The Android Invasion

(Series 13, Episodes 13-16)

Summary: The Doctor and Sarah arrive in a village where they don’t like strangers.  So far, so cliché.  However, the Doctor gets suspicious when even Benton doesn’t seem to recognise him.  Turns out, a manned mission to Jupiter has gone awry and the Kraals are trying to take over the Earth (probably for the oak trees).  It pays to know whether or not your friends like drinking ginger beer, although I’ll be honest, I lost track of who was real towards the end.

Watch it because: Mr Benton, I have loved you well.  Enjoy that Chinese with your sister.  (Does she know your first name?)

Original Air Date: 22 November – 13 December 1975.

Doctor: Tom Baker.

Companions: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen).

Writer: Terry Nation.

Director: Barry Letts.

Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe.

Pyramids of Mars

(Series 13, Episodes 9-12)

Summary: Sarah inherits Victoria’s dress, but thankfully not her screaming, and turns out to be an excellent shot.  The Doctor gets angsty about job satisfaction whilst battling busty mummies and makes a new buddy who gets benched and then killed.  The bottom fondling chair makes its infamous debut and although the plot doesn’t make a whole lot of sense if you think about it too hard, it does look great (though really, why is there a priest hole in a Victorian gothic folly?).

Watch it because: The gorgeous Egyptian imagery.

Original Air Date: 25 October – 15 November 1975.

Doctor: Tom Baker.

Companions: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen).

Writer: “Stephen Harris” (Robert Homes & Lewis Greifer).

Director: Paddy Russell.

Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe.