Doctor Who's 20th Anniversary was marked by this feature length episode. As expected, the story is primarily there to celebrate Doctor Who's history, of which there was a hell of a lot. Terrence Dicks's script was a last-minute rush job that juggled five Doctors and their companions and the usual array of guest characters, so it is a miracle that the story works so well. Dicks reuses a plot element from The War Games (kidnapping alien beings to do battle in a game) and uses it to give each Doctor breathing space in this convoluted affair and the quest aspect is well handled to bind the differing journeys together. The story is also a quest for the identity of the Doctor himself, something made explicit in the plot and also lying implicit in the story's aim to be a celebration. Gallifrey is again given a sense of history with great economy and Dicks includes a great deal of memorable dialogue in a script that shows his skill and consummate professionalism.
Peter Moffat is hardly the most visually adventurous director, but he does reasonably good work here. Despite Gallifrey having a similar look to Arc of Infinity, scenes are cut with more urgency which compensate for this. The locations are well shot, with some very atmospheric scenes in the caves, and there is some great matte painting work for the exterior of the Dark Tower and great set design for the interior. We get some of the series' most celebrated monsters, with the appearance of a Dalek and a Yeti, but the main 'monsters' are the Cybermen. These are of similar design to those in Earthshock but, unfortunately, the key touch that made this design so great (the silver jaw visible behind the face-plate) has been omitted. However, the Cybermen form part of perhaps the most memorable set-piece in the story, the Raston Warrior Robot. This is a shockingly violent scene, where a platoon of Cybermen are impaled and dismembered by the Robot. The Robot is instantly memorable in a scene that is immaculately shot and edited.
Of course, the main attraction is the appearance of the five Doctors themselves, although, in reality, this is really another 'three doctors'- William Hartnell had been dead for 8 years and Tom Baker declined to appear. Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton effortlessly ease back into their roles and their interplay with their companions is excellently written and performed. Tom Baker appears in the form of a scene from Shada, but the First Doctor has been recast. Doing an impersonation of the inimitable Hartnell would have been disastrous, so it is good that Richard Hurndall gives us his own interpretation- he doesn't giggle or go 'hmm', but we still believe in him as the Doctor. If it had been up to me, I would not have had the First Doctor in it, but Hurndall does a good enough job. The guest performances are good, with Phillip Latham's power-mad Borusa being a highlight. The characterisation of the Master as being thwarted in his attempts to help the Doctor is highly amusing and works well.
The Five Doctors is eminently successful in both celebrating the programme and entertaining the viewer. This is the first story where I have had to review two versions. In 1995, an extended edition was released with 'improved' special effects and extra scenes. However, there are only two actual improvements, in my opinion- the first entrance of Borusa and the Doctor going into Borusa's office are better edited, but, in general, the pace is lost in the new edit. Also, the iconic black trapezoid used to represent the time scoop has been needlessly replaced with what looks like a CGI ice cream. If you only have time for one, make it the original.
NEXT: Warriors of the Deep
Showing posts with label Mike Yates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Yates. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Planet of the Spiders
One thing that colours all reviews is personal preference- no matter how objective you try to be, it will always colour one’s impression. Therefore, I should warn you that I really enjoy this story, despite its many problems. However, I will try to be fair.
The plot itself is intriguing. The summoning of the Spiders at the meditation centre turns out to be a link between 20th century Earth and Metebelis III of the future, with the Spiders attempting to recover the crystal that the Doctor took from the planet in The Green Death. This brings aspects of the Pertwee era together for its finale- Metebelis III is probably the closest thing to ‘Bad Wolf’ that the original series produced. Jo sends the crystal back to the Doctor with an affectionate letter to the UNIT family. This is all integrated well into the plot, and doesn’t seem gratuitous. More importantly, this is no mere celebration of the past. The Doctor’s past, in fact, haunts and catches up with him. The seemingly meaningless death of Professor Clegg is a timely reminder that the Doctor leaves a trail of destruction in his wake and the Doctor’s taking of the crystal is, in fact, a theft. The Doctor is on trial in this story, and he is, indeed found guilty and must pay the ultimate price. The story is a bit flabby and could have done with some pruning, but Robert Sloman and Barry Letts produce their best script (not saying much, obviously) for the programme, telling an intriguing story with a great deal of thematic depth. Even the basic Buddhism taught only enriches the story, when it could easily have been mere proselytism (Letts is a Buddhist).
In production terms, the strengths of the story can be seen in the first episode. The scenes set at the meditation centre are excellent, with great set design and atmospheric lighting and shows Barry Letts at his very best as a director. The extended chase sequence in episode 2 is the only example of really gratuitous padding, but it at least manages to be visually interesting, with Bessie, the Whomobile, a mini helicopter, a speedboat and a hovercraft being utilised. It’s a real pity that no explanation is given for Lupton disappearing at the end of the chase, rather than immediately, as this amplifies the gratuity of the sequence. The look of Metabelis III is a bit of a let down after this. Some of the sets look cheap and there is too much use of CSO as a background. The Spiders themselves could have been far better realised. However, the Cave of Crystal and the Great One are very effectively realised.
The quality of the performances seem to vary with the location. The scenes set on Earth are strongly acted. The very talented Cyril Shaps makes the most of the brief role of Professor Clegg. John Dearth is suitably slimy and villainous as Lupton and Kevin Lindsay and George Cormack are very impressive as Cho-Je and K'Anpo. John Kane is touching as the innocent Tommy, a role that could easily have been insulting. However, amongst the natives of Metebilis III, only Geoffrey Morris as Sabor is worthy of any praise. Gareth Hunt is adequate as Arak, Ralph Arliss, less so as Tuar. Then there is Jenny Laird. Laird was actually a very experienced actress- she had a large role in Black Narcissus-however, her...presence... in the story doesn’t even deserve being called a performance.
Mike Yates’s involvement is well handled- it is clear that he has been forgiven, though his actions not forgotten, as he never meets the Brigadier in the story. Elisabeth Sladen gives a very strong performance, especially towards the end, ably assisted by Nicholas Courtney. It is interesting how the relationship between the Doctor and the Brig has developed since Season 7. It starts as mutual toleration, but the Brig describes the Doctor as a friend in The Green Death and we see them both at music hall evening where Clegg performs and, for the first time, the Doctor calls the Brig by his first name. In his final regular performance in the role, Jon Pertwee excellently portrays the well written role he is given. The Doctor must face up to the mistakes he has made and pay with his life. the chilling moment when the Great One makes the Doctor dance for her shows this very self-confident character lose control for the first time and, indeed, feel afraid. The regeneration scene (the first to be shown since the first one, and the first to be described as such) is beautifully written and performed. The transition to the next Doctor is rather simply done, but the writing and performances make up for this.
