Story Title: The Ark
Episode Count: 4 Series: 3 Story No: 6
Doctor: 1st Companions: Steven & Dodo
Date(s) Watched: Sunday 21st June 2009
The first fully moving story since The Time Meddler, on several previous viewings I gave up with The Ark during episode 2 & didn’t have high expectations for this story at all. That being said I rather enjoyed this one a lot.
Dodo’s accent seems to have mysteriously changed here, the “northern” accent still appears on the odd word but now she seems a lot more posher. The character herself doesn’t really irritate me but I can understand why some wouldn’t like her, she seems to be very pushy & nosey in this story but then again I suppose they wanted to avoid having another Vicki in the story. Speaking of which Vicki’s costume from The Crusades makes a second appearance here (if it’s not the same costume, it’s very similar). She does however turn out to be more permanent than the last two female companions & thankfully does stick round for a little while.
The Story itself works very well & it’s sort of split into two stories, the first two episodes centre round the humans leaving a worn out Earth (of which there is a nice model shot of it’s disintegration near the end of Episode 2) and that Dodo’s “common cold” causes the death of several of the guardians & the Monoids. What probably wasn’t expected was that they return back to The Ark at the end of Episode 2 & everything has changed, with The Monoids gaining a voice & having taken over The Ark from the humans.
Acting again is on form, although one or two of the Guardians seem a bit off. We see the first appearance of Michael Sheard (who would go on to pop up quite a few times between this story & Remembrance) although his part is rather small in this story. The Monoids themselves are a rather interesting creation, the eye itself is obviously there then chin is, but the animated eye gives it a nice little touch. The design is rather obviously from the 60’s, especially with their hair cuts. The race start of without any speech & seem like willing. The Refusians are a rather interesting touch, being beings that have evolved beyond a physical, visible form & add something to the story.
The sets are rather fitting as well, I particularly like the giant Monoid statue which actually looks like a statue. The sets on Refusis are rather nice, if a little limited to only a few bits, however the model work, including the disintegration of Earth & the Monoid Statue leaving The Ark, are great. It was also nice to hear the return of the wonderful, if short, moody piece of music from DMP Episode 12 as it really adds a sense of dread at the start of Episode 3
All in all a rather nice surprise for me, as I say on several occasions I’ve never made it past Episode 2 but I’m glad that this time round I did as it’s a great little story & it goes along at a great pace.
Overall Rating: 4.25/5 – Great little story which never drags, The Monoids are a wonderful 60’s creation & the acting from virtually all is spot on.
Episode Count: 4 Series: 3 Story No: 6
Doctor: 1st Companions: Steven & Dodo
Date(s) Watched: Sunday 21st June 2009
The first fully moving story since The Time Meddler, on several previous viewings I gave up with The Ark during episode 2 & didn’t have high expectations for this story at all. That being said I rather enjoyed this one a lot.
Dodo’s accent seems to have mysteriously changed here, the “northern” accent still appears on the odd word but now she seems a lot more posher. The character herself doesn’t really irritate me but I can understand why some wouldn’t like her, she seems to be very pushy & nosey in this story but then again I suppose they wanted to avoid having another Vicki in the story. Speaking of which Vicki’s costume from The Crusades makes a second appearance here (if it’s not the same costume, it’s very similar). She does however turn out to be more permanent than the last two female companions & thankfully does stick round for a little while.
The Story itself works very well & it’s sort of split into two stories, the first two episodes centre round the humans leaving a worn out Earth (of which there is a nice model shot of it’s disintegration near the end of Episode 2) and that Dodo’s “common cold” causes the death of several of the guardians & the Monoids. What probably wasn’t expected was that they return back to The Ark at the end of Episode 2 & everything has changed, with The Monoids gaining a voice & having taken over The Ark from the humans.
Acting again is on form, although one or two of the Guardians seem a bit off. We see the first appearance of Michael Sheard (who would go on to pop up quite a few times between this story & Remembrance) although his part is rather small in this story. The Monoids themselves are a rather interesting creation, the eye itself is obviously there then chin is, but the animated eye gives it a nice little touch. The design is rather obviously from the 60’s, especially with their hair cuts. The race start of without any speech & seem like willing. The Refusians are a rather interesting touch, being beings that have evolved beyond a physical, visible form & add something to the story.
The sets are rather fitting as well, I particularly like the giant Monoid statue which actually looks like a statue. The sets on Refusis are rather nice, if a little limited to only a few bits, however the model work, including the disintegration of Earth & the Monoid Statue leaving The Ark, are great. It was also nice to hear the return of the wonderful, if short, moody piece of music from DMP Episode 12 as it really adds a sense of dread at the start of Episode 3
All in all a rather nice surprise for me, as I say on several occasions I’ve never made it past Episode 2 but I’m glad that this time round I did as it’s a great little story & it goes along at a great pace.
Overall Rating: 4.25/5 – Great little story which never drags, The Monoids are a wonderful 60’s creation & the acting from virtually all is spot on.
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