Doctor Who/Recap/S25/E02 The Happiness Patrol: Difference between revisions

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Two characters from the story are particularly remembered: Helen A, the dictator, who bears a [[No Celebrities Were Harmed|striking resemblance]] to [[Margaret Thatcher]] (deliberate, [[Word of God]] would later say); and the Kandy Man, a killer robot made out of candy, who bears a striking resemblance to the advertising mascot [http://images.google.com/images?q=bertie+bassett Bertie Bassett] (not deliberate, but the BBC got in trouble from Bassetts all the same).
Two characters from the story are particularly remembered: Helen A, the dictator, who bears a [[No Celebrities Were Harmed|striking resemblance]] to [[Margaret Thatcher]] (deliberate, [[Word of God]] would later say); and the Kandy Man, a killer robot made out of candy, who bears a striking resemblance to the advertising mascot [http://images.google.com/images?q=bertie+bassett Bertie Bassett] (not deliberate, but the BBC got in trouble from Bassetts all the same).
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=== Tropes ===
== Tropes ==
* [[Amazon Brigade]]: The Happiness Patrol.
* [[Amazon Brigade]]: The Happiness Patrol.
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: Helen A is finally forced to confront her sadness upon the death of her beloved pet. However, her government is overthrown and the people are free to experience whatever emotions they damn well want, happy or sad.
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: Helen A is finally forced to confront her sadness upon the death of her beloved pet. However, her government is overthrown and the people are free to experience whatever emotions they damn well want, happy or sad.
** In any other series this would be a [[Downer Ending]], the force keeping everyone happy is gone and misery prevails. Naturally [[Doctor Who]] turns it on its head.
** In any other series this would be a [[Downer Ending]], the force keeping everyone happy is gone and misery prevails. Naturally [[Doctor Who]] turns it on its head.
* [[Blasting It Out of Their Hands]]: Susan Q disarming Daisy K.
* [[Blasting It Out of Their Hands]]: Susan Q disarming Daisy K.
* [[Bond One-Liner]]: As it's immediately after the vicious execution of a political prisoner, done as a [[Kick the Dog]].
* [[Bond One-Liner]]: As it's immediately after the vicious execution of a political prisoner, done as a [[Kick the Dog]].
* [[The Chessmaster]]: The Doctor manages to orchestrate the complete collapse of a ruthless despotic society over the course of a single evening.
* [[The Chessmaster]]: The Doctor manages to orchestrate the complete collapse of a ruthless despotic society over the course of a single evening.
* [[Continuity Nod]]: The Doctor tells Ace that [[Doctor Who/Recap/S11 E2 Invasion of the Dinosaurs|the Brigadier once saw a triceratops in the London Underground]].
* [[Continuity Nod]]: The Doctor tells Ace that [[Doctor Who/Recap/S11/E02 Invasion of the Dinosaurs|the Brigadier once saw a triceratops in the London Underground]].
* [[Covered in Gunge]]: In a decidedly non-comedic version -- Helen A's favourite execution method involves large quantities of hot strawberry fondant, either suffocating you or scalding you to death.
* [[Covered in Gunge]]: In a decidedly non-comedic version—Helen A's favourite execution method involves large quantities of hot strawberry fondant, either suffocating you or scalding you to death.
* [[Crap Saccharine World]]: You really have to squint to see the [[Sugar Bowl]], though.
* [[Crap Saccharine World]]: You really have to squint to see the [[Sugar Bowl]], though.
* [[Creator Cameo]]: Director Chris Clough voices [[Fluffy the Terrible|Fifi]].
* [[Creator Cameo]]: Director Chris Clough voices [[Fluffy the Terrible|Fifi]].
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* [[Everything's Better with Dinosaurs]]: They don't appear, but Ace seems to believe this; at the beginning of the episode she's excitedly begging the Doctor if they can go see some.
* [[Everything's Better with Dinosaurs]]: They don't appear, but Ace seems to believe this; at the beginning of the episode she's excitedly begging the Doctor if they can go see some.
* [[Evil Chef]]: The Kandyman.
* [[Evil Chef]]: The Kandyman.
* [[Faux Affably Evil]]: The Kandyman. He considers himself a confectionery artist even though his talents are used more for executing dissidents.
* [[Faux Affably Evil]]: The Kandyman. He considers himself a confectionery artist even though his talents are used more for executing dissidents.
* [[Fascist but Inefficient]]: Terra Alpha is clearly starting to fall apart at the seams when the Doctor gets there, but he manages to press the right buttons to bring down Helen A's government entirely.
* [[Fascist but Inefficient]]: Terra Alpha is clearly starting to fall apart at the seams when the Doctor gets there, but he manages to press the right buttons to bring down Helen A's government entirely.
* [[Fascists' Bed Time]]
* [[Fascists' Bed Time]]
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* [[Glurge Addict]]: Helen A.
* [[Glurge Addict]]: Helen A.
* [[Happiness Is Mandatory]]: And if you're not happy, you get the death penalty.
* [[Happiness Is Mandatory]]: And if you're not happy, you get the death penalty.
* [[Implicit Prison]]: The waiting areas are specifically NOT prisons ... but step over the line that marks the edge of the area, and "you're a dead man".
* [[Implicit Prison]]: The waiting areas are specifically NOT prisons ... but step over the line that marks the edge of the area, and "you're a dead man".
* [[Killer Robot]]: Made of candy.
* [[Killer Robot]]: Made of candy.
* [[Love Hurts]]: Between Helen A's ruthless [[Stepford Smiler]] persona and determination to be utterly happy at all costs and her strangely bitter-yet-wistful retort upon the Doctor's accusation that her perfect world is a world without love that "I always thought love is overrated," [[Freudian Excuse|it's implied that something like this might be lurking somewhere in Helen A's backstory.]]
