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The Mutants (1963)
The birth of a legend and the best Dalek story by far. The Dead Planet is a masterpiece in itself, and certainly the best individual script Terry Nation wrote until The Way Back for Blake's 7. The following six episodes form a rollicking good adventure yarn which Nation saw fit to resurrect on several occasions with diminishing effectiveness. William Russell and Jacqueline Hill are perfect as hero and heroine, with only the slightly wooden John Lee and Virginia Wetherell putting a slight damper on the proceedings. The subsequent film version is a poor relation in comparison.
The Keys of Marinus (1964)
Not particularly bad, just downright boring. The first major disappointment in the show, this was Terry Nation simply recycling the quest section of The Mutants without the promise of a showdown with the Daleks at the end. The Voords are rubbish monsters whilst the Morphos are simply ludicrous (which didn't stop Star Trek doing it's own version some years later). A blip.
The Web Planet (1965)
A truly magnificent piece of ground-breaking sci-fi. Never before had a film or TV drama featured non-humans in such prominent roles. For the first time ever, we saw a truly alien world with insects depicted as intelligent, thinking beings, whilst even the Zarbi were fairly harmless once the Animus had been defeated. Not quite Maureen O'Brien's best performance (that was in The Rescue), but the only time all four regulars hit top gear at the same time.
The Massacre (1966)
The Underwater Menace (1966)
I've never been particularly overfond of the historical stories. It wasn't just the lack of a decent monster, it was the knowledge that whatever the Doctor and company did, the outcome wouldn't, couldn't change. And of all the historical events covered by the show, this has to be the most obscure as far as British fans are concerned. The action is slow and disjointed, the characters remote. Only William Hartnell's portrayal of the Abbot d'Amboise raises this above the awful, and even that isn't approached thoroughly - at least, not as thoroughly as the novelisation. The best bit is at the end, Dodo's arrival, which makes you wonder why they bothered with the previous three-and-a-half episodes!
Universally regarded as probably the worse Doctor Who story ever, this, in my opinion, is saved from that dubious honour only by the fact it was made in less sophisticated times. Joseph Furst is horribly OTT with his portrayal of Professor Zaroff (all together now, "Nozink in ze vorld can stop me now!"), whilst the plot is only marginally worse than some of the Irwin Allen serials of the time. On the whole, John Lucarotti's City Beneath the Sea and Secret Beneath the Sea tackled a similar subject a damn sight better three years earlier.
Possibly the second-greatest Dalek story ever and one which triumphed over the limitations of studio filming. The plot follows a logical path from 1960's England, back to 1866 then on to Skaro in the far future without ever becoming disjointed. The final scenes are a truly memorable send-off (if only temporary) for the Daleks. Unfortunately, it meant that every subsequent Dalek story was an anti-climax. The only downers are the inexplicable inclusion of two characters who seem to have little if no connection with the narrative, Terral and Toby.
The Enemy of the World (1967/8)
Only Patrick Troughton's extraordinary performances of two diametrically-opposed characters prevents this appalling waste of videotape from being rated any lower. Ian Marter's novelisation gives the impression of fast moving action and lots of location filming. What a contrast to the shot-on-a-shoestring bunkum of the TV original. A raid on a caravan seen only from inside the caravan, a high-ranking official kept prisoner in a corridor, Jamie and Victoria's escape from Salamander's HQ mentioned after the event. This isn't TV drama on a budget, it's an amateur production in a backstreet fleapit.
An absolutely fantastic thriller which out-Quatermasses Quatermass. Probably the scariest thing seen on British TV during the Sixties, it's a wonder anybody used bubble-bath again! Oak and Quill are quite possibly the scariest duo ever, apart from the Krankies and Rene & Renato, whilst Victoria's leaving scene is simply beautiful.
The Krotons (1968/69)
Totally bland, dull and boring. Just the sort of thing designed to send viewers off to sleep after a traditional Christmas season of gorging. The first episode, ironically, got the highest viewing figures of the entire Troughton era, benefitting no doubt from the fact it was shown just after Christmas. The Krotons themselves are quite possibly the least menacing monsters ever, whilst the narrative jumps all over the place. Philip Madoc is hopelessly miscast as Eelek whilst Madeleine Mills is so wooden it's almost impossible to tell when she's not comatose.
