Episode #83 : The Android Invasion

"The androids will disseminate a virus. It will cause a contagion so lethal, the Earth will be rid of its human population within three weeks, then it will burn itself out and the world will be ours."

Episode 83:   The Android Invasion.
Companions: 4th Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith.
Air Date:       Four episodes. 22nd November to 13th December 1975.

The TARDIS arrives on the planet Oseidon where the alien Kraals have created an exact replica of the English village of Devesham and its nearby Space Defence Station and populated it with androids in order to rehearse for an invasion attempt. A human astronaut, Guy Crayford, has been duped into collaborating with them.

The first few times I watched this story I have to say that it left me very cold. But as time has gone by I find that it has slowly grown on me. The story is a mix of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Stepford Wives. The general idea isn't very original and has probably been seen in every science fiction television series at one time or another.

We get the final appearances of Harry Sullivan and John Benton in this one though mostly as their android duplicates. It feels as though their inclusion was tacked on as neither actually make any real difference to the story and it's outcome. It would have been nice to give them both a decent send off from the show.

I find it very difficult to write anything good about this episode as there just isn't any thing that makes it stand out. The story is unoriginal, the effects are poor and even the lead actors seem to be having a hard time with it. It isn't as bad as it seems but it has little to really support it.