Home
Creators
Search Recent Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Filehaus
Recent
Register Favorites Keys Review DMs Logout
Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Classic Who "The Ultimate Foe" Parts 1&2 Full Reaction! (Patreon)

Published:
2025-06-06 12:45:03
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:
haven't archived this post yet. have a subscription? use the importer!

Files

Previews only

Classic Who - "The Ultimate Foe" Part 1/2 Full Reaction - EA

Download Full Reaction (2.4 GB) Full Reaction You are now able to stream the full reaction directly from this website. Alternatively, you can download it to your computer using the button underneath the video player. You must provide your own footage to watch alongside the full

Comments

Andrew Vignaux

"In all my travellings throughout the universe I have battled against evil, against power-mad conspirators. I should have stayed here. ... Power-mad conspirators, Daleks, Sontarans, Cybermen, they're still in the nursery compared to us. Ten million years of absolute power, that's what it takes to be really corrupt.", The Doctor, "The Ultimate Foe" The final episode went through several major script changes after the death of Robert Holmes left it unfinished. The script editor, Eric Saward, had a go at finishing it, but Saward was having problems with JNT and his version of the script were rejected, Saward resigned and did not allow his script to be used. So JNT went to Pip and Jane Baker ("Mark of the Rani", "Terror of the Vervoids") to finish the Trial arc but without access to the original script. "Just a minute! Did you call him the Doctor?", The Doctor, "The Ultimate Foe" Ooh, this is interesting - Doctor vs evil Doctor. Shocking, but I can understand it. "The Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation.", The Master, "The Ultimate Foe" Ok, since we no longer have the twelve-regeneration limit, the implication of this line has changed since I first heard it (pre New Who) and is now much more vague. However, the promise of the remainder of the Doctor's regenerations is now weirder. "I knew this was a mistake - my grip on reality's not too good at the best of times.", Sabalom Glitz, "The Ultimate Foe" It's nice to see Glitz again - not just for conspiracy exposition - or for the various double-crosses - or for the hypnotic fail. "This is a very odd waiting room. Where are the hopelessly out of date magazines.", The Doctor, "The Ultimate Foe" I like the transition to the beach - bwahahahahahaha! "The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns.", The Valeyard quoting Hamlet's famous "To be, or not to be" soliloquy, "The Ultimate Foe" I'm always here for a good Shakespeare quote. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.", The Doctor, "The Ultimate Foe" We love literary references - quoted while on a tumbril! You've got to believe Colin was enjoying this. BTW: This was filmed at the Gladstone Pottery Museum - have a look! https://maps.app.goo.gl/DEsRbPncB1q4zroi9 "Splendid, splendid. Listen to me. Are you listening, Sabalom Glitz?", "Not really. I was just wondering how many grotzits this little bauble cost you.", The Master and Glitz, "The Ultimate Foe" As mentioned above, I always like it when the Master fails his attempt at hypnotic influence. I love Jo ("Frontier in Space") - sorry, that just slipped out! "If I may, my lady? You are applying logical thought to a situation that recognises no logic.", Keeper of the Matrix, "The Ultimate Foe" We've seen the actor playing the original Keeper of the Matrix before - he is James Bree - seen as the Security Chief in "The War Games", and as Decider Nefred in "Full Circle". "Miss Perpugilliam Brown, is alive and well and living as a warrior queen with King Yrcanos.", Inquisitor, "The Ultimate Foe" No, no, no! Don't get me wrong, I like Peri and and I like Yrcanos - but I love the fact that Peri had that shocking end to her story and I don't need to have it changed! I really don't appreciate it when the Doctor Who writers decide to weaken a shock from a previous story - i.e. I didn't like Rose's return or the Clara resolution - just leave them permanently separated or dead. Ok, I'm a hypocrite because I loved it when we got to see Donna again. Here is the full quote from Nicola Bryant: "I was very happy with my original exit – that is to say, I loved the shaved head, the mind transplant and Yrcanos blowing my body to smithereens. It was dramatic, poignant and shocking. So of course, I hated it when they retconned (I'm told this is the word!) my exit." Ditto. "You know, I think I was rash in turning down that offer of the Presidency.", The Doctor, "The Ultimate Foe"

