Dragonfire

"You don't want to go believing in myths and legends..." 

Writer: Ian Briggs

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23rd November - 7th December 1987

Series: 24.04

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel, Ace

Synopsis

At the Iceworld Space Trading Colony on Svartos, the Doctor and Mel unexpectedly encounter an old 'friend'. The penniless and desperate Sabalom Glitz has only one option to leave Svartos - to find the fabled 'Dragonfire' treasure concealed somewhere in the depths of the planet.

Joined by Ace, a teenage waitress with a love for explosives, the group venture off to uncover lost riches, not knowing that Kane, Iceworld's ruthlessly intimidating overlord, will gladly murder them all to gain possession of the Dragonfire himself. Before long the Doctor finds himself playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with Kane's mercenaries, descending through the ice caverns ever closer ti the deadly gaze of the monstrous dragon that lurks below...

Verdict 

Dragonfire was a decent story but one that definitely could have been improved. I'm not saying it was bad, it was far from it, but I almost get the feeling like this is a somewhat forgettable adventure which is a real shame. It's hugely significant in the timeline of the Doctor as we see one companion depart and another arrive but both just seemed a bit sudden and I think that perhaps hurt the serial a little bit. I mean, Ace was established as a character in part one before becoming a companion in the third part but it still seemed quite out of nowhere that she would join the Doctor. I feel like it should have been hinted at during the story but that was never the case. Mel's decision to leave the Doctor was ridiculously sudden and unexpected but I must admit that I did like the Doctor's reaction to knowing that he'd be losing another friend. I just don't understand why Mel would want to leave and go off with Glitz instead. His return was good but he's not exactly a character you would expect to be coming back following his first appearance in The Trial of a Time Lord. I thought his relationship with the Doctor and Mel was once again good but I wasn't overly struck on his acceptance of the Doctor changing his appearance. His role in the story though was actually very good and I enjoyed his problems with gambling being a big part of why he wanted the source of the treasure located on Iceworld. His scepticism regarding myths was good but the irony of him looking at the map for it was terrific. Back to Ace and I don't think I've made it any secret in past blog entries in which she features that I'm not her biggest fan but on television I really do dislike her. Even in this introductory story for her, I really disliked her. I don't understand why she was so popular and it's also just not believable that Sophie Aldred is only sixteen years old. The explanation of how she got from Perivale to Iceworld is an intriguing one but I think it still could have been better. Sylvester McCoy was excellent as the Seventh Doctor in this one though I must say and he probably was the saving grace of the story when it came to the regular cast. The cliffhanger to part one and its resolution were beyond strange and I'm still not quite sure just what happened. Maybe I'll have to read the novelisation to get a better understanding but it really didn't make much sense at all. I watched this story with my cousin who's growing fast but he really didn't enjoy it much. He described it as boring after part two which humoured me and I could see that he wasn't able to appreciate the finer details of the adventure which was a shame. The concept of the Dragonfire was actually really good and I thought that Kane made a superb villain. That was certainly a positive. The revelation regarding Iceworld and the spaceship was good and well timed and I thought the ending to the plot aspect of the story was actually really good and quite exciting. The source of power being retrieved from the dead creature was good and Kane's desire for its head was a little disturbing but that uneasy characteristic in his personality was what made him. The ending though was partly where this story falls short and the change of companion just seemed so sudden, unexpected and well, unnecessary. Overall though, a more than decent story but it certainly could have been improved. 

Rating: 7/10