#margot van der burgh

[luvic-of-traken]

Have a pic of Lulu and Kat wigless

[alonyssima]

Traken Consul Makeover!

[nyssausage]

Have a pun

[sillydoctorwho]

From "Face the Raven" in trap street we see an elderly alien couple (or at least the wife is alien) (in my mind they're both from Habria) - the wife is credited as Alien Woman and the husband is credited as Chronolock Guy. (They're played respectively by Angela Clerkin and Robin Soans)

The husband has stolen medicine to give to the wife, and Ashildr chucks the raven on him, or at least the raven chases him and kills him with Chronolock.

And then Clara and Ashildr look at him and Clara asks Ashildr if Cybermen show mercy.

So I guess that's not even Classic Who. But it was included to reference Classic Who events... but my OCs have also said some circles resembled circles they've seen in Doctor Who but that line and link went nowhere! Are they Classic Who too? Propably not!

(Though to be fair even 15, Ruby, and Belinda will be considered classic who in centuries to come)

(YES WE ONE DAY WILL CONSIDER BELINDA A CLASSIC WHO COMPANION JUST AS MUCH AS WE CONSIDER IAN AND BARBARA TO BE)

-

Traken was destroyed on screen. We saw a black shadow approaching the Traken planet prop.

But we did'nt see it approaching Margot Van Der Burgh and Robin Soans on the Traken set. So their specific deaths are off screen.

Unless the whole planet or solar system becomes an extension of the Keeper!?! I thought only the Source did.

If Traken became an extension of Luvic, then Traken's destruction could be considered Luvic's death, but instead it seems like the Keepers are of Traken, instead of Traken being an extension of the Keeper.

Ah, that'll be why I didn't remember it. I'm not a big NuWho person and I've only watched 12's era once.

Unfortunately these tournaments are going to be classic who only, both because it's just a lot sillier and also because it makes my job easier to limit my scope to episodes I am familiar with.

I did take another look at the scene where Traken is destroyed on the TARDIS screen but you can't see much and as you said you don't actually see the characters die, so it doesn't count as silly unfortunately.

[cleowho]

“We are a doomed people...”

The Aztecs - season 01 - 1964

[ljones41]

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1981) Review

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1981) Review Jane Austen's 1811 novel, "Sense and Sensibility" has been a favorite with her modern-day fans. The novel has produced at least three television and two movie adaptations and a literary parody. However, this review is about the seven-part, 1981 BBC adaptation. 

