Episode #272 - Hell Bent

 

"First thing you notice about the Doctor of War is he's unarmed. For many, it's also the last."

Episode #272:      Hell Bent.

Companions:        The 12th Doctor and Clara Oswald.

Air Date:             5th December 2015

After being tortured for billions of years inside his own confession dial, the Doctor has been pushed to the brink of madness. Returning to Gallifrey, he must face his own people, the Time Lords, but how far will he go in his quest for vengeance? Does he have another confession? And how fiercely does his rage towards them for causing Clara's death burn?

After the disappointing episode that preceded it, Hell Bent picks up the pace and the story quite nicely. After escaping from the confession dial he finds himself back on Gallifrey, now hidden at the far end of time. He comes into conflict with Rassilon (who seems to have gone more mad since we last saw him) and sort of takes over. It's all a ploy to snatch Clara at the moment of her death and keep her alive though, an event that causes more problems for the Doctor. Ultimately he escapes, meets up with Ashildr (Me), has a heart to heart with her, before believing that he had mind wiped her and they go their own ways. The Doctor once again on his own and Clara travelling, for now, with Ashildur. 

It's a good story with some well written dialogue and just the right amount of tension between the various characters. There are some nice throw backs to things like the Matrix and we get a bit more lore expansion. Little things that expand on the show. If I have any issue with this episode it is that it is somewhat disjointed for such an otherwise good story. We start off with the Doctor's return to Gallifrey and his meeting with Rassilon. He boots Rassilon off and then the story changes to the mythology of the Hybrid (which has been hinted at here and there). It then becomes an escape story and then falls into the explanation with Ashildr... and it doesn't flow very well. Almost like the ending was rushed. It's not a bad episode though which makes it feel odd. I just wish that somehow it had resolved itself as it leaves a lot of things left essentially unanswered.

Episode #249 : The Last Day

"Nothing can get past a Sky Trench. But if just one Dalek made it through, it could destroy this entire city. That's all it would take, one Dalek. One Dalek, acting alone, and we're finished."

Episode #249:      The Last Day.
Air Date:              20th November 2013.

A Gallifreyan soldier undergoes initiation in the use of a headcam, as well as the defence of Arcadia. During his training, the impossible happens and Daleks invade.

The Last Day is a short mini-episode similar to The Night of the Doctor except this one does not feature the Doctor but instead shows us the beginning of the Dalek invasion of Gallifrey. We see it from the point of view of a new recruit on the day everything goes wrong.

There is nothing really to report about this one. It is just a little teaser in the run up to the 50th anniversary episode. The BBC could have done better with this but I guess they blew the budget with the return of Paul Mcgann in the previous teaser. It's a nice touch but easily avoided. Just go straight to The Day of the Doctor.

Episode #209 : The End of Time

"It's not that I'm an innocent. I've taken lives. I got worse, I got clever. Manipulated people into taking their own. Sometimes, I think a Time Lord lives too long..."

Episode #209:      The End of Time.
Companions:        The 10th Doctor.
Air Date:              25th December 2009 to 1st January 2010.

It is the Tenth Doctor's final journey — but his psychotic nemesis, the Master, has been resurrected on Christmas Eve! Each determined to cheat death, the battle rages from the abandoned wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate, whilst the alien Ood warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire universe. With the sound of the drums growing louder in the Master's head and an ancient trap closing around the Earth, the Doctor and Wilfred Mott must fight alone. Sacrifices must be made, and the deadly prophecy warns: "He will knock four times."

David Tennant's final adventure as the Doctor has arrived. Split into two parts shown on Christmas Day and New Years Day, The End of Time is a great example of what the show can be when done properly. In other words with a decent budget to go along with some good script writing. As well as being good entertainment with action, humour and a touch of apocalypse, we also have some well written interaction that causes the viewer to take a better look at the man we know as the Doctor.

