Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Green Death

Gets better every time I watch it. I don't think the Welsh stereotypes are exceptionally offensive, particularly by 1973 standards. The milkman could have walked off an episode of Pobol y Cwm. The eulogy to Bert is a bit patronising though ('funny little man').

Note the difference between Pert's pronunciation of Llanfairfach (Lan-FAIR-fac) and Talfryn Thomas' authentic rendering (Hlan-vyre-VARKH).

The Brigadier is - pleasingly - back in serious mode for most of this story, particularly the earlier bits where he's in civilian clothes. I don't object to the 'accidentally gets hypnotised too' joke, because that sort of thing always makes me laugh in DW, but Pert shouldn't chuck him under the chin. The CSO bits are disappointing; if they were meant to be on planet Zog that would be fair enough, but poorly done CSO of a slag heap is inexcusable. (Yes I know it was because they ran out of time or something, but still.)

BOSS is definitely my favourite DW mad computer. He has style where the others just have bombast. Stevens is an excellent villain, possibly the most convincing human opponent of the Pertwee years.

Delightful suggestion that Jeremy Thorpe is the Prime Minister at the time the story takes place, by the way.

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