#Also Benton TARDIS trip

[gayness-and-mayhem]

"You've stolen the whole of UNIT HQ!"

[rachelbethhines]

Speed-running Doctor Who - 4th Doctor

A quick and dirty guide for those who want to get into the show, but don't want to watch everything from the beginning.

For Those Who Just Wanna Get An Idea of the Era

State of Decay - S18E4

The Fourth Doctor technically has like three or four eras within it, and State of Decay is sort of a blend of all of them.

Produced under JNT's time on the show, with a companion introduced during Douglas Adams' previous season, using a script that was originally submitted for season 15, when Robert Holmes was head writer.

Therefore I deem it the best summarization of the entire Fourth Doctor run.

Plot Important Episodes

Entrances, Exits, Enemies, Lore Drops, and Character Development

Robot - S12E1 (Fourth Doctor's first story and introduces Harry)

The Ark in Space - S12E2 (Harry's first trip in the Tardis and kicks off the season's 12 stranded story arc)

Genesis of the Daleks - S12E3 (first appearance of Davros, the creator of the Daleks)

Revenge of the Cybermen - S12E5 (the team finally makes back to the Tardis ending S12's stranded arc and the Cybermen return after being off screen for several years)

Terror of the Zygons - S13E1 (introduces the Zygons, Harry leaves the Tardis, last appearance of the Brigadier for a long while)

Pyramids of Mars - S13E3 (The Doctor faces Sutekh for the first time)

The Android Invasion - S13E4 (Benton's last story and Harry's final appearance)

The Brain of Morbius - S13E5 (the Sisters of Karn are introduced and its the beginning of the of the very controversial Other/Timeless child theories)

The Seeds of Doom - S13E6 (final UNIT story for a very, very long while, no UNIT regulars appear marking the end of that story line)

The Hand of Fear - S14E2 (Sarah Jane leaves the Tardis)

The Deadly Assassin - S14E3 (The Doctor returns to Gallifrey and we meet the "Decayed" Master)

The Face of Evil - S14E4 (meet Leela)

The Talons of Weng-Chiang - S146 (character development for Leela, and there's also Jargo and Litefoot if you care about spin-offs)

Horror of Fang Rock - S15E1 (meet the Rutans; while they haven't reappeared in the series yet, they're the Sontarans adversaries in their never ending war and so are named dropped often)

The Invisible Enemy - S15E2 (K9 comes aboard the Tardis)

The Invasion of Time - S15E6 (Leela's last story)

The Ribos Operation - S16E1 (Meet Romana the First, also the start of the Key To Time arc and the introduction of the Guardians)

The Pirate Planet - S16E2 (character development for the tardis team and more plot progression for the Key to Time arc)

The Armageddon Factor - S16E6 (The ending of the Key to Time arc and the last story to feature Romana I)

Destiny of the Daleks - S17E1 (Romana the First regenerates into Romana the Second)

City of Death - S17E2 (the randomizer is introduced as a means to escape the Black Guardian)

Shada - S17E6 * (perhaps the most remade Doctor Who story ever, you might want to watch a version just to see what all the hubbub is about)

The Leisure Hive - S18E1 (The end of the randomizer arc.... also Harden and Mena are the best couple in Who)

Meglos - S18E2 (I only recommend this story because it's the last time Jacqueline Hill appears on the show, but sadly she's not playing Barbara)

Full Circle - S18E3 (Adric's first story)

Warriors' Gate - S18E5 (Romana and K9 leave the Tardis)

The Keeper of Traken - S18E6 (Meet Nyssa, oh and the Master regenerates into Anthony Ainley)

Logopolis - S18E7 (The Fourth Doctor's final story and Tegan is introduced)

Personal Favorite and Least Favorite Stories

Because one man's trash is another man's treasure and vice versa

Favorite: The Sontaran Experiment - S12E3

Least Favorite: The Planet of Evil - S13E2

(disclaimer: no spin-offs or extended universe stuff was considered when making this list)

Up Next: The Fifth Doctor

[bowtiesandflutes]

A New Adventure (Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart x Reader)

gif belongs to billdecker

You had met him during the Great Intelligence’s invasion of London, and your flirtatious behavior baffled him at first, but when he realized that telling you to remain serious was pointless, he responded much to everyone’s amusement. You were an intriguing person. You always asked his squad or the Colonel questions about himself, but when the roles were reversed, you would dismiss it with a smile and say, “Guess you’ll just have to find out on your own.”

Three things were made clear to the Colonel when you met. One, you were traveling with the Doctor long before he met Jamie. Two, the Doctor was very protective of you, keeping you by his side by looping your arm with his. Three, you were a smart woman from fifty years ahead of his time, and the Doctor would converse with you in a corner to discuss different ideas on how to face a threat. You weren’t as smart as Zoe, but he trusted your instincts. And in the end, he never regretted following them.

When you arrived on Earth to fix the Tardis, soon becoming tangled in a Cybermen invasion, you contacted the newly appointed Brigadier in a way that would embarrass him but also remind him of who you were. As if he could forget.

He was working on finding information on International Electromatics when you intercepted the squad’s communication.

“Greyhound Leader.” Your voice came through the radio. “Personally, I prefer Colonel Sexy.”

The Brigadier turned in his chair, noticing Yates grinning at the sound of your voice but not stating it to stop him like he usually would. “What the devil are you doing on our radio?” He asked.

“Aw, and here I thought you’d be happy to hear from me. You must be Colonel Grumpy today.” You said teasingly.

Yates chuckled, and the Brigadier silenced him with a stern look.

“Why are you on UNITs radio?” He asked.

“I need your help.” You told him.

“Where are you?” He asked, sitting straighter.

