The Stones of Blood is the 100th Doctor Who
story. That’s quite an achievement and this story is one that I have always
enjoyed in the past. After not being terribly impressed with the previous
story, it feels like the show has got back to doing what it does best and the
first thing that strikes me about this story is that it feels like the sort of
story that Philip Hinchcliffe would have produced. It doesn’t take that long
for the story to become quite creepy. We hear from the White Guardian for the
first time episode one of ‘The Ribos Operation’. I think that it’s good that we
are reminded that there is a white and black guardian. Even though I have
forgotten about the segments, it’s nice for there to be a bit of a reminder
about the potential danger. It puts it back in my mind and adds something
different to the story.
The Doctor and Romana’s relationship is quite funny at the
moment. Romana instructs the Doctor to search for the next segment with the
Doctor realising and then talking to her like he’s made that decision. It feels
like their relationship has cooled down a bit but there is a prickliness to it
that makes it an utterly enjoyable experience to watch. The story is set on
earth and it feels like an age since the TARDIS landed on earth. That is why
there is perhaps a new interest in the story because the whole feel of the
story is different to the previous two stories.
The Doctor and Romana encounter Professor Rumford who is
played superbly by Beatrix Lehmann. From the moment that she appears on screen
its clear that she is someone that the Doctor and Romana will be able to call a
friend and the viewer will be able to warm to and like. They also encounter Miss
Fay who’s first appearance should be an indication that she’s got a bit of a
dark side to her. I think that Susan Engel plays her brilliantly because whilst
there is something intriguing about her.
The location filming is some of the best for quite sometime.
I think filming it on the coast lends a different atmosphere to it and
considering that about 80% is filmed outside and that is why this has to be one
of the strongest episodes of the season. When the story does move inside I am a
little bored with it but that’s because the outside seems so much more
interesting. Don’t get me wrong, the studio stuff is still better than what was
shown in the previous story but I don’t think that it was particularly memorable.
After being disappointed with cliffhangers in previous
episodes, it was nice to get back to a solid cliffhanger. Romana is the one
facing threat and its literally a cliffhanger. Romana’s screaming is the last
thing that is heard before the credits roll. Ok so it’s similar to episode
three’s cliffhanger from the previous story, but I still think that it’s a cracking
end to a cracking opening episode. I love it when an episode picks me up after
being somewhat depressed by a story. It almost makes enduring ‘The Pirate
Planet’ worth it now I get to enjoy this story.
No comments:
Post a Comment