There is a school of thought that preaches tolerance of 'The Five Doctors' and is prepared to indulge its failings on the grounds that it is an anniversary story. This school of thought is presumably the same one that will excuse any old crap song reaching number one in the singles charts provided that it is for charity. Which always gives me the impression that artists then think "It's for charity, so I don't have to make an effort because anybody who complains will seem churlish". As it happens, I don't actually think 'The Five Doctors' is quite that bad, I am prepared to make a few allowances for the anniversary, and I think that Terrance Dicks made a considerable effort; considering that 'The Five Doctors' features not only five Doctors, but also five bona fide companions, K9 Mark III, four hallucinatory companions, a Dalek, some Cybermen, a Yeti, the Master, a new monster (Raston Warrior Robot), Borusa and the Castellan from 'Arc of Infinity', it is a miracle that it even hangs together at all. 

I'll start with the plot. The idea of time scooping the Doctor's past incarnations into the Death Zone on Gallifrey is an effective contrivance for getting them all together for the anniversary, as well as allowing the inclusion of old friends and enemies. The problem is, the rationale behind it doesn't make sense. The reason for the presence of the Doctors in the Death Zone is that Borusa wants them to reach the Dark Tower and switch off the force field so that he can transmat to the Tomb of Rassilon and gain immortality. So why does he fill the Death Zone with Cybermen? Why does he use all five of the Doctors? It doesn't improve the chances of success, because logically, if one of the first four Doctors is killed any subsequent incarnations will cease to exist. You could argue that the very existence of the Fifth Doctor proves that his earlier incarnations cannot have died in the Death Zone, except that the script implies near the start that the effect on the Fifth Doctor of his past selves being Time Scooped is not an established part of his existing time line, since it shouldn't make him so ill if it was. Borusa's entire plan is flawed anyway; as has been noted elsewhere, including The Discontinuity Guide, Borusa is risking rather a lot considering that the High Council apparently have the technology to offer a new regenerative cycle to the Master. 

And this is typical of the problem I have with Borusa; the wily and cunning politician of 'The Deadly Assassin' and 'The Invasion of Time' is transformed into a stock megalomaniac with a stupid and inconsistent plan. It is a waste of an established an interesting character, and it is a waste of Philip Latham who is very good in the role. The annoying thing about Borusa's sudden transformation into a nutter is that Dicks' decided on it because he though having the Master in control of the Game of Rassilon would have been too obvious. But in a story with so many different elements to juggle, was this twist really necessary? For one thing it (probably unintentionally) plagiarizes 'Arc of Infinity' by having a traitor on the High Council. For another, it would have suited the Master perfectly, because unlike Borusa I could well believe that he's mad enough to drag five Doctors to the Death Zone and put obstacles in their way, despite the fact that this would have endangered his plan. The Master as principle villain might have been obvious, but in a story with so many ingredients vying for attention, Dicks' desire for a twist actually works against the story. 

Moving on to the Doctors themselves, the lack of participation from Tom Baker is hugely disappointing, but is probably a blessing in disguise, since it effectively means that Dicks has only four incarnations to cope with. In addition, the use of the 'Shada' footage is an inspired way of including the Fourth Doctor and means that at least he puts in a token appearance for the anniversary story. How the story would have worked with yet another Doctor is a question that must remain unanswered, but as it stands, the other four Doctors are used rather well, each getting plenty to do. I find that there is something of a paradox surrounding the First Doctor; Richard Hurndall doesn't look, sound or act like William Hartnell. He captures something of the First Doctor's irascibility, but lacks the charm that Hartnell brought to the role, except during the farewell scene at the end, and the pre-credits clip of Hartnell from 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' merely serves to highlight this fact. Hurndall's interpretation is merely grumpy, and his strangely sinister performance when he ponders the fate of his Fourth incarnation in the TARDIS is decidedly odd. But despite this, every time I watch 'The Five Doctors' I find that by the end of the story I have come to accept Hurndall's performance and I can't honestly explain why. Perhaps it is because the script makes good use of the First Doctor; it is appropriate that the Doctor least able to really on physically activity (for example running down tunnels or gliding across massive drops on a wire) gets to deal with the problem of the chess board and realises just what "To lose is to win and he who wins shall lose" means. Furthermore, the decision to team up the often-crotchety First Doctor with the often-obstreperous Tegan works rather well too, since he's far less inclined to humour her than the Fifth Doctor is; their acerbic relationship is very entertaining. 

As the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton puts in a much better performance than in 'The Three Doctors', but the character is still portrayed as something of a caricature. His initial scene, in which he visits a post-UNIT era Brigadier, is simply dire; having decided that the Second Doctor was a bit anarchic, Dicks makes him both rude and obnoxious. Furthermore, the awful "Doctor" "Who?" joke is painful; it doesn't work, since Crichton was discussing the Doctor with the Brigadier moments before, and is the kind of self-indulgent twaddle that has rendered most of Dicks' Doctor Who novels unreadable. Once the Second Doctor and the Brigadier find themselves on Gallifrey however, things improve considerably; whilst Troughton never quite recaptures his performance of old, he does at least combine some of the fierce intelligence and whimsical nature that made him so successful in the role. Sadly, once reunited with his other incarnations, the Second Doctor reverts to the same caricature that was seen during his first appearance in the story, and which harkens back to the 'The Three Doctors'; nevertheless, for a little while as he and the Brigadier dodge Cybermen and run from the Yeti, Troughton's old magic returns. Teaming him up with the Brigadier works especially well, as the banter between the pair remains entertaining throughout. Indeed, Courtney is once more superb, returning to his role with tremendous ease, and drawing on the quiet dignity that he demonstrated in 'Mawdryn Undead'. Mention of the Second Doctor and the Brigadier brings me to two of the phantom companions in the shape of Jamie and Zoe; it's a nice way of allowing two more old companions to feature in the anniversary story without further overcrowding, and it is nice to see them both put in an appearance even if Wendy Padbury is inexplicably dressed in bubble wrap. Famously, it also buggers up continuity, but since I like the "Season Six B" theory anyway I can't pretend to really care. 