To start with there is a scene where the Doctor and Wildfred are talking about the Doctor's immanent death. He talks about regeneration and how it's like dying. Everything that you are and everything that you were is swept away and for all intents and purposes a new man walks away. I have never really thought about it but really that must be terrifying for a Time Lord regardless of age and number of times that he has regenerated. I would say that it goes someway to explain the darker persona of the Doctor since the Time War. Secondly, we have the above quote which makes me think specifically about the 7th Doctor and how he manipulated people, including his companion Ace, into doing what he wanted. I could do with more scenes like this which expand upon the character.

The Master returns in this story but his resurrection is interrupted and things have gone a little wrong. Burning energy at an accelerated rate he is forced to consume food, and people (at least two if not four!) to survive. When things fluctuate we see a rather CGI skeletal figure of the master which looks a tad cheap. The modern equivalent of overlapping effects from the old day I guess. He also seems to have developed amazing jumping capabilities and the power to throw energy bolts from his hands, although they don't really seem to do very much.

The Master is not the only returning figure however. Rassilon, founder of Time Lord society appears to have been resurrected as well to lead the war effort in the Time War. He's not the same individual we meet as a spiritual presence in The Five Doctors however. He appears to have been driven mad by the events of the Time War and is quite the despot now. You can see why the Doctor now fears his fellow Time Lords. This time around Rassilon is played by veteran James Bond actor, Timothy Dalton. I imagine getting such a well known actor was quite a cue for the BBC.

We are also introduced in this story to a new figure. Appearing at times to Wilfred and standing, face covered, in Rassilon's presence is a Time Lady. She seems to be something to the Doctor although we never learn in the show who she is. There are rumours that she may be Romana or even more interesting, the Doctor's own mother. We may never truly know.

At the end of this episode we finally have the reveal of the "four knocks" plot line which leads to the eventual regeneration. As the Doctor slowly dies he goes and pays a quick visit to some of his former companions: Martha Jones and Mickey Smith, Sarah Jane and Luke Smith, Captain Jack and Rose Tyler. It's a nice ending and an appropriate goodbye from the 10th Doctor.

I liked David Tennant and his portrayal of the Doctor but I never quite saw what the fuss about him was from some fans. He was good but not that good. I guess it's more fan girls adoring his good looks rather than his character, but hey, who knows.

Episode #146 : The Ultimate Foe

"In all my travelling throughout the universe I have battled against evil, against power mad conspirators. I should have stayed here. The oldest civilisation: decadent, degenerate, and rotten to the core. Power mad conspirators, Daleks, Sontarans... Cybermen, they're still in the nursery compared to us. Ten million years of absolute power. That's what it takes to be really corrupt."

Episode 146:   The Ultimate Foe.
Companions:   6th Doctor and Mel.
Air Date:         29th November to 6th December 1986.

With the evidence complete, the Doctor learns that the Master has gained illicit access to the Matrix in his TARDIS. Glitz is now revealed to be the Master's associate and the 'secrets' to be information stolen from the Matrix. The Valeyard admits his identity as a distillation of the dark side of the Doctor's nature, somewhere between his twelfth and thirteenth incarnations, out to take control over his remaining lives. With the help of Mel, who along with Glitz has been brought to the space station by the Master, the Doctor defeats his future self - although, as they leave in the TARDIS with all charges in the trial having been dropped, it appears that the Valeyard has taken over the body of the Keeper of the Matrix and may not have been as completely vanquished as they had thought.

The Trial of a Time Lord season comes to an end with a rather disappointing two part story in which it is revealed who the Valeyard really is (see above). It then ends up being a repeat of The Deadly Assassin with the Doctor with Glitz in tow, entering the Matrix where he is at the mercy of what the Valeyard can throw at him. It then ends with the Doctor forgiven, though how you can try someone for the same crime twice (see The War Games) is beyond me. But as everyone goes home it is revealed that the Valeyard is still very much alive.

The addition of the Master into this story is pointless. He doesn't do anything and seems to be just there to gloat, and show off how clever he is. It smacks of lazy writing to me. Had the Master been to the one behind it all, having created the Valeyard in an attempt to kill the Doctor from behind the scenes, I think this story might have been better.

