Ashley Gillard
@ashgillard.bsky.social
Grumpy, fat, short bloke • Acts when requested, sings if required, dances with rejection
...the arid production design, creepy visual effects, and the actor's performances to really tell the story - Sara's death is genuinely horrifying, and the Doctor's collapse really brings home the weight of what (give or take) 13 episodes worth of story has been leading to, and its fittingly grim.
November 26, 2025 at 1:43 AM
...the arid production design, creepy visual effects, and the actor's performances to really tell the story - Sara's death is genuinely horrifying, and the Doctor's collapse really brings home the weight of what (give or take) 13 episodes worth of story has been leading to, and its fittingly grim.
𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞
What a harrowingly bleak finale. Chen goes out in a blaze of tyrannical hysteria; the Daleks are their most remorseless. A lot is left to the imagination, but the scarcity of dialogue really heightens the tension and dread, allowing Tristram Cary's ethereally haunting score,...
What a harrowingly bleak finale. Chen goes out in a blaze of tyrannical hysteria; the Daleks are their most remorseless. A lot is left to the imagination, but the scarcity of dialogue really heightens the tension and dread, allowing Tristram Cary's ethereally haunting score,...
November 26, 2025 at 1:43 AM
𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞
What a harrowingly bleak finale. Chen goes out in a blaze of tyrannical hysteria; the Daleks are their most remorseless. A lot is left to the imagination, but the scarcity of dialogue really heightens the tension and dread, allowing Tristram Cary's ethereally haunting score,...
What a harrowingly bleak finale. Chen goes out in a blaze of tyrannical hysteria; the Daleks are their most remorseless. A lot is left to the imagination, but the scarcity of dialogue really heightens the tension and dread, allowing Tristram Cary's ethereally haunting score,...
...what the Daleks have been up to, even if it feels quite tenuous and ad hoc more often than not. Peter Purves is great as Stephen, taking charge, but Sara feels more and more like a nothing-character: little agency + foresight, just there to ask the questions. Beautiful sound design back on Kembel
November 25, 2025 at 11:08 AM
...what the Daleks have been up to, even if it feels quite tenuous and ad hoc more often than not. Peter Purves is great as Stephen, taking charge, but Sara feels more and more like a nothing-character: little agency + foresight, just there to ask the questions. Beautiful sound design back on Kembel
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭
Doctor Where? Now the story is back on track, the past 4-ish eps feel all the more like padding to what could be a really tight, adventurous story - even if this one is essentially characters wandering around. Great to see the delegates confront Chen + heightens the peril of...
Doctor Where? Now the story is back on track, the past 4-ish eps feel all the more like padding to what could be a really tight, adventurous story - even if this one is essentially characters wandering around. Great to see the delegates confront Chen + heightens the peril of...
November 25, 2025 at 11:08 AM
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭
Doctor Where? Now the story is back on track, the past 4-ish eps feel all the more like padding to what could be a really tight, adventurous story - even if this one is essentially characters wandering around. Great to see the delegates confront Chen + heightens the peril of...
Doctor Where? Now the story is back on track, the past 4-ish eps feel all the more like padding to what could be a really tight, adventurous story - even if this one is essentially characters wandering around. Great to see the delegates confront Chen + heightens the peril of...
...great in a hat! its wonderful to see him call the shots - when he's on top of the part, he's THE indisputable Doctor. The Monk’s a great character; it's sad this is Butterworth's final appearance in the role - I would have welcomed more random pop-up cameo appearances. Back to the actual story...
November 25, 2025 at 1:03 AM
...great in a hat! its wonderful to see him call the shots - when he's on top of the part, he's THE indisputable Doctor. The Monk’s a great character; it's sad this is Butterworth's final appearance in the role - I would have welcomed more random pop-up cameo appearances. Back to the actual story...
𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡
The final extant episode, and chance we can wax lyrical about Camfield's SUPERB direction of this beast of a story - the zoom-out fade of the sun reflected in the Dalek's dome is *chef's kiss*, and makes you long for the myriad of other visual gems now lost to time. Hartnell looks...
