Revenge of the Nestene

"A tiny nugget of Nestene consciousness lived on."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: Audiobook

Released: 26 March 2020

Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Nestene Consciousness

Synopsis

One sport of the Nestene Consciousness survived being blown up by the Doctor's anti plastic. Having gestated inside a plastic clown, a small semblance of the Nestene Consciousness plots its revenge on the Doctor...

Verdict

Revenge of the Nestene was a very fun story to serve as a sequel to Rose! Russell T Davies didn't hold back in treats as part of the #TripOfALifetime watch-along for the first episode back in the revived series, and I loved the way that this was presented as Chapter 21 of his novelisation of the great episode. I read that Target book last year and thoroughly enjoyed so getting this as a sort of extension was magnificent. I don't have an Instagram account so I experienced the story through the reading of Jacob Dudman on YouTube and I was very happy with his performance. It must be quite difficult to just be standing there alone in a sound studio reading off a page, but in the few instances where I paid attention to what he was actually doing, I found it really intriguing. It brought home the fact that we really are in lockdown and just seeing him flick the page of the script (if it can really be called that) was interesting. That's not part of the story though! The idea of a continuation of events following on from Rose was really intriguing as there didn't seem much wiggle room to play with given the way the Nestene Consciousness was dealt with. But here it was, or at least one surviving fragment, that had manifested and hidden into a clown. It was good and typical Doctor Who for 'only one survived'. It's happened on countless occasions with Dalek and even Victory of the Daleks, but here it was refreshing for a somewhat less common enemy to still be around. Its lust for getting revenge on the Doctor was really good and I found the references to Nestena and the Time War and the home planet of the Consciousness getting ravaged fantastic. It was really good to address that after it was also referred to in the episode itself and the destruction it caused only came from the edge of the Time War. That's how powerful it was. The image of one hundred Gallifreys and one thousand Skaros causing chaos alongside a significantly less number of Earths was quite something. Imagine that as a comic strip! The little references to Spearhead From Space and Terror of the Autons with the Nestene Consciousness recognising Earth from past mission was terrific and good continuity. It was a collective consciousness after all! Talking about the Nestene Consciousness finding love was intriguing and didn't quite seem like the kind of emotion it might be involved in, but with it coming around the same time that Nestena was hit by the countless planets worked well. No wonder they wanted revenge on the Doctor! I was kind of hoping that the Ninth Doctor was going to appear in this one as it would have been fun to have Jacob Dudman give an impression of Christopher Eccleston's incarnation. It wasn't to be, but what we got was still a lot of fun with Pierrot. The idea of the Nestene to form an alliance to avenge their defeat alongside the likes of Daleks and Cybermen was good and perhaps a foreshadowing of The Pandora Opens/The Big Bang? The idea of a new true Auton was intriguing and then the suggestion that it was Boris Johnson was magnificent. It would certainly explain how someone like him could end up as Prime Minister! That was a very fun little ending and some much-needed comedy. Overall, a lovely little addition to the Rose story.

Rating: 8/10

Doctor Who and the Time War

"The Moment happens. The universe sings. The War ends."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: Short Story

Released: 26 March 2020

Printed on: Doctor Who Website

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

"This was never meant to exist.

Way back, maybe early 2013, Tom Spilsbury, the editor of Doctor Who Magazine, asked me if I wanted to contribute to DWM's great 50th special. Maybe addressing that huge gap in Doctor Who lore, how did the Eighth Doctor regenerate into the Ninth?

I said well, yeah, no, but, isn't that best left to the imagination? If I write a script, it would be too real, too fixed, too canonical. But Tom's never one to give up. He said okay, what if you wrote, say, the final pages of a Target novel? About the last days of the Time War. The Doctor's final moments. And we could present it like a surviving fragment of the Novel That Never Was, so it exists in that half-real space of the spin-offs, possible but not factual, just slightly canon, if you so choose."

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Time War was a tremendous read and a sublime look into the window of what might have been regarding the Time War if The Day of the Doctor hadn't occurred and introduced the War Doctor. I didn't start watching Doctor Who until The Lazarus Experiment until 2007, but once I'd learned of all the show's history and everything that came with it, one thing that really bugged me was not knowing how the Eighth Doctor's story ended and how the Ninth Doctor came about. Yes, we knew it was the Time War, but that's so generic. This little extract of what might have been a Target novel was fantastic! Russell T Davies really does know how to write and he captured so much of the essence of the Time War in such a short amount of time. It was incredible to be honest. Finding out that this would have been printed in Doctor Who Magazine was great and I loved the idea of it being potentially presented as a fragment of a Novel That Never Was. I'd have loved that back in 2013, but I think it would have made me long for the whole book! Of course, much of the Time War's gaps have been filled in with the War Doctor and numerous audios, comic strips and novels, but back then it was quite the unknown. I still find it incredible that Doctor Who Magazine rejected the idea of doing a regeneration comic strip story prior to Rose's broadcast, and that ties in nicely with this adventure sort of serving as a prequel to it. I wasn't able to take part in the #TripOfALifetime watch-along of the first revived episode, but after listening along to The Chimes of Midnight as part of #PlumPudding, I am keen to catch up on all of the content I've missed and take part in future watch-alongs. It's a wonderful way for fans to come together at this difficult time. I do hope they go for a Classic story soon! Anyway, back to this one and the similarities some elements had with The Day of the Doctor in their descriptions and colour was intriguing given that Davies had no knowledge of what was to come on 23 November 2013. The description of the moment when the Moment was used to end the Time War was superb and I loved how the Doctor could feel the time lock coming into effect. I also really loved the idea of explaining the inconsistencies with the Doctor's age and how he'd been aged and then regressed before finally deciding on 900 years old as we'd see on television. Really good stuff. With the Doctor falling after ending the War and Gallifrey Original burning to a crisp, the idea of the TARDIS coming to save him and that familiar blue was magnificent and quite touching. Even at his most desperate moment, the TARDIS was there to save him. The idea of them both wanting a change was a nice moment of touching humour, and this would seem to indicate that the Doctor's regeneration cycle would have been reset here. I really liked that and I bet Moffat would have enjoyed that being canonical when it came to writing The Time of the Doctor. The actual regeneration itself was quite quick but impactful which was good and now we potentially know the Ninth Doctor's first word was 'blimey'! So there it was, the regeneration that was held in mystery and the emergence of the Ninth Doctor. The Classic era into the modern. A wonderful insight into what might have been. Of course, The Night of the Doctor came along then in such magnificent wonder, but this was tremendous to look at. 

Rating: 10/10

The Chimes of Midnight

"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Mrs Baddeley's famous plum puddings."

Writer: Rob Shearman

Format: Audio

Released: February 2002

Series: Main Range 29

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring...

But something must be stirring. Something hidden in the shadows. Something which kills the servants of an old Edwardian mansion in the most brutal and macabre manner possible. Exactly on the chiming of the hour, every hour, as the grandfather clock ticks on towards midmightnight.

Trapped and afraid, the Doctor and Charley are forced to play detective to murders with no motive, where even the victims don't stay dead. Time is running out.

And time itself might well be the killer...