Criminally under-rated by the hordes of "fans" who missed Jon Pertwee's early years. A real nail-biter with tremendous "end-of-the-world" drama, stoic performances from Derek Newark and Sheila Dunn and the wonderful sight of the usually unflappable Lethbridge-Stewart in a blind panic. The incessant rumbling of the drill and the simply-done heat-haze effect proves you don't need an over-intrusive music soundtrack or elaborate special effects to create dramatic tension.
The Dæmons (1971)
The best UNIT story ever, despite the slightly dodgy CSO (which wasn't noticeable on a black-and-white TV anyway). A classic Hammer-style plot with the added bonus of an exploding church. Jon Pertwee and John Levene were never more heroic, Nick Courtney and Richard Franklin never more ironic, Roger Delgado never more macchiavellian and Katy Manning never sexier. The final shot is a delight, a celebration of a simpler lifestyle sadly long gone.
The Sea Devils (1972)
An absolute classic with only one-or-two flaws preventing it from being truly perfect. It is so good most people remember it as a UNIT story even though UNIT doesn't feature. More than its fair share of memorable scenes, such as the Sea Devils on the beach or the empty submersible, manage to neatly tie together a rollicking good adventure yarn that would've graced any Bulldog Drummond plot. The BBC obviously thought it was good, repeating it twice.
The Green Death (1973)
Most of the Pertwee stories are of equal quality, so it's difficult at times to select those that are slightly better. However, this is one of them. The end of an era in many respects, it also includes one of the best leaving scenes for a companion ever filmed. None of your "Oh, by the way Doctor, I've decided to stay and get married to..." here, the relationship between Jo and Professor Jones is constructed sensitively and sensibly whilst the Doctor's departure at the end leaves a lump in the throat. The transformation of Mike Yates from an all round good egg into a subversive agent is also handled well. The only flaws are the slightly under-par CSO effects and the unexplained disappearance of Tony Adams' character, Elgin.
Planet of Evil (1975)
A classic re-enactment of Dr.Jekell & Mr.Hyde with the visual effects from Forbidden Planet thrown in for good measure. Real edge-of-the-seat stuff with an overpowering sense of impending doom and more twists than a tightly coiled spring. Tom Baker and Lis Sladen were never better together, Ewen Solon, Frederick Jaeger and Prentis Hancock rarely topped their performances. Most surprising is the fact this was shot entirely in the studio. Just shows what you can achieve if you put your mind to it, doesn't it?
The Android Invasion (1975)
The one blip in the otherwise excellent 13th series. Huge holes in the plot's logic, lots of aimless running around and utterly one-dimensional monsters. Not a very good send off for John Levene, Ian Marter or the UNIT concept, this undoubtedly suffered through Nicholas Courtney's absence. It seems strange that the man responsible for the show's most memorable monsters should also be responsible for two of the show's most lacklustre stories.
Forget the slightly dodgy CSO effects near the end, this has to be the best adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ever made. Everybody out-performs the simple plot, in particular the brooding Philip Madoc, the spirited Lis Sladen (especially her "blind" scenes), gentle giant Colin Fay and the eye-popping Gilly Brown. And that's not forgetting one of Tom Baker's best ever performances or the wonderfully crusty Cynthia Grenville.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977)
Marginally shading the equally excellent Robots of Death for brilliance by the fact it has a whole cast of actors acting their socks off. Tom Baker presages his later TV portrayal of Sherlock Holmes with aplomb, John Bennett is brimming with menace and pathos, Michael Spice is thoroughly menacing if only slightly OTT, whilst Trevor Baxter and Christopher Benjamin form a memorable partnership that would have graced a thoroughly enjoyable spin-off series had the BBC had the guts to go ahead with it. Louise Jameson wins the wet-costume award by a mile, Deep Roy is totally creepy and the locations shots are truly unforgettable. Top hole!
The Invisible Enemy (1977)
Underworld (1978)
The Invasion of Time (1978)
Absolute claptrap that is full of holes, both in the script and the visualisation. Possibly an attempt to emulate one of Raquel Welch's worst films Fantastic Voyage, this suffered from poor special effects, a ridiculous monster and a total lack of Raquel Welch (no disrespect to Louise Jameson intended). It is also responsible for introducing K-9, which reduced Doctor Who to the level of cute Disney kiddies' show.
I hated this at the time and subsequent re-viewings have done little to affect my initial judgement. If ever a story suffered the lack of location filming it was this. The illogicity of a number of plot devices, such as people living in the core of a newly formed planet and hundreds of people crammed onto a spaceship on a journey likely to last several lifetimes, are overshadowed by the appalling quality of the CSO. Surely it would've been cheaper to build a set rather than depend on a special effects process normally used for brief scenes for the entire narrative. And if that wasn't bad enough, the silly robot heads created for Ankh and Lakh look like costumes left over from a 1950's B-movie.
Written at the last minute to replace a story that had to be dropped, and it shows. The first couple of episodes are passable, the rest I wouldn't pass water over. Not only is the entire mythos of Gallifrey and the Time Lords ripped to shreds but the once awesome Sontarans are reduced to subnormal brutality. Kevin Lindsay exuded an air of menace when he played Linx and Styre. Derek Deadman as Stor merely proved he was better at playing second fiddle to Windsor Davies and Donald Sinden in Never the Twain. The Vardans are hugely disappointing little men in oversized helmets, John Arnatt's Borusa a pale shadow of Angus Mackay's portrayal in The Deadly Assassin, and Leela's leaving scene is probably the worst ever for a companion. As for the depiction of the deep interior of the Tardis...!
An absolute masterpiece of comic-drama which, fortunately, glosses over the technically dodgy plot. Brilliant for the interplay between Tom Baker and Julian Glover alone, it didn't need John Cleese and Eleanor Bron but it had them anyway. Baker and Glover trade insults and witticisms with aplomb, Lalla Ward confidently breezes through as if she's on a different plane, Tom Chadbon does a perfect take on Ian Marter's Harry, whilst David Graham's impersonation of Manuel "from Barcelona" is a joy to behold. The Parisian locations are an added bonus.
The Horns of Nimon (1979)
Co-stars Graham Crowden and Tom Baker are wonderful comedy actors, writer Anthony Read wrote a brilliant TV adaptation of John Wyndham's Chocky, script editor Douglas Adams was responsible for the excellent Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. So why does this collaborative effort stink?. The culmination of Graham Williams' ill-advised policy of allowing Tom Baker to run riot, this pitiful effort resembles the very worst sub-Carry On "comedy" ever, struggling to make an impact by expending as little imagination and energy as possible.
Don't ask me why this is my all time favourite, it just is. The only time time was investigated thoroughly in a Doctor Who plot. The Tharils are excellently amoral aliens with a dodgy past, the crew of the privateer ship wonderfully ironic under trying circumstances. Clifford Rose resurrects Kessler with a vengeance whilst Kenneth Cope is every character he's ever played before, from Jed Stone to Marty Hopkirk via Vic Spanner. Watching K9 slowly deteriorate brings a lump to the throat as it does the robotic version of a kitten dying with rabies, whilst Lalla Ward's departure is simply exquisite. Good grief, even Matthew Waterhouse is watchable! Who cares if the story is slightly obtuse?
Terminus (1983)
Obviously included for the lovely Sarah Sutton's gradually diminishing attire, the one drawback with this wonderfully claustrophobic story is the fact it was her final appearance. Liza Goddard is startling as a cold-blooded killer, which is light-years away from her usual roles, whilst Peter Benson is simply brilliant as the fazed-out Bor. As with his earlier script (Warrior's Gate) Steve Gallagher proved that Doctor Who could easily accomodate intelligent adult plots. It's a shame he never wrote for Colin Baker's Doctor.
The Caves of Androzani (1984)
Marginally shades Terminus as my all-time favourite Davison story. It's like watching a horrendous road accident in slow motion. John Normington is brilliant as the oily Morgus whilst Christopher Gable is possibly the best Who villain ever. The firing squad scene was a real shocker at the time, as was the pantomime dragon - though for different reasons! Nicola Bryant surpasses herself as the doomed damsel in distress whilst Peter Davison was never more heroic as the Doctor. What a shame he had to wait until his finale for a script that truly tested his acting abilities.
The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Timelash (1985)
The Trial of a Time Lord
Time and the Rani (1987)
Silver Nemesis (1988)
Without doubt, the most disappointing debut story for a new Doctor ever. We can just about forgive the rather gratuitous scenes of violence at the beginning, it was, after all, essential to the new Doctor's character. What we can't forgive is the hopelessly crass plot and the casting of two obviously out-of-their-depth actors as the twins. Surely there were better candidates available? Colin Baker certainly deserved better than this. As did Maurice Denham, Kevin Lang, Nicola Bryant...need I go on?
It's no wonder Michael Grade considered axing Doctor Who after this abysmal effort. Paul Darrow hams up his Avon persona from Blake's 7 whilst the rest of the cast seem to have missed most of rehearsals. The Morlox appear to be modelled on penises and the set design looks as though it was cobbled together by primary school children. Peri is able to identify one of her many predecessors from a tiny photo (yet Ace had no idea who Liz Shaw was in Battlefield), whilst the final twist appears to have been tagged on at the last minute because the story was under-running. And as for involving H.G.Wells in the plot as a gormless hanger-on, what an insult to the memory of the father of British science-fiction.
Quite how Doctor Who managed to survive this monstrosity is one of the all-time mysteries of British TV. The first section is passable with enjoyable performances from Joan Sims and Tony Selby, the second section is virtually a restaging of Vengeance on Varos without any of the gritty heroism and a truly deplorable send-off for one of the show's most popular characters, whilst the rest is an utter travesty. All our worst fears over Bonnie Langford being cast were realised almost immediately. Already annoyingly bouncy and irrepressable, writers Pip & Jane Baker also gave Mel verbal diarrhoea with a vocabulary straight from Roget's Thesaurus, a syndrome also suffered by Honor Blackman's character. The final episode is an absolute mess (hardly surprising given the behind-the-scenes problems) which could have been resolved more satisfactorily had the Bakers been attuned properly to the ethos of the show. Painful to say the least.
When Doctor Who effectively relaunched in 1970, it at least had the benefit of Nick Courtney's Brigadier to act as a link with the past. This horror had Bonnie Langford and a woefully over-acting Kate O'Mara. Not only that but Kate O'Mara pretending to be Bonnie Langford! Ye gods, it would be like casting Audrey Hepburn as the lead in The Victoria Beckham Story. And, like most Pip & Jane Baker scripts, it suffers from a fatal overdose of poncy wordplay which they obviously thought was clever.
What on Earth possessed John Nathan Turner to move heaven and earth to have this scheduled on the show's 25th anniversary? If ever a story deserved to be buried it was this. Instead, it was promoted as a special event in the show's history with a specially extended version available on video. Everything about this story is wrong. The plot is awful. Nothing makes sense. Cybermen being killed by gold coins, De Flores just happening to have a supply of gold dust about his person, November 23rd being warm and sunny, the Nemesis causing disasters every twenty-five years, the list goes on. The Doctor suddenly becomes a committed jazz fan despite never having expressed any kind of musical preference in the previous quarter century. And probably worst of all, Ace too loves jazz. A streetwise sixteen-year old rebel from 1987 loving jazz? Maybe in 1960. This demonstrates just how misguided John Nathan Turner's trust in Andrew Cartmel's ability to find suitable writers for the show was, Kevin Clarke being given the honour of writing what should have been one of the most important keynote stories of a high profile popular show on the strength of two little-known stageplays, three TV scripts that failed to make it to the screen and a single episode of an obscure wartime spy drama. A bit like getting a failed auditioner from a TV reality talent show to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest.
