One of the main reasons
why I state Season 16 of Doctor Who being one of my all-time favourites is
because of the brilliant differences to every single story. Not one of the
stories shares a jot of similarity with the next tale. Well, perhaps only the not
over egged theme of the Key to Time is present throughout of course, but the
Key to Time element is handled well and brilliantly within every story.
I am not familiar with The
Prisoner of Zenda at all. One hears constantly that The Androids of Tara is
just Doctor Who doing this film with a sci fi gloss. That I haven't seen
Prisoner of Zenda is probably why I am so in favour of this story and enjoy it
so much. As only the second script to come from relative newcomer at the time,
David Fisher, it's an extremely confident effort and boasts some superb
characterisation. With the main focus for once not being on the Doctor, but
this time upon Mary Tamm's Romana.
I suppose one must first
mention the only weak point of the story. The Taran Wood Beast is very very
laughably rubbish as a design. But as a person who never once minded these bad
costume designs or wobbly sets and such in the show, one can forgive the story
for the Taran Wood Beast! But for me this seriously is the only real point I
can find with this story that isn't sublime.
Mary Tamm for me was
always the number one Romana. That she actually gets to play with four roles
within this story must have been enjoyable for Mary at the time. It certainly
appears that way. I find it highly amusing that with this story it is actually
the fault of the Doctor genuinely for once that Romana gets into so much
trouble, with him beginning the story by wanting to go fishing and have a
break. So, Romana is sent to locate the segment of the key to time, and she actually
finds it almost immediately. Not only this but also her costume for this story
is beautifully crafted and really suits her character to a tee. The gorgeous
purple velvet shines in every scene!
But then the superb Peter
Jeffrey turns up as the power mad Count Grendel of Gracht and the story just
bolts along from this moment. One cannot understate just how good Peter is in
this story. He is a sublime and ripe villain, and it's obvious Peter is
enjoying playing the power mad psychopath. His final showdown of clashing
swords with Tom Baker's Doctor is absolutely one of the finest sword fights we
see in the classic run of the show. It's choreographed superbly well and seems
totally realistic and paced to perfection. It makes for a splendid climax to a
story driven by politics and the fact that Romana is the exact double of
Princess Strella. So within the story Mary plays both these parts and androids
of both characters too! And of course, she does this with such ease that it
comes off on screen very very easily.
We also have the added
delight of having Cyril Shaps back for a turn at a role in Doctor Who yet
again. Cyril was always cast well in the show, particularly in Tomb of the
Cybermen and Planet of the Spiders. But here is the only story where his character
is not killed, so I actually was glad of this and breathed a sigh of relief. He
plays the Archimandrite superbly in parts two and three.
Neville Jason is cast well
too as the slightly naive Prince Reynart, he portrays a King you do feel for.
In that he is not a mad or mean character, but a well formed and trustworthy
man who falls foul of the vicious Grendel's schemes. He also performs the
scenes of the Robot King very well too. His final scene together with Mary
Tamm's Strella is very touching and an excellent end to the tale in part four.
But this may surprise you
all but within this story my favourite character is by far and away Lois
Baxter's Madam Lamia. I think how she portrays her devotion to the Count steals
the show frankly. She is somewhat a bit aloof and venomous in her treatment of
Romana, but the way the Count uses her makes one still feel sorry for her. I
was even more sorry for her when one of the Count's foolish guards ends up
putting a laser bolt through her. I think I am right in saying too that this
story is the first and only to ever be so bold as to have the Count state that
just because he once granted her a certain courtesy Madam Lamia thinks she is
automatically first in his affections. And we all know what he means by "a
certain courtesy". With this utterance a malicious character becomes an
irredeemable one and the delicious malice Peter Jeffrey gives the Count in
these scenes makes him one of those easy to loathe characters but love at the
same time. But Lois is as I said brilliant, and it’s so saddening to see her,
and not her Master, die because of his inane psychosis.
The Key to Time season for
me was so varied and wonderful. Every story had a strong central theme. David
Fisher would go on to deliver two more scripts for the series, The Creature
from the Pit and the Leisure Hive, but I think his debut script, The Stones of
Blood, and The Androids of Tara are by far and away his greatest contributions
to the show in my own opinion. Well the production team also must have thought
his scripts good too, because he has two stories leading straight on from each
other. And both are full to the brim of superb storytelling and interesting
ideas.
One also appreciates the
fact that for once the defeated despot gets to live, only he is sent packing in
disgrace. One can easily get tired of the villain always just being
conveniently polished off and killed. That David Fisher avoids this trapping is
only to the story's aid as well. As perhaps it leaves the door open for a
future return of the Count, perhaps...?!
The Androids of Tara comes
over rather like a pseudo-historical, but one on an Alien Planet. We have the
scenes of the historic looking castles but then are introduced to the knowledge
that the kingdom is advanced enough to be adept in mechanics and android
construction. It’s an interesting idea that works very well in my opinion. And
one can never forget the excellently amusing finale scene of K9 being adrift in
the moat in a boat all on his lonesome! That the Doctor laughs heartily upon
seeing his mechanical dog's predicament makes him actually seem a little unfair
here. But the scene is still a perfect round off to a very very strong
instalment of the Key to Time season.
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