Saturday, October 10, 2009

RIP Barry Letts

I seem to be the last person to find these things out. Doctor Who News Page my arse. I'm stunned. No idea what to say apart from "Bugger" "He'll probably get a credit on Waters of Mars" and "those audios were rubbish though".

Um...

By way of completely inappropriate (and entirely unintentional) tribute, I finally got round to Orbis.

Um... and the next section of Avon: A Terrible Aspect is kind of wierd. It focusses on Avon's mother, Rowena, who reminds very much of Pella as a deeply manipulative but deeply-cracked-in-the-head woman.

Five years after Axel Grease cut off Rogue Avon's head, Rowena and her family meet a Little-John-type bloke who amazingly enough is not an evil backstabbing Judas but in fact a completely honorable bloke who never betrays anyone and, for no real reason other than being nice, helps the Avon family catch a ship to Saturn so young Kerr can be educated at Cambridge. In a demonstration of what a good mother Rowena is, she's named her son "Desolation" (or Kerrguelen in Phaxese). And I thought my parents chose a crap name...

Alas, the fates take a turn for the damn-well-deranged on Saturn. Avon's grandmother, used to the turbulant atmosphere of Miranda, can't survive the one on the (presumably terrorformed) Saturn and dies upon leaving the space port. Luckily, Rowena and Lil Kerr bump into a surgeon called Pi Grant who falls in love with Rowena and offers to marry her and adopt her son in less than fifteen minutes. The fact Rowena and Pi note how ridiculous this sudden relationship is doesn't QUITE come across as realistic. Indeed, it rivals Guy of Guisborne marrying Dawn French as most unlikely true loves ever. Leela and Andred were a Joss Whedon relationship against this.

So Kerguelen Avon becomes Kerr Grant, one of the three adopted Grant children along with Del and Anna. Can you see where this is going? Man, first Rogue's sexual appeitites and now Kerr lusting after his step-sister. It's starting to look like Verkoff: A Terrible Chat-Up Line. Amazingly enough, the idea that Avon, Del and Anna were all related doesn't AT ALL contradict the TV series given the fact they all ultimately split up and changed their names. Ah, I hear you note, what about SpaceFall where Avon sees a vision of his brother - who, apart from calling his own brother by his surname, also looks nothing like Del Grant?

Well, the truth is revealed. That guy was Avon's pal at military school, and they were referred to as "Brothers". It seems that Iron Guard traineeship specializes in Holmesian Double Acts.

So, Avon spends the next ten years going to school, being very clever, sleeping naked and fancying the Tarial Cells off his stepsister. Meanwhile, his mother revels in all the high society to do and meets an old wheelchair bound lech who reveals what happened to her former lover. Rowena is horrified to discovered that Axel Grease was part of a faction of the Federation that tried to become more powerful by first creating a terrorist threat (that'll be Rogue) and then capturing against all odds, weaking the original government and making them look cool. Rowena then poisons the old wheelchair bound cripple for being part of it and orders Avon to murder the others the moment he gets a chance.

Around fifteen, Avon gets his first line of dialogue - a polite question about why his mum is an insane bitch determined to avenge the death of a suicidal bastard she met for five minutes and tells everyone raped her? Rowena's best answer is that she has nothing to live for bar revenge. It's a pissweak argument that serves only to upset her son. But Avon being Avon, he promises to kill Axel Grease - and then, frankly, he never wants to see this mad cow ever again. He gives a characteristic speach about how he intends to roll with the punches in life and not let him get obsessed about anyone or anything, with the painfully obvious subtext he wished he had a mother who didn't consider him first and foremost a weapon.

On the last day before heading to Earth, Anna (Del having left home by now) sneaks into Avon's bedroom and takes advantages of him - which doesn't ultimately do his mindset much good as basically he now gets to leave knowing what a great sister he'll be missing. With his Brother, Avon sets off to Earth (Rowena sees him off at the station but doesn't wait for the train to leave, so to speak). But within about five minutes all hell breaks loose.

Turns out Axel's spies picked up Rowena's rather unsubtle jihad and so a swarm of Mutoids storm the Grant household, and kill Pi and then Rowena (after letting one of Axel's flunkies beat her up and rape her first, of course). All this is made more disturbing by Anna, who watches it all laughing insanely.

...

Anyone else amused that on the day Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize he declares war on the Moon?

...

Sheesh. I still can't think of anything to say. We'll miss you, Bazza.

18 comments:

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Sad to hear about Bazza - the pool of people to give commentary on the Pertwee years grows ever smaller. I wasn't the biggest fan of his years as producer, but in interviews I was actually amazed by how intelligent and reasonable he sounded - he corrected Terrance on his science a bit (and mocked Bidmead a little as well - over the Master's tape recorder). I didn't expect the bloke behind The Daemons to have such a strong grasp of science.

By my hazy memory that leaves us with just the two still-living Doctor Who producers - Phillip Hinchcliffe and RTD, amazingly.

On other matters, I misheard the news story about the missile shot into the moon as 'Mars' and my first thought was of the Ice Warriors interpreting it as a declaration of war, naturally.

As for Avon... I just have to say that the explanation for Avon's 'brother' is very, very clever. It explains all the odd details there very neatly.

Youth of Australia said...

I wasn't the biggest fan of his years as producer,
Nor me. But in fairness he seems to have a kind of JNT one-unspeakable-stinker-per-year-everything-else-pretty decent. I mean, Colony, Mutants, Planet, Monster... not a bad success rate.

Though he was a lot better producing than writing, as his post-Who career shows, IMO.

By my hazy memory that leaves us with just the two still-living Doctor Who producers - Phillip Hinchcliffe and RTD, amazingly.
Bloody hell. You're right.

...

It's a scary thought.

On other matters, I misheard the news story about the missile shot into the moon as 'Mars' and my first thought was of the Ice Warriors interpreting it as a declaration of war, naturally.
Ah, Obama. First black president to win the Nobel Peace Prize, open diplomatic relations with an alien race, and make Bush look like an even bigger retard than before.

...

He's probably the Master in disguise.

As for Avon... I just have to say that the explanation for Avon's 'brother' is very, very clever. It explains all the odd details there very neatly.
I'm definitely impressed, since I'd completely forgotten about his 'brother' altogether.

Plus, it wouldn't be hard to retcon that Avon was lying about who he saw, but this is a lot wittier. Full fist, Darrow.

Cameron Mason said...

Well...

Derrick Sherwin is still alive.

Wether or not you think he counts though is a different matter, given that he ended up in the producer's role by default during all the chaos of Season Six...

Cameron

Youth of Australia said...

I won't lie, Cam, I totally forgot about Mr. Sherwin. Well, assumed he was dead, anyway...

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Is that the bloke who went on to produce the unarguably brilliant Season 7 but oddly doesn't always get credit for it?

Youth of Australia said...

The very same. Last I heard was him trying to make a UNIT TV spin off series in 1992 since DW was cancelled...

Cameron Mason said...

Derrick Sherwin produced The War Games and Spearhead from Space and set up the format for Season 7.

Apparently he now runs a bar in Thailand.

Cameron

Cameron Mason said...

Jings!

They're resurrecting Upstairs, Downstairs, Dallas and Red Dwarf!!!

I blame Doctor Who for this wave of bringing back old shows.

Cameron

Youth of Australia said...

What does it say that I found Red Dwarf returning the hardest to believe?

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Derrick Sherwin produced The War Games and Spearhead from Space and set up the format for Season 7.

He may only get credit for those, but I'm dead certain he played quite a big role in Season 7 - it is so utterly different from any of the other Letts seasons I can't really credit Bazza with it. Also, the fact he expresses mild disproval at the serious tone in various interviews.

Apparently he now runs a bar in Thailand.

It's good to know these details, for a realistic glimpse into what my future could be given my interest in writing..

They already brought RD back, didn't they? Doing their best to kill it off forever in the manner they did so...

Cameron Mason said...

What does it say that I found Red Dwarf returning the hardest to believe?

Indeed.

BTE was a rewrite of BTR which needed at least one more draft to make it watchable.

He may only get credit for those, but I'm dead certain he played quite a big role in Season 7 - it is so utterly different from any of the other Letts seasons I can't really credit Bazza with it. Also, the fact he expresses mild disproval at the serious tone in various interviews.

IIRC most, if not all of the stories for Season Seven were commissioned by Sherwin so Bazza was stuck with them and spent most of the season working out how he'd play out the UNIT format and put those plans into action for Season Eight.


They already brought RD back, didn't they? Doing their best to kill it off forever in the manner they did so...


Apparently it's got another six episode commission for a show that dropped in ratings over its last three episode run.

Torchwood is still in limbo despite decent stable ratings and audience share for CoE, as well as being the highest rating program for the day with Day Two.

Cameron

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

So, Cam, you're basically saying that the world doesn't need to make sense?

Youth of Australia said...

Well, I'm not surprised Torchwood's seemingly being abandoned. It didn't have much to say to start with (beyond, "Hey, you haven't seen 'Angel', have you?") and has sod all to say now - it would need a whole new cast, setting, characters and also be subbordinate to a new DW series as yet unmade.