The final extant episode, and chance we can wax lyrical about Camfield's SUPERB direction of this beast of a story - the zoom-out fade of the sun reflected in the Dalek's dome is *chef's kiss*, and makes you long for the myriad of other visual gems now lost to time. Hartnell looks...
November 25, 2025 at 1:03 AM
𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡
The final extant episode, and chance we can wax lyrical about Camfield's SUPERB direction of this beast of a story - the zoom-out fade of the sun reflected in the Dalek's dome is *chef's kiss*, and makes you long for the myriad of other visual gems now lost to time. Hartnell looks...
The final extant episode, and chance we can wax lyrical about Camfield's SUPERB direction of this beast of a story - the zoom-out fade of the sun reflected in the Dalek's dome is *chef's kiss*, and makes you long for the myriad of other visual gems now lost to time. Hartnell looks...
...space but time as well, and its a fun place for them to take the story (even if it does feel like a missing ep of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞!) Love seeing Hartnell having fun, and being mischievous with Peter Butterworth's duplicitous Monk, who both have great chemistry. A shame Steven and Sara have little to do
October 27, 2025 at 11:32 AM
...space but time as well, and its a fun place for them to take the story (even if it does feel like a missing ep of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞!) Love seeing Hartnell having fun, and being mischievous with Peter Butterworth's duplicitous Monk, who both have great chemistry. A shame Steven and Sara have little to do
𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡
Better than expected! A shame that for an ep with lots of visual action that we can no longer see it (urgh!), but it's nice to have the Daleks back exterminating after a few weeks bumbling about. The move to ancient Egypt is a great reminder of the adventure’s scale across not just...
Better than expected! A shame that for an ep with lots of visual action that we can no longer see it (urgh!), but it's nice to have the Daleks back exterminating after a few weeks bumbling about. The move to ancient Egypt is a great reminder of the adventure’s scale across not just...
October 27, 2025 at 11:32 AM
𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡
Better than expected! A shame that for an ep with lots of visual action that we can no longer see it (urgh!), but it's nice to have the Daleks back exterminating after a few weeks bumbling about. The move to ancient Egypt is a great reminder of the adventure’s scale across not just...
Better than expected! A shame that for an ep with lots of visual action that we can no longer see it (urgh!), but it's nice to have the Daleks back exterminating after a few weeks bumbling about. The move to ancient Egypt is a great reminder of the adventure’s scale across not just...
...for the Doctor to fix everything with his magic ring (don't ask!), shows signs that Dennis Spooner is doing his best to breathe life and adventure into a flagging story. Its nice to have contemporary (NYE revelling) touches added to an otherwise outer space epic, but the urgency is slipping
October 24, 2025 at 11:37 PM
...for the Doctor to fix everything with his magic ring (don't ask!), shows signs that Dennis Spooner is doing his best to breathe life and adventure into a flagging story. Its nice to have contemporary (NYE revelling) touches added to an otherwise outer space epic, but the urgency is slipping
𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨
Here we are starting (if we hadn't already!) to loose focus on the wider story. The discovery that the core is a fake, and Chen's growing unease is all great, but the superfluous cricket match, wander around a volcano, the eponymous meddling Monk returning for a chat and mischief, only...
Here we are starting (if we hadn't already!) to loose focus on the wider story. The discovery that the core is a fake, and Chen's growing unease is all great, but the superfluous cricket match, wander around a volcano, the eponymous meddling Monk returning for a chat and mischief, only...
October 24, 2025 at 11:37 PM
𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨
Here we are starting (if we hadn't already!) to loose focus on the wider story. The discovery that the core is a fake, and Chen's growing unease is all great, but the superfluous cricket match, wander around a volcano, the eponymous meddling Monk returning for a chat and mischief, only...
Here we are starting (if we hadn't already!) to loose focus on the wider story. The discovery that the core is a fake, and Chen's growing unease is all great, but the superfluous cricket match, wander around a volcano, the eponymous meddling Monk returning for a chat and mischief, only...
