| THE THREE DOCTORS by Bob Baker & Dave Martin |
| Story 65 Synopsis: Something mysterious has landed on Earth, and is making people vanish. When it is brought to UNIT HQ, the Doctor soon thinks it's after him. He sends an SOS to the Time Lords, but they're in trouble too, and send the 2nd Doctor to help. The 3rd Doctor and Jo are zapped by the mysterious organism. The Brigadier is surprised to see the 2nd Doctor, though Benton accepts him. Using a forcefield, they stay safe in the TARDIS. But the 1st Doctor suggests switching it off, and they and all of UNIT HQ is zapped. All arrive in a universe of anti-matter, where the Doctors meet their kidnapper, who is also causing a power drain on Gallifrey. It is Omega, the scientist who gave the secret of time travel to the Time Lords. He feels his fellows abandoned him on purpose, though the Doctors say they thought he'd been killed. Omega wants them to take his place so he can return to the matter universe, but they show he has no physical existence. They use the 2nd Doctor's recorder to allow Omega freedom - death. The power drain on Gallifrey ceases, so the Time Lords send a new dematerialisation circuit as a mark of gratitude. The 3rd Doctor's exile is over. |
| Review:- To begin the 10th series of Doctor Who, someone decided it would be a nice celebration to bring together the three actors who had so far played the Doctor in one story. It would become a controversial decision that would in part change the series forever. The iconoclasm touches everyone. The Time Lords of Gallifrey are not so supreme as they were. The previous Doctors are diminished. The Brigadier seems to have lost his marbles. There is much to enjoy, though. The moment that the blob organism arrives out of the drains, all hell breaks loose. The Doctor is suddenly in a total panic, and has nowhere to run. It's rather a shame that the Brig consequently thinks everything is his fault. As if he could actually transport UNIT HQ by himself! Stupid. I rather like the look of Omega's world. Yes, it's a quarry, but it looks more stylish than many visits, and his palace is rather special. As is his majestic mask. Sadly that's about as nice as I can get. The Gel Guards must be one of the worst designed monsters ever seen. Rex Robinson gives his usual half-baked effort as Dr Tyler (although he is touchingly rational for a scientist). Patrick Troughton appears to be playing it by numbers (although his recorder fetish does turn out to be relevant), and poor William Hartnell is too immobile to be of any real use. The monster supposed to represent the darkside of Omega is sadly not credible. Worst though is the padding. Many times, I see complaints of padding, and gawp at the apparent cynicism, wondering what the problem is. Here, the padding means that the cliffhangers are prolonged unnaturally, and it's usually the Time Lords at fault. Omega doesn't appear until part 3, after hoops are jumped through to pad out the Doctor and Jo's arrival at his home. The silly wrestling match at the end of part 3 goes on interminably, and to no real drama. The final episode isn't as bad, but it's rather too late by then. The scene of the Doctors saying their goodbyes makes up in some part for the earlier drivel, but it's too little, too late. The final bluff does convince, in a madcap way, too. Many praise this story, or just forgive it for bringing the Doctors together. That the returning Doctors are not up to scratch, and that the rest of the storyline has nothing else to intrigue the viewer with, is a testament to failure. I wouldn't want to endorse this. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video, and possibly read the book. |