Mawdryn Undead

Mawdryn Undead
by Peter Grimwade
Originally Broadcasted: February 1st-9th, 1983

The Doctor, Tegan, and Nyssa almost collide with a spaceship due to a warp ellipse and are forced to materialize onboard. There they discover a transmat to Earth where new and old friends, along with a man Nyssa and Tegan believe to be The Doctor...

The Peter Davison era was a hit or miss era for me. The stories were either really good (The Caves of Androzani) or really bad (Warriors of the Deep). Yet most of Davison's stories are very watchable, mainly due to his superb performance as The Doctor. Mawdryn Undead narrowly enters the good category for me. The thing I love the most about this story is the return of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, who at this point hadn't appeared since 1975's Terror of the Zygons. The Brig is always a fun character to watch. He's the perfect foil and aid to The Doctor, and he works well against every single one of them. Introduced in this story is the tricky sly Turlough, who after a car crash is contacted by the Black Guardian (another returning character. See a theme? So did John Nathan-Turner) and forced into an agreement to kill The Doctor. That sets up the basis for this story and the two following stories (Terminus and Enlightenment) of Turlough trying to kill The Doctor, and never really getting very far with it. That's really just a side story though. Main attention is drawn to Mawdryn's struggles with eternal life and just how to solve that, as well as getting the Brig's memory back. The one thing that really bugs me about this story though is how in the world Tegan and Nyssa can think that Mawdryn is The Doctor. Sure he's all shriveled up at first, but you'd think they'd look at some facial features and realize that's not the Fifth Doctor we know and love. Fortunately the Brig is there to set them straight. Overall an enjoyable Doctor Who romp, mainly due to the involvement of Lethbridge-Stewart.

Luke's Rating: 8/10

The Power of Three

The Power of Three
by Chris Chibnall
Originally Broadcasted: September 22nd, 2012

Overnight, millions of tiny little cubes fall to the Earth, and they're absolutely everywhere. Almost a year passes and nothing happens. But all of a sudden, they become deadly. It's up to The Doctor to figure out who is behind this and how to stop it...

After the rather grand feeling of the first three episodes of series 7, The Power of Three sort of brings things back down to Earth. But that certainly doesn't mean this isn't a good story. The whole episode actually takes place over the course of about a year. These cubes have appeared on Earth, and The Doctor is determined to find out what they are. He keeps popping up here and there, taking Amy and Rory on some rather random, throwaway trips. A rather funny scene shows The Doctor, who is determined to stare at these cubes until they do something, break down out of boredom, having to do something. So The Doctor then proceeds to mow the Pond's garden, paint their fence, and other chores in just one hour. He's quick! This episode also brings back Rory's dad, Brian, and my love for this character grew and grew over the course of the episode. He has a very similar (yet different) persona to Donna's granddad Wilf, one of my all-time favorite characters in Doctor Who. Introduced in this episode is Kate Stewart, the new head of UNIT, who just so happens to be the daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. When The Doctor realized this by mentioning her dad, I knew right away who she was supposed to be. I love these kind of connections to the shows past. Even though Nicholas Courtney is no longer with us, it's nice to have him live on through his fictional daughter. The Power of Three ended up being a funny and heartwarming episode. Now bring on the finale!

Luke's Rating: 8/10

The Mutants

The Mutants
by Bob Baker and Dave Martin
Originally Broadcasted: April 8th-May 13th, 1972

While at UNIT headquarters, The Doctor and Jo Grant receive a mysterious round object and are sent to the planet Solos to deliver it to its owner. There's just one problem, they don't know who its for. While in search of the owner, they become entangled in a fight for independence and discover some hideous mutations...

This is my first review of a Third Doctor serial, so I want to mention how much I love this era of Doctor Who. I think it's the most perfect era in the show's history. There are only a few stories that aren't all that good, the rest are all amazing. When I first saw The Mutants a few years ago, I put it in the "not very good" category, but my opinion has changed with this second viewing. I think it might be because I'm older now. I'm able to understand the political underlinings to the story. Bob Baker and Dave Martin threw in some very obvious underlinings to the idea of imperialism and racism. Segregation is very obvious on Skybase One. The main villain of the story, The Marshall is one of the more disgusting villains the show has ever seen. He's a human trying to make the world better for himself, but doesn't care about who he harms along the way. It's a down to Earth character that I think is more relevant to the real world, which makes him just that much more evil. This story has some great supporting characters too. I particularly like Professor Sondergaard for his enthusiasm and completely pure intentions. Guards Stubbs and Cotton are also very enjoyable to watch and have great chemistry. It's also very cool that Cotton is played by a black man, which goes along with the anti-racist theme of the episode. So it's not one of my top Third Doctor stories, but it's definitely a good one!

