Terminus

Stephen Gallagher wrote Warriors' Gate, perhaps, the highlight of the already outstanding season 18. His second script is not as well remembered and, indeed, I can remember not really enjoying it at the time of transmission. However, I was pleased to find that I enjoyed it much more as an adult- not an ideal thing for a Doctor Who story, admittedly! Gallagher's script again displays a great deal of ambition. The concept of Terminus as a leper colony is dealt with very well, with social ostracism of sufferers and healthcare run as a business actually being explored. The Vanir, who staff Terminus are basically slaves, dependant on a drug not because they are addicted, but because it keeps them alive. The Garm, a mutant canine biped, may be the cure for the Lazar disease, but he is even more of a slave as the Vanir. It is clear that this situation could have been easily avoided, but for the apathy of Terminus Inc. There is also the plotline where it is discovered that Terminus is at the precise centre of the Universe, which turns out to be no coincidence- Terminus is actually a time-travelling ship from the previous universe that caused the Big Bang- and could cause another, destroying our universe as it did its own. On paper, this looks rather like a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy type concept (and, indeed, it results in the rather rubbish cliffhanger of a comically large red switch on the verge of flipping) and seems at first glance to be disassociated from the Lazar plot. However, it is tied in well with the character of Bor, a Vanir who is determined to get to the truth behind the radiation leaks and finds a more profound truth. Gallagher has a real talent for characters living in (for them) mundane situations and he provides some excellent dialogue. The Black Guardian framing does not interfere at all with the plot and even the long sojourn of Tegan and Turlough in the ventilation shaft is well handled.

Terminus was obviously the cheap story of the season, yet it is surprising how good it looks. The limited number of sets do not detract from the visuals and the lighting (apparently seen as inadequate by John Nathan Turner) adds to the grimness of the story. The obvious comparison that must be made is with Alien (Terminus even has its own 'space jockey') and Mary Ridge is very creative in using what she is given, with vertical shots through grilles and good use of modelwork. The costumes for the Vanir are quite effective, although the Garm leaves a bit to be desired.

Most of the performances are first rate, with the Vanir actors being particularly noteworthy. Best of all is Peter Benson as the increasingly deranged, but determined Bor. There is, unfortunately one very weak link- Dominic Guard as Olvir, who is either incompetently bland or horrendously overwrought. The Go-Between notwithstanding, it's clear who got the talent in that family. In fact, the raiders could have been easily written out, although Liza Goddard gives an effective performance. This is also Sarah Sutton's final story. Nyssa tended to be somewhat swamped as a character, which did Sutton no favours. However, she did shine, when she was given a chance to and she gets a fantastic leaving scene that makes perfect sense in character terms. The interplay between Tegan and Turlough is very well written and performed and Peter Davison is awesome. As usual.

Terminus might not be the most enjoyable story, but it contains a great deal of substance and should not be ignored.

NEXT: Enlightenment

Warriors’ Gate

Warriors’ Gate has to be the centrepiece of the Doctor Who Renaissance that was season 18. It is a visually stunning and thought provoking story that can be discussed endlessly, but is not alienating for children- it certainly mesmerised the four year old me when it was broadcast. The premise is a simple one- the TARDIS is at the gateway between E-Space and N-Space, a featureless white void, in which they are trapped with a slave ship. However, Stephen Gallagher manages to tap all the potential of this premise- the slaves are Tharils, time sensitives who can phase in and out of space/time and navigate through hyperspace. The Tharils are ruthlessly exploited now, but they were one the oppressive masters of an empire of their own. The nature of the Tharils brings to mind some of the rudiments of quantum theory, and the influence of and references to the I Ching complement this wonderfully. The Doctor is saved by doing ‘the right kind of nothing’- in the gateway, it seems, making a choice reduces the space and one is trapped there the more one acts. Rorvik and his crew are doomed as they continue to act, even beyond the point when it would be rational to stop. However, this story is not just a musing on cosmology- it is full of fantastic dialogue and memorable characters with a plot that is dispensed with not a hint of padding.

To complement this is one of the most astounding televisual presentations of twentieth century television. Director Paul Joyce is influenced by Cocteau (the sets of La Belle et la Bête, visual imagery from the Orphic Trilogy) Welles (the long tracking shots that open the story) and creates a truly unforgettable experience. The story is full of memorable images- the spinning coin, Biroc’s entry into the TARDIS, the Gateway and what lies beyond, the axe-wielding Gundan robots. The lighting is skilfully atmospheric , with excellent set design and costumes. Joyce also marshals the cast into a truly fantastic set of performances. Not one actor is anything less than first rate, but special mention has to be made of Clifford Rose as Rorvik. Gallagher’s script makes everyone believable and Rose is excellent as a sadistic slave trader whose crew, nevertheless, have genuine respect for him.

This is Lalla Ward’s last outing as Romana and she is astonishing in it and earns her right to be E-Space’s equivalent of the Doctor. Tom Baker is genuinely galvanized by the very strong material he has to work with and even Adric does not offend in his (very limited) role here. This is also the last appearance of K9. Although the character has been somewhat marginalised in this season, he is great in this, spouting probabilities like prophecies. John Leeson always made K9 charming and it is sad to see him go.

This is a truly unmissable story that will stay with the viewer long after it has ended.

NEXT: The Keeper of Traken