The Android Invasion - Episode 2

After the rather intriguing reprise there is an unusually slow start. After Sarah rescues the Doctor they spend a bit of time running and then they have a sit down. There is a bit of explanation about Guy Crayford and the idea that people on earth think he is dead. This is quite an important moment in the story and will become relevant in later episodes.

The ugly looking face that was shown at the end of the previous episode is called a Kraal and as a mask it’s quite good and the Kraal’s are quite well realised. Sadly the problem comes from the fact that their whole plan is rather convoluted. Convoluted to the point that it could have been thought up by the Master. Even the information text on the DVD seem to be taking a dig at this point.

Despite the weird goings on, Sarah and the Doctor still think that they are on earth and when they encounter Benton they think that he’s the real Benton. It’s great the John Levene is back in the show especially as he’s not the usual Benton. Ian Marter is another person that appears as a different version of a character we’ve previously met. For viewers watching, its only been nine weeks since Harry left the series. He’s been more useful in this episode than he was in most of the episodes that he appeared in.

There’s a slightly frustrating thing where Sarah hurts her ankle. It’s a terribly clichéd thing that happens but I shouldn’t really be surprised about this. But what started out as a clichéd thing turns into an surprising turn of events for Sarah. I think that Elisabeth Sladen and Tom Baker give fine performances in this episode but it doesn’t happen until they have their scene in the shop. Sadly Terry Nation seems to have taken his foot of the accelerator in terms of mystery and excitement. It’s only down to Barry Letts that this wasn’t a total dud.

It doesn’t happen until the very end of this episode but the Doctor finally twigs what’s going on just before the big reveal. It’s an odd thing that it takes until the final moments of the second episode before it’s all put together. Normally it wouldn’t take this long for the Doctor to put two and two together.

The cliffhanger is fantastic. There is no other word for it. I love the fact that it sort of comes out of nowhere as its never really implied that the Sarah that the Doctor is talking to is an android. The last shot is of an android Sarah with her face off. The first time that I ever saw this I was completely surprised with what I saw. It was a great ending to what was an ok episode. I won’t say that I was bored by what I was watching but I just think that it seemed to lack something. Can’t quite put my finger on it but its far from the worst story ever but I am surprised with how underwhelmed I have felt about this episode.