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Review of Survival by WhoPotterVian

28 July 2024

An epic conclusion to Doctor Who's initial 26-season run. This story has everything; action, heart, character... In many ways, it feels like a precursor to the 2005 revival, with the way it sees the Doctor take Ace back to Present Day Perivale, and we get to see more of Ace's everyday culture back home.

 

Although the Cheetah People costumes are poor, they make for excellent one-off villains. Rona Munro's creations act as an interesting commentary on the human race, how desperation can lead us to fight each other to survive and how our actions with climate change are slowly destroying our planet. It culminates in a fantastic showdown between the Doctor and the Master, with Sylvester McCoy giving a powerhouse performance, as he declares "If we fight like animals, we die like animals!"

 

The final speech, seeing the Doctor telling Ace they have 'work to do', is a natural way to conclude the show's initial run. It speaks so much to the heart of the show, and the role of the Doctor and his companion. It's without a doubt among the most well-written pieces of dialogue in Doctor Who's history.

 

Review created on 28-07-24