I really hoped that in the right spot in the new show that they might show the Valeyard or at least hint at his creation but they never do and the character has never reappeared in canonical Who.

One last thing, we do at least discover that Peri is very much alive, and living as a warrior queen with King Yrcanos. Why the Doctor doesn't go back for her we never learn.

Episode #145 : Terror of the Vervoids

"This is a situation that requires tact and finesse. Fortunately, I am blessed with both."

Episode 145:   Terror of the Vervoids.
Companions:   6th Doctor and Mel.
Air Date:        1st to 22nd November 1986.

In a desperate bid to clear his name, the Doctor presents his defence to the charges laid against him. In the year 2986, the starliner Hyperion III makes its way to Earth... but all is not well. The Doctor and Mel arrive in response to a distress call, although not in time to prevent a murder. And this will not be the only death: someone aboard will kill again and again to protect their secret. And while the murderer closes in above decks, in the Hydroponic Centre a terrifying new breed of creature is about to awaken.

By far the best of the adventures in the Trial of a Time Lord story arc. We are introduced to a new companion, Melanie Bush (Mel), who we never see the Doctor actually meet because this is all out of temporal order. Unfortunately Mel is a fairly terrible companion. Played by Bonnie Langford, famous for her stage and dance work, is so well out of her depth here and it shows. She just isn't companion material and it shows. She does her best to be fair, but it isn't good enough.

The story has plot holes that the canny observer may spot. If the Vervoids are genetically created life forms made to replace robots, why would you give them a poisonous sting? Or give them human intelligence for that matter? I can't fault their appearance though which I don't find laughable at all, even if they are the week's "man in a monster suit." I think they look pretty good for what they are.

In this story the courtroom scenes are a little unnecessary as the adventure on the Hyperion III is far more interesting. Bouncing back to the court starts to get irritating by this point. I'd rather focus on the story in front of me to be honest.

Episode #144 : Mindwarp

"Today, prudence shall be our watchword. Tomorrow, I shall soak the land in blood!"

Episode 144:    Mindwarp.
Companions:    6th Doctor and Peri.
Air Date:          4th to 25th October 1986.

The Valeyard's prosecution continues as he presents damning evidence of the Doctor's interference on the planet Thoros Beta. Dangerous experiments are being carried out there that could affect the future of all life, and they must be stopped. But why is the Doctor so determined to help his former enemy - the greedy, opportunistic Sil? And why has he turned against his companion, Peri? One thing is certain: someone will die.

The Trial of a Time Lord story line continues with another case presented by the Valeyard to prove the Doctor's guilt. In this one the Doctor and Peri arrive on a strange almost psychedelic planet home to the Mentor's - Sil's people. Here they find a plot to transplant the mind of Sil's boss into another body, and the evil bio-experiments that led to this development. They team up with King Tyrcanos, played by Brian Blessed of all people, leader of a barbarian people to overthrow them. It seems that Peri is captured and used to as the vessel for the new Mentor's mind. Before the Doctor can rescue her, he is snatched from time by the Time Lords to take his trial.

Mindwarp is a pretty bad, not to mention dull story that doesn't really go anywhere. It is set up to end Peri's time on the show and bring the Doctor into the court. Sil isn't even presented as well as he was in his prior appearance. Likewise, the Doctor is presented as a rather evil individual though we later learn that this adventure has been tampered with to make him appear just so.

Whilst investigating Crozier's lab, the Doctor picks up and inspects a specimen jar that appears to contain a preserved Xenomorph embryo specimen (specifically a chestburster) from the Alien films.

Mindwarp is a poorly done story that spoils the whole Trial arc.

Episode #143 : The Mysterious Planet

"Whereas yours is a simple case of sociopathy, Dibber, my malaise is much more complex. A deep-rooted maladjustment, my psychiatrist said, brought on by an infantile inability to come to terms with the more pertinent, concrete aspects of life."