“International Electromatics has a countryside base, and we’re trapped here. There are security guards everywhere. I thought you were looking for a way to see me again when you called the Doctor, but I think you’re right. Something is fishy here.” You said.

He would have smiled if he wasn’t worried about you. “Stay put. I’m on my way.”

“You’re so bossy. I like it.”

At this, Yates had to bite his hand to stop the burst of laughter escaping his mouth, and the Brigadier smiled as he spoke into the microphone. “Behave.”

“I always behave.”

He shook his head with a smile, walking to grab his hat from the coat rack, putting it on as he gave Yates orders to assemble a squad to join him at the base.

You ran towards the helicopter, and quickly helped Zoe to her feet when she fell. You squealed when you heard security shooting at you and climbed into the helicopter after Zoe, tripping over her leg while she sat down and landing on the Brigadier’s lap. “Hello, again.” You spoke up over the gunfire, Benton, and Yates retaliating against the guards.

“Hello, Miss L/N.”

“Call me F/N.” You grinned, moving to sit between him and Yates.

“I missed you,” Yates told you.

“Of course you did, dear, don’t be silly.” You patted his arm and he chuckled, clearing his throat at the look the Brigadier sent him.

“Oh, Y/N, stop flirting for one second.” The Doctor chastised.

You playfully rolled your eyes, “Only if Alistair promises there will be plenty of time later.” You said, looking at the Brigadier.

“What happened to behaving?”

“This is me behaving.” You told him.

The Brigadier gave you a side glance but there was a smile on his lips.

When the helicopter arrived at UNIT, Benton and Yates climbed out first, then the Brigadier who offered you a helping hand. You smiled as you stood in front of him, regarding his new uniform. “Promotion looks good on you.”

“Thank you, Miss L/N.” He said just as Benton called him over to where he was standing talking to a soldier. He bowed his head towards you before walking over to them.

“I told you to call me Y/N!”

He looked back at you with a smile, and you giggled, quickly frowning when the Doctor cleared his throat.

“You never stop, do you?” Zoe smiled, approaching you with the Doctor and Jamie.

You pretended to think for a moment before shaking your head. “No.”

You followed the Doctor into UNIT and looped your arm with the Brigadier when he followed. “We better make sure he doesn’t get lost.”

“Does that happen often?” He asked.

“Oh, every day.” You sighed, making him chuckle.

“I imagine it must be a great privilege to travel in the Tardis.” He said, leading you to his office.

“Every morning, I wake up amongst the stars and can’t imagine a prettier sight. But the stars would look just as beautiful down here.” You walked into his office and helped Zoe with the tea she was carrying.

“Tea, Alistair?” You asked.

He raised an eyebrow at you, amazed by your audacity of calling him by his first name in front of his Sargent, but he was amused by the way you pushed boundaries.

“Yes, please. Thank you.” He went to sit behind his desk, answering the telephone when it rang.

You smiled over at him, and Zoe giggled, nudging you. “When is the wedding?” She asked.

“There is no wedding.” You told her, stirring the tea.

“Yet.” She giggled.

“Oh, shush!” You whispered hastily when the Brigadier approached you.

When you handed him his cup of tea, your fingers brushed against his, and you were thankful the Doctor gave you a reason to turn away, hiding your blushing cheeks as you handed him a handful of wires.

“Thank you.”

You bit your lip, and he scolded you for it. “Sorry.” You apologized. “Can we talk?”

“I’m assuming this about the Brigadier.” He said, draping wires over your neck.

You nodded, unfazed by his actions as he had done this multiple times before when you helped fix the Tardis. “I can’t get a read on him. I know I flirt with him a lot -”

The Doctor made a noise resembling, “Hmph, ” humored by your words. As if to comment, “You don’t say, ” which made you smile.

“Do you think he takes me seriously? Should I be blunt?” You asked.

The Doctor shook his head with a smile. “Trust me, he knows. The reason he has not been blunt as you put it is because he would be asking you to leave the Tardis.” He explained.

You frowned, looking at the Brigadier who was talking to Yates and Jamie. You looked at the Doctor when he spoke, “Do you want to leave the Tardis?”

“I never thought about it. Three years ago, I was so sure I was going to travel with you forever. But now I think another adventure is waiting for me. And I know that if it doesn’t work out in the end, I’ll never regret taking that leap.” You told him.

The Doctor nodded in understanding. “You would be greatly missed.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Zoe is pretty smart, more so than me. I’m sure you’ll not notice I’m gone that much.” You said.

“My dear, you are -”

“- cleverer than you know.” You finished with a smile. “Perhaps I am. All I know is that standing beside you, sure made me feel clever.”

“Doctor.” You looked at the Brigadier. “You may want to see this.”

You followed the Doctor to the Brigadier’s desk and tried to remove the wires from around your neck, the Brigadier aiding you when one wire got tangled in your hair. You blushed, smiling as you thanked him.

“Do you think once this is over and we survive the invasion, we could talk?” You asked. The Brigadier raised a curious brow but nodded in agreement.

“Brigadier.” The Doctor called, and you both moved to stand beside him. You looked at the Brigadier, who turned his head when he noticed your staring.

You were starting to wonder if you should have told him when you had the chance. This time you couldn’t help but despair knowing there was a chance you may not make it out of the factory again.

“Ready?” Jamie asked, turning to you.

You noticed that the Brigadier was giving out orders to Yates and the Doctor and Zoe were walking out the office.

You looked at the Brigader for a moment, whispering a tentative, “Yeah, of course.”

You ran down the hallway, hearing the loud footsteps behind you and you ducked into a stairwell, looking over your shoulder. The Cybermen were closing in, and you were running out of places to hide and energy. You ran up the stairs, holding the radio to your lips.

“Greyhound, it’s Y/N. They’re right behind me. Do you read me? Over.”

