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TARDIS Guide

Overview

First aired

Monday, May 31, 2010

Written by

Jim Noble

Directed by

James Bogle

Runtime

30 minutes

Time Travel

Present

Tropes (Potential Spoilers!)

Robots

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Earth, England, London

Synopsis

Darius and K9 go undercover to expose a criminal using illegal robot technology in what he calls "destruct-entertainment". K9 becomes a gladiator and has to face the evil Pain-Maker in a battle to the death. What is the sinister plan instigated by Thorne? K9 also befriends the other Robot Gladiators he sees as cybernetic ancestors, basic androids who have a heart and spirit that touches K9's superior consciousness.

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2 reviews

This review contains spoilers!

There's a bit more flair put into this one than most others, but it still ends up mostly falling a little flat for me.

The kids all playing parts as they're doing the investigation is pretty fun, and it starts out realistic enough, but when Jorjie and Starkey get involved suspension of disbelief is taken a little far, then again, it's later revealed that the villain saw through the disguises so I can't really hold it against the episode if it knows they're not believable and uses that.

I like the idea that The Department want K9 for his regeneration abilities, it's a fun change on Drake's wanting K9 because ???????

Unfortunately the rest of the episode is a little weak, the clown robots are just sorta there, and the ending being that the plan fails because K9 is nigh indestructible just undercuts any tension there ever was, because the evil plan was just never going to work no matter what.


JayPea

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I feel a bit for the team on this one because the set up is solid and there is tonnes of effort put in to give the story a directorial flare. Unfortunately the pay off to the story is weak and predictable even for a kids show. Feels like a first draft.


15thDoctor

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2.11 / 5

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1.75 / 5

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Quotes

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K9: News of my regeneration has been greatly exaggerated.

— K9 Mark 2, Robot Gladiators

Transcript Needs checking

[Freddie’s office]

FREDDIE: I call it “destructertainment”. Robot Gladiators for the discerning lovers of a bit of mayhem. And the punters? I’ve got them paying hand over first for video uplinks of my robots going at it in the ring. So what if the tech I’m using is prohibited? And by the Department, no less. Laws, they’re for the little people.
DARIUS: Right, yeah. Not like you and me, Freddie.
FREDDIE: That’s right, son. So, you work for Professor Gryffen?
DARIUS: I used to but the stuck-up old geezer treated me like dirt, so I quit.
FREDDIE: Yeah, I’ve heard he’s a bit full of himself but you’ve got to admire the man’s genius. There’s not one robot in my stable doesn’t carry a bit of his legacy. But to business. What you got for me?
DARIUS: Just a little something I managed to take with me when I parted company with the professor. (He presents K9, packaged in a box. Freddie laughs.) You interested?

(Darius clears his throat.)

FREDDIE: Kid, you got a deal.
DARIUS: Deal.

(Darius shakes Freddie’s hand. Freddie winces.)


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