The problems I have outlined are major ones, yet I have always enjoyed this story and the good parts are too good for this story to be overlooked.
NEXT: Robot
The plot itself is intriguing. The summoning of the Spiders at the meditation centre turns out to be a link between 20th century Earth and Metebelis III of the future, with the Spiders attempting to recover the crystal that the Doctor took from the planet in The Green Death. This brings aspects of the Pertwee era together for its finale- Metebelis III is probably the closest thing to ‘Bad Wolf’ that the original series produced. Jo sends the crystal back to the Doctor with an affectionate letter to the UNIT family. This is all integrated well into the plot, and doesn’t seem gratuitous. More importantly, this is no mere celebration of the past. The Doctor’s past, in fact, haunts and catches up with him. The seemingly meaningless death of Professor Clegg is a timely reminder that the Doctor leaves a trail of destruction in his wake and the Doctor’s taking of the crystal is, in fact, a theft. The Doctor is on trial in this story, and he is, indeed found guilty and must pay the ultimate price. The story is a bit flabby and could have done with some pruning, but Robert Sloman and Barry Letts produce their best script (not saying much, obviously) for the programme, telling an intriguing story with a great deal of thematic depth. Even the basic Buddhism taught only enriches the story, when it could easily have been mere proselytism (Letts is a Buddhist).
In production terms, the strengths of the story can be seen in the first episode. The scenes set at the meditation centre are excellent, with great set design and atmospheric lighting and shows Barry Letts at his very best as a director. The extended chase sequence in episode 2 is the only example of really gratuitous padding, but it at least manages to be visually interesting, with Bessie, the Whomobile, a mini helicopter, a speedboat and a hovercraft being utilised. It’s a real pity that no explanation is given for Lupton disappearing at the end of the chase, rather than immediately, as this amplifies the gratuity of the sequence. The look of Metabelis III is a bit of a let down after this. Some of the sets look cheap and there is too much use of CSO as a background. The Spiders themselves could have been far better realised. However, the Cave of Crystal and the Great One are very effectively realised.
The quality of the performances seem to vary with the location. The scenes set on Earth are strongly acted. The very talented Cyril Shaps makes the most of the brief role of Professor Clegg. John Dearth is suitably slimy and villainous as Lupton and Kevin Lindsay and George Cormack are very impressive as Cho-Je and K'Anpo. John Kane is touching as the innocent Tommy, a role that could easily have been insulting. However, amongst the natives of Metebilis III, only Geoffrey Morris as Sabor is worthy of any praise. Gareth Hunt is adequate as Arak, Ralph Arliss, less so as Tuar. Then there is Jenny Laird. Laird was actually a very experienced actress- she had a large role in Black Narcissus-however, her...presence... in the story doesn’t even deserve being called a performance.
Mike Yates’s involvement is well handled- it is clear that he has been forgiven, though his actions not forgotten, as he never meets the Brigadier in the story. Elisabeth Sladen gives a very strong performance, especially towards the end, ably assisted by Nicholas Courtney. It is interesting how the relationship between the Doctor and the Brig has developed since Season 7. It starts as mutual toleration, but the Brig describes the Doctor as a friend in The Green Death and we see them both at music hall evening where Clegg performs and, for the first time, the Doctor calls the Brig by his first name. In his final regular performance in the role, Jon Pertwee excellently portrays the well written role he is given. The Doctor must face up to the mistakes he has made and pay with his life. the chilling moment when the Great One makes the Doctor dance for her shows this very self-confident character lose control for the first time and, indeed, feel afraid. The regeneration scene (the first to be shown since the first one, and the first to be described as such) is beautifully written and performed. The transition to the next Doctor is rather simply done, but the writing and performances make up for this.
The problems I have outlined are major ones, yet I have always enjoyed this story and the good parts are too good for this story to be overlooked.
NEXT: Robot
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Invasion of the Dinosaurs
I like to think that I have good taste when it comes to TV and film (and, for that matter, art, music and literature. Not so much clothes). However, as anyone who knows me can testify, I will watch any old rubbish with dinosaurs in it. Here, everyone’s favourite extinct creatures are used in Malcolm Hulke’s last contribution to the programme. Hulke always tried to present conflict where there would be explanations given as to why each party would act in the way they did. If there were villains, their motives might not be as reprehensible as their actions. Here, we have Operation Golden Age; a group who have decided that human society is dooming itself and the planet and that therefore, the human race should start again- by rolling the planet back in time to before the dawn of man and starting anew there.
The script puts forward ideas related to the threats of pollution, overpopulation and how it can be sensibly dealt with. As the Doctor says, he admires the ideals of Operation Golden Age, but abhors the drastic means to justify that end, just as we should realise that there is no ‘quick fix’ for these problems in real life. There is also the fact that Operation Golden Age is led by well meaning establishment figures who are basically willing to annihilate every human life that has ever existed on the planet (bar a chosen few) to get their perfect society. Bearing in mind Hulke’s communist leanings, is Operation Golden Age a revolutionary force destroying the bourgeoisie or an aristocratic force destroying the proletariat? Of course, I could be reading too much into it, but the script is thought provoking and, whatever the political thought behind it, it is a case of a minority committing atrocities ‘for the greater good’. However, it is less well structured than his best scripts. Although there is good characterisation, it could be better- we never find out what General Finch’s motivations are to become a member of Operation Golden Age. Thankfully the guest performances are outstanding and go some way to compensate for this. The plot thread with the colonists who believe they are on a space ship heading to a new planet succeeds largely because of the performances of the Carmen Silvera and Terence Wilton- otherwise, it would just be a rather silly aside. It is a pity that the 6 episode length couldn’t have been used to develop character, rather than have interminable chase scenes.
The regulars do great work. Hulke had a very clear idea of the Doctor being a very moral person who knew that ends and means cannot be separated morally and Pertwee plays this interpretation of the character with his usual flair and humour. Sarah Jane actually gets to be a journalist in this story and (despite being trapped by both Grover and Finch) shows resourcefulness and intelligence. The most striking character development is, of course, that of Mike Yates. His membership of Operation Golden Age is the only one that is explored in any detail and his betrayal adds to the moral complexity of the story.
