| MINDWARP by Philip Martin |
| Story 144 Synopsis: The Valeyard's prosecution continues. His next piece of evidence is from Thoros Beta - the planet the Doctor had been on before he was withdrawn for the trial. The TARDIS lands on the beach, the Doctor having just come from Thordon, trying to investigate who is selling them high-powered weapons. He and Peri enter a cave, where they are attacked by the Raak, which the Doctor kills in self-defence. They claim to be with a scientist, Quillam, and are taken to see him. But they escape at the last minute. Finding themselves in Quillam's lab anyway, they try freeing a warlord who Quillam is attempting to pacify. Caught, the Doctor is subjected to the same brain mistreatment, but the revived warlord, Yrcanos, is able to free him and Peri. Sadly, the Doctor nearly dobs them all in, and he claims to ally with Sil. In the courtroom, the Valeyard suggests this is the Doctor's true character, but the Doctor, despite being trouble by amnesia, disputes this. Back on Thoros Beta, Yrcanos finds his equerry, Dorf, who has been mutated into the Lukoser, a wolf creature who attacked the Doctor and Peri earlier. Yrcanos swears revenge. Quillam is concerned that the Raak may have broken its conditioning, as the whole process he is working on is to find a new body for Sil's boss, Kiv, whose brain is expanding. The Doctor helps Quillam with the transference operation, which seems to succeed, then gives Sil business advice based on foreknowledge of the future. In the courtroom, the Valeyard is triumphant, but the Inquisitor is unsatisfied. Despite his misgivings, the Doctor wants the screening to continue. Yrcanos meets with Alphan rebels, whom he plans to lead in attack on the Mentors. Unfortunately, they are led into a trap, and taken away for experimentation. Kiv's new body proves inadequate, so a new one is needed. The Doctor objects to the use of Peri, and goes to find someone else. But he finds a lack of other slaves, and realises Crozier knew this. He frees Yrcanos and the Lukoser, and other Alphan slaves. Crozier prepares Peri for her operation. The Doctor is compelled to enter the TARDIS by the Time Lords, and brought to the space station where the Trial is happening. Yrcanos is manipulated by the Time Lords to kill Crozier and Kiv - who has already been transferred into Peri's body. In the courtroom, the Doctor is aghast at the death of Peri - and convinced there is more to his Trial than anyone is letting on. |
| Review:- So, the TARDIS lands on Thoros Beta, and the Doctor and Peri are brought into a rematch with their recent acquaintance, Sil - but what seems to be a simple examination of genetic experiments turns very nasty, as events tumble rapidly out of all control, with tragic consequences. Philip Martin takes a lot of stick for his stories. Whilst Vengeance On Varos got a bit slated for its violent imagery, and the scene involving an acid bath, this story got slated for its depiction of the Doctor as being a violent coward, not to mention some curious character casting and the death of Peri. However, if there is fault for these things, it's hardly his. The production of the series at this time was fraught when days were good, so it begins to make sense that what seems to be quite a straightforward story has been drowned in such chaos. Certainly his novelisation reads simply enough, and it is arguable that the audience at the time, not knowing what was going on, had not the patience to consider the story being told, on its own merits. There are two main creative threads that are crucial to the story. The Doctor loses his mind, becoming a brutal fiend, forgetting the real man he is. He then connives with Sil, assists Crozier and is mean to Peri, his friend. By the time he regains his senses, it is too late. Meanwhile, Peri and Yrcanos attempt to foment resistance to the Mentors, but again, it is too late. Their big attack on a weapon store is pre-empted, so that their liberty is doomed without them realising it. For a change, this is a dramatically powerful story. For once, there are no last chance rescues, no sudden thwarting the villain at the end. The Doctor loses, and the Time Lords have to clear up after him. Unlike in The War Games, this time it seems the Doctor has blundered big time. The story becomes a tragedy, as the simple opening of a visit to investigate the selling of an energy weapon leads the Doctor into an unstoppable train of events that leads to the ultimate mistake of the death of his companion. It is not the Master, or Davros, or the Black Guardian, who affords the Doctor his worst result, it is Sil. It is hardly surprising that people reacted so badly. The defeat of the good guy is almost never seen in fiction of this kind, and as a part of the greater whole, it is intended to lead to an almighty resolution. Unfortunately, somewhere through the production line, this was never quite achieved, and Peri's death is reversed in a quite bizarre solution. Having said all that, there is a good story here, and the cast do their best to achieve the necessary levels of drama. If only there had been a better finish, this might have a better reputation. I would recommend it, but to those with an open mind. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video, and read the book. |