As the Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee is much better, possibly reflecting Dicks' association with that incarnation as script-editor of his era. Whilst this Doctor could often be bad tempered and pompous, he could also be gallant and charming, and Dicks captures that in the script. Pertwee falls back into his role with ease, and remains true to his past performance; his lack of tolerance for the Master, who is trying to get him to trust him, and his willingness to abandon him to the thunderbolts raining down on the Death Zone is an excellent evocation of the relationship between the Third Doctor and the Master. The Doctor's tendency to reject the Master with utter contempt and the Master's fury at this rejection (for example in 'Colony in Space') is recaptured very well here. In addition, the Third Doctor gets to show off his more action-oriented tendencies, by approaching the Dark Tower from above and rather perilously crossing a wire to get to it, which seems very appropriate to this incarnation. Teaming up the Third Doctor with Sarah works very well too, since their on screen relationship during Pertwee's era is often overlooked in favour of his time with Jo. Liz Sladen can play Sarah in her sleep now, and she returns to the role as easily as she did in 'K9 and Company - A Girl's Best Friend'. Given my fondness for the character, I'm pleased that she was able to appear in the anniversary story, even if she does end up dressed in a truly hideous outfit. She also gets an awful moment in which she falls down a very gentle slope, and promptly acts as though she's hanging off a cliff. Terrance Dicks' novelisation sensibly changes this to a fall down a steep crevasse, thus making sense of Pertwee's towrope antics, but sadly it remains embarrassing on screen. The Third Doctor also meets two phantom companions, in this case Liz Shaw and Captain Yates. Making a special effort for the anniversary, Richard Franklin manages to deliver his finest performance ever in the role of Yates, mainly because he only has a handful of lines. 

Comfortable in the midst of his own time in the role, Peter Davison is his usual good self throughout 'The Five Doctors', and given that it is "his" era, I find it quite fitting that he gets to be the Doctor who travels to the Capitol and uncovers Borusa's plan. Davison's performance when the Doctor confronts his old friend in the game control room is superb, combining sadness with anger at Borusa's crimes. He also gets a great moment with Hurndall in the TARDIS, as both the First and Fifth Doctors snap irritably at Tegan and Turlough. The opening scenes on the Eye of Orion are also worthy of mention; this is the only time we get to see this TARDIS crew relax, and after the Black Guardian trilogy and being locked up in 'The King's Demons' it is rather nice to see Turlough in particular looking happy. Turlough spends most of the rest of the story stuck in the TARDIS with Susan, but given the number of story elements to be juggled here this seems fair enough to me. It is perhaps more of a shame that Susan is so sidelined; having got Carole Ann Ford to return to the role after so long, it is unfortunate that Susan does so little, and having her sprain her ankle to provide a reason for keeping her stuck in the TARDIS smells to me of the work of a hack. Still, 'The Five Doctors' is a work of some desperation, so once more I'm prepared to forgive Dicks!

So what of the villains then? Well the Master is used far better than in 'The King's Demons'; Anthony Ainley hams it up during his first scene as the Master sits and smiles like a Cheshire cat, accepting Borusa's unflattering description of him as a complement. I also take issue with the Castellan's willingness to make use of a man who previously tried to destroy Gallifrey by nicking the Eye of Harmony, simply to rescue the Doctor. I'll generously assume that they don't know about 'Logopolis', but since we are discussing a gratuitous ninety-minute continuity fest, I'd like to point out that Morbius probably got executed for far less… I also find the Third Doctor's description of the Master as his "best enemy" immensely irritating, serving as a reminder of just how much of a pantomime villain he's become. Nevertheless, although Ainley hams up the role at times, he also plays it with restraint at times, and when he does it works very well. As I noted above, the Master's genuine anger at the Third Doctor not trusting him is interesting, speaking volumes about his real opinion of the Doctor, as does his comment that "a cosmos without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about". I also like the fact that the Brigadier gets to defeat his old enemy with a sharp punch to the jaw at the end, whilst shouting "Nice to see you again!". 

The presence of a Dalek in 'The Five Doctors' is purely gratuitous, but this is the anniversary and given that the Daleks were crucial to the early success of the programme, it is genuinely understandably rather than just another element thrown in from the past at random. Besides if I'm honest, that image of a Dalek chasing the Doctor and Susan through gleaming corridors stuck with me when I first saw 'The Five Doctors' at the age of six, and I've had a soft spot for it ever since. In addition, the Dalek's destruction is quite impressive, showing as it does a writhing Dalek mutant oozing various fluids as it expires. The cameo by K9 Mark III is equally gratuitous, but probably appealed to the younger members of the audience and anyone who hadn't had to sit through 'K9 and Company - A Girl's Best Friend'. The Yeti too is a gratuitous link to the past, but is well used even if it does raise questions about how it is possible to Time Scoop part of the Great Intelligence, and it provides a suitable obstacle for the Second Doctor and the Brigadier. On the subject of obstacles for the Doctors, the sole new "monster" to appear in 'The Five Doctors' looks quite effective. The well-endowed Raston Warrior Robot looks surprisingly alien considering that it is obviously a man in a spandex suit, this success being largely down to its weird means of moving about. Unfortunately, mention of the Raston Warrior Robot brings me to my main criticism of 'The Five Doctors' and one that seriously compromises my enjoyment of it. 

Having revamped the Cybermen for 'Earthshock' and made them memorably scary once more, John Nathan-Turner here allows them to start their final down turn during the series' history, beginning the slow degeneration that will plague their remaining on screen appearances. The Cybermen here are little more than cannon fodder, slaughtered on mass first by the Raston Warrior Robot and then by the Master's treachery with the chessboard trap. They blunder about in the Death Zone achieving little and making a mockery of the Doctor's claim that they, like the Daleks, play the Game of Rassilon too well. As in 'Earthshock', David Banks' slightly too emotional but strangely charismatic performance as the Cyber Leader is rather captivating, but the scheming and formidable tactician of 'Earthshock' is absent here. The Cybermen look great, and they make for a distinctive sight as they march about the countryside of the Death Zone, but they have become a joke, from the Cyberman's exclamation of "Ooh!" on spotting the Doctor, to a ghastly scene sadly reinstated for the Special Edition in which the Cyber Lieutenant tells his squad "Your orders are to move back!" prompting them to shuffle around in a homage to Dad's Army. 