Paddy Russell directs with great flair, particularly in the deserted London of episode 1. However, there is a Stegosaurus in the room- the dinosaur sequences. These are among the worst attempts I have ever seen to realise dinosaurs on screen. The models lack any kind of mobility and are sloppily designed. It is also clear that the three Tyrannosaurus models that are used are different colours and shapes. The dinosaur in Doctor Who and the Silurians was hardly of Jurassic Park standards, but at least it could walk. The appalling model work is further exacerbated by the dreaded combination of video and film when combining them with people. All this comes to a ridiculous head with the risible ‘battle’ between the T. rex and the Apatosaurus (incidentally, I find it bizarre that they gave the Apatosaurus a correctly shaped head, but gave the T. rex too many fingers!).
There is much more to this story than having rubbish dinosaurs and, despite the special effects and some plot and pacing problems, it just about qualifies for the ‘worth watching’ category.
NEXT: Death to the Daleks
The script puts forward ideas related to the threats of pollution, overpopulation and how it can be sensibly dealt with. As the Doctor says, he admires the ideals of Operation Golden Age, but abhors the drastic means to justify that end, just as we should realise that there is no ‘quick fix’ for these problems in real life. There is also the fact that Operation Golden Age is led by well meaning establishment figures who are basically willing to annihilate every human life that has ever existed on the planet (bar a chosen few) to get their perfect society. Bearing in mind Hulke’s communist leanings, is Operation Golden Age a revolutionary force destroying the bourgeoisie or an aristocratic force destroying the proletariat? Of course, I could be reading too much into it, but the script is thought provoking and, whatever the political thought behind it, it is a case of a minority committing atrocities ‘for the greater good’. However, it is less well structured than his best scripts. Although there is good characterisation, it could be better- we never find out what General Finch’s motivations are to become a member of Operation Golden Age. Thankfully the guest performances are outstanding and go some way to compensate for this. The plot thread with the colonists who believe they are on a space ship heading to a new planet succeeds largely because of the performances of the Carmen Silvera and Terence Wilton- otherwise, it would just be a rather silly aside. It is a pity that the 6 episode length couldn’t have been used to develop character, rather than have interminable chase scenes.
The regulars do great work. Hulke had a very clear idea of the Doctor being a very moral person who knew that ends and means cannot be separated morally and Pertwee plays this interpretation of the character with his usual flair and humour. Sarah Jane actually gets to be a journalist in this story and (despite being trapped by both Grover and Finch) shows resourcefulness and intelligence. The most striking character development is, of course, that of Mike Yates. His membership of Operation Golden Age is the only one that is explored in any detail and his betrayal adds to the moral complexity of the story.
Paddy Russell directs with great flair, particularly in the deserted London of episode 1. However, there is a Stegosaurus in the room- the dinosaur sequences. These are among the worst attempts I have ever seen to realise dinosaurs on screen. The models lack any kind of mobility and are sloppily designed. It is also clear that the three Tyrannosaurus models that are used are different colours and shapes. The dinosaur in Doctor Who and the Silurians was hardly of Jurassic Park standards, but at least it could walk. The appalling model work is further exacerbated by the dreaded combination of video and film when combining them with people. All this comes to a ridiculous head with the risible ‘battle’ between the T. rex and the Apatosaurus (incidentally, I find it bizarre that they gave the Apatosaurus a correctly shaped head, but gave the T. rex too many fingers!).
There is much more to this story than having rubbish dinosaurs and, despite the special effects and some plot and pacing problems, it just about qualifies for the ‘worth watching’ category.
NEXT: Death to the Daleks
Saturday, 7 February 2009
The Green Death
The Green Death has the Doctor, Jo and UNIT fighting Global Chemicals, who have been dumping toxic waste into the coal mine in the Welsh town of Llanfairfach. This is a green slime which kills on contact and causes the mutation of giant maggots. This is the threat faced by the Doctor in the story, but it is by no means the only thing driving the story. The Green Death uses its 6-episode length to fully explore each of the themes it brings up.
At first glance, the story seems to be stuffed with stereotypes. The Welsh characters drop ‘boyos’ and ‘isn’t its’ all over the place and Professor Jones and the Nut Hutchers make their first appearance looking like a bunch of hippies. This leads one to expect that the Professor will appear intermittently in the story, have the Doctor sympathise with him and get into trouble behind the Doctor’s back and have the Doctor come and rescue him, before assisting him in the final showdown. However, we are drawn into the Professor’s life and, indeed, the Nut Hutch becomes the base of operations for the Doctor, which presents the value of environmentalism in a simple way, without resorting to preaching. Then there are the maggots, for which this story is famous and justifiably so- they are convincingly brought to life by the production team and have to rank as one of the most nauseating Doctor Who monsters of all time. Robert Sloman’s script contains some beautiful dialogue and is excellent at weaving most of these points together. However, the main scheme- the computer BOSS taking over the world- is actually somewhat underdeveloped and could actually have been excised.
However, it is in the interaction and development of the characters that this story really excels. This is, of course, Jo’s last story, and the growing mutual attraction between her and the Professor is beautifully portrayed. She says, at one point, that the Professor reminds her of a younger version of the Doctor and, indeed, with them both looking down microscopes at the Nut Hutch, this is what we get. The Brigadier and UNIT are seen as efficient, but very human- the Brig’s interaction with the Nut Hutch is very different from the reactionary response the audience expects. The sight of the Brig dining at the Nut Hutch in black tie, whilst the others are in their usual clothes and neither being uncomfortable with the incongruity, speaks volumes. The performances are outstanding throughout. Stewart Bevan is instantly likeable as the Professor and it is due to the skills of Jerome Willis and John Dearth that the BOSS storyline works at all. However, the leads should not be forgotten. The Doctor’s mixture of pride and sorrow at the realisation that Jo is moving on is beautifully performed by Pertwee and Katy Manning portrays Jo’s growing independence and maturity excellently. During this retrospective, I was very pleasantly surprised by Jo Grant, expecting to find her annoying. However, Katy Manning always made her worth watching and it is fitting that her departure is so emotional for the characters as well as the viewer.