Verdict

The Chimes of Midnight was superb audio adventure and a fantastic way for me to finally get involved in one of the #DoctorWhoLockdown Tweet-alongs. It really was a wonderful two hours or so and I hope to be able to do the same with the televised episodes that Emily Cook has arranged because I really do feel like I have been missing out. That's what being committed to making full use of a BritBox free trial will get you! Don't the date of this blog entry confuse you as because of the lockdown, I have managed to get ahead in terms of daily blogging and I'm keeping ahead and them in the bank for a rainy day and time where I might be too busy to blog every day. Anyway, this is the first Big Finish story to get the double blogging treatment and I knew it was going to be great, even if it has been six years since I initially listened to the story. Wow, that was whilst I was still doing A-Levels and now here I sit with a Master's Degree! Time really does fly. Speaking of which, the use of time in this adventure is just wonderful and I loved spending mine listening whilst reading the tweets of Rob Shearman, Paul McGann and India Fisher. Shearman really did share a great deal about the process involved in writing the story and it seems that the best adventures are written quickly! He frantically wrote this one and it ends up being one of my favourite audio adventures, much like the crazy nature of The War Games being written and that serving as my favourite televised story. It was very intriguing having Shearman dissect his own adventure and him admitting that it was the first time he'd listened to it in eighteen years since the release. That's quite incredible! He was surprised by some of his own twist and turns which was amusing and I really liked how we could clearly see each part as its own. That was a perspective I haven't looked at a Big Finish story in before so that was really good. The tonal shifts were clearly noticeable. The humour on Twitter that came with the repetitive nature of the plum puddings and how Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas was wonderful and I loved that one individual actually had a live counter going. So much fun. India Fisher was magnanimous in her tweets about Charley and with my current position in the Big Finish Main Range having her with the Sixth Doctor and all the mysteries going on there, it was lovely to go back to her and the Eighth Doctor. They really are a magnificent pairing and the performances of both her and Paul McGann were sublime. He getting to take over Big Finish's own account was a lot of fun. The story of Edith Thompson throughout the adventure is heartbreaking but the links that come with Storm Warning and her connection with Charley are sublime. I found it incredible to think that Shearman was writing this blind when it came to the companion because that debut story hadn't yet been released! That's talent. The sentiment attached to the Doctor's speech in the concluding stages was lovely and realising that Shearman wrote it as a sort of love letter to Doctor Who because he didn't think it was ever coming back was marvellous. A really fantastic story. Overall, a terrific listen and enjoyable evening! I sadly won't be taking part in #LizardWife as I'd rather do the whole boxset, but I do hope these continue!

Rating: 10/10

The Mind of Evil

"Interfering with the mind... it's a dangerous business."

Writer: Don Houghton
Format: TV
Broadcast: 30 January - 6 March 1971
Season: 8.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

Professor Emil Keller has created a machine that can pacify even the most dangerous of criminals. But when the Doctor and Jo arrive at Stangmoor Prison for a demonstration, things start to go horribly wrong - especially when they discover that the Doctor's old enemy the Master is responsible for the machine.

Verdict

The Mind of Evil was a fantastic way to conclude my 29 days in a row of Classic Doctor Who television blogging! It's been a whirlwind and quite the use of BritBox's free trial, but after a shaky past couple of stories or so, I am glad to have finished with one of my favourites. I have always really liked this serial and I found it compelling to be going back and watching for the first time in eight years. The premise of the story is something I have always enjoyed with the idea of curing criminals with a Doctor Who spin. The Keller machine concept was great and its ability to take the negative impulses in the brain that made individuals criminals was terrific. It almost seems as if it should be something the Doctor might encourage! Of course, the demonstration showed that there was a great deal wrong with the methods. It turns out that Professor Keller was in fact the Master and I really loved the sophisticated way in which he emerged into the serial. He's only just featured in Terror of the Autons for his debut, but keeping him out of part one would definitely have aided the surprise. It's clear to see that he's made such a big impression already amongst UNIT and the continuity that came from his first serial with his TARDIS's dematerialisation circuit and the Doctor offering it as a bargain was fantastic. That was brilliant storytelling. It was quite fascinating to see the differing effects of some of the cliffhangers that almost always seemed to involve the Keller machine. The way the Doctor particularly suffered from the ending of part three told a big story. If even the Doctor was susceptible and unable to control the machine, then who could? The idea of a creature being inside the machine and feeding off the evil of the mind was really good, but my only qualm was perhaps there should have been a bit more regarding that. Especially because it was six parts! To be fair though, it didn't seem too long in the slightest which is a big positive. When the machine was used on the Master, I thought the image of the Doctor laughing maniacally was hilarious. His ability to have taken over the prison was excellent and it made for a very good setting of his operations. The Trojan horse plan from the Brigadier to infiltrate was pretty comedic and had Nicholas Courtney in a rather humorous role momentarily. The cliffhanger to part five was very strong with it seeming all but certain that the Doctor had been shot, but the revelation that the Brigadier had emerged just in time was great. The Doctor's reaction was hardly one of being pleased! The humour that came when the Doctor questioned the Brigadier about not having the missile on top of losing the Master was wonderful. Their relationship really is marvellous and that was evident at the conclusion when the Doctor's jealousy was clear to see when he realised he was stuck and the Master was free to explore in his TARDIS. The Doctor still felt he was stuck and it was very powerful having the Master mock his exile. You can just see in Jon Pertwee's performance how much the Doctor wants to just have free reign of his TARDIS. The Master's plans to use the missile to revert the planet to war and take over the planet in its ruins was good, but the Doctor was able to gain a small victory and prevent his desire. It's intriguing then that the Master still stands triumphant at the end. It's also quite surprising given what's said here that he returns in The Claws of Axos in the serial that immediately follows. Overall though, a brilliant serial!

Rating: 9/10

The Android Invasion

"Nobody knows who's who around here."

Writer: Terry Nation
Format: TV
Broadcast: 22 November - 13 December 1975
Season: 13.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane find themselves in the English village of Devesham near a Space Defence Station. The village seems deserted, the telephones don't work, calendars are stuck on the same date and white-suited figures are wandering about aimlessly. Who are the Kraals and what are their plans for Earth?

Verdict

The Android Invasion was a decent serial to make up part of the thirteenth season of Doctor Who, but despite that it just has a very strange feeling. I'd totally forgotten prior to watching that this one was written by Terry Nation which instantly made me see the story in a different way because of his reputation with the Daleks and I was hoping that I would feel the same about this one as I did with his other non-Dalek story The Keys of Marinus which is one of my all time favourites. It wasn't up to that standard, but it was still pretty good. I haven't seen this story in eight years, but I remembered finding it a bit odd that Sergeant Benton was in it and it not exactly being a great final appearance for his character. My sentiments on that remain unchanged. However, I had absolutely no recollection that Harry returned! It was just all very strange with both he and Benton there, but not feeling relevant to the overall plot in any kind of way. They just did a lot of standing around during the middle parts which was awfully strange. Seeing the Brigadier's name on a door label was intriguing, but with this story only being three removed from Terror of the Zygons, I don't understand why he couldn't have appeared. Surely they could have just filmed this one straight after and keep some of the cast? It just didn't make much sense at all to have Harry and Benton there alone, especially when we didn't really resolve anything regarding them at the story's conclusion. I think the ending definitely hurt things for their characters a little as it seems awfully strange that the Doctor and Sarah Jane would just walk off without even checking on them and making sure they were back to normal. I look forward to reading the novelisation of this one to see if it is amended or expanded upon in any way. The serial did start really well with part one having an incredibly eery feel which was excellent. I enjoyed the horror of what turned out to be an android throwing himself off the cliff and breaking his neck, only to return a few scenes later unharmed. The village setting worked fantastically and I just got a real sense of quietness. It was almost chilling. Silence can be so powerful at times and I think this story is rather unique in that regard. It worked brilliantly with Sarah Jane having knowledge of the village from a story she'd ran a couple of years earlier and she was able to show her strengths. One scene I particularly loved was the Doctor playing darts in the pub. I'm a pretty good player and I definitely didn't approve of his throwing technique! The plan of the Kraals with the androids was really good and I even didn't mind their design. I do think the image on the front of The Oseidon Adventure from Big Finish was better though. Their wanting to take militant positions and then have a virus wipe out the planet was pretty death heavy and seemed like a sure way to take over the planet in a coup. Talk of a virus was very apt with all that's going in the world at the moment. One image from the story that was striking was the android Doctor with a gun and shooting it. That was very powerful as that just isn't something we associate the Doctor with. I have to say though, some of the directing in this adventure was really poor, particularly in the scenes involving Sarah Jane's tumble and her 'falling' out of the tree. The ending was hectic and action packed with a nice twist involving the Doctor and his reprogramming of his duplicate, but once the Kraal had been comically bounced onto the virus and effectively turning its face to mush, things still felt slightly unfinished. Overall though, this was still a pretty decent serial.

Rating: 7/10

The Awakening

"You are about to take part in an event that will change the future of mankind."

