Several classic Doctor Who serials were beset with countless production problems. Enlightenment was threatened by an electrician's strike which meant that the story ran behind schedule, and due to this several of the character roles had to be recast at very short notice. Considering this story turns out to still be a cracker of a story this is nothing short of a resounding testament to the dedication of the director and the actors involved in the story. I for one consider it a great stroke of good fortune that this story managed to finally be completed so we could enjoy what has to be one of the most original and entertaining fifth Doctor stories of all.
I think it highly insulting that women writers barely ever were given the chance to contribute to the show. I am also greatly annoyed that in the end just this solo script was accepted from Barbara Clegg when she obviously had a real grasp of creating sublime and eerie and memorable drama that succeeds on so many levels. It is wonderful that two of her other proposed ideas have now at least been brought into the light of day by Big Finish Productions as audio dramas. These two others being Point of Entry and The Elite. Both exude the same excellence of characterisation that permeates Enlightenment. I most certainly, would have paid to see more stories from this extremely accomplished lady.
The notion of a intergalactic space race with old fashioned looking sailing ships is a real gem of a story idea. That Barbara weaves this idea into a very coherent but suitably well-paced script is wonderful considering the problems the production team had during its making. The acting on show in this story for a start is absolutely first rate. I think I would even go as far as to say that this is perhaps within the top tier of Peter Davison's stories.
For a start Cyril Luckham and Valentine Dyall are electrically charged in their respective roles of the White and Black Guardian. Valentine particularly shines and exudes palpable fear with that creepy and resonant voice he always had as an actor. Every scene he is in he dominates effortlessly. He truly made the Black Guardian a tantalisingly evil and cruel villain and it's so richly rewarding to see an actor of such distinction bring alive such a brilliant character. His anger at Turlough for failing to kill the Doctor is a delight to watch. And yet the more restrained Cyril Luckham wonderfully acts as a terrific foil to the sharp and malicious Black Guardian with his calmer, and more refined approach to the White Guardian. The final scene with the two of them together is one of the highlights of the story.
Keith Barron is incredibly polished as the Eternal Leader Captain Striker. He manages to make the villain totally soulless in a way that deeply unsettles and he never less than a riveting performer. The wonderfully vivacious Lynda Baron of Open All Hours fame too is delicious in the role of the acidic and heartless Captain Wrack. She is clearly delighted to be playing the role and she also manages to dominate and steal every scene in which she participates in.
Christopher Brown as Marriner, Striker's second in Command, is also highly entertaining. He is actually rather inept in his seeming failure to leave Tegan alone during the story. I adore the interactions between his love sick puppy act and Tegan's increased annoyance at basically being stalked by the soulless alien eternal. I love that Tegan too is shown to have brains and she is able to keep her innermost thoughts hidden from the mind reading creep. Again, these make for some memorable and fun scenes along the way.
The Eternals are a wonderfully unique villain too and their depiction as bored beings cursed with eternal life and craving the diversion of short-lived human souls with ragged emotions and diverting feelings is a very unsettling idea. I for one am surprised that these heartless alien nasties never returned to the show afterwards.
The Guardian Trilogy, as it was known, Mawdryn Undead, Terminus and finally, this tale is also by far the strongest period of stories for Mark Strickson's Turlough. I for one find it a crying shame that after these initial heavily charged entries for his character that Turlough then became increasingly ill written and abandoned throughout his later appearances on the show. Here in Enlightenment Mark clearly shows his class as an actor. And his performance as the hapless Trion Man attempting to break his bonds to the Black Guardian gives the story that extra edge that sets it above any of his other stories. Mark Strickson had the potential to be fantastic, and in his three introductory efforts he proved his mettle and it's a crying shame later stories would seem to forget he was even a part of the stories.
Enlightenment stands as a brilliantly display of what the show can do even under the threat of many production problems. The set design too is delightfully pleasing on the eye and the costume design is stunning. This all helps to round off Enlightenment as definitely a story I would pick to display just how brilliant the Peter Davison era of the show could be. It is when the show is inventive like this under pressure that it shows us why it is a show that has endured the passage of time, and why the show is still going just as strongly today.
Yes, I wish we had had more from the imagination
of Barbara Clegg. Enlightenment was a stroke of writing prowess I am glad
defied its production teething problems and emerged as one of the very finest
stories of 80's Doctor Who...
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