Star Trek 764: The PsychoCrystals

764. The PsychoCrystals

PUBLICATION: Star Trek #34, Gold Key Comics, October 1975

CREATORS: Unknown (writer), Alberto Giolitti (artist)

STARDATE: 19:27.4 - Follows issue #32.

PLOT: The Enterprise visits planet M-23 which is rich in crystals, but these crystals reflect different facets of one's personality and even cast emotions at those that threaten them. After a rough night of paranoia, the landing party is captured by crystalline humanoids who reveal the crystals are actually their babies. Taken underground to their civilization completely based on the arts, Kirk, Scotty and McCoy are kept under constant guard by the crystals' laser eyes. Spock beams down and he's captured too even though the babies can't manipulate his emotions. When a giant crystal dragon attacks, a dragon immune to their laser "thoughts", Kirk sees a chance to show his good faith. He uses a baby to reflect Spock's scientific thoughts at the creature, a new kind of thought that it is not immune to. The landing party gives the crystals scientific textbooks to give them an advantage against their monsters, leaving a transformed society behind.

CONTINUITY: None.

DIVERGENCES: You know, I really don't think the writers of this series know Scotty is an engineer. In this one, he asks Spock to dumb down terms like "base metals". Scotty is apparently a better rock-climber than Kirk.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Scotty in hangover denial
REVIEW: A fair story, with an odd alien race that reminded me somehow of Bizarro World.
The first half is your standard "landing party goes insane" story, but with a funny "dangerous psychoanalysis" idea behind it. The latter half ends with Spock shouting chemical formulas at a dragon. Make of that what you will. Though the silliness isn't unappreciated (and not played for laughs), the comic is hampered by Spock's callous comments about the destruction of the crystals' artful paradise. His dismissal of song and poetry just doesn't ring true.

Nightmare Fuel of the Week: Ma Gnucci Torsos

From Punisher War Zone #3 - Oh Garth Ennis, how do you expect me to sleep at night?

Understanding Doctor Who Part IV: "Yeti in the Loo"

"Yeti in the loo" is an expression commonly used to describe Doctor Who's approach to story-telling, second only to "behind the sofa" (see Part II), but what does it MEAN!? (I'm taking for granted that you know what a "loo" is, if not well, check out the puerile picture on the right.)

"Yeti in the loo" refers to Doctor Who's propensity for putting science-fiction and horror elements (often meant to read: monsters) in every day environments. Terror begins at home, you might say. Other planets and times are all well and good, but the Doctor keeps returning to present day Earth not only for budgetary reasons, but to make the viewer (specifically the younger viewer) identify with the situations presented.

A Dalek on Skaro is one thing, but a Dalek throttling down Westminster Bridge? Terrifying! We've never actually had a Yeti in a loo, but they've been in the London underground. We've had everything from killer shop window dummies to suburban youth clubs beset by Cheetah People. The new series has followed suit with a vengeance: School lunches used to turn kids into living computers, robot Santa Clauses, diet pills that turn you into alien baby farms and lives stolen by cemetery statuary.

This use of the every day makes complete sense in the Whoniverse. The concept actually hinges on it. We have a our Time Lord and his companions traveling in a police telephone box, exotic today, but commonplace enough in 1963 London. He may be a powerful, almost immortal alien, but his companions are almost all bog standard humans. Not soldiers or martial artists or anyone with actually useful adventuring skills (i.e. professions likely to be played by Jean-Claude Van Damme or Bruce Willis), but teachers, air stewardesses and delinquents. And together they save the universe. Fight fire with fire, with the ordinary with the ordinary. It's why a Slitheen can be killed by a jar of pickles.

Note that it goes the other way too. It's not all exotic creatures in every day surroundings, but the every day in exotic locations as well. It's the reason the Doctor encounters so many cockney accents on other planets, ancient times and far futures. People still watch reality tv on the planet Varos (Vengeance on Varos), and in the year 200,100 (Bad Wolf). They moan about their taxes on Pluto (The Sun Makers) and call you "luv" in the Roman Empire (The Fires of Pompeii). Elsewhere is just here in fancy dress.

Doctor Who is all about that juxtaposition, that incongruity between the familiar and the strange. What a perfect theme for a time travel show!

I see that we'll have to continue this discussion Monday, because there are other themes I'd love to write about.

Star Trek 763: The Choice

763. The Choice

PUBLICATION: Star Trek #33, Gold Key Comics, September 1975

CREATORS: Unknown (writer), Alberto Giolitti (artist)

STARDATE: 17:01.02 - Follows issue #31 (Season 3).

PLOT: The Enterprise investigates the possible site of the Big Bang where the laws of physics immediately shut down. Technology here works through willpower instead of energy. This allows Kirk to take a pod out into the void where he finds a mysterious cylinder. Inside, he finds another Kirk! This Kirk explains that the universe expands and contacts on an endless cycle and that history is doomed to repeat itself. He's from the previous cycle and wants to break it as only a man with free will can. He tries to kill our Kirk with a rapier-phaser-willpowered second Enterprise combo, but our Kirk wins... and DOESN'T kill him. As a phantom 2nd Kirk informs him, that was the choice that wasn't made in previous histories. All those other universes had Kirk dead in his 30s. The horror... the horror. They escape the void and Kirk ponders the imponderable - what if he somehow made the wrong choice?

CONTINUITY: None really, but the story has many similarities with TNG's Time Squared.

DIVERGENCES: None.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Fencing, it's not just for Picard
REVIEW: A story with a lot of interesting ideas, even if they're a little scattershot. It's left up to the reader to make sense of the other Kirk's history and motivation. The action scenes are fun. The guest-starring Lt. Nova is cute. The scientific principles referred to seem legitimate (though not the accessible Big Bang bubble). If only it were a little more rewarding. Still better than the run of the mill Gold Key comic.

Understanding Doctor Who Part III: The Essential Doctor Who

So you want to get into Doctor Who and aren't quite sure how to do that? New Who is easy. Pick up Series 1 and watch them all four from there (but see below). Classic Who is another matter entirely. There's so much of it, and not everything is easily available. Some episodes have even been wiped and no longer exist at all except as audio tracks!

More than 30 seasons, 200 stories, 750 individual episodes, 10 Doctors, dozens of companions, and counting. That's a lot of material to sift through. Siskoid to the rescue. I'll try to give you the absolutely essential viewing list to get yourself up to date and a proper Whovian. I'll follow a couple of rules though:

1. Only stories currently complete on DVD will be included. I will indicate when these are currently only Region 2 - these usually become available in North America within a year of their UK release.
2. I will include at least one story per Doctor. Part of the Who experience is to get a sense for each of them and their specific era.
3. There are different reasons to include a story - relevance to future stories, continuity, important moments, and of course quality - I'll use color and typeface to indicate the level of importance each story has in the list.
Bold Black - These are stories that are your must-see list.
Bold Blue - Only included for their quality, these will reward viewers who want to to watch the best of the best as opposed to the key episodes. It doesn't mean you should skip the "must-see list", which will also usually be of higher quality. It may be that these just don't have the continuity relevance to be Bold Black.
Any italics - These have a link to the new series that might interest new fans. If not in Bold, then the story is recommended only for that reference and not for its importance or quality. You have been forewarned.
Pictured - If you can only watch ONE to get a feel for each particular Doctor's era, make it that one.
4. All stories in order of broadcasting, not importance.

1st Doctor (Susan, Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Steven, Dodo, Ben & Polly)
An Unearthly Child - Where it all began (in The Beginning DVD boxed set)
The Daleks - The first appearance of the Daleks will surprise you with its production values (also in The Beginning DVD boxed set)
The Aztecs - The best of the surviving historicals
The Dalek Invasion of Earth - The Daleks return setting the stage for many, many more repeat appearances. Also, a companion leaves the series for the first time!
(The Time Meddler) - We meet the first other Time Lord ever, which clearly changes everything. Not a must-see right now, but it may become important if the rumors of Patrick Stewart's casting as the Meddling Monk become a reality.
I wish they'd hurry up and release: The Tenth Planet - The first appearance of the Cybermen (as creepy bandaged cyborgs) AND the first regeneration. Of course, that last episode has been lost, but animation could replace it as has been done for the 2nd Doctor story The Invasion.

2nd Doctor (Ben & Polly, Jamie, Victoria, Zoe)
The Tomb of the Cybermen - In the absence of The Tenth Planet, check out Tomb for a good, freaky Cyberman story, with the 2nd Doctor in great form.
The Invasion - The first appearance of UNIT, though the Brigadier first appeared earlier as a Colonel. Cybermen again, and two episodes replaced by animation.
I wish they'd hurry up and release: The Ice Warriors - As one of the big (though not often used) Doctor Who monsters, the Ice Warriors could make a comeback in the new series. I'd hate to only have the sluggish The Seeds of Death to recommend when that happens. Two episodes are missing, but that's a lot less than most of the Troughton era.

3rd Doctor (UNIT, Liz, Jo, Sarah Jane)
Spearhead from Space - It's Pertwee's very first Doctor and the start of the new UNIT set-up and the Doctor's exile on Earth. Plus, first appearance of the Autons, which will be familiar to new series fans.
Inferno - Everybody likes a Mirror Universe story, right?
The Sea Devils - A strong example of UNIT stories, which also stars the original Master.
The Green Death - Jo leaves in a strong (if at times camp) story that represents the era well.
The Time Warrior - First Sarah Jane Smith. First Sontaran. Need I say more?
I wish they'd hurry up and release: Terror of the Autons - For one thing, it's the first appearance of the Master. For another, it's one of those stories that started the whole "Doctor Who is too violent" morality police campaign.