Luke's Rating: 8/10

A Town Called Mercy

A Town Called Mercy
by Toby Whithouse
Originally Broadcasted: September 15th, 2012

The Doctor, Amy, and Rory land the TARDIS on the outskirts of a town called Mercy, a typical old west town. Upon arriving in town, the Doctor is almost immediately dragged by the townspeople to be executed by a cyborg known as the Gunslinger, but is this the Doctor he's after?

Recently, Doctor Who has done many historical stories with a science fiction twist to it added to it. Some examples include The Shakespeare Code, The Unicorn and the Wasp, Victory of the Daleks, and The Curse of the Black Spot. Well I think A Town Called Mercy is one of the best historical stories yet. You really feel like you're watching a real Western film. For once, the American accents actually sound American. I'm not sure if that is because the actors are actually American, or they just got better actors, but that's a thumbs up for me. At first I liked the character Kahler-Jex and didn't like the Gunslinger, but a typical story reveal makes me then feel sympathy for the Gunslinger and hatred for Kahler-Jex. When Jex's true colors are revealed, The Doctor is shown as very angry. The way The Doctor acted in this episode sort of brought things back to the later David Tennant years for me, when his own limit lines were very often crossed and he wasn't too sure of things. I'm not sure I like seeing Matt Smith's Doctor like this, so I hope it's not something we see too often. Amy points out that she and Rory haven't been around The Doctor as much, and that he needs someone there constantly to keep him in check. It's a great justification for companions in Doctor Who. Take that Tom Baker!

Oh, and a reminder: Stetsons are cool!

Luke's Rating: 8/10

Resurrection of the Daleks

Resurrection of the Daleks
by Eric Saward
Originally Broadcasted: February 8th-15th, 1984

The Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough are dragged down a time corridor to London in 1984. Little do they know that the Daleks are behind this time corridor. They are seeking to find a cure to a deadly Movellan virus, so they enlist the help of their creator, Davros...

There is so much going on in this episode. First let me preface my review by saying I do actually like this episode. It was the second classic Doctor Who story I ever saw. But it's easy at times to become slightly confused as to what the plot actually is. The set-up of the first episode is brilliant, with the errant policemen gunning down people from a spaceship. Then it's revealed that the Daleks are behind these killings. They need a cure for the Movellan virus, so they enlist the help of Davros. But the Davros plot almost becomes a sub-plot, away from the Daleks attacking the space station and copying The Doctor's mind and body to assassinate the High Council of Time Lords. Davros has a secret plan, to destroy all the Daleks currently alive, and replace them with a new breed of Daleks. His plans are unsuccessful in this story, but are expanded upon in the following season's Revelation of the Daleks (one of my personal favorite stories). This story is known for being one of the deadliest Doctor Who stories ever. Aside from The Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough, only the Supreme Dalek, Lytton and his two policemen survive. I guess Eric Saward really likes to kill people. This was a subject for much controversy at the time, but I think all the deaths really add to the poignance of this episode, and to Tegan's sudden departure at the end of Part Four (or Two, depending on which version of this story you watch). Even The Doctor expresses his desire to kill Davros and the Daleks after being unable to in Genesis of the Daleks. Of course, he, being The Doctor, isn't able to kill Davros, but it's very interesting that he tried. Speaking of Lytton, the character shows much promise in this story, so I'm really glad they brought him back in Colin Baker's first season for Attack of the Cybermen. All in all a good episode, if you can keep up with what's actually happening!

Luke's Rating: 8/10

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
by Chris Chibnall
Originally Broadcasted: September 8th, 2012

The Doctor collects a gang of traveling companions, including Amy and Rory, Rory's dad Brian, Queen Nefertiti, and John Riddell to investigate a spaceship that will be destroyed by Earth if its course isn't diverted. A rather large, prehistoric surprise awaits them onboard...