Alistair took the radio from Jamie, “Yes, I read you. Where are you? Over.”

You looked at the walls, seeing a large seven on the wall. “Stairwell seven. Over. Heading to eight now. Over.” You opened the door and screamed when you saw the two Cybermen on the other side. You turned, looking at the four that had been following you walking to the stairs. “I’m trapped. Over.” You climbed onto the railing and jumped up, grabbing onto the railing on the next flight of stairs and climbing over, running up the stairs.

“Y/N. We’re on our way. Where are you now? Over.”

“They’ve got me cornered. The only way is up. Over.” You told him.

Alistair stopped running and looked back before looking at Jamie, who was asking him why he stopped. “Y/N, I’m on my way. Keep running. Over.” He spoke into the radio.

“Don’t worry; there’s not much else I can do. Over.” You said.

You reached the roof and struggled to get the door open. You screamed in frustration and gasped when you saw the Cybermen were near. You shook the handle, trying to open the door, and quickly looked over your shoulder when you heard the thundering footsteps. Trying to search for inspiration for an idea that would get you out of this, you listened to the sound of a helicopter outside and smiled as you knew it was the Brigadier. You looked at the Cybermen and then at the door, a grin forming on your lips when you got an idea. You waited until the Cybermen reached out to grab you, ducking, so their hand hit the door, breaking the lock. You rushed out the door to the roof and raced towards the helicopter. The Cybermen shot at you, and you landed on the ground, rolling onto your feet. The pilot flew higher, and you heard Alistair arguing with him before he climbed out, holding onto the helicopter as the pilot tried to keep it steady.

“Grab my hand!”

You raced forward, jumping off the edge, and screamed, feeling a hand take yours and pull you up as the helicopter flew higher.

“I’ve got you!”

You looked at Alistair with a grin, “I never had a doubt!”

He smiled at you while the Doctor and Jamie helped you inside, and Alistair soon followed. You smiled when Jamie hugged you and looked at the Brigadier who was giving Yates and Benton new orders.

That’s when the Doctor knew, with that one look, that you would be leaving the Tardis.

You walked into the console room and ran a hand over the controls. “I’m going to miss you too.” You smiled when she hummed in reply.

You picked up your suitcase and walked toward the door, looking back at the time machine that had been your home for years. It was a big decision to leave, but you would regret not taking the opportunity to try a relationship with the Brigadier.

You closed the door and placed your hand on the wood. “Bye, girl. Who knows, we might see each other again.” You turned to the Brigadier, who was talking to Zoe, Jamie, and the Doctor, handing him your suitcase. “Right, make yourself useful and hold that, will you? Thank you, dear.” You turned to the Doctor, “And you, stop if you keep frowning like that, you’ll never be able to stop. I’m not dying.”

Zoe stepped forward to hug you, “Goodbye, Y/N.” She smiled.

“Bye, Zoe. And be careful. You know what these two are like.” You smiled before turning to Jamie. “You know it’s true.” You giggled when he lifted you, spinning you around.

“Things won’t be the same without you, Y/N.” He said.

“Oh, he’ll still find trouble. But you won’t have my fantastic personality, jaw-dropping looks to help you, no.” You giggled, hugging him again. “Be careful. And if he shuts you out for a while, call me and I’ll yell at him down the phone for you.”

Jamie chuckled, nodding. “Aye. Will do.”

You turned to the Doctor, “Never thought we would ever do this.” You hugged him tightly, “Goodbye, Doctor.”

“Goodbye, Y/N. Take care.”

“Be careful.” You whispered in his ear before stepping away. You looked at the Brigadier who sent you a smile as you stood beside him.

“Are you sure about this, Y/N?” The Doctor asked after Jamie and Zoe went into the Tardis.

You nodded, waving goodbye as he headed into the Tardis. You watched the Tardis dematerialize and turned to Brigadier, kissing him passionately, shocking him and the men around him.

“Yeah, worth it.” You walked away with a smile, blushing as you went to the car. Alistair looked at Benton and Yates, who were smirking, quickly walking away when the Brigadier raised an eyebrow at them. You looked at him on the mirror when he approached the car, putting the suitcase in the backseat.

You knew it would take time to adjust to the different time zone, different behavioral expectations mostly, but that was a small price to pay when you had a man that doesn’t mind your boldness, who was understanding that you weren’t like the woman from his time and we’re used to expressing how you felt, very open and opinionated. And the differences became things he loved about you.

He got behind the wheel and looked at you. “Where do we start?” He asked.

“Tea?” You suggested with a smile.

Your first kiss was very fresh, and you were itching for a second, but you thought his squad would have heart attacks if they saw their boss kissing a woman again.

Alistair nodded with a smile and drove out of UNIT, heading to what would become your new home. And soon you realized that you didn’t need to change who you are to fit into his world and if someone tried to dismiss you when you voiced opinions or when you were behaving differently from expectations of women at that time, he would defend you while making it known that he had friends in high places.

You wondered what the Doctor was doing, what terrifying, fascinating, and heart-racing adventure he had stumbled upon. You missed life on the Tardis, but you would make the same choice if you had to do it all over again. You were embarking on a new adventure with Alistair, who was supportive and everything you needed. Hearing about some of the cases he worked on at the table, was enough excitement in your life. You certainly did not miss running from danger on an unfamiliar planet. But you did miss the Doctor, and one day, you hoped to see him again, even if it was for the last time.

Leaving the Tardis that day was something you could never regret and would never regret. You were decades before your time, yet you had never felt more at home. You had found the place you needed to be, and you were grateful that meeting the Doctor led to meeting the Brigadier.

[unwillingadventurer]

Today’s fic is Thirteen and fam and Jo Grant. Thanks @ilwinsgarden and also @human-nxture for the suggestions of 13 meeting past companions.

...