Writer: Eric Pringle
Format: TV
Broadcast: 19-20 January 1984
Season: 21.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

The year is 1984. The Doctor, Tegan and Turlough arrive in Little Hodcombe, a small English village, looking forward to spending some time with Tegan's grandfather. They soon discover that all is not well. Tegan's grandfather is missing and the locals are re-enacting English Civil War battles from 1643.

With the past mixed up with the present, can the Doctor stop the games before an evil entity hidden in the village church awakens?

Verdict

The Awakening was sadly not the best serial of the Fifth Doctor era by any stretch of the imagination. I remembered extremely little about this story from my first viewing eight years ago and I wonder if I was trying to block some elements out! That's probably a little harsh as it wasn't all bad as my rating does suggest, but it just seemed a bit off from the start and I can't quite put my finger on what exactly was wrong. It may have been the format of it only being two parts or the pace or just the writing in general. Perhaps a combination of all three? I really don't know but I did find some moments of this story tough to get through. It doesn't really bode well when a story of just two parts seems like it's dragging on a little. That's certainly not a good sign. I thought the premise of the adventure was actually pretty decent and I really liked the idea of the Doctor piloting the TARDIS with the explicit intention of going to visit Tegan's grandfather. Familial connections would become very common in the revived series so seeing it take place here in the Classic era was very good. Peter Davison gave an accomplished performance as the Fifth Doctor, although I was a little put off by his brashness in the TARDIS and the way he looked at Jane when she was slightly standing in the way of some of the console controls. That didn't seem to make much sense nor be in line with the character of the Doctor. Tegan wanting to have some time with her grandfather was nice, but surely she'd have to address where she had been since 1981 if this was now 1984? I presume the latter year is when Logopolis was set so she's been missing for three years! I felt that needed a mention, even if it was just the norm for her family to go a long time without seeing each other. Turlough didn't have much to do at all in this story which actually made him quite tolerable as I'm not a big fan of his to be honest. Will was a terrific character but I felt more could have been made of the fact that he was from 1643. He just seemed to be there as the person to give credence to the Malus and its power. The idea of an isolated village reverting back to ways of the seventeenth century was brilliant, but the execution never quite seemed right. It all seemed a bit too isolated and not up until the end did there appear to be enough people to create the psychic energy that was harnessed at the battle during the English Civil War. I'm still not convinced there would have been then, but of course you can only employ so many extras! I definitely think this serial will work better in prose and I have no doubt I'll enjoy it a bit more once I get to buying the Target novelisation. There was just a bit too much pantomime and it didn't seem right for the levels of seriousness involved that they were so clearly playing dress up. The Tereleptil connection was intriguing and I'd have liked some involvement from them, but it did make sense following on from The Visitation. One moment that stood out for me was the emphatic nature in which the Doctor proudly admitted to speak treason fluently. That was the Fifth Doctor at his best. The Malus itself looked quite impressive as a prop, but that same expression got a bit too repetitive by the end. I do think this would have worked better as a four-parter with some detail fleshed out and some more time to build. Overall, some decent elements but probably the worst Fifth Doctor serial which is a shame to say.

Rating: 6/10

Time and the Rani

"Creation is chaotic. I shall introduce order."

Writers: Pip & Jane Baker
Format: TV
Broadcast: 7-28 September 1987
Season: 24.01

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The Rani has returned after her last encounter with the Doctor, with yet another malicious scientific scheme.

Taking advantage of the post-regenerative trauma the recently regenerated and unstable Doctor is going through, the Rani hopes to achieve control of an approaching asteroid composed entirely of strange matter.

Can the Doctor figure out he is being used for the Rani's evil experiment, and what is behind the door the Rani won't allow the Doctor past?

Verdict

Time and the Rani was not the best way to debut Sylvester McCoy, it has to be said. It's a shame because this serial really should be so much more. It's got a regeneration, a brand new Doctor to kick off the series and the return of the Rani. Instead, it ends up being one of the worst that Doctor Who has ever produced. My rating may not indicate that, but for me to give just a five speaks volumes because I'm a somewhat generous rater. But this just wasn't good. Obviously, the circumstances surrounding the regeneration of the Sixth Doctor are far from ideal with Colin Baker being fired from his role and rejecting a regeneration story, which is understandable. So we start with the TARDIS being attacked mid-flight and with the regeneration occurring before the new opening titles even hit. And it means nothing. Literally nothing. It's not even like he's really suffering from post-regeneration effects because the Rani injects him with something that will make sure he has amnesia! I fully accept that the circumstances were difficult, but this was an incredibly weak end to a fantastic incarnation of the Doctor. Now, the debut for Sylvester McCoy wasn't all that much better. He plays the delirious Doctor pretty well but then we have him falling around and asking Mel, or at least who he genuinely believed to be Mel, to mop his brow? Ludicrous stuff, even soon after regeneration. One thing I would like explained is just why the TARDIS attack was fatal for the Doctor whilst Mel was absolutely fine? That really needed more attention in my opinion. The return of the Rani is nowhere near as impactful as it should be and I find it ridiculous that she can just walk into the TARDIS. That doesn't make much sense at all. I will give credit where it's due with the opening sequence though and that lies with the impressive special effects. Kate O'Mara surprisingly given the task plays the role of Mel rather well, but the whole idea of her impersonating the Doctor's companion is terrible. Just how would she have matching clothes? And what's it really trying to achieve? It's not good. The Doctor going through the TARDIS wardrobe and some old clothes was a nice moment of nostalgia. The cliffhanger to part one was excellent with Mel trapped in the bubble with all signs indicating she would become nothing more than a skeleton, but then things just stopped in part two and she was let out? Talk about anticlimactic. Mel was pretty annoying in this adventure which is unquestionably her worst outing as companion. I was begging for her to shut up with that endless, repetitive and unnecessary screaming. What a screech. The moment the Doctor and the real Mel finally meet is just weird and I find it strange that Mel would know all about regeneration 'of course', and then find it so unbelievable that the Doctor had actually changed. Ugh, there was so much wrong. The concept of strange matter was interesting and I liked the Rani's plan of collecting geniuses to enable its asteroid to collide with the rocket she was setting off to create a supernova enabling her to turn Lakertya into a time manipulator. It was a pretty convoluted plan but I did like it. It probably just got revealed much too late which was a shame. The Tetraps were not very good at all to be honest and I really didn't like them throughout. The ending with the Rani as well after she escaped in her TARDIS just didn't seem the right way to go. The Lakertyans weren't much better either to be honest, but the costume design wasn't horrific! The moment the Doctor trapped the Rani within his own designated pod was pretty anticlimactic as she didn't exactly put up much of a fight. Finding out that the Rani wanted to take Earth back to the Cretaceous Age was intriguing though and it was also nice to touch upon some of the Doctor's university age. The ending with the delayed countdown wasn't thrilling and the story as a whole had its moments, but it just wasn't that good. Overall, not a great beginning to the Seventh Doctor's reign.

Rating: 5/10

Meglos

"Thanks be to Ti!"

Writers: John Flanagan & Andrew McCulloch

Format: TV

Broadcast: 27 September - 18 October 1981

Season: 18.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

On Tigella, two opposing factions are irrevocably divided over one fundamental issue: the Dodecahedron, a mysterious artefact which provides the entire planet's energy. With the Savants and the Deons locked in a crippling stalemate and their civilisation on the brink of collapse, the Tigellan leader Zastor seeks the Doctor's help. But he and Romana have been trapped aboard the TARDIS in a vicious time loop by Meglos, the last of the Zolfa-Thurans. He will stop at nothing to steal back the awesome power of the Dodecahedron. 

