| MAWDRYN UNDEAD by Peter Grimwade |
| Story 125 Synopsis: At a private school in England, two schoolboys joyride in a car, but crash. One dies, but the other is saved by a mysterious figure who strikes a deal with the boy, Turlough. Soon, the TARDIS lands on a spacecraft in orbit near Earth. The Doctor sends Tegan and Nyssa down in a pod, and they arrive in 1977. The Doctor follows on, finding himself in 1983, where he meets the Brigadier, now retired from UNIT, and a teacher at a private school, where Turlough is a pupil. The spacecraft belongs to Mawdryn and some other scientists, who conned the Time Lords, and have been imprisoned in a perpetual stasis. Mawdryn tries to convince Tegan and Nyssa that he is a regenerated Doctor, but they disbelieve it. He wants to use the TARDIS to free his fellow captives. The Doctor foils his plan, but when he tries to leave with Tegan and Nyssa, they age rapidly, and he realises they've been infected. To save them, he accedes to Mawdryn's plan - by giving up the rest of his regenerations, he will free Mawdryn and the others. But the Brigadier met Nyssa and Tegan in 1977, and has been brought to the spacecraft - as has the Brigadier from 1983. When they meet, the time differential shorts, releasing Mawdryn and his fellows, and saving the Doctor. Cured, Tegan and Nyssa are able to travel on with the Doctor, whilst the Brigadier is returned back to his place - the 1977 version has a nervous breakdown, but the 1983 version finally restored. |
| Review:- In the middle of the overt celebration of 20 years of the show, there are many strong stories, tackling a range of difficult subjects. Here, we have a story about consequences, where Mawdryn and the Brigadier are both suffering, and need help. Meanwhile, the Doctor meets a new friend who is hiding a dangerous secret... Setting a story in two timezones is worth it alone, and gives a rounded picture of What The Brigadier Did Next. It's now well-known that this figure was originally supposed to be Ian Chesterton, and the idea that the Brigadier would end up teaching Maths at a private school seems almost surreal. But this is the story, and it shows that old soldiers never die... The villainy of Mawdryn and his intrigue is a strange change, given the tragic nature of his fate. It presents a shift that the drama is not about some mad dictator trying to blow up the world. The Doctor is forced to deal with Mawdryn the only way he knows how, even at the immense personal cost. Again, this is a man who puts his friends before himself. The other key aspect to the story is the arrival of Turlough. The idea of an unusual companion is nothing new, but one who is forced into a pact to kill the Doctor is. The most overt example in this episode is the first cliffhanger, where he prepares to use a rock to smash the Doctor's head. Arguably this is as physically violent as he ever gets to show, although sabotage is a more familiar sign of dissent. His knowledge soon suggests that there is more to him than just being a murderous lackey, although the full truth is not revealed for quite a long time... On the whole, this is an odd story, mixing high drama with a sometimes slow pace. But as an experiment, it works entertainingly enough, whether you can foretell the resolution or not. |
| Disclaimer: I have seen the video, and read the book. |