First of all a bit of history about this season, after the previous season the show was put on hiatus - eventually coming back 18 months later. Largely the hiatus ending was down to public pressure and came with a few caveats such as the show going back to 25 minute episodes, it was to be less gory with more emphasis on humour and would be cut down to 14 episodes. The episode cut meant that the stories originally planned for this season were abandoned. As a result producer John Nathan-Turner and script editor Eric Saward had to come up with something new. Essentially after this 18 month break the show was on trial and thanks to an idea by Sawards secretary they came up with a theme for the season "The Trial of a Time Lord."
Rather like "A Christmas Carol" the season would cover "past, present and future." Colin Baker would be returning as the 6th Doctor along with companion Peri played by Nicola Bryant who would bow out mid season to be followed by Mel played by Bonnie Langford. Also the "trial" element would create the season long regular characters of the Valeyard and Inquisitor who would be played by Michael Jayston and Lynda Bellingham.
The Mysterious Planet
Here's my notes from watching the first four episodes;
- 'Am I late for something?' Robert Holmes is clearly having fun with the script.
- I have a fondness for the opening 'evidence' shot as The Doctor and Peri's friendship has clearly grown.
- I always giggle when I hear 'UK Habitats of the Canadian Goose.'
- Tony Selby is very watchable in everything he does.
- I do like Dratho, a very good robot.
- Lots of very good dialogue and I like the set up of the mystery.
All in all I find the opening section enjoyable and watchable, its not the modern day crash bang wallop season opener but it does what it does well. That opening model shot is a thing of beauty, things settle down into essentially what is the court room watching a few episodes of Doctor Who and it moves along lovely. At this stage script wise it feels like we're going somewhere, Robert Holmes has written a lovely little tale and Sawards set things up for the rest of the season. Even producer JNT has worked wonders bring in Tony Selby whose been in everything over the years, a Carry On star in Joan Sims and casted season regulars Lynda Bellingham and Michael Jayston. All in all a rather fun off the cuff start.
Mindwarp
I have a strange relationship with this story, its the only 6th Doctor story target novelisation I've read and I left it feeling frustrated due to Peri's fate and not really being able to follow the trial aspects of the story.
- Brian Blessed is brilliant, I can happily watch him in anything - well done getting him JNT.
- Crozier is a fantastic character, he's not a villain he's just doing his job for his own purposes.
- I like Sil and the Mentors.
- Its good that Sil comes back, it helps build Colin's time as an era to have a recurring villain who debuted during the 6th Doctors era.
- The surface of Thoros Beta maybe the most 80's planet in Doctor Who history.
- Of note even if The Doctor hadn't have been taken out of time he wouldn't have been in time to stop the mind swap, weather he'd have saved Peri is another matter.
- Possibly the best use of Colin's acting style, he's able to tip the audience visually when The Doctor is returning to normal in subtle stage ways.
I find this story muddled, the trial aspect is plugging away nicely but the 'evidence' doesn't seem to have a connection to the previous story, nothing set up in the opening four episodes is touched on. On top of that the story feels muddled, on one hand we have a story about death, torture and mind swaps then on the other hand we have Brian Blessed romping around corridors with the Mentors swapping corporate one liners. It doesn't feel like it knows what it wants to be. On top of that there are jumbled aspects of the story that I'll come back to later.
Terror of the Vervoids
I have to confess this is my favourite part of the season;
- Well done JNT, Honor Blackman and Malcolm Tierney.
- Agatha Christie in space, whats not to like?
- Mel has a strong start.
- The cliffhanger to part 2 is fantastic.
- (Think innocent thoughts when the Vervoids are on screen)
The trial aspect is a bit odd in this story, The Doctors defence seems to be 'look how good I am at saving people.' Again the stuff set up in the opening section isn't touched upon however it seems we're moving on to a new development about the matrix being corrupted. I do love whodunits and the actual 'evidence' section is rather fun, also Pip and Jane are actually doing a bit more integrating the trial and evidence together. Mel's introduction is original, rather like a prototype River Song albeit in this case meeting her after she's met the Doctor. The strongest story of the 'evidence' provided in this season, everyone is there for a reason and the killers identity isn't as foreshadowed as had previously been attempted on the show.
