Doctor Who Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 07/11

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

The Mara and the Black Guardian return to destroy the Fifth Doctor, once and for all! But it’s not just old enemies that the Doctor encounters, as he also says hello to an old friend…

Did you enjoy yesterday’s Doctor Who stories on Twitch? Did the ending of Earthshock particularly surprise you? It’s not often that a Doctor’s companion gets killed off. And while Adric may not have been popular, killing him off was still a bold decision.

But now we move on from darkness and death to a season of celebration. We’ve already reached the twentieth anniversary season, and so, the production team decided to do something special.

More from Winter is Coming

For such a landmark anniversary of Doctor Who, every story in the season made sure to bring back a major enemy. But how well did this approach work? And which enemies returned?

Arc of Infinity

Peter Davison’s second season as the Fifth Doctor kicks off with Arc of Infinity. We’ve got a few interesting ideas with this story. The Doctor returns to Gallifrey for the first time since The Invasion of Time. There’s a crisis, as a creature of pure anti-matter is trying to break into our universe. And we have the return of a very old enemy.

Yet somehow, these elements don’t come together as well as they should. The story never feels as big as it should be, all things considered.

The location filming in Amsterdam also doesn’t feel necessary. While Paris looked great in City of Death, the overseas location just doesn’t look as necessary to the plot here.

We also have Tegan return in an incredibly clumsy way. Her exit in Time-Flight wasn’t exactly well handled. But the way she’s brought back through an incredibly improbable coincidence is just lazy writing.

Arc of Infinity isn’t a terrible story. But it’s not a very satisfying one, either. Still, worth watching for an early-bird appearance from Colin Baker, at least.

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

Snakedance

Now this is more like it! With Snakedance, we have the return of the Mara! On the world where it originally came from, no less. And, best of all, we have much more of possessed Tegan in this one.

Janet Fielding clearly enjoyed getting to play Tegan possessed by the Mara in Kinda. However, it was only for a very brief scene. So it’s great that, in the sequel, she’s given a lot more to do. It’s a wonderfully strong performance that she gives, too.

The plot of Snakedance is also great, too. In some ways, it’s more straightforward than Kinda. But at the same time, it still presents plenty of interesting ideas and themes throughout. Particularly with spirituality and echoes of Buddhism throughout.

It’s also refreshing that we get such a different setting in this one, too. Whereas Kinda was set on a primitive jungle planet, Manussa is a thriving civilization. Not just because of the city we see, but also because of its rich sense of history, too.

With a great plot that shares themes with the original story, but avoids copying it altogether, Snakedance is a really strong sequel.

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

Mawdryn Undead

Mawdryn Undead is a very crucial story, in three key ways. First, it features the introduction of Vislor Turlough. Turlough is unlike any other Doctor Who companion. It’s not because of his bravery, his intelligence, or any of the other qualities that usually make a companion stand out.

No: Turlough is different because he’s far more out for himself than any companion before or after. From his very first scenes, he doesn’t care about getting his only friend at school into trouble. (So long as he’s not the one in trouble himself.)

He’s a challenging character to like. Which makes him one of the more interesting ones. More than that: it makes him an ideal agent for the Black Guardian.

Yes, this is the second reason why Mawdryn Undead is crucial. Several seasons after The Key to Time, the Black Guardian has finally caught up with the Fifth Doctor. He wants him utterly destroyed. And he needs Turlough’s help to do it. He wants Turlough to gain the Doctor’s trust, shortly before he kills him.

As far as companion introductions go, Mawdryn Undead is certainly unusual. There aren’t many companions introduced by someone wanting to kill the Doctor. It leaves you wondering how Turlough will side with the Doctor, and I love that unique angle to it.

Return of an old friend

One more way Mawdryn Undead stands out: the long overdue return of the Brigadier. Retired from UNIT and now working as a school teacher, he’s completely forgotten about the Doctor.

How? And why? That’s something Mawdryn Undead gradually explores. Especially when two time zones are introduced into the story.

It’s kind of funny to think that, out of twenty-six seasons in the original series, Mawdryn Undead is one of the only serials that explores the personal effects of time travel. It’s handled well overall, as we learn more and more of what happened in the Brigadier’s past while he’s living it.

Overall, Mawdryn Undead is a great start to the Black Guardian trilogy, and a unique companion introduction story.

Recommendation of the day: Mawdryn Undead

Today was a tricky one. While Arc of Infinity is hardly a favorite, Snakedance is an excellent sequel to a brilliant Fifth Doctor story. Janet Fielding also gets to put in a really good performance in that one.

But personally speaking, Mawdryn Undead appeals to me just a little bit more. It’s not just because of the Brigadier’s return and how well it’s handled. Or how unique Turlough’s introduction is. But it also makes sure to include an interesting science-fiction story that uses time travel brilliantly. It’s definitely a very strong story.

Still, if you can watch both, definitely try to include Snakedance as well. Like I said, it’s certainly an excellent story in its own right.

Next: Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 07/10

Which story are you most keen to watch out of today’s three stories? Are you excited about the return of the Brigadier? Curious about Turlough’s introduction? Let us know in the comments below.

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