The burst of energy from Nathan-Turner carries on through
the series. It isn’t as strong as the first part of Baker’s era, but after the
terrors of season 17, even the likes of Meglos don’t seem that bad.
The Leisure Hive
We start out by the seaside – mainly to get K-9 all wet so
he wouldn’t play a part in the episode (JNT hated the tin dog), before we head
out to a far flung planet for a dying race who seem to spend their last days
running a pleasure planet. All, of course, is not as it seems. The marks of the
era are all over the show, which means there is an inconsistent tone to the
whole proceedings that eventually make it less than the sum of its parts.
Meglos
So, Tom Baker turns into a cactus, there’s a massive
roleplaying die controlling a world and… wait is that original companion
Barbara Wright playing the overbearing, primitive priestess? Indeed, she is,
making a singular reappearance (no other companion ever did this) as a
different character. The story is often remembered for the giant cactus makeup
that Tom Baker had to wear – and the giant die (the dodecahedron no less) that
is the heart of the planet’s power.
Full Circle
Adric looms large over the early years of JNT’s tenure on
the role. The oft-hated character (sort of like Doctor Who’s Wesley Crusher)
joins the crew, via an intriguing story. An accident pushes the Tardis out of
our universe into “E” space. While the Doctor and Romana search for a way out,
they land on a planet that seems to include a crew preparing to launch their
generational space ship, while all the while cautious of the creatures in the
swamp. It turns out to be a bit murkier than that, as it turns out the
ship-board folks are actually the evolved version of the swamp creatures. There’s
some nice atmosphere along the way to help make this a solid start to the
trilogy.
State of Decay
Ah, Terrance Dicks’ Space Vampires script finally comes to
the screen. It feels like a relic from an earlier age, because – well, it is a
relic from an earlier age. Dicks is a solid writer who provides plenty of
creepy details (the spaceship fuel tanks are full of… blood!) that are taken up
in the direction and design.
Warriors' Gate
I’ve seen Warriors' Gate plenty of times over the years –
and I’m still exactly sure of all of the action. The script (penned by Stephen
Gallagher) involves lion-like creatures who can ride the time winds, and an interrupted
feast and robot knights and… Oh well, let’s just enjoy the visuals, shall we?
The episode also marks the end of Romana and K-9, who rather quickly stay
behind with one of the lion guys. So, Lalla Ward is done. She provided a lot of
entertainment in a particularly uneven era of the show.
The Keeper of Traken
Wait, don’t trust him, Doctor, it’s the Master! Oh, wait, it
actually isn’t the Master at this time. Anthony Ainely – who would carry on in
the role of the Doctor’s nemesis throughout the ‘80s – plays a good man who
comes to a nasty end in this episode. The episode includes plenty of to-ing and
fro-ing by the cast with a story that, in the end, doesn’t completely hold our
interest. We do get our first look at Nyssa, who will become another new
companion very soon.
Logopolis
The final piece of the overcrowded Tardis is introduced as
Australian air hostess Tegan (the always enjoyable Janet Fielding) joins the
fray during a particularly bad day (she is late for her first day of work; her
car breaks down; her beloved aunt in killed by the Master). Meanwhile, there’s
lot of sometimes confusing math going on, centered on the titular planet and
block transfer computation (no, it doesn’t make much sense, but they can alter
the universe with their equations). The Master gets in the way and threatens
the whole universe. As it often happens, the Doctor sacrifices himself to save
the day. And he regenerates into…
No comments:
Post a Comment