Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 I watched Battlefield earlier this week. So many ideas in this script it really deserved the 6 episode treatment I feel. 
Nope, still dislike the Keff version of the theme tune.
Argh! The phantom winker!
It's the Brig! He's bored off his arse at a garden centre.
Argh! The phantom winker!
It's the Brig! He's bored off his arse at a garden centre.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker I'm sure that's the main purpose of garden centres! 
Pete Lambert@other_pete How To Ensure Your SciFi Adventure Series Is Not Recommissioned For Another Year: Step 1 - Garden Centre Opening 
Already better than the whole of season 24 put together.
A sword with a glowing jewel in the hilt. Mysterious...
Ooh, the Brigadier's a WOMAN! How controversial, it must be the future, wow, ETC ETC. I mean, really?
Ooh, the Brigadier's a WOMAN! How controversial, it must be the future, wow, ETC ETC. I mean, really?
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith Given a) there had never been a woman Brigadier in UK army in 1989 b) there's still never been a black Brigadier in UK army, c) There has only ever been one woman Brigadier in the UK army ever, I think this character/casting does flag "future", yes. 
Crikey, that's an eye-opener! Astounding that it pushes this even further into the future on that score.
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith She's a northern black woman in British Army rank no woman or black man has ever reached 26 years later. 
Mystic Meg seems to be the one causing the radio interference.
The console room is now reduced to a darkened play tent. :-(
The outside of the TARDIS isn't much better. That is a truly disgusting shade of light blue.
Knights flying through the air is a bit Monty Python.
The console room is now reduced to a darkened play tent. :-(
The outside of the TARDIS isn't much better. That is a truly disgusting shade of light blue.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker quite like the rising out of the ground bit though. 
Great locations in this one.
The missile convoy looks good.
The missile convoy looks good.
Shame about the incidental music.
Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 It's not good is it? Just shows how important incidental music is to creating a mood. 
So much of Keff's stuff is ridiculously heavy handed and it's never time period or story theme appropriate.
Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 Horrific is the word you're looking for! I was never much of a Dudley Simpson fan to be honest but Keff plumbs new depths. 
Sylv's new jacket is much better. Just need to ditch the jumper now.
I don't mind the brolly on its' own.
UNIT does actually look like it's got proper soldiers in it now.
"Who's Elizabeth Shaw?" WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT!
"I think I would have noticed a nuclear explosion..." Bambera's great.
Yetis, Autons, Daleks. Cybermen and Silurians! Lovely.
"How can he be the same man if his appearance and personality have changed...?"
All Zbrigniev knows is that every time this "Doctor" turns up, all hell breaks loose...
Some lovely lines in this that give a depth and mystery that's been lacking for quite some time.
"Tell them I've decided to fade away..."
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Nick C delivers the best lines in this story. "I don't care if it's the King..."
"...Something about the Doctor being back. Alistair, who is the Doctor?"
I do have a soft spot for Battlefield. I was just that age that season 26 was a sudden renaissance for Doctor Who.
Doctor Who Thing@DoctorWhoThing it's pretty good, just not of the higher standard of the three that followed. 
Yes, completely agree. The Curse of Fenric's still the pick of the bunch for me and never got why Ghost Light confuses people.
Doctor Who Thing@DoctorWhoThing me neither, never had an issue following Ghost Light. 
Martin Belam@MartinBelam Loved all these episodes but Battlefield maybe tries a bit too hard 
Doctor Who Thing@DoctorWhoThing yeah, and I don't think the production realised the script well at times. 
Love all the little world-building about Pat's microbrewery & Arthur's Ale being in the CAMRA guide. I'd try a pint. Ace meets a new friend, local Archaeology student Shou Yuing.
"Look out for a garishly painted Police Box..."
"Oh, shame..."
Not sure what this one does for UNIT dating.
"Look out for a garishly painted Police Box..."
"Oh, shame..."
A fiver's actually under for a pint of real ale and a vodka & coke in country pub, nowadays.
Mentions of "the King" mean either that is still in our future (problem being the Brig's passed away) or that it's "sideways in time", meaning a parallel universe, meaning none of this really happens.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker have a pint of Arthur's ale and don't think about it!
The Doctor checks out an ominous scabbard.