Gallifrey at least benefits a little from the story; the new Rassilon mythology provides interesting new layers to Time Lord history, hinting at a dark and barbaric past that is worthy of Robert Holmes' work on 'The Deadly Assassin'. Furthermore, Gallifrey looks better than in 'Arc of Infinity' due to much better set design although the pot plants visible in the extra scenes in the Special Edition unfortunately recapture the office complex feel given to the Capitol in that story. Indeed, the production of the 'The Five Doctors' is very good; the location work is superb, the sets are generally very well designed (although I find it annoying that Borusa's game board just happens to have five sides…), and Peter Howell's incidental score is very good. Peter Moffatt, one of Doctor Who's more pedestrian directors, keeps things ticking along adequately, if unremarkably. The special effects are probably worth mentioning too; the black obelisk of the Time Scoop is highly distinctive and very effective, and far better than the glass ice cream cone used for the Special Edition. On the other hand, the Special Edition does get bonus points from me for replacing the crap green rays that destroy the Cybermen on the chessboard with far more dynamic lightening bolts. This is purely cosmetic however, and although 'The Five Doctors' is flawed, any unsatisfactory effects are merely a limitation of the time and budget. 

By the end of 'The Five Doctors' I'm always left with a feeling of having watched something that is, perhaps inevitably, far less than the sum of its parts. The final scenes are horribly twee, simply to allow a crass nod in the direction of the series' origins. The idea that Chancellor Flavia would offer the highest position in Time Lord society to anyone as erratic as the Doctor is absurd; whatever his many attributes may be, he is clearly not suited to the role of President. By writing this feeble development into the end of the story, Dicks' thus allows the Doctor to go on the run from his own people in a stolen TARDIS again. It is perhaps a fitting ending for the anniversary story, but its also clumsy and contrived. And that perhaps is the best way to sum up 'The Five Doctors'; it's a fun romp, it works in a sort of shallow congratulatory way, and Dicks does very well to achieve even that considering the number of elements he was required to factor in. But five Doctors and assorted companions and villains do not a classic make and 'The Five Doctors' is ultimately little more than a self-indulgent oddity.

In the midst of a cold, dark British winter there is nothing better than to curl up on the settee and watch an adventure set in a hot, sunny location. Aside from the arid landscape of Lanzarote matched to the initial and most appropriate haunting, slightly spiritual incidental music ‘Planet of Fire’ has much more to offer the causal armchair tourist.

Since joining the TARDIS crew in the previous season, the character of Turlough has managed to retain a sense of mystery about his past thus making him one of the more interesting male companions that the series has featured. Although long since freed from his contract with the Black Guardian there remains that element of doubt regarding his trustworthiness and his tendency to invariably put his own interests before others. With this story slated as being Turlough’s last it was clear that the character’s background had to be clarified prior to his departure. It is therefore more about his voyage of discovery and resolution to his situation that is the main factor of the story. All other plot developments whilst being enjoyable and offering a valued contribution to the overall appeal of the story are, I feel, rather secondary to that objective. 

Whilst attempting to program an alpha rhythm on the TARDIS console to calm the other companion, the android Kamelion, it is the receipt of a distress call from Trion that clearly distresses the young man. This first link to his past results in violent action and his destruction of the communication equipment reawakens an element of distrust between Turlough and the Doctor. We then later in the episode have the discovery of a metal cylinder which bears a mysterious double triangle emblem on the screw top. This design (a smaller solid triangle set across the base line of a larger hollow triangle) which matches the one to be found on Turlough’s upper left arm, we are later informed is the ‘Misos triangle’, apparently a mark of a very special Trion prison planet prisoner. Now, at this point I do find it a little hard to believe that this metal cylinder from the alien planet of Trion found its way, of all places, into an archaeological site submerged in the sea off the island of Lanzarote. In the context of the story, I suppose, its just another ‘unexplained puzzle of history’ but at least it’s another good excuse to use this exotic location. 

Again from Turlough’s perspective the discovery, during the second episode, of equipment from his father’s ship strewn around the primitive Sarn resident’s great hall adds a further piece of family history as does the subsequent visit to the wreckage of a crashed Trion ship. It is in the fourth episode that we eventually learn of the Civil War that raged on his home planet of Trion, a war that led to the death of his mother, of his father and brother to leave, eventually landing, it now appears, on Sarn and for Turlough himself to begin a term of exile on Earth. Unlike the third Doctor he did not have the diversion of working for UNIT and this might have, in part, contributed to his sense of desperation at his fate and eventual capitulation to the Black Guardian’s proposal of conditional escape. As the story progresses the clarification of Turlough’s background becomes even more linked with the people of Sarn. 

Right from the opening scenes of the story it becomes clear to the viewer that they are a divided people. The more rational ‘unbeliever’ pairing of Roskal and Amand are seen walking purposely across a high ridge surrounded by a desolate mountainous landscape. While Roskal starts to weaken as they begin their final ascent it is Amand, displaying leadership qualities, who persuades him on in their quest to disprove the existence of their god Logar who is believed to exist at the heart of the mountain they are currently climbing. Whilst they toil we then switch to the other faction. Two other Sarn residents, again dressed in simple desert clothing, rough cloth capes and head scarfs, are talking in simple palatial surroundings (possibly in the story context, a holy temple?) which hints at the Moroccan architectural style which I suspect is common to the island of Lanzarote judging by its proximity to the African continent. The elder man, Timanov, is clearly steeped in religious beliefs concerning Logar (‘The Lord of Fire’) and sees himself as a spiritual leader who is guided by those select individuals whom he sees as ‘Chosen Ones’ who have come amongst them to do the will of Logar. One such individual, Malkon, clearly indicates his uncertainty in leading and uniting his people. He seeks reassurance during their conversation which later sees them move outside of the impressive looking Mirador del Rio (a high observation point) to survey the panoramic scenery laid out before them. It is here during their conversation, that we first observe the as yet undefined twin triangle symbol on Malkon’s arm. It is because of this, coupled with his appearance on the side of the mountain that Roskal and Amand were currently climbing that identifies in Timanov’s eyes (and those of his followers) the young man as their leader who will act with the power of Logar. I find this scene coupled with that moving piece of incidental music to be a memorable moment, a tranquil calm before the plot develops further. 

In a later scene we move to verbal conflict between Amand and Timanov in the communities main hall when the former returns from the mountain having been unable to locate Logar thus supporting his claim that it is merely a superstitious myth. This thus emphasizes that there is already internal conflicts even before the arrival of outsiders. Of those outsiders Turlough’s interaction with the Sarn residents is the most interesting and revealing. This is especially true when he reveals the twin triangle symbol to Timanov. Mark (Strickson) responds well to the challenge of his characters new found leadership and at this point credit is also due the story’s leading guest star. More famous as flamboyant detective Jason King (from the self titled short-lived series and its ‘Department S’ predecessor) respected actor Peter Wyngarde gives a believable and resolute performance as Timanov and is a welcome bonus to this story. 

