Series 22 Post View

This would be an autopsy but what would be the point? So it's a Ratings/Stats report.

So here's the data for the last few series:

In the UK

• S19 was Monday/Tuesdays
• S20 was Tuesday/Wednesdays
• S21 was Thursday/Fridays
• S22 was Saturdays

So all change for the Brighton Line....the TV ratings are varying as much due to this as anything else.

Story	UK Viewers (millions)	Season statistics	UK viewers (millions)	Episode
5Z	9.6	S19 avg	9.2
5W	8.9	S19 peak	10.4	5Z p4
5Y	8.8	S19 low	8.1	6C p4
5X	9.6	S19 St Dev.	0.7
6A	10.0
6B	9.3
6C	8.9
6E	7.2	S20 avg	7.0
6D	7.1	S20 peak	7.7	6D p2 6F p4
6F	7.3	S20 low	5.8	6J p1
6G	7.1	S20 St Dev.	0.5
6H	6.8
6J	6.5	Add 6K
		avg	7.1
6K	7.7	peak	7.7	6D p2 6F p4
		St Dev.	0.5
6L	7.3	S21 avg	7.1
6M	7.3	S21 peak	8.0	6Np1 6Pp2
6N	6.8	S21 low	5.6	6N p4
6P	7.7	S21 St Dev.	0.7
6Q	7.0
6R	7.3
6S	7.1
6T	8.1	S22 avg	7.1
6V	7.1	S22 peak	8.9	6T p1
6X	6.8	S22 low	6.0	6W p2
6W	6.5	S22 St Dev.	0.7
6Y	7.1
6Z	7.6

Series 22 maintained it's ratings quite well. But the quality of the show took an alarming dip

Main problems were the poor scripting and the lacklustre directing but the acting is not great either.

S19 DWMB rating 66.9%
S20 DWMB Rating 66.7%
S21 DWMB Rating 60.0%
S22 DWMB Rating 39.3%


That's an appalling drop and a new low.

---

Notes for statistically challenged.

avg is the mean - sum of all values divided by the quantity of values.

St Dev is standard deviation -  a measure of the variation of a set of values.

• Low standard deviation shows values are close to the mean. 
• High standard deviation shows values are spread over a wider range.

142 Revelation of the Daleks

Started 29-Feb

The big fail that occurs here is the script. It's essentially thin and large chunks of it go precisely nowhere.

The plot is reveal the Great Healer and then there's a plot to assassinate him (which fails). The essentials of this are the scene with Orcini and Bostock in Kara's office and the assault on the Great Healer's area and the followup. Two or three scenes tops. Nearly everything else is unnecessary.
Jobel and Tasembeker are a side plot. So is the Doctor and Peri. Takis and Lilt, Natasha and Grigory too. The DJ is side side plot... or something.

This could be a 1 parter.

The Doctor/companion is barely involved in this. Indeed they only meet (some of) the main characters briefly and well into p2. Noticeably ALL of p1 has the Doc/Peri finding the front gate.

But the direction is slick and arty and the music is good and thoughtful. There are easy comparisons to make with Caves of Androzani here but if you've hit on a formula use it. The result is attractive and feels exciting to watch.

The actual acting is thoughtful (if mostly out of control), the setting is different. Dealing as it does in the unpalatable business of the death/funeral trade it deserves its reputation as sick, violent and distasteful. But scores a few points for being off beat.


Trevor Cooper and Colin Spaull as Takis and Lilt are a little underplayed. Jenny Tomasin as Tasembeker is repulsive and uncomfortable which is what she's meant to be. Clive Swift is very well observed as the viciously satirical Jobel (all that wig adjustment and the way it falls off when he dies.). The DJ is by turns weird, funny, artisanal, pathetic yet brave and tragic and a satire on the superficiality of commercialism and pop culture. Alexei is a thoughtful and sopisticated performer and this is amongst his best work. Eleanor Bron is vain, barely contained rage and driven to desperation as Kara. (VG). Hugh Walters as Vogel is suitably and deliciously obsequious. William Gaunt makes Orcini dismissive, contemptuous and weary yet honourable and gentlemanly (and homicidal...) The death pact, close to homoerotic stuff with Bostock at the end is strange but has a certain twisted nobility to it. Terry Molloy as Davros is effective and provides some continuity with the Series 21.