Doris isn't too pleased to see the Brig's in full battle gear again. It's like he never went away.
Knights with laser guns? Hang about..
Walmsley tells the Doctor that scabbard's definitely dead important. I'm sure it won't be completely forgotten about after part 2, then. Doris isn't too pleased to see the Brig's in full battle gear again. It's like he never went away.
Knights with laser guns? Hang about..
Taxi for Lethbridge-Stewart!
As Ace and Shou Yuing compare stories about manufacturing explosives as children (yes, really)...
...the Knights continue to scrap, until ...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!
BOOOM! The movie edits out the worst "Boom" but seemingly for no other reason than that people always moan about it.
BOOOM! The movie edits out the worst "Boom" but seemingly for no other reason than that people always moan about it.
It's not a robot, it's knight called Ancelyn...
...who seems to believe the Doctor is actually Merlin! 
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Got his future times reference Saturday night TV videos mixed up. Easily done. 
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker really like all these attempts they made towards the end to add mystery back to the Doctor. 
I like the vibe but not the "Masterplan".
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker "Go before I unleash a terrible something on you"? Not the scariest of threats! 
MAW Holmes@MAW_H like doing something horrible to your ears... 
This Brigadier Bambera - good man is he? Oh ho ho ho.
Bambera and Ancelyn set some boundaries.
The set for Arthur's "ship" is so cheap-looking. Video unforgiving.
Mordred prepares to summon his mother from another dimension. As you do.
The Brig's getting some kip on the copter - but without his earphones on. Wouldn't the noise be dreadful?
Bambera and Ancelyn set some boundaries.
The set for Arthur's "ship" is so cheap-looking. Video unforgiving.
Mordred prepares to summon his mother from another dimension. As you do.
The Brig's getting some kip on the copter - but without his earphones on. Wouldn't the noise be dreadful?
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Learned to blot out Mike Yates' bleating years ago... 
"Another storm, just what we need..." Bloody Michael Fish.
Pretty sure that's Lion-O's sword, actually.
Mordred's "nutter laugh" is quite something.
Pete Lambert@other_pete Actors in the "It's only Doctor Who" zone now :( 
Well, whatever it is he's summoned, it needs its' nails doing.
Not one of Sylv's better moments, this gurning as Morgaine arrives.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H One more, luvvie? No...? 
Jean Marsh is of course total class.
"Immortal Morgaine, ageless and deathless."
"Whatever."
"Let this be our final Battlefield!"
I do quite like the Doctor waking Bambera and Ancelyn up by popping a bag of crisps.
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith Quite like? It's one of the best bits in all of Doctor Who.
"Immortal Morgaine, ageless and deathless."
"Whatever."
"Let this be our final Battlefield!"
I do quite like the Doctor waking Bambera and Ancelyn up by popping a bag of crisps.
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith Quite like? It's one of the best bits in all of Doctor Who.
They've obviously spent the night, ahem, UNIT dating, as it were.
Just never got how/why Ace was supposed to be into explosives. Not what I'd call an audience identification point.
Just never got how/why Ace was supposed to be into explosives. Not what I'd call an audience identification point.
Doctor Who Thing@DoctorWhoThing Cos she's a bad ass! 
Oh, I liked the way the Fenric stuff was able to justify much of it.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker it helped, granted. 
All this The Doctor = Merlin stuff is sort of interesting but a load of old cobblers really.
Simon Pittman@LibraryPlayer The Merlin stuff felt a bit rushed... they didn't really do anything with it, it was just there... made it a bit confusing.
Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 The Merlin stuff began to grate pretty quickly for me I'm afraid.
Correct future prediction: By this time they've done away with BBC3. Seems by this time they've done away with BBC3, as there's no aging Alister Fergus covering the dig at Carbury! Mind you, Operation Yew Tree have probably had him; He *was* on TV in the 70s and/or 80s after all.
Morgaine brings the Brigadier down to Earth.
"Down is not the problem..." Lavel's a great character.
Simon Pittman@LibraryPlayer The Merlin stuff felt a bit rushed... they didn't really do anything with it, it was just there... made it a bit confusing. Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 The Merlin stuff began to grate pretty quickly for me I'm afraid. Correct future prediction: By this time they've done away with BBC3. Seems by this time they've done away with BBC3, as there's no aging Alister Fergus covering the dig at Carbury! Mind you, Operation Yew Tree have probably had him; He *was* on TV in the 70s and/or 80s after all.