Although Turlough, in the first TARDIS scene, was successful in halting the distress call from Trion, the Doctor’s curiosity was raised enough for their exploration of Lanzarote. Whilst the arid conditions of this tropical island (and the volcanic planet of Sarn) leads the Doctor to remove his long cricketer’s coat and briefly adopt a rather restrained floral cardigan with pockets for the coins (later to be used in a seaside bar) and the small handheld tracking device Turlough has a more welcome costume change. Finally he has the chance to ditch the Brendon Public School uniform that he seems to have been wearing almost continuously since ‘Mawdryn Undead’ and instead wears a more appropriate pair of shorts and a thin striped short sleeved shirt. Had their search of the island not have occurred the introduction of Peri would undoubtedly not have taken place. It is indeed a promising beginning for the character whom we first meet in a seemingly bored state at the prospect of having to vacation on the island with her mother for much longer when she clearly is looking for more excitement than what appears to be on offer. This is probably, in part, stimulated by observing her interest in her stepfather Howard’s involvement in an underwater archaeological survey. Beginning with Professor Howard Foster and assistant Curt’s conveying their latest haul to the shore, we learn a lot about the young American girls personal history and plans for the future. The vacation is merely a brief break prior to returning to New York to continue her studies and eventual college exams. Clearly unhappy at the prospect her hope is obviously to ‘live a little’ before knuckling down to this seemingly arduous endeavour. There is talk of recklessly considering a trip to nearby Morocco, cashing in her return ticket to pay for this trip in the vain hope that she would be able to find work there for the return flight to America. Howard tricks her into believing that he would finance this seemingly spur of the moment trip and strands her on their boat. At this point the real Howard leaves the story. Whilst there Peri discovers the strange metallic cylinder, and, with placing it into a sealed plastic bag containing most of her clothes, dives off the boat, in a vain attempt to swim to the shore. Having grossly miscalculated the distance to be traversed she is observed to be in trouble by Turlough on the TARDIS scanner screen. Clearly irritated by the distraction he glances up thumping the console in frustration before rushing out, down the beach, stripping off, diving in and gallantly swims to save her. Having brought her back to the TARDIS and deposited her on a bed located away from the console room it is then that he discovers the cylinder amongst her possessions. 

Now I know that Kamelion was an extremely problematic concept for a companion and that regular cast members were very disparaging towards the use of it but I did find that it made an enjoyable contribution to its first appearance in ‘The Kings Demons’ story. As a chameleonic entity its true appearance in that story was only seen towards the end as a surprise development and then only in a seated position. Of course with no free will of its own and an extreme susceptibility to external influences its presence on the TARDIS was a bit like ‘a time bomb waiting to go off’. It was a beautiful creation, however, when standing infront of the console it was hard to believe that this entity had the ability to move of its own will, it just seemed too thin for that, but maybe that’s just my opinion. Anyway it seemed only a matter of time before the mechanical puppets strings would be pulled once more, and, influenced by Peri’s restless dreaming, it assumed the identity of Professor Howard Foster. Kamelion held this form just long enough to persuade the Doctor and Turlough to vacate the TARDIS once landed on Sarn and then, at the climax of episode one, it reverted to the striking features of the Master, albeit minus the Traken robes of Tremas. With a temporary loss of control achieved Peri is given a component from the TARDIS and flees in search of the Doctor and Turlough. The Master/Kamelion entity gives chase with some initial ‘heavy-shouldered’ running by the suited figure before a memorable spirited confrontation ensues when Peri is eventually cornered by her pursuer. 

For myself, I am a great fan of Anthony Ainley’s portrayal of the Master, an impressive new aspect of the Doctor’s nemesis, superbly introduced by Roger Delgado back in 1971’s ‘Terror of the Autons’. Over the eight years that he occasionally returned to play the character I enjoyed the contrasting aspect that Anthony brought to the role. In this incarnation the Master clearly relishes each dastardly act he perpetrates and the verbal sparing he has with each incarnation of the Doctor that he encounters is, for me, a joy to watch. For this story however, things are a little different as we are aware that, for the most part he acts through Kamelion. Despite this the confrontational sparing match occurring at the crossover between the second and third episodes is worthy of the true Master. This Master also gains the same perverted pleasure in stirring up descent amongst the locals against the Doctor leading to the accidental injury of Malkon by a trigger hungry citizen. The true Traken robed Master is, for most of the story, to be seen standing in a small square room, a darkly green lit environment in which the bearded figure stares through Kamelion via a circular screen slightly above him. Attached by a curved metal stem, a shallow glass dish is positioned over his head, with four metal prongs protruding inwards towards the skull of the Master thus further emphasizing his mental control over Kamelion. 

Again we had a repetition of the mental battle of wills in episode three between the Doctor and the Master as previously witnessed in ‘The Kings Demons’ when it is revealed that this is infact Kamelion who stands before him in the communities main hall. This time there is a psychomorphic fringing effect (a stage between anthropoid and robotic) however in this instance, with Timanov in attendance, the spiritual leader clearly sees the silver skinned figure as another manifestation of Logar which works against the Doctor in this instance and the combat is concluded in the Masters favour. 

There is, this time, clearly a purpose behind the Master’s appearance in this story which may possibly be linked to the Doctor’s tampering with the Tissue Compression Eliminator in conjunction with his TARDIS at the conclusion of ‘The Kings Demons’. It is possible that this might in part have resulted in his reduction in size as discovered by Peri when she opens ‘the Master’s control box’ at the episode three/four crossover point. Whatever the reason it was an effective cliffhanger. By using the seismic control centre deep in the mountain it appears to be possible to alter the gas flow of the main volcano so that a blue numisation gas can be produced. Clearly this has a restorative capability as the seriously injured Malkon is cured during the fourth episode. For this reason the Kamelion/Master and Peri materialised the Master’s TARDIS in the control room deep in the heart of the Sarn volcano where Peri gains a demonstration of the destructive capabilities of the Tissue Compression Eliminator device on two of the three protective suits hanging up on a nearby rack. Now the understanding is that this device only works on human tissue and it does indeed seem puzzling that the suits are affected by its use. My opinion is that whilst wearing these suits the occupants might have lost some skin, rough material in the lining perhaps, due to the heat of wearing something so restricting and warm. It’s only a theory but this might be what the TCE locks onto. Whatever the reason it was an effective means of gaining Peri’s compliance to the Kamelion/Master’s wishes. Having positioned the TARDIS and ‘Master’s control box’ in the middle of an adjacent grid the brief blue flame that was created seemed to be working for the Master though once again we are left wondering his ultimate fate at the conclusion of the story. 

