DOCTOR WHO MARATHON 4th MEET-UP - MARCO POLO (RE-CON) PARTS 5-7 & THE KEYS OF MARINUS PARTS 1-3

Sunday 16th February 2014

This time our intrepid bunch of future Whovians (and me MJ - full time Whovian and all round bloody nice chap!) met around Mark's house to finish watching our Marco Polo re-construction.

Firstly I met up with Jim and we called for Jason..... and there was no answer!  We also tried ringing him..... and there was no answer!

So we tried knocking louder..... and there was no answer!  So we thought, oh well, maybe he's forgot we're calling and will be around Mark's.

With that in mind we trotted off to Mark's house and were delighted to be joined for this session by Mark's brother-in-law Gavin!

After getting settled with teas etc (and FINALLY being joined by a delayed Jason!) we sat down to watch the remaining parts of the Marco Polo re-con.  I found them very good indeed and enjoyed some great character actors - especially enjoying the Kublai Kahn himself - a very amusing character.

Photo 1: Gavin, Mark (holding obligatory sign and with his eyes shut - as is the norm!)
Jason, Jim and Michael posing around Mark's house
with Marco Polo mock-up DVD cover and obligatory sign.

Just before the last episode, Mr. Leigh turned up (it was great to have the team back!) and sat down very patiently watching the last episode of something that must have been quite bewildering to him!

Photo 2: Gavin, Mark (holding obligatory sign)
Jason, Jim and Michael posing around Mark's house
with Marco Polo mock-up DVD cover and obligatory sign.

After that we then switched back to ACTUAL moving-picture episodes with the first three episodes of "The Keys of Marinus"!  I must say I did find the first few episodes quite fun and exciting - even if Susan is becoming more of a token screamer!

Photo 3: Gavin, Mark, Jason (holding obligatory sign),
Leigh (hooray!) and Jim posing around Mark's house
with The Keys Of Marinus DVD cover.

There were a lot of different locations and stories within stories and Barbara helped add to the fun by doing the classic "twisting her ankle" routine!  But the story seemed to start off on exciting feet - a sea of acid (that attacked Susan's shoes!!!), aliens in rubber "gimp" suits and a good guy being stabbed to death.  I look forward to watching the rest of this fast-moving (well fast-moving for early Who!) tale!

Photo 4: Gavin, Mark, Jason (holding obligatory sign),
Michael and Jim posingaround Mark's house
with The Keys Of Marinus DVD cover.

Anyhow we'll be back again in 2 weeks to watch the remaining episodes!

Until then I shall return, yes, I shall return....

MJ 18-02-14

EXTRA:

Shaun (who joined our marathan later in the year, played catch-up and watched this in September 2013) said this about the tale:
“The Doctor and Kubla Khan, bonding over the aches and pains of old age.
Didn't see that coming.  Fantastic.
That was pretty good, a nice amount of depth to the main characters, an interesting journey that seem to really progress, an elaborate plan to kill...

......KHAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!

It was enjoyable."