Verdict

Meglos was a very good serial to complete my roundabout blogging of Season 18! I am so near the end of this television run of randomness on my BritBox free trial now which I am excited about because I am really missing other formats. However, I've still got some good (and not so good) ones to come. Anyway, to the story at hand and I thought it was a really solid story from start to finish. I love the pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Romana in her second incarnation and the pair worked wonderfully well together here. Their efforts to repair K9 were good and after some recent Season 17 stories, it was brilliant to have John Leeson back voicing the metallic dog. I was quite surprised that for the entirety of part one, the Doctor and Romana were contained to just being in the TARDIS. It worked though because they could be interesting almost anywhere! Once they got stuck in the time loop by Meglos, things improved! I really loved that concept and it was nice that the pair had a few moments after the repetitive sequence to gather their thoughts and work out how they would break the loop. What they did was very clever in putting the loop out of sequence by repeating their actions themselves and the humour that came with the Doctor almost forgetting his lines was very amusing. Meglos made for a ver good enemy and the idea of an evil cactus, as that is essentially what he was, worked surprisingly well. The imagery of the spines coming out of Tom Baker's face and hands once Meglos had duplicated the Doctor's appearance was quite superb. It looked fantastic and exactly what you want from something evil! His association with the Gaztaks was really good even if they did share a somewhat tumultuous relationship. It was clear that there was absolutely no trust between each party. The setting of Tigella was brilliant and the conflict that was occurring on the planet between religion and science over the dodecahedron was tremendous. I was a big fan of that and I rather enjoyed the subtle ridicule the scientists enacted on their religious counterparts. However, it was wonderful to see Jacqueline Hill back in the series after so long away, even if she wasn't playing the role of Barbara. Romana and the Doctor inevitably were separated early on and the way the former lead the Gaztaks into a trap by using the planet's anti-clockwise rotation to her advantage was very good and intuitive. The screens of Zolfa-Thura coming into play once Meglos had the dodecahedron was pretty impressive in terms of visuals and I really did like the concept behind it. Meglos was out to get revenge and the Gaztaks decreed that Tigella would be the first to fall at its power. Brotadac was a humorous bandit character and his longing for the Doctor's coat was some nice lighthearted humour in the latter stages of a pretty serious story. The Doctor nearly giving himself up when he'd impersonated Meglos in front of the Gaztaks was humorous, only for the both of them to be quite comically taken into the cell. That image of the face off was decent, but I do think the moment could have been a bit more powerful after a long build. Zastor was also a pretty useless character and I was surprised that his past association with the Doctor was seemingly forgotten. The ending was very good though in dealing with all of the underlying issues and I think its sudden nature made more of an impact. Meglos had let go of his human captive and we saw him revert to that cactus shape, only for the whole of the ship to be blown apart by the very power he had stolen and put into action. Overall, a very solid serial! 

Rating: 8/10

Invasion of the Dinosaurs

"A prehistoric monster has turned up in Central London."

Writer: Malcolm Hulke

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12 January - 16 February 1974

Season: 11.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive in 1970s London to find it has been evacuated because dinosaurs have appeared mysteriously. As the line between friends and enemies wavers, the Doctor soon discovers the dinosaurs are being brought to London via a time machine to further a plan to revert Earth back to a pre-technological "Golden Age"...

Verdict

Invasion of the Dinosaurs was an excellent serial! I really enjoyed this one and whilst I remember it being very good the first time I watched it some eight years ago now, it exceeded my memory and improved to full marks! This was brilliant and for a six-part story, it didn't half go by quickly! That is the telltale sign of a good adventure. I loved the premise of the Doctor and Sarah Jane returning to an abandoned London following The Time Warrior and they really were a bit confused as to why there was nobody around. With all that's going on in society today, it must have been quite reminiscent of the London today during lockdown. I still think it's quite interesting that they didn't place the whole title on the opening credits for the first part to hide the fact that the serial featured dinosaurs, and then it really didn't take long for a dinosaur to show up! Now, considering this story was produced some 46 years ago, I was quietly impressed with the special effects of the dinosaurs. I mean, the T-rex didn't look all that imposing, but the other dinosaur variations were very impressive. I loved the whole premise of using dinosaurs to evacuate London and empty the capital city. The dinosaurs were contained to the area which was intriguing and when it seemed that there was some dabbling with time travel going on, Sarah Jane used her journalistic skills magnificently to find that Whittaker had been missing six months and was perhaps the man behind all that was going on. This story is a big one for Mike Yates as he was still reeling from what occurred in The Green Death and had gone rogue here against UNIT and was all for a new Golden Age. The idea of that age where Earth would not be ravaged by the developments of technology was terrific, but the method it would be implemented was barbaric. The Doctor wasn't impressed. They were going to revert the planet to its past and everyone alive now would not have existed! They would then guide humanity to the right path for a Golden Age. Yates playing a role was interesting as it is such a shift in character, but it was clear from the offset that he was up to something. I really loved the idea of things going wrong whilst the Doctor was away and he and Sarah Jane walking around the abandoned city was fantastic. One thing I feel like mentioning as it will be the only story from this season that I blog on this BritBox random watch-a-thon, I loved the opening titles design! Really impressive. Sarah Jane getting transferred to the spaceship that was supposedly en route to New Earth was intriguing, especially when it was said that she was there for three months before waking up! Of course, the truth was sublime as we found that there was no spaceship and in fact it was underneath Central London. They'd all been tricked and New Earth would just be the current planet reverted to the past. General Finch made a good villainous authority figure and the battle of wits and reputation between he and the Brigadier was superb. Benton also had a very good serial with the moment he let the Doctor 'overpower' him with Venusian aikido was wonderful and showed just how much he trusted him. It was clear that the Doctor wasn't the one responsible for bringing the dinosaurs to London! The conclusion was exciting and quite simple with the Doctor's being a Time Lord allowing him to overcome the time eddy and reverse the polarity which sent the culprits wanting a Golden Age back to that very time. I thought that was quite a fitting sendoff, and it also turned out that Yates would be resigning from UNIT quietly. Overall, a sublime story!

Rating: 10/10

Enlightenment

"We're here for the race. That's all that matters."

Writer: Barbara Clegg
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1-9 March 1983
Season: 20.05

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

Materialising on an Edwardian sailing yacht in space, the Fifth Doctor and his companions Tegan and Turlough find themselves caught up in a mysterious and deadly race. The prize is Enlightenment – the wisdom to find your heart's desire – and it quickly becomes clear that one of the crews will let nothing and no-one stop them claiming victory.

As the Black Guardian pressures Turlough to complete his side of their murderous pact, it seems that the Doctor may not survive to cross the finish line...

Verdict

Enlightenment was an excellent serial to conclude the Black Guardian trilogy of stories that make up half of the twentieth season of Doctor Who! It's a fitting end that does really well to tell its own story whilst tying elements of the previous two adventures together for a fitting conclusion. I was really impressed with the story throughout and I have to say that the cliffhangers to parts one and two really do rank as brilliant ones. They were both excellent in their own way as we first found out that the Edwardian ship was actually a spaceship and then with that the idea of Turlough jumping overboard would prove catastrophic! It was clear to see in this story that he no longer had any interest in carrying out the doing of the Black Guardian and destroying the Doctor, and seeing him struggle with coming to terms with that was fantastic. He had his strongest story yet for sure. Speaking of which, I thought Peter Davison was superb as the Fifth Doctor in this adventure and he really did show all of the signs that made him my favourite Doctor when I first divulged into the Classic era of the programme. I was really impressed with him here which is wonderful to be able to say. The Eternals were an excellent addition to the story and I found the concept behind them really intriguing. They needed the minds of the so-called Ephemerals to function as they themselves were empty which was fascinating. A really good and original concept. Tegan's relationship in particular with Marriner was very good and I liked how she was able to shut out her thoughts at a point. He was interested by that and his will for existence actually made him fall in love with the Australian. It was quite a heartfelt and emotional moment when he faded out of existence. Going back to the start a little, the TARDIS scene to kick things off was very good and I loved how the interior looked with the dark lighting. It was almost like seeing the TARDIS on the dark mode setting for your iPhone! Really great stuff. The White Guardian making an appearance was good, if expected, and the power drainage he was inflicting on the TARDIS was good because of the problems it created. Their arrival on the ship was good and the Doctor being mistaken for its cook was a very comical moment that Turlough perhaps enjoyed a little too much. Tegan's bedroom on board the ship was really intriguing because it was a blend of her bedrooms in Brisbane and on the TARDIS. That's quite the mix! Finding out all about the race was brilliant and the prize being Enlightenment was terrific. It was definitely a worthy reward! Wrack made for a decent villainous character after she had saved Turlough. I thought it was a bit of a shame that we didn't get to see her fall to her demise, but finding out that the Black Guardian was in league with her as well was very good. I didn't see that coming when perhaps I should have. I even had myself thinking midway through part three that there was still a lot to resolve! But resolve it they did. The meeting at the end between the White and Black Guardians was very powerful, but the Doctor's emergence onto the scene safe and alive was terrific. Turlough had well and truly sided with him and before you knew it the Black Guardian was lit up in flame! I did think the Doctor throwing the jewel he'd crushed overboard a bit of a stretch when it came to the explosion, but it did look good for sure! The ending with the White Guardian promising a third battle for the Doctor against the Black Guardian was good and with hindsight of course I know that this wouldn't happen on television. Maybe he was foreshadowing the point I'm at in my Main Range listening? The Key 2 Time awaits, perhaps? Regardless, for now this was a fantastic serial!

