Review of Timelash by 15thDoctor
26 April 2024
This review contains spoilers
Why are The Doctor and Peri still arguing? It comes across as if they hate being wanderers and companions in time and space. Isn’t this supposed to be fun? Where is the spirit of adventure? Is actual screaming from The Doctor and flinching from Peri necessary? The activity on the fascistic planet may lack drama when it comes to the Timelash machine but has some good character moments in the quieter darker corners. Our leads however have no such charm. Peri complaining to The Doctor that the complex they find themselves in is too “matte”, preferring a lively “glossy” finish pretty much sums up the problems with this season.
Why would they have poisonous plants just sitting around in the place? Seems like an accident waiting to happen. Totally illogical.
All my good will for Colin Baker in visual form is gone. I am very much looking forward to seeing the back of his ham fisted hack acting. Thank God he was able to redeem himself with Big Finish, because he is rubbish here. The excruciating scenes with H.G. Wells are a good case in point. So much gesticulating and shouting. I imagined Christopher Eccleston playing the same scene with a low key delivery and dismissive tone - he would transform those lines into gold.
It’s an ambitious script but the production does not manage to realise any of the drama. The Doctor enters the Timelash and despite the production team’s best efforts looks incredibly cheap and unthreatening.
The Doctor shames Borad (baddie of the week) for having a facial deformity, which is lame. I could see the idea of the Borad trying to steal Peri as his bride working if the acting was able to sell the dialogue. Unfortunately I care very little about any of the characters presented.
When in his chair, Borad could kill anyone at any time he wants but doesn’t - again, totally illogical.
Has there ever been a more predictable revelation in Doctor Who as Herbert being revealed as H.G. Wells? Yawn.