Kinda

For a story that sprouts as much conversation as this one, it's terribly inconsistent. I just can't decide how I feel about it.

There are plenty of cool and interesting concepts here. The dream sequence is very cool, I like it when Doctor Who gets experimental. The idea of the locals being very scientifically advanced despite appearances is interesting, but wasn't explored or expanded upon at all. I like the design of the Mara, both in the dreamscape and in reality.

The guest cast is interesting, too. They all have different things going for them. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by the complete lack of substance from our regular companions. Adric somehow managed to be even worse than in the previous serial, and I'm getting really tired of him fake-siding with the bad guys to save his own skin. Tegan continues to get on my nerves - so far, her only character trait is complaining about wanting to get to work on time. And Nyssa continues being sidelined - she isn't even in this story at all!

At least the Doctor is finally coming into his own. Five is beginning to grow on me.

This is a wildly experimental and unique Doctor Who story. A real showcase for Janet Fielding as Tegan too, who does an amazing job. She is absolutely sensational at playing Tegan under the possession of the Mara; you can really tell that it's the Mara that's controlling her and that this isn't the Tegan we know.

The dream sequences are an incredible achievement for the classic series too. The cinematography is sublime, with sequences like the multiple Tegans and the Mara making it and Tegan invisible because Tegan says she wants to be left alone creating such strong images. Not to mention the prophecy stuff that Panna shows the Doctor and Todd, where the image is all distorted in this weird yellowy colour.

I like the Mara too. The Mara is a great threat; so intimidating, you really feel like Tegan is in danger.

Also: don't tell the NotMyDoctors, but this story is *SHOCK* political. It contains themes of colonialism in the way that the people in the base want to colonise the planet and see the locals as little more than savages.

Where this story's faults lie is in the use of the companions. Tegan, as previously mentioned, is used brilliantly throughout, but the same can't be said for Nyssa and Adric. Adric is mainly relegated to the military base, with Todd of the supporting cast effectively fulfilling the companion role, and Nyssa is written out entirely (bar the beginning and end), feeling quite drowsy and going to sleep in the TARDIS.

I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the supporting cast either. They're a bit OTT, especially Richard Todd as Colonel Sanders, who seemed to be hamming it up somewhat as this experienced military figure.

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: Four to Doomsday

I'm glad that Doctor Who is being experimental and branching out but it doesn't always mean it'll be great

Peter Davison is absolutely shining as the Doctor. Simon Rouse and Richard Todd as Hindle and Sanders respectively are great, especially the former who brilliantly captures the devolution into insanity. It was one of the most engaging parts of this story. The scenes inside Tegan's mind are experimental Doctor Who at it's best.

The whole story feels like a fever dream and I love it, though it's not without it's faults. Nyssa is written out of this story because they just couldn't handle 3 companions. It also feels like the Doctor doesn't really care about his companions, especially Tegan who he just leaves to sleep in the middle of a jungle.

In general I think it's absolutely a fun story, but with a lot of glaring issues that are present not only in this story but as a whole throughout the season so far.

Next Story: God of War

Mara - cool design, wish i had watched this episode before legend of ruby sunday!

Kinda - probably an insensitive portrayal of 'tribal' people/'savages'. they discussed them being scientifically advanced with the double helix but that was not super touched upon. i think a lot more time should have been spent with them, learning their culture and history so that we could understand the mirrors better, the mara better, and their cycles of time - because all that felt very thrown in at the last part of the story

Nyssa - strange to completely write out nyssa. i like the scientist woman, Todd, she was pretty cool and interesting, but why not have nyssa play her role really? but she was definitely the main person filling the companion role in this story.

Tegan - it felt like we barely saw tegan as well, the doctor just left her like that in the woods for 2 days!! what the f**k?? it will be interesting to see how the mara coming back in future episodes relates to her

Adric - adric again sees ooc from his s18/castrovalva characterisation.

i dont know, nothing here really did it for me at all

This is the craziest story to date. Unhinged but believable performances from Tegan and two of our wonderfully drawn colonialist characters Hinden and Saunders. Who look like they’re on drugs as they get taken over by the Kinda - it adds to the trippy, offbeat quality of the production. The sergeant character fits nicely within this alien “savage” community, a community that has more mental agility and powers (telekinetic) than their aggressors initially estimated… and it's pushing our characters to their mental limit.

The Doctor and his companions continue to impress. Davison’s Doctor is a great mediator with the skeptical colonialist. He doesn’t show his hand too early and is entirely practical in his approach. The trippy scenes with Tegan in a ghostly dimension are spooky and affecting. You get whiplash cutting between the scenes in the colonialist’s base and Tegan’s mental world. It's not clear initially how the two settings are connected.

It’s a bit of a cop out, shelving Nyssa for the whole story (apparent sickness) then her turning up again at the end. Having said this, the focus on a smaller number of main characters does work for the story.

In the end the scenes set on the colonialist’s base are a lot more interesting than those amongst the tribe - in many ways thanks to Hindle’s excellent and insane performance. The ending with a giant puppet snake also leaves something to be desired, even if it all ties up nicely.

Overall this story screams potential and is memorable for a lot of compelling reasons, but it’s cons mean it doesn’t live up to that potential.