Rating: 9/10

Battlefield

"You don't need to go on playing soldier anymore."

Writer: Ben Aaronovitch
Format: TV
Broadcast: 6-27 September 1989
Season: 26.01

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Brigadier

Synopsis

The Doctor and Ace arrive on Earth in the late 1990s where they become involved in a battle between King Arthur and Morgaine. However, these are not the heroes of Britain's past, but warriors from another dimension – and they recognise the Doctor as the wizard Merlin. As usual, it is down to the Doctor and Ace to save the planet, but this time they find some help in the guise of the Doctor's old UNIT ally, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Verdict

Battlefield was a very good way to kick off the twenty-sixth and final season of Doctor Who! It's a really solid opening from start to finish that has a lot riding on it and shows just what kind of direction the show was heading in before it was hastily retired. I think it's a big shame that Doctor Who didn't survive into the 1990s, but who knows what kind of show, if any, we would have now had it done so. This serial has the right levels of nostalgia and new with the return of the Brigadier being accompanied by an excellent storyline containing beings from another dimension. They had all the appearances of being from the tale of King Arthur which was very interesting and whilst I did really enjoy the concept, I felt a bit more explanation was required as to how they had got onto Earth and in our universe, and more importantly why they'd come through in the first place. Having them arrive at Lake Vortigern with all the historical significance that possessed was really good and I liked how seriously those from the other dimension were taking seriously the words of what humanity were meaning as comedy. The moment Morgaine stopped her soldiers to reflect and remember those that had fallen in the cemetery was a touching moment and showed that despite her evil intentions, this woman had the potential to be good which I thought was important. We were introduced to a brand new Brigadier in this story by way of rank in the form of Winifred, but I wasn't overly keen on her character if I'm being honest. She didn't exactly ooze the authority that Lethbridge-Stewart so effortlessly did. Seeing our Brigadier in a home environment planting in the garden and with his wife was a lovely scene that showed us that even Lethbridge-Stewart had a normal life despite everything going on with UNIT. When the Doctor discovered that the UNIT were on the case he'd picked up in the TARDIS, his letting Ace use a pass of Liz Shaw's was another wonderful moment of nostalgic continuity. It worked terrifically well. It doesn't seem right that someone with the rank of Brigadier at UNIT wouldn't know of the Doctor, but when Winifred is told of the Doctor and his regenerative capabilities her reaction is more than decent. It's clear to see she cannot believe it. The Doctor being mistaken for Merlin and the story that came with that was fantastic and I really liked that it was acknowledged that events here were possibly influenced from the future. May there have been a future tale from the Doctor of the future's perspective? One thing I was very impressed with throughout this serial was the set design. I thought that was of a really high standard which is obviously pleasing to say. The cliffhanger to part two really is tremendous with Ace on the verge of drowning and the Doctor knocked out, but the resolution with the Doctor turning out to actually be okay seemed a bit like cheating. Ancelyn was a really good character who shared some good relationships with both the Doctor and Brigadier. His coming sideways in time was intriguing but again needed some more explanation. The moment the Doctor and Brigadier are reunited is magnificent and I really did get a big feeling of nostalgia, perhaps because I know this is the last time they meet on screen which is a huge moment when you think of it. The arrival of the Destroyer was good, but a little too late to have much of an impact. He looked impressive that's for sure, but didn't seem to really live up to its name. The special effects when he was quite easily destroyed by the Brigadier and the silver bullets were really impressive though. Overall, a great little serial on the whole!

Rating: 8/10

The Face of Evil

"They say the Evil One eats babies."

Writer: Chris Boucher
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1-22 January 1977
Season: 14.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

The Doctor arrives on a planet where two tribes, the savage Sevateem and the technically brilliant Tesh, are at war. He meets Leela, an exile from the Sevateem, and discovers that their god of evil is apparently... himself?

Verdict

The Face of Evil was an excellent Doctor Who serial and a really strong introduction for Leela as the new companion! She had big shoes to fill following the departure of Sarah Jane Smith in The Hand of Fear, but she doesn't mess around in making a big impact. The story starts with her as the focus and that doesn't really change despite the plot centring on the Doctor and how he resembled the Evil One. That image of the Doctor's face in the mountains at the end of part one is excellent and I love the idea of the Doctor climbing down his own throat. Of course, it's not like The Invisible Enemy where he literally goes within himself, but the humour element is still there. The novelisation of this adventure would give the background on when the Doctor would have come to this planet before and set things in motion for what we see here. It turned out that he did in fact depart in the TARDIS briefly during Robot and with his post-regenerative state still very much playing a role, he ended up forgetting to take his personality print out of the computer Xoanon. The imagery of the Doctor's face booming on the screen and killing or hurting a number of individuals was fantastic. It really was fascinating to have the Doctor and his image representing something so evil. The Doctor is literally the epitome of what an opposite of the evil one would be. The backstory behind the Tribe of Sevateem is something I always enjoy with it of course just deriving from a survey team. There had been a lot going on in the past on this unnamed planet and the supposed relics of Xoanon were clearly just parts or devices from within a spaceship. I really enjoyed that. This is a serial I know very well having watched it a number of times and that didn't make it any less enjoyable. Neeva was a terrific character and that scene where he's dancing around the Doctor with the 'relic' was magnificent. I can't imagine that would have been easy to keep a straight face during takes! Tom Baker was on excellent form as the Doctor though. The opening with him exiting the TARDIS and addressing the camera works very well in the absence of a companion. Andor was a brilliant character and his role as leader of the Tribe of Sevateem was terrific. His banishing of Leela to beyond the border was intriguing as it didn't seem to be a decision he enjoyed making. Her father taking the test and not doing so well to save her sentence was quite sudden and that made a big impact, even for a character that we didn't know well at this point. Tomas had a good relationship with her and I liked that he was trying to stop her from leaving beyond the border. The setting of the jungles and within the Doctor's resembling face and the domain of Xoanon worked really well and there was always a lot going. The visuals were really impressive. The cliffhangers were pretty strong throughout which is always good and I thought the ending worked well and didn't seem too pacy which worked for this serial. It was actually a bit simple with the Doctor taking back his personality and Xoanon was back to what it always should have been. It now wanted trust and even put in a failsafe in having the ability for the Tribe of the Sevateem to make him cease to exist at any point. The ending with Leela barging her way into the TARDIS and as the new companion was marvellous. Overall, a superb serial!

Rating: 9/10

Terror of the Autons

"Death is always more fascinating when it strikes invisibly."

Writer: Robert Holmes
Format: TV
Broadcast: 2-23 January 1971
Season: 8.01

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

The Earth is endangered by a renegade Time Lord known as the Master, who steals a dormant Nestene energy. He reactivates it using the facilities of a radio telescope before using his hypnotic abilities to take control of a small plastics manufacturer, Farrel Autoplastics. There, he organises the production of deadly Auton artefacts ranging from plastic dolls, chairs and daffodils.

The Master has an evil scheme to destroy humanity and to silence his old foe, the Doctor, forever. He plans to awaken the awesome power of the Nestenes, a ruthlessly aggressive life form.