The Ultimate Foe
The finale of the season, sadly Robert Holmes would pass away during the writing. As far as I'm aware Holmes wrote a draft outline for the first episode which was tidied up by Saward who then wrote a second episode based on Holmes plot line. JNT wasn't happy about the ending and Saward refused to change it, this resulted in the second episode being written by Pip and Jane Baker whilst legally not being allowed to know the contents of Sawards rejected episode. All understood? Good;
- Very nice to have Glitz back, I do like his double dealing.
- Anthony Ainley is brilliant as always.
- Shame Lynda Bellingham never makes it off the trial set.
- Mel's time line confused me as a child but I've virtually decided The Doctor is taking her back to his future self.
- I do rather enjoy the Matrix scenes, I'd have loved another go at Deadly Assassin episode 3 for a full episode.
In many ways this is the prototype for the modern day season finale, characters from previous episodes in the season coming back, plot points brought up earlier are explained, a season regular is revealed to have an ulterior motive and the stakes are elevated. I have a fondness for episode 13 and maintain its a good one however episode 14 feels unsatisfactory, I like what we get but I want more for the culmination of 14 episodes. Its a good little story if you view it in isolation however I haven't and I come away from the final episode feeling frustrated.
My Personal Bugbears
I have a number of issues with Trial and they can be summed up in two words; Eric Saward. I will say I like and rate highly most of his stories however as a script editor (in Colin's era) I think he's found wanting. On top of that on a personal level, whenever I've heard or read his comments about anything there's one thing that comes up over and over again: whenever something goes wrong its always somebody else's fault. Either Colin, JNT, writers needing to much script editing (?!?!) and casting decisions which he doesn't understand. With regards to 'Trial' the trial aspect isn't even his idea, its his secretaries which he goes with as he has nothing else. An anecdote that pops up a lot is Colin reading the Mindwarp script and having no idea if The Doctor is feigning villainy or if the Matrix is lying. Understandably he asks Saward who replies 'I don't know,' now its worrying enough that as the script editor he didn't know but what is just plain unprofessional is he doesn't ask the writer and then get back to Colin. On top of that we have the structural niggles such as a mystery being set up in the first four episodes that isn't touched upon until the final two parts.
Four or One?
I want to address one aspect of trial, is it one story or four? I can't give you a definitive answer but I can give you my answer. As a child up until about my early twenties I viewed it as four stories, it had four different production blocks, four VHS's, four target novelisations and when I saw it on UK Gold for the first time it was spread over four weeks so it was four stories. However since I've owned the DVD I've never watched a segment of the trial in isolation, when I've dug the DVD out I've watched it over a few months as one story. So I find myself in the one story camp yet I find myself slightly infuriated with myself that I'm in this camp.
The DVD
When I bought the DVD I remember looking forward to seeing the evidence segments in isolation as three different stories. When I got the DVD I felt disappointed that this wasn't a feature and no one had thought to do an edit of the evidence into three little stories, if theres ever a reissue this must be done - or otherwise I shall sulk.
Most fans will be aware of the high quality commentaries on Who DVD's and that's no difference here. In fact Mindwarp is a must as the writer Philip Martin finally gives Colin Baker an answer to the question mentioned above. Its a fairly interesting one that actually makes sense even if it isn't spelt out on screen.
A Companion Piece
I often let lose a squee as Peri appears on screen in Mysterious Planet, her relationship with The Doctor has grown and it feels like we're visiting old friends. Nicola Bryant gets a good leaving scene (albeit ruined later) and its clear to see she enjoys it - a good extra on the DVD is her finally seeing the reset at the end and she's not happy. Mel played by Bonnie Langford follows her in the never ending line of companions and she's lots of fun - more plucky than Peri and makes a good impact. As far as I'm aware her origin story was meant to happen the following year but the change in lead actor threw a spanner in the works. A real oddity and as said earlier a nod to the slightly non linear way Doctor Who would go in the future.
Colin
The 6th Doctor has changed since his previous story, Colin's got his debut season behind him and has a bit more experience in the role now and it tells. Sixy is still boisterous and an absolute nuisance at time in the court room - understandably so but its during the evidence and when he gets out of the court room that we see this. I see a sixth Doctor that has been developed - being put through the wringer and coming out the other end smiling. I think Colin did enough to save his job and any niggles in Trial are not down to him, in order to move forward I think Saward leaving the production team was enough and as enjoyable as I've found most of the Trial I always come away feeling Colin was harshly treated.
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