Started 3-Dec
Kinda is a very good piece of modern science fiction, with metaphor and symbolism and genuine characters. Add to that several extraordinary acting performances (Rouse, Fielding, Prince, Stewart, Todd, Hughes) and some committed direction and you have one of a few DW's that seemed to happen almost accidentally during JNT's era. (Other examples are Warriors Gate, Survival, Androzani and Frontios). There's something classic in this show seems to get past the producers and is very good despite all the production "input".
It is not a surpirse to hear that JNT didn't "get" this story. It is also not a surprise to hear Eric Saward say taht.
This show is made on a cheap budget. And it shows in nearly every scene. But the ideas are new and the story is challenging. It confounded many fans at the time of original broadcast but looking at it today it remains a layered, and convincing trip into the "dark places of the inside.' It leaves Star Trek efforts at metaphysical drama in the dust.
It is a little perplexing to see Chris Bailey reiterate his complaints about the BBC process and the 'unsatisfying' script development process. What he needs to have pointed out to him is that despite all that 'drag' on his creative process he's dragged a hard SF epic into a crappy BBC DW studio and, f**k me, it flies anyway.
That is a compromise but it's far from failure.
We watched the 2019 BBC Bluray with the info text subitles. This story REALLY needs a Kinda Redux version with all the scene trims jammed back in, bugger the running time.
ABM Rating 3.71/4.00
LJM Rating 4.32/5.00
SPJ Rating 9.65/10
Link to Cumulative Rankings
No. 12 (out of 118)
Rankings Scoreboard
Note on Sat 7-Dec Kinda p4 is ep 565 of day 586 of the marathon.
From Quickflix
ReplyDeleteThere are some who think that 80's DW was a bit naff. They obviously weren't thinking of this one. Kinda explores some religious and spiritual themes (don't let that put you off) in ways which are in turn thought provoking and exciting. Watch out for Richard Todd (Oscar nominated for The Dambusters), Nerys Hughes (The Liver Birds), Mary Morris (Brit movie star with a filmog stretching back to the 1930's), Eastenders regular Anna Wing, and a young Simon Rouse (The Bill's DCI Meadows). Extra points if you can spot Jeffery Stewart (The Bill's PC Reg Hollis). This serial also contains Brisbane girl Janet Fielding's best outing as Tegan Jovanka. She is outstanding in this..... Note to fans: This DVD has an option which replaces the special effects disaster atthe climax with a new CGI overlay. Interesting as an attempt to 'fix' a notorious problem but if you're watching D for special effects then I think you're not doing it right......