Verdict

Terror of the Autons was an excellent way to kick off the eighth season of Doctor Who! It really is a big story for a number of reasons. There's so much going on with the introduction of the Master who would go on to feature in every serial during this season, and he's played majestically by Roger Delgado. There's no waiting around for him to emerge or drip-feeding the audience details about his identity. He's thrust straight into action which I think worked brilliantly. We get to see the Master at his very best straight away which was excellent. If that wasn't enough, we had the return of the Autons which was done wonderfully well in conjunction with the debuting Master. They were sinister and their whole concept in of itself is just terrific. Making plastic scary is fantastically Doctor Who! It was done really well here with the daffodil toys and the phone wire for the part three cliffhanger. The expanding chair that then enveloped in on its victim was also pretty brutal! The importance of this serial doesn't stop with them though! We of course have the debut of Jo Grant as the companion and she arrives rather clumsily and much to the Doctor's annoyance. It's clear that they start to bond and the Doctor can appreciate what she can bring as his assistant as the story goes on which was nice. The Doctor also has contact with the Time Lords in this serial with a quite amusing encounter in part one. They were warning him of the Master's presence which was very interesting and I liked that through that we learned a little of the Doctor's past with the Master. Someone who was potentially superior when it came to intelligence! At least in cosmic science that is. The plot behind the story plays out really nicely and with an excellent pace. There's no dawdling around which I liked a lot. It's frantic, but just the right amount. The continuity from Spearhead From Space with the Master stealing the Nestene's energy device to send out a signal and bring Autons back to Earth was great. The Doctor's reaction when he was told that the Brigadier had allowed for it to be loaned to a museum was marvellous. Jon Pertwee definitely had a pretty strong outing as the Third Doctor. One thing I think was needed was a bit more of the Doctor and the Master together considering this was the latter's first appearance. It was a good moment when it came and I know we'll get more throughout the season, but that just seemed like it should have happened. The Brigadier and the rest of UNIT were good in this one and I think it worked well that they were encountering an alien threat they had history with. The cliffhangers were mostly strong with part two's certainly standing out. That blank image of the Autons is really good. I was surprised to hear them actually talk on the bus though! I'd forgotten that little anecdote despite this being a serial I know very well. Another positive I should mention regarding this story is the music that accompanied the Master and his dastardly ways. That was noticeable for all of the right reasons. The way things ended was decent and very pacy whilst creating tension with the impending airstrike. The comic nature of the individual that was shot just wearing a mask of the Master never fails to amuse me either. It's so barmy but brilliant. Just like the Colonel Masters facade really, he doesn't try hard to blend in! Overall though, a really great serial!

Rating: 9/10

Terminus

"Don't you want to be cured?"

Writer: Stephen Gallagher
Format: TV
Broadcast: 15-23 February 1983
Season: 20.04

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

Still under the malign influence of the Black Guardian, Turlough sabotages the TARDIS, placing the Doctor and his companions in grave danger. Nyssa disappears through an unstable interface with a nearby space liner, and the Doctor begins a desperate search for her aboard the ship.

When the liner docks at Terminus, a space station at the exact centre of the universe, the horrific truth starts to emerge. It may already be too late to save Nyssa's life, and the existence of the entire cosmos is now at peril...

Verdict

Terminus was another very good serial to continue the landmark twentieth season of Doctor Who and also carry along the Black Guardian trilogy already started in Mawdryn Undead. There was definitely less of the Black Guardian in this one which isn't all that surprising for the middle serial of a trilogy, but it really was noticeable how much he was lacking in appearance time for the two middle parts. I do hope that in the next serial he features more prominently and in more than just projections through Turlough. Tegan continuing to question whether she could trust her newfound companion was really good and the obvious answer was no. His being given Adric's room was quite an emotional moment even if he wasn't the best companion, but then again neither was Turlough. He was acting incredibly sketchy and I was surprised that she didn't end up telling the Doctor about his tampering with the roundel. That was of course what set the TARDIS on course to Terminus via the space liner. The skull-like artwork that was on a number of doorways looked good and I'd have liked to know more about it. I'm sure it was just there to indicate the danger on board with the diseased people. They were of course Lazars and the revelation that the ship the Doctor and co found themselves on was essentially a hospital ship worked well. The moment where a number of them emerged from their would-be cells was very reminiscent of New Earth and I can't help but think this serial is where that episode took inspiration from. Nyssa showing signs that she was infected was excellent and I liked the pace in which that was done and showed her deterioration. Olvir was a good character, but I was surprised when he just let Nyssa be taken because she was contaminated. It didn't sit right with me, but it did show just what this disease was thought of onboard. The mystery behind Terminus and it sitting right at the exact centre of the universe was superb and I was really fascinated. It had been a pretty solid serial up to that point, but from there my interest was peaked. I really enjoyed the concept and finding out that it was this ship jettisoning fuel into the time vortex that caused the Big Bang. There was one more fuel supply that needed jettisoning, and that meant the universe was at stake again. What created it could well destroy it. That's a lot at stake and something excellent to play around with. The different stages of sterilisation on the ship were interesting and I liked how the disease was used in conjunction with Terminus Incorporated and the greed of business. Nyssa soon found a way that those on board could be free of the company because she had been cured, and could synthesise an antidote for them that meant they would no longer rely on the supplies of Terminus that did just enough to keep them alive. I liked that. The radiation armour seen in the serial was very good and I have to say I thought the helmets looked pretty darn cool. The intrigue of the Forbidden Zone was great, but I did find it a bit humorous that with a name like that it was just marked off with tape! Bor was a very humorous character for his brief appearance being the right mix of friendly and delirious. A really nice chap. The Doctor's relationship with Kari was fantastic throughout and it was nice to see that develop from the start where he was pointed at with a gun. The Doctor seems to have a way of bringing people around. Tegan and Turlough spending a lot of time together was good and makes sense moving forward with this being Nyssa's farewell adventure. The way she departed was admirable and I really loved that she wanted to help and be able to use the skills she'd learned on Traken. I am sad to see her go as she is my favourite Fifth Doctor companion, but she'll do wonders. Overall, a fine serial!

Rating: 8/10

The Masque of Mandragora

"The great blade of our god thirsts for blood."

Writer: Louis Marks

Format: TV

Broadcast: 4-25 September 1976

Season: 14.01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

An encounter with the living energy structure known as the Mandragora Helix leads the TARDIS to fifteenth century Italy. Between palace intrigue, the machinations of a sinister cult and a rogue fragment of Helix energy, the Doctor and Sarah have their hands full. There is not much time for when the Mandragora swallows the Moon, it will be time to strike.

Verdict

The Masque of Mandragora was a very good adventure to kick off the fourteenth season of Doctor Who! It's a very solid tale from start to finish and is all you want a from a four-part opener to be honest. It is of course Sarah Jane Smith's penultimate venture in the TARDIS, but there's no real indication of that and Elisabeth Sladen gives an accomplished performance in the companion role. I really liked that the story started with the Mandragora Helix being seen in space and it turning out that inadvertently the Doctor brought the damage to the fifteenth century on Earth. That setting was really good and it was quite refreshing to be in the Italian past rather than usual British. I really enjoyed the casualness with which the Doctor told Sarah how she could understand the Italians and it was a really good way to bring that into play when she actually spoke Italian when under control. Back to the start of the story and the introduction of the secondary control room which I thought was done relatively well. It's such a different design to the usual white that the viewers would have been so accustomed to at this point, but it is also a little refreshing. I do think the actual console should be a bit bigger though! The walk through the corridors and seeing the familiar white roundels throughout was excellent though. The arrival to Italy was good and I really liked how quickly the Doctor and Sarah were thrust into action and getting themselves in trouble. There was a pretty strong guest cast in this one with the likes of Count Federico and Hieronymous particularly standing out. The astrological nature of the latter was fascinating and whilst I am definitely not a believer in messages being told in the stars and how they're aligned, it's something that has always intrigued me. He was a brilliant character and his role in the fourth part when the Mandragora Helix really arrived with an impact was terrific. The cliffhanger at the end of part three with the blank face and the Doctor's comment about that in the following episode was brilliant. I was a big fan. Giuliano was also a good character and fitted in well to the story, along with the Brethren and their efforts to sacrifice Sarah Jane. The casual nature of the Doctor saving her was really good, but they were definitely persistent! The conclusion was pretty good and I really thought the twist with the Doctor being under the mask was fantastic, but I do think there needed to be a bit more clarity on what had actually happened with the Mandragora Helix. The energy squared comment didn't really say a lot, but of course we know that the Mandragora Helix is far from done in Doctor Who media. The special effects for it were decent for the time, but the most impressive element was the state it left one of its targets in once it had strikes and killed. That was pretty disturbing! The humour surrounding the Doctor wanting to meet Leonardo Da Vinci was great and I also really liked the cult nature surrounding Demnos. There probably ought to have been a little more than that. It was very good stuff. Overall, this was a terrific and very solid tale from start to finish. 

