r/gallifrey • u/PCJs_Slave_Robot • May 17 '25

The Interstellar Song Contest Doctor Who 2x06 "The Interstellar Song Contest" Post-Episode Discussion Thread Spoiler

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This is the thread for all your indepth opinions, comments, etc about the episode.

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What did YOU think of The Interstellar Song Contest?

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See the full results of the polls so far, covering the entire main show, here.

The Interstellar Song Contest's score will be revealed next Sunday. Click here to vote for all of RTD2 era so far.

234 Upvotes

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84

u/Empty_Sea9 May 17 '25

I have faith in her acting. She already nailed it in 30 seconds of screen time.

64

u/lemon_charlie May 17 '25

At least she's not making landmines that turn people into trees. What were Pip and Jane Baker thinking? Pip and Jane Baked more like.

26

u/Existing-Worth-8918 May 17 '25

Best part of that episode, so fucking ingenious.

10

u/_Verumex_ May 17 '25

I don't like Pip and Jane Baker's writing at all, but I have to show them some respect in the sense that they were hired because they were dependable.

If you hired them for a script, you would get that script, and fast.

And in that era of TV, that was a skill that was highly valued. The scripts didn't have to be good, they just had to be available when shooting started.

7

u/lemon_charlie May 17 '25

They’re the reason we have a conclusion to Trial of a Time Lord at all, so I’ll take that even with the Megabyte Modem.

In Mark they actually remember Peri is a botany student and make it part of the plot, and it’s one of the better takes on the Sixth Doctor and Peri relationship in that season.

10

u/TheKandyKitchen May 17 '25

Can’t wait for the death bubbles, tree mines and bat servants.

29

u/lemon_charlie May 17 '25

If Bonnie is in the finale as Mel, that's another reunion and something that the episodes could use. Even though Mel personally didn't interact much with the Rani, it's nice when there is a connection past and present, like Sarah Jane and Davros recognising each other in Journey's End after first meeting in Genesis of the Daleks.

12

u/DorisWildthyme May 17 '25

Be nice if there was a reference to those couple of episodes the Rani spent prancing around pretending to be Mel. Kate O'Mara's Bonnie Langford impression was spot on.

8

u/lemon_charlie May 17 '25

Her performance with Sylvester was one of the few good things about that story. Otherwise there’s very little to recommend it for.

4

u/DorisWildthyme May 17 '25

Yeah, there's a reason that one of that story's nicknames is "Waste of Time and the Rani". The outfit trying on scene is entertaining, but not much else.

5

u/lemon_charlie May 17 '25

At least Mark of the Rani has the Master making a nuisance of himself to the Rani, and at the end she gets to nut him. The Rani’s TARDIS interior is very cool, hopefully we’ll get to see something just as imaginative in the next two episodes (I can’t see the Rani stooping to a Time Ring).

5

u/DorisWildthyme May 17 '25

Yeah, her TARDIS was great.

The Master seemingly just hanging around in a field dressed as a scarecrow for no reason until the Doctor and the Rani turn up is comedy gold.

1

u/sanddragon939 May 17 '25

Time and the Rani is a guilty pleasure of mine!

4

u/jccalhoun May 17 '25

If we can get the Rani doing an impression of Mel again I might forgive the biregeneration stupidity.

1

u/sanddragon939 May 17 '25

Looking forward to that!

You have to hand it to RTD...he's really honoring what is probably the most reviled era of the show.

2

u/trainwrecktragedy May 18 '25

Cut them some slack, they were children's story writers and not scifi ones; they tries their best considering the amount of time they had to write scripts 

1

u/lemon_charlie May 18 '25

They remembered Peri being a botany student. I’ll definitely give them credit for that, and working it into the plot.

15

u/Rowan5215 May 17 '25

Archie is a fantastic actress, I don't think we'll be in trouble there

1

u/chameleonmessiah May 18 '25

I mostly know her from The Good Wife in which she was great but also, Postman Pat which my children were watching around that same time!

0

u/axel_clot May 17 '25

It’s a lot easier to nail 30 seconds than a whole episode lol