In the warmth of the late afternoon sun, a tandem bike travelled speedily along a country lane with the Doctor and Yaz peddling quickly as they passed the scenery by. With the Doctor in front, a helmet on her head, she peered back and smiled, her hair pasted to her face with the wind so she could barely see.

“You keeping up there, Yaz?”

“Keeping up, we’re on the same bloody bike!”

“There’s a stationary vehicle by the road up ahead, let’s go and see if we can help.”

“But what about the boys?” Yaz shouted.

“We’ve still got time to beat them. Come on.”

As they slowed down, the Doctor glanced at the yellow car that seemed to have broken down by the side of the road. A young woman was beside it, sitting on the edge of the car, and seemed to be in a state of meditation.

“I don’t believe this,” the Doctor said as she threw herself off the bike and removed her helmet before Yaz even had time to think and stop properly. “It’s Bessie!”

“Bessie? That woman?”

Yaz took off her helmet and looked over at the blonde woman dressed in an oversized fluffy coat in pale blue, teamed with a matching blue dress and knee-high boots. She loved that the 70’s was an experimental decade, she’d even dressed for the occasion in bell bottoms, a woollen tank top and platform boots that were much too high. She’d been very pleased when the Doctor had complimented her retro headscarf.

“Bessie isn’t a woman!” The Doctor sounded annoyed. “Bessie is the car. The woman is none other than the rather wonderful Jo Grant!”

“And you knew this Jo in the 70’s?”

“Certainly did. She was my assistant at UNIT.”

“You had a job and an assistant?”

“Well she was my friend mostly. And yeah did a bit of work in the 70’s…possibly the 80’s as well. It was all rather strange, timelines got a bit mixed up somehow, or quite possibly everyone was just high on drugs.”

“So, what’s the car got to do with anything? Just looks like some old banger.”

The Doctor gasped. “An old banger! Gold star deducted Miss Khan. Bessie happens to be a feat of engineering in a retro yellow package. Rather like me.”

“Yoo hoo!” Jo called from the side of the road. “I don’t suppose you could keep me company.”

The Doctor smiled and strutted over. “Of course we can, Jo Grant. We can’t have Jo Grant getting lonely, can we, Jo Grant?”

Yaz followed on behind and watched as the Doctor shook Jo’s hand.

“Have we met?” Jo asked, wondering why the woman knew her full name.

“Yeah you could say that. Where’s…the Doctor?”

 “Gone to get some tools to fix Bessie. Do you know him then?”

 “Well, yeah, you see, actually…”

 “She is the Doctor,” Yaz said helpfully and to the point.

 Jo gasped. “Not my Doctor?”

 “Same one, different face.”

“I’m astonished. I’ve seen other versions of you but not a woman,” Jo said, “but I must say well done. I’m all for women’s lib and all that. I do rather adore my Doctor though, so cuddly and well dressed.”

The Doctor looked down at her clothes, disappointed that her previous companion hadn’t complimented her own fashion. “Well I’m him or I was once.”

“And blonde too, no more dumb blonde jokes eh?”

“Gold star Jo Grant!” the Doctor said with praise.

Yaz bowed her head and kicked the dirt with her platforms, having only just had one of her gold stars deducted for being rude. “So, I’m Yaz, seeing as she didn’t bother to introduce me.”

“I was getting to that. Jo Grant this is the wonderful Yaz, my current companion, or one third of my fam.”

“Current?” Yaz said.

 Jo smiled warmly. “Lovely to meet you, Yaz. What a great surprise this is. You wait ‘til I tell Mike Yates about this, he is not gonna believe it.”

 The Doctor’s smile widened. “Mike! How is the old devil?”

 “Same old Mike.”

“And how’s Benton and the Brigadier?”

“Oh, they’re well, smashing fellas.”

The Doctor turned excitedly to Yaz. “They’re the best of the Earth, Yaz, saving lives and protecting the shores and no one knows they exist.”

“Thanks Doctor,” Jo said and giggled. “Oh, I do feel naughty saying that, like I’m having an affair with another…well woman I suppose!” She playfully slapped Yaz on the arm to which Yaz laughed.

Already the Doctor was making her way to the front of Bessie, lifting up the bonnet and peering inside. “I can fix this, no problem. Where’s the other me?”

“Needed to fetch his tools.”

The Doctor reached into her pocket and whipped out her goggles which she then placed on, and then pulled out her sonic screwdriver. “This does everything.”

Jo and Yaz watched on fascinated as the Doctor got to working on the machine, her tongue peeking out the side of her mouth as sparks flew around her. She was so immersed in her task that she hardly heard the roar of a motor pulling up beside them.

The car window rolled down and out popped Ryan’s head from the passenger window. “Ha, we’re so gonna beat ya!”

“How did you get that car?” Yaz said, folding her arms.

Graham leaned over Ryan from the driver’s seat. “Stop yakking, son, we’ve got a ‘north to south don’t use the TARDIS race’ to win. They’re stuck helping some old banger.”

Leaning up from underneath the bonnet, the Doctor scrunched her face. “That’s no way to talk about Jo Grant.”

“I meant the car, blimey Doc, I don’t make a habit of calling young ladies ‘old bangers’.”

“Ignore Graham’s eagerness at winning, he’s just so hyped to be back in his own era,” Ryan said.

“And don’t you be dissing it, son. I look like a right blinder in this tashe.”

And suddenly the car drove away at high speed and Yaz sighed as they were left behind with a trail of dust covering them. “They’re going to win! And I still can’t get used to Ryan in that afro wig.”

“You’ve got to hand it to them,” the Doctor said, rolling up her sleeves. “They really went all out.”

“You know those men in that orange Cortina?” Jo asked. “Had a boyfriend with a car like that, got up to a few things, ooh I shouldn’t say that should I?”