Ryan

If this ending feels out of nowhere for the whole arc, there's a very good reason for it: Robert Holmes dropped dead after he'd only done a rough outline of the final episode, and replacement writers Pip and Jane Baker were actually legally forbidden from knowing his intended ending until they'd sent in their own scripts. That one was going to involve the Doctor and Valeyard getting stuck in the time vortex fighting each other, which it was feared would be used as an excuse to cancel the show as the current head of BBC hated it. Not that what we got was that worthwhile either. The Master is suddenly here and ends up going absolutely nowhere, and the Valeyard being another version of the Doctor was an instantly mocked ass pull. Just look at how the relaunched show hasn't touched it in 20 years, even among all the other super deep lore cuts they've done, because it's considered just that radioactive. Peri's retconned survival was also pulled straight out of nowhere. Nicola had actually been very happy to have such a shocking, untraditional exit after growing very tired of her role in the show just becoming to be miserable all the time, and she'd actually cut ties so strongly after filming Mindwarp that she didn't learn Peri wasn't actually dead until YEARS later.

Thomas Corp

Says a lot when you pause mid reaction to have that “my golly gee” statement as you process what you just saw. Wouldn’t have blamed you if you had the shot of tequila in between the madness. Lot to unpack, and I don’t think I could do much better than you did. I see some of the other fellas have touched on some of this, and I’ll not try to improve much. The Master just being over there vibing. Always a pleasure to see it. Love how the Doctor just has that pure “Give me life in front of the firing squad” look when the Master gets involved. Your own expression at that part was most excellent. Just as it was most wonderful when the Master casually dropped the bombshell of who the Valeyard is. Lord, the look on your face was a picture there. Valiant effort for the Valeyard to insist that the Doctor is out of order, which the Doctor should have said, “YOU’RE out of order! YOU’RE out of order! The whole TRIAL is out of order!!” Quite loved how you jumped on the key guy. I would have lived if the Doctor joined you on that, namely that it would have been great to see a certain future Doctor show up with Jamie (not that one) in tow, and Jamie would offer that threat of, “So, unless you want your tonsils removed by keyhole surgery with this fucking key here, piss off.” Gets weird with all the matrix activities. If I were the Doctor, after going into the Matrix, I’d be expressing the wise question that Joey Pants had, which was, “Why, oh why didn’t I take the BLUE pill?” The one jumpscare was a mite rude, yes. Good attempt at trickery with the false part of the trial. Figured that the Doctor would pick up that Mel would mention something that she shouldn’t have, I just missed the precise thing of her knowing about the charge of genocide that the Doctor is facing. Mel came through and it is great to see you express great appreciation for her. Love your reaction when Mel puts herself down. I cackle some when the Doctor indulges in the Dickens, and then Mel implores that it is no time for Sydney Carlton heroics. And the trial comes to a successful conclusion. And the Sixth Doctor is off to have many a grand adventure with Mel; free to pursue a life of religious fulfillment. Concerning the business of how somehow, Peri returned, yeah, it is abrupt. Then there is the manner of her ending. You spoke of how the trope of women choosing the love over adventure can be a button for you, and fair on that. The thing of a woman choosing love over adventure, on paper, is not strictly speaking the worst thing in the world for me, particularly if it is written and presented in a very nuanced way. When it is portrayed in a very stereotypical manner, yes, then it offends, like in Star Trek once or twice, you spoke of how they’d have that thing of “Well, clearly, she’d be happy with this, because she is a woman.” you know, that horseshit, so I do get the frustration. Here, it is very shoehorned and forced, and I don’t blame you for having the issues with that. As to the comment you made about the odd noise. Not picking up any noise, so whatever you were hearing wasn’t any real obtrusion. All in all, a most terrific reaction, Jess.

Thomas Corp
>>176382591

Certainly, the incomprehensible nature of this does show very strongly. The fear that the BBC would have cancelled this show I understand, given the behind-the-scenes drama. I know they have mentioned the Valeyard once or twice, though true, they’ve dived into it about as much as the Timeless Child business. Says something about how done Nicola is with playing Peri that she doesn’t find out about her survival until years later. Oh, I came across this, thought you might get laugh out of it: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fjlbdpj51mp4f1.jpeg

Ryan
>>176406477

Really weird how that line has become misremembered as "The whole system is out of order." And now younger people probably only know it from Jack and Jill, to which I can only picture Vito saying "Look how they massacred my boy." The thing with Peri gets worse considering we saw the exact same thing with Leela, who at least got the dignity of explaining herself onscreen. But it could have been worse, it could have happened twice in one episode.