Unlike Jack Harkness, I think Torchwood should die and all the proceeds going into making more SJAs.

As for RD, well, I think everyone would have enjoyed BTE... as long it was just an episode of a series rather than a whole season in itself. As rewriting existing eps goes, it works a hell of a lot better than most of Season 7 - I know I prefer Confidence and Paranoia to Epideme.

And they butchered Jonathon Creek editing wise tonight! I can't believe we lost the brilliant "Max Headroom" gag which, after all, was the entire reason that character was in the show anyway!!

Anyway, I'll be getting back to Whorehouse... I mean, Dollhouse... I mean, Hothouse. I tell you, McGann reading Eccleston scripts really sounds wierd. "Lemons are good! Humans are gibbering monkeys! Do you like my psychic paper? FANTASTIC..."

Miles said...

I'm sorry, I found RTE to be one of the most disapointing things I've ever seen. The first episode was okay, but the last two when they actually reach Earth... was probably the most cringe-worthiest thing I've ever seen. All for what? A cheap homage to Blade Runner? But hey, if people enjoy it. Woo for them, but I'll hold my judgement and sit up at night, praying to a God I don't believe in for a miracle.

Cameron Mason said...


So, Cam, you're basically saying that the world doesn't need to make sense


The world's never made any sense...

Youth of Australia said...

OK, ten good things about BTE

1) The Cat - for the first time since S5 he's actually a character rather than a punch line from an idiot, with his own opinions, abilities and desires

2) The two kids on the bus

3) The Mind Robber typewriter scene

4) Lister continually trying to freak Rimmer out with his revolting stories that are clearly made up

5) Rimmer pushing Nigella Lawson or whoever in front of a bus

6) The 21st century mockery about DVDs, reality television, etc.

7) Lister's speech about how he won't give up now he knows people somewhere somewhen are on his side

8) "Guess who it is? No. No. No. No. No. No. Look, I - No. No. I'll tell you. No. No. No."

9) The photo manipulation scene

10) The psi scan stuff.

In fairness, 10 crap things about BTE

1) Not an original idea in it

2) I mean, the bits NOT nicked from Red Dwarf are from Blade Runner, and not in a good way cause I never once twigged until Jared explained - and even THEN it wasn't funny

3) Rimmer is a hologram WHY again?

4) Kochanski's off-screen departure and return with her hair done in such a way I thought it was either Alanis Morrisite or Edwina Monsoon

5) Nigella Lawson wasn't very good either and that Russian accent just got irritating fast

6) The lack of laughter track might work in things like The Office or Spaced, but right here and now it's like the audience aren't finding anything funny and there are painfully long silences. I honestly enjoyed a canned laughter version dubb more

7) The Corrie stuff. They could have been more interesting by, say, interrupting the filming of their last episode. Or a Tomb Raider film. Or a Scrap Metal Challenge. Or Maid Marion. Or at least run over Adam Rickitt on their way there.

8) The comic book guy was just boring. I don't mind stereotypes as long as they're entertaining. They could have got Andrew Hansen in his fatsuit - at least that was more memorable.

9) The title sequence. When you've only got one story and you've pretty much told us the entire plot visually

10) The retarded "Don't worry, sir, all our fans exist in their own reality". Then, logically, there is a reality out there were Duane Dibbley, the Doyles and Jake Bullet are lying dead in a gutter, surely? I mean, it was A HALLUCINATION!!!

11) Shut up, it's my list I can do more if I want. Now, I watched the first episode and enjoyed the post apocalyptic feel since there was an implication that the leaking tap caused a flood that killed the original Rimmer plus Holly and Kochanski and everyone else not Cat and Lister. But... no. Never mentioned again. And Kochanski actually chucked him, because there isn't enough space on Red Dwarf and she isn't clever enough to deal with Lister. Are we surprised Lister found it more credible she'd died?

I'd let these go if it was just part of a series, but this is the epic finale no more ever ever ever ever ever. And thus it sucks.

I don't think for an instant the old cast will be in the new series.

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Eh, I just enjoyed it , but I must admit I never registered it as a canon story at any point. Mentally it was just a gimmicky one-off special that existed in a vaccuum, which is probably the best way to enjoy it.

Youth of Australia said...

True. It did that that 'In a Fix With The Sontarans' vibe to it, and came across as real as that advert when they were all in Blue Midget asking ABC viewers to keep watching their adventures.

...

In fact, it's damn near the exact same plot!