Episode 143:   The Mysterious Planet.
Companions:   6th Doctor and Peri.
Air Date:         6th to 27th September 1986.

The Doctor is on trial for his life. Plucked out of time and space by the Time Lords, he is charged with transgressing the First Law of Time. He must defend himself against the prosecution led by the sinister Valeyard. The trial begins as the Time Lords review an adventure from the Doctor's recent past. The setting is Ravolox, where the Doctor and Peri find themselves caught in the conflict between a warrior tribe, a pair of intergalactic con-men, and a god-like robot. But deep below the surface of the mysterious planet lie secrets that threaten the very fabric of the universe. And to protect them, drastic measures have been taken that will shock the Doctor to his very core.

After a year and a half hiatus the show comes back with another season long arc similar to the Key to Time. This time however the Doctor is plucked out of time and space by the Time Lords again and put on trial for violating the First Law of Time. The first case presented by the Valeyard is an adventure on the planet Ravolox. The opening sequence where the camera weaves its way across the surface of a space station is excellently done and sets up the trial atmosphere very well. The story then alternates between the court room and the adventure.

The court room scenes prove to be quite amusing as the Doctor relies on humour to poke fun at the Valeyard and the proceedings. Who is the Valeyard and why does he seem to have an aggressive desire to see the Doctor dead? All will be explained in time.

The actual adventure on Ravolox revolves around the mystery of why planet, in fact Earth, has been moved across space into a whole new galaxy and renamed. Even the computer records of the Time Lords have it listed as Ravolox. The planet is supposed to be dead, scoured clean by a fireball, but is actually alive and well, with survivors living a sort of Celtic existence on the surface, and others living underground under the rule of an "immortal" robot. Add to that a pair of immoral space pirate types, Sabalom and Dibber, who seek information hidden somewhere in the underground settlement and you have an interesting tale.

Episode #129 : The Five Doctors

"A man is the sum of his memories. A Time Lord even more so."

Episode 129: The Five Doctors.
Companions: 1st Doctor, 2nd Doctor, 3rd Doctor, 4th Doctor, 5th Doctor, Susan, The Brigadier, Sarah Jane Smith, Romana, Tegan, and Turlough.
Air Date: 25th November 1983.

The Doctor's past incarnations are taken out of time by a forbidden time scoop device. The fourth Doctor becomes trapped in the vortex but the others find themselves, together with a number of their old companions, with the fifth Doctor and his companions in the Death Zone on their home planet Gallifrey. Here they face a Dalek, a Yeti, a quicksilver Raston Warrior Robot and numerous Cybermen. Also present is the Master, who has been summoned by the High Council of Time Lords to help the Doctor. It turns out that President Borusa is the mysterious operator of the time scoop. He aims to use the Doctors to breach the defences of the Dark Tower - Rassilon's tomb - so that he can enter there and claim immortality.

The Five Doctors was commissioned for the show's 20th anniversary and the BBC pulled out all the stops with this one. We get four out of the five Doctors taking part (the 4th Doctor and Romana get stuck in the time vortex for the duration of the story), cameo's by a Dalek and a Yeti, and the Cybermen with the Master as a major element of the story. Lots of Who elements and references, even spectral former companions, coupled with a fast punchy script makes this story just awesome for any fan of the show. There are so many references I could write a whole page just about them.

The interaction between the different incarnations of the Doctor are just awesome. You get a strong vibe that the different versions really don't like one another, and their banter comes off as a familial grieving which anyone with siblings can relate to.

By the time of the 20th anniversary William Hartnell had passed away so the role was given to Richard Hurndell who did such a good job as the 1st Doctor that I think he did better than Hartnell. Some may consider that heresy but that's how he comes across to me.

The 4th Doctor and Romana only appear in shots from the the unfinished Shada. Tom Baker felt that it was too soon since his departure from the show to make a return even for the anniversary episode. A great shame but four Doctors were enough really. had he taken part I wonder whether the script would have allowed enough screen time and dialogue for all of them.

