The Deadly Assassin: well here we go with literally everything about Gallifrey and Time Lord society that will influence the show for the next 40+ years.
You can kind of see why it rankled some fans at the time, with how it destroys the Time Lords godlike status. #DoctorWho
Funny how when we get to see Gallifrey extensively in Tom’s era, it’s basically a planet of William Hartnells. He’d fit in well here.
Makes perfect sense that his Doctor was moulded by this society, while the subsequent ones were shaped by his companions, travels, etc. #DoctorWho
It gets increasingly obvious Dask is the one behind it all. Right from the start he’s the innocuous-seeming one with no agenda, no hostility towards the others… alarm bells right there! 😅
And that discoloured monitor image barely disguises his face. #DoctorWho
If Leela got her Victorian underwear from the TARDIS along with the rest of the outfit… doesn’t that lead to the logical conclusion that the Doctor’s got a room somewhere with an enormous collection of women’s underwear from throughout history?
The dirty sod! #DoctorWho
One minor annoying plothole: Greel claims to be the first man to travel through time, but he’s aware of “Time Agents”?
Or was the idea that the Time Agency may be some alien organisation monitoring time, nothing to do with Earth (as we all assumed since Captain Jack) #DoctorWho
Horror Of Fang Rock: following on from Talons, this seems to be basically in the same style. You wouldn’t initially know there was a new production team in charge.
A return to the classic ‘base-under-siege’ story, and done very well. #DoctorWho
Adelaide is such an annoying drip that you wish Leela had slapped her harder. 😄
And it comes as a relief when the Rutan finally bumps her off. #DoctorWho
Leela at the end of Horror Of Fang Rock: #DoctorWho
Image Of The Fendahl: this immediately seems like a bit of a throwback to the Pertwee era, with its time scanners and satanic covens. You half-expect the Brig and UNIT to burst in and arrest everyone.
(In fact… they *should* be all over this. Where are they? 😛) #DoctorWho
“You must have been sent by providence.”
“No, I were sent by the council to cut the verges…”
😄
Still not entirely sure of Max’s motivation in all of it, but he does get some hilarious bad-guy dialogue:
“It’s too late…”
*pauses, looks off-camera*
“…TOO LATE FOR ALL THE MEDDLING FOOLS!”
Jesus, Graham, what happened to the BBC edict to “tone down the violence”? Fendelman is shot in the head!
And the Doctor giving Max the gun so he can commit suicide rather than succumb to the Fendahl is quite the eyebrow-raising moment too… 👀 #DoctorWho
It's a kids show!
Underworld: oh boy, “underwhelmed” more like. 😕
To be fair, the first episode on the Minyan spaceship is passable enough, it’s only once we dive into the glorious world of full-on CSO (greenscreen for you under-40s) that it all goes to pot. #DoctorWho
Given the budgetary restraints Graham Williams was working under, it’s baffling why he always opted for so many outer-space/alien planet stories, an immediate strain on resources.
The earth-based stories like Fang Rock & Fendahl worked great. Just do more of those! #DoctorWho
Best moment is at the end when the Doctor chastises Jackson and forces him to take the escaped slaves from the planet away with him on the ship.
The only other noteworthy thing about this story is it inspired the name of the knicker-factory in Coronation Street…😄 #DoctorWho
The Chancellery Guard have never been portrayed as so stupid as they are here, almost getting to Keystone Cops levels of incompetence, with how the Doctor and everyone else run rings round them.
And the Sontarans are almost as bad when they turn up. #DoctorWho
Nice to see lots more TARDIS interior beyond the console room, but hard to buy the location as being part of the same place
And the budget may have been small, but it’s coming to something when the awesome machinery of Gallifrey is represented by…a grotty factory…😕 #DoctorWho
“DIE, SUN LOUNGERS! MORTAL ENEMY OF THE GLORIOUS SONTARAN EMPIRE!”
Leela’s departure is so bizarre and rushed, thankfully the last example of the stupid “marrying someone you’ve known 5 minutes” ending. (Peri’s is at least a bit different)
Between the public favourite of Sarah Jane and the fan-favourite of Romana, Leela was brilliant and criminally-overlooked. #DoctorWho
The Ribos Operation: after the ups and downs in quality of the previous season, things get a bit more consistent from here on.
Bob Holmes delivers the goods again, with great characters and dialogue and his usual effortless worldbuilding. #DoctorWho
I like the Doctor’s initial irritation at being lumbered with Romana(voratrelundar), and her cool psychological analysis of him.
Rodan from the previous story was so similar to Romana I that she must have been an inspiration, surely? #DoctorWho
I always enjoy a good old-fashioned mad booming villain like the Captain.
Nice twist with the Nurse being the real power behind it all, as she gets subtly more visible and prominent over the course of the four episodes. #DoctorWho
"The Quest is the Quest" catchphrase is pretty much the most memorable thing, I think.
The backstory of Minyos and how the Minyans saw Gallifrey as gods also is interesting, but Baker and Martin just didn't seem to do much with it beyond making it the explanation to why Gallifrey doesn't interfere (usually) anymore.
The script has good lines, like Leela telling Idas, "Do not worry. He has saved many fathers." But as you note, overall there just isn't enough for #DoctorWho.
Gavin Winters
Sven
Metebelis Two Podcast