“Never mind that, Jo Grant, Bessie is road ready.” The Doctor grabbed Yaz’s hand, transferring oil onto her clean skin. “Yaz, we’ve got two egos to smash.”

“You mean we’re gonna nick this car from Jo?”

“We’re gonna commandeer it. Do you fancy an adventure, Jo?” The Doctor held out her hand.

“I’d love to. Ooh how exciting, a proper gals road trip.” She took the Doctor’s hand and grasped firmly.

Yaz and Jo climbed into the car and scrunched up close together next to the Doctor who was already in the driver’s seat. She lifted up her goggles. “You ready fam?”

“We’re so ready,” Yaz said, “as long as we don’t do a Thelma and Louise.”

“Ah spoil sport, Yaz. I’ve always wanted to do a Thelma and Louise with you one day.”

“Preferably without the cliff part, ta very much!”

Jo laughed. “I don’t mean to sound a bit daft but who are Thelma and Louise?”

 ...

Very close to the finish line of their long race across the entire country having to use a multitude of vehicles, Ryan and Graham stopped for a quick bite to eat, knowing they were ahead of the women and had time to spare.

“I needed that sarnie,” Graham said, wiping the mustard from his mouth. “You might wanna check that hairdo for crumbs,” he said pointing at Ryan’s afro.

“You might wanna check the tashe, Grandad.”

“We are so going to rub this in to the Doc later. The race, not the mustard.” Graham rubbed his hands together cheekily.

“Cool yeah but shouldn’t we get back on the road? We’re so close to the end.”

“Yeah you’re probably right son, don’t want to be too cocky.”

They were just about to climb back into the car when a yellow blur whizzed past them, so fast they had no idea what it was and they stood feeling rather dizzy at the sight.

“Blimey, what was that?” Graham said. “Think the mustard just blurred my eyes.”

“We don’t get tornadoes in England, do we?”

“Don’t know, son, but let’s get cracking.”

“Yeah you’re right, I’ve got a weird feeling.”

…

As the Cortina pulled into the finish line, Graham and Ryan were shocked as they parked, climbed out and realised that the Doctor and Yaz, along with new passenger Jo Grant, were already standing at the finish line, beside the bright yellow car, smiling and doing some kind of 70’s themed victory dance.

“How on earth did you get here so fast?” Graham said.

“You was that big yellow blur weren’t ya?” Ryan said and then slapped Graham on the arm. “I told you not to stop to eat that sarnie!”

“I can’t drive on an empty stomach. Hang about, how comes you can travel at the speed of light all of a sudden? I call foul play.”

Yaz started to shimmy from side to side. “Don’t be a sore loser, Graham, we won fair and square and we got to meet Jo. She’s really cool.”

Jo hugged Yaz from the side. “Pleasure is all mine, darling. Lovely to meet all of you and have a race against the boys, shame my UNIT boys weren’t here.” She looked at Ryan. “I have a feeling Mike might really be sad he missed meeting you.” She pinched his arm playfully.

“So, you’re allowed to use all your what-not and jiggery-pokery on that old car and win the race?” Graham asked.

Yaz prodded him. “Serves you right for stealing our scooters in phase 1.”

Jo grabbed Yaz and the Doctor’s hands. “I declare the winners, Yaz and the Doctor!” She then kissed them both on the cheeks and hugged the losers

…

“Thank you, Doctor,” Jo said as they sat alone on the sand dunes, looking out to sea, the breeze tickling their cheeks. “I had a fabulous day.”

“Glad to hear it, Jo Grant.” The Doctor sifted some sand between her fingers.

“You’re taking care of yourself then?”

 “You know me, as long as I’ve got someone to lend a hand then I’m usually alright.”

“Looks like you have some fun times with those three?”

“Yes. They’re not so bad.”

“And we had fun times too. You remember those, don’t you, Doctor?”

“Of course I do. You and me with Bessie and the open road. We had it all!”

“I don’t know how I’ll leave you Doctor and I don’t need you to tell me but one thing, was I happy?”

“You’re Jo Grant, you’re always happy. And the world is better for it.”

They smiled at one another and said nothing for a few moments, just appreciating the moment to enjoy one another’s company.

“Wait a minute,” Jo suddenly said, breaking the silence. “If we’re here with Bessie then where’s my Doctor?”

The Doctor scrunched up her face. “Oh, forgot about that.”

…

“Jo? Where are you? Jo?” The Doctor stood in the middle of the empty road, holding a tool kit and peering around in bewilderment. He took off his green velvet jacket, slinging it over his shoulder and rubbing his chin with his gloved hand. “Oh well, suppose the walk won’t do me any harm. Hope she hasn’t driven the old girl off a cliff.”

[timeagainreviews]

A Loch back at a Zygon Era

Hello friends! I've had quite the week! Monday was my birthday, so my boyfriend and I took a road trip around Scotland. We saw lots of things from the Beatrix Potter Garden in Birnam, to the Cave of Caerbannog from Monty Python, to the Devil's Pulpit in Dumgoyne. But our main destination was Loch Ness! We settled into our hotel by watching "Terror of the Zygons," which seemed appropriate considering our surroundings. Naturally, I decided to review it here. Before I do, however, I would like to thank all of you who have been liking and reblogging my stuff lately. It means a lot to know I'm connecting with people. Thank you for your support!

On the surface, "Terror of the Zygons," appears to be just like any other serial of its era. However, if you do a bit of digging, you'll discover that there are some interesting facts about its production. Did you know that there was a sort of "real-world," tie in with the story? No, I don't mean Nessie. Think closer to Mickey Mouse. In 1975, Tom Baker played the Doctor for the August "Disney Time," bank holiday special. After introducing several clips from Disney films, he is called away by the Brigadier to the events of Terror of the Zygons. I can't help but wish this information was known to me before writing my Doctor Who and Disney article! You can watch the clips on youtube. They feature Tom being suitably bizarre.