I really cannot shout the praises of this story enough. If you haven't seen it hunt it down on DVD and watch it. I'm sure you will agree how good this one is.

Tegan: "You mean you're deliberately choosing to go on the run from your own people, in a rackety old TARDIS?"
Fifth Doctor: "Why not? After all, that's how it all started."

Episode #123 : Arc of Infinity

"You know how it is; you put things off for a day and next thing you know, it's a hundred years later."

Episode 123:   Arc of Infinity.
Companions:   5th Doctor, Tegan, and Nyssa.
Air Date:         3rd to 12th January 1983.

An antimatter creature has crossed into normal space via a phenomenon known as the Arc of Infinity but needs to bond physically with a Time Lord in order to remain stable. A traitor on Gallifrey has chosen the Doctor as the victim. The High Council, headed by President Borusa, decides that the Doctor's life must be terminated in order to avoid this danger. Tegan meanwhile arrives in Amsterdam to visit her cousin, Colin Frazer, only to learn that he has disappeared. She enters a crypt in search of him and is captured by a hideous creature, the Ergon.

Another classic villain returns... Omega! Once again he is trying to leave behind the anti-matter universe and return to our own. To do this he must bond with a physical entity and the Doctor has been chosen. There is no excuse given as to how Omega survived the events of The Three Doctors but he has, and this time with a much better costume design that makes him seem more menacing.

Tegan returns to the show after being fired as an air stewardess. We don't know why she was sacked and we never find out. My guess would be that she was vanished with the Doctor for a bit longer than she expected and couldn't explain why. Nyssa seems happy to have her back, the Doctor less so.

We get another look at Time Lord society and this time they live up to the corrupt reputation that later Doctor's would subscribe to them. They seem to have forgotten everything that happened the last time Omega showed up, or what good the Doctor has done, because they seem content to simply kill him rather than let him stop the menace that is growing. It seems very shortsighted of them really. One of the Time Lords, Commander Maxil, is played by Colin Baker who would eventually replace Peter Davison in the role of the Doctor.

One small niggle that starts to grow on me around about this time is where in time is present day Gallifrey? I have always assumed that the present for there is somewhere far far away in the distant future since you can't go past Gallifreyan present in a time capsule. But they seem far too concerned with events in the past if you get my meaning since both this story and The Three Doctors is set on 20th century Earth. It is never really explained and that bugs me somewhat.

Arc of Infinity is a good sequel to The Three Doctors with a far pace and some OK story lines. It does feel though that if the story had perhaps had another draft or two it may have been even better.

Episode X :Shada

"Well Mr. Skagra, or whatever it is you call yourself, you killed a Time Lord, a very old friend of mine. It's time you and I had a little chat!"

Episode X:     Shada.
Companions: 4th Doctor, K9 and Romana.
Air Date:        Never.

The story revolves around the lost planet Shada, on which the Time Lords built a prison for defeated would-be conquerors of the universe. Skagra, one such inmate, needs the help of one of the prison's inmates. He finds nobody knows where Shada is anymore except one aged Time Lord who has retired to Earth, where he is a professor at St. Cedd's College, Cambridge. Luckily for the universe, Skagra's attempt to force the information out of Professor Chronotis coincides with a visit by the professor's old friend, the Fourth Doctor.

Shada is the famous lost story. It was set to be the finale of the current season of the show but was canned when a BBC strike took place mid production. The episode was canned. It was eventually released on VHS and DVD with the completed footage and Tom Baker narrating the unfilmed elements. I include it here for completeness. It also eventually was turned into an audio drama for the 8th Doctor and a couple of scenes stolen for use in The Five Doctors.

The story was written by Douglas Adams and it does show. Some of the dialogue is especially odd and unusual. Some of it, Romana talking about being a "time tot" is just cringe worthy. The rest of the story deals with an alien criminal seeking the location of Shada, a prison used by the Time Lords to hold their worst criminals. He uses an alien device that resembles the bouncing ball from The Prisoner TV show to drain knowledge from a target. Despite the strangeness of the writing and some of the dialogue the episode is worth a watch.

