| THE SEEDS OF DOOM by Robert Banks Stewart |
| Story 85 Synopsis: In the Antarctic, a research team dig up a mysterious vegetable pod that starts to grow. The Doctor is called in, but before he arrives the pod attacks Winlett. Scorby and Keeler arrive to cause havoc and steal a 2nd pod. By blowing up the base, they inadvertently destroy the first pod, which had mutated into a humanoid creature. Back in England, the Doctor and Sarah are nearly killed, and they track down Harrison Chase, rich botanist, who sent Scorby after the pod, which the Doctor has identified as a Krynoid. Chase plans to sacrifice Sarah to help the pod grow, but the Doctor saves her, and Keeler is taken instead. The Krynoid grows, and escapes from Chase's close concern. Chase tries to kill the Doctor with a compost crusher, but Sarah rescues him. Chase communicates with the Krynoid, which continues to rampage. The Doctor calls in UNIT to bomb the creature from fighter planes.. Chase tries to kill Sarah, but during the Doctor's rescue, Chase falls into the crusher and dies. The Doctor and Sarah escape from Chase's house before the bombers get the Krynoid. |
| Review:- One of the best-constructed stories ever shown, this pits the Doctor in a unique struggle with a madman with a unique motivation. Harrison Chase loves plants, to the exclusion of all else, and makes for a chilling study in the negativity of monomania. His money has put him in a position to make his sickness worse, and he manipulates Dunbar and Scorby to do his dirty work. That he eventually becomes compost is a fitting end, and it's possible that it is what he would have wanted, assuming he was put onto his beloved plants. The Krynoid is a pretty one-dimensional monster, but in league with Chase, and by virtue of its simplicity - it grows, it rampages - it becomes compelling. The scale of the story is what makes it. From the first pod, which is extinguished before it gets going, and is stifled by the Antarctic conditions (and lack of flora) anyway, through to the second pod, which grows and grows, and the tension and drama grows with it. Possibly it is Scorby who is the hero here. From being a solid supporter of Chase, he comes to realise that this time his boss has gone too far, and the Doctor is a better lunatic to back. His final death perhaps makes up for the deaths he causes, but he does at least make some amends. Sarah has lots to do, being captured, escaping and helping to save the day. The Doctor is single-minded for most of the time, fighting fists with fists, and making himself clear in his opposition to the Krynoid. As the threat escalates, he does well to overcome perilous odds, save Sarah and the day. On the whole, a decent story that drives you along with compelling drama. One of the very best. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book, and seen the video. |