| THE LEISURE HIVE by David Fisher |
| Story 109 Synopsis: Romana wants a holiday, so the Doctor has brought her to see the opening of Brighton Pavilion, although he's missed it. They decide to go to Argolis, where they witness an experiment in tachyonics. They seem concerned that something is amiss, and get the backs up of Mena, Argolin leader, and her son, Pangol. An accident with the Tachyon Recreation Computer alarms tourists, and heightens the financial problems of the Argolins. Brock makes an offer for the planet from the West Lodge of the Foamasi. The Foamasi are the race against whom the Argolins fought a war 40 years earlier, which lasted 20 minutes, and devastated the surface of the planet. A scientist from Earth, Hardin, arrives with his associate, Stimson. They have been covering up for their experiments being fraudulent. Romana helps Hardin. Stimson is murdered, and the Doctor framed. As punishment, he undergoes a test of the TRG, but ages 500 years. Pangol becomes increasingly warlike, and starts to usurp Mena. The Doctor, Romana and Hardin meet a couple of Foamasi from their government. Brock is an illegal agent, and his attempts to buy Argolis are for nefarious purposes. Pangol tries to stop the Foamasi leaving, ordering their ship destroyed. The Doctor uses the Randomiser from the TARDIS to fix the TRG. Pangol's desperate attempts to become leader lead to him and Mena entering the TRG. The Doctor throws sacred Argolin relic the helmet of Theron at the TRG, and Mena and Pangol emerge, younger. The Foamasi turn out to be okay (it was the West Lodge who were destroyed). The Doctor and Romana leave, knowing they are again at the mercy of the Black Guardian. |
| Review:- A new season, a new decade, a surge of new ideas and just general newness. It's a shame that this falls short of being brillant. Much of it is wonderful. The model work of the surface of Argolis is exemplary. I can believe in the Argolins and the Foamasi. The possible heavy-handedness of the after-effects of nuclear war is not a problem, as the message is presented effectively. Anyway, that's almost the background to the powerplay going on as the West Lodge Foamasi try to usurp the Argolin(s), and Pangol tries to usurp Mena. Hardin does very well in a bigger than necessary part. Brock wins for me as he resembles Stacy Keach. Morix is bearable in a small role, whilst Mena manages not to get too hammy. Klout the mute and the slightly silly Foamasi manage to keep it together. Oh, but where do you start with Pangol? Underwritten and overacted is always a bad combination, and especially towards the end, it's a wonder anyone puts up with Pangol at all. To be fair, his single-mindedness is a well-done facet, and the clear signs of his loss of control when he almost bleats to be seen as the leader are hard to watch. Romana struggles with her position, and Stimson is about as effective as a sneeze. What of the Doctor? He is clearly slightly downcast, even before he gets over-aged. It is perhaps more a fault of the script, but this doesn't seem to be the same person, even. The episodes seem to run shorter than usual and the music is suddenly noticeable (perhaps I previously ignored the music because I didn't like it - it's great here). The closing shot of Argolis is good, but the opening tracking shot of Brighton is self-indulgent, and a waste of time. Not a promising start to a new age. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video, and read the book. |