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.

Episode #80 : Terror of the Zygons

 

"You can't rule the world in hiding. You've got to come out on

to the balcony sometimes and wave a tentacle."

Episode 80:    Terror of the Zygons.
Companions: 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.
Air Date:        Four episodes. 30th August to 10th September 1975.

When the Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry arrive in Scotland, having received an urgent request for assistance from the Brigadier, they discover that the mysterious force which has destroyed three oil rigs has left giant teeth marks on the wreckage. The mystery deepens, leading them to the shores of Loch Ness where they find that the legendary monster really does exist – and is the murderous tool of the Zygons, aliens intent on overpowering the planet.

For reasons that I can't quite put my finger on, this is one of my favourite early Tom Baker stories and the Zygons are a particular favourite. I think part of it comes from my childhood. Although too young to remember the airing of the episodes, I do recall seeing an old Doctor Who magazine which featured a black and white photograph of Zygon attacking Tom Baker. It has stuck in my memory ever since and must go someway to explaining my love of this story.

The show has in recent stories touched upon a number of mythical tales from Atlantis, the minotaur and the yeti. This time we get an explanation for the Loch Ness Monster in the Whoniverse, the Skarasen - a monster used by the Zygons in the plans. It is another touch that excites me when watching the story. Sometimes the writers got things so spot on that it works despite any other failings of the episode.

The Zygon costumes are definitely of the man in a rubber suit variety but are extremely memorable. The Skarasan on the other hand has it's detractors. I think that the stop-motion style of movement when you see the monster in it's entirety is really good but there are plenty of fans who think it is just terrible. Watch and decide for yourself.

With the completion of this adventure we lose Harry Sullivan who decides to return to UNIT rather than continue travelling in time and space. As much as I love Harry, you can understand it from what he has just experienced in the last few stories. Sarah Jane Smith however, thankfully stays with the Doctor. The Brigadier seems to have mellowed somewhat by this story as he doesn't feel like the old stick in the mud that he did previously. Thankfully, this won't be the last time we see the Brigadier.

Terror of the Zygons is an excellent story and for my money, the last of the truly excellent Tom Baker era. That is not to say that what comes next are poor stories, just that nothing seems to live up to the writing nor the appearance of the show after this. But for now, Terror of the Zygons is up there in the top stories of the classic era.

Episode #79 : Revenge of the Cybermen

"You're nothing but a pathetic bunch of tin soldiers skulking

about the galaxy in an ancient spaceship."

Episode 79:    Revenge of the Cybermen.
Companions:  4th Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.
Air Date:        Four episodes. 19th April to 10th May 1975.

Expecting to be reunited with the TARDIS following a secret mission for the Time Lords, they instead find themselves on a plague-stricken space station orbiting the remnants of Voga, Planet of Gold. The Doctor, Harry Sullivan and Sarah Jane Smith have stumbled into the last battle of an ancient conflict between humankind and one of its most terrifying foes — the Cybermen.

At last we have the long awaited return of the Cybermen to the show. We last saw them in The Invasion, story of the 2nd Doctor. The appearance of the Cybermen has been improved and they now look much closer to the excellent 80's Cybermen design. These ones even sport weapons in their foreheads which is somewhat odd. The voices are now supplied by the actor in the suit and we can finally understand what they are saying properly. Unfortunately this is the only on screen appearance for the Cybermen for the 4th Doctor and we have to wait several years until they return.

The reason for the Cybermen's revenge is the fabled moon of Voga which is made of gold. The Cybermen have been given a new weakness which doesn't make too much real world sense, but then I am no scientist to explain it. Supposedly because gold is noncorrosive substance it can block their breathing apparatus. Why does a machine like being need a breathing apparatus? I have no idea. But you can just go with it.

This story concludes the Nerva Beacon arc which started with The Ark in Space, and we get to see what the Nerva Beacon looked like before the solar flares. The only disappointing element to this story is how closely it resembles The Moonbase. Both stories feature a Cyberman attack with Cybermats and a plague to strike down the human crew. While it may have been a staple mode of operation for the future Cybermen it just comes across as reusing the same old plot elements from an older story.

