PS Creativity > Reviews > Into The Vortex > Season Eleven

Pertwee's final travels in space and time, and it seemed you preferred the stories set on Earth! The introduction of the Sontarans
and Sarah Jane proved a big hit, and many of you saw past the crap Dinos... you were a bit hard on Peladon, mind! Tut tut.

>> Season Eleven averages 6.934 out of 10 <<

Some comments from a few members...

The Time Warrior

"This is easily one of my favourite stories of all! I love just about everything about it, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Linx – what a nasty piece of work he is! Easily the best Sontaran ever to feature in the series (top marks to Kevin Lindsay who really suffered for his art in this role), and by far the best costume/head combo!
• Ruebish – DW is full of great supporting characters, and it’s no coincidence that Robert Holmes created some of the best. A really sympathetic character and well played by Donald Pelmear.
• Bloodaxe & Irongron – Another trademark Holmes plot device; the pairing of two supporting characters for humorous effect. Yes, they are very stereotypical of their type, but they are played with such gusto by both actors and have some classic dialogue at their disposal. “A long, shank rascal with a mighty nose!”
• The Doctor vs. Women’s Lib – I love the fiery contrast between Pertwee’s and Sladen’s characters! “We need someone around here to make the coffee!”
• June Brown – What more can I say?

For a mostly historical story, this one never gets boring for me. It’s fun, fun, fun all the way and is IMHO one of the most underrated DW stories." -- Ant Cox (10/10)

"A really enjoyable story to start the season. Sarah gets a nice intro, Linx looks fabulous and it's just a joy to watch."
-- Si Hart (8/10)

"It seems many regard this as one of the best Who stories, but I'm a little harder to please I guess. The setting's just dull, I've no interest in medieval England, and the period characters are all rather weak and stereotyped. Linx the Sontaran however, is fantastic, an interesting and substantial new villain, and a worthy match for the Doctor, well portrayed by Kevin Lindsay (it was such a shame he died so soon after). And then there's Liz Sladen as Sarah Jane. Very headstrong in her first appearance, I'm glad they toned her down a little as they went on though, the women's lib thing is a little too obvious/irritating. Over-rated." -- Pip Madeley (6/10)

"As a 11 year old watching this I know for sure I would have been disappointed with some of the early scenes from the first episode thinking it to be a dull historical story. After the spectacular Green Death, it at first seemed like a come down...but as it unfolded with an alien in the midsts of these medieval surroundings I quickly realised this was going to be great fun. And so it is and clearly Jon had great fun making it. And how dare this new companion be suspicious of the Doctor! But by the end of the story Sarah had made her mark as a great new companion for the Doctor on his travels. So great new monster and the impact was to follow for years after - I was unaware of this until the last couple of years." -- Ralph Mitchell (9.5/10)

"Just gorgeous. It somehow lacks that extra 'something' that makes it a classic, but it's a perfect example of a good, solid, entertaining story. Tweaked a tad it could easily form a modern-day 45 minuter. I always class it as a romp, because it's just such fun. Zel used the term "longshanks" last night, but to my great dismay she wasn't quoting from this story - she didn't believe that mine was a towering intelligence either! Good story, good script, good performances, good monster. Bring on the DVD!!" -- Andrew Curnow (9/10)

"I love this story. Linx is a wonderful villain, and the interplay between him and Irongron is superb. Interestingly, and something I missed for some time, Linx shows the better relationship with Irongron. Despite showing utter contempt for the primitive, his notions of honour compel him to provide for him in return for the shelter he offered, and when he was ready to leave he still took the time to warn Irongron he ought to abandon the castle. A new alien with possibly the most interesting personality for a while. Filming on location looks gorgeous & performances are all excellent." -- Jason Thompson (10/10)

"I tend to like pseudo-historicals and this is no exception, with Pertwee in fine form (I love the look of delight on his face as he nonchalantly chucks his exploding bags over the castle walls!), the introduction of my favourite ever companion, and the introduction of a great new foe, who never looked better than here. DVD release please!!" -- Jonno Simmons (8.5/10)

