| THE HAND OF FEAR by Bob Baker and Dave Martin |
| Story 87 Synopsis: The TARDIS lands in a quarry, and the Doctor and Sarah emerge, only to get caught in the blast zone of a rock removing explosion. The Doctor comes through unscathed but Sarah has a concussion. She has also got a firm grip on a stone hand. Taken to a hospital, she takes an ornate ring from the hand, then flees with the hand, going to a nearby nuclear reactor. The hand regenerates a body based on Sarah's shape. It calls itself Eldrad, and claims to have been a victim of an injustice on its home planet, Kastria. The Doctor decides it is safer to take Eldrad home than to keep her on Earth. But Kastria is a cold, inhospitable place. Worse, after a little mishap, Eldrad regenerates herself into her natural hulking form. The Kastrians were a silicon-based lifeform, and Eldrad's ideas were considered a danger to the species. She was sentenced as a criminal, and ejected into space. But there was a highly slim chance that Eldrad would find a way to return. So the Kastrians chose to kill themselves, to prevent Eldrad benefiting from their secrets. Eldrad takes a tumble into a chasm. Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor receives a telepathic summons from Gallifrey, but knows he can't take Sarah. She has been feeling a little downtrodden anyhow, so he drops her off in Hillview Rd, South Croydon, her home. But as the TARDIS departs, she realises that it's actually somewhere else. |
| Review:- A fairly clear cut tale, with one twist, that in true Columbo fashion, is known to the casual viewer from the outset, so it only remains to be seem how long it will be before our heroes deduce the truth, and whether they can still save the day when they know. The Doctor doesn't have a lot to do really. He puts Sarah in danger, then does his best to get her out of danger, then tries to compensate by taking Eldrad home to right her wrong, then finds out the truth, and makes short work of another would-be dictator. Sarah, on the other hand, has lots to do, and does it superbly. From the opening peril of being buried under a rockfall, to being at the epicentre of a nuclear explosion, and being possessed along the way - her trust in Eldrad being abused is a understated nastiness too. She then suffers the final indignity of being dumped by the Doctor, like an afterthought. Though he tries to make a special effort to get her home, he fails, and is less sure that she will remember him than that he will remember her. But her final moment, as she looks to the skies, is arguably the best send-off a companion ever had. Eldrad's role starts small, and gets progressively bigger through the story. As a silicon-based lifeform, it proves suprisingly resilient, playing its role well, building up slowly as a wronged victim, but becoming less convincing as it gains in power. King Rokon gets about a minute, during which he has to emphasise that Eldrad's villainy was so great that an entire race chose annhilation rather than accept the slimmest of chances that Eldrad would return. Rather hefty evidence against Eldrad really. Glyn Houston as Professor Watson is absolutely brilliant in my view. He is the sort of character who you know would actually be obstinate, but gives in for the greater good. His scene of talking to his family when he thinks he won't see them again is a cliche that fails 9 times out of 10. Thankfully, this is the 1 time it works beautifully. I actually watched this after watching The Monster Of Peladon, so I was rather perplexed to be faced with Rex Robinson again, though he is much better on Peladon than on Earth. Overall, a pretty endearing and engaging romp, and remembered for all the right reasons. Updated - apparently, Sarah found herself to be in Aberdeen when the Doctor left her. This comes not from The Five Doctors, of course, her next appearance, but School Reunion, her 2006 return. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video. |