One reason why I enjoy this story is that the outdoor scenes were filmed just down the road from me in Cambridge. I have walked down the very streets where it was filmed and it gives me a bit of thrill to think of that. It is just a shame that the story was never completed at the time.

If you get a chance to watch this I recommend doing so.

Episode #97 : The Invasion of Time

Borusa : "You have access to the greatest source of knowledge in the universe."

The Doctor : "Well, I do talk to myself sometimes."

Episode 97:   The Invasion of Time.
Companions: 4th Doctor, K9 and Leela.
Air Date:       Six episodes. 4th February to 11th March 1978.

After a meeting in space with a group of unseen aliens the Doctor returns to Gallifrey and claims the presidency of the Time Lords. Leela meanwhile tries to work out why he is behaving out of character. At his induction, the Doctor is 'crowned' with a device giving him access to the Matrix. He then arranges for the transduction barriers around Gallifrey to be put out of action by K9. When this is done, his alien 'friends' materialise. They are telepathic invaders called Vardans. The Doctor finally springs his trap and the Vardans are banished. Then, however, Gallifrey is invaded by Sontarans who, unknown to the Doctor, were using the Vardans to enable them to conquer the Time Lords. The Doctor uses knowledge extracted from the Matrix by K9 to construct a forbidden de-mat gun, activated by the Great Key of Rassilon. He then uses this to kill the Sontarans, although his memory of recent events is wiped in the process.

The Invasion of Time is in my opinion one of the worse if not THE worst story in the classic series. The production values are just truly shocking in this one. The Vardans appear initially as floating sheets of tin foil and then solidify into space age British colonial soldiers complete with pith helmets. Then the Sontarans arrive and the make up for them is absolutely terrible. Finally, during a chase sequence through the corridors and rooms of the TARDIS brick corridors and warehouse looking sets are used, completely destroying the mystique. Just shockingly bad.

The only positives that come out of this adventure are more information on the Time Lords and their political ways, more time with Borusa - setting him up for his next appearance and some hints about Rassilon, the founder of Time Lord society on Gallifrey. But that is it.

Sadly we see the departure of Leela and the K9 mark 1 at the end of this. Leela elects to remain on Gallifrey to marry someone who hardly knows and K9 decides to remain with her. It does make me wonder why Leela is allowed but the Doctor had to abandon Sarah Jane Smith at his last visit. I do miss Leela though. As the primitive/noble savage type companion I felt that she added a bit to the show that more capable companions lack.

The Invasion of Time is so dreadful that I recommend avoiding it altogether.

Episode #88 : The Deadly Assassin

"Through the millennia, the Time Lords of Gallifrey led a life of ordered calm, protected against all threats from lesser civilisations by their great power. But this was to change. Suddenly, and terribly, the Time Lords faced the most dangerous crisis in their long history..."

Episode 88:   The Deadly Assassin.
Companions: 4th Doctor.
Air Date:       Four episodes. 30th October to 20th November 1976.

The Doctor arrives on Gallifrey, where he is accused of the assassination of the Time Lord President. Investigating with the aid of Co-ordinator Engin and Castellan Spandrell, he discovers that this is part of a plot hatched by his old adversary the Master.

The Deadly Assassin is the story that sets out exactly how the Time Lords would be presented from here on out. This story sets up their appearance, politics, culture and gives us the first reference to a twelve regeneration limit. At the time of original broadcast it appears to have upset a number of fans because of the depiction of Time Lord society. Specifically that prior to this the Time Lords are set up on a high pedestal as a race of super powerful beings with master over time itself, can make entire planets vanish and whatever else they choose to do. Following this story they seem to be no different to mankind in pretty much every way. Personally I like this portrayal as it makes them easier to identify with. Plus, I like the costumes.