…but the Hollywood studio stuff is where the ep has more leeway for stylistic fun: the Chaplin ‘cameo’, Keystone Cops chase, title cards, blustery director/demanding star are all fruitful opportunities for (what sounds like) a passable cast. Toys-back-in-the-box-at-the-end sort of fun. Moving on…
October 22, 2025 at 2:57 PM
…but the Hollywood studio stuff is where the ep has more leeway for stylistic fun: the Chaplin ‘cameo’, Keystone Cops chase, title cards, blustery director/demanding star are all fruitful opportunities for (what sounds like) a passable cast. Toys-back-in-the-box-at-the-end sort of fun. Moving on…
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧
Cliffhanger? Never heard of her. This ep is exactly what it was made for: frivolous, expendable fun, with no significant bearing of the overall story - to which it is, by and large, successful in a mildly amusing, sufficiently ambitious way. The ‘Z-Cars’ antics are tolerable…
Cliffhanger? Never heard of her. This ep is exactly what it was made for: frivolous, expendable fun, with no significant bearing of the overall story - to which it is, by and large, successful in a mildly amusing, sufficiently ambitious way. The ‘Z-Cars’ antics are tolerable…
October 22, 2025 at 2:57 PM
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧
Cliffhanger? Never heard of her. This ep is exactly what it was made for: frivolous, expendable fun, with no significant bearing of the overall story - to which it is, by and large, successful in a mildly amusing, sufficiently ambitious way. The ‘Z-Cars’ antics are tolerable…
Cliffhanger? Never heard of her. This ep is exactly what it was made for: frivolous, expendable fun, with no significant bearing of the overall story - to which it is, by and large, successful in a mildly amusing, sufficiently ambitious way. The ‘Z-Cars’ antics are tolerable…
...coma/forcefield handover is a pretty cheap idea, that is notably concluded by saying 'ok, that worked once, lets never do that again'! Again, Sara is forgiven too quickly - it would be much more interesting if she's ultimately useful, but they are never 100% sure that she's fully on side
October 20, 2025 at 9:24 AM
...coma/forcefield handover is a pretty cheap idea, that is notably concluded by saying 'ok, that worked once, lets never do that again'! Again, Sara is forgiven too quickly - it would be much more interesting if she's ultimately useful, but they are never 100% sure that she's fully on side
𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧
Action packed start of Daleks vs Visians, which I am sure Camfield did a creatively dynamic job of - not a fan of the 'thwomp' Dalek gun sfx though. Some great back-and-forth scenes between Chen + the Daleks - starting to show the tension in their fraying 'alliance'. Steven's...
Action packed start of Daleks vs Visians, which I am sure Camfield did a creatively dynamic job of - not a fan of the 'thwomp' Dalek gun sfx though. Some great back-and-forth scenes between Chen + the Daleks - starting to show the tension in their fraying 'alliance'. Steven's...
October 20, 2025 at 9:24 AM
𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧
Action packed start of Daleks vs Visians, which I am sure Camfield did a creatively dynamic job of - not a fan of the 'thwomp' Dalek gun sfx though. Some great back-and-forth scenes between Chen + the Daleks - starting to show the tension in their fraying 'alliance'. Steven's...
Action packed start of Daleks vs Visians, which I am sure Camfield did a creatively dynamic job of - not a fan of the 'thwomp' Dalek gun sfx though. Some great back-and-forth scenes between Chen + the Daleks - starting to show the tension in their fraying 'alliance'. Steven's...
...I think her turn from the ‘dark side’ to the ‘light’ is fumbled a bit too irreverently here (not that she has much choice!) Clever money-saving device making the terrifying, 8ft Visians ‘invisible’, but the footprints, haunting sfx and twitching branches on cotton threads are effectively spooky.
October 17, 2025 at 10:02 AM
...I think her turn from the ‘dark side’ to the ‘light’ is fumbled a bit too irreverently here (not that she has much choice!) Clever money-saving device making the terrifying, 8ft Visians ‘invisible’, but the footprints, haunting sfx and twitching branches on cotton threads are effectively spooky.
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭
Strong, on the whole, but this is where the back-and-forth rot starts to set the tone for episodes to come. Amazing that Hartnell nailed "cellular dissemination", but then completely threw himself off for his next line! Sara is an interesting character (and Jean Marsh is superb) but...
