Doctor Who Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 06/15
By James Aggas
In today’s stories on Twitch, the Master tries to summon a godlike being (again), and the Doctor meets his past, as we get our first ever multi-Doctor story!
Today, we head into Doctor Who‘s tenth season. What stories were created for such a major anniversary? And how strong was the season overall?
Before we find out, first up is the last story of season nine. Considering how strong The Daemons was, and how that ended the previous season, would this story be able to match that level of exceptional quality?
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
The Time Monster
I need to be honest right now: with The Time Monster, we reach one of the least popular stories of Jon Pertwee’s Doctor. It’s a shame too, because it does have a few good ideas.
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Admittedly, a lot of these ideas have been used before already. The Master summoning an all-powerful being was pretty much what we got with The Daemons.
This story also depicts the destruction of Atlantis, which happened back in Second Doctor story The Underwater Menace. (For a completely different reason, I might add.) So the most interesting ideas here are hardly the most original.
And some of the original ideas just come across as silly. We get a new TARDIS set in this one, and honestly, it doesn’t look good. It just looks like the Doctor has placed a lot of cutlery on his walls. And seriously, why did the writers think it was a good idea to call a major device used in the episode TOMTIT?
I think the best way to enjoy The Time Monster is not as a genuinely good Doctor Who story, but as a bit of harmless fun. It’s far from the best story, but it’s not without its funny moments, whether intentional or not.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: Radio Times.)
The Three Doctors
The Three Doctors was a huge story in several ways. Firstly, it opened the show’s tenth anniversary season, which was a major landmark at the time.
The second reason it’s important, which of course was done to celebrate such an event, was that it was the first multi-Doctor story ever made. As such, there’s a real joy seeing in Troughton’s and Pertwee’s Doctors interacting together for the first time.
Sadly, due to ill health, William Hartnell only barely features in the story in pre-filmed scenes. Some of the magic of his original performance is still there, but you can definitely tell that he’s having difficulty.
However, Troughton at least is given a great deal to work with, and it’s a joy seeing him interact with the Brigadier and Benton again. Not to mention Jo’s reaction to meeting this strange little man, and finding out who he is.
We also find out a key moment of Time Lord history with Omega. While Stephen Thorne gives a very loud performance in the role, to say the least, Omega himself still comes across as a tragic figure. A man who deserved glory and suffered centuries of total isolation instead.
There is one final reason this story is important. Namely, that it brings an end to a major arc in Doctor Who that started all the way back in The War Games. Pertwee gives a great performance during the key scene, and it’s nice to see the arc resolved in such a satisfying way.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
The Carnival of Monsters
The Carnival of Monsters is a story with a few interesting ideas that are effectively used. The story begins with an intriguing mystery on what appears to be an ordinary ship on Earth.
But there’s also another story set on an alien world, as a showman and his assistant demonstrate what his strange machine can do. Finding out how two very different stories are linked is half the fun of the opening episode, which is why I don’t want to give too much away.
What I can say is that The Carnival of Monsters is a great story that leaves you guessing, and gets to have a lot of fun with the Doctor and Jo.
Overall recommendation of the day: The Three Doctors
It was always going to be this one. The first of many multi-Doctor encounters, this was where the whole idea started.
Whether it’s Troughton returning to the role for the first time in three years, the two main Doctors constantly bickering, or fleshing out the history of the Doctor’s race, there’s a lot to enjoy about The Three Doctors. Certainly a highly recommended watch.
Next: Doctor Who Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 06/14
Are you excited to watch The Three Doctors? Are you happy about seeing Troughton return to the role, even briefly? Do you think The Time Monster is simply misunderstood? Or are you simply concerned about Jo Grant’s coccyx? Let us know in the comments below.