Popcorn Culture
Ruminations on TV Shows, Comics, And Music
The second season saw The Doctor exiled to Earth by The Time Lords, and then regenerating into his smiliest face and longest scarf yet. This season will follow his adventures as he is allowed to return to space and meddle in time. Scarf Doctor, Tom Baker, is generally regarded as either the best or second best Doctor of all-time, usually depending on how old you are. His adventures are the most referenced in the modern era, and with good reason. The companions are allowed personal growth and more complex personalities during this era. We even get a few companions who aren't from Earth (though they look human). Season 3: Jellybabies In Space (Tom Baker) Serial 1: Pyramids Of Mars
(4, Sarah Jane) This Egyptian tomb adventure ended up becoming relevant again almost fifty years later but that's not why I've edited the list to include it. It happens to be one of the better Gothic Horror episodes of the series, and it's just a blast to watch. Serial 2: The Brain Of Morbius (4, Sarah Jane, Sisters Of Karn) 100 minutes We begin this season with a Frankenstein's monster stories, and a lovely group of ladies called The Sisterhood Of Karn. This first serial has it all, alien bugs, a hook-handed assistant, wrecked spacecraft, an elixir of immortality. This season is going to be bonkers fun. Serial 3: The Seeds Of Doom (4, Sarah Jane) 150 minutes The James Bondiest of Doctor Who episodes is one of my earliest memories of watching the series. My dad and I watched what were, even then, old episodes of Doctor Who, on PBS, and I remember the encroaching trees, and the campy death scenes. Some worrywart from the 1970s called this episode unnecessarily violent but, by modern standards, it's tamer than a cartoon aimed at five year olds. Serial 4: The Hand Of Fear (4, Sarah Jane) 100 minutes It's not often in these short seasons that we get to say goodbye to a companion. So let's wave sayonara to Sarah Jane, as she departs of her own free will to return to the glamorous life of investigative journalism. But first, they are menaced by a HAND!!!! Is it the absent hand from the hook-limbed assistant in the previous episode? Was this season written by George Lucas? It's a mystery. Serial 5: The Horror Fang Rock (4, Leela, Sontarans) Our only look at the companion Leela happens to be her best episode as she and The Doctor end up in a war against The Sontarans. Serial 6: City Of Death (4, Romana) 100 minutes Interstellar art thieves have targeted The Mona Lisa. And they're not just interstellar, they're Time Travelers! At least they're not Time Lords, though, right? This episode was cowritten by Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy guy, the Dirk Gently guy, the funny British guy who wrote great sci-fi. So this is a more fun than usual episode. Enjoy it! Also, the new companion is a Time Lo---Time La---Time Person. Serial 7: The Leisure Hive (4, Romana, K9) 100 minutes This is the first episode where a companion Bites The Big Mortal Thing. But not, like, forever. No, it's not the Time Lo--La--Lo...it's not even a humanoid, and it's a companion you've mostly been protected from, so it's not going to be as therapeutic for you as it was for fans at the time, but the episode starts with a BOOM! And then, the vacationing Doctor and Romana (The Time L---Person) stumble into a Recreation Generator, which has a Very Unfortunate Side Effect for The Doctor. Serial 8: Full Circle (4, Romana, K9, Adric) 100 minutes It's time for Romana to go back to Gallifrey. Surely this means more hijinks with those High Collared Asshole Time Lords. Wait, this is The Wrong Planet. This planet has way too many children on it. Kids are So Annoying. I'm so glad that all of The Doctor's companions have been grown ups since Screechy Susan and Vicki disappeared in season one. Maybe the Doctor will actually get a male companion who is age appropriate to his----DOCTOR, ONE OF THOSE LITTLE SHITS HAS STOWED AWAY ON YOUR TARDIS. GET HIM OUT!!! GET HIM---Damn it. Serial 9: State Of Decay (4, Romana, K9, Adric) 100 minutes Stupid child companion. Stupid robotic dog companion that somehow got rebuilt since the explosion. Stupid Romana, still being stupid on the stupid TARDIS. (Narrator leaves to kick rocks) This episode centers on a planet with medieval culture that seems out of place, and a group of bat gu---IS THIS A VAMPIRE EPISODE? (Narrator gnashes teeth. Kicks boulders.) Serial 10: Warrior's Gate (4, Romana, K9, Adric) 100 minutes These last serials are actually a trilogy called The E-Space Trilogy. It's a void between worlds kind of thing, spacey-wacey, sciency-wiency. And it serves to get Romana and the stupid dog Off The Goddamed TARDIS. But this kid appears to be sticking around. And...you know what, we made it through an entire season without The Doctor regenerating. Pretttttty coooooool.
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