm sure I've seen interviews with them in DWM. However, I have no definite info. However, storywise, I always take it that they wouldn't be stationed somewhere in Wales if they were ever supposed to be any good. And it's a mish-mash of 1950s ideas with love, whether requited or not. And the random oddness of Goronwy. And, um, this is about as good as it gets for Mel. She just doesn't get given much of a character, poor Bonnie. :lol:
Now, Ray, has a fake Welsh accent, but I rather love the idea that she might have been running round the Galaxy, handing Seven spanners, instead of Ace blowing things up. And Mr Burton is great, while Don Henderson is properly nasty.
There are lots of theories about time-travelling aliens (only two - the Bannermen and the purple blobs, whose names I have forgotten), as Delta merely hitches a lift with the latter. But it is very strange. I think I'd take it over Carnival - there's a lot to love in Carnival (Ian Marter, yes, obviously), but those grey aliens in between...) Give me Delta, with the first real appearance of Seven's true character, as he talks the Bannermen down, dances with Ray and talks of love with various characters. It would be much better without that horrible bouncy music, though. And the fake 50s music because they couldn't afford the real thing. I'd love to watch it with a different soundtrack.
But you know by now I am very strange!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 07:24 pm (UTC)Google gods say you are right about the New York-accented actor -- he was Stubby Kaye, some celebrity American actor I've never heard of, so that explains why I thought his New York accent was good, although I stand by my assessment that it was "put on" (maybe exaggerated would be a better way to describe it -- it was like, "that's a good accent, but who really talks like that?") I can't confirm the nationality of southern accent guy, but you may well be right that he too is American -- an American putting on a bad, hokey southern accent, though. But it's certainly possible. Ray's Welsh accent did sound over the top to me, too, but I don't feel qualified to criticize it.
BTW, Google says that Stubby Kaye was also in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which reminds me that Bob Hoskins is another British actor who does a fantastic American accent. I had no idea he wasn't American when I first saw that movie, truly. Hee, accents are so interesting -- I confess that one of the reasons I'm hoping that David Tennant's pilot gets picked up is so I can hear how he does with the accent. Although I love his real accent so much, I wish they'd just let him use it. I'm sure we must have a Scottish lawyer or two around here somewhere . . .
this is about as good as it gets for Mel
That's too bad, because she seemed to have a lot of potential. On the other hand, she didn't seem to need the Doctor, which makes her a better foil for Six than for Seven, IMO. Ace is so good with Seven it's hard to imagine anyone else replacing her, but Ray could've been great too, I agree.
Give me Delta, with the first real appearance of Seven's true character, as he talks the Bannermen down, dances with Ray and talks of love with various characters.
I loved those moments, too -- I just wish there had been more of them! Less time with Delta, more time with Seven, I say!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-01 08:39 pm (UTC)Oh, Seven and Ace are 'my' TARDIS team - the first DW I ever watched properly was Silver Nemesis. I was 11 and Ace killed Cyberman - what more could I ask for? :-D She was my heroine from then onwards.
I had a feeling DWM did an article about the two US guys together. But I didn't check the net... ;-)
Maybe there should be Lt Andrews fic? :-D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 06:50 pm (UTC)I kind of liked the carnival people, weirdly enough - I read a fic once where it was very reasonably propositioned that a parting gift from this guy is why the Doctor had that bizarre multi-coloured coat in his wardrobe to pick up when he turned Sixish. I've considered that canon ever since. :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-01-30 07:34 pm (UTC)OMG, yes! That makes SO much sense! :D I liked the carnival people, too -- they were pretty likeable in general -- well as long as you overlooked the "oh, they're just Tellurians" attitude they had about their imprisoned specimens.