Sunday, 26 March 2017

Day of the Daleks

(Series 9, Episodes 1-4)

Summary: “We’re back!”  The Daleks are not quite so obliterated as the Doctor had hoped, and now they’ve enlisted the jackbooted, grunting Ogrons to help them.  The Doctor becomes a wine and cheese connoisseur, Jo is gullible, Yates pulls ranks and the Brigadier shouts a lot whilst dealing with unreasonable diplomats.  Everyone gets stuck in a cyclical argument and you may want to count the Daleks…

Watch it because: The Blinovitch Limitation Effect.


Original Air Date: 1 – 22 January 1972.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
Writer: Louis Marks.
Director: Paul Bernard.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Sunday, 19 March 2017

The Daemons

(Series 8, Episodes 22-26)

Summary: Magic versus science in a Generic English Village, populated by a collection of rural stereotypes with accents from Yorkshire to Devon.  The Master goes all out with his tarts and vicars costume, Jo is frequently belittled and the Doctor designs a neutron flow polarity reversing machine.  Benton is courted by a plummy witch and the Brigadier suggests five rounds rapid might defeat a flatfooted gargoyle, but in the end it’s confusion that wins the day. The Master is clapped in irons and, in one of the more surreal conclusions to an episode of Doctor Who, everyone indulges in a spot of maypole dancing.

Watch it because: Yates and Benton the Double Act.


Original Air Date: 22 May – 19 June 1971.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
Writer: Barry Letts & Robert Sloman.
Director: Christopher Barry.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Saturday, 18 March 2017

Colony in Space

(Series 8, Episodes 16-21)

Summary: Doctor Who gets back to what it does best – quarries in Wales…er, sorry, alien planets.  It’s the 25th Century, and sadistic commercialists in silly costumes are attempting to exploit a planet and scare off the humans trying to colonise it.  The natives aren’t happy about either party being there, but everyone’s plans are thwarted when a suspiciously motivated adjudicator arrives.  Jo explores different ways to be taken hostage, the Doctor shows off his mad combat skillz and everyone is a tiny bit Xenophobic.

Watch it because: Complex Caldwell.


Original Air Date: 10 April – 15 May 1971.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
Writer: Malcolm Hulke.
Director: Michael E. Briant.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Sunday, 12 March 2017

The Claws of Axos

(Series 8, Episodes 12-15)

Summary: The gold-plated/orange-tentacled Axons land in a leg of lamb and recruit the Master to help them take over the Earth.  Classic Who continues its obsession with cyclotrons and spectrographs, Yanks are courageous and Brits are pompous.  The Doctor and the Master bicker in a manner that can only fuel certain fanfiction writers, Jo is mostly imprisoned or screaming and the Brigadier gets snarkier by the minute.  School children take note: mental arithmetic can save your life.

Watch it because: The tragic fate of the overacting tramp.


Original Air Date: 13 March – 3 April 1971.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
Writer: Bob Baker & Dave Martin.
Director: Michael Ferguson.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Available on DVD? Yes.

Saturday, 11 March 2017

The Mind of Evil

(Series 8, Episodes 5-11)

Summary: Doctor Who meets Porridge, with a body count higher than the villages of Midsomer.  The Master cultivates his maniacal laugh, the Doctor battles a machine that feeds on evil and Jo’s main function is to Be Compassionate.  Poor old Sergeant Benton feels the sting of the Brigadier’s ever-so-slightly misogynistic sarcasm, whilst UNIT play fast and loose with missile security.  And the award for Most Enthusiastic Bit Part goes to Patrick Godfrey as Major Cosworth.

Watch it because: The Master’s worst fear is revealed…


Original Air Date: 30 January – 6 March 1971.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
Writer: Don Houghton.
Director: Timothy Combe.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Available on DVD? Yes.

Sunday, 5 March 2017

Terror of the Autons

(Series 8, Episodes 1-4)

Summary: “I am your master! You will obey me!”  Power trip, much?  Liz is put on a bus and we meet perky new assistant Jo Grant, who is somehow impossible not to like, despite her well-meaning blundering.  The Master’s in league with the Nestene Conciousness, so beware killer chairs, fake flowers and troll dolls.  I defy you not to wee yourself a little when the police officer turns around.

Watch it because: Everyone needs a nemesis…


Original Air Date: 2 – 23 January 1971.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
Writer: Robert Holmes.
Director: Barry Letts.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Available on DVD? Yes.

Saturday, 4 March 2017

Inferno

(Series 7, Episodes 19-25)

Summary: The Earth sicks up green goo that turns anyone who touches it into slathering zombie, the Doctor takes a trip to an Orwellian parallel universe of bad wigs and missing facial hair and everyone says penetration a lot.  In an episode all about a very big drill.

Watch it because: Parallel Eyepatch Brigadier is a gloriously shouty fascist.


Original Air Date: 9 May – 20 June 1970.
Doctor: Jon Pertwee.
Companions: Liz Shaw (Caroline John).
Writer: Don Houghton.
Director: Douglas Camfield.
Producer: Barry Letts.

Available on DVD? Yes.