Well Christmas is over for another year and the celebrations
are a distant memory so now its time to not look at these episodes with a
festive cheer. Ok that might sound like I am about to rip this episode to
shreds but that’s not true. I’m just stating for the record (if such a thing
exists) that that I’m back to reviewing these stories as I see them. After the
rather mysterious and interesting opening episode, things seem to be moving at
a slower pace in today’s episode. Something that starts the episode after the
reprise is that Tegan becomes seasick.
Tegan’s seasickness is somewhat odd because I just think
that someone who wanted to be an air stewardess would be affected. It’s also
something that is sorted out quite quickly and seems to be a plot point just to
get her into her room. Tegan wakes up in the room with a picture of Aunt
Vanessa and there is a sense that Marriner has been going through her mind. This
is where we learn a lot more about the Eternals who are involved in this race.
The Captain (Barron) is strange but he explains what the
purpose of the story is. The information text reels off a list of people who
were considered for the role of Striker including Peter Sallis who had appeared
in ‘The Ice Warriors’ and was starring in Last of the Summer Wine and as much
as I think that Sallis and the names given would have been good additions I don’t
think that they would have done better than Barron. There is a good attempt to
dislike the Captain and his crew but I personally cant find it in me to dislike
him. Yes what they are doing is horrible and the lack of conscience is also
horrible but Barron’s performance is so good that I am almost willing to look
past it.
The spacesuits that are worn in this story are quite
impressive and wouldn’t look out of place in todays Doctor Who. It’s very rare
for costumes from the 1980’s to not look rubbish or cheesy by todays standards
but here the costumes work really well and I like the colour scheme which is
probably the reason why I think that way I do. I like the filming that takes
place on the deck of the ship. The whole visual that is created with this is
rather impressive and its credit that Fiona Cumming deserves. I made a note of
highlighting the fact that this story was the first story to be written and
directed by women which shouldn’t really be highlighted but is. Cumming is one
of the best directors in Doctor Who because she knows what she is doing and
directs her stories well. Even when things are moving slowly she still manages
to make what you see on screen work.
One thing that does stand out in this episode is the small matter
of Turlough trying to kill the Doctor. This is now officially the dumbest plot
idea in Doctor Who. They got away with it in the first story but now it just
seems like they have given up on it and that is why it doesn’t seem to be
getting as much screen time as it perhaps should considering it’s the last
story in the trilogy. Turlough is starting to crack under the pressure now that
the Black Guardian has decided he isn’t the best man to kill the Doctor. Turlough
ends the episode by jumping overboard. This is quite an effective cliffhanger
but I think that the episode as a whole has been a little bit disappointing. It
didn’t feel like it was actually doing anything and hadn’t progressed enough in
my opinion. Also there isn’t any of Gladys Emmanuel yet.
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