4th Doctor (Sarah Jane, Harry, Leela, K-9, Romana 1, Romana 2, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan)
Genesis of the Daleks - I can't believe this wasn't on Julie Gardner's reading list... The origin of the Daleks, and the first appearance of Davros.
Pyramids of Mars - Doctor Who does mummies.
The Brain of Morbius - Doctor Who does Frankenstein's Monster. Camp in the very best way.
The Hand of Fear - Fans of the new series will enjoy Sarah Jane's departure scene, linking to School Reunion.
The Robots of Death - Doctor Who does Agatha Christie as filtered through Isaac Asimov.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang - The very best of Classic Who, in many peoples' opinions. You'll find a lot of Robert Holmes scripts in this list, and for good reason.
The Ribos Operation and The Androids of Tara - The best of the Key to Time Season, though be warned they are part of a longer story (which introduces the concept of the Guardians - who do not return in my list)
City of Death - And this one is scripted by Douglas Adams, and often listed in the top 2 stories with the above.
I wish they'd hurry up and release: The Deadly Assassin - Though we visited Gallifrey before this story, this is where they took on their familiar look and feel, as a dusty, sterile society filled with politicians. After this, you won't be able to understand how the new series Doctor can miss his people so much. Announced for 2009.
K-9 & Company - On The Invisible Enemy DVD (which is the first appearance of K-9), tells of how Sarah Jane gets a K-9, but it's pretty awful. Duly warned.

5th Doctor (Tegan, Nyssa, Adric, Turlough, Peri)
Castrovalva - A regeneration story that introduces the 5th Doctor well.
Earthshock - This is the first time a real companion dies. It was a landmark.
Resurrection of the Daleks - Davros and the Daleks reappear in Destiny of the Daleks before then, but I can't bring myself to put it on this list. Easy enough to pick up the thread.
The Caves of Androzani - The best 5th Doctor story is also his last.
I wish they'd hurry up and release: Kinda and Snakedance - The Mara diptych features some of the strongest stories of the era.

6th Doctor (Peri, Mel)
Revelation of the Daleks - Davros and the Daleks appear once again in the best of the 6th Doctor stories. This is a rare televised story where the 6th Doctor and Peri are palatable (even if they're offscreen a lot of the time).
I wish they'd hurry up and release: At this time, only two 6th Doctor stories have yet to be released. Neither is of particular interest.

7th Doctor (Mel, Ace)
Remembrance of the Daleks - The last Dalek story for a while and a return to 1963, with links to the first episode.
Ghost Light - A textured and allusive story that showcases well the kind of storytelling attempted in the era, but it's not for everyone.
The Curse of Fenric - More accessible than Ghost Light, but definitely in the same vein, showing how this Doctor also manipulates his companion.
I wish they'd hurry up and release: Not sure... For purely personal reasons, I'd like to see The Greatest Show in the Galaxy.

8th Doctor (Grace)
The TV Movie - That's all there is, folks! And it's not out in Region 1 because co-producer FOX probably has never seen a reason to release it. Maybe the new series will finally convince them. It's not a strong story by any means (Eric Roberts as an American Master is particularly embarassing), but you'll see Paul McGann made a fine Doctor, and how it was an influence for New Who (warts and all).
I wish they'd hurry up and release: The TV Movie

9th Doctor (Rose, Captain Jack)
His one series is a big arc, and there's nothing I would recommend skipping. Even the weaker stories (like The Long Game) are important to the larger story arcs.

10th Doctor (Rose, Mickey, Martha, Captain Jack, Donna)
Again, most of these are either important to the larger story or of high quality. If you're in a hurry you can skip:
The Idiot's Lantern
Fear Her (though I like it)
Love & Monsters (though I really like it)
The Infinite Quest
Missing all but the last of these may create situations where a passing reference becomes meaningless later, but that's it.