As with the second Doctor in the epic, enjoyable ‘War Games’ story Turlough does find it unsettling to contact his own people for assistance, anxious regarding further punishment. However when the rescue ship does arrive towards the end of the story he learns from the Trion ship’s Captain that not only has the war ended but also that there is no longer persecution of political prisoners and he is now free to return. Naturally his departure is much less emotional than that of Tegan’s in the previous story but at least it seems like some of the emotional burden that Turlough had been carrying since his exile to Earth may be beginning to lift as he embarks on his new life. With Turlough’s departure the pairing of the Doctor and Peri, the outgoing botany student, gives the show a new dynamic going into the final Davison story and beyond.

‘Planet of Fire’ may have faults and cannot really be termed a classic, but I feel it is certainly successful in blending effective use of a pleasing exotic location with an entertaining cast. It conveys an enjoyable story featuring various plot developments and makes it worthy of repeat viewings, especially on those days when our British weather just makes you want to escape to better climates. It is certainly one of my favourite stories from the Peter Davison era of the program which I can certainly recommend to any reader of this review.

After the pleasing interlude of Big Finish's Fifth Doctor and Nyssa audios, returning to the television series is rather disappointing given that the opening story of Season Nineteen maintains the quality of Season Nineteen's finale. By which I mean of course that like 'Time-Flight', 'Arc of Infinity' is crap. 

The plot of 'Arc of Infinity' concerns the return of Omega, the villain of 'The Three Doctors', and his attempt to bond with the Doctor in order to regain corporeal existence in the universe of matter. He tries this and fails, the Doctor gets dragged to Gallifrey for three episodes, then Omega tries again, partially succeeds, and gets shot by the Doctor. This sounds like an overly simplistic plot without any interesting subplots or subtext, and that is because it is precisely what it is. To make matters worse, writer Johnny Byrne, previously responsible for the horribly overrated 'The Keeper of Traken', litters his story with some horrible plot contrivances. The Time Lords' decision to keep the Doctor imprisoned in his own TARDIS is bizarre whether they disable it or not; it's akin to the police keeping people whom they've arrested locked in their cars with the sparkplugs removed. The script is littered with nasty expository dialogue, including "impulse laser?", and "that wasn't here before". In addition, the decision to have left Tegan on Earth in 'Time-Flight' results in a coincidence that seems ludicrous even by Doctor Who's standards, as Omega just happens to kidnap her cousin who is backpacking around Europe. One of the few plus points of the story is that Tegan is at least fairly well used in her scenes with Robin and Omega, proving as usual to be brave and resourceful. 

The acting doesn't help. The regulars are all fine, but half of the guest cast seems to be asleep. Which considering the characterisation that they are given to work with is unsurprising. Elspet Gray's Thalia and Max Harvey's Zorac are nonentities; Paul Jerricho's Castellan is one-dimensional and grumpy, and Jerricho seems annoyed to have been cast in the role. Leonard Sachs is wasted as Borusa, a character so different to the one previously played by Angus Mackay and John Arnatt that he might as well be a different character (and yes I know Time Lords' personalities alter somewhat when they regenerate, but Borusa so totally lacks any of the shrewd intelligence that he previously displayed that it isn't an adequate excuse). Equally wasted is Michael Gough as the treasonous Hedin, a man supposedly an old and dear friend of the Doctor's who sells him out to a nutter who previously tried to destroy the entire universe. There's a flimsy excuse about Hedin's obsession with history, but it isn't very convincing; lots of people are interested in history, but they wouldn't necessarily want famous historical madmen to come back to life and take over the running of the world. Mention of Hedin raises the question of why his voice changes when he's talking to Omega, since no explanation is offered beyond the obvious need to keep the identity of the traitor a secret. Possibly it has something to do with his frantically gesticulated wand. And on the subject of hitherto unseen old friends of the Doctor, we also meet Neil Daglish's Damon, a man so charismatic and interesting that it is a crying shame that he hasn't been seen before or since. I am of course being sarcastic. Daglish's performance is so wooden that he might be considered the worst actor in the story were it not for the presence of Andrew Boxer as Robin, a man from the Matthew Waterhouse school of acting if ever there was one. 

Mercifully, Omega is rather better than in 'The Three Doctors'. Partly this is because Ian Collier doesn't stamp around the set bellowing and pointing at the sky, and partly because he's more stable and therefore less of a pantomime villain than in he was in his debut story, but whilst still managing to retain the air of madness that the script keeps reminding us about during the last two episodes. Omega's motivation is believable, and Collier's largely vocal performance combines both menace and charisma. Once Peter Davison takes over the role, he gets to show off his acting skills and manages to make Omega different from the Doctor through body language and facial expressions alone; the oft-mentioned scene in which he smiles at a child as he watches a street organ in wonder is indeed highly effective, and does a great deal for Omega's character considering that he's just killed a gardener and shortly afterwards decides that if he cannot survive then neither will anybody else. Mind you, if I'd just regained corporeal existence of millennia of being trapped in the universe of anti-matter and I found myself in Amsterdam I wouldn't be standing around looking at street organs, I'd be nipping into a coffee shop to role a joint. By the end of the story however, everything goes to, erm, pot as Omega starts to decay. A protracted chase scene through Amsterdam shows off the nice overseas location work, but since 'Arc of Infinity' lacks the charm and wit of 'City of Death' it just feels like a gratuitous waste of license payers' money. In addition, the sudden switch from Davison to stuntman is painfully obvious despite the extensive makeup used to show Omega's degeneration, and the unconvincing blonde wig certainly doesn't help. The denouement is rubbish; Omega rants for a bit, then the Doctor shoots him.

The production is also rather poor. The attractive location work is undermined by some dreadful studio sets. The crypt looks OK, but Gallifrey does not. Back in 'The Deadly Assassin', Gallifrey had an air of faded grandeur, which 'The Invasion of Time' at least made an effort to recapture. Here, Gallifrey is represented by drab sets littered with office furniture and lurid plastic. On the other hand, perhaps designer Marjorie Pratt deliberately made tasteless sets for Time Lords to walk about in as a deliberate homage to 'The Three Doctors'. At least the recycled costumes look decent enough, and I like Omega's new outfit, although the Ergon looks ridiculous. Mind you, it's better than the Gel Guards. Ron Jones' direction is also rather drab, although he does at least get a great incidental score from Roger Limb to work with.

