| THE HIGHLANDERS by Elwyn Jones and Gerry Davis |
| Story 31 Synopsis: The TARDIS lands in a field, and Ben believes they are back in England. They come to a village, where they are met by Jamie McCrimmon, piper to the MacLarens. The Laird is ill, so Polly is sent with Kirsty MacLaren to find herbs for the Doctor to make a remedy. The English attack, and all are sent to be hanged. A solicitor, Grey, interrupts, stopping the hanging, as the men are more valuable alive, and they are taken to a cell in Inverness. Polly determines to rescue them. The Doctor contrives a way out of the cell, whilst Ben and Jamie are taken to the ship Annabelle. Grey intends to sell them to a life on the plantations in Jamaica. The Doctor finds Polly and Kirsty, and gets hold of some weapons. Ben causes trouble, and is keel-hauled, but he escapes back to land, where he meets up with the Doctor. Taking a boat, the Doctor gets to the Annabelle, and in a ruse, manages to seize control of the ship. Its rebel owner, Trask, is thrown overboard. The MacLarens take command, intending to sail for France. Jamie leads the Doctor, Ben and Polly back to land, and the TARDIS, and joins them inside. |
| Review:- From Vulcan to Scotland, as a chapter of Doctor Who's history came to a close. The historical adventures had been a staple part of the original show's diet, but the past settings were out of favour, and this would be the last visit to the unadulterated past for over a decade. The battle of Culloden forms the keystone to the story, although typically, the battle itself is ignored. The fates of a few fleeing Scots is enough to trigger a struggle for freedom, and a tale of chicanery and slave trading, which is itself a nod to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, Kidnapped. The new Doctor proves highly resourceful, ensuring that the Laird gets treatment, and using the Royal Standard, and later the Seal, as props to achieve freedom, and greater ends. Whether he would be quite such a weapons-monger is odd, but desperate situations often call for desperate measures. Polly gets plenty to do, through her pairing with poor Kirsty. Ben shows his mettle as a son of the sea, and apparently a fan of Houdini. Both regular companions come out of this well. Considering it is his debut, Jamie doesn't do much. But clearly his potential would come through later on... The Scots are not too cliched, and the English baddies have an interesting motivation, beyond obvious racial hatred. Altogether it's a bit of an odd one, and one of the lesser regarded stories. But it's alright. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book. |