With this story we have the return of the Doctor's arch nemesis the Master. This time round though he has reached the end of his regenerations and his living purely by force of will alone in his own corpse. Following the events of this story he achieves some sense of renewal, though not a fresh regeneration, and escapes as always to fight the Doctor another day.

There is, for me at least, a small problem with the flow of this tale and that is that a good chunk of it takes place inside the Matrix - the Time Lord's computer system. This gives us a very surreal engagement between the Doctor's mental self and that of the Master's minion (a traitorous Time Lords). Filmed entirely on location somewhere we have the Doctor facing a biplane, a train, a big game hunter and other aspects of the first World War. It just doesn't quite work very well. It looks out of place with everything else.

Though not a great story it is enjoyable and gets bonus thumbs up for giving us our first proper look at Time Lord society.

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 #65 : The Three Doctors

"Well Sergeant, aren't you going to say that it's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside - everybody else does."

Episode 65:   The Three Doctors.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, 2nd Doctor, 3rd Doctor and Jo Grant.
Air Date:        Four episodes. 30th December 1972 to 20th January 1973.

Time itself is in peril! The Time Lords find themselves besieged by a mysterious enemy, the legendary Time Lord, Omega. Omega has been inhabiting the anti-matter universe on the other side of the black hole from which the Time Lords draw their power.
They enlist the Doctor in his first three incarnations to battle this foe, who turns out to be a legend from the Time Lords' remote past.
But vital cosmic energy is draining into a black hole and the Time Lords are under siege. The Doctor is their only hope but, trapped in the TARDIS, he's powerless. The only way out is to break the First Law of Time to let the Doctor help himself - literally.

The first of the multi-Doctor stories and a rather good one to boot. Although called The Three Doctors, it is primarily Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee. William Hartnell was rather unwell at the time of filming so he is shown only on the TARDIS display screen giving advice to his other selves. Sadly, he would pass away only a few months after this episode. It does however set up the possibility of other stories where multiple Doctors can meet and interact. Other than the presence of multiple Doctors, what makes it work so well is how their interactions together are written and how you get the impression that different incarnations don't really get along with one another.

The villain of the piece is a former legendary Time Lord named Omega. He has been trapped in an anti-matter universe since giving the Time Lords the ability to travel through time and space. Driven somewhat mad by his isolation he wants to return to our universe. Although defeated, Omega will return much later during Peter Davison's time as the Doctor in The Arc of Infinity.

The Brigadier shows his usual lack of thought in this story, refusing to believe anything the Doctors tell him, and insisting that the anti-matter universe is in fact somewhere near Cromer in East Anglia. While it may work for the story it does make his character seem awfully thick.

Upon the completion of this adventure, the Time Lords forgive the Doctor his transgressions and free him to travel in time and space once more.

The Three Doctors is a great piece of entertainment that every fan of the show should watch.

Episode #58 : Colony in Space

"You’ll never understand. I want to see the universe, not to rule it."

Episode 58:       Colony in Space.
Companions:    The 3rd Doctor and Jo Grant.
Air Date:           Six episodes. 10th April to 15th May 1971.

The Time Lords discover that the Master has stolen their secret file on the Doomsday Weapon. They grant the Doctor a temporary reprieve from his exile on Earth to deal with the crisis. Jo and he arrive on the planet Uxarieus and become enmeshed in a struggle between an agrarian colony and a powerful mining corporation.

For the first time since Jon Pertwee took over the role as the Doctor, we get him off of Earth and out in to space again. The Time Lords sent him and Jo to prevent the Master from finding and using an ancient weapon of mass destruction before he can hold the rest of the universe to ransom with it. As an episode hook goes it doesn't really see a lot of time except near the climax of the story. Most of Colony in Space is action and some politics as the Doctor tries to deal with two conflicting sides (colonists and corporate miners) who both claim the planet as theirs. The Master meanwhile pretends to be an arbitrator sent from Earth to settle things.