Michael E. Briant’s direction is astonishingly good throughout. There is an very well executed sequence in episode one, which has Global Chemicals company director, Stevens, explaining how his new oil refining process is more efficient and eco-friendly. This is intercut with the Professor explaining to Jo exactly why it isn’t. The sequences on Metebelis III are both frightening, because of the way they are shot and funny, because of their juxtaposition with events on Earth, without one affecting the other. The production is not perfect, though- there is far too much CSO used as sets and backgrounds. This is a pity, as it is atmospherically and subtly lit elsewhere.
The story ends with one of the saddest shots the programme has ever had- the Doctor driving in Bessie alone. It is a beautiful end to a genuinely great story
NEXT The Time Warrior
At first glance, the story seems to be stuffed with stereotypes. The Welsh characters drop ‘boyos’ and ‘isn’t its’ all over the place and Professor Jones and the Nut Hutchers make their first appearance looking like a bunch of hippies. This leads one to expect that the Professor will appear intermittently in the story, have the Doctor sympathise with him and get into trouble behind the Doctor’s back and have the Doctor come and rescue him, before assisting him in the final showdown. However, we are drawn into the Professor’s life and, indeed, the Nut Hutch becomes the base of operations for the Doctor, which presents the value of environmentalism in a simple way, without resorting to preaching. Then there are the maggots, for which this story is famous and justifiably so- they are convincingly brought to life by the production team and have to rank as one of the most nauseating Doctor Who monsters of all time. Robert Sloman’s script contains some beautiful dialogue and is excellent at weaving most of these points together. However, the main scheme- the computer BOSS taking over the world- is actually somewhat underdeveloped and could actually have been excised.
However, it is in the interaction and development of the characters that this story really excels. This is, of course, Jo’s last story, and the growing mutual attraction between her and the Professor is beautifully portrayed. She says, at one point, that the Professor reminds her of a younger version of the Doctor and, indeed, with them both looking down microscopes at the Nut Hutch, this is what we get. The Brigadier and UNIT are seen as efficient, but very human- the Brig’s interaction with the Nut Hutch is very different from the reactionary response the audience expects. The sight of the Brig dining at the Nut Hutch in black tie, whilst the others are in their usual clothes and neither being uncomfortable with the incongruity, speaks volumes. The performances are outstanding throughout. Stewart Bevan is instantly likeable as the Professor and it is due to the skills of Jerome Willis and John Dearth that the BOSS storyline works at all. However, the leads should not be forgotten. The Doctor’s mixture of pride and sorrow at the realisation that Jo is moving on is beautifully performed by Pertwee and Katy Manning portrays Jo’s growing independence and maturity excellently. During this retrospective, I was very pleasantly surprised by Jo Grant, expecting to find her annoying. However, Katy Manning always made her worth watching and it is fitting that her departure is so emotional for the characters as well as the viewer.
Michael E. Briant’s direction is astonishingly good throughout. There is an very well executed sequence in episode one, which has Global Chemicals company director, Stevens, explaining how his new oil refining process is more efficient and eco-friendly. This is intercut with the Professor explaining to Jo exactly why it isn’t. The sequences on Metebelis III are both frightening, because of the way they are shot and funny, because of their juxtaposition with events on Earth, without one affecting the other. The production is not perfect, though- there is far too much CSO used as sets and backgrounds. This is a pity, as it is atmospherically and subtly lit elsewhere.
The story ends with one of the saddest shots the programme has ever had- the Doctor driving in Bessie alone. It is a beautiful end to a genuinely great story
NEXT The Time Warrior
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
The Time Monster
It is interesting to compare The Time Monster with The Mutants. In the earlier story, a conceptually ambitious and intelligent idea is let down by poor storytelling and variable acting. The Time Monster is the same, except for the conceptual ambition and intelligence bit.
The basic plot is this. The Master, disguised as Professor Thaskalos has set up a project called TOMTIT. The real purpose of the project is to summon and control a being called Kronos, from a race called the Kronovores. The key to true control of Kronos lies 3500 years in the past, in the lost realm of Atlantis, where Kronos created a golden age.
There is nothing really wrong with that as a plot. However, in turning that plot into a script, would you a) get to the Atlantis part as quickly as possible or (b) waste four episodes with increasingly ludicrous set pieces that all make the same point- time does funny things when there’s a Kronovore about. In these four episodes, we learn nothing new about the characters and not only is there no actual worsening crisis, there is no plot progression at all. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the dialogue varies in quality from forgettable to excruciating and we have some truly awful guest performances. Wanda Moore and Ian Collier aren’t actually bad actors, but their characters are irritating. Donald Eccles is clearly doing proper acting, but utterly failing in turning that into a performance. This is the worst example of directing an ensemble in Doctor Who since The Underwater Menace- in their scenes together Roger Delgado and Eccles seem to be saying their lines without realising there is another actor in the room. However, I sympathise with Paul Bernard- if I was presented with a script this awful, I would consider it dramatically unsalvageable and simply try to make the actual production as bearable as possible for myself, even if it stretches to zooming for no reason or getting the actors to pretend to run on the spot in slow motion.
Part four is much better, purely because it is a competently made piece of television. Then we get to the Atlantis part, which contains the one outstanding performance from a member of the guest cast. George Cormack is suitably dignified and sympathetic as King Dalios. Ingrid Pitt is less skilful as Queen Galleia, but she’s so damn sexy, I can forgive this. Aidan Murphy as Hippias gives a performance that is, what people who have never been to the theatre call theatrical, with unsubtle gesturing and vocalisation. Susan Penhaligon, however, is quietly effective as Lakis.
The design work is sound, particularly in Atlantis. However, the realisation of Kronos is absolutely awful- a monster that not only looks like, but is treated as a pigeon that has accidentally flown into a room. The final appearance of Kronos, as a vast disembodied head, is far more effective. Dudley Simpson seems to be as annoyed by the story as Bernard and seems to be improvising badly at some points.
The regulars are about as effective as they can be in this fiasco- bizarrely, this is one of Katy Manning’s best performances. Pertwee manages to be effective throughout, as does Courtney. Delgado is very good, considering what he had to work with, especially in the sexual tension he has with Galleia. However, the scene where he begs Kronos for mercy is pitched and performed in the wrong way.
This story is an overlong, brainless, lumbering mess, the worst story since The Underwater Menace. I had to watch it. You don’t.