But saying that I can't complain about this story. Revenge of the Cybermen is a good piece of entertaining Who made better by the return of the Cybermen. The plot is straight forward but we get some good acting from our regular actors and Harry Sullivan gets to shine once again. Sarah Jane though seems to have continued the trend of being a screaming female companion.

At the culmination of this story our companions are reunited with the TARDIS and discover that the Brigadier has summoned them back to the Earth.

Episode #78 : Genesis of the Daleks

"Today, the Kaled race is ended, consumed in a fire of war. But, from its ashes will rise a new race. The supreme creature. The ultimate conqueror of the universe. The Dalek!"

Episode 78:   Genesis of the Daleks.
Companions: 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.
Air Date:       Six episodes. 8th March to 12th April 1975.

The Time Lords intercept the transmat beam taking the Doctor, Sarah and Harry back to Nerva and deposit them instead on the planet Skaro at an early point in its history. There a Time Lord gives the Doctor both a mission to prevent or alter the Daleks' development so that they become less of a threat to the universe and a time ring that will enable him and his companions to return to the TARDIS once this is done.

Despite it's length and too much filler elements, Genesis of the Daleks is a truly fantastic story for Doctor Who. In this one we learn the origins of the Dalek race and encounter their creator, Davros, for the first time. Previously the Daleks have simply been hateful cybernetic creatures out to exterminate the universe, but now we seen the how and why of their creation. I think it certainly adds more to the shows mythos than perhaps any other classic story.

In the original Star Trek series there were several episodes that featured planets where everyone wore a wore Nazi, Roman or 20's gangster outfits because it was what was on hand and cheap to use. The costumes in this story remind me greatly of those Trek episodes. The Kaleds resemble the Nazi's (in both costume and expected demeanour), and at other times we see characters running about dressed for the first world world. While I am sure that this was entirely intended for the tone of the story, it does tend to stand out more than perhaps it should.

Genesis has also been hinted at as being the first element of the Time War that is to come. The Time Lords sending the Doctor back to prevent their creation or alter them somehow. He doesn't really do either, just delaying their development for a few centuries at best. How the Daleks learnt that the Time Lords attempted this may never be known but seems like a fair reason to launch a war against Gallifrey.

Genesis of the Daleks really is a must watch story for fans.

Episode #77 : The Sontaran Experiment

"Foresight. You never know when these bits and pieces will come in handy. Never throw anything away, Harry. Now, where's my five hundred year diary. I remember jotting some notes on the Sontarans... It's a mistake to clutter one's pockets, Harry."

Episode 77:     The Sontaran Experiment.
Companions:   4th Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.
Air Date:         Two episodes. 22nd February to 1st March 1975.

The Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive on a desolate and apparently deserted Earth to discover that a group of shipwrecked astronauts from a human colony, GalSec, have been lured there by a fake distress call. One of their number, Roth, tells Sarah of an alien conducting gruesome experiments on him and his crewmates. The alien turns out to be a Sontaran, Field-Major Styre, who is compiling a report on human physical and mental capabilities as a prelude to an invasion of Earth.

The Sontaran Experiment is another excellent adventure story despite having some major plot holes if you were to really think about it. We know that the Sontarans have been in this corner of space before so why are they only know seeking to invade an empty planet? Why are they unaware of human capabilities when they must have encountered us in the past? Why do the Sontarans send a ranking member of their military to do this when he should be leading battle somewhere? These and many more questions filter through the mind when watching this story.

There is a lot of good character interaction in this one and you feel that they are bonding well together after the prior adventure. You get the same vibe that they must be bonding well as actors too. The only element here that I find lacking comes from Sarah Jane who seems to be sliding from the strong feminist reporter to a mere screaming, easily captured female companion.

The make up for the Sontaran has certainly improved since we last saw one though the costume budget seems to have taken a hit. It is good to see the return of the Sontarans even though they don't make many appearances in the classic show.

Being a two part story and coming in at just under an hour this feels like a modern episode and thus it is easy to watch. Where as a child and teenager I would enjoy the lengthy multi-part serials these days I find that a one or two part story (50 to 90 minutes total) is about right.

