(no subject)

[pedanther]

Inspired by lost_spook's posts about rewatching the Doctor Who episodes featuring Leela, I've been trailing along behind watching those of the relevant episodes that are available through Quickflix.

Today I reached "The Invasion of Time", Leela's final serial. (Actually, Quickflix sent me disc 1 months ago, but then I had to wait and wait for disc 2. And then it turned out that I needn't have bothered, because disc 2 is only extras, and all the actual episodes are on disc 1. Bah.)

It's popular to talk about "The Invasion of Time"'s flaws, but considering the time and budget pressure it was created under, I'm willing to settle for being glad it wasn't worse. And, honestly, it does have a number of straight-up virtues. John Arnatt's portrayal of Chancellor Borusa is definitive (no small thing considering how many actors have taken a shot at the role). Milton Johns as Castellan Kelner is also good value.

There used to be a rumour that there was a Sontaran wandering around somewhere in the TARDIS after this story, because three Sontarans go into the TARDIS to capture the Doctor and we only learn the fates of two. I paid close attention to that bit, though, and it just isn't true: only two Sontarans go into the TARDIS, and both are accounted for. This is sad news for anyone who's ever written fan fic about what happened to that third Sontaran, but on the other hand it's good to know that even under pressure the BBC's continuity people weren't incapable of counting up to three.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

Hey, I inspired someone? Wow.

Glad you enjoyed it. I think I made my own rambling rewatch post some time ago. I didn't think they left a Sontaran there, either. (Although maybe now you'll have to rewatch Earthshock to check out the lost Cybermen - now that I did write a fic about once!) And, yes John Arnatt is Borusa.

[john_amend_all]

Hey, I inspired someone?

You're an inspiration to all of us. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[pedanther]

You already knew I was trailing you, because I commented on your 'Robots' and 'Fendahl' posts about things that had stumped you. Although I suppose I didn't make it clear that I was working through all the other Leela stories as well.

(I didn't remember anything particularly having stumped you in 'The Invasion of Time' -- apart from the whole Leela/Andred thing, which I passed quietly over because it stumped me too -- so I had to do the lost Sontaran rumour instead.)

The lost Cybermen are on their own, because it's too soon to watch 'Earthshock' again. (I can't remember how long it's actually been since I last watched 'Earthshock', but I am nevertheless confident that it's too soon to watch it again.)

[seawasp]

And in that particular serial, Leela proves that she's one of the real badasses of the universe by taking out Sontarans with a KNIFE.

I once played the son of Leela and Andred in a Doctor Who RPG.