| MARCO POLO by John Lucarotti |
| Story 4 AKA: Journey To Cathay Synopsis: The TARDIS has arrived c.1289 AD, in China. The travellers meet the famous Venetian traveller, Marco Polo, who is on a journey back to Peking, to see Kublai Khan. Amongst other members of his company, he is accompanied by Tegana, a servant of Noghai Khan, a rival to Kublai. The Doctor finds that he and his friends are going along for the journey whether they like it or not. At one stage, the whole party is faced with death by dehydration, but condensation forms in the TARDIS, saving everyone. But Marco refuses to let the travellers free. They try to escape, but are thwarted. When they reach their destination, the Doctor gambles with Kublai Khan, losing the TARDIS. Tegana eventually fights Marco, but with help from the Doctor, Marco wins. A grateful Kublai is saved, and gives the TARDIS back. The travellers resume their journey. |
| Review:- So, the science/history division gets its first historical outing, as the viewers are treated to 7 weeks in medieval China, without learning an awful lot about the period, other than the nature of humanity hasn't changed, et cetera. Blow me, what a tedious adventure. Even educational interludes with the scientific principle of condensation can't enliven this story. As for the Doctor's gambling encounters with Kublai Khan... Still, history, so I believe, records that this story gave DW its first Radio Times cover. OK, one more: the ending of part 5 is great. When the audience doesn't know how long a story will be, maybe they will escape. Maybe it is the end... Then again, this sort of thing couldn't be done too often. Overall, it's not too much of a shame that no-one will ever (probably) be able to see this again. |
| Disclaimer: I have read the novelisation. |