Rating: 8/10

The Mutants

"Their condition was incurable."

Writers: Bob Baker & Dave Martin
Format: TV
Broadcast: 8 April - 13 May 1972
Season: 9.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

The Time Lords send the Doctor and Jo on a mission to deliver a sealed message pod to an unknown party aboard a Skybase orbiting the planet Solos in the 30th century. They are caught quickly in a power struggle between the cruel Marshal of Solos and the young Solonian, Ky, over the future of Solos – a future that hinges on the contents of the message.

Verdict

The Mutants was a pretty average serial and sadly was the worst of the television stories I have been watching over the past couple of weeks. This one had a decent story at the heart of it, but it just went on for far too long. There was no need at all for this adventure to be six parts and I think it really did hurt it. The pace just wasn't there and it had a serious feeling of being dragged out. The story started well and dealt with the Doctor's earthbound exile by having a Time Lord message being delivered for him to deal with. I thought the premise of the circular object only being able to open for who it was intended for was excellent, but the revelation that it was meant for Ky seemed to come a bit soon. There should have been more of the story focused on finding the correct recipient, rather than knowing who it was and trying to find them. That took away a bit of the mystery in my opinion. I thought the Solos setting along with the Skybase worked pretty well and the shifts between the two were decent in shifting focus. Considering the story's title and the intriguing design, I really felt that we should have had more of the Mutants themselves instead of just the story behind how they got into the condition that they were in. There was definitely enough time for them to initially be thought of as a threat! They just didn't end up doing much which didn't quite seem right. The Doctor and Jo getting separated was good and I liked how the Marshall was pretending he had Jo in captivity being treated. I was intrigued because I had similar thoughts running through my head as I did with my recent blogging of Nightmare of Eden, in that I could clearly remember a number of details from the novelisation, Doctor Who and the Mutants, despite me blogging it six years ago! I think this story absolutely works better in prose. The cliffhangers on the whole were pretty much okay with none being particularly bad or amazing. One element of the serial I did enjoy was bookending the Doctor and Jo's arrival and departure in the TARDIS with the damaging of the door in storage area four. I liked that a lot. The Marshal made for a pretty good villain, but I wasn't overly impressed with the actor. That's not a knock against his performance, he just didn't seem intimidating despite his looking making him appear capable of such horrors that he planned to inflict on the planet. Too much was focused on him though. There really ought to have been more on the plans for independence, but they were quashed too quickly in my eyes which was a shame because I'd have liked to have explored that further. The relationship between the Doctor and Jo was lovely to see in this one and the former's face when she was shown to him alive and well was a joy to behold. He really does care for her. The arrival of the Investigator was fantastic and I really liked the idea of putting the Marshall to justice. Again, he probably should have come earlier as the feeling of the Marshall not having the upper hand seemed to come and go in a flash. That was a strange development. The Doctor pushing him into an outburst against the Muts that all but confirmed his guilt was very good though. I did enjoy elements of this adventure, but in this format it just runs far too long which is a shame because it really isn't bad.

Rating: 6/10

Mawdryn Undead

"Spare me the endurance of endless time."

Writer: Peter Grimwade
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1-9 February 1983
Season: 20.03

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, Brigadier

Synopsis 

A warp elipse draws the TARDIS off course. The Doctor's companions are separated from him, not in space but in time. He also has to deal with a treacherous schoolboy named Turlough. But why does the Doctor's old friend, the Brigadier, not remember him at all?

Verdict

Mawdryn Undead was an absolutely superb serial and definitely the best story I have watched thus far on my random BritBox watch mission. I really enjoyed everything about this one from start to finish and it was an easy one to watch the four parts pretty much back to back. It was gripping and intriguing from start to finish and I thought the format of so many different backstories worked wonders. There wasn't one scene that was disinteresting. This story is crucially important because we have the debut of Turlough, the Black Guardian back for revenge and the Doctor being reunited with the Brigadier for the first time in his fifth incarnation. It really is splendid. The introduction of Turlough is intriguing and if I was blogging this having watched without any knowledge whatsoever of events to come, I really doubt I would consider him a companion at this stage. He's a pawn of the Black Guardian's and I think that works well. Of course, there's more to come from that particular story which isn't just contained within this serial, but this serves as an excellent genesis. The moment the Doctor and the Brigadier meet again isn't initially as wonderful as it should have been due to the Brigadier having a memory block, but the reasons for that are soon explained. Nicholas Courtney gives a sublime performance in a dual role as two different versions of his Brigadier character six years apart. Splitting much of the first three parts between 1977 and 1983 was terrific and I really liked the differing dynamics of having scenes alternating between the two. We had Nyssa and Tegan in 1977 whilst the Doctor was in 1983. The moment the Brigadier revealed that he already knew Tegan was tremendous, but one of the story highlights for me was the flashback sequence of the Brigadier recalling a number of encounters with the likes of Yeti, Cybermen and previous incarnations of the Doctor. The way the Doctor mentioned a number of past companions to break through that mind block was also magnificent. Peter Davison was brilliant as the Fifth Doctor in this one and I was also happy with the cliffhangers. I loved the naturalness of the resolution at the start of part two whilst the cliffhanger for the third part was fantastic. Onto Mawdryn, and I thought he made a very good character. It was a tad farfetched to believe that his crisped body may have been the Doctor as his appearance was clearly not that of our Time Lord hero, but his efforts to convince the companions that he'd regenerated were tremendous. That was such a good concept. Mawdryn being a scientist attempting to discover the secret of regeneration was fantastic and that is something right up my alley in terms of what I would like. The fact that there were then a team of eight with the Doctor having eighth regenerations remaining tied everything up perfectly. It was a superb revelation and something wonderful to play with. Mawdryn had stolen the regenerator machine from Gallifrey (I'd love to know how) and that made it easy for them to get what they wanted. They had initially wanted immortality, but now they wanted to die. The Doctor was prepared to do that which was remarkable, but that was because of the mutation being passed onto Nyssa and Tegan in a disturbing ageing scene in the TARDIS that saw them revert to being children momentarily! This serial really did have it all. In my eyes, it's a hidden classic. The ending was brilliant with the two Brigadiers touching to bring about the Blaenovitch limitation effect and it was that power at the right time that gave Mawdryn and co what they wanted. Death. My only slight issue was that the Doctor didn't say a fitting farewell to the Brigadier and seemed more focused on Turlough. Overall though, a sensational serial!

Rating: 10/10

Nightmare of Eden

"I like to do the impossible."

Writer: Bob Baker

Format: TV

Broadcast: 24 November - 15 December 1979

Season: 17.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

A cruise ship loaded with passengers to the planet Azure collides with a trade ship as it comes out of warp, leaving the two ships merged but unstable. The Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive to help out, but soon discover there's also a problem with unidentified smugglers running a cargo of vraxoin – a forbidden organic drug that's as highly addictive as it is fatal.