It is a nice change of pace to get back away from the Earth bound UNIT stories and the issues dealt with are even more relevant in the modern day than they were in the early 1970s. The story deals with ruthless corporate interests over the plight of the common man (or worker). As it is portrayed, even Earth has become very draconian in its dealings with colonists. A possible look at our future perhaps?

Colony in Space is not the most interesting or gripping of stories but it is worth a watch. The Doctor and Jo both get some good moments of screen time, especially Jo, for whom this is her first visit inside the TARDIS and her first experience with time and space travel.

Episode #55 : Terror of the Autons

"I am usually referred to as The Master!"

Episode 55:    Terror of the Autons.
Companions:  The 3rd Doctor and Jo Grant.
Air Date:        Four episodes. 2nd to 23rd January 1971.

The Earth is in terrible danger when an evil renegade Time Lord known as the Master arrives at a circus run by a man named Luigi Rossini and steals a dormant Nestene energy unit from a museum. He reactivates it using a radio telescope and uses his hypnotic abilities to take control of a small plastics firm run by the Farrel family, where he organises the production of deadly Auton dolls, chairs and daffodils.

This story features the return of the Autons and the introduction of a villainous time lord calling himself The Master! The Autons are more of a secondary villain in this tale as it focuses more on the introduction of the Master as a major recurring bad guy for this season of the show. The Master is played exceedingly well by the actor Roger Delgardo. His appearance with goatee, mad staring eyes and his voice immediately make the character a hit.

Elements of this story, mainly an Auton plastic troll doll and a killer inflatable plastic chair, were part of a campaign by Mary Whitehouse and others, who claimed that the show was too frightening for children. Of course the hype only served to make the show more popular. The show would get many such complaints in the 70s and early 80s.

We get an introduction of two new characters starting with this story; Mike Yates - a new addition to the UNIT team, and Jo Grant, a rather ditzy young girl would replaces Liz Shaw as the Doctor's companion. Although Jo and the Doctor don't hit it off immediately, the two of them have great chemistry. Jo will go on to be one of the memorable companions of the classic show.

Terror of the Autons isn't a bad story but it could have been better I feel. It mainly serves to introduce the Master and Jo Grant.

Episode #50 : The War Games

"All these evils I have fought, while you have done nothing but observe! True, I am guilty of interference. Just as you are guilty of failing to use your great powers to help those in need!"

Episode 50:   The War Games.
Companions: The 2nd Doctor, Jamie McCrimmon and Zoe Heriot.
Air Date:        Ten episodes. 19th April to 21st June 1969.

The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe arrive on an unnamed planet. At first believing themselves in the midst of World War I, they realise it to be one of many War Zones overseen by the War Lords, who have kidnapped large numbers of human soldiers in order to create an army to conquer the galaxy. Infiltrating the control base, the Doctor discovers that the War Chief is also a Time Lord. The creeping realisation sets in that the Doctor cannot solve this problem alone, and that his days of wandering may be at an end.

This is the final story for the second incarnation of the Doctor, barring the three one off episodes in the future. It is a shame that at ten episodes it is by far too long and all rather dull because of it. Only at the end when we get our first look at the Times Lords does the interest factor once again come back. Very disappointing.

At the end of the story, when the villainous War Chief and the War Lords have been dealt with by the Time Lords, the Doctor is put on trial for his interference in galactic events. Other than the War Chief and the Monk this is the first time we get a look at the Doctors own people and what they are like. After defending himself in their court, it is decided that he is doing good in the universe and will be sent back in exile to the Earth with no knowledge of how to fly the TARDIS, and the Time Lords force him to regenerate.

As for Zoe and Jaime, they are both sent back to where the Doctor picked them up but the Time Lords wipe their memories of the time they spent with the Doctor. I find this curious as they don't do this to any of his other companions past or future.

Over his time on screen, Patrick Troughton plays a very different Doctor to William Hartnell. I just don't find him a particularly good actor, though he does seem better in later appearances with his future incarnations. Some of it I put down to 1960's production values with black and white television.