Between 1984 and 1986, 11 stories (44 episodes) and one radio serial were recorded featuring the 6th Doctor. Please note that in Australia, season 22 of Doctor Who was broadcast in 26 (25 minute) episodes. I'd like to share my thoughts on the stories of this era...
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Season 21:
The Caves of Androzani (Part 4)
The 6th Doctor appears at the end of the best regeneration sequence in the history of the program. Colin Baker's performance is fully established from his very first lines. He's cool, calm, a little arrogant... a bit alien in the way his predecessor wasn't. Funny, when I watch it now, my attention is on Nicola Bryant behind him...
The Twin Dilemma (4 Parts)
When I originally saw this in 1984, I thought great Doctor, poor story! I haven't changed my mind. Still I thought Hugo would have made a good companion. I always liked the concept of the Doctor having two companions at the same time... errr... let me rephrase that...
Season 22:
Attack of the Cybermen (4 Parts)
Very slick adventure. I always think of Dire Straits' Walk of Life when I see this! It must have been on the TV around the time this season was broadcast in 1985. A sequel to The Tomb of The Cybermen and in a way, Resurrection of The Daleks. A lot of people see it as the most derivative story in history but that's unfair as I think it was an attempt to give a new generation their own "Tomb" story. The last known copies of "Tomb" would not be found for a number of years after this story was made. It's therefore more of an update than a rip-off (although of course the Troughton story is vastly superior). I do think that the scene where two Cybermen crush Lytton's hands to the point where they bleed was over the top and the production team and not Colin Baker were to blame. Cheer up fellas - we wouldn't have been able to see much of Koo Stark under one of those Cryon suits if she had done the show!
Vengeance on Varos (4 Parts)
The most misunderstood story of all time. Even at 12 years of age I got the idea that the message was public acceptance and exhibition of violence is a bad thing. Yes, as the DVD reveals, the first Varosian guard accidentally falls into the acid bath and the other is pulled in by his partner while trying to throw the Doctor in alive. And no, I wouldn't have cried any tears over them either. And neither would the conservative misfits looking for an excuse to criticize the show. Like all Doctor Who I have seen (and believe me I've seen most of it) the violence in this story is very tame compared with other mainstream programs. This story should have been most famous for introducing the character of Sil.
The Mark of The Rani (4 Parts)
An historical story that introduced the Rani. This one drags a little but I think at the time I was so enjoying the adventures of the new Doctor that I didn't mind! What makes this one a bit different is that it's a three way battle between the Doctor, the Master and the Rani. There are some classic moments and in my opinion Pip and Jane Baker wrote the best scripts featuring the 6th Doctor. I think the Master and the Rani were going to be an ongoing double act after this but... it wasn't to be.
The Two Doctors (6 Parts)
In 1985 I used to watch the show on a black and white TV in my bedroom so I missed the significance of the opening scene with the 2nd Doctor and Jamie. I think I may have missed one of the episodes as well at the time so I couldn't really follow it! Dear old Patrick Troughton is wonderful and so is Frazer Hines. It kind of gave The new Doctor a stamp of approval or acceptance into the fold in an official sense... I know what I mean! This show epitomized the way in which the 6th Doctor's era was both innovative and derivative. Written by Robert Holmes - probably the greatest Who writer of all time - this story certainly does not deserve the criticism it has received. It drags a little (what 6 parter doesn't?) and some of the direction is indifferent but it was certainly entertaining.
Timelash (4 Parts)
This was my favorite at the time. I loved the idea of having H. G. Wells involved in a Doctor Who story and can remember the voice over at the end of the first broadcast of part 4 declaring that "they really know how to finish a Doctor Who story!" Yet when you read Who literature the story is vilified as being simplistic, boring, drab, miscast and generally a waste of time. Well apart from the inexplicable survival of the Doctor and Herbert as they reappear at the end of the story, I can't see any faults in the story at all. You just can't please some people! When I think of many of the formula driven, repetitive and over-played Who stories of the 1970's I shriek at the injustice of it all. It was probably the most traditional of all the 6th Doctor's stories. Again I think Herbert would have made a great companion. A great shame Glen McCoy never wrote for Who again.
Revelation of the Daleks (4 Parts)
A very moody but stylish adventure. Yes it does drag a bit and I don't think that this was one of Eric Saward's best scripts but it was certainly the most different Dalek adventure of all time. Set in a morgue and involving such interesting elements as a glass dalek, human/dalek hybrids, an excommunicated knight turned assassin and an off-beat DJ who entertains and informs the cryogenically frozen - its no wonder it's often touted as the best example of this mid-Nathan-Turner preoccupation with making the old and stale new again.
Hiatus:
Colin Baker appeared as the 6th Doctor on Jim'll Fix It in a short story called In a Fix with the Sontarans. He appeared with Janet Fielding (who played Tegan during the 5th Doctor's era), a young fan named Gareth Jenkins and two Sontarans named Nathan and Turner! Obviously not considered part of accepted Doctor Who canon.
Colin and Nicola starred in this 1985 radio play based on the humorous style of Douglas Adams. It was broadcast in 6 parts of ten minutes duration. This story is also not considered part of the accepted Doctor Who mythos.
Season 23:
Please note that season 23 was broadcast under the Umbrella title The Trial of a Time Lord. It's certainly clear that no one had learnt from the mistakes of season 16!!
The Mysterious Planet (4 Parts)
The last complete Holmes script. This is the story that introduced the character of Glitz. The series now takes on a sort of B-grade budget feel, but the creativity remains. It's similar to the minimalist atmosphere of The Sontaran Experiment at time in the location sequences. The most noticeable difference is that the Doctor and Peri are now getting on well. In fact I don't think they argue at all. There is a more humorous slant now - but it's not too self-conscious. The dark humour shared by Glitz and Dibber in Part One is a good example of this. The Doctor's taste in waistcoats has improved but this is the last appearance of the blue tie!
Mindwarp (4 Parts)
Probably the worst section of the trial storyline. Philip Martin has claimed his story was bastardized by Script Editor Eric Saward and I'm afraid its the only explanation. If it wasn't for the trial sub-plot, I don't think there would have been much enough story there as to sustain 4 parts. Brian Blessed was excellent playing a Vultan type character (i.e.. Flash Gordon). To be honest I even hate the music. Perhaps its because Peri is denied a fitting send-off, or maybe its because nothing at all interesting happens and you just keep hoping something would. At least the Doctor's ties seem to indicate what part of his personal history each story occurs in - but I still think the majority of the lay audience got confused early on an gave up. It was 1986 and my original enthusiasm for the show had began to wane and I blame this story! I seems there was just a decision to commission a Sil sequel and not much more thought went into it than that. Aside perhaps from The Twin Dilemma, this is the one and only true stinker of the era.
Terror of the Vervoids (4 Parts)
Ah, Pip and Jane Baker are back and everything improves! I love the Vervoids. I even love their costumes... I don't know I just want to water them or something! The best story of the season by the best writers of the 6th Doctor's era. They seemed to understand the 6th Doctor very well. Michael Craig gives an excellent performance as Travers. This story is kind of a Christie type Whodunit in space! The references to the trial are kept to a minimum and helps to give it the feeling of a typical Doctor Who adventure.
The Ultimate Foe (2 Parts)
Despite the fact that the first part was written by Robert Holmes and the second part was written by Pip and Jane Baker, this story is remarkably even. It's a toss up for second place between this and The Mysterious Planet for second place as the best script of the season. I think this one just pips the post as it is very imaginative and breaks the trial storyline away from the trial room situation that certainly becomes a bit tedious by the second story.
