PS Creativity > Reviews > Into The Vortex > Season Fourteen

Taren Capel and his robot buddies rocket to the top of the charts - The Robots of Death is a strong favourite to win Best Story Ever,
with Magnus Greel and Mr Sin not too far behind. Pity the Mandragora! I wouldn't even say no to a salami sandwich... would you?

>> Season Fourteen averages 7.49 out of 10 <<

Some comments from a few members...

The Robots of Death

"Someone stopped me giving this story any less than 10/10... with both hands!" -- Rob McCow (10/10)

"Can't fault it. It's a classic!" -- Wayne Jefferies (10/10)

"If you don't like it, fair enough, but I think it's just sublime. So many little details enhance the story and make it all that bit more real - the robophobia, the interactions of the various crew-members. It's Doctor Who almost showing off with just how damn good it can be..." -- Andrew Curnow (10/10)

"It would have been so so much better if they had just kept the fact the robots were the killers secret a bit-and given the story a different title!" -- Raston (4/10)

"Bad points first- the robots have tin foil on their feet and most of the cast are wearing quite distracting and silly make-up. Otherwise this is gold standard Who, with great effects work, good performances and decent direction. The Art Deco trappings add to the Agatha Christie homage and the 'monsters' are creepy. My favourite episode is part one, actually, especially The Doctor and Leela in the beautiful 'gothic' TARDIS console room and looking out of the vent at the appraoching sand storm. Very well done. Just about... 9 out of 10 -- Carol Baynes

"Money in the bank! Cheer up, Zilda, I'll make you. rich again." -- Uvanov

"Quite possibly my favourite piece of Doctor Who. The art deco feel, the acting (alright, there are one or two very obvious exceptions), the sinister robots... Even Dask's Glam Rock appearance at the end is logical in the context of the ripping plot (no pun intended). I know the identity of the murderer is given away too soon, but I'm not going to let that spoil things."
-- Stuart Wallis (10/10)

"Yeah, this is one is great! Good story, excellent cast, random shoes! It's got it all and Pamela Salem looking sexy!"
-- Si Hart (9/10)

The Talons of Weng-Chiang

"You'd have to have been smoking pipe of poppy if you think this one's any less than brilliant." -- Rob McCow (10/10)

"BORING. Cliched victorian holmes/phantom crap. Only manages to scrape 2 points because of the wonderful 'would plain make a horse sick' line." -- Raston (2/10)

"Deserves more than a 10, I agree with Paul on that! My all-time fave, it absolutely oozes atmosphere and sums up everything I love about that era. Superb Doctor and companion pairing, humour, violence, a bit of blood, great cliffhangers - part 2 especially still chills me a bit to this day! It's amazing though that Jago and Litefoot only meet each other in part 5!"
-- Jonno Simmons (10/10)

"I can’t fault this one at all – not even the rat can spoil it for me. I’ve always thought that the realisation of said rodent was the very best they could have achieved at the time, so it still has to get full marks. Probably the most atmospheric story of all, with a superb cast – particularly Tom who gives one of his best performances." -- Antony Cox (10/10)

"Let the talons of Weng-Chiang will shed your Fleassssssssshh… (Relatively) scary and stylish in equal measure, and boasting some of the finest looking Dr. Who episodes ever made, which ooze period atmosphere, with a solid engaging story to boot. Tom and Louise’s “Pygmalion” relationship is well utilised here and the villains and heroes are all expertly crafted from the pen of Robert Holmes. Some wonderfully quotable dialogue too, with lots of suspense thrown into the mix. Also the production design is to die for, darlings! A winner!" -- Carol Baynes (10/10)

"While this is a good story, I've never seen it as the classic 'best ever episode' it's held up to be. There's nothing wrong with it (except maybe being a little too long), I just can't get excited over it." -- Phillip Culley (7/10)

The Deadly Assassin

"My hair's curling...which either means I'm onto something, or you've just given me a glass of wee to drink."
-- Rob McCow (6/10)

"Divorcing it from its retcon nature, there's a good story of political backstabbing and betrayal here, with an enjoyable bit of wierdness going on somewhere in the middle. Good to hear Dudley Simpson remembering to use the organ for important scenes, harking back to the end of episode 9 of the War Games. The Time Lord costumes are fantastic; the only thing spoiling the Master is that the lips on Peter Pratt's mask don't move very well. Mind you, the muffled effect it gives his voice add to the character's general air of physical sickness." -- Stuart Wallis (9/10)

"And so we reach the exact point at which nostalgia kicks in. Rewatching it recently, it's clear that narratively part 3 is the weak link; but conversely, it's where the direction is at its best. The direction in the rest of the episodes is pretty basic and rather uninspired - and yet even 30+ years later, some tinge of that "It's a Gallifrey story!!!" excitement remains. Plus the superb episode two cliffhanger. It succeeds in spite of itself, I would say." -- Andrew Curnow (7/10)

"Some very good sets and costumes (although the absence of any females is a bit much!) Not the incredibly clever political thriller homage some make out, but an engrossing story all the smae. The scenes in the Matrix are well realised and initially very welcome, but quickly drag when most of an episode is devoted to them. Tom is great with the very good guest cast and the new Master is a nice twist (although I much prefer his revised make-up in "The Keeper of Traken"). Some great cliffhangers too, and inventive direction from David Maloney (I think)." -- Carol Baynes (8/10)

"Three of my favourite cliffhangers ever (esp. part 2 which concerned me more at the time than the infamous part 3 one), the lack of a companion (a bold idea that pretty much works for me), the Star Wars style voice over, and the surreal Matrix scenes should make this a classic, but like Pyramids it falls apart for me in the last part somewhat. A great, brave way to reintroduce the Master and the Time Lords - no wonder that some fans hated it at the time - of course, some fans still can't bear evolution..." -- Jonno Simmons (8.5/10)

"It was great to see the return of the Master, but that's about all this story has to interest me. Over-rated."
-- MacNimon (5/10)

"Good, but again not an all conquering classic, because the chase episode is tedious. The Matrix scenes are great when they're surreal, but soon become a runaround. Peter Pratt is great and episode 4 is a laugh a minute!" -- Si Hart (7/10)

The Hand of Fear

"ELDRAD MUST LIVE!" -- Miss Eldrad

"Brilliant way to see off SJS, great well written story. Worth 10 points alone for the scenes when the nuclear power plan looks like going into meltdown and the boss phones his wife!" -- Raston (10/10)

"The first half is very enjoyable and if it had continued this way then it would have been an 8 but sadly it loses it way. Sarah's ending is touching but not enough to rescue the second half." -- Ralph Mitchell (6/10)

"Probably being a little over generous here but only because it is Lis's leaving story, although there are some nice moments the first 3 episodes are pretty average . But whatever it's faults, the parting scene at the end when The Doctor takes Sarah home is beautifully done and a joy to watch." -- Larry (9/10)

"I like all the Earth-based bits but it’s let down terribly by the Kastria elements. Great performances from all concerned apart from Stephen “I Always Shout My Lines” Thorne." -- Antony Cox (6/10)

"My first ever memory of Dr. Who. I've seen enough of it since to give it a score, but I reserve the right to change my mind. A very good sending off for Sarah Jane and while its not the most outstanding story, the memory of the hand moving in the box has been burned into my memory since I lost my Who virginity in October 1976." -- Carol Baynes (8/10)

"RAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" -- Mr Eldrad

The Face of Evil

"Again a good solid story, an impressive jungle, good premise, but it doesn't quite come together as it should. The Tesh scenes are pretty poor, but the Xoanon bits make up for it, just." -- Si Hart (7.5/10)

"Just run of the mill, nothing special." -- Ralph Mitchell (6.5/10)

"Excellent third episode cliffhanger, and I love all the nonsense with the jelly babies. Plus a nice TARDIS materialisation."
-- Pip Madeley (7/10)

Not one of the classics of the era, but a good idea reasonably executed nevertheless. The sight of a cricket glove (or is it a Cyberman's hand?) on someone's head is always worth a giggle. So is the revelation that The Evil One eats babies.
-- Stuart Wallis (7/10)

"My least fave Hinchcliffe, and again one that has less childhood memories than its contemporaries - I don't mind the Sevateem scenes, but the Tesh stuff leaves me cold. I guess because it's more sci-fi than most Who, which tends to go down less well with me, as with space opera." -- Jonno Simmons (6/10)

"I just couldn't ever really get into this story. The poorest of the season, imo." -- MacNimon (4/10)

The Masque of Mandragora

"An outstanding example of the intelligent, well researched, exciting (whatever others may say!) historical based story. I love it." -- Si Hart (9/10)

"This is a good story on paper but whenever I try watching it I always seem to give up after the first episode…… The location work is nice but I find it all rather ploddy." -- Antony Cox (4/10)

"I have few memories of this from childhood - I do know that I never saw part one as I was at a friend's birthday part (and was strictly warned by my Mum not to come back early to watch Dr Who!!). So it felt like watching a new, fresh story when the video came out in 1991 and I like the historical setting, the sunny location filming, and the court intrigue feel to it. A good, solid season opener." -- Jonno Simmons (7/10)

"It looks nice, but as a story it doesn't really work. The characters are mostly two-dimensional at best, and something about the whole piece stops it from catching the attention." -- Stuart Wallis (3/10)

"How the manage to make the Renaissance this dull is anyones guess." -- Raston (2/10)

"I want to like this more, but it's so dull!" -- Wayne Jefferies (3/10)

last updated 11th March 2007
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