And we're movin' on with rating the first appearances of recurring foes. As always, I'll attach the entry with the "rules" up here. Just in case you missed it. You should read this first before you go any further:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html
We're on the Third Doctor Era, already. If you didn't read them, I'll set up links to Doctors One and Two at the end of the post.
THE THIRD DOCTOR ERA
Doctor Who really seems to figure itself out during this period. Season Seven still feels very experimental in certain places. But, from Season Eight onwards, there's definitely a formula being established. In fact - as I have often complained - it sticks a little too hard to that formula, sometimes!
But now that it does have its feet firmly on the ground (only took about seven years!), the show really is getting its head around the process of creating a good recurring foe. You can see it, quite clearly, sometimes. We get an interesting alien like the Axons. But we can tell they've really only got one story in them. But then someone like the Master comes along and we know we'll see this guy again and again (in all five stories of a season, in fact!).
Now that they have the making of recurring foes down to a science, a lot of them start to spring up. In fact, we never see more recurring foes than we do during this period. Which is why I'm devoting yet another entire entry to just one Doctor.
SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE
Recurring Foe: The Nestene Consciousness
Right from his first story, Doctor Three is meeting a nasty baddie that will come back to haunt him again next season. Then a few more times in New Who. Even a companion becomes one for a while. They didn't cause Praxeus, though. Not their style...
Writing: ........................................ 9
The Nestene and its evil Auton servants are, for the most part, very well-constructed. A great concept for a monster. Particularly the notion of the whole race being just one mind. We've seen hints of this trait in other creatures from past seasons, but it's illustrated in greater detail, here. The internal logic of the whole Hive Mind works pretty good. Most of the time.
Performance: ....................................... 10
Everybody that's meant to be part of the Nestene Consciousness does a great job. Channing is completely chilling, of course. The actor totally immerses himself in the part and gives us an absolutely terrifying portrayal. But even the guys running around in the boiler suits and Halloween masks really sell it. All who represent the Nestene come across as genuinely alien and completely sinister.
The Actual Story: ................................ 9
Robert Holmes, by this point, is really starting to hit his stride. This is an extremely solid plot that feels only slightly too light, in places. Overall, though, it's a very tight story that gives great attention to both the introduction of a new Doctor and the development of an invasion plan by a very interesting alien. Very quickly, the Nestene causes us to become scared of all things plastic. Particularly mannequins!
It should also be noted that this is one of the most visually-stunning Doctor Who stories in the whole history of the show. Shooting it all on film made it absolutely gorgeous.
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: .... 9
Right off the bat, we see that we're back to a Doctor that likes to get up in the baddie's face. His confrontation with Channing in the last few minutes of Part Four is the sort of stuff I absolutely adore. The Doctor standing strong against his foe and giving him a Royal Tell-Off is always one of my favorite parts of the show. I still enjoyed how Troughton talked to his enemies. It was an interesting new direction to take with the protagonist. But it's nice to see the Doctor acting this way again when facing the antagonist of the story.
Long-Term Impact: .................................... 10
Another one of those foes that surprises us by coming back long after we thought he was done for. For years, it felt like the Nestene would only make its two appearances in the Third Doctor Era. There was vague talk of bringing them back in the original plans for Season Twenty-Three but then that fell through. We finally get to 2005 and, lo and behold, the Nestene is there as we get re-introduced to Doctor Who. It was a nice touch for the New Series to start with such a classic foe. It was also great to see them return again during the Matt Smith Era. A really great legacy that began with a near-classic adventure.
FINAL SCORE: 47
There's probably no better way to start a new Doctor's era than a well-written script by Robert Holmes that invents a new returning villain at the same time!
DOCTOR WHO AND THE SILURIANS
Recurring Foe: Homo-Reptilia
"But Rob!" some of you might be saying, "Homo-Reptilia are good guys! They don't qualify as recurring foes!"
With the exception of Lady Vastra and some Silurians that helped him in A Good Man Goes to War, these guys are a mix of friends and enemies. In their very first story, for example, the Old Silurian is fairly decent (but still needs to be convinced that he shouldn't be harming humans). But the Young Silurian is a total jerk that just wants to wipe us out. In the case of stories like Warriors of the Deep and Legend of the Sea Devils, absolutely none of the lizard folks are particularly nice at all. They just want ape primitives to die as they have lived - in a sea of their own blood!
