Four to Doomsday
Story 117, Episodes 558-561, Season 19 Episodes 5-8
Doctor: The Fifth Doctor
Companions: Adric, Nyssa, Tegan Jovanka
In a surprisingly fun story, the Doctor uncovers a complex plot in Four to Doomsday.
The Review
Tegan is ready to be taken right back to Heathrow: February 28th 1981. Adric enters in the coordinates and they are drawn upon a very advanced ship ruled by an alien named Monarch with his ministers: Enlightenment and Persuasion. Slowly, we start to unravel what has really been going on here as we meet four humans: an Australian aborigine, a Mayan princess, a Chinese noblemen, and an Athenian philosopher. All have been taken for Earth and live upon this ship which came from the planet Urbanka. It turns out that Urbanka was destroyed by Monarch, a crazy man who believes himself to be a God. To extend the lifespans of everyone he has converted them into androids, and the humans are on the ship to provide research and help smooth over his eventual take-over of Earth. They’ve also done laborious research for Monarch’s real insane goal: to travel faster than light into the past where he will…meet himself for he is God. It’s all pretty serious sci-fi stuff, and much more developed than the boring story of Underworld for example (first episode aside). It’s a pretty crazy plot, but it’s fun and a rare glimpse at actual non-white people in the classic series, who are treated with respect even!
It’s a very interesting plot choice, and not the first time it’s happened, but it’s intriguing how the show keeps making Adric fall completely for the bad guys. Couple that with a very chauvinistic comment about female intelligence, it’s like the show is consciously making us root against Adric. I actually don’t find him annoying it all, I think he’s a fascinating character who is clearly way in over his head. Other than being extremely smart, I don’t know what purpose Nyssa serves, and although Tegan’s frustration and deep desire to get back home is entirely understandable it does get a bit annoying from a story perspective. As for Peter Davison, this was his first story filmed, but you can tell the hints of what could make him a fantastic Doctor. He has his deadly serious moments, as well as his silly moments, and most crucially can do both. I am excited to see his Doctor further develop. In a bit of brilliant scene making, the Doctor is floating in space close to the TARDIS which is stuck just outside the ship. He produces a cricket ball and throws it, bouncing it off the ship and back at him giving him the thrust he needs to reach the TARDIS. How can you not like that? I knew nothing about this story, and was happily given a food one. Encore!
The good run continues for Season 19.
8.9/10 The continuity error with the Doctor’s hair is a big miss and I’m going to keep noticing it.
Reviewing Doctor Who from Start to Finish 