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 | My favourite monster voices |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 3 August 2011 |
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| Rating: |   9 |
Having the misfortune to be sandwiched between two of Doctor Who's all time greatest stories, The Invasion and The Seeds of Death, the Krotons still holds its own very respectably. This is quite a wonderful little tale despitee maybe just a few wooden performances, but this is forgiveable for the stories main theme itself is highly interesting. The only thing that this story does not boast as all Rob Holmes stories after this does is a brilliant double act or a comic duo, but cut him some slack. This is a great first story from a great writer.
Patrick Troughton is ever the more quirky and bumbling which just makes me love him all the more. He always will be my favourite time lord. He just had such infectious energy and such amusing quips that endear him to my heart very much indeed. His annoyance at not getting the questions right in episode two is a classic example of his brilliant portrayal, and his sparkle in his eye as he's annoyed at Zoe afterwards for being so easily coaxed by the Krotons teaching machines. This is pure Troughton magic that never once left the screen during his time as the Doctor.
Frazer Hines is perhaps just a little two sidelined, although his fight with one of the gonds is amusing and funny. Wendy Padbury gets given a good chunk of story to get her teeth into.
The Krotons are a brilliant looking race, and their comeback is highly interesting and a little different for once. But what i like the most about the Krotons is those grating harsh vibey voices that drown out nearly all the other sounds on screen whenever they are talking, they truly are one of the most effective voices that the BBC ever came up with, more piercing than even the Daleks and Cybermen. And their diamond heads are brilliant, and the melting of the Dynatrope at the end is particularly well done and looks pretty flipping cool if you ask me.
The only thing that mars the tale a bit is the totally unremarkable Gonds, aside from Phil Madoc no one really gives a knockout performance here, although maybe the Gond leader is a little better than the rest of the Gonds. But as I said this is the only slight quibble, and some scenes are a lot better than others, such as when the Doc tries to help Vana come out of her coma, that is one of the best scenes in the show.
And its the first time we get to hear of the HADS. So theres a little vain of brilliance when the TARDIS appears to have been destroyed but has only moved to escape from being damaged by the Krotons.
So yes, the Krotons may not be an all out knockout, but for a first story from Rob its solid and works quite well all in all. By no means is this one of the worst stories, it just above middling in that there is plenty to spark the interest and keep it throughout.
Just that snake like cam thing could have been a bit better realised too! But its just ha ha and still makes me grin even now. And i do rate this better than Pyramids of Mars and The Robots of Death!