Along with having an unusual prequel, the story also had a deleted scene from the beginning which was later colourised by YouTuber "babelcolour," for the DVD release. This edited version is the one I rewatched for today's review. The scene begins with the TARDIS materialising invisibly. The Doctor walks out from nothingness, wearing a matching tartan tam and scarf, replacing his usual fedora and scarf. Not far behind are Sarah Jane and Harry Sullivan wearing said hat and scarf respectively. There's something rather humorous about the Doctor using his companions as human hat racks. Considering Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart's name, it seems appropriate that the Doctor is sporting the Royal Stewart tartan. I can't help but wonder if the costume department did this on purpose. After rematerialising the TARDIS to "fix," it back to it's usual broken police box state, the three continue their journey to answer the Brigadier's Disney Time summons. It seems an oil rig off the coast of Scotland has crashed into the sea just shortly after having lost radio contact.

After hitching a ride from the eccentric Duke of Forgill, the three meet up with a kilted Brigadier in a small Scottish inn where the landlord, Angus, plays bagpipes ad nauseam. They're really driving the Scottish shit home, which makes sense when you consider they filmed the episode in Sussex. Also gathered at the inn are Sergeant Benton, various UNIT soldiers, and a man from the oil company named Huckle. The Duke has some curt words with Huckle, informing him that any crewmen found on his land will be shot. After leaving in a huff, we see one of these crewmen wash ashore, seemingly alive. Over the past month, three different rigs have all met their demise. The gang splits up Scooby-Doo style. Dr Harry goes off to check on the injured crewmen, while Sarah stays behind to get the scoop from the locals. And the Doctor goes off to be the Doctor.

Back at the inn, Sarah mentions the odd nature of the Duke to Angus who promptly defends the duke as a good man. However, even he has to admit that the Duke has been acting strangely since the oil companies came. After letting go most of his servants, the only real bit of interaction he's had lately was gifting the inn with a goofy looking stag head. Nowadays the Duke keeps mostly to himself at Forgill Castle. The surrounding area of Tulloch Moor seems steeped in mystery. People go missing as the mist comes in, Angus tells Sarah as they're being spied upon from a distance. Eavesdropping in on the conversation over a veiny, bio-mechanical screen, an unknown figure watches from the shadows.

While driving alone, Harry spots the washed-up man from the rig and jumps out to help him. Believing him to be yet another trespasser, a beardy fellow by the name of Caber shoots the survivor and wings Harry across his brow, rendering him unconscious. Back in the bio-mechanical ship, alien villains twist and caress a fleshy panel in the weirdest form of nipple play ever seen on Doctor Who, causing the destruction of another oil rig near Ben Nevis. While trying to decipher the signal that has been jamming the oil rigs' radios, the Doctor learns of Harry's brush with death.

After checking on Harry, the Doctor goes out to inspect the oil rig wreckage where he discovers strange holes in the foundation. After taking a cast of the holes with plaster of Paris, the cast reveals what looks like the shape of an impossibly large sharp tooth. During a call with the Doctor, Sarah is attacked by the previously seen alien hand, which belongs to none other than a fearsome Zygon! I've always loved their design, especially in this scene. Something about the shape of its mouth is particularly disturbing. I was slightly disappointed about the redesign from the new series. I'm a big fan of the Zygon cat nose. I almost named one of my cats Zygon due to his dark orange fur and similar nose shape, but my partner at the time vetoed that idea. I named him Rory instead.

After discovering both Harry and Sarah missing, the Doctor discovers Sarah in a decompression room for divers, the door slightly ajar. I was annoyed by the fact that the Doctor fell for such an obvious trap, but it also led to an intriguing sequence. Harry's nurse, Sister Lamont, closes the heavy door behind the Doctor and seals it shut for decompression. Running out of air, the Doctor hypnotises Sarah and enters into a trance to conserve air. I'm a big fan of any time the Doctor acts like a bit of a mystic. I'm a meditator myself, so it's cool to see the Doctor tap into the innate powers of thought control. One of the side effects of certain meditations is a slowing of breathing. It was nice that the scene doesn't overly explain this. It allows Tom the chance to really play up his weird alien charm as his eyes roll back and he howls toward the ceiling. Moments like these are why I love Tom Baker so much. He's not afraid of being utterly bizarre.

It's around this time we begin to learn a little about the Zygons. Having taken Harry to their ship, their leader, Broton, tells him a bit about their history. After they crash-landed centuries ago they awaited rescue while subsiding on the lactic fluid of their giant Nessie-like cyborg pet known as the Skarasen. That's correct, you did not misread that- they feed off of cyborg breast milk. Only with a show like Doctor Who can you get a sentence like that. You've kind of got to love that. After discovering their planet was destroyed by a cosmic event, they redirected their efforts toward getting their suckers on Earth. The Skarasen is to be the form of Earth's destructor, as no human weapon could hope to penetrate its augmented skin. In order to move their plan into motion, the Zygons gas the village, knocking the Brigadier and the UNIT soldiers out cold, thus allowing them to move in secret. Luckily for the Doctor and Sarah, Sergeant Benton was on the lookout for them where he saves them from death by asphyxiation.