NEXT: The Three Doctors
The basic plot is this. The Master, disguised as Professor Thaskalos has set up a project called TOMTIT. The real purpose of the project is to summon and control a being called Kronos, from a race called the Kronovores. The key to true control of Kronos lies 3500 years in the past, in the lost realm of Atlantis, where Kronos created a golden age.
There is nothing really wrong with that as a plot. However, in turning that plot into a script, would you a) get to the Atlantis part as quickly as possible or (b) waste four episodes with increasingly ludicrous set pieces that all make the same point- time does funny things when there’s a Kronovore about. In these four episodes, we learn nothing new about the characters and not only is there no actual worsening crisis, there is no plot progression at all. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the dialogue varies in quality from forgettable to excruciating and we have some truly awful guest performances. Wanda Moore and Ian Collier aren’t actually bad actors, but their characters are irritating. Donald Eccles is clearly doing proper acting, but utterly failing in turning that into a performance. This is the worst example of directing an ensemble in Doctor Who since The Underwater Menace- in their scenes together Roger Delgado and Eccles seem to be saying their lines without realising there is another actor in the room. However, I sympathise with Paul Bernard- if I was presented with a script this awful, I would consider it dramatically unsalvageable and simply try to make the actual production as bearable as possible for myself, even if it stretches to zooming for no reason or getting the actors to pretend to run on the spot in slow motion.
Part four is much better, purely because it is a competently made piece of television. Then we get to the Atlantis part, which contains the one outstanding performance from a member of the guest cast. George Cormack is suitably dignified and sympathetic as King Dalios. Ingrid Pitt is less skilful as Queen Galleia, but she’s so damn sexy, I can forgive this. Aidan Murphy as Hippias gives a performance that is, what people who have never been to the theatre call theatrical, with unsubtle gesturing and vocalisation. Susan Penhaligon, however, is quietly effective as Lakis.
The design work is sound, particularly in Atlantis. However, the realisation of Kronos is absolutely awful- a monster that not only looks like, but is treated as a pigeon that has accidentally flown into a room. The final appearance of Kronos, as a vast disembodied head, is far more effective. Dudley Simpson seems to be as annoyed by the story as Bernard and seems to be improvising badly at some points.
The regulars are about as effective as they can be in this fiasco- bizarrely, this is one of Katy Manning’s best performances. Pertwee manages to be effective throughout, as does Courtney. Delgado is very good, considering what he had to work with, especially in the sexual tension he has with Galleia. However, the scene where he begs Kronos for mercy is pitched and performed in the wrong way.
This story is an overlong, brainless, lumbering mess, the worst story since The Underwater Menace. I had to watch it. You don’t.
NEXT: The Three Doctors
Saturday, 10 January 2009
Day of the Daleks
Day of the Daleks features an interesting proto-Terminator plotline- a global peace conference organised by a Sir Reginald Styles is bombed and future generations will blame him for it- for the bombing results in a global war that will leave the Earth open to invasion by the Daleks. Commandos are sent back in time to assassinate Styles, to prevent that future coming to pass.
This is one of the few stories to use time travel as more than the means to get the Doctor from adventure to adventure and it is reasonably well thought out. There is a discussion between the Doctor and Jo as to why the time travellers cannot keep coming back to the same point in time to correct any mistakes they might have made (although the Doctor is conveniently interrupted before actually explaining the ‘Blinovitch Limitation Effect’). There are a few problems, most notably that the Daleks are aware of the real cause of the explosion. It would have been better had they been unaware as well, rather than adding an unnecessary and confusing dimension to the plot. However, Louis Marks’s script tells an effective story with little padding and holds up quite well.
Of course, the main selling point is the return of the Daleks to Doctor Who after 5 years. Unfortunately, they are considerably underused (it is easy to see that they were a late addition to the script) and it is obvious that there are only three of them. Their voices are very different to those used in any other story which jars somewhat. However, it is good to see them back. The story also introduces their dim-witted henchmen, the Ogrons. The Ogron make-up is outstanding and these lumbering super-apes manage to be both menacing and comical at the same time.
The guest cast is generally good (although the technician at the Dalek base has an odd manner of speaking, which is never addressed). The best performance is definitely Aubrey Woods as the Controller, giving a very sympathetic portrayal of the latest in ‘a family of Quislings’. The scene where he expertly gets Jo to freely divulge the information he needs is very well acted. Paul Bernard directs with great fluidity, with some very effective editing. The whole production is of a high standard, although the fact that there are only three Daleks is particularly obvious in the assault on Auderly House.
Jon Pertwee is fantastically unflappable as the Doctor- there is a scene which the viewer will either love or hate, where the Doctor does his Venusian aki-do on a commando and then takes a sip of wine. UNIT is also on good form here- there is the great ‘RHIP’ scene between Benton and Yates. Jo Grant has to spend a good portion of the story being hoodwinked, but Katy Manning still manages to make her appealing.
Although by no means a great story, Day of the Daleks is entertaining and stands up to repeat viewings well.
NEXT: The Curse of Peladon
This is one of the few stories to use time travel as more than the means to get the Doctor from adventure to adventure and it is reasonably well thought out. There is a discussion between the Doctor and Jo as to why the time travellers cannot keep coming back to the same point in time to correct any mistakes they might have made (although the Doctor is conveniently interrupted before actually explaining the ‘Blinovitch Limitation Effect’). There are a few problems, most notably that the Daleks are aware of the real cause of the explosion. It would have been better had they been unaware as well, rather than adding an unnecessary and confusing dimension to the plot. However, Louis Marks’s script tells an effective story with little padding and holds up quite well.
Of course, the main selling point is the return of the Daleks to Doctor Who after 5 years. Unfortunately, they are considerably underused (it is easy to see that they were a late addition to the script) and it is obvious that there are only three of them. Their voices are very different to those used in any other story which jars somewhat. However, it is good to see them back. The story also introduces their dim-witted henchmen, the Ogrons. The Ogron make-up is outstanding and these lumbering super-apes manage to be both menacing and comical at the same time.
The guest cast is generally good (although the technician at the Dalek base has an odd manner of speaking, which is never addressed). The best performance is definitely Aubrey Woods as the Controller, giving a very sympathetic portrayal of the latest in ‘a family of Quislings’. The scene where he expertly gets Jo to freely divulge the information he needs is very well acted. Paul Bernard directs with great fluidity, with some very effective editing. The whole production is of a high standard, although the fact that there are only three Daleks is particularly obvious in the assault on Auderly House.