Morgaine brings the Brigadier down to Earth.
"Down is not the problem..." Lavel's a great character.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker love her! 
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith She's no Bambera. 
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker thankfully! 
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith <<eyes narrow>> 
Boooo! Bambera's great. I love the way she doesn't put up with shit from anyone. Have Big Finish ever tried to get Angela Bruce in? [Yes - for the "Missing" Season 27 7th Doctor story "Animal"] She could be a General now, maybe for the new UNIT range...
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker I don't dislike her, an amusing character. Would just rather have dinner with Lavel As long as you get the tab, I guess.
It was only £20,000 for a helicopter in The Daemons, £5 million by the time of Battlefield.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H spiralling inflation...
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Morgaine is an amazing complex villian. Love the way she commemorates the war dead too.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker definitely the best lines!
MAW Holmes@MAW_H That's the frustrating thing about Battlefield - The dialogue is wonderful, but it all looks a bit naff really...
MAW Holmes@MAW_H spiralling inflation... John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Morgaine is an amazing complex villian. Love the way she commemorates the war dead too.
"I've had better."
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker definitely the best lines!MAW Holmes@MAW_H That's the frustrating thing about Battlefield - The dialogue is wonderful, but it all looks a bit naff really...
"I want you to know I bear you no malice but next time we meet I shall kill you." Might make that my new catchphrase.
The Doctor and Ace find the secret way into Arthur's ship.
Ace removes Excalibur, setting off an AI burglar alarm.
"When I say run, run!" Yay!
A cartoon green snake...
...and the famous drowning scene!
Oh noes! The Doctor is unconscious and Ace is going to drown...!
Some of this technology looks vaguely Zygon. That seaweedy jellyfish like control wotsit particularly.
The Doctor pulls the plug, ejecting Ace from the ship, but he's trapped with the electro-worm.
Ace has given the sword to Ancelyn...
...making him the new leader of the Thundercats. I like Marcus Gilbert's performance in this. Really sells it.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker I think Ancelyn is a great character
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Great moment when the Brig rescues the Doctor.
"I just can't let you out of my sight, can I, Doctor?... Who else would it be?" Genuine legend.
Mobeena Khan@mobeenakhan 
I'm assuming Berger was blinded by the flash of light from Adric crashing into the Earth. That's totally canon now.
I'm pretty sure some of those knights were wearing jeans then.
"Light and fire! Come, drink with me!" Mordred's getting a round in.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Just a touch of t'Lonnie Donnegans about him "Have a drink, have a drink, have a drink on me, everybody have a drink on me"
Morgaine bumps off Lavel then turns her into a pile of leaves!
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Lavel is ashes! Sob!
Morgaine restoring Elizabeth's sight adds a depth to her character; that twisted sense of honour.
"Something's wrong, we haven't been attacked yet."
(Knights shoot out rear window)
"Now we've been attacked. Happy?"
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Rubbish laser guns that can't stop a car!
"So, you married or what?" Now *that's* UNIT Dating!
Ace doesn't want to hang around with evacuees just yet.
The Doctor hypnotising people as if he's the Master is just weird.
The Cybermen weren't bothered by gold in the Brig's day.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Harry must have briefed the Brig...
Bessie! Warms the heart. Nice of the Time-Lords to send her back from the Death Zone.
atruedrwhofan@atruedrwhofan we knew they did as Bessie was in Robot. :D
The Doctor gives Ace a piece of chalk with which to draw a magic circle.
"Gordon Bennett!" "Wicked!" "Fantastic!" "Jesus H. Bidmead!" "Shazbut!" "Jinkeys!"
"Not now, Ancelyn!" would be a great sitcom spin-off.
...making him the new leader of the Thundercats. I like Marcus Gilbert's performance in this. Really sells it.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker I think Ancelyn is a great character Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Great moment when the Brig rescues the Doctor. "I just can't let you out of my sight, can I, Doctor?... Who else would it be?" Genuine legend.
Mobeena Khan@mobeenakhan I'm assuming Berger was blinded by the flash of light from Adric crashing into the Earth. That's totally canon now.
I'm pretty sure some of those knights were wearing jeans then.
