Is there a picture of them anywhere?
Doctor Who... Page 501
Quote: sootyj @ May 31 2010, 9:51 PM BSTTo go from the scientists who cuts people up whilst they're alive in one episode to Mr Nicey Nice who likes humans was just dumb writing.
It's doable, vivisection and sympathetic fascination are not incompatible - scientists can be a bit detached like that (and it was only said that his subjects were conscious, not that had not been given anything for the pain.) But yes the writing did not convince.
Quote: sootyj @ May 31 2010, 9:57 PM BST
Yes, note that the faces do not look like they are supposed to be detachable like guy fawkes masks.
Ooh thanks.
I love seeing the old and new versions of the monsters.
Quote: sootyj @ May 31 2010, 9:57 PM BST
Creature from the Black Lagoon?
Quote: sootyj @ May 31 2010, 9:57 PM BST
Look aside, they were much better in this latest story than that Davison one though! I think I put it elsewhere, but the only 'silurian/Sea Devil' story better than this one was the original Pertwee one. I don't think they've been done full justice since.
Quote: Timbo @ May 31 2010, 9:59 PM BSTYes, note that the faces do not look like they are supposed to be detachable like guy fawkes masks.
They actually kind of do, but that's only because they were a solid, cheap mask, like a lot of old Who baddies! Interesting to note, but the writer of that story, Warriors Of The Deep, has said that he wanted them to have more moveable face, closer to human faces even, so that they could emote and 'act' more; seems someone else agreed!
And here's how they looked in the Pertwee original:
I was going to post these pictures - thanks for that.
I'm reminded of the evolution of the Alien from the alien films - which I've droned on about before. When they 're-imagine' these designs they always neglect to use someone who understood what made them good in the first place. With the Alien it was it's immense strangeness and it's 'diseased human' quality. This was all lost as some f**kwit turned it into a giant insect with dinosaur feet.
With the Silurian, the original design is radical and would fascinate and scare a child (especially the condom mouth). The 80s era version looks like a cuddly toy and the latest version looks like something from Babylon 5 - ie utter dross. The sense of strangeness has been lost is a misguided attempt to create a mask that allows emotion to be more easily expressed.
Who wants f**king emotion? Give me strangeness and give it to me now.
with the Aliens they also added drool insane amounts of drool in each sequel.
I just watched new Who.
Why not throw lizard woman in the light to fix the problem at the end?
Quote: Mickeza @ May 30 2010, 1:12 PM BSTWhen it's revealed that the mother killed the evil alien sister, did anyone else want to throw something at the telly when the son backed away in disgust? I mean his dad had just been dissected, his own heartbeat had been slowed down while he was imprisoned and his grandfather had been turned into an alien, not to mention the tribe that wants to wipe out the entire "ape" race. I'd be feeling pretty angry actually despite what the preachy doctor who failed to protect me is saying.
I thought exactly the same. It might have been different if the kid had actually seen his mum act like some callous, murderous beast, but he hadn't (and in any case the silurian woman had it coming to her). A more convincing reaction would have been for him to move towards his mum in sympathy. One of many many problems with these episodes I'm afraid.
Quote: Timbo @ May 31 2010, 9:47 PM BSTNot quite sure why this two-parter has generated such hostility.
You still manage to give plenty of reasons in the rest of your post though Timbo!
If you want some more, try these:
(1) a small family business appears to have prowess to drill deep into the earth with no engineering back-up. Even if you buy into this, why are they doing it? Well, seemingly to get the "world record" in deep drilling as far as I could muster. If there was a point to the drilling it might have helped. A bit.
(2) *BIGGEST PROBLEM* Characters behaving irrationally or inconsistently or both, usually with a shitty bit of dialogue added to explain why they were doing the stupid inconsistent thing they were doing.
(3) Total lack of realism in characters' reactions to the possible death of their loved ones.
(4) Laboured dialogue saying things like "I promise everything will be all right" so that you know it won't be.
(5) A "future of the planet" summit where one elder silurian talks to two humans, and there is no sense of why he is authorised to make these decisions on his own on behalf of his people. Even then, the talks suddenly turn from deadlock to "yes, we can all live together happily!" in the wink of an eye thanks to him promising some science shit. God, that scene was woeful.
(6) The Doctor says something like "I'm glad you're all right" to Amy and she says "Me too" when they are reunited - despite the fact they are about to be executed any second.
I could go on, but I won't. I did like the last 5 minutes though.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ June 1 2010, 12:12 AM BSTWith the Silurian, the original design is radical and would fascinate and scare a child (especially the condom mouth). The 80s era version looks like a cuddly toy and the latest version looks like something from Babylon 5 - ie utter dross. The sense of strangeness has been lost is a misguided attempt to create a mask that allows emotion to be more easily expressed.
Who wants f**king emotion? Give me strangeness and give it to me now.
I loove the original Cybermen. They're absolute shit, but so weird they're actually scary. (I realise only to me).
Gross bandagey faces. Horrible.
Look how camp this one looks. 
Yes, we are meant to be horrified by what they have misguidedly thrown away. The more bolted and bandaged together they look the more horrifying they become.
Quote: zooo @ June 1 2010, 1:01 AM BSTI loove the original Cybermen. They're absolute shit, but so weird they're actually scary. (I realise only to me).
Not only to you. They were much scarier, not least because they moved in a disconcertingly slow manner which made you feel like you were having a nightmare and couldn't run away. That aspect has been lost completely now that they're made to prance butchly around in formation.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ June 1 2010, 12:12 AM BSTWho wants f**king emotion? Give me strangeness
My feelings entirely.
Quote: Gavin @ June 1 2010, 12:22 AM BSTWhy not throw lizard woman in the light to fix the problem at the end?
I don't think the Doctor would do that, because the lizard lady had a life and family of her own, it would be denying them of that. Maybe double hard bastards like us would toss her in, but the Doctor wouldn't.
Quote: Badge @ June 1 2010, 12:47 AM BST(6) The Doctor says something like "I'm glad you're all right" to Amy and she says "Me too" when they are reunited - despite the fact they are about to be executed any second.
Bit picky that one. I don't think that's really a problem, it's kind of funny, that sort of thing; and the kind of scene they've always had in Who. And as long as he and his companion are alive, the Doctor will assume he'll get them out of whatever situation they're in somehow.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 1 2010, 9:04 AM BSTI don't think the Doctor would do that, because the lizard lady had a life and family of her own, it would be denying them of that. Maybe double hard bastards like us would toss her in, but the Doctor wouldn't.
Seems a little double standard of him but ok. I'd of thrown her in and the human that shot the other lizard woman. Fair is fair.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 1 2010, 9:04 AM BST
Bit picky that one. I don't think that's really a problem, it's kind of funny, that sort of thing; and the kind of scene they've always had in Who. And as long as he and his companion are alive, the Doctor will assume he'll get them out of whatever situation they're in somehow.
I agree, I didn't have problem with that line really. Just reflects their desensitised attitude to this kind of situation. Since essentially they get into it every week.