So I have now reached the final story of the Key to Time
season and today’s episode is the 500th. This story is also the six
parter of the season. With so many four parters in a row, it’s weird when a six
parter arrives. Six parters have become something of a problem as far as the
show is concerned because when I was watching the Pertwee era they were really
fun to watch and now they seem to be a bit of a bore because they have to
almost change stories at the 2/3 point. I watch this story knowing what the
sixth and final segment of the key is but I wonder what those watching in 1979
would have thought the segment would be when they started to watch. This has never been one of my favourite
stories ever but I am hoping that watching it at steady pace might mean
something comes out at me that I have previously missed.
This story has a lot to live up to and do in a longer time
than previous stories and do it with probably less money than previous stories.
Lalla Ward makes her debut in the show but not as Romana. Here she plays
Princess Astra and from the moment she makes her first appearance on screen she
commands my attention.
John Woodvine is very good as The Marshall. I recognise him
from appearing in ‘The New Statesman’ and he played a slightly unhinged
policeman. As the Marshall there is something peculiar about him. Davyd Harries
plays Shapp who is the marshall’s right hand man and I found to be one of the
few moments of comedy in the episode. I don’t think he was intended to be funny
or says anything particularly funny but its just the way that he performs
because it’s the impression that I get.
Atrios is the planet featured in this story and its twelve
minutes before the segment if mentioned. Atrios is at war with Zeos and that’s pretty
much all that we need to know really. Due to the fact that money is tight, it
means that the lavish location filming that we have seen in previous stories
are gone and its all studio based from now on. I think that it adds a certain
amount of claustrophobia which might work in its favour.
As we approach the end of Mary Tamm’s time on the show, I am
reminded of how far the character has changed in such a short amount of time.
In ‘The Ribos Operation’ she was quite a snobby madam but now it feels like she’s
mellowed a lot and is forming quite a partnership with the Doctor. Due to the
fact that quite a bit is happening, it means that I don’t think Mary Tamm and
Tom Baker really got to stand out. I suppose that might be a good thing but
considering this is suppose to be such an important story its weird that they
spend so long in the TARDIS at the beginning of the story. Also I haven’t missed
K9.
The cliffhanger is a little bit disappointing. It’s just the
realisation that the TARDIS has gone but with five episodes left in the story,
it was clear that they weren’t going anywhere. Apart from that odd cliffhanger,
the whole episode has worked out quite well. The various aspects of the story
have been set up well and whilst it might be light on humour or location
filming, I think that the final story of this season might be a good one.
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