"Light and fire! Come, drink with me!" Mordred's getting a round in.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Just a touch of t'Lonnie Donnegans about him "Have a drink, have a drink, have a drink on me, everybody have a drink on me" Morgaine bumps off Lavel then turns her into a pile of leaves!
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Lavel is ashes! Sob! Morgaine restoring Elizabeth's sight adds a depth to her character; that twisted sense of honour.
"Something's wrong, we haven't been attacked yet."
(Knights shoot out rear window)
"Now we've been attacked. Happy?"
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Rubbish laser guns that can't stop a car!"So, you married or what?" Now *that's* UNIT Dating!
Ace doesn't want to hang around with evacuees just yet.
The Doctor hypnotising people as if he's the Master is just weird.
The Cybermen weren't bothered by gold in the Brig's day.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Harry must have briefed the Brig... Bessie! Warms the heart. Nice of the Time-Lords to send her back from the Death Zone.
atruedrwhofan@atruedrwhofan we knew they did as Bessie was in Robot. :D The Doctor gives Ace a piece of chalk with which to draw a magic circle.
"Gordon Bennett!" "Wicked!" "Fantastic!" "Jesus H. Bidmead!" "Shazbut!" "Jinkeys!"
"Not now, Ancelyn!" would be a great sitcom spin-off.
"Mandrel About the House", "Father Ted's Day", "Paradise Towers" Wait, hang on...
Morgaine spies on Ace and Shou Yuing with her crystal ball...
...and plays mind games to tempt them out of the circle.
When that fails, she summons a nasty looking shadow and decides to put in a personal appearance.
Ancelyn calls out Mordred, and they get into a bit of a "yo momma" backchat battle.
The Destroyer does look pretty impressive, even if you can't make out what he's saying half the time.
Jean Marsh bosses that cliffhanger. "...and become his handmaidens - in hell, ha ha ha!"
The Doctor threatens to decapitate Mordred, and the knight reverses his 'Happiness Patrol' "end my life" line.
Simon Pittman@LibraryPlayer "You're meant to die in your sleep... and then come back as a zombie Cybermen causing a Twitter Storm!"
Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 In retrospect I'm glad they didn't kill off the Brig on-screen. No need at all to do that.
...and plays mind games to tempt them out of the circle.
When that fails, she summons a nasty looking shadow and decides to put in a personal appearance.
Jesus wept, Keff's battle music.
Ancelyn calls out Mordred, and they get into a bit of a "yo momma" backchat battle.
But it's just a distraction, so Sylv's cringeworthy "THERE. WILL. BE. NO. BATTLE. HERE!" is for nothing. Especially after that battle they've just had.
Jean Marsh bosses that cliffhanger. "...and become his handmaidens - in hell, ha ha ha!"
When the Brigadier presents a more credible threat...
...Morgaine just burns Mordred. "Die well, my son."
Morgaine turns her crystal ball white and then sends it off in the direction of Portmierion, as her troops launch another attack on UNIT.
Morgaine can't break the circle's spell, but the Destroyer can. Clue's in the name.
The Bessie bound heroes return in the midst of a Destroyer special.
Mordred uses the distraction to slink off.
By the time the Doctor makes it inside the pub...
...Ace has lost Excalibur to Morgaine, but that door's ajar...
The burning, smoky Battlefield on which Ancelyn polishes his sword is very effective, have to give them that.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Geronimo! Just realised that's where 11 got it from!
The Doctor's plan backfires a bit when it turns out Morgaine fears him more than the Destroyer.
...Morgaine just burns Mordred. "Die well, my son."
Morgaine turns her crystal ball white and then sends it off in the direction of Portmierion, as her troops launch another attack on UNIT.
Now Morgaine acts like she was completely unaware of the magic circle protecting them even though she just tried to magic them out of it. Huh?
"Just between you and me, Mordred, I'm getting a little tired of hearing about your mother." More Brig genius.Morgaine can't break the circle's spell, but the Destroyer can. Clue's in the name.
The Bessie bound heroes return in the midst of a Destroyer special.
Mordred uses the distraction to slink off.
By the time the Doctor makes it inside the pub...
...Ace has lost Excalibur to Morgaine, but that door's ajar...
The burning, smoky Battlefield on which Ancelyn polishes his sword is very effective, have to give them that.