Jon Pertwee is fantastically unflappable as the Doctor- there is a scene which the viewer will either love or hate, where the Doctor does his Venusian aki-do on a commando and then takes a sip of wine. UNIT is also on good form here- there is the great ‘RHIP’ scene between Benton and Yates. Jo Grant has to spend a good portion of the story being hoodwinked, but Katy Manning still manages to make her appealing.
Although by no means a great story, Day of the Daleks is entertaining and stands up to repeat viewings well.
NEXT: The Curse of Peladon
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
The Dæmons
The main asset that The Dæmons possesses (ha!) is atmosphere. In attempting to portray Satanism in a scientific context for a family audience, director Christopher Barry makes the story seem reminiscent of (then) recent British horror films. The opening is very Hammeresque and in other places, notably the malevolent Morris dancers, the story seems to anticipate The Wicker Man by two years. Barry's direction is very effective throughout, with crane shots and the lighting throughout is very evocative- scenes set in the crypt are lit with red and exterior shots are always a bit murky (although this could be an effect of the primitive colourising process used to restore the story)
However, the story stumbles when it comes to plotting. The story is stuffed with good set pieces, but they are very poorly integrated and do not constitute a cohesive narrative. For example, the opening scene where a man is killed in the churchyard is great- until it becomes obvious that Azal has not risen, nor Bok activated- so what killed him? The resolution of the story is terrible- Azal is ready to kill the Doctor, but destroys himself when Jo willingly offers to be killed in the Doctor's stead. This is after the Doctor has spent a good deal of time supervising the building of a machine to break the heat barrier and drain Azal's energy- which then blows up shortly after it is turned on. This machine is the most gratuitous piece of padding in the story and should not have taken up more than 10 minutes, if this was all the plot significance it was going to have.
The other main problem is the guest cast. This has to be one of the most uninspiring ensemble of actors that a Doctor Who story has ever had. Colony in Space had good actors playing dull characters, whereas here, we have the opposite problem. The most interesting characters are Professor Horner and the BBC crew and they only really appear in episode 1. Of the remainder, Don McKillop as Bert the Landlord is reasonably good as is Rollo Winstanley as the Squire. The others are pretty much faceless and phone in their performances- not good if you want a village full of malevolent rural types and you get a bunch of Mummerset mumblers. Then there is Damaris Hayman as Miss Hawthorne. It is a good thing that the actress has such an interesting screen presence, because she gives one of the most annoying performances I have seen in the programme.
The regulars are on good form- it is interesting to see UNIT in civvies and they are clearly having a whale of a time. Of special note is Jon Pertwee- the Doctor is clearly moody after a long drive with many wrong turns and his bad mood continues for a good portion of the story. He is impatient and rather patronising and it's only the natural likeability of the actor that makes us stick with him.
The Dæmons is perfectly entertaining and enjoyable. The trouble is, it will dawn on you afterwards that it's not particularly good.
NEXT: Day of the Daleks
However, the story stumbles when it comes to plotting. The story is stuffed with good set pieces, but they are very poorly integrated and do not constitute a cohesive narrative. For example, the opening scene where a man is killed in the churchyard is great- until it becomes obvious that Azal has not risen, nor Bok activated- so what killed him? The resolution of the story is terrible- Azal is ready to kill the Doctor, but destroys himself when Jo willingly offers to be killed in the Doctor's stead. This is after the Doctor has spent a good deal of time supervising the building of a machine to break the heat barrier and drain Azal's energy- which then blows up shortly after it is turned on. This machine is the most gratuitous piece of padding in the story and should not have taken up more than 10 minutes, if this was all the plot significance it was going to have.
The other main problem is the guest cast. This has to be one of the most uninspiring ensemble of actors that a Doctor Who story has ever had. Colony in Space had good actors playing dull characters, whereas here, we have the opposite problem. The most interesting characters are Professor Horner and the BBC crew and they only really appear in episode 1. Of the remainder, Don McKillop as Bert the Landlord is reasonably good as is Rollo Winstanley as the Squire. The others are pretty much faceless and phone in their performances- not good if you want a village full of malevolent rural types and you get a bunch of Mummerset mumblers. Then there is Damaris Hayman as Miss Hawthorne. It is a good thing that the actress has such an interesting screen presence, because she gives one of the most annoying performances I have seen in the programme.
The regulars are on good form- it is interesting to see UNIT in civvies and they are clearly having a whale of a time. Of special note is Jon Pertwee- the Doctor is clearly moody after a long drive with many wrong turns and his bad mood continues for a good portion of the story. He is impatient and rather patronising and it's only the natural likeability of the actor that makes us stick with him.
The Dæmons is perfectly entertaining and enjoyable. The trouble is, it will dawn on you afterwards that it's not particularly good.
NEXT: Day of the Daleks
Saturday, 20 December 2008
The Claws of Axos
A huge spacecraft called Axos buries itself on Earth and broadcasts a proposal- in return for the opportunity to refuel, mankind will be given Axonite, a material that can solve both the energy and food crisis of Earth. But Axonite and the Axons are not what they seem, and they are not acting alone.
The script by Bob Baker and Dave Martin is solid enough but not spectacular, containing little that had not been covered (somewhat more skilfully) in the previous season. However, this is not what sets this story apart. Perhaps more than any other story, The Claws of Axos succeeds or fails depending on the viewer's own particular sense of æsthetics. The production team is called to realise an organic spacecraft and their realisation is certainly imaginative. However, the early 1970s were not famous for tasteful combinations of colours and it is easy to sympathise with the viewer who finds the set design absolutely hideous- yellow is a colour that does not lend itself easily to saturation. In my opinion, although the sets are, indeed, very colourful, I can appreciate the imagination and creativity of them. The main chamber in Axos is reminiscent of a heart ventricle and there are nerve ganglia and ligaments in all the sets. The blobby Axons are mostly effective, although some shots are better than others. Michael Ferguson's direction is up to his usual high standard, not only in showing us the psychedelic environment of Axos, but in effective action sequences. Dudley Simpson's score is, shall we say, idiosyncratic and seems, at times, to be making it up on the spot on a Delaware synthesiser. The science in the story is very dodgy- apparently, all one has to do to escape a giant nuclear explosion is to drive away a few miles and, once the explosion has happened, it is perfectly safe to drive back!