* [[Love Hurts]]: Between Helen A's ruthless [[Stepford Smiler]] persona and determination to be utterly happy at all costs and her strangely bitter-yet-wistful retort upon the Doctor's accusation that her perfect world is a world without love that "I always thought love is overrated," [[Freudian Excuse|it's implied that something like this might be lurking somewhere in Helen A's backstory.]]
* [[Mad Artist]]: The Kandyman is a mad culinary artist.
* [[Mad Artist]]: The Kandyman is a mad culinary artist.
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* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: The Seventh Doctor continues his grand tradition of beating his enemies down with speeches that deconstruct their flaws and weaknesses, firstly with the sniper he confronts on the rooftops, and then finally Helen A herself.
* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: The Seventh Doctor continues his grand tradition of beating his enemies down with speeches that deconstruct their flaws and weaknesses, firstly with the sniper he confronts on the rooftops, and then finally Helen A herself.
* [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here]]: Gilbert M and Joseph C. Together.
* [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here]]: Gilbert M and Joseph C. Together.
* [[Shout-Out]]:
* [[Shout-Out]]:
** The use of letters as surnames recalls "Josef K" in ''The Trial''.
** The use of letters as surnames recalls "Josef K" in ''The Trial''.
** Ace relates the plot of Mark Dinning's "death disc" song "Teen Angel".
** Ace relates the plot of Mark Dinning's "death disc" song "Teen Angel".
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* [[Take Me to Your Leader|Take Me To Their Leader]]
* [[Take Me to Your Leader|Take Me To Their Leader]]
* [[Talking Your Way Out]]: Faced with an [[Sociopathic Soldier|enthusiastic sniper]], the Doctor simply goes up and demands that the sniper shoot him, end his life; the sniper gives up. Surprisingly ''not'' played as a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|CMOA]] at all as it ends up making [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rn4Vv3dH9Q the Doctor look a little... creepy] - both snipers are really unnerved at the end.
* [[Talking Your Way Out]]: Faced with an [[Sociopathic Soldier|enthusiastic sniper]], the Doctor simply goes up and demands that the sniper shoot him, end his life; the sniper gives up. Surprisingly ''not'' played as a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|CMOA]] at all as it ends up making [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rn4Vv3dH9Q the Doctor look a little... creepy] - both snipers are really unnerved at the end.
** Creepy or not, however, the Doctor still talks a fanatic into doubting and rejecting all his convictions under the space of a minute while having a gun pointed at him the whole time, which is impressive to say the least.
** Creepy or not, however, the Doctor still talks a fanatic into doubting and rejecting all his convictions under the space of a minute while having a gun pointed at him the whole time, which is impressive to say the least.
* [[Uncanny Valley Makeup]]: All the Terra Alpha characters. Gilbert M and Joseph C take theirs off while running away together, which doesn't actually make it any less homoerotic.
* [[Uncanny Valley Makeup]]: All the Terra Alpha characters. Gilbert M and Joseph C take theirs off while running away together, which doesn't actually make it any less homoerotic.
* [[Weaksauce Weakness]]: The Kandy Man can be rendered immobile with a quick spray of lemonade to his feet.
* [[Weaksauce Weakness]]: The Kandy Man can be rendered immobile with a quick spray of lemonade to his feet.
* [[What Could Have Been]]: This story was orginally planned to be filmed in black-and-white to compliment its [[Film Noir]]-ish atmosphere.
* [[What Could Have Been]]: This story was orginally planned to be filmed in black-and-white to compliment its [[Film Noir]]-ish atmosphere.
* [[You Gotta Have Blue Hair|You Gotta Have Pink Hair]]: Helen A and The Happiness Patrol.
* [[You Gotta Have Blue Hair|You Gotta Have Pink Hair]]: Helen A and The Happiness Patrol.
* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: Helen A is clearly struggling with things but manages to hold on with stiff [[Stepford Smiler|(yet happy)]] upper lip more-or-less maintained {{spoiler|until she discovers her pet dog Fifi, the only thing she has ever loved, is dead.}}
* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: Helen A is clearly struggling with things but manages to hold on with stiff [[Stepford Smiler|(yet happy)]] upper lip more-or-less maintained {{spoiler|until she discovers her pet dog Fifi, the only thing she has ever loved, is dead.}}


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Doctor Who (TV)/Recap]]
[[Category:Recap]]
[[Category:Recap]]
[[Category:Doctor Who]]
[[Category:Doctor Who]]
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[[Category:Doctor Who/Recap]]

Latest revision as of 01:05, 29 June 2016


SYMBOLISM!!
I can hear the sound of empires toppling.
—--The Doctor

The Doctor and Ace visit the planet of Terra Alpha, where unhappiness has been outlawed, and people who can't keep a smile on their face at all times have a tendency to... disappear.

Two characters from the story are particularly remembered: Helen A, the dictator, who bears a striking resemblance to Margaret Thatcher (deliberate, Word of God would later say); and the Kandy Man, a killer robot made out of candy, who bears a striking resemblance to the advertising mascot Bertie Bassett (not deliberate, but the BBC got in trouble from Bassetts all the same).

Tropes

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