The Armageddon Factor

"You don't beg for peace... you win it."

Writers: Bob Baker & Dave Martin

Format: TV

Broadcast: 20 January - 24 February 1979

Season: 16.06

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I, K9

Synopsis

The final segment of the Key to Time is at the heart of a devastating war between neighbouring planets Atrios and Zeos. The Fourth Doctor discovers that a sinister entity is manipulating events and the cost of obtaining the final segment may be more personal than he imagined.

Verdict

The Armageddon Factor was an excellent serial! I can't quite believe it has been four years since my last viewing of this season but I had actually been watching it in chronological order and I guess the extra two parts had put me off time wise. It's no secret that the last remaining televised serials I have yet to blog are long ones of six or seven parts in length. I've had this blog for twelve years now and whilst I have of course seen every televised serial more than once, I am on a mission to try and ensure my blog catches up. I need a record of what is essentially all of the core Doctor Who! Hence my blogging of this today. I was really intrigued going into it as I believe I have only watched the serial twice before, and the last viewing would not have been later than 2012. It's fair to say I didn't remember much other than the key details like Lalla Ward featuring as Princess Astra, Drax appearing, and this concluding the Key to Time story arc. Taking the former of those first is fascinating to see what would become both on screen incarnations of Romana in the same sequence. It's pretty jarring but in the best way. It almost feels like something we shouldn't be seeing! Ward gives an excellent performance and it's not a surprise in the slightest to find that she would take on the role of companion in the next season as Romana would regenerate. I'm not a big fan of Romana's first incarnation and I think she sadly goes down as my least favourite Classic era companion, which is amusing because her next incarnation is my favourite. I think the role of Astra in the story is excellent, although it's pretty clear from at least part three that she is going to be the segment of the Key to Time. The tracer tracking her bracelet early on more than gives that away! Her relationship with Merak was really nice to see and I think it's quite touching how they get to reunite at the end. The setting of the conflict between Atrios and Zeos was brilliant and I thought Marshal was a superb character. His interactions with Shapp were terrific as he was also a trmeneodrus character. Both filled their roles of authority very well. The humour the latter in particular injected when he was transmatted and couldn't expect that he'd moved planets was really well done. The use of K9 in the story was fantastic and I had a real emotional feeling when he was on the verge of being incinerated. His warnings about the temperature and overheating were so sad because he was literally helpless! His acting as being on the side of the Shadow was good fun when he was restored to normality. The Shadow made for a really strong villain with it being a concept and a look that absolutely works. I would have even liked a bit more of a boisterous attitude but that calm demeanour almost made it seem scarier. It was a perfect final opponent in the task against the Black Guardian. The use of cheating to utilise some of the power of a complete Key to Time to orchestrate the time loop was amusing! It worked though and the time loop slowly extending added some strong tension. I thought Drax was magnificent and he came at a time that was perfect to push the serial seamlessly into six parts. His recognition of the Doctor as Theta Sigma was really intriguing and the history that was touched upon by the pair was fascinating. I thought him miniaturising the Doctor for the part five cliffhanger resolution was glorious. The image of the pair of them then later coming out of K9 to tackle the Shadow was superb! Talk about an entrance. Romana realising that Astra is the segment because of the significance of the number six in her dynasty was brilliant and the moment she accepts her fate and becomes the piece again is quite extraordinary! I think the little add on at the end with the Black Guardian faking being the White counterpart is good, but after an entire season it does feel a little odd for the pieces to just be dispersed across time and space again! The way the Doctor toyed to Romana about the power it wielded was excellent though. It was almost up there with his suggestion of using peace as a deterrent to the warfare. Overall, a fantastic serial fitting of a finale.

Rating: 9/10