After a shockingly poor “regeneration” in what is really just the Seventh Doctor’s debut story, Big Finish and Colin Baker got to “do it right” and create a story set just before the Sixth Doctor collapses mysteriously at the start of “Time and the Rani”, and here it is! “The Brink of Death” is sadly not terribly interesting, and beyond the actual regeneration scene it’s very little in the way of … anything beyond talking. Oh well! And we get so few second chances in life…
The Fifth Doctor’s reign comes to an end in a story that is often, and quite rightly, described as his best. Caves of Androzani is dark, gritty, full of complex characters, and has the normally a bit naff and polite Fifth Doctor going through hell and being a true hero. If only his other stories were half this good! Let’s take a look then, shall we?
Logopolis heralds the end of arguably the most iconic and popular version of The Doctor, but as usual with these early regeneration stories, it also features a few other firsts, namely the first appearances of Tegan and Anthony Ainley’s incarnation of The Master. Obviously neither are as significant as the death of the Fourth Doctor, but still interesting to note… which is good because a lot of this story isn’t all that interesting! Let’s take a look!
Day three / Regeneration three in the Regeneration Marathon, and as you’d expect, it’s the Third Doctor’s time to go! (That actually won’t be as predictable later, sadly…) Planet of the Spiders is an odd story, a six-parter that’s equal parts weird Bond chase scenes, equal parts alien spider creatures enslaving an alien race… and that’s not even mentioning Tibetan Time Lords or a remorseful Mike Yates! Let’s take a look at Jon Pertwee’s send off, then, shall we?
The regeneration-athon continues with the Second Doctor’s send-off. Much like his predecessor’s leaving story, this story is significant beyond just having a regeneration as it’s the first story to name The Doctor’s people as “Time Lords” and indeed the first to show Gallifrey (though the planet isn’t named) and other Time Lords besides the Doctor (and Susan, I guess). It’s also 10 episodes long, so… if you’re planning to watch each of these one a night then I’d get started early! I split it into two lots of five, but I’m obviously posting one a day, so…Good luck if you’re watching these as I post them! Anyway, let’s have a look at “The War Games”…
The “Regeneration Marathon” begins with a story that not only has the first ever regeneration, but also has the first ever appearance of the Cybermen! That’s a hell of a double whammy when it comes to recurring features in Doctor Who! So, does the story do both justice? Well, given they didn’t know how significant either would be, it actually plays as a pretty standard base under siege, though with the attackers being rather pathetic… Let’s take a closer look, either way!
In what will probably end up being the last Doctor Who comic review of the year (but far from the last Doctor Who review of the year!) I take a look at the Fourth Doctor mini-series, titled “Gaze of the Medusa”. Sadly for me I read this after the great Third Doctor mini-series from Titan Comics, making this quite a step down. It’s fine, but it feels like it’s written by someone who only has limited knowledge of Tom Baker’s Doctor, where as “The Heralds of Destruction” felt like a love letter to the Third Doctor. Anyway, let’s take a bit more of a detailed look, shall we?
*checks watch* Oh, it’s new version of Shada time already?! Seriously though, this is presumably the last time this partly filmed Douglas Adams “classic” is re-released, not just because it’s finally “complete” with the original cast, but because it’s really good! I’m sure one day I’ll do the Paul McGann/Eighth Doctor 2003 version, but this will probably be the only Fourth Doctor version I review… so let’s get too it!
After a short delay to re-subscribe to the main range, we’re back with the trio of the Sixth Doctor, Constance and Flip. Tackling the “problem” of older people’s role in our society, The Middle does a good job of tackling this issue while also creating a very alien yet believable dystopian society. Not without flaws, but pretty damn good! Let’s take a look!
So we did a contemporary Earth invasion and a pseudo-historical, so what’s left on the Russell T. Davies hit list? Oh yeah, a story entirely in space! Throw in the 10th Doctor’s first encounter with the Ice Warriors and you’ve got a fun, if not a bit plain, story. Let’s finish off the 10th Doctor adventures – Box 2, shall we?
Hogan Reviews 