So, the actor playing the Doctor wants to leave and you want to give him one hell of a send-off. Do you bring enemies back, make a massively overblown story that doesn’t make sense, and then make the Doctor all sad about dying leaving it on an emotionally manipulative depressing ending? Well you do if you’re Russell T. Davies. You don’t however, if you’re Robert Holmes. This time’s classic Who is the final appearance of Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison. You might remember him as the old Doctor who appeared in a cross-over with David Tennant a few years ago. But back in the 1980s, he wasn’t old, he was the youngest actor to have played the Doctor, and in contrast to his predecessor Tom Baker, who was mad and loud and overconfident, he played a more flawed and human Doctor, almost naïve in his search for the good in people. However, while he was the kindest and nicest Doctor, disaster always seemed to strike him and death followed him wherever he went. So, how do you send him off? Well, by placing him in the darkest, grimmest warzone, and pit him in a battle to save him friend because he can’t take losing anyone else. It’s dark, desperate, exciting and harrowing and it’s absolutely brilliant.
This is widely regarded as one of the best stories in Doctor Who history. Why is it so good? Well, it has one of the best writers of the show, Robert Holmes. He had written some of the best stories before this and created both the Autons and the Sontarans, both of which are still in the show today. It has one of the best directors of the show, Graeme Harper, who only directed two stories of the classic series, but returned to direct some of the new series and has been greatly praised for his work. Together they create such a grim world, with dark environments, brilliant sets, gritty location shooting, and script that holds together fantastically even today. There’s political back-stabbing, gun-running, drug dealing, military executions, androids, spying, mud volcanoes and some brilliant characters. The slimy Morgus, the ‘do-anything-for-money’ Stotz, the two sided performance from future Hustle star Robert Glenister, the three-dimensional military commander and of course, the fantastic Sharaz Jek. Sharaz Jek is one the best villains in Doctor Who. He’s completely mad and deformed, but instead of this making him a joke, it makes him all the more terrifying. He also is a well rounded character, as he has a tender side as well, but it just makes him even creepier. He is a brilliant character and all the actors do a fantastic job here. None however, do a better job, than Peter Davison. His performance as the Doctor shows what made him so good, as well as taking him to new and interesting places that the character had never reached before, making you miss him all the more.
This story has it all. It’s got a striking look, it’s fast-paced, it’s well written, it’s grim and it’s harrowing and Peter Davison shines in his final appearance. If it was made now, it would be the best series finale ever, unfortunately back then the show still one more story, which was regrettable. This however, is truly the finest send-off a Doctor has ever received. Absolutely fantastic, one of the best stories ever made.
5/5
Also this is only Doctor Who where someone is called a slut. Just saying.
No comments:
Post a Comment