| THE TWIN DILEMMA by Anthony Steven |
| Story 136 Synopsis: Mathematical prodigies, Romulus and Remus, are kidnapped by Jacondans. Ace pilot Hugo Lang is sent after them, but crashes on Titan 3. The Doctor isn't feeling himself after his regeneration, and decides to enter a hermitage to recover. He chooses Titan 3. Anyhow, at Peri's insistence, he brings Hugo to the TARDIS, where he recovers and mistakenly tries to kill the Doctor. The Doctor learns that Azmael, an old teacher and friend of his is helping the Jacondans, but is double-crossed, and left to die, when the twins are taken on to Jaconda. Escaping, and reluctantly teaming with Hugo, the Doctor takes the TARDIS to Jaconda, still trying to rescue the twins. The Doctor is aghast that Jaconda has been devastated, and learns that the Jacondans are in thrall to Mestor, leader of the Gastropods. Mestor needs the twins to devise a mathematical formula so that Mestor can explode Jaconda's sun, and send Gastropod larvae across the galaxy, to infiltrate many new worlds. Finding a poison that will kill Mestor, the Doctor and Azmael visit Mestor, and in a melee, the Doctor manages to kill Mestor's body. But the powerful Gastropod has already begun to take over Azmael's mind. To confound the indomitable fiend, Azmael commits suicide, dying in the Doctor's arms. Hugo determines to get the twins home. |
| Review:- Now this is a story of legend. Voted the worst story of all time pretty consistently since its first showing in 1984, it received a typical drubbing in Doctor Who Magazine's 1997 poll to determine the all-time popularity chart. In fact, it didn't come last, but Dimensions In Time doesn't count to overall continuity, so Twin Dilemma is the wooden spoon holder. If you do read DWM, you may recall that not long after the poll was published, a letter was printed defending the story, making several cogent points in its defence. Yes, folks, here I am again. It's still as good as I said it was. The most amusing part of the business was a slew of letters in response. Most were along the lines of "well, we still hate it, but it's better than something completely different". Funnily enough, my point was that it is futile to say story X is good, and story Y is bad. Why not seek the good points in all? The response to this was non-existent. Then, a few years later, after the Rad/Trad fandango, there were letters saying exactly my point. Do I feel vindicated? No, because the majority is still refusing to grow up and take heed. I like to kid myself that as a direct result of the minor hubbub, DWM jumbled their Archive schedule to bring The Twin Dilemma out. It may have been a lucky coincidence, but there have been bigger delusions cherished through history. To resume, without annoying DWM by repeating myself, I should say that Hugo is interesting, the Gastropod scheme is ingenious, the scenes of the devastated Jaconda echo the parallel Earth sequence of Pyramids Of Mars, and more! Hugo's choice of clothes in the TARDIS is character development. A picture paints a thousand words... The title does not refer to Romulus and Remus. Really, it doesn't. Yes, it momentarily escapes me what it does refer to, but I know it's not them. Perhaps I should re-watch it to jog my memory. Mestor's power is demonstrated before we see him. In fact, unlike too many others, he doesn't try to possess Peri to chivy the plot along. But the best is still Azmael's dying moments. The rare occurrence of another good renegade Time Lord (see Bullet Time for the Doctor forced to work with undesirables), who respects the Doctor and counts him as a friend. Although he is arguably too brash and dominating to Peri, the Doctor is still the hero. Still upholding the rule of law. A very good friend dies in his arms, what do you expect him to do? I shall never see why so many people rate this story so low. All it needs is an open mind. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video, and read the book. |