Just as The Ark in Space led us directly into this story, so too does this story lead us into one of the most famous stories in classic Who... Genesis of the Daleks!

Episode #76 : The Ark in Space

"Homo sapiens. What an inventive, invincible species. It's only a few million years since they crawled up out of the mud and learnt to walk. Puny, defenceless bipeds. They've survived flood, famine and plague. They've survived cosmic wars and holocausts. And now, here they are, out among the stars, waiting to begin a new life. Ready to outsit eternity. They're indomitable."

Episode 76:   The Ark in Space.
Companions: 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.
Air Date:       Four episodes. 25th January to 15th February 1975.

The TARDIS lands on a space station orbiting Earth in the distant future. It's seemingly deserted, but the Doctor, Sarah and Harry soon discover that they are not alone. Thousands of humans are in cryogenic sleep, and while they've slept their Ark has been invaded. A parasitic insect race - the Wirrn - have taken control and threaten the very future of mankind.

The Ark in Space plus the next four stories are, to me, the pinnacle of the classic series. Nothing before or after - until the new series, is as good as this run of connected stories. Everything just fits so well together from the 1970's view of science fiction set dressing, to the characterisation of the time travellers, and for a change we have stories that are perfectly paced and written. The Ark in Space is perfect in these regards.

In this story, which is Harry Sullivan's first rip out into time and space, Harry does come across as a bit of simpleton. But when you finally realise that it is part and parcel of culture shock for him it makes sense and he becomes the companion that we as the audience can most associate with. Sarah has done a fair bit of travel with the Doctor and it's just day to day for her now.t

I have said before and I am sure to repeat that, despite being great science fiction television, Doctor Who seems at it's best when trying to do the horror thing. Ark in Space, with a little bit of a tweak could have been the forerunner to Alien. The story opens with a seemingly empty space station, only for the companions to find hundreds of humans in suspended animation and the presence of an alien insectoid life form that seeks to implant and breed from them. With a modern budget this could have been something truly scary, but it still works fantastically as is.

The Ark in Space is a must watch story for anyone seriously looking into the classic series.

Episode #75 : Robot

"You know, just once I'd like to meet an alien menace that wasn't immune to bullets."

Episode 75:    Robot.
Companions:  4th Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith.
Air Date:        Four episodes. 28th December 1974 to 18th January 1975.

A newly regenerated Doctor joins UNIT in an investigation into the theft of top secret plans and equipment from supposedly secure premises. Sarah discovers that the raids have been carried out by a robot invented by scientist Professor Kettlewell while he was working for Think Tank, a body involved in developing emerging technologies.

The first adventure for Tom Baker involves a robot and yet another conspiracy to take over the Earth. This time the villains are a bunch of scientists who feel that only the intelligent should rule, and to achieve this aim they are prepared to destroy the world with an arsenal of nuclear weapons. Which to me seems pointless because then there won't be anyone for them to rule. Otherwise a good start to the 4th Doctor's extensive run on the show.

Tom Baker brings a fantastic character portrayal to the screen from his first confused post-regeneration lines. I have always felt that the 1st Doctor was simply an eccentric old man but, depending on cause of regeneration, each subsequent one has been more mad rather than eccentric. The 4th Doctor, especially, certainly is not playing with a full deck and it works so well. I'm sure that it must have taken some getting used to by the audiences who had previously watched Jon Pertwee's more restrained performance only a few months previous.

The story itself isn't too bad but it does plod along in places making it feel much longer than it actually is. When I re-watched the story recently in preparation for writing this, at one point I thought I was on part 5 when it was the start of 4! That is how it felt. Another minor niggle is the continued references to green/environmental issues as part of the background. There seems to be a lot of that going around in stories recently and in this it had reached the saturation point for me (though I am watching these in quick succession to be fair). There comes a point where the writers do need to find something else to present as a contemporary point of reference.

On a high note however, the Doctor and Sarah are joined by a new companion, Harry Sullivan. Harry is a UNIT medic and helps them throughout this story, and is then tricked into the TARDIS when the the Doctor and Sarah take flight. Harry is one of my favourite companions so I'm looking forward to re-watching the next few stories.