Conversely, if you're trying to watch ALL of New Who, including spin-offs, here's how it should go:
Series 1
Children in Need bit with Tennant followed by The Christmas Invasion (Series 2 boxed set)
Series 2
The Runaway Bride (Series 3 boxed set)
Children in Need bit "Attack of the Graske" interactive program (not on DVD, but does tie into Sarah Jane Adventures later)
Torchwood Series 1
Series 3 - insert The Infinite Quest after 42 or something
Children in Need bit "Time Crash" followed by Voyage of the Damned (Series 4 boxed set)
Sarah Jane Adventures Series 1
Torchwood Series 2
Series 4
Sarah Jane Adventures Series 2 (not yet on DVD)
The Next Doctor (and other specials this year, not yet on DVD)

Or if you want to dip into the new series out of order, which stories won't be massive spoilers for the overall arc that starts with Rose and ends with Journey's End four years later AND will give you a good, continuity-free stand-alone look at the new Doctors?
Series 1: Rose, The End of the Word, The Unquiet Dead, Dalek, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances.
Series 2: Tooth and Claw, The Girl in the Fireplace, The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit, Fear Her
Series 3: The Runaway Bride, Smith and Jones, The Shakespeare Code, Human Nature/The Family of Blood, Blink
Series 4: The Fires of Pompeii, The Unicorn and the Wasp, Midnight

Here's hoping that can guide your Doctor Who viewing reasonably well. There are plenty of stories I personally like that aren't mentioned, but that wasn't the point, so I hope fans will forgive any omissions.

Star Trek 762: The Animal People

762. The Animal People

PUBLICATION: Star Trek #32, Gold Key Comics, August 1975

CREATORS: Unknown (writer), Alberto Giolitti (artist)

STARDATE: 19:26.11 - Follows issue #30.

PLOT: The crew of the Enterprise go to Hercula to help with a wild animal problem only to find out that the animals in question are people! Though essentially mute, Spock spots in these servant cavemen (called the Yerbas) a complex form of sign language and other intelligent behaviors. In the wild, he finds a beautiful redhead who was somehow born with the ability to speak. She leads the Yerbas in their rebellion. She and Spock narrowly escape a massacre by the local military. The crew becomes increasingly disturbed at the Herculans' bloodlust and inability to see the Yerbas as anything but filthy beasts, and uncover a hospital where babies have their "speech centers" systematically removed. As the genocide of the Yerbas ramps up, the emperor's son, sympathetic to their plight dares speak up for the girl, who saved his life when they were both children. Imprisoned along with the peaceniks of the Enterprise, Kirk realizes that they are actually in love and marries them with his captainly powers. The emperor is moved to reveal that the Herculans are actually ancient invaders who took the planet and subjugated the local population. The son and his new wife commit suicide Romeo&Juliet style as a symbol which changes the society overnight. The fighting ends as do the lobotomies, and a statue is built in the couple's honor.

CONTINUITY: None.

DIVERGENCES: None.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Kirk's double-entendres
REVIEW: The word "genocide" is used in this story, and for once, it's accurate, so this is a very adult story for the comics series. The ending is a bit rushed for lack of pages, but the characters' solutions are original and interesting, and acknowledge the political and social dimensions set up in the premise. It's probably the first time I would have liked to see a Gold Key comic translated to the silver screen (for reasons other than camp), though I suppose it has its roots in The Cloudminders.

Understanding Doctor Who Part II: The UK Perspective

One of the reactions I get when discussing New Who with relative newbies here in Canada is rejection of the most childish aspects of the show. That covers farting Slitheen, Tennant possessed by a woman, the total absence of blood, the Absorbaloff, or in fact the tone of the Sarah Jane spin-off. "It's really made for kids, isn't it?" is the mystified question that comes up. And who can blame them? Most programming targets a single demographic and caters to it almost exclusively.

Doctor Who is from another time however. Having begun in 1963, it remained in the same Saturday night time slot pretty much until the start of the 80s in a family viewing package that included sports scores for dad and variety shows for mum. For most of that time, there were very few channels available (as little as two) and viewers certainly didn't "surf". You set that dial to BBC 1 and it stayed there all night.

Consequently, Classic Doctor Who has a mix of monsters to frighten the kiddies, heady science fiction ideas to inspire the teens, and pretty companions to give the dads something to look at. That mix lives on in the new Doctor Who, but adds romance for that other demographic(TM).

But does it have to still cater to the young'uns?, asks your adult self. Answer: It can't help itself. Here in North America where classic Doctor Who was basically a teen-to-college fringe phenomenon in the very late 70s, early 80s, there's no real sense of the program as tradition. Imagine growing up in the UK in the 60s instead, watching Doctor Who and having nightmares about that spooky "electronic" music and pepperpot fascists. As a teen, you enjoyed the adventures of UNIT and the outer space shenanigans of Tom Baker, smirking while your kid brother closed his eyes at the "scary bits". In the 80s, you have kids of your own, and you still watch, even though it's not what it was, just to see your little one's reaction.

And those kids are now the ones with kids, third generation Whovians wetting the bed at the thought of Daleks and Cybermen and Ice Warriors (one day I hope). In the UK, it's always been a family experience, and you're certainly going to deprive your kids of the joys and fears of Doctor Who. And in any case, they didn't forget to put in some cute companions and guest stars for you as well...

Or maybe I'm wrong, and the UK seems to me a magical land of family unity and all things Who.