| THE ARK by Paul Erickson |
| Story 23 Synopsis: The TARDIS materialises in a jungle, bringing the Doctor, Steven and a flu-suffering Dodo to find themselves on board an enormous spaceship, taking the last survivors of Earth on a 700 year mission to the planet Refusis, which they will colonise. The human race are now augmented by the Monoids, a monoptic race who act as servants and equals to the humans. Dodo's flu causes problems, as the humans have long eradicated the virus, leaving them vulnerable. The travellers are sentenced to death for genocide, until Steven falls ill, and it becomes clear that the travellers are as susceptible. The Doctor synthesises a cure, and they are allowed to leave. But they travel forward 700 years, to find that the Monoids have assumed control, with the vestiges of Dodo's flu keeping the humans subjugated. Arriving at Refusis, the Doctor finds the locals friendly but invisible. The Monoids want to destroy the humans, but the Doctor negotiates a settlement whereby the humans and Monoids will live in peace with the Refusians. |
| Review:- So, having added a new companion at the tail end of The Massacre, the Doctor has his first full adventure with Dodo (not forgetting Salvation, of course). The concept of the remnant of humanity leaving their doomed planet to set up home elsewhere is not unique, and gets another run-out in The Ark In Space. But here, we get some amusing twists, which help make the story seem fresh and watchable. The Monoids are our prime new alien race for inspection, and they come across quite well, given that their culture is glossed over almost totally. Perhaps the story of the downfall of their planet is one for another day. When they assume control in the second half of the story, they address each as numbers which is rather quirky, particularly when a monoptical race might have a good reason to consider the power of the number 1. In the book Licence Denied, there is an article which mentions that the episodes follow each other 2 by 2, which given the nursery rhyme about the animals on Noah's Ark, amused me very much, and still does. That this is a four-part story comprising two two-parters makes light of the usual complaints made about six-parters being four+two parters. In fact, The Ark is almost a prototype for Season 22, and when I watched this, I marvelled that parts 1 and 3 fly by as if 15 minutes long, whereas parts 2 and 4 seem to have about 35 minutes of action (certainly we get exposition followed by answers). The whole plot with the common cold gives all the regulars some good work. The Doctor shows off his scientific genius, Steven gets them off the hook when it becomes clear he is as susceptible as the humans, whilst Dodo cheerily comes to terms with the effects of possibly changing history. During the 2nd half of the story, the Doctor and Dodo start to build a team, and the Doctor uses his arbitration skills to bring the Refusians on side, allowing for a peaceful future for the humans and the Monoids. When he deduces that the Monoid bomb is in the statue, it looks as if he is satisfied to get rid of it. An all-round great show. One thing that always gets me is that Dr Who reference books all state that the humans' 700 year journey is from Earth to Refusis II. The novelisation and the show itself both make it quite clear. They are going to Refusis, which they will rename Earth II. Ah well, what can you do? Overall, a solid story that even gives us a live elephant. Worth seeing. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video, and read the book. |