Invasion of the Dinosaurs

"Marvellous! Yes the Dinosaurs are rubbishly shot and highly immobile, but the story is really good. Even the chase episode doesn't outstay it's welcome. The last great Pertwee story." -- Si Hart (9/10)

"Another big favourite! I don't care about the piss-poor dinosaurs!" -- Wayne Jefferies (9/10)

"A very good story, sadly let down by its production. After a few generally poor stories, Malcolm Hulke delivers with strong ideas and well written characters. You feel sympathy for the 'baddies' - they're not really evil, they're just misguided with good intentions. It's great to see Mike Yates being given some character development at last, it's a shocking twist that one of the UNIT team would betray the Brigadier and the Doctor like that. They're usually loyal and dependable (like Benton, when he lets the Doctor "overpower him" and escape). The story loses its way a little with the spaceship scenes (episode four's cliffhanger is fab, mind), but apart from that it's good stuff - and there's some great classic Who actors involved (Peter Miles, John Bennett, Carmen Silvera). Yes, the special effects are poor. But as Dean Learner once said, if you're concentrating on the effects you're not concentrating on the story. "If you go to a Punch and Judy show and just watch the wires, you're a freak." It's not about the dinosaurs anyway, they're just a "side issue" as the Doctor puts it. Bags of atmopshere, bags of ideas, bags of characterisation - just a shame about the dinos." -- Pip Madeley (8/10)

"I'm glad to see not many people being swayed by the dinos. I'd say that it's only the T-Rex that really lets the side down - the other models are actually OK, and there is some attempt to direct them in a way that tries to hide their shortcomings. The scene where they drive under the tail, for example, is not perfect, but is at least as good as many a bit of blue-screen work from that era of TV. Plus it's about so much more about the Dinos, and is (with the Yates business) a rare attempt of the old series to do something unexpected with a regular companion." -- Andrew Curnow (9/10)

"This is a brilliant effort! Losing just half a mark for the dodgy scene of the T-rex at the end of ep 2/start of 3. Otherwise I think the Dinosaurs look fine for the era & don't spoil my pleasure watching this. I really found it exciting at the time when the Dinosaurs appeared because they rarely appeared if at all on a television series. It was a a bit over ambitious but I think it was great they were trying to do something special! The twists in the story are just brilliant and I remember feeling angry at Yate's betrayal of the Doctor and the Brig Makes for a more enjoyable story.As for the Who mobile - why not! I love this story, it's got a lot going for it!" -- Ralph Mitchell (9.5/10)

"This is the death knell of the UNIT era, and again we have an entirely unbelievable scenario that links with the ability to move things through time. Where have human's suddenly got this ability from? Mike Yates' betrayal of the Doctor and the Brigadier isn't very believable either." -- Paul Clement (5/10)

"Unrealistic model dinosaurs do nothing to impair my appreciation of this story. I love the whole bleak feel of it, and the realisation of a deserted London really is excellent (kudos to ‘Sir’ Paddy Russell). The overarching theme of Global Warming has just the right level of inclusion & of course is so relevant today. Nice to see another side of Mike, too." -- Ant Cox (9/10)

Planet of the Spiders

"A nice swansong, but not the best. I love the spiders and their voices and I love the fact that the Doctor has to face his fears and do the right thing at the end, but the story is overlong, the Metebelis 3 scenes are tedious and badly acted and it's not quite as good as it could have been, sadly. I always cheer as Tom appears at the end!" -- Si Hart (7/10)

"The last throws of the Petwee era produce the best story for some time. Ok, there are some glaring faults to the story, especially the acting talents or lack of from Jenny Laird as Neska. The scenes of Earth, such as all those at the meditation centre and the chase scene are highlights of the story, and although some of the Metebelis Three scenes are a bit of a let down, they certainly compare favourably to most of what this season had on offer. Lupton also makes for the best villain the series had since the Master last appeared. Actually, you can see how the character could have been easily replaced by the Master if it hadn't been for Delgado's untimely death." -- Paul Clement (8.5/10)

