Colony in Space - Episode 5

Ok so after some rather naïve optimism at the beginning of the story, I have definelty come to the conclusion that I was right in my original opinion of this story. Even when Roger Delgado makes an appearance I still find myself rather underwhelmed by the story. It’s a shame that the first adventure for Jon Pertwee’s Doctor on another planet would be such a clunker. That said I still hold out hope that the final two episodes will pick up enough to prove me wrong.

There is a nice trial scene that takes place and is very much in the style of the one that we see in ‘The War Games’ where its clearly a farce and is designed to just show who’s boss. This means that Dent gets to be the big powerful figure now that the Master has been exposed as a fraud. The IMC guys do come out of this quite well as they are forced to leave the planet by the colonists and sneakily come back but manage to spring a surprise on the colonists. Caldwell still manages undermine Dent at every opportunity with the comments he makes. I think its down to Bernard Kay that I like this character so much. There is a scene where Mary Ashe is shrieking at Caldwell and honestly that particular shot could have come from an episode of Coronation Street in 2014.

It’s good that we don’t see the priest or the guardian. After their laughable appearance in the previous episode, it would have totally ruined this episode had they been seen. They are still mentioned and the Master is using the Doctor to find him but the Guardian and the Priest are better just mentioned instead of being seen. Sadly I know that they will make an appearance in the final episode but at least its just one more appearance and then that’s that.

As far as the central performances go. Delgado and Pertwee are both on fine form and I also have to say that Katy Manning’s involvement has greatly improved since the early stages of this story and the three of them are being used and are acting like they are important to the story. Even the supporting characters are helping rather excessive running time to pass without too much bother. I think that both the colonists and IMC are not annoying and I find myself sympathising with both groups which might have been the intention of Hulke.

This is by far the best episode of the story so far but that’s sort of damning with faint praise. It is however a stronger episode because things happen and not just one thing but many things. Also the cliffhanger is far better than what we have had. Due to the IMC somehow managing to get their way into the Master’s TARDIS in a rather convenient way and due to triggering the alarms forces the Master to press a button which could kill Jo. I say could but we all know that she makes for many more episodes but what’s quite interesting is that the Master doesn’t stop to realise that its IMC guys in the TARDIS and not the colonists but that’s a minor quibble.