| FOUR TO DOOMSDAY by Terence Dudley |
| Story 117 Synopsis: The TARDIS materialises on board a spaceship, close to Earth. Exploring, the Doctor leads his friends to the command deck, where they are greeted by Monarch, who is travelling to Earth from his planet, Urbanka. Treated as guests, the Doctor is bemused to find members if various Earth cultures, from disparate time periods. They talk mainly to Bigon, a Greek philosopher. Adric thinks Monarch is alright, but Tegan and Nyssa are sceptical. Bigon reveals that everyone on board is an android, which is how Monarch can store 3 million Urbankans until they arrive on Earth. Monarch plans to displace the human race, and also to journey back to the beginning of the universe, where he thinks he will meet himself. Adric seems to believe him, and goes to ask the Doctor to allow Monarch into the TARDIS. Nyssa is hypnotised in the first stage of replacement, but the Doctor and Bigon rescue her. Tegan returns to the TARDIS, managing to make it dematerialise. The Doctor evades beheading, and saves Bigon from being destroyed. The TARDIS is hovering in space close to the ship. The Doctor spacewalks to get to it. Monarch tries to steal the TARDIS, but the Doctor uses his own poison against him. Bigon leads the ship away from Earth, to seek a new future. Once inside the TARDIS, Nyssa faints... |
| Review:- So after an uncertain start on Castrovalva, the 5th Doctor gets his first chance to show what he is capable of. He does this by putting himself making to the max physically, and he certainly seems a little slow at fathoming out Monarch. But then, that's hardly surprising... This is an odd story, not being a sequel to any other, yet dropping in continuity comments all over the place. There is much talk of Earth, but the only real human present is Tegan. We have a new alien species who have great technology, but they seem minimal, as if only included to tell this story. Certainly no-one has ever followed up on the Urbankan issue. Monarch is a decent, solid villain. Mad, yet original. Harsh, yet whimsical. He hardly bats an eyelid at the TARDIS' arrival, factoring it into his plans immediately. His ruthlessness becomes all-consuming, and his eventual demise is rather tragic, really (and would crop up again in The Twin Dilemma). Enlightenment and Persuasion are an odd couple, too. She seems content to stay at Monarch's right hand, allowing Persuasion to do all the action-work. Quite what her role is, in this set-up, is unknown. She finally gets off her backside in part 4, but only because Persuasion has been got at, and to allow her own denouement. Of the sampled humans, Bigon takes the bulk of the action. This is fine, as spread between all 4, the story might have struggled. Kurkutji has little impact, save to show off Tegan's roots as an Australian (and there has been comment about her ability to understand a language so old). Villagra's cunning vow of silence curtails any need to bother with her character. Lin Futu is an oddity - nowadays I would assume that Burt Kwouk is considered as big, if not bigger than, Stratford Johns, yet he hardly has any part at all! At least it is his change of heart that allows the smooth finish. Bigon himself manages to retain conviction and credibility. His philosophy allows him access to morality, and is swift to side with the Doctor when the chance comes. As for the regulars, Adric doesn't help matters by swallowing Monarch's lies, and Tegan manages to put herself and her friends in jeopardy by shifting the TARDIS off the ship altogether. Nyssa provides a still point, for want of a better phrase, to counterpoint her other friends' silliness. Above all this, the Doctor tries to keep the peace, although his clear preference for the wisdom of elders means he's happier with Bigon than his companions. Still, he does manage to pull off some exceptional work, reaching the TARDIS, and rescuing Bigon. On the whole, an odd story, but after a slow and often tedious build-up, the final episode is worth seeing. One last thing, though... if the spaceship is on an even course at all times, why doesn't the TARDIS drift away from it? Is it caught in some kind of gravity field? Is that feasible? |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video, and read the book. |