Directed by Rodney Bennett and adapted by Alexander Baron and Denis Constanduros, "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" starred Irene Richards and Tracey Childs as the two main protagonists - sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The story focused on the sisters' attempts to find happiness in the tightly structured society of early 19th century England. Through their experiences with men and their relationship with each other, Elinor and Marianne learn that one must strive for a balance of both sense and sensibility. From an overall point of view, this "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" seemed to be a solid adaptation of Austen's 1811 novel. I have noticed in many articles and reviews of Austen adaptations made in the 1970s and 1980s, fans tend to view them as "faithful" in compare to later ones. Frankly, I have yet to see an Austen adaptation made before or after 1986 as completely faithful. And I can extend this opinion to this 1981 production. One, Baron and Constanduros' screenplay began with the grieving Dashwood women returning to Norland Hall, after viewing a potential new home. And there is no sign of a Margaret Dashwood - the youngest of the three sisters - in sight. But since the other versions of the novel are no more or less faithful, I do not have a problem with this. But I did have a problem with the miniseries' ending. It featured Edward Ferrars asking for Elinor's hand in marriage and Colonel Brandon commencing his courtship of a receptive Marianne. That is it. The ending seemed a bit too abrupt for my tastes. And I had other problems with "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY". Peter Woodward gave a charming performance as the novel's ne'er-do-well, John Willoughby. Unfortunately, Woodward's presence barely made a dent in the production. And his biggest scene - in which Willoughby expressed remorse for his bad treatment of Marianne to Elinor - featured some over-the-top acting. Watching Diana Fairfax's performance as Mrs. Dashwood, I found myself wondering why Elinor was forced to assume so much responsibility for their household at Barton Cottage. Fairfax's Mrs. Dashwood barely seemed like the emotional widow who was forced to come down to earth by her more sensible older daughter. She seemed just as sensible in her own way. I barely remember Marjorie Bland's portrayal of Mrs. Jennings' older daughter, Lady Middleton. She failed to leave a mark in my memories. I could say the same about Hetty Baynes as Mrs. Jennings' younger daughter, Mrs. Charlotte Palmer. And Margot Van der Burgh's Mrs. Ferrars seemed more like a dress rehearsal for Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". But there were performances that impressed me. Julia Chambers and Pippa Sparks made a very entertaining Lucy and Ann Steele. I was especially impressed by Chambers' performance, which struck a fine balance between Lucy's scheming and desperation to become a member of the respectable and wealthy Ferrars family. Philip Bowen's portrayal of Robert Ferrars struck me as rather funny. He gave the character a foppish edge that I have never seen in other portrayals of the character. Donald Douglas was certainly down-to-earth in an affable manner as Mrs. Dashwood's cousin, Sir John Middleton. Amanda Boxer gave a spot-on portrayal of the cold-blooded and domineering Fanny Dashwood. But the one performance that really impressed me was Peter Gale's as the Dashwood family's new patriarch, John. Although he gave a solid performance in the miniseries' early episodes, he really came into his own in the role, when the story shifted to London. I was especially impressed by one scene in which Gale's John tried to point out the suitability of Colonel Brandon as a match for Elinor. At first, I was not that impressed by Robert Swann's portrayal of Colonel Brandon. However, as the story progressed, Swann skillfully revealed the character's passion and emotions behind the stoic facade. There are two other performances of which I have a similar view. When I first saw "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY", I had regarded Bosco Hogan's portrayal of Edward Ferrars as boring. But numerous viewings made me realize that he gave a very subtle performance. With a bit of patience, I noticed how Hogan managed to express Edward's feelings about Elinor and Lucy with the expressions on his face and in his eyes. I also became more appreciative of Annie Leon's portrayal of the cheerful Mrs. Jennings. She was no Elizabeth Spriggs or Patricia Rutledge, but I must admit that I was very impressed by the manner in which she captured Mrs. Jennings' friendly, yet vulgar personality . . . especially in the production's second half. Both Irene Richards and Tracey Childs gave solid performances as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The two actresses did a first-rate job of holding the miniseries together as the the leads. And both were somewhat spot-on in their portrayal of the two sisters. Mind you, I would have liked if Richards had revealed the passion that Elinor harbored for Edward in small moments. And I wish that Childs' Marianne was not so sober - especially in a few scenes in the miniseries' earlier episodes. But in the end, they did a very good job. As far as production design goes, I am afraid that Paul Joel did a solid job. But there was nothing about his work that I found particularly impressive. I suspect that he may have been hampered by the budget. I was NOT impressed by Dorothea Wallace's costumes. Frankly, I found them rather cheap looking and in some cases, slightly ill fitting. Like the miniseries' production design, it was probably hampered by the budget. Overall, I would have to say that this "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" was the least impressive looking adaptation I have ever seen. "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" had its virtues. Both Irene Richards and Tracey Childs gave solid performances and kept this production together, along with director Rodney Bennett. The supporting cast also included memorable performances from the likes of Peter Gale, Amanda Boxer, Donald Douglas, Julia Chambers, Bosco Hogan and Robert Swann. And screenwriters Alexander Baron and Denis Constanduros managed to create a solid script that was nearly faithful to the story. And despite a few disappointing performances and a slightly cheap looking production, my regard for this miniseries has risen over the years. Much to my great surprise.

