We continue to delve into the origins of Doctor Who‘s “classic” villains. Join Tansy and Erika for this chat about Martians that maybe kinda sorta look like Vikings? If you can’t see them very well? And maybe don’t know what a Viking actually looks like?
What did you think of “The Ice Warriors” and of Ice Warriors in general? Drop us a tweet or let us know in the comments!
^E
Happy things:
- Erika – “War/Nine of Arcadia” (Green Day parody) by Sycorax Rock!
- Tansy – Author Juno Dawson is writing a new narrative full-cast podcast, featuring trans lead actress Charlie Craggs: Doctor Who Redacted!
Extra-special thanks to this week’s editor, Steven Schapansky of Castria!
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Comments on: "Breaking The Ice Warriors" (5)
First time I saw the Ice Warriors was at a convention in Chicago way back in 1983. Somehow they had managed to get their hands on a copy of The Seeds of Death. Also my first introduction to the Second Doctor. After the screening ended I went to the dealer room looking for the Target novelization. Alas, it was not yet in print so i had to settle for a copy of The Ice Warriors.
My first encounter with the Ice Warriors must have been when I saw The Monster of Peladon, coz 1974 is when Doctor Who first became must-see telly in our house. But I have to say, the Ice Warriors themselves can’t have made much of an impression on 4-year-old me, because I only really remember being scared of Aggedor!
Almost as scary is the fact that, as I write this, episode 4 of Monster of Peladon aired on the 27th of April, 48 years ago yesterday! Blimey, that makes me feel old.
I think my first PROPER encounter must have been when my brother got The Seeds of Death on VHS back in the 80s. I enjoyed that a lot and I think it and The Curse of Peladon are probably my favourite Ice Warrior outings.
Erika,
I really like Sycorax Rock’s 3rd Doctor song ‘Life on Earth’ parody of David Bowie’s song.
It’s a couple of years old but you might get more from it now you’re watching through the Pertwee years for Lazy Doctir Who
Thank you!! I will definitely check it out!
I first encountered the Ice Warriors in “The Curse of Peladon”, but I don’t think we had a colour TV at the time, so it was the cover for the Target novelisation of The Ice Warriors that told me they were green with glowing orange eyes.
Thinking about it the way you described it, I can see the Ice Warriors as being the predecessors of the Klingon’s character evolution in Star Trek, an apparently warlike race who we find are actually cultured and honorable in their own way who become allies.
I always liked the screen distorting effect of the Ice Warrior weapons. Hardly subtle, but then, neither are they.
Always nice to see Bernard Bresslaw get some recognition. Whilst embracing the fact that at 6’7″ he was never going to be the leading man, he made a name in comedy, was noted for his Shakespearean roles, wrote poetry, and Kenneth Williams (never a man to drop a compliment lightly) thought him one of the most intelligent and best read people he’d ever met, never without a book to hand or a crossword to complete when not on set.
“Cold War” disappointed me a little because A) I didn’t like the idea that their bodies are armour they can just just emerge from any time they want (I had always seen them as having a caprapace that they’ve augmented but which was a permanent part of their “Warrior” life), and B) a story set in the confines of a submarine doesn’t seem like a story to put the biggest, bulkiest and clumsiest monster in the series front and centre (I’d have made it a Rutan story, all about who you can trust when you have a shapeshifter lurking inside a claustrophic sealed “base” in the middle of the Cold War, but that’s another post…)