I say a surprise, only to the characters, as anyone who has seen the title of the episode beforehand knows to expect dinosaurs on a spaceship. I love the almost Scooby Doo feel to the beginning of the episode. The Doctor collects a gang (which he is audibly very excited about), and it's such a random group of characters. I love how the show is a bit more fluid in who travels with the Doctor now. It's not always just your regular companion. Chris Chibnall is one of my favorite Doctor Who writers, having previously penned one of my favorite stories from the Matt Smith era, The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood. In fact, he takes the main baddies from that episode, the Silurians, and uses them in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship as the reason to why there are dinosaurs on a spaceship. Pretty clever writing there. The second episode of the series always has a hard time living up to the spectacle of the first, but Dinosaurs on a Spaceship stands up. It's a funny, clever, and thoroughly exciting Doctor Who romp!

Luke's Rating: 9/10

The Curse of the Black Spot

The Curse of the Black Spot
by Steve Thompson
Originally Broadcasted: May 7th, 2011

The Doctor, Amy, and Rory are marooned on a 17th century pirate ship, where the crew seems to be more afraid of swords than guns. It's revealed that the slightest cut will bring forth a siren, who enchants and supposedly kills her victims with just the touch of her hand...

I remember watching this episode when it aired and not being too impressed. At the time, it seemed like a big let-down after the amazing series opener that was The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon. But watching this a second time, I actually enjoyed it a lot more. All three main characters are given some fantastic and comedic lines in this story, which I think is key to any stories success. Murray Gold's music successfully captures the tone of a typical Pirates of the Caribbean-esque movie, adding to the suspense and action. I also think the revelation that the siren is actually a nurse is a pretty cool idea. Upon doing some research on this episode, I discovered that the fictitious character of Henry Avery was actually mentioned in The First Doctor story The Smugglers. I always love when new Who references old Who!

Luke's Rating: 8/10

Asylum of the Daleks

We go from the very first episode of Doctor Who, right up to the newest...

Asylum of the Daleks
by Steven Moffat
Originally Broadcasted: September 1st, 2012

The Doctor and the newly divorced Amy and Rory are teleported to the Parliament of the Daleks and sent on a mission to destroy the Dalek's Asylum planet, where everything is not as it seems, especially a girl named Oswin Oswald...

Since Doctor Who returned to our screens in 2005, the writers always have always tried to start the season off with a bang. And they have each and every year. This year however may have had the biggest bang of them all. Asylum of the Daleks is to me, a perfect Doctor Who story. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory are all on top game, given some fantastic lines and wonderful, heartbreaking moments. The Daleks are given even more new life by Steven Moffat, as we now have Dalek/Human hybrids. And they need the Doctor's help? Definitely a different spin on the Daleks. I really love it when Doctor Who surprises me. With the internet full so many many Doctor Who fans, it's really hard to not be spoiled. But I was 100% surprised by the big shock in this episode: the first appearance of new companion Oswin Oswald, played by Jenna Louise Coleman. Or at least, that's who I think she is. I won't give away the big end to this episode, but I will say that Coleman is going to make an excellent companion, maybe the best of the new series. Certainly an admirable follow-up to Amy and Rory. Her comic wit, and instant connection with The Doctor through only a video screen left me grasping for more. And it doesn't hurt that she's really good looking! I'm really excited for the next four episodes of the first part of the series, and even more excited to see how Oswin comes back into play later on this series.

Luke's Rating: 10/10

An Unearthly Child

We'll start at the beginning...

An Unearthly Child
by Anthony Coburn
Originally Broadcasted: November 23rd-December 14th, 1963

School teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright follow student Susan Foreman home, which for her is a dumpster on Totter's Lane. Little do they know that she really lives in a spaceship called the TARDIS with her grandfather, The Doctor. The Doctor kidnaps Ian and Barbara and they set off on their first adventure, desparately trying to avoid fire obsessed cavemen...

As you probably already know, An Unearthly Child is the first ever episode of Doctor Who. It's almost like two stories in one, with the first being a set-up of the whole series, and the second being the TARDIS crew's first adventure in time. Even though much of the lore of Doctor Who as we know today wasn't dreamt of at the time, Episode One really did perfectly start the series off. The Doctor's introduction is given a eery and creepy vibe, and we really don't know who this man is or what he's all about. I don't think the production team did either, as evidenced by the fact that he tried to kill a caveman and was shown smoking a pipe. The story gets a little weaker as we head back to 100,000 BC. If you look at it outside of the context of being the first Doctor Who story, it's not the strongest story. The threat is rather minimal to our heroes in comparison to most other stories, even the one immediately succeeding it. But as it's the first ever story, that brings a certain nostalgic element to it. Overall a fantastic introduction to Doctor Who, and one of the better First Doctor stories.

Luke's Rating: 7/10