[ilikedoctorwhoproject]

Why I like Cameca

by special request for thinkingingallifreyan

Cameca is an Aztec woman from, well, "the Aztecs." You may recognize her from such places as My Username and My Avatar. Yes... Needless to say, I like Cameca rather a lot. But then, there is literally nothing unlikeable about her. Not even the flaw of seeming too perfect. Cameca is simply a person, and a really rather lovely person at that. In talking about Cameca, it's too easy to drift into the negative - to talk about what she's not. She deftly avoids a whole host of potential negative female stereotypes, especially as an older woman. She's not clingy or manipulative or desperate, nor is she starstruck, naive, or senile. But then, why should she be? Cameca is reasonable and fairly well contented - and why not? This is presented as wholly unremarkable in the episode, as well it should be. So, let's talk about what she is, not what she isn't. Cameca is a retired Aztec woman, one of the denizens of the gardens where elders may pass their final years in peace and tranquility. The Doctor meets her when he is sent their himself, being somewhat of an Elder (much to his chagrin). But the Doctor is hardly the retiring sort, and neither is Cameca. It is not sufficient for her to merely enjoy the gardens - she tends them as well. She knows all the herbs and plants and flowers, their individual virtues and properties. She's three steps towards botanist, and you know how I love botanists. But more than that, it speaks to a particular type of character and personality (and a particularly admirable one). Both she and the Doctor are the sorts of people who find their leisure in activity, refreshment in doing good works, relaxation in discovery. It's small wonder they gravitate towards each other almost immediately.

image courtesy timetravelerwannabe on deviantart

Cameca is intelligent, and more than that, she's wise. She's at the same time personable and perspicacious. And her relationship with the Doctor is one of two people genuinely enjoying each others' company and conversation. If I were inclined to ship things in this show, I'd ship this. She's also the first person we see the Doctor accidentally propose to - and while it certainly wasn't on purpose and he is very much shocked, he never seems all that opposed to the idea. He doesn't correct her, for instance - and it is worth noting that she asks him several times if he's sure about all this and if he fully understands the significance of cocoa and all that - and he (happily) refers to her as "my fiancee" for the rest of the episode. And he's not trying to use her or lead her on per se - he's enjoying the relationship they have now, even knowing it won't last. He can be forgiven for his ignorance of the semiotic weight of cocoa in the local culture - but what of the semiotic weight of cocoa in our culture, with which he is comparatively familiar? Cocoa is associated with warmth, comfort, friendship - a cozy way for people to enjoy each others' company. And that is very much the overall flavor of the relationship between the Doctor and Cameca: chocolatey companionable, comfortable, and gone too soon. Cameca knows this as well as the Doctor does, without having to be told. She is, as I've said, extremely perspicacious - she can tell these sorts of things. She even figures out the mechanism for his departure - the pulley he's been carving. She doesn't know what it is (it's an unknown technology in this time and place) but she knows what it means. And she helps him anyway. In many ways she's the Doctor's intellectual equal: her knowledge base is quite different, but she's very intelligent and can certainly keep up with him in conversation, if not outmatch him. And, unlike the Doctor, she's willing to admit when she's wrong and learn from it - but when she's right she knows she is and won't back down. And she knows for people. Also, she knows people - she knows who's who and what's what. Not in a political way, just in a "oh, you're looking for the architect who built this place? I know that guy. Well, he's dead, but I know his son" kind of way. She's also got the wisdom to know that things will go more smoothly between the Doctor and Ixta if she doesn't tell him who Ixta is. She's a little scheming in that way, without being deceitful. Cameca is just an all around good character. She's respected by her people, for good reason. She's kind and caring, while also observant and intelligent, never dismissed or dismissable, never played for laughs. She's as much of a foil for the Doctor as she is an ally, and compelling as both. But most of all she's a person - a wonderful beautiful person, just doing what people do.

[twicedefined]

Back when we all first saw the ep title 'The Doctor's Wife', I wanted it to be her. (Though I certainly was not disappointed by the actual ep. Neil Gaiman = <3)

[luvic-of-traken]

Every Luvic has his Katura!

[nyssausage]

Katura\Susan, anyone?

[cleowho]

“I’d hoped I might stay at your side.”

The Aztecs - season 01 - 1964

[cleowho]

“...it’s nearly finished.”

The Aztecs - season 01 - 1964