The Sea Devils

Starting this entry quite a ways into the episode, but I just had to comment on the always delightful chemistry between Jon Pertwee and Roger Delgado. Delgado represents, in my opinion, who the Master is supposed to be, and his relationship with the Doctor is what their relationship is supposed to be. His weapon is people - he hypnotises or simply manipulates people and tries to take over the world from behind the scenes, or by being incredibly clever and building things (like the Keller machine). He's sinister and official, an "executive villain" as I've called him before, he likes disguises but not as much as the Ainley Master does. He likes trying to get the Doctor to help him because he knows the Doctor is clever, and seems to quickly forget that the Doctor might have any reason to sabotage him. I think they're at their best when they're working together, like in the Claws of Axos or in this episode when they're building the... thing that they're building. He's almost always one step ahead, very smug, very sure of himself, and probably wishes the Doctor would agree to be his partner in crime. But barring that, he seems genuinely willing to kill him if it became convenient. He's only as camp as the rest of the show (the Doctor does Venusian aikido in almost every episode) and he looks ridiculous when doing any kind of vaguely physical activity beyond standing and walking.

Also, what the fuck are the Silurians wearing? They've got, like, mesh medical gowns with belts on. They'd look ridiculous even if they're heads weren't twice as tall as the head of something otherwise proportioned like a human should be. You have to feel bad for the Silurians, though, they just want they're planet back. Why they waited several million years after going into hibernation to try coming back to the surface is a mystery, but the fact remains they have no place to live.

Jo should really consider an alternative means of carrying her possessions. A purse just isn't practical in the situations she finds herself in.

Also, JESUS what is the sound editor/composer's obsession with horrible sounds?! 90% of the non-dialogue noise in old episodes is horrible squealing or trumpeting or screeching or feedback sounds or bizarre digital chirping. It's nigh on unbearable. And the Master just realized the Doctor may have sabotaged his little project. "What happened? What could possibly have gone wrong?" Oh, they do touch each other quite a lot, don't they? Did he just refer to what just happened as "teething problems"? What does that mean? You know, the Master is pretty reluctant to kill the Doctor actually. The Silurians just asked if they should kill the Doctor now and the Master's "No" sounded a bit too quick. But maybe that's just me. Man, it would suck to be an extra dressed up in one of those big rubber alien getups.

Gah! Don't point that tank at me!

Whee, jetskiing in England! Looks cold and miserable.

Doctor: Before I reactivated it, I reversed the polarity of the neutron flow.
Master: You did what?!

Wow, the Doctor didn't really want to help? What an incredible surprise! I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from that surprise. Um, wow, the Master does seem to be actually having a heart(s) attack. Did I miss something? Is he okay? Was it the shock? Does he need a blanket? Aw, poor guy. Dun dun dun!!! At some point the Master switched with some guy he'd hypnotized. Poor guy.

Terror of the Autons

I'm going through the Master episodes in order now, nominally to make a fanvid showing the Doctor and the Master through the years, but also because I want to see him from start to finish. Meaning I'll probably watch the new ones again. This is a Jon Pertwee episode. He starts off by singing. First thing he does in this episode. He's so cute.

Ok, so the Master materializes his TARDIS and it's in the shape of, like, a mobile home. Strangely out of character I'd say. Delgado is hilarious already. Well. We've just been introduced to Jo Grant. She's got weird hair and she's a bit irritating. The Nestene's energy unit has been taken out of UNIT! And the Doctor is appalled. And someone's stolen it. And it's obviously the Master, whose first act, I might add, was hypnotizing a fairground owner. He's wearing, like, a black turtleneck of some description. Let's see how the first meeting of the Doctor and the Master goes. Did that man just say "Oh, and talking of eggs..."? They weren't talking of eggs, were they? Oh, that dude's lunch I guess. Was that the TCE the Master just used? Oh, him and his gloves. What a silly billy.

Huh. Wonder what's going on. The Master is an odd villain, I have to say. D'aww, Three is so cute! He's all fussy and adorable. And he can't bare to sack Jo himself, aww, so he's not allowed to sack her all. He's so cute. Um, who is this Time Lord dressed as Charlie Chaplin? Tee hee! The Doctor just called the Master a jackanapes. What the...?! Is that guy's suit his TARDIS or something???

I swear to god the Doctor just answered the question of "What's that?" with the phrase "A bong."

"This has special properties" - he tosses it onto the ground with a *thump* and a bass riff starts up and it slowly morphs into a chair. "It plays the bass and it turns into furniture." Lol, ah, good old BBC special effects.

"He sat down in this chair he and slipped away"? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Who accepts that as an explanation for somebody's death?

Ok, Delgado Master is really rucking weird. OH JESUS CHRIST I'LL NEVER SLEEP AGAIN DEAR GOD IT'S AWUL. Anyway. Ah, the good old days when cruelty to animals was considered acceptable entertainment. And when you could have silent beefy black guys in leopard skins walking around and no one lifted an eyebrow.

Ah, the Master's TARDIS is a horsebox, apparently.

Left off about half-way through again, posted for posterity.

Quotes:
Fat Guy: His name's none of your business.
Doctor: Hm. That's a strange name.