Finally, I can't mention 'Arc of Infinity' without mentioning Colin Baker, for obvious reasons. It's weird in retrospect to see him in a role other than the Sixth Doctor, but he's nevertheless playing a different character in the shape of Maxil. He plays the part with brutal efficiency, although Maxil isn't as sadistic as he first appears, merely very devoted to his duties. Beyond acting as henchman to the Castellan however, he doesn't get a great deal to do except stomp about bullying people; Baker is reasonable enough in the role, but there's little else I can say about him. Still, at least his later involvement with the series makes seeing him in 'Arc of Infinity' interesting, and it needs all the help it can get to be interesting. It is by no means as diabolical as 'The Three Doctors', but it is still very poor; hopefully Big Finish's forthcoming 'Omega' will be the first story featuring the character that is actually worthwhile.

I remember that I was very excited when I first read about this episode back when I was barely a teenager. In those carefree-days of youth where I was teased mercilessly as I was not a jock and had large thick glasses…on second thought they weren’t so carefree at that. Anyway I didn’t know any better and basically was, at that point, obsessing about all things Who from the posters on the wall to making up Doctor Who lyrics to popular songs ("Don’t talk to Cybermen" and "Dalek in the Centerfold" to name a couple). For years we were watching the Tom Baker years with the only glimpse of Peter Davison being that double-chinned face after falling to his regeneration in "Logopolis". Suffice it to say I was very ecstatic. Now, here it is 20 years later. Does the episode hold up? Can I get over my utter hatred at Script Editor Eric Saward whom I consider the man who destroyed Doctor Who? Read on, my children, read on. 

THE PRODUCTION: Producer John Nathan-Turner had planned for the 20th season of Doctor Who to bring back old enemies of the Doctor, which included The Black Guardian, The Mara, The Daleks (which got bumped back a year) and The Master. Script editor Eric Saward was very fond of "The Keeper of Traken" and asked writer Johnny Byrne to submit story ideas. Unbeknownst to Saward, "Traken" was almost completely rewritten by former script editor Christopher Bidmead. It was decided to have Byrne write the first episode of the season with the following stipulations: He had to reunite Tegan with the Doctor and Nyssa (designed as a cliffhanger, and isn’t it nice to see at least one of the characters dressed differently?), he had to incorporate Amsterdam, as JN-T decided to bring the show out of the country for the second time in it’s history (the first being Paris in the hugely successful "City of Death"), and he had to incorporate Gallifrey, which Saward wanted represented because of the show’s anniversary. 

Johnny Byrne came up with a script entitled "The Time of Neman" about the Doctor suffering from nightmares about his regeneration (weren’t we all?). These were happening because an entity from another universe known only as "the Avatar" was trying to permanently become a part of this universe. He takes on the Doctor's form and goes to Amsterdam where he takes over people’s minds. JN-T and Saward had immediate concerns about "Neman", especially that the Amsterdam location was essentially incidental to the plot and that the Doctor’s nightmares were similar to Tegan’s nightmares in "Snakedance". JN-T also wanted another old enemy in place of the character of Avatar. Unofficial Fan Advisor Ian Levine suggested bringing back Omega, who was in the 10th Anniversary story "The Three Doctors". His name came from the letters OHM (WHO backwards and upside down – the anti-doctor, as it were). Byrne re-wrote the episode; titled "The Time of Omega", then finally titled "Arc of Infinity" to make the return of Omega a big surprise (even going so far as to name him "The Renegade" at the end of Episode One so as not reveal the baddie. Which surprises me as any fan of the show was bombarded by pics of Omega in Doctor Who Monthly. So much for secrets.) 

And so we have "Arc of Infinity" a patched-together episode, which exemplifies what’s good and bad about Doctor Who during the Nathan-Turner/Saward years. 

I won’t go too much into the plot. I’m sure all of you have seen it, and if you haven’t then do so and come back. That’s ok. We’ll wait. Have you seen it yet? Good. Let’s continue. 

THE BAD: The episode suffers horribly with the aim to please everybody and in doing so loses any sense of competency. I look at the episodes of that time as the powers that be trying to give people what they think they want as opposed to telling a good story with the characters they have. I have a sneaking suspicion that at this time Doctor Who was looked at a moneymaking machine. How else do you explain Colin Baker’s coat in the next season? Merchandising. And the episodes lost out. 

Let’s take a look at this episode to illustrate the point. Gallifrey is shown as a Draconian military state with Commander Maxil shooting at everything before asking and the High Council is ready to fry the Doctor as if they were located in Texas. These are one of the supreme powers in the galaxy? You don’t see any other inhabitants; probably they’re afraid to come out of their rooms. Someone dies and immediately everyone who could possibly be innocent is placed under house arrest. Reactionary. Trigger happy. Gullible. This is the new Gallifrey. President Borusa’s doing a bang-up job. Where’s K-9 and Leela when you need them? It’s all well and good to bring back Gallifrey, just use it properly. A good story set solely in the TARDIS is worth 100 crappy stories set on Gallifrey. The story takes place in Amsterdam. Or does it? 

So much for going overseas as most of the action takes place on BBC sets. I’ve been to Amsterdam and didn’t see anything that reminded me of it except for 1 canal early on. In the "City of Death" you saw all the sites of Paris. Where were they here? The Van Gogh Museum? Anne Frank’s House? The medieval torture museum? The red light district?! Okay, maybe not there. But you get the point. Why go there when you don’t use the location. And don’t get me started on "The Two Doctors". 

And this Anti-Matter place that Omega’s in. People can walk in and out of it, so can the bird-thing that works for Omega, but Omega can’t because he’s in an anti-matter universe. 

And I just cringe when Tegan whines out "AM-STER-DAM". 

THE GOOD: Peter Davison rocks. And not as the Doctor, but as Omega. When he portrays Omega in the Doctor’s body, you just marvel at his character as he experiences life for the very first time, and you feel empathy for him when he tragically realizes. The loneliness, the pathos, the anger when he realizes he can never exist in our universe: it’s all there and beautifully realized. It’s too bad this theme wasn’t brought through the entire episode. 

God how I wish this season wasn’t as hacked together as it was! 

And let’s not forget Nyssa! She picks up a gun ready to shoot the council. Meow! She rocks in this show. She has the convictions and strength. Okay, I like her! I like her! 