"I'd have given it 10 if not for the over-bright, too-CSO'd Metebelis of part 3, and that dreadful woman playing Neska. But ignoring that, even without having 'been there' in 1974 it still has a real feeling of being An Event. Pertwee is excellent, and it's such a clever touch to have that mention of Jo, and the reappearance of Mike - reminding us of that whole UNIT family which, clearly, this story is going to change forever. And John Dearth I think is excellent (sorry, Wayne) particularly in that mesmerising scene where he's just filling in his life story. It's a mix of contemporary, Earth-set shenanigans, dull alien planet chases, dodgily-CSOd monsters, and a hint of mysticism - in other words, the perfect summation of the Pertwee years. The regeneration itself may be over in a flash, but it's an entirely suitable goodbye." -- Andrew Curnow (9/10)

"An over-ambitious salesman plans to take over the galaxy! Giant spiders threaten the Doctor! A sadly disappointing ending to the Pertwee era, with a padded and repetitive plot. The chase sequence is enjoyable enough (save for the Whomobile flying), but when we get to Metebelis 3, things crash and burn (Jenny Laird, ARGH!). Once again, UNIT are reduced to an army of simpletons, with the Brig coming across as a comical buffoon, and Benton being overpowered all too easily by a small man. Thankfully, Jon Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen are both strong, and Kevin Linsday and George Cormack impress once more, and then there's Terence Lodge with THOSE TEETH! Hilarious! And Tommy! It's a deeply touching moment when he realises he's changed. The climax is an anti-climax (could've been much more dramatic), but Jon's final scene is tear-jerking. Disappointing finale, peppered with nice touches -- Pip Madeley (7/10)

"I'm never sure what to make of this one. It's way too long, obviously. It has some very cheap stuff in it, and one of the worst performances ever by Jenny laird. The Spiders look great until they move, and then they look like inanimate puppets on strings. The Doctor's life is saved by some gizmo we've never seen before, and all his time getting pebbles for the settlers is wasted as they get taken over anyway. That said, his confrontation with The Great One is well done, especially when he is forced to dance in a circle, and I really like the cliffhanger where he falls uncoscious at the door of the TARDIS. Tommy's changing is beautiful. But once again we have an ending rather than a climax, as it all feels rather flat. Not a great end for the Third Doctor, I feel, but way better than some cheesy revelation that he and the Master were brothers, as the original plan seems to have been." -- Jason Thompson (6/10)

Death to the Daleks

"This story flatters to deceive so much. The idea of weaponless Daleks was one that could have been and should have been explored so much more. The Daleks work by creating a sense of fear and intimidation, but underneath all that, they are also meant to be a highly advanced and intelligent race who are more than capable of creating advanced weaponry, and as has already been shown on more than one occasion up to this point, have time travel technology. Too often, the resourcefulness of the the Daleks is overshadowed or ignored in favour of their ruthlessness. This was a tremendous opportunity for that balance to be redressed, putting the Daleks in a situation where they had to try to think there way to victory instead of threatening there way towards it. Instead, we get a short period of time with the Daleks having to use their deviousness and cunning, and then they are back to the same old Daleks again when they get machine guns fitted." -- Paul Clement (5/10)

"I was tempted to give this a few more marks for nostalgia's sake, as it was one of the very first Doctor Who stories I saw (and indeed, bought on video). I enjoyed it more back in those pre-teen days, but now in my adult days, the magic has faded a little. It's definitely one of the worst Dalek stories. On the good side, there's Exillon (okay, it's a quarry, but it's effective), the great city, and its inhabitants look good (Bellal's great!). Jon Pertwee and Lis Sladen give solid performances, the latter really gets a chance to shine. Sadly, the cast is not good. The actors from Earth in search for perrinium are largely awful ("We're down to our last pack of sulphagen tablets, Richard", eww), saved only by Duncan Lamont. Not keen on all the childish games too - the Exillons can't have been that superior if their fearsome intellectual challenges include hopscotch and mazes. The incidental music is enjoyable, but not really suitable - the scraping instrument reminds me of primary school, and the clarinet/sax are odd choices considering the story. The Daleks deserved better. Overall, not bad, but not great."
-- Pip Madeley (6.5/10)