Easily the best cast of Series 22.

We've rated this a shade higher than Vengeance which gives it a best of series win.




ABM Rating 2.10/4.00
LJM Rating 3.00/5.00
SPJ Rating 4.45/10   

No. 105 (out of 142)

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141 Timelash

 Started 28-Feb

We watched with the DVD with the commentary with Colin, Nicola and Paul. Colin resents the new series' success, Nicola complains about the script and the costumes, and Paul points out the plot problems... and noticeably stops watching after he dies..

"This is dreadful. It's so dreadful I can't resist watching it." Paul Darrow.

"Switch off when I'm dead. It's boring (after that)" Paul Darrow

Well there is:

• the lighting 
• the Borad
• the Guardolier (the blue robot)

But there is tinsel, Paul Darrow's acting and the Bandril Ambassador.

Timelash was panned by Doctor Who critics.

Graham Sleight has noted that Timelash is "widely regarded as one of the worst series ever broadcast as part of Doctor Who", claiming the story has "a weak script, cheap-looking design, unimaginative direction, laughable special effects and some appalling performances". However, Sleight also praises Robert Ashby's performance as the Borad, claiming Ashby's performance "elevates his menace to an entirely different level to the rest of the story".

Tat Wood described it as "a grindingly dull story only memorable for being made as a school panto with belated New Romantic 80s fashion errors". Wood singled out the story's script, production and costumes for particular criticism. Wood also pointed out the H.G. Wells depicted in Timelash is different from the real-life Wells (the Wells depicted in Timelash is not blond, lacks a Cockney/Kentish accent, and is interested in spiritualism).

In The Discontinuity Guide, Timelash was criticised for "tacky sets and some dodgy acting" but was also said to be "nowhere near as bad as its reputation".  

Doctor Who: The Television Companion noted that the serial was not popular with fans of the show, but was at least "a reassuringly traditional Doctor Who adventure" in a season which contained "derivative, incomprehensible and inappropriately violent stories".

In 2013, The Daily Telegraph's Tim Stanley claimed: "The sets are bad, the acting is bad, the script stinks, the effects are laughable and – most importantly – Colin's Doctor is simply unlovable."

Den of Geek's Andrew Blair selected Timelash as one of the ten Doctor Who stories that would make great musicals. 

Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times said the serial was "codswallop served cold: boring Tardis scenes are intercut with stultifying political machinations on Karfel, a drab planet ruled by a lethargic lizard-man and about to be obliterated by glove-puppet Bandrils".

Paul Darrow has described Timelash as "the most disliked and also one of the most liked, which is fascinating".

"Timelash is an anagram of Lamesith" Colin Baker ....(or something) .


ABM Rating 0.80/4.00
LJM Rating 0.82/5.00
SPJ Rating 0.75/10   

No. 140 (out of 141)

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140 The Two Doctors

 Started 23-Feb


Alternately boring and painful.

The plot is complicated and almost ignored by the protagonists. (Possibly Chessene and her unseen 'army' but maybe also the Sontarans.)

The problem this has (again) is bad editing. The premise is good (cannibalism v vegetarian ways of life). The cod eugenics of Androgums and Dastari's research  is less of a good idea. The action sequences are pretty dull.

There are many many sections in all three overlong eps which could be cut.

Colin is dozing his way through it, Patrick is not taking it very seriously, Fraser is acting like he's a statue, Nicola has given up long since at presenting a character based performance. Right now she's the crop top model....

Among the guest stars: Jackie is hammy, John Stratton is memorably over the top but the role is underwritten, Laurence displays some arch containment as Dastari but the last ep turncoat bit is just unbelievable.

The costumes are inconsistent and unlikely. The Sontarans look terrible with loose collars and badly fitting heads. (An idea I had was make 'em genetically enhanced/altered Sontarans and dress 'em as smoky cowbys/desperados with big moustaches.... but I could be taking the p*ss...)

