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Path: utzoo!watmath!sunybcs!hobbit
From: hobbit@sunybcs.UUCP (Thomas Pellitieri)
Newsgroups: net.tv.drwho
Subject: Re: "Black Orchid" story
Message-ID: <647@sunybcs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Oct-84 10:46:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: sunybcs.647
Posted: Wed Oct 10 10:46:43 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Oct-84 06:05:19 EDT
References: <5151@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Reply-To: hobbit@gort.UUCP (Thomas Pellitieri)
Organization: State University of New York @ Buffalo,NY
Lines: 86
Summary: 

In article <5151@brl-tgr.ARPA> wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) writes:
>The local (St. Louis) station showed the "Black Orchid" story Sunday night.
>...
>It's hard to enumerate the many faults of this story; first off, it is only
>an ordinary 20's country-house murder story, with nothing to tie in the
>presence of the Doctor or the companions; they just happen to be there but
>take no real part in the story, except for the silly idea of having one
>of the locals being an exact duplicate of Nyssa. 

Get use to it.  One of the things that John Nathan-Turner likes about
the series is that they don't ALWAYS have to do something related to
science fiction.  It leaves a bit of freedom for the story writers, and
the plots tend not to be so repetative.

>Among other defects that
>spring to mind: the Tardis is moved by the local police; I thought it had
>the effect of being super-massive or somehow immovable except by internal
>control (maybe I'm wrong on this). 

I think you are.  The TARDIS (it IS an anacronym!) is moved in several
other stories: Full Circle, The King's Demons, Time Flight, The Armageddon
Factor, and The Carnival of Monsters come readily to mind.  Romana states
the weight of the TARDIS in Full Circle, but I don't remember it off hand.

>The murderer has some kind of super-strength
>which is NEVER explained by the reasons given for his condition. There's
>an Indian who cannot tie knots, and doesn't learn to keep from being knocked
>out repeatedly from behind. 

The only author I know who takes the time to explain EVERYTHING is Charles
Dickens.  One can't expect everything to be explained.  Also, I don't see
where it is an inherent quality that Indians can tie knots.  That's the
same as saying that all Negros are good basketball players! (No offense
intended)

>The Doctor takes the Tardis on one of those 
>infamous "short hops" that are always supposed to be so difficult, but
>this time works perfectly and is done merely to save a few minutes of driving.
>The insane thing is that he could have just as easily moved in time as well
>as space and prevented the murders from happening (and himself from being
>suspected) in the first place! Only the convention of the "short hops" being
>tricky and un-repeatable prevents this simple solution from eliminating
>90% of the plot twists and situations in all the Dr. Who episodes! I wish
>they really DID take advantage of the time-travel aspects; then their writers
>would really have to WORK instead of churning out the usual drivel...

You may recall that in "Logopolis" the Doctor says he's getting rather better
at these short hops.  And Yes, he could have jumped through time, but that
would contradict the First Law of Time.  The Doctor does have some scruples.
See the beginning of the story after Earthshock, when Nyssa begs the Doctor
to go back and prevent Adric's death.

>Anyway, "Black Orchid" is an episode you DON'T want to use to introduce
>someone to the Doctor; it will have the effect of making them avoid any
>other Dr. Who programs. Miss it if you can...

This is not necessarily the case.  If you have a person who absolutely
hates ray guns and bug-eyed monsters, but loves mysteries, this may be
the BEST episode for an introduction.

>PS -- the only good part of this was the cricket game; we American viewers
>could identify with Adric and Nyssa in being completely mystified by it...

Not really.  It give a good idea where Baseball and Cricket have their
similarities.  It also gives us an idea of What IS Cricket.  Additionally,
it shows WHY the Doctor feels at home in a Cricket uniform.  Watch Davison's
smile in this scene, he's not really acting -- he's being himself!

I happen to like Black Orchid very much.  The idea of the confusion at the
Fancy Dress party has been used, I know, but it was quite enjoyable.

Also, folks, THIS is the episode in which Janet Fielding does "The
Charleston".  According to the choreographer, Gary Downie (who appeared
at Panopticon West 1984, who will be attending Buffalo Who-Fest 1984
Nov. 9-11, and happens to be John N-T's best friend) says that teaching
her that dance was worse than having Henry Higgins teach Eliza Doolittle
how to speak proper English!

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-- 
				-The Parker Hobbit

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