Tales of the TARDIS "Vengeance on Varos" Full Reaction!
Added 2026-01-02 17:38:02 +0000 UTC
Comments
Addressing the question: “Remember when these were coming out, everyone looking forward with so much hope and optimism to what RTD could do with the show after how much he’d grown as a writer, and every piece of news gave you so much joy and didn't make you want to die?” If I’m being honest, no, as a matter of fact, I don’t remember that as I largely didn’t hear much news about any of it. I already was sort of rolling my eyes at his return, yet by the same token, noticing that most everyone else was happy about it. The kind of acknowledgement that those of us like Jess and I that are the bigger Moffat fans that we just weren’t as enthusiastic. But then again, there was optimism about it being better than Chibnall’s shortcomings, which did end up happening, frustrating though some of it is. The highest of the highs of what we’ve gotten have still been very good. Talking about this Tales video, yeah, it is lovely to see Peri back as she’s not yet shown up in New Who proper. She does have a better time here than with Uncle Blackadder. I might be wrong, but I think Brian Blessed’s health hasn’t been too good recently, so maybe the line about Yrcanos’s memorial is done for simple pragmatism. We could still see his final moments in flashback or newer episodes. Could also be true about what you surmised about some expanded universe property that they have to stick to. We both note how remarkable it is to see Colin have such enthusiasm even after what he went through. Does always make me feel guilty about having him last on my rankings of Doctors, though like Thirteen, the criticism is aimed squarely at the writing, behind the scenes politics. He probably did go through the period similar to what Jake, Ahmed, and Hayden went through. Jake’s only two years my senior, so that always made it so I never had the problem with him soon to be twenty-seven years ago. Getting older, hearing more the complaints, though I got some, they still felt overblown, and they sounded like things you’d lay at Lucas’s feet if you really had that great an issue. Hayden was the one I heard the most bile towards back then, and that too always felt so overblown. Again, Jar Jar I was largely lukewarm to as a kid. Hitting my twenties, you got the Jar Jar hate, but none of that was ever directed towards Ahmed. It was heartbreaking hearing the cruelty. Lead to the joyful weeping when you saw him as Kelleran. The dam broke when he ignited the lightsabers to face off against the 501st. There’s a similar feeling here just seeing Colin’s pure joy and seeing him and Nicola have this. Great to have the fans heed Peter’s big Zygon speech. Second how we’d want more of this. Comics would be great.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-02 22:25:52 +0000 UTCI just finished Ghost, and what really impressed me is the juggling of different genres, going back and forth between comedy, drama, romance, and suspense without ever compromising the tone of any of them. And without having thought too much about who else was in contention, I'm happy with Whoopi getting the Oscar, making a fully developed character outside her typical personality even more than in The Color Purple, while also being perfectly believable the whole way through that she can't see Swayze.
Ryan
2026-01-02 22:08:54 +0000 UTCAh, remember when these were coming out, everyone looking forward with so much hope and optimism to what RTD could do with the show after how much he'd grown as a writer, and every piece of news gave you so much joy and didn't make you want to die? I miss that. And this one was especially fun since Peri was among the shrinking number of classic companions who hadn't reappeared in the series, especially from this era. She certainly gets a better reunion here than with her uncle Blackadder, even if it's to watch such a harsh story, as Six goes on with "It's said to be one of my best. And this one has extra features. Even more of me!" A bit odd to hear about Yrcanos' memorial even though Brian Blessed is still alive; I have to wonder if there's some kind of expanded universe thing they had to stick to. And I continue to marvel that Colin continues to be so enthusiastic about the show after the horrible time he had actually making it; speaking as one of the people who joined in the mockery of Jake Lloyd and Ahmed Best as a dumb teenager in 1999, I can well imagine how all the fans who heaped that vitriol at him back in the day are feeling now that they've had all this time to think. It's just a fancy word for changing your mind. And I desperately hope we get some kind of followup to the ending here, even if the actors can't be involved for whatever reason. Throw in some comics, that would be plenty, and I guarantee the fans would eat it up.
Ryan
2026-01-02 21:25:40 +0000 UTCOh, yes, these remain emotional. Hear what you mean of letting enough time pass so you can get that pinch of nostalgia with these. Here, given to you with Six and Peri. Lovely to see them reunite. We both comment on Six having the outfit that’s not as loud. He sports a handsome beard. Every Doctor needs to get beardier. Love your comment saying that you love a beard. It’s honestly beautiful seeing Colin get this after everything he went through behind the scenes. I may have him at last on my rankings of Doctors but like with Thirteen’s cameo in the last Who finale, it shows what the much better writing can do as both of them get so much better material than their runs, and you see them shine so brightly. Nicola also shines so brightly. Great to see her again. It’s still amusing how her American accent is given a fair bit of ribbing, yet when I heard it, wobbly though it starts out, she does reasonably well, albeit not completely avoiding the giveaways. Here, she sounds much more consistently good. Still one or two slips, but overall great. Better than Hugh Laurie in House. The Varos story is in the running for darkest Whovian stories. Maybe not number one, but up there, for sure. Love how you loved it for that reason. You sound like me when you say shit like that, Jess. I do remember how you had the issues with how Peri left. I refer you to what the other fellas wrote as to how it came to be. You would have liked more follow up on that. I would assume that Big Finish, novels, and comics dive into it some. And even if they don’t, there sure as shit is fanfiction detailing that. Sometimes that’s the better thing when it’s fanfiction. Quite the damning condemnation of saying that Varos would fit right in with twenty-first century Earth. Ain’t that the goddamn truth. Love how we both appreciate how even the darkest times can bring good. In darkness, there is light. A sentiment we both loved. Just lovely to see Six and Peri gearing up for more fun adventures. Continues to be a beautiful thing seeing how these get you emotional. Lovely little treats to help soften the blow for no more Classic Who Fridays. Thank you for the lovely video, Jess.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-02 17:40:57 +0000 UTC