The technobabble is plausibly glib but not very rigorous. Briode nebulisers and Statenheim Remote Controls aside all the Timelord time travel genetics is bollocks, sorry.

The death scenes are just icky.

• James Saxon as Botcherby's death scene is horrible but its presented as ha-ha. 
• John Stratton as Shockeye's demise is a mix of Colin's James Bond quip and blood dripping slasher movie with an unlikely fatal assault using chemicals left just lying around.
• Clinton Greyn as Stike's green ooze dripping stagger with off camera explosion is unintentionally hilarious.

Somehow this will end up as 3rd best in the season. It's in woeful company.


ABM Rating 1.83/4.00
LJM Rating 1.82/5.00
SPJ Rating 4.80/10   

No. 116 (out of 140)

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139 The Mark of the Rani

 Started 19-Feb


Another terrible script with poor performances from the regulars.

The plot is cartoon like. ("Extracting brain serum from random factory workers for what reason? In 19th century England... for what reason? Why did the Master want to be involved? ")

Colin has learned the phrase "I'll explain later" and uses about 50 times. Peri's performance is painful, unrelatable and unentertaining.

Experienced actors O'Mara, Alexander, Grainger struggle to bring any credibility to this.

The ep1 climax is pathetic.

The tree is a silly idea, executed incompetently. Was the idea nicked from Magnox? (aka Edge of Darkness). It's a stage tree costume... the same one used for that Dad's Army episode....)

The (undefused) land mines which were laid by the Rani and left undefused at story's end by the Doctor.

The 'grubs' are a silly idea.

Loss of the "power of sleep" is another hand waving, silly idea.

Nicely filmed but I found myself nodding off.

This story is much worse than I remembered it.


ABM Rating 1.70/4.00
LJM Rating 1.89/5.00
SPJ Rating 2.70/10   

No. 127 (out of 139)

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138 Vengeance on Varos

 Started 16-Feb

The second ep drags incredibly.

The pacing is awful. This is Eric's fault.

The basic script is quite good. But the production and execution is poor.

The directing is very Ron Jones/lame.
The 'chase' scenes with the car that mst people could walk faster than and the laser gun fights where people can't hit barn doors are terrible


The transformation stuff (Peri and Areta) is weirdly fanciful. The resolution of this is disappointing. (Just switch off the machine and they get 'better'... honestly I kid you not.)

Some of the acting. (Rondel/Maldak/Jondar/Quillam/The bald guy) is quite ropey.


Colin is appalling in this. Stupid quips, hammy action, dopey dramatic bits. His 'dying of thrst' bit (end of p1) is embarrassing.

The story ends awfully. The bad guys (the Varosian government who are pushing the video nasties) win. Sil is at best an amoral character. There's no way you could say his is the protagonist or the baddie. Sil is a cheersquad basically.

The Arak and Etta characters are well observed and innovative (for DW) but they are undermined by that conclusion.

In an awful season this is no 2 but it's still pretty cr*ppy.



ABM Rating 2.05/4.00
LJM Rating 2.69/5.00
SPJ Rating 5.10/10   

No. 105 (out of 138)

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137 Attack of the Cybermen

 Started 14-Feb

The Eric Saward formula is rip off something and add a bunch of set pieces.

They don't even have to make sense.

The police scene with the beating up, Peri's gun toting and the handcuffs and the keys is just boring apart from a) hard to believe and b) morally terrible.

The Halley's comet stuff is wrong... and stupid.

The plot's a mess. The direction's alright. The incidental music is there but it's dull. The Cybermen are lookin scrappy... the suits fit less and less well. The acting is variable. The effects and modelwork is ok. The Cryons are terrible.

The violence is ick factor, worse it's boring. The characters and dialogue are good in patches and cringey in others but there's nothing which amounts to a style or story or meaningful plot.

Colin's shouty and all over the place. Nicola's screamy and clacky shoes.

This is awful.


ABM Rating 1.25/4.00
LJM Rating 2.60/5.00
SPJ Rating 3.00/10   

No. 121 (out of 137)

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