Observations on a rewatch of #Castrovalva.
That’s the 1982 #DoctorWho serial which kicked off the #FifthDoctor’s classic era, not the artwork by #MCEscher — though more on how HE inspired this story later.
• Part 1 is staggeringly slow and free of incident, compared to the hectic pace of new-Who from 2005. There are only the 4 regulars, the villain and one other speaking character; it’s stagey, often static and a little staid. BUT I love it!
• Scares — the Master needlessly electrocutes half a dozen bystanders, and the opening regeneration is creepy as.
• Foreshadowing in the writing — Teagan and Nyssa discuss ‘recursion’ seemingly at random, while the Master observes: “These simulated projections are real enough to have a will of their own”!
• The new Doctor is captivating — #PeterDavison ranges from odd, via impersonations of #WilliamHartnell and #PatrickTroughton, to stepping stirringly into his own character upon crossing the threshold of the Zero Room.
I’ll be back after Part 2