The guest cast is very variable. Paul Grist is a bit flat as Bill Filer, but Donald Hewlett and Tim Piggot-Smith are rather good. There are some more serious character problems, however. Winser is made to be a rather unlikeable figure for no reason whatsoever and we are actually glad when he gets killed (or I was, anyway!) There have been many scientists in Doctor Who who mistrust the Doctor and think him a fool, but they have always had a proper place in the plot. Peter Bathurst's performance as Chinn is perfectly sound, but Bathurst is miscast. The character should have either been played as a young, inexperienced, but overconfident man, or a single-minded blowhard. With Bathurst playing him, I actually felt sorry for Chinn quite a few times! The regulars are on good form with some very nice scenes given to the Master when he is inspecting the Doctor's TARDIS. There is also an unusual and well played turn of events when the Doctor appears to join with the Master and abandon Earth. The Doctor has pretended to join with the villain before, but there is a real personal stake in it this time and we are not sure. This is the first time we have seen the Doctor piloting the TARDIS since he regenerated and the ease in which the Third Doctor does this is obvious.
The Claws of Axos is a real mixed bag, but does contain much that is good. It depends, really on how much you like yellow.
NEXT: Colony in Space
The script by Bob Baker and Dave Martin is solid enough but not spectacular, containing little that had not been covered (somewhat more skilfully) in the previous season. However, this is not what sets this story apart. Perhaps more than any other story, The Claws of Axos succeeds or fails depending on the viewer's own particular sense of æsthetics. The production team is called to realise an organic spacecraft and their realisation is certainly imaginative. However, the early 1970s were not famous for tasteful combinations of colours and it is easy to sympathise with the viewer who finds the set design absolutely hideous- yellow is a colour that does not lend itself easily to saturation. In my opinion, although the sets are, indeed, very colourful, I can appreciate the imagination and creativity of them. The main chamber in Axos is reminiscent of a heart ventricle and there are nerve ganglia and ligaments in all the sets. The blobby Axons are mostly effective, although some shots are better than others. Michael Ferguson's direction is up to his usual high standard, not only in showing us the psychedelic environment of Axos, but in effective action sequences. Dudley Simpson's score is, shall we say, idiosyncratic and seems, at times, to be making it up on the spot on a Delaware synthesiser. The science in the story is very dodgy- apparently, all one has to do to escape a giant nuclear explosion is to drive away a few miles and, once the explosion has happened, it is perfectly safe to drive back!
The guest cast is very variable. Paul Grist is a bit flat as Bill Filer, but Donald Hewlett and Tim Piggot-Smith are rather good. There are some more serious character problems, however. Winser is made to be a rather unlikeable figure for no reason whatsoever and we are actually glad when he gets killed (or I was, anyway!) There have been many scientists in Doctor Who who mistrust the Doctor and think him a fool, but they have always had a proper place in the plot. Peter Bathurst's performance as Chinn is perfectly sound, but Bathurst is miscast. The character should have either been played as a young, inexperienced, but overconfident man, or a single-minded blowhard. With Bathurst playing him, I actually felt sorry for Chinn quite a few times! The regulars are on good form with some very nice scenes given to the Master when he is inspecting the Doctor's TARDIS. There is also an unusual and well played turn of events when the Doctor appears to join with the Master and abandon Earth. The Doctor has pretended to join with the villain before, but there is a real personal stake in it this time and we are not sure. This is the first time we have seen the Doctor piloting the TARDIS since he regenerated and the ease in which the Third Doctor does this is obvious.
The Claws of Axos is a real mixed bag, but does contain much that is good. It depends, really on how much you like yellow.
NEXT: Colony in Space
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
The Mind of Evil
The Mind of Evil is a return to the grittier style of story that was typical of the previous season. The Master is back, planning to start a world war by launching a missile at a global peace conference in London. Meanwhile, he has also developed a machine that removes 'evil' impulses from the minds of criminals, but it turns out that the machine, literally, has a mind of its own.
There are two main threats in this story- the Master's plan to cause global chaos and the Keller Machine. The machine, with the malevolent Mind Parasite inside, is a really frightening concept. Visually, it is a very ordinary prop, but what it can do is horrifying. This is very well realised with spooky music (courtesy of Dudley Simpson) and inventive direction. It is a truly terrifying moment when the machine gains the ability to move. The World Peace Conference is depicted as being mired in distrust and the Master's actions will turn that distrust into hostility. One problem is that these two aspects are not integrated together in the story- it is never made clear why the Keller machine was built (plotwise, it's a sci-fi threat in what is otherwise a straight action thriller). However, they are both realised very effectively, which compensates for this. It is interesting to note the very '70s liberal' attitude to Maoism- the Doctor is friendly with Mao Zedong, who caused the deaths of millions of his people in The Great Leap Forward and then turned to destroying their minds in the Cultural Revolution. Don Houghton puts forward an intelligent script, despite the plot problems.
Timothy Combe again shoots action scenes with filmic flair. The storming of Stangmoor Prison is a fantastically lavish set piece and the use of a full sized missile prop gives the story a very glossy feel. Indeed, the prison is a very effective location, giving the story a very grim feel. The supporting cast is great, with Pik Sen Lim being excellent as Chin Lee and Neil McCarthy being very sympathetic as Barnham. Jon Pertwee strikes a balance between the serious, determined Doctor of season 7 and the more light-hearted one of Terror of the Autons perfectly. Katy Manning as Jo manages to be both sweet and an effective UNIT agent. Delgado again effortlessly makes the Master suave yet twisted. Here he is outfitted like a Mafia boss, riding around in a limousine, chomping huge cigars.
The story does repeat itself (especially when it comes to cliffhangers) and contains some padding- again, this would probably have worked better as a 4-parter. However, it is utterly compelling throughout and well worth a look.
NEXT: The Claws of Axos
There are two main threats in this story- the Master's plan to cause global chaos and the Keller Machine. The machine, with the malevolent Mind Parasite inside, is a really frightening concept. Visually, it is a very ordinary prop, but what it can do is horrifying. This is very well realised with spooky music (courtesy of Dudley Simpson) and inventive direction. It is a truly terrifying moment when the machine gains the ability to move. The World Peace Conference is depicted as being mired in distrust and the Master's actions will turn that distrust into hostility. One problem is that these two aspects are not integrated together in the story- it is never made clear why the Keller machine was built (plotwise, it's a sci-fi threat in what is otherwise a straight action thriller). However, they are both realised very effectively, which compensates for this. It is interesting to note the very '70s liberal' attitude to Maoism- the Doctor is friendly with Mao Zedong, who caused the deaths of millions of his people in The Great Leap Forward and then turned to destroying their minds in the Cultural Revolution. Don Houghton puts forward an intelligent script, despite the plot problems.