After coming to, Huckle gives the Doctor a bio-emitter that attracts the Skarasen, which he found among the wreckage of the rig. Having bugged the inn, the Zygons reveal to Harry that they use the psychic imprint of humans in order to mimic their form. He sees the likes of Sister Lamont, Caber, and the Duke, stored in hibernation chambers, maintaining a link to their Zygon counterparts. They use Harry's form to slip back to the inn where they may fetch the emitter. But he is intercepted by Sarah who is concerned by his odd behaviour. She chases him into a barn where they scuffle in a manner that had me weirdly thinking of “Super Vixens.” Russ Meyer's Doctor Who is not something I ever expected to imagine. After a bit of trouble, Zygon Harry falls from a hayloft onto his own pitchfork, killing him instantly and revealing himself to Sarah as a Zygon. However, the crafty Zygons completely evaporate his remains to hide any evidence. I wondered why they didn't just do the same thing to the emitter in the first place, but I guess the answer is "it doesn't do that." Ok, sure, whatever. Now free from his psychic link with the Zygon, Harry is able to sneak about on their ship unabated.

After realising the Zygons were working from the shadows, the Doctor assumes they must have bugged the inn somewhere, so the lads go about searching the place from top to bottom. I love Angus' indignant response to the idea that his inn might have actual bugs. Angus Lennie's performance as Angus is a true highlight in the story. Afraid of the humans discovering that the goofy stag head must be the bug, the Zygons decide to send the Skarasen to rid themselves of these tiresome humans. After figuring out the secret of the emitter, the Doctor draws the Skarasen away from the village only to find it has fused itself to his hand. But Harry's meddling with the ship's systems allows the Doctor the ability to toss the emitter in the path of the Skarasen, destroying it in the process. 

The Doctor and friends meet up and go to Forgill Castle to ask permission to drop depth charges into Loch Ness, the source of the signal. Their hope is to draw the Zygons out. Meanwhile, the Sister Lamont Zygon goes to fetch the stag head and fights with Angus in the process, killing him. It's a sad ending for one of the more likeable characters, but it's also kind of wonderful in its simplicity. I never quite understood why the Zygons needed to turn people into electric balls of something I might pull out of my hairbrush, as they did in "The Zygon Invasion." If anything, I much prefer the updates they received in Mark Morris' "The Bodysnatchers." Using venom from their suckers matches their physiology far better than superpowers. Morris really fleshed out the Zygons in a way I wish the show would. Seeing them in their initial incarnation using brute force seems far more practical to me. I think sometimes, more is less.

After discovering a way into the Zygon ship, they save Harry, but the Zygons flee with the Doctor still onboard. The Doctor gets a wonderful opportunity to match wits with Broton in a speech that includes my all-time favourite Fourth Doctor line- "You can't rule the world in hiding. You've got to come out on to the balcony sometimes and wave a tentacle." Evidently, that line was ad-libbed by Tom Baker, only further solidifying my love for the man. He makes a good point though, the Zygons have mostly been working from the shadows, in secret. The Zygons fly away, masking their trail from UNIT, still hiding. I must admit, it's not abundantly clear what their plan actually is. Sure they intend to use the Skarasen against earth's weapons, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of explanation as to how the oil rigs play into everything. There's mention of turning the Earth into something more habitable for Zygons, but I'm honestly not sure. I asked my boyfriend what his impression was, and he couldn't quite figure it out either.

There's a lot of what happens at this point in the story that seems like happenstance. The UNIT crew and Sarah end up going to London, which also happens to be where the Zygons have set their next target. They plan to swim the Skarasen up the Thames to wreak havoc on Westminster Abbey. In my review for "Castrovalva," I mentioned how the Fourth Doctor's super-heroics were oftentimes overstated, and what comes next is nothing shy of extraordinary. After rigging some ventricle type wiring from within his cell, the Doctor uses his own body to complete the circuit, allowing UNIT to see past the Zygon's scramblers and pinpoint their location. I loved that it was Benton that did this, by the way. This was twice in one story where Benton got to play hero. They pinpoint the ship's location to be a disused quarry, which made me ugly cackle. Classic Doctor Who used quarries so often to make up an alien planet, that the idea of them saying "This actually is a quarry," seemed almost cheeky. Broton, thinking the Doctor has died, uses his Duke disguise once more to go plant another emitter in Westminster. After releasing the human captives aboard the Zygon ship, the Doctor sounds an alarm and sets off the self destruct killing the remaining Zygons onboard. Yay, murder!

The UNIT soldiers dispatch Broton after a fumbling fight scene between him, Harry, and Sarah. All the while, the Skarasen is working its way up the Thames. It's a brilliant little bit of puppetry mixed with stop motion animation that I found completely charming. Even if it does look a bit naff, it's effective enough to be a suitable set piece to end such an episode. It's very much within the tone of the story to have the Loch Ness monster stomping through London. The Doctor manages to trace the emitter and toss it into the open jaws of the Skarasen. It nom nom noms the emitter into nothingness, causing it to lose all interest in the Abbey. The Doctor casually supposes that it will most likely return to its home of Loch Ness. I loved that the show kept the Loch Ness mystery intact. After all is said and done, "Nessie," may still be out there. It wouldn't have felt right killing off a beloved cryptid that brings so much wonder to many. Such feelings of wonder are what Doctor Who thrives upon. Sadly, while we got to keep Nessie, we say goodbye to some regulars. This marks the last regular appearance of both the Brigadier and Harry. With the Doctor no longer relegated to the Earth, UNIT begins to play a much smaller role in the story. And Harry, now back in London, hasn't a lot of need to continue travelling with the Doctor. It's an almost unceremonious end of an era for Doctor Who.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story. While I feel like it somewhat falls apart in the final act, the mystery and intrigue in the first few episodes really draw you in. Even my boyfriend, who is a casual fan, was drawn in by the atmosphere. You can see the beginnings of what was to become the more horror-themed stories such as "The Talons of Weng-Chiang," or "The Horror of Fang Rock." The Zygons are, for me at least, a classic baddie. They may not be as popular or iconic as the Daleks or Cybermen, but I think they work as their own kind of threat. Bringing them back has also proven to be successful. The Big Finish audio "The Zygon Who Fell to Earth," is well worth a listen. There's a lot of care put into this story that I think makes it stand out from others. Geoffrey Burgon's beautifully haunting music was a nice change of pace from Dudley Simpson's usual work. The track "A Landing in Scotland," is particularly memorable. The Zygon ship interior being organic was a unique touch that we rarely see in Doctor Who, save for maybe "The Claws of Axos," and the model work was also pretty damn charming. Having recently been to both Loch Ness and Ben Nevis, it really added something to the experience as well. There is a surprisingly low amount of episodes that take place in Scotland, which is unfortunate. If there's anything this trip has taught me, is that Scotland has a lot to offer. There are so many peaks and valleys covered with lush greenery and deep dark waters. It's easy to imagine that somewhere, something is lurking down below. Hats off to Robert Banks Stewart and Robert Holmes for seeing this potential, and turning out something magical.

