| THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT by Bob Baker & Dave Martin |
| Story 77 Synopsis: Checking that the Ark's transmat is working, the Doctor, Harry and Sarah beam down to Earth. Whilst investigating, they meet a group of rogue colonists, and that they are being threatened by a robot. The robot is the tool of a Sontaran scout, Styre, assessing the suitability of Earth for Sontaran conquest. Sarah and Harry become subject to the Sontaran's tests, and the Doctor realises that they are all that stands between the Sontarans taking over the galaxy. He presents himself as a warrior, challenging Styre to a fight. Whilst this is going on, Sarah frees the colonists, and Harry removes some equipment from the Sontaran's ship. Exhausted by battle, Styre returns to his ship, and dies, after which his ship explodes. The Doctor prevents the rest of the Sontaran fleet arriving, as Styre's assessment remained unfinished. The travellers return to the transmat. |
| Review:- Having made their first appearance in the previous season, the Sontarans made a swift return here, and with the Ice Warriors making their last call the previous year, this was a sign that these were a major force to be reckoned with. Here, the clones are represented by just one member, but this is effective as even alone, Styre still runs rings around the locals. Even with the help of a robot. The cleverness of the plot is to pitch this ruthless alien against a group of humans on an Earth that is weakened and abandoned. With the majority of the human race AWOL, it would actually have been a walkover for the Sontarans to just invade straight off. Those few present are rogues from a breakaway colony who crashed by Styre's design. They're entirely subjugated by Styre, or living as fugitives. Enter the heroes. Soon split up and imperilled, they are the only hope of stopping the Sontarans. Harry is kept occupied with the terrain, and comes to draw his own conclusions about the evil of the Sontaran. He also makes the vital move during the big fight. Sarah, who has previous experience, is a victim of the barbarity of experimentation, and provides some human heart in an otherwise cold story. The Doctor makes no hesitation in his attempts to save humanity, putting himself on the line in a subtle bluff to nobble Styre. His prevention of invasion speech at the close is almost the cherry on the cake. Overall, it's a tightly-packed adventure that speeds along well, and provides much drama and entertainment. Well worth seeing. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book, and seen the video. |