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Ground level: the main materials for this story is J.G. Ballard's High Rise, with supporting structures Monty Python's Architect Sketch, Lord of the Flies, and A Clockwork Orange. However, include a wandering Time Lord and his red-haired companion Mel, the former who wants to explore, the latter who wants to enjoy the swimming pool at the top of the 304 story building, only to find the Towers littered and graffitied.
Level 42: Now, meet the Kangs, Red Kangs, who are a gang of crossbow wielding, graffiti-spraying girls in red outfits and rinsed red hair, led by Bin Liner and Fire Escape, who take to the Doctor's "ice hot" clothes, but not to Mel. And to stir things up a bit later, some Blue Kangs, who are a gang of crossbow-wielding, graffiti-spraying girls in blue outfits and... you get the idea. Unfortunately, we only see one Yellow Kang, who like many others in this story, become, in a phrase used by the Kangs, "taken to the cleaners" or "made unalive." Some of their lingo seems taken from Orwell's Newspeak from 1984.
Level 68: Here, we have the Caretakers, the authority wearing Fascist Germany-style grey uniforms who are after the "wall scrawlers" or Kangs. Their officious bureaucratic-ness will make the most hidebound Dickensian clerk blush with shame. However, some of the Caretakers are being "made unalive" as well. And observe their funny salute, hands held under noses and the chant "All hail the Great Architect!" Very Pythonish, yes? Oh, there is a Chief Caretaker who does have a funny mustache akin to the leader of the Third Reich, and a hidden agenda of his own.
Level 100: The Rezzies or Residents who appear here are elderly, and seem overly kind and generous with tea and cakes, such as Tilda and Tabby, but beware their other eating habits. When Maddy tells of a Caretaker's disappearance and says "There's always something left behind," Tabby surreptitiously covers her full plate with her napkin. Hmmm...
Level 125: This is Pex, a self-appointed "musclebrain" who "is here to set Paradise Towers to rights" and is eager to help Mel find the Doctor, while at the same time hiding a dark secret, for which the Kangs have a taunting nickname for him. However, he is useful at breaking doors down.
Level 205: Three special appearances here: Richard Briers (Good Neighbors) does a job as the Chief Caretaker, who's quite a psychotic maniac. Judy Cornwell (Maddy) is best known as Hyacinth's sister Daisy in Keeping Up Appearances. Elizabeth Spriggs (Tabby) would later appear as the Fat Lady in the first Harry Potter movie.
Level 244: Extra "ice-hot" performances: Annabel Yuresha (Bin Liner), Julie Brennon (Fire Escape), and Catherine Cusack (Blue Kang Leader, named Drinking Fountain in the novelization), who is the youngest daughter of Irish actor Cyril Cusack. All are attractive young ladies who add life to and are the best things in this story and have lots of fun with the Doctor.
Level 304: Despite having a closeted studio setting, and its criticism of adopting a more stagey pantomime style, the lighting is good, and indicate a new style for Doctor Who. Enjoying the Doctor dancing with the Red Kangs in Episode 1 depends upon how light a mood one is in. We hope this ice hot video will make you unsad. Thank you, and Build High For Happiness.
I recall watching this episode on my local PBS station as a pre-teen and I admit I have not seen it since (15-20 years ago). But I do have some vague memories of it along with the original Target novelisation. I remember it as a fair McCoy outing and worth a viewing. It certainly is no Caves Of Androzani or even a Rememberance Of The Daleks, but it is a fun part of the 7th Doctor's history and not a complete horror.
Maybe I'm just a soft touch or just a damn fool. Maybe I'm just trying to reconnect with the 12 year old boy I once was who sat with his popcorn and Coke and tried to piece together how all these different guys could be the same Time Lord. Regardless, I still have fun watching even the weakest adventures of the goiod Doctor. So I say buy it if you want to or save your cash if you want to. I'm gonna enjoy it either way.
PS How about we try to tone down the vehemence and sometimes vicious personal attacks directed at certain reviewers. We can surely disagree, even with all our two hearts, but let's not get so damn angry. It's just opinions of a TV show! Whatever happened to civilized debate? Let's all just remember that we're all united as fans of a classically awesome cult TV show and not take it so unbelievably seriously! It's not worth getting so angry! (Again, my opinion.)
Peace - Mike T.
The story line is clever, though it does have some gaping plot holes. (What DW story doesn't?) A group of 'oldsters' and 'youngsters' are left in a 300+ story apartment building while the 'middles' go off the fight a war. The middles have (presumably) died ... and the PT residents are left to fend for themselves, surviving however they can. But surviving is made more difficult by wandering cleaning robots and *something* that lives in the cellar...
The sets are appropriately grimy -- no shiny white corridors here. Just live rats and wallscrawl.
The acting is mostly decent. Darling Richard Briers does overact a bit (and more than a bit towards the end), but the Kangs all do a good job, and Pex is believable.
The clever use of language adds a nice touch to the proceedings. (Though.. here's a question ... why doesn't the TARDIS 'translate' the odd terms? Presumably the PTers aren't speaking English anyway.)
The extras include the usual "Making of" documentary (in which most participants are apologetic that it didn't turn out as well as it might have), some deleted scenes, a disposable commentary (the writer and a guest star or two -- neither Sylvester nor Bonnie took part) and a mysterious 20 minute documentary on the Doctor Who Girls of the 80's. Mysterious because it features Sophie Aldred, Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding (who does most of the talking), but NOT Bonnie Langford. Surely it would have been better placed as an extra one the Ace stories?
In summary, if you're going to cherry pick only the "Best" DW discs to buy, this one can be left on the shelf. But if you've never seen it, don't let its poor reputation scare you off.
very good episode.