"Oh dear oh dear - poor old Terry Nation delivers another clunker. No matter how hard you try there is nothing positive you can say about this story. The acting is woeful, the Dalek space ship model and the metal tube used for when the Daleks were looking at things was laughable, and the less said about the roots the better. All in all, not only is it possibly the worst Dalek story, but also the worst set of cliff hangers ever as well." -- Larry (2/10)

"I really like this one. The fact that the Daleks are powerless is a nice twist to the story, too bad about the unconvincing scene where the city collapses though." -- MacNimon (7/10)

"Woooooooooooooooooarh! BELLAL! Terry Nation does something to make the Daleks interesting again by taking away their weapons. It shows off what master strategists they are. By getting their weapons back. Hmm." -- Rob McCow (9/10)

The Monster of Peladon

"Yawn. Dull, boring and tedious. Pertwee can't be arsed (even Terry Walsh does better!), Sarah believes the Doctor has died not once but twice and the whole story goes round and round in circles and get's less interesting with it. Donald Gee is the most obvious traitor ever!" -- Si Hart (2/10)

"Wooooooooooooarh! Thank you Eckersley. But you're still a TRAITOR! I'm sure it's quite good really." -- Rob McCow (4/10)

"Some people are too mean to this story, so I'm going to stand up for it. It's good! There. You want reasons? Okay. Well, Brian Hayles' story is decent enough, there's padding yes, there's capture-escape-ing going on yes, but it's enjoyable padding (unlike "Frontier In Boredom" for instance). The plot goes along at a leisurely pace, you learn things every episode. It's also a plus to see the 'working-class' miners, as they were completely ignored in "Curse". There's some decent performnances too - Rex Robinson (lynchpin), Donald Gee (manipulative bastard here) and Frank Gatliff aren't the cream of classic series guest stars, but they all give spirited performances of well defined characters. Frank Gatliff's Ortron is much better than Hepesh in "Curse" anyway. It's lovely to have Alpha Centurai back too, and I'm glad it gets a bigger role this time round. Nice to have the Ice Warriors back to their former selves too! Overall, it's a good Doctor Who story, even with a bit of comical Terry Walsh stunt double work thrown in." -- Phillip Madeley (8/10)

"Oh dear oh dear. It's awful. That's all there is to it. Long, dull, Ice Warriors who look like they got dressed in a hurry that morning, and a blatant retread of the first tale on Peladon. Tedious in the extreme." -- Jason Thompson (2/10)

"I just don't understand why so many fans slate this one -sure, it's not a great story but I find it perfectly watchable and the Ice Warriors are good, especially Alan Bennion." -- Jonno Simmons (6.5/10)

"There's a lot of fun to be had in these six episodes and before I watched it again a couple of years ago I expected worse because of the slagging it seemed to have received. I was pleasantly surprised when I watched it." -- Ralph Mitchell (8/10)

"Alan Bennion's Ice Lord scrapes this story a couple of points, but my golly it's one of the worst stories ever! Just, just awful. Thalira is a worst actress than Peladon was; Eckersley is an unusually bad performance by Donald Gee; Ortron is played very two-dimensionally, you almost expect him to start twirling his moustache or cackling... The miners strike so that the Federation will take notice of their plight, then the Federation arrives in the form of the Ice Warriors, so the miners agree to pretend to be working and not striking... Does it even make any sense at all? Just, just awful - if I had my way, anybody wanting to start laying into the JN-T era should be made to take an objective look at this clunker first. Give me Time and the Rani or Happiness Patrol anyday." -- Andrew Curnow (2/10)

 

last updated 10th March 2007
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