The Five Doctors by Terrance Dicks
23 November 1983
Here's one I've been looking forward to for a long time. The Three Doctors
in 1973 certainly didn't spare any effort, but it's obvious from this
episode just how much the show's sense of legacy has ballooned over the
ten years since then. The way it starts with a brief clip of The Dalek Invasion of Earth is not just a bow to that history, but a small way of including the late Bill Hartnell, which was nice.
With Tom Baker obviously (and probably unavoidably) MIA, it's more of a
Four Doctors affair, so here follows a quick overview of those four.
Richard Hurndall is obviously not Hartnell, but I think he turns in a
good performance that evokes the original. It's really rather sad that
he passed on so soon after the filming of this episode. The most "First
Doctor" moment in my eyes was when he turns to the camera and begins
eating a snack like a chipmunk; correct the colors to monochrome and I'd
have mistaken it for a lost clip of Marco Polo.
As always I am impressed at how Troughton reinhabits the role, as
effortless as breathing, no matter how many years pass. He's great
throughout the episode, but my favorite moment of his is the quiet grief
after he observes why the Jamie and Zoe who greet him and the Brig
can't possibly be real.
Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor hasn't changed very much either. He gets
paired with Sarah Jane in the absence of Baker, and we're immediately
reminded that Three and Sarah were a great Doctor-companion pair even if
we may have forgotten in the wake of her two seasons with Four.
I was impressed with Five here as well. Even though he gets less screen
time than usual, he still shines in it. I enjoyed his leeriness of
President Borusa, and also his cheeky escape from the Cybermen. It's
interesting that he's the least immediately dismissive of the Master
considering his recent experiences. "Like Alice, I try to believe three impossible things before breakfast."
Speaking of the Master, I found his role in this story really funny.
It's amusing how he seems genuinely a bit wounded by the Doctor's lack
of trust, and the way he falls back on old habits makes me wonder how
sincere he was in the first place. It's a shame we don't hear from him
one last time at the end of the episode, as he'd have to acknowledge
that the Doctors sort of saved his life (again) by not allowing him to
take the ring. The Brigadier laying him out was also pretty gratifying.
Speaking of the Brig, he fares the best out of the companions in this
episode, though Sarah Jane is also good, if a little bit scream-y.
Susan's return after 19 years I was a bit less enthusiastic about, as
she only gets to scream and sprain her ankle (yes, ha ha, very funny,
Uncle Terrance). Poor Tegan and Turlough get basically nothing to do the
whole time, crowded out by the large ensemble cast. The cameos of Liz,
Yates, Zoe, and Jamie are also a welcome addition.
President Borusa is a pretty good twist villain. Having been known to us
twice previously as an ally of the Doctor's, seeing his fears of his
own mortality warp him into the villain he is now is pretty good stuff.
His fate is properly horrifying. Those eyes moving around in the
plaster! I bet the kiddies were scared stiff.
May I talk about the effects? There's some obvious signs of a 1980s
television budget, but it seemed like they were afforded a little more
time and money to make them work in this episode, and it pays off. It
looks fantastic, from the direction to the location they chose for the
Death Zone (even if it is another moor/quarry/what-have-you, it still
looks fitting for what the setting is supposed to be). I also want to
give the soundtrack a very special shoutout, as this was easily one of
the best in the Classic series.
We are reminded that, as usual, we are watching Doctor Who, by things like the Castellan moaning "Not the mind probe!",
phantom Zoe's bubblewrap dress, or the Raston Warrior Robot being...
the Raston Warrior Robot. Honestly, I don't know if I would have wanted
an anniversary special without such reminders. What would we be without
things like those?
Having now watched this, I'm amazed to see how many things I took for
granted. The mythology of Gallifrey is now pretty much completely
solidified, and it seems that a good deal of things about the Time Lords
originated, or at least were made concrete, here. The dialogue of the
episode features a lot of quotes of old episodes, but there's some new
lines that end up being referenced in New Who eventually, making this an
odd bit of nostalgia salad, recalling both the past and the future for
me.
A splendid episode all things considered, and a fine love letter to the series so far.
Warriors of the Deep is next.
(Modified from the original posted at Gallifrey Base on 26 April 2024.)
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