Timothy Combe again shoots action scenes with filmic flair. The storming of Stangmoor Prison is a fantastically lavish set piece and the use of a full sized missile prop gives the story a very glossy feel. Indeed, the prison is a very effective location, giving the story a very grim feel. The supporting cast is great, with Pik Sen Lim being excellent as Chin Lee and Neil McCarthy being very sympathetic as Barnham. Jon Pertwee strikes a balance between the serious, determined Doctor of season 7 and the more light-hearted one of Terror of the Autons perfectly. Katy Manning as Jo manages to be both sweet and an effective UNIT agent. Delgado again effortlessly makes the Master suave yet twisted. Here he is outfitted like a Mafia boss, riding around in a limousine, chomping huge cigars.
The story does repeat itself (especially when it comes to cliffhangers) and contains some padding- again, this would probably have worked better as a 4-parter. However, it is utterly compelling throughout and well worth a look.
NEXT: The Claws of Axos
Monday, 15 December 2008
Terror of the Autons
The Autons are back for the start of Season 8, but they're not alone, for they are in league with the Master- a Time Lord who is a contemporary of the Doctor's. Not only have the Doctor and UNIT got to fight to stave off the invasion, but the Doctor has to deal with a very personal threat to himself from the rival Time Lord.
It is interesting that the Autons have never been the sole headliner in their own stories. In their first story, they had to share the spotlight with a brand new Doctor and, when Doctor Who was relaunched in 2005, they not only had to do that, but had to be part of the relaunch of the programme for a whole new generation. Here, they headline with the show's first recurring villain. However, to compensate, the scope of the Nestene's control of plastic has been widened. Now, anything made of plastic can be animated. We see a man being smothered by a plastic chair, a 'devil doll' coming to life and killing and plastic daffodils that squirt a plastic that hardens over the nose and mouth, suffocating the victim. The Autons themselves have been redesigned, with horrible featureless faces. The obvious aim of all this was to make children wary of every plastic object around them and each set piece is very effective, being set up merely to shock and succeeding admirably.
The story is impressive visually, with each of the aforementioned set pieces being expertly constructed and shot, with some very impressive stunt work (in one case, very impressive indeed and blatantly a stunt that went wrong but, mercifully, did not result in serious injury). The image of Autons dressed in identical smiley face costumes is very memorable. However, there is a real over reliance on CSO, being used, sometimes arbitrarily, in the place of sets.
Robert Holmes's script is very effective and we see the first real instance of his gift for character. He makes sure that all the characters have personalities- for example, the technician Goodge, whose only dramatic function is to be killed by the Master, is given a few lines bemoaning the contents of his packed lunch. There is no reason why the Master should start his operations at a circus, but the story is all the better for it, providing an interesting backdrop and adding character colour. The script does fail in the dénouement, however, with the Doctor pointing out to the Master that the Nestene will eventually betray him and the Master acting like he had never thought of that.
Roger Delgado is instantly effective as the Master, radiating charm (in every sense of the word) and menace in an immediately captivating performance. Pertwee and Courtney do their usual sterling work, ably supported by Levene. However, this story is also important for the addition of Katy Manning as Jo Grant. Jo is appealingly scatty and almost child-like, a complete contrast to Liz (who has abruptly left prior to this adventure). Her chemistry with Pertwee is instant and she is very appealing in this story.
Terror of the Autons is markedly different in tone from the previous season. The tone is effectively set in the Doctor's first scene- singing "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", whereupon there is a bang and some smoke. The tone is lighter and more simplistic than the previous season- but that is by no means a wrong turn in the direction of the programme. Terror of the Autons is great fun throughout and comes highly recommended.
NEXT: The Mind of Evil
It is interesting that the Autons have never been the sole headliner in their own stories. In their first story, they had to share the spotlight with a brand new Doctor and, when Doctor Who was relaunched in 2005, they not only had to do that, but had to be part of the relaunch of the programme for a whole new generation. Here, they headline with the show's first recurring villain. However, to compensate, the scope of the Nestene's control of plastic has been widened. Now, anything made of plastic can be animated. We see a man being smothered by a plastic chair, a 'devil doll' coming to life and killing and plastic daffodils that squirt a plastic that hardens over the nose and mouth, suffocating the victim. The Autons themselves have been redesigned, with horrible featureless faces. The obvious aim of all this was to make children wary of every plastic object around them and each set piece is very effective, being set up merely to shock and succeeding admirably.
The story is impressive visually, with each of the aforementioned set pieces being expertly constructed and shot, with some very impressive stunt work (in one case, very impressive indeed and blatantly a stunt that went wrong but, mercifully, did not result in serious injury). The image of Autons dressed in identical smiley face costumes is very memorable. However, there is a real over reliance on CSO, being used, sometimes arbitrarily, in the place of sets.
Robert Holmes's script is very effective and we see the first real instance of his gift for character. He makes sure that all the characters have personalities- for example, the technician Goodge, whose only dramatic function is to be killed by the Master, is given a few lines bemoaning the contents of his packed lunch. There is no reason why the Master should start his operations at a circus, but the story is all the better for it, providing an interesting backdrop and adding character colour. The script does fail in the dénouement, however, with the Doctor pointing out to the Master that the Nestene will eventually betray him and the Master acting like he had never thought of that.
Roger Delgado is instantly effective as the Master, radiating charm (in every sense of the word) and menace in an immediately captivating performance. Pertwee and Courtney do their usual sterling work, ably supported by Levene. However, this story is also important for the addition of Katy Manning as Jo Grant. Jo is appealingly scatty and almost child-like, a complete contrast to Liz (who has abruptly left prior to this adventure). Her chemistry with Pertwee is instant and she is very appealing in this story.
Terror of the Autons is markedly different in tone from the previous season. The tone is effectively set in the Doctor's first scene- singing "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", whereupon there is a bang and some smoke. The tone is lighter and more simplistic than the previous season- but that is by no means a wrong turn in the direction of the programme. Terror of the Autons is great fun throughout and comes highly recommended.
NEXT: The Mind of Evil
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