Verdict

Nightmare of Eden was another great serial to continue my BritBox watch-a-thon! I followed straight on from where I left off with The Creature from the Pit and this will be the only instance that I will follow on with the next chronological serial as I am trying to judge each story in isolation regardless of any connections it might have. I've got the Black Guardian trilogy to come and that will not be watched back to back, but anyway I'll move onto the story at hand. This one felt very familiar which was quite strange as it has been three years this month that I read Doctor Who and the Nightmare of Eden, but I seem to have remembered an awful lot from the novelisation. I think that might have actually made me enjoy the story even more. It started strong and I absolutely adored the humour that was on show with the Fourth Doctor. Tom Baker was in stellar form with the lines which were written just wonderfully. Perfect characterisation for the fourth incarnation. The line about him not getting paid because his facade Galactic Corporation that he represented had been liquidated two decades prior to the events of this story was phenomenal. It was a real laugh out loud moment and I think a lot of that was down to the speed and bluntness of the reply. It was wonderful. I also loved his response to being asked about his date of birth and how he jokingly figured that they were asking for the date of birth of the drug smuggling culprit. I really liked the theme of the serial with it prominently being an anti-drug message which worked well. It's nice for Doctor Who to tackle real issues and putting it in an alien environment doesn't make it any less impactful in my view. The use of the vraxoin was terrific and I liked the pace in finding that the Mandrels were in fact the new source. Having recently watched Carnival of Monsters, the similarities to the base of that adventure were great, but this one seemed a bit more effective in my opinion. Tryst was a really good character as its owner and his relationship with the Doctor was great throughout. Well, up until the final part when he tried to escape. The issue of the two ships being merged was handled well and I liked the presentation a lot. K9 had another solid story, but I still find it off-putting without John Leeson voicing the robotic dog. That didn't have any impact on my rating for the story though! Romana was magnificent as always in this incarnation and her trepidation at the end of part two when she and the Doctor step into Eden was fantastic. Her fascination with the CET throughout the adventure was a really good point of interest. The design of the Mandrels was pretty good when put into context and the image of the part one cliffhanger was brilliant. I do think the story can perhaps go a tad long, but for the most part it runs smoothly. There was just probably one too many scenes with the Space Corps chasing after the Doctor or bursting in on him. However, having a branch of them return after The Space Pirates is some terrific continuity. Dymond was another decent character plotting the escape with Tryst, but Della was a standout in her protective nature. Stott was also a good character and his love story separation with Della came full circle in the end, maybe a tad too late though. Regardless, this was still a really good adventure and the conclusion was brilliant with how the Doctor had used the CET to get Tryst and Dymond before they could escape. Overall, a great serial!

Rating: 8/10

The Creature from the Pit

"What do we do when we find the monster?"

Writer: David Fisher
Format: TV
Broadcast: 27 October - 17 November 1979
Season: 17.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

The Doctor and Romana receive a distress signal and arrive on Chloris. It's a lush and verdant world with only small quantities of metals, all of which are controlled by its ruler, Lady Adastra. She keeps order with the aid of her Huntsman and his Wolfweeds – mobile balls of vegetation. A band of thieves, led by Torvin, organise raids on her palace to steal whatever metal they can. But the mine of Chrolis is something huge, a creature thrown into the pit to be forgotten... and the Doctor is about to join them.

Verdict

The Creature from the Pit was a very good serial and another good example of an underrated story in my opinion! I didn't really know what to expect going into this adventure, but I was pleasantly pleased with what I watched. This tale doesn't exactly have the best reputation and I can see why when it comes to Erato and the prop that was the giant green blob monster. Giving it that description makes it sound a bit targeted for children, but that wasn't the case at all here. I thought it was a bit strange for the creature to not have any real shape or noticeable features. It just looked a bit of a mess, but it was still imposing. I enjoyed the cliffhanger to part two with the Doctor seemingly being sucked up and going under the giant creature, but then the resolution at the start of the third instalment initially seemed poor as nothing much seemed to have occurred. Of course, we would soon loon that Erato was actually an ambassador and was on the planet to try and conjure up a trade agreement. With that being the case and finding that Erato had been trapped for fifteen years, it was made Lady Adastra even more of an evil villain. I actually thought she was a fantastic enemy and the scale of the story was really good. Rather than have the universe at stake, the TARDIS had just picked up a distress call. The way Romana had found the device that the Doctor had removed enabling them to receive calls, including Time Lord missions. The Doctor really wasn't very fond of those which was magnificent. I thought Tom Baker had a fantastic outing as the Fourth Doctor. A really great performance. Romana was also brilliant and she looked very high class in her white outfit. She was quite dazzling. I always seem to forget that for Season 17 K9 was not voiced by John Leeson and I have to say that it is a little off-putting in all honesty. It's just not right in this incarnation I have to say! K9 played a good role in the story though and I enjoyed how willing he was to stun a number of people. When the Doctor was essentially arrested, the moment he got a guard to itch his nose and then butt him to aid his escape was terrific. That was just wonderfully Fourth Doctor. Romana also had a moment to shine and show her superior intelligence when got the thieves and raiders to blow the whistle that would bring K9 to her side and bring her to safety. I really enjoyed that. Their obsession with metal was intriguing and I enjoyed their reaction to seeing that K9 was also metallic. His annoyance at being referred to as tin dog was magnificent. Another highlight of the adventure. Organon was an excellent character and his continued interest in the stars and their signs was lovely. His relationship with the Doctor was a joy to behold and I loved how he kept pressing him for the star sign of his birth. Sadly, he wouldn't get the answer. The conclusion to the story was pretty simplistic once Adastra was killed early on in part four and it just had the Doctor aiding Erato home whilst diverting a star. Just the small things! Where a creature that size had got a ship still in working order so quickly is beyond me though! Organaon foreshadowing the arrival of the TARDIS was a lovely way to end things as well. Overall, a really good adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Paradise Towers

"No funny business with the rulebook."

Writer: Stephen Wyatt
Format: TV
Broadcast: 5-26 October 1987
Season: 24.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor and Mel decide to visit Paradise Towers, a residential complex that promises a peaceful life to its residents. However, the establishment is far from what its name suggests. A conflict persists among the Kangs, human-esque, multicolour beings who gather in opposing gangs based on which colour of the rainbow they bear. Furthermore, killer cleaning robots prowl the halls, and a secret in the complex's basement poses the greatest threat of all...

Verdict

Paradise Towers was a terrific story to continue my BritBox jump around! I enjoyed this one a lot more than my first viewing eight years ago and I have to say that this another example of a massively underrated adventure. I thought part one in particular was outstanding in establishing the scene and the setting of Paradise Towers itself was magnificent. I thought it was a really effective environment and it being some time since it was the paradise we would see in the advertisement through the Doctor's eyes worked very well. Things had deteriorated big time with the Kangs running wild from the Caretakers in charge of the place. I thought it was quite interesting to find out that the Cleaners were a late addition to the script because John Nathan-Turner found that there was a monster lacking. I don't think they filled too much of a void, but they looked pretty impressive I have to say resembling something of a War Machine. The Caretakers seemed suitable villains to me with the Chief Caretaker a great enemy to the Seventh Doctor. They contrasted their styles wonderfully, but to me the best guest character was the Deputy Chief Caretaker. The way the Doctor utilised the rulebook against them to escape as being prisoner was absolutely marvellous. That was a real highlight of the serial. Sylvester McCoy was on top form as the seventh incarnation and I also really loved Mel in the companion role. I thought the way she was used in the part two cliffhanger was incredibly disturbing and I'm pretty surprised it was allowed to go ahead. Tabby and Tilda definitely didn't hold back in their grip! As if that wasn't enough for Mel, she was then nearly drowned in part four by a weird machine within the water. She had a lot going on that's for sure. The fate that befell Tabby and Tilda was quite horrifying as well. Pex was a humorous character and I felt quite sorry for him when he was made fun of by the Kangs. The different Red and Blue factions of the Kangs were great, with Fire Escape of the former being a standout character. She really was tremendous. The way they spoke was also really good and showed the devolution of those within Paradise Towers really well. I particularly liked the way death was referred to as being unalive. The Doctor being mistaken as the Great Architect was very good and I liked how he was trying to defend himself even when it seemed helpless. The emergence of Kroagnon as the Great Architect and what it had evolved into was brilliant and an unexpected revelation. It worked well for the most part and his taking over of the Chief Caretaker was really good, even if the staggered walk and drained personality was a little off. The performance was outstanding though! The way Pex sacrificed himself to take out the Great Architect of Paradise Towers was good and admirable, even if the directing was a little poor in that moment. The quick transition to him being honoured by the Kangs at his funeral was fantastic. The TARDIS having been graffitied by the Red Kangs is also something I should mention which was excellent. This definitely had more of a modern series feeling which suited it. I was a big fan. Overall, a great serial!

Rating: 8/10