Strong, on the whole, but this is where the back-and-forth rot starts to set the tone for episodes to come. Amazing that Hartnell nailed "cellular dissemination", but then completely threw himself off for his next line! Sara is an interesting character (and Jean Marsh is superb) but...
October 17, 2025 at 10:02 AM
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭
Strong, on the whole, but this is where the back-and-forth rot starts to set the tone for episodes to come. Amazing that Hartnell nailed "cellular dissemination", but then completely threw himself off for his next line! Sara is an interesting character (and Jean Marsh is superb) but...
Strong, on the whole, but this is where the back-and-forth rot starts to set the tone for episodes to come. Amazing that Hartnell nailed "cellular dissemination", but then completely threw himself off for his next line! Sara is an interesting character (and Jean Marsh is superb) but...
...Stoney has great, slimy chemistry with Maurice Browning's Karlton. Peter Hawkins on peerless form esp as the Supreme Dalek, offering a chilling menace, wonderfully complemented by the more robotic David Graham. Sadly, as great as he is, Nick Courtney unceremoniously adds to the growing body count
October 15, 2025 at 8:59 AM
...Stoney has great, slimy chemistry with Maurice Browning's Karlton. Peter Hawkins on peerless form esp as the Supreme Dalek, offering a chilling menace, wonderfully complemented by the more robotic David Graham. Sadly, as great as he is, Nick Courtney unceremoniously adds to the growing body count
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬
Katarina's death has to be one of the most brutal + harrowing send-offs in all of classic Who - Steven’s screams, the silence that follows, and Hartnell’s beautifully played "daughter of the Gods" eulogy is surprisingly moving. Great development showing Chen's growing ambition, and...
Katarina's death has to be one of the most brutal + harrowing send-offs in all of classic Who - Steven’s screams, the silence that follows, and Hartnell’s beautifully played "daughter of the Gods" eulogy is surprisingly moving. Great development showing Chen's growing ambition, and...
October 15, 2025 at 8:59 AM
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬
Katarina's death has to be one of the most brutal + harrowing send-offs in all of classic Who - Steven’s screams, the silence that follows, and Hartnell’s beautifully played "daughter of the Gods" eulogy is surprisingly moving. Great development showing Chen's growing ambition, and...
Katarina's death has to be one of the most brutal + harrowing send-offs in all of classic Who - Steven’s screams, the silence that follows, and Hartnell’s beautifully played "daughter of the Gods" eulogy is surprisingly moving. Great development showing Chen's growing ambition, and...
...Some fun Hartnell line fluffs in this one! however it's great to see him take charge. Although they are pretty two-dimensional, the convicts of Desperus are a nice addition to the story's world-building, and I'm sure the terrifying fight with the Screamer wasn't awkwardly played at all(!)
October 14, 2025 at 2:07 PM
...Some fun Hartnell line fluffs in this one! however it's great to see him take charge. Although they are pretty two-dimensional, the convicts of Desperus are a nice addition to the story's world-building, and I'm sure the terrifying fight with the Screamer wasn't awkwardly played at all(!)
𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭
A nice enough interlude ep, although the well paced race against time (will the Daleks or the convicts get to them first?!) is effective enough. It's a shame that, knowing Katarina's fate, she has hardly any dialogue, or much to do beyond being told ‘hold that switch, child, hmm!’...
A nice enough interlude ep, although the well paced race against time (will the Daleks or the convicts get to them first?!) is effective enough. It's a shame that, knowing Katarina's fate, she has hardly any dialogue, or much to do beyond being told ‘hold that switch, child, hmm!’...
October 14, 2025 at 2:07 PM
𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭
A nice enough interlude ep, although the well paced race against time (will the Daleks or the convicts get to them first?!) is effective enough. It's a shame that, knowing Katarina's fate, she has hardly any dialogue, or much to do beyond being told ‘hold that switch, child, hmm!’...
A nice enough interlude ep, although the well paced race against time (will the Daleks or the convicts get to them first?!) is effective enough. It's a shame that, knowing Katarina's fate, she has hardly any dialogue, or much to do beyond being told ‘hold that switch, child, hmm!’...