OTHER NOTES: There are two very interesting casting choices in this show: Michael Gough and Colin Baker. Michael Gough, who plays the traitorous Councilor Hedin, is probably best known for his portrayal as Alfred the butler, in the Batman movies, and he also played the Celestial Toymaker in the First Doctor era episode – "The Celestial Toymaker". How apropos. Also part of the cast is the incredibly familiar Colin Baker who played the incredibly two-dimensional captain of the guard, Maxil. Baker was chosen because of his wonderful role on the Blake’s 7 episode "City at the Edge of the World" as Baybon the Butcher, or is it Baybon the Berserker (it’s one of my fave episodes). Other under consideration for the part of Maxil: Tim Woodward and Pierce Brosnan. Though Colin was happy to play Maxil, he was sad because to him it meant he would never be able to play the Doctor. Good thing he was wrong. 

Also of note: though Filming in Amsterdam went well, adoring Dutch fans became a problem when the recognized Peter Davison from his role as Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small. In fact, in a scene at a telephone booth, and though I wasn’t looking for it, rumor has it JN-T is visible in the background trying to chase away onlookers.

'Terminus' is a rather overlooked Doctor Who, but one of which I'm rather fond. Despite some shortcomings in terms of production and acting, it has much going for it, including an interesting plot, and it makes a fine leaving story for Nyssa. 

There are two major aspects to the plot of 'Terminus'. The first of these is the revelation that Terminus is a time machine that inadvertently caused the Big Bang when the pilot jettisoned fuel into a void. This is a rather controversial issue amongst fans, since it doesn't really hold up to scrutiny; the idea that jettisoned fuel could have created the universe seems a bit unlikely, and it is also paradoxical, assuming that Terminus was built by a race from this universe. Having said that however, it's an interesting concept and the impending repeat of such an action by the computer on board Terminus adds considerable drama to the final episode, given that if the Doctor cannot stop it the universe will be destroyed. The second plot thread is that of the Lazars, and more importantly their effect on Nyssa. Having discovered that Terminus is a rather inadequate hospital operating a kill or cure service for sufferers of lazar disease, Nyssa is rather painfully forced to see the true horror of the situation when she too becomes infected. It makes for some fine character moments, as she is forced into a shabby cell with other sufferers, callously manhandled by the bitter Vanir who have very little interest in their charges, and finally subjected to an insanely dangerous treatment in the form of a massive dose of radiation. For Nyssa, one of the most compassionate of the Doctor's companions, this is a perfect departure; having endured so much, she comes through her experience wanting not to get away and put it behind her, but to stay and help others facing the same situation. 'Terminus' is unrelenting grim, which is entirely appropriate given the storyline, but Nyssa's decision to remain on the station to try and improve things provides a ray of hope at the end, not only for the Lazars, but also for the Vanir, as she offers them a way to throw off the shackles of the corrupt and uncaring Terminus Incorporated. Sutton is very good throughout; she portrays Nyssa's distress very well, and the constant misery and suffering of such an inoffensive companion should tug at the heart of even the most cynical fan. The whole story works well at paving the way for her to leave, as she not only stays to help, but specifically remains behind to help by using her scientific skills, often overlooked during her television appearances. Her eventual farewell scene to the Doctor and Tegan is superbly well handled and very moving. It's a shame that director Mary Ridge makes her whip her skirt off for no good reason except possibly to titillate (yes, I know - she's feverish and takes it off to cool off. But it's still in close-up…).

The grim atmosphere of 'Terminus' is present from the start. The malevolent presence of the Black Guardian remains ominous for the TARDIS crew, and once Turlough's reluctant sabotage takes effect the feeling of foreboding mounts as the TARDIS locks on to the transport ship and a large skull motif appears on the wall of Nyssa's room as a door materialises. The skull motif is evident throughout the story, and helps to set the ton and so too does Roger Limb's funereal incidental music, but it's not just these obvious influences that make 'Terminus' seem so bleak. It's many things, from the spectre of lazars disease itself, the appearance of bandaged wrapped hands from behind locked doors and the pathetic moaning of the Lazars, the bitter weariness of the Vanir, and the corpse of the pilot still sat behind the controls of Terminus. I would imagine this dark mood does not appeal to many fans, and I can understand why, but it works to the benefit of the story. 

The use of the other regulars besides Nyssa is rather interesting. On first glance, it isn't very impressive; there is some soap opera bickering between Tegan and Turlough in the TARDIS at the start, and once the story moves to the ship the pair are effectively sidelined for the rest of the story by being trapped in some maintenance tunnels. But there's actually more to it than this, as it continues Turlough's development rather effectively; during his TARDIS scenes with Tegan, he initially demonstrates all of his worst character traits, as he proves smug and condescending. He is also of course still forced to work for the Black Guardian, albeit with increasing reluctance. But once he and Tegan become trapped in the ship, whilst they seemingly do little except wander about in an attempt to get out again, they actually start to form a guarded friendship as they are united by adversity; they swiftly start to cooperate, each seemingly developing a measure of respect, if not actual liking, for the other. Most importantly, Turlough's questioning of whether Tegan could commit murder in cold blood demonstrates his gradual redemption, as he increasingly comes to like the people he's travelling with. He's still obviously terrified of the Black Guardian, but he's becoming slowly more rebellious within the confines of his cowardice. Strickson plays the troubled character very effectively, conveying a great deal simply by frowning a lot. Davison meanwhile is his usual impressive self, and manages to forecast the impending destruction of the universe with remarkable conviction. He too is very good during Nyssa' final scene, and it's rather amusing to see him sidestep the question of whether or not it will be nice to see Tegan. This suggestion that he finds his loudest companion at this time rather tiresome on occasion is quite interesting, and was also hinted at during the final scene of 'Arc of Infinity'. It by no means suggests that he doesn't like her, but it adds slightly to their relationship that it is often less than harmonious, since friends inevitably annoy each other from time to time in real life. 

'Terminus' also benefits from some decent direction, adequate if unimpressive model work, and some excellent set designs both on board the transport ship and on Terminus itself. Where 'Terminus' falls down however is in the guest cast and certain aspects of the costume design. Whilst Valentine Dyall continues to impress as the malignant Black Guardian, the raiders and the Vanir are almost exclusively poor. The single exception is Peter Benson as the ailing Bor, but the rest of the Vanir are horribly melodramatic, especially Andrew Burt as Valgard. The two raiders are little better; both Liza Goddard and Dominic Guard as Kari and Olvir respectively adopt various daft macho postures whenever they are required to point guns at anything, and their delivery of certain lines is also rather dubious (most notably, Olvir's "We all going to diiiie!" at the end of Episode One). But their costumes really don't help; whilst the bronze plate armour worn by the Vanir is rather effective, the costumes worn by the raiders are diabolical, including as they do cartoon space helmets, small capes, and very big hair. Speaking of costumes, I'm also none too fond of those worn by the Lazars; bandages are understandable, but quite why lazar disease results in sufferers deciding to dress in filthy rags is beyond me. It would seem to be a rather unsubtle attempt to draw comparisons with traditional images of lepers, but the parallels between lazar disease and leprosy are already made clear by the script; it doesn't need to be hammered home. Finally, the Garm is reasonably effective, although the use of light bulbs for his eyes is deeply unfortunate. 

It's inevitable that dodgy acting will undermine a good Doctor Who story more than almost anything else save possibly for gaping plot holes, and to an extent this is unavoidable true of 'Terminus'. Nevertheless, it's worth trying to see past this to appreciate the rather satisfying plot, the great design work, and a fine departure for Nyssa.

Valentine Dyall had the greatest voice. He played God in Bedazzled and Gargravarr, custodian of the Total Perspective Vortex, in the "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" radio series. His voice can convey absolute menace, even when saying things like: "Operate the blue switches!" Sadly, in his role as the Black Guardian, he's just part of a linking storyline that gets in the way of "Terminus", which is not completed until the next one, "Enlightenment". 

"Terminus" itself has a story about health care at its worst; where commercial profit has made outsiders of disease victims. It's not the most well remembered story'; the subject is grim and there are lots of problems. Fans began to appreciate "Terminus" more after the great Doctor Who drought of stories – that period in the nineties when the series had been cancelled and every previous TV story got reassessed in publications like Doctor Who Magazine and In-Vision. The details behind the scenes of "Terminus" read like a production that was cursed. This had enough equipment failures, strikes, and lack of time to make the difficulties of Project: Greenlight's productions seem really whiny. Speaking of whiny, Roger Limb's music score in this can set your teeth on edge. It's not as good as his stuff for "Caves of Androzani" or "Revelation of the Daleks" and seems made up on the spot whenever someone on screen moves around. It constantly gets in the way. Perhaps Roger wasn't very inspired by this one. 

The Doctor and his companions come to a ship going to Terminus as a result of Turlough's interference. The ship is full of the terminally sick lazars, and Terminus is where they are swept under the rug. Terminus is a kind of space station that is supposed to cure the lazars, but no one's ever come back from it. Turlough is being bullied as a result of his promise to the Black Guardian in "Mawdryn Undead". Turlough is a cowardly twerp, but you can sympathize with the character when he's confronted by the Black Guardian and the suspicious Tegan (even scarier). He gets stuck in the ducting under the floors of the ship with Tegan for the whole story, and they're forced to work together. Even as Turlough is trapped in the ducting with Tegan, he still gets nagged by the Black Guardian's crystal. The Doctor is accompanied for most of the story by the raider pirate Kari, because he needs someone to talk to at all times and, doggone it; he just doesn't have enough companions to talk to. This is, of course, also Nyssa's last story. Nyssa takes off her skirt but it's 'cause she's got fever. For most of the rest of it she's in a potato sack like all the other lazars. She chooses to stay behind and help the lazars, as she's the best person to actually find a cure for lazar's disease. It's kind of a tacked-on leaving scene for a Doctor Who companion, just like when Steven left in the sixties to help the Savages. Fortunately the goodbye is more emotional. 

A scary atmosphere has been constructed in the scripts by Stephen Gallagher, but on screen it can get dull. Art deco skulls and eerie sound effects show the intention, but a lot of the sets have iron stairs or prop lights mixed in with wires and plastic bags. The pirates are done up in an 80's punk style with fuzzy hair and eyeliner, wearing capes and fog-up helmets. Fortunately the armored Vanir, guardians of Terminus, have great costumes. Another creepy voice in the story is the loudspeaker (don't say Tannoy Voice, it's copyrighted) doing the announcements about sterilization of the ship. This and the clinical, surgically implemented robots (there was supposed to be more than one!) continue the relentlessly grim feeling of the first few episodes. 

After the creepy ship is out of the picture, more mystery surrounds Terminus with the suggestion that it is in fact the center of the known universe. This comes in a little late and seems like an afterthought. Meanwhile Nyssa has caught the disease, as she takes off her skirt for what looks like no reason. She was originally meant to be feverish, unbuttoning the brown suit and brooch of her earlier appearances. Since John Nathan-Turner had changed her costume for Season 20, the removal of her clothing doesn't make quite as much sense, but... oh well, more Dads. She is then taken by the gruff slave labor Vanir, who just transport her from place to place like all the rest of the infected. "What is this horrendous place?" Poor victim Nyssa. That's about all her character ever got to be. She's had a tough time on the TARDIS, she'd better get out! Perhaps her choice to leave makes good sense after all. 

The Vanir are unpleasant, although they are shown to be workaday joes who have little choice but to go through the motions of their jobs. There is also infighting amongst their ranks, competition, all that stuff. One of the Vanir named Valgard stands out as being especially unpleasant and sneaky. They don't even get a paycheck, just glow sticks to insert into their chests. What a bunch of sad sacks. 

D'you hear someone singing? 

At this point the story introduces relief in the whimsical but tragic Bor. Bor is another guard of Terminus, but unlike the others he's delirious, singing and mumbling phrases repeatedly. "Short term memory's the first to go", as he says more than once. Yay Bor! Too bad he's got that nasty radiation burn. 

The leaking radiation builds as do other science fiction ideas with the introduction of the ancient dead pilot existing in slow time, the Garm, and the Big Red Switch counting down that moment when "the whole universe will be destroyed!" The Garm was meant to be a pair of eyes in shadows and not a Hanna Barbera character, but since they went and made this whole big costume and someone tall sweated like crazy in it, you might as well just enjoy it. As far as "the whole universe will be destroyed" goes, it might be said that the cliffhangers in this story are some of the worst. Episode one ends as the pirate Olvir almost sings "We're all going to DIIIIIIEEE!" Then episode two has Valgard in his chummy, impulsive way, strangle Kari, then change his mind and lets the Doctor know it's his turn, "Only you I'm going to KILL!" Then you get the Universe stuff. Pretty silly, and not good cases for having Doctor Who stories told in segments. 

On the whole, "Terminus" is not a bad idea. It's just that the execution was let down in parts, and it comes off as forgettable next to other Season 20 stories like "Enlightenment", and the celebration of "The Five Doctors". A few later Colin Baker & McCoy stories make it look like a well-executed classic. Throughout the four episodes "Terminus'" potential is there, and perhaps that's why it's worth looking at again.