Episode 2 of 6, so I steeled myself. Surely this had to be a boring episode dragging out the story? Luckily, not quite so.
The episode is slow, no doubt, but it has something very deliberate about it that makes it enjoyable nonetheless.
The first time I saw the Menoptera, I felt a strong association with ballet or some sort of more experimental theater performance. Watching through this lens, I noticed how deliberately choreographed the movement of the Menoptera is. They do not quite stand still, generating associations with flying moths, never quite standing still (I know, the synopsis says butterfly-like, but I got more moth vibes, sorry! ).
The sound design was all right for me. Reading some of the other comments, I wonder if I wonder if I am just not able to hear some frequencies after partying too hard and dancing too near to giant speakers in clubs in my youth. Most of the time, I am very sensitive to sound design. But in this case, it just works.
My personal highlight was the scene in which Barbara talks to the Menoptera. No sign of fear or xenophobia. Just talking to other intelligent beings. Barbara is the best.
P.S. I do think it was wise for me to wait until I had the muse to relax and enjoy the serial. A week or two back, with high stress at work, I would not have been able to enjoy it the same way.
I think this always helps. Whether TV or audio, I like to create a Zen-like zone of calm in which I can truly immerse myself in Doctor Who. I watch new episodes with my wife but, other than that, prefer to be in my own Who-space.
Many of my feelings towards this serial have been summed up by other people, so I am going to make a few random observations.
I thought it was interesting that Barbara and Vicki had a discussion about the previous serial. I’m curious when the show opted to transition from the flowy format of the early show into its more anthologized format.
The larvae guns are cute, and I think that I can see the potential for them as a merchandising opportunity. The only problem with them is that it took me several episodes before I realized that the larvae guns were the critters with the many legs The sound design made me think that the Zarbi were at an arcade. Perhaps they would play…
CENTIPEDE?
I mourn for Ian Chesterton’s Coal Hill School tie. Is Ian always so formally dressed? He seemed overdressed in this serial.
My thoughts on Episode 3 - Escape to Danger:
Not an especially gripping episode, but it has some interesting aspects.
We get telepathic communication via a “hair dryer”.
The Doctor switches from just puffed-up acting to actually scheming. The way he tries to trick the Animus is not bad at all. He shows that underneath the impish old man exterior is someone to absolutely be reckoned with.
Ian gets to switch into his standard action hero routine, and the Doctor reassures the worried Vicki that Ian is good at it.
The Menoptera Vrestin mentioned the Zarbi being an important part of the ecosystem before the Animus took over. A sentence that, just from a pure story point of view, could have been cut, so I assume it was intentional.
It reminded me (switch to real life) that understanding the planet as a holistic system, something that lies at the core of modern-day climate activism, is a really old concept. This makes it all the more shameful that more has not been done to prevent current negative developments. The knowledge was always there.
).