[stillsmarterthanyou]

Liz Shaw and other companions

(Accidentally deleted the other post, so wanted to let my thoughts work a bit more before I did a new one)

The thing with the idea of multiple companions meeting is that they share any of the following common experinces, discussing them amongst themselves:

- The TARDIS

- The Doctor

- The crazy ways they ended up in the TARDIS

- Foreign planets

- Aliens

- Various ways the TARDIS doesn't work & The Doctor can't drive

- The Master

- The Daleks

On this fairly long list, Liz check only two boxes: The Doctor and aliens. She has not been off-world or in the TARDIS and to be honest, 'The Brigadier kidnapped me so I could work as a scientific advicer, but gave the job to The Doctor instead and made me his over-qualified lab assistant' is not a very exciting story. Compared to being kidnapped, or being a stowaway, or having The Doctor save their life, it sounds very boring.

I mean, sure, they can always talk about aliens. But an invasion on Earth hardly compare to blowing up planets or fighting monsters from the future, or the past, or just on a compeltely diffrent world.

The daleks and The Master is two other things that must be big discussions between companions. But Liz left before The Master first appeared in the show, and before The Daleks made their return to the show. Of course, as she got older, she probably learned about them both via P.R.O.B.E and UNIT, but for a long time she had no idea.

Only Sarah Jane and Jo have any kind of experince similar to her, and considering Jo would be largely unavailable, and Sarah Jane does has more exprince with 4 than 3, plus that she never had to handle any 'pass the testtubes' kind of crap, they probably don't relate too much.

The only on she truly have connections to is The Brigadier and Benton, but they are a) men and b) doesn't really see things the way other companions do.

It just breaks my heart to think how lonely Liz must be at times. Naturally, she will probably be able to hang out with other companions still, but she will always feel that they and their experinces are somehow superior to hers.

This also means that I do believe that, unlike most other companions, if The Doctor came back and offered to take her on trip, maybe just a quick visit to the moon or something, she'd say yes. Because she craves it, the feeling her time with The Dpctor being complete. To be able to feel as though she is a real companion, not some bluff who only got half the experince

[thistledownandmagic]

[20 followers i would like to get to know.]

I was tagged by @simplyangiec . Thanks, dear!

1) Blogs: This is my main blog, but I have been pretty much the sole maintainer of the Tumblr arm of @otherhalfsports since we shuttered the main site last year. I also have a Top Gear-related blog, @thingsjezzasays , recounting all the facts about The Stig as told to us by Jeremy Clarkson, and sometimes Richard Hammond. It’s not complete. I stopped once I realized that Wikipedia had that covered, but one of my posts did get reblogged by the official TG tumblr, which was pretty cool.

2) Name/Nickname: Faith. Miss Faith, Faithers, Faitheroo, Watson.

3) Gender: Female

4) Star Sign: Scorpio

5) Height: 5′11″

6) Sexual Orientation: A cis-gendered heterosexual female.

7) Hogwarts House: AHAHAHAHAHA. Self-identify as Hufflepuff. Pottermore sorted me as Slytherin. Feel I’m smart enough for Ravenclaw. Take it how you will.

8) Favorite Color: Navy blue and the chromatics that surround it.

9) Favorite Animal: Canines of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi variety. ;)

10) Average Hours of Sleep: 7-8

11) Cat or Dog Person: Both, but we are definitely a cat household.

12) Favorite Fictional Characters: Benton Fraser, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Hart, Steve Rogers

13) Number of Blankets I Sleep With: 1 sheet and 3 lightweight blankets. My bedroom is in the basement, so it’s cooler no matter the season. ;)

14) Favorite Singer/Band: Top of the list is U2. I also enjoy Nickel Creek, the Barenaked Ladies, Frank Sinatra, Franz Ferdinand, Weezer, Ella Fitzgerald, Adele, Coldplay, Dave Brubeck, and so many others.

15) Dream Trip: a Grand Tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Places of interest include London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dublin.

16) Dream Job: Something in the creative arts, whether that’s as a professional singer, working in the theatre either as an actor or technician (specifically stage management), or as a writer. I used to to that as well.

17) When was this blog created: The beginning of 2010. This blog’s first name was “greenroomjunkie”, in honor of my working on my second university theatrical production and spending A LOT of time in our building’s green room, which acted as the communal gathering place for all the students throughout the day.

18) Current Number of Followers: 278

19) When did your blog reach its peak: When I started to get noticed by porn blogs? I don’t really know what this question is trying to ask, so I’m going to answer a different question. ;) 

Another version of this I’ve seen is what is your most popular blog post - I submitted a TARDIS-themed birthday cake of mine to the official DW Tumblr a while back, and it got reblogged A LOT. I’ve also posted a few fic-rec posts across a few different fandoms (Bond, Kingsman) that seem pretty popular.

20) What made you create this blog: The Great Livejournal Diaspora.

Tagging whoever wants to participate!