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Elizabeth Sandifer

Elizabeth Sandifer created Eruditorum Press. She’s not really sure why she did that, and she apologizes for the inconvenience. She currently writes Last War in Albion, a history of the magical war between Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. She used to write TARDIS Eruditorum, a history of Britain told through the lens of a ropey sci-fi series. She also wrote Neoreaction a Basilisk, writes comics these days, and has ADHD so will probably just randomly write some other shit sooner or later. Support Elizabeth on Patreon.

9 Comments

  1. Rob
    May 2, 2011 @ 11:22 pm

    Great post. I find that in a lot of episodes, a "just go with it and it's fun" attitude has served me well.

    Reply

  2. Anton
    May 4, 2011 @ 3:45 am

    I love Underwater Menace and Web Planet and yes I am one of those who can argue that the show has been steadily going down a very long hill since Hartnell with some honourable exceptions (cough Moffatcough). The thing is each regeneration comes with its own re-imagining of the core concept, with varying results. I will happily watch any of them but always return to those wonderful experimental monochrome stories. In this one I particularly enjoy Troughton's 'Space-age gypsy fortune teller in the underwater market' routine and the balletic fish girls.

    Reply

  3. landru
    May 9, 2011 @ 9:23 am

    "… I think anyone failing to have a good time watching The Underwater Menace has made a conscious choice not to enjoy it. It's a ridiculous story, but it's fun."

    Totally agree. This is hi-lar-i-ous and fun.

    I love the crazy Irish guy who starts making fun of the fish people to enlist their help … because, let's face it, only the Irish can organize a Fish People Revolution! hahahaha

    Reply

  4. Alex Wilcock
    May 11, 2011 @ 12:50 pm

    Good point about Troughton "dialling back his performance to emphasize things"; I've always loved his hushed, hypnotic tone (since seeing him do it at the start of The Box of Delights when I was a boy), but never quite realised what it's there for.

    Whatever you think of the story, Furst is the best thing that could have happened to Troughton at this point. As you've already said, he's having fun all over the place in his first two stories; I remember watching the lot myself a few years back and being surprised by just how much I suddenly resented him piddling about after Hartnell. So having a villain so crazed and over the top that Pat can only look reasonable and in control next to him was surely a very handy step in stablising the series.

    Mind you, between the Vulcan Colony and Atlantis, I reckon Scotland had a very lucky escape last week.

    Reply

  5. fdfc49e4-466d-11e0-963e-000bcdcb8a73
    December 15, 2011 @ 11:39 am

    Will you be revisiting this story once the just-recovered episode two is released on DVD? 🙂

    Reply

  6. Elizabeth Sandifer
    December 15, 2011 @ 11:40 am

    Yes. If it somehow comes out in time to revise it for the book version I'll simply do it there. Otherwise I'll post both this and a new Galaxy 4 entry once the DVD comes out.

    Reply

  7. Scott
    June 23, 2012 @ 10:33 pm

    "If nothing else, Alan Moore, as brilliant a man as ever watched an episode of television, apparently hates all post-Hartnell Doctor Who, and who am I to begrudge Alan Moore his viewpoints of anything."

    Ah, sadly, brilliant or not, I have to argue that Moore has completely dropped the ball on this one. Sometimes it's the smartest of us who have the most profound moments of utter silliness or stupidity, after all.

    I eagerly away Glycon's wrath.

    Reply

  8. orfeo
    January 21, 2013 @ 9:27 pm

    The wetsuits. You didn't mention the wetsuits!

    In all seriousness, with Polly, Ben and Jamie as companions, the show is very much aiming to have young eye-candy on the screen at this point in time, and I'm pretty sure those rubbery outfits on two fit young men would have caused a stir.

    Reply

  9. arse bandit
    July 1, 2013 @ 2:48 am

    Does anyone else think that Joseph Furst is channelling Cesar Romero as the Joker in bis performance as Zaroff?

    Reply

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