| TERMINUS by Steve Gallagher |
| Story 126 Synopsis: Turlough sabotages the TARDIS console, and it lands adjoined to a spaceship. The travellers are attacked by Kari and Olvir, raiders, and split up. Tegan and Turlough hide in the ducting. The spaceship docks, and the 'passengers' disembark. Olvir realises they've come to Terminus, where the leprous Lazars are sent to die. Nyssa becomes infected, and is sent with the other Lazars. The Doctor and Olvir meet the Vanir, who staff Terminus. Their leader, Valgard, tries to kill the Doctor, and in the escape, the Doctor and Kari meet the Garm, a huge dog-like creature. The Lazars are kept alive with hydromel, and given doses of radiation as a sort of cure. Nyssa recovers. Turlough finds a way to regain access to the TARDIS. The Doctor learns that Terminus had a faulty engine, which exploded to cause the Big Bang. He manages to prevent a repeat of it happening. The Garm is given freedom. Nyssa realises she has skills to help synthesize hydromel, and perhaps find a cure for Lazar disease. She decides to stay on Terminus. Tegan is upset, but the Doctor is proud. Meanwhile on the TARDIS, the Black Guardian gives Turlough a final ultimatum... |
| Review:- Turlough's attempts to kill the Doctor take a grim turn here, as deadly danger comes from all sides... Whilst the ongoing drama of the Black Guardian's revenge is taking attention, there turns out to be room for surprises. After Adric's shock exit in the previous season, another companion reaches their terminus. Nyssa had not really had a good run since her arrival. Added to the TARDIS because the producer thought it was a good thing to have more companions, regardless of any merit to storytelling, her tragic background often got passed over as much as her scientific knowledge. At least here she combines both, in a saga of a disease that kills millions, and the rather ropey cures used to treat it. Unlike any real-life diseases one can draw parallels with, the implication of Nyssa synthesizing hydromel is that this disease can be cured. Unrealistic? Or optimistic? I suppose it depends on each viewer's judgement. Tegan and Turlough are sidelined for most of the time, which is unusual, and allows Nyssa her chance to shine. Hers was a weaker character than both of theirs, so it needs this artifical twist to give her a chance. She even gets to be independent of the Doctor, who is left with Kari to handle the necessary plot drama. The Garm seems almost a superfluous way of giving some monster element, though it does at least provide a charming resolution to the jammed lever drama of the final episode. Its fearsome appearance counterpointing its intelligence and caring is also well handled. Perhaps some of the Vanir are less compelling, but there is plenty of mystery and drama at every turn. An under-rated gem. |
| Disclaimer: I have seen this story, and I think I've read the book. |