[overdue reactions] Doctor Who - Colony in Space

[grimorie]

Claws of Axos was a good story but this one Colony in Space is a story I really enjoyed! It's written by Malcolm Hulke and I find that I really enjoy how he writes the Doctor. This is a six-part story and again, one of the benefits of this type of story structure is that it gives space and breath for worldbuilding and secondary characters.

I really love how this really dove into unchecked capitalism and the struggles of people who left Earth in hopes of a better life and realized the paradise they were seeking wasn't that perfect. Hulke even managed to include a story about a race that got too powerful and mighty it became destructive, and then took a massive step back.

(I wasn't keen on the use of primitive, its the same level when people call Leela 'savage').

I continue to enjoy Jo Grant, I love her reaction to seeing the TARDIS for the first time, and I was surprised to find that Jo wasn't keen on space travel at all. It's an interesting reaction because ever since New Who every Companion the Doctor traveled with had the instant awe and wonder. Jo Grant? No, sir, she's going to march back inside and demand to be taken back to Earth.

Also, honestly she's reacting to this whole traveling in time and space thing better than I would handle it IMO and she's also really quick on the uptake. The Doctor still has moments of paternalistic over the protection of Jo but I can work with that knowing the times and also chalk it up to the Third Doctor's personality.

I can see now why Jo's story will end with her wanting to stay on Earth. (I really hope Jo and Martha get to meet because I feel like she and Martha share the same perspective).

This is also the story where The Master tempts the Doctor with the prospect of co-ruling the Universe together, and I like how they played it that the Doctor didn't immediately turn it down, that as Dr. Miranda Bailey from Grey's Anatomy put it, the Doctor took a pause. And this is where the similarities between Gomez!Master| Missy and Twelve comes in but Twelve is visibly more shaken by this offer and Missy pushes the same button Delgado!Master pushed when she was him.

In the end, the Doctor turns the Master down, much to the Master's frustration. The Master can never understand that all the Doctor wanted is to travel the universe. Ruling the universe was never anywhere the Doctor's goal. I really like this story!

Comments

[nostalgia]

I can't remember much about this one, but I know it's not generally loved. Is this the one with the space prison and the orange spacesuit?

Weird when Jo went into space the first time and is like "wow it's a spaceship!" like did she just assume the Doctor was lying all this time?

[grimorie]

It’s not generally loved? Huh! I guess, I’m treading on different ground from fandom received wisdom. I would think fandom would love it especially how deep it goes about the unchecked power of capitalism, greed, and the way corporations run roughshod over people.

My general impression of Jo during this story was that before she stepped on to the TARDIS, she was kind of indulging the Doctor, like an eccentric uncle.

And then minutes after stepping inside the TARDIS for the first time thr Time Lords hijack the TARDIS and then the next thing Jo knew she was on another world, so i wasn’t really put off by her reactions.

I don’t remember an orange space suit, the mining corporation did have a bit of red on their shoulder.

[nostalgia]

It was odd cos I always thought she believed him and then nope apparently not!