Mark Walker@Mark_Walker Geronimo! Just realised that's where 11 got it from! The Doctor's plan backfires a bit when it turns out Morgaine fears him more than the Destroyer.
As the Doctor and Ace beat a hasty retreat with the injured Brigadier...
...Morgaine and Mordred head home, leaving this dimension at the mercy of the Destroyer.
"Good lord is that a spaceship!" The Brig knocking the Doctor out is payback for all the abuse he took off his 3rd incarnation.
He nicks the gun with the silver bullets and heads back to off the Destroyer.
...Morgaine and Mordred head home, leaving this dimension at the mercy of the Destroyer.
"Good lord is that a spaceship!" The Brig knocking the Doctor out is payback for all the abuse he took off his 3rd incarnation.
He nicks the gun with the silver bullets and heads back to off the Destroyer.
"Get off my world!"
"Probably. I just do the best I can."
The Brig's so smooth. That was Bond-like.
The Destroyer's blown up, but the battle's not over, as Mordred gets the drop on Bambera.
The Brig's so smooth. That was Bond-like.
The Destroyer's blown up, but the battle's not over, as Mordred gets the drop on Bambera.
The Doctor thinks the Brig is dead... but "I'm going home to Doris!"
Simon Pittman@LibraryPlayer "You're meant to die in your sleep... and then come back as a zombie Cybermen causing a Twitter Storm!" Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 In retrospect I'm glad they didn't kill off the Brig on-screen. No need at all to do that.
Morgaine's decided she can be a destroyer herself, provided she can get the "Magic Words" out of Bambera.
Ace grabs the glory to return Excalibur to Arthur, but the King's gone to bits.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Dust when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
The Doctor's left himself a handy warning that Morgaine's about to launch the nukes.
Two great speeches in a row here, 7's anti-nukes one...
...followed by Morgaine's waxing lyrical about Arthur.
Love Sylv hooking Mordred's sword arm with his brolly. Don't love the super powered stun finger.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland This is where the video tape ran out. Cue hysterical 9 year old.
Noooooo! This lovely ending, though...!
The Brig must have had a massive pay off when he left UNIT to afford that house & garden. That's a lottery win, that.
Ace grabs the glory to return Excalibur to Arthur, but the King's gone to bits.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Dust when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... The Doctor's left himself a handy warning that Morgaine's about to launch the nukes.
Two great speeches in a row here, 7's anti-nukes one...
Love Sylv hooking Mordred's sword arm with his brolly. Don't love the super powered stun finger.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland This is where the video tape ran out. Cue hysterical 9 year old. Noooooo! This lovely ending, though...!
The Brig must have had a massive pay off when he left UNIT to afford that house & garden. That's a lottery win, that.
Simon Pittman@LibraryPlayer Didn't he have a similar house in Sarah Jane Adventures? Perhaps the Doctor brought him a lottery ticket? ;-) 
atruedrwhofan@atruedrwhofan I like to think the Doctor did that for his oldest friend :) and maybe one for Sarah Jane too :D 
Simon Pittman@LibraryPlayer Think Sarah Jane inherited money from Aunt. Doc would prob. want Brig to have comfortable retirement. 
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Somewhere better than a prefab in the grounds of a school anyway... 
Lee Mahon@Lee_JM75 Surely the Brigs not been selling UNIT secrets?!Wash your mouth out! ;-P
Darth Marenghi@DarthMarenghi Don't kid yourselves guys, the Brig was embezzling UNIT's accounts for DECADES.He knows how many beans make 5, and therefore how to give it a bit of Gus Gorman...
MAW Holmes@MAW_H or Doris is a billionaire...
Maybe, maybe. She was throwing pricey looking watches around at the time of Planet of the Spiders, wasn't she?
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Ye Gods! The Brig's her bit of rough? Say it ain't so! 
"Are they not magnificent?"
"Yeah... any good with a lawnmower, Ancelyn?"
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Fun stuff. Corking stuff, shame about the "Howard's Way" look of it, though..
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... The Robots of Death
"Yeah... any good with a lawnmower, Ancelyn?"
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Fun stuff. Corking stuff, shame about the "Howard's Way" look of it, though.. TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... The Robots of Death
Loved the characters; hated the magic.
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