The set-up for this story is an odd chain of events to say the least. The nation’s early warning systems for a nuclear attack are triggered by a deliberate hoax, with the exception of one military base in Cornwall. Our first link in the strange chain is why that leads Steed to be interested in the one that didn’t get set off, rather than focussing on how the others were set off, and in order to investigate he decides to buy a parcel of land from a wider area that is being divided up. That’s our second link in the odd chain. The third is an invitation for Steed to attend a fancy dress party on a train, where he meets rich potential buyers of the other parcels of land, and at that point the story really kicks off properly. Continue reading
The Immunity Syndrome... you’d almost expect the Alphans to find themselves in a giant amoeba, but that’s a different show. However, the title isn’t the only thing this story shares with Classic Star Trek. It took me 47 episodes to notice, but Helena must have been a distant relative of Doctor McCoy – she spends far more time on the command deck than in medbay! The episode also shares some ideas with other classic Trek episodes, as we’ll see below. 
Last week I mentioned how close this series had come to being a pro-xenophobia story, with Fleming proved to be right in his assumption that the aliens behind the computer intended to take control of the human race and, failing that, destroy everyone. The fifth episode provides a good counterbalance to that, with the emphasis on how humanity can only survive if enemy nations cooperate with each other. 
For the second week in a row, Edmund is by far the most interesting character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Last week we discussed how his lying was discovered, and whether he would react to that with contrition, or by doubling down on his treachery. This week we get the answer to that question, with Edmund sneaking off to see the White Witch and betraying his family. 
At the end of Season Two and the beginning of Season Three, Joyce was the source of at least some of Buffy’s problems. With a more supportive mother, she would not have ended up running away, for a start. Arguably, Giles is now the source of Buffy’s Angel problem, because she is assuming a very negative (and possibly violent) reaction from him if he finds out, although it remains to be seen if she is underestimating the father figure in her life. Either way, Buffy has become like a child playing two parents off against each other, using one as the excuse for absence from the company of the other. The parental figures in her life have become a problem, stifling her and limiting her freedom. 
I think it’s safe to say that anyone who has ever watched The Twilight Zone has seen The Invaders. It’s up there with those other classics like Time Enough at Last or Eye of the Beholder. But let’s pretend it’s the first time we’re seeing it. Rod Serling opens up with his standard monologue and then for the next 22 minutes, we get an episode without any words. The entire thing is carried by Agnes Moorehead grunting and being frightened. And it works exceptionally well. Even the music adds to the sense of dread and this one does have an excellent score! 
How do you ruin a Sherlock Holmes story? That’s a loaded question which deserves a loaded answer. For one, you take out the main character. Brett was ill at the time of filming and has less than 30 seconds on screen. This is an adventure for Watson and Mycroft. On it’s own, it’s not bad but then there’s the little matter of the story itself. Or should I say “stories”.
In the first episode, Edmund made the ironic comment that, “in the country, nothing ever happens.” This week he learns how wrong he was, becoming the second of the children to meet somebody in Narnia, but whereas Lucy was lucky enough to meet gentle, brave Mr Tumnus, Edmund is unlucky enough to encounter the White Witch, or the White Queen, as she calls herself. When she decides he is too useful to be killed, she enters into a period of manipulation, which is uncomfortably close to how grooming of a child must look: the creepy stroking of his face, being kind to him, plying him with treats, offering him the chance of more if he cooperates, persuading him that their relationship is going to be their little secret, and establishing a twisted parent/child relationship: 
On Saturday, November 19th, I again set off on that 100 mile drive to Holtsville, NY where Ken Deep was hosting another Doctor Who convention. This was one of the better conventions I’ve spent time at in recent years but that’s not to say it was flawless. I’ve been to this venue before and I don’t think it’s really cut out for the crowd. Arriving just ahead of the 10am start, I was amazed that I had to park all the way around the back of the hotel. Walking in was a chilly affair since I didn’t want to have a jacket on the whole time I was in the building, but at least it was sunny; a fickle time of year and November is not known for being predictable. Then I was again bummed that the dealers room did not open until 11 and I think it’s important to understand why that matters. I go to these cons for a few things: the celebrities are a big part but that varies. 
Last Christmas I wrote about the 1984 BBC adaptation of Lead Writers
Roger Pocock
Mike Loschiavo-
Recent Posts
- The Avengers: Dressed to Kill
- Space: 1999 – The Immunity Syndrome
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