The Sontaran Experiment

And so the Doctor and co transmat to Earth for this breezy little interlude. On the uninhabited planet, there are other humans who are there to reclaim it, and a Sontaran who is capturing them and conducting experiments to decide the suitability of Earth for invasion.

The Sontaran Experiment efficiently dispenses its plot in less than 50 minutes, without seeming rushed, at least until the end. The script is well written with memorable characters and dialogue- it is, indeed, odd to see such a script from Bob Baker and Dave Martin, who normally hugely underestimate what the Doctor Who production team is capable of. Here, the writing manages to convey the horror of the experiments Styre dispassionately performs on the humans, without the need for violence and gore. Here, the production team are well up to the challenge, the OB video cameras giving the story a very natural look, with great use of exterior locations, excellently marshalled by Rodney Bennett.

The supporting cast is very effective. It is always welcome to see the future not just populated by British and Americans, and the thick South African accents of the Galsec colonists really emphasises the difference from the Nerva sleepers and Donald Douglas and Glyn Jones (who, incidentally, wrote Hartnell’s wonderful Space Museum ) are excellent. However, the standout, again, is Kevin Lindsay as the Sontaran. This is his last performance as one of the bellicose spud-heads and, therefore, a last chance to appreciate the skill he brought to the role. Like Linx, Lindsay makes the Styre flick his tongue in and out like a snake, a trait that the Sontarans would, unfortunately, lose. The make-up is different, though no less effective than in The Time Warrior.

The regulars are really outstanding. This story sees the beginning of Elisabeth Sladen’s playful interaction with Tom Baker’s Doctor and she is charming and funny in another rather limited role for her. Ian Marter is thoroughly entertaining as Harry, who actually manages to fiddle about with an alien device and produce the correct result. And, of course, there is Tom Baker, in a seemingly loopy, but actually very focused performance as the Doctor.

This is hugely entertaining and, apart from the rather rushed resolution, excellent story.

NEXT: Genesis of the Daleks