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“MEGLOS – A PRICKLY PREDICAMENT WITH A RATHER DULL CLIMAX”

Meglos, the second serial of Doctor Who’s eighteenth season, marks the only contribution from writers John Flanagan and Andrew McCulloch to the series. It follows a familiar but engaging premise: two factions—one religious, one scientific—locked in conflict over the powerful Dodecahedron on the planet Tigella. The Doctor and Romana arrive to mediate but are quickly sidetracked by a time loop and the manipulations of the villainous Meglos, a sentient, shape-shifting cactus.

The first episode is dedicated to setting up this world and its tensions, successfully establishing the ideological and aesthetic contrast between the spiritual Deons and the logical Savants. While the Doctor and Romana barely feature early on, the payoff is a strong cliffhanger: the realisation that they are trapped in a loop just as Meglos takes on the Doctor’s form. It’s a classic Doctor Who hook, setting up intrigue for what should be an exciting second episode.

PACING ISSUES AND TOO MUCH RUNNING IN CIRCLES

Unfortunately, after an engaging start, Meglos struggles to maintain its momentum. The resolution to the time loop is disappointingly simple, and much of the remaining story devolves into prolonged chase sequences. Romana, usually a competent and resourceful companion, spends a good portion of the serial running aimlessly through a jungle, pursued by bumbling mercenaries. Even by Doctor Who standards, this chase feels repetitive, stretching across two episodes without enough narrative justification.

Meglos himself, having gone through all the trouble of impersonating the Doctor, doesn’t do much with it. His plan unfolds at an agonisingly slow pace, and even when events ramp up in Part 4, the climax is underwhelming. The Doctor spends most of the finale standing around, and the resolution is so abrupt that you barely register it before the credits roll.

TOM BAKER’S DOUBLE PERFORMANCE—A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

When Doctor Who has done dual roles for the leading men before—such as William Hartnell in The Massacre or Patrick Troughton in The Enemy of the World—they often stand out as some of the actor’s best performances. Here, Tom Baker plays Meglos with only slight variations from his usual Doctor, making the character feel like a mere unpleasant imitation rather than a distinct presence. The transformation scenes, where he wrestles between his two personas, are clumsily executed and lack the dramatic weight they could have had.

Lalla Ward, at least, fares better. Romana takes the lead during much of the adventure, cleverly manipulating the mercenaries despite being sidelined in endless chase sequences. Her quick thinking provides some of the story’s better moments, even if the material isn’t always as strong as it could be.

THE RETURN OF JACQUELINE HILL—A WELCOME BUT UNDERUSED PRESENCE

One of Meglos’s most notable aspects is the return of Jacqueline Hill, 16 years after her last appearance as Barbara Wright. This time, she plays Lexa, the leader of the Deons. While her authoritative performance is striking at first, she never quite settles into the role. Her character’s development feels rushed, and by the latter half of the story, she appears increasingly uncomfortable. It’s a missed opportunity, as Hill’s return could have been far more memorable with a stronger script.

Edward Underdown as Zastor, the neutral leader of Tigella, delivers an even more lacklustre performance. He fumbles lines and seems disengaged, making him hard to take seriously as the wise elder meant to guide his people through crisis.

The Gaztak mercenaries, Grugger and Brotadac, at least inject some rugged energy into the proceedings. While not the brightest henchmen, their dynamic adds some amusement, and their practical, no-nonsense attitudes contrast well with the more grandiose schemes of Meglos.

PRODUCTION VALUE—A MIXED BAG

On the technical side, Meglos boasts some decent production elements for the era. The model work, particularly in the desert sequences, is impressive. The jungle set, while obviously artificial, is colourful and detailed, though it lacks the eerie atmosphere or tropical lushness of similar locations in Planet of Evil or The Creature from the Pit. The use of CSO is improved over previous attempts but still feels rough in places.

Where the serial falters is in its tonal balance. The Deon rituals feel contrived, serving as yet another instance of the Doctor nearly being sacrificed—a plot point that had been done to death by this stage. Meanwhile, scenes with Meglos and the mercenaries often veer into unintentional comedy, undermining the supposed stakes of the conflict.

VERDICT: AN INTERESTING IDEA THAT FAILS TO BLOOM

Meglos had potential—a solid setup, an intriguing villain concept, and the return of a beloved Doctor Who actor. Unfortunately, weak pacing, an underwhelming climax, and inconsistent performances prevent it from standing out. While it has its moments—especially in the first episode and during the Doctor/Meglos face-off—it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity rather than a forgotten gem.

📝63/100

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

• Meglos joins a small group of Doctor Who stories - including The Massacre and The Enemy of the World - where the actor playing the Doctor is also playing the main villain.
• This story also saw the first use of Scene Syncing, a motion control technology that made CSO use more reliable than previously.
• Lieutenant Brotadac’s name is actually an anagram of “bad actor”, meant to be a fun in-joke.
• Interestingly, this is the only time in Classic Who where every credited cast member actually appears in every single episode of the story.
• Tom Baker was still reeling from the after effects of his illness during the production of this story, as he reportedly wasn't a fan of the mask he was forced to wear as Meglos.