This amount of malevolence within their species makes them nasty enough to be considered recurring foes. In most stories, there's enough of them causing serious problems to make them villains that the Doctor must fight almost every time he meets them. That, in my book, qualifies them to be in this analysis.
Writing: ............................................. 8
In many ways, having both "good" and "bad" Silurians makes the nasty ones stand out all-the-more. Watching Young Silurian confront any of the other members of the revived colony really does highlight his villainy. He seems especially cruel when he finally kills Old Silurian and takes over. The fact that this is how succession to leadership works within their society is about the only issue I genuinely have with how they're written. I expected such a sophisticated race to be a bit more democratic!
Performance: ............................................. 10
I love the work of the artistes in the Silurian costumes. Giving them full-headed masks was probably not the best of moves. Unlike most monsters on the show, they were being imbued with personalities. In order to convey their characters better, they should have been given masks that allowed for more expression. Like what the Draconians would get in a few years' time.
But the performers inside the rubber suits still do a great job of conveying emotion within their restrictions. In fact, I have never seen heads bob about so effectively!
The Actual Story: ...................................... 9
Of the three Seven-Parters of the season, this one is the most unwieldy. It certainly drags, in places. The whole sequence with the wounded Silurian is the strongest demonstration of this problem. It moves at a snail's pace. But Doctor Who and the Silurians is still, very much, an act of brilliance. Hulke's best script. It totally re-invents the formula of a stereotypical Doctor Who story. Rather than taking an actual side, the Doctor tries to mediate between the two conflicting groups. The execution of such a different approach is done magnificently.
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ...... 8
A very different confrontation from the one he just had with the Nestene. Pertwee definitely recognizes that he needs to be a bit more nuanced with how he deals with the scenes where he interacts with Silurians. When actually facing some of the nastier ones, he tends to plead with them rather than tell them off. It might have been a bit more engaging if he had, legitimately, gotten up in the Young Silurian's face a bit more. But, overall, this is all great stuff. It's absolutely beautiful when he offers the hand of friendship to the Silurian Quinn has been keeping in his cottage.
Long-Term Impact: .................................... 8
A great first story that leads to so many more fantastic encounters. Although, I do find tales that strictly involve Sea Devils to not go so well. But I do like that Homo-Reptilia are "nicer" in some adventures than they are in others. It makes each new appearance that much more appealing. We always wonder how vicious they're going to be when they come back.
FINAL SCORE: 43
Another great monster that just keeps coming back. The fact that they are a lot more nuanced than most recurring foes makes each experience the Doctor has with them highly engaging. Can't wait to see what's up with the one we saw in the trailer for Joy to the World.
TERROR OF THE AUTONS
Recurring Foe: The Master
At long last, a rival of "Moriatric" Proportions. Up until the Valeyard, the Master would be the ultimate anti-thesis of the Doctor. But, whereas the Doctor's Darker Side only gets one long story and a few name-checks in New Who, the Master is still plaguing the Doctor on a regular basis.
Writing: ....................................... 9
In terms of introducing the Master, this story does a near-perfect job. Right from his first scene with Lou Russell, we see this new villain's raw power. There's some great stuff in the middle episodes where the Master keeps firing at the Doctor from a distance. Then, finally, as we near the end, we get some magnificent confrontations between the two rivals. Only in those final moments does the Master suddenly stop making sense. I should actually penalize this category more for the absolutely ridiculous pivot the character makes, but so much of the writing for this enemy is so well-done that I'm able to forgive how Holmes resolves the conflict between the two Time Lords.
Performance: ........................................ 10
I don't think we could give Delgado any less for his first appearance in the role. He absolutely nails the character perfectly. So much so, that we almost don't notice his very unlikely change of heart near the story's climax. He does sell even that moment very well.
While I hate to speak ill of the dead, I do feel that fandom does tend to almost "overappreciate" what the actor did. He's not always as magnificent in subsequent stories as some people claim he is. But in Terror of the Autons, he is awesome. His excellent performance solidifies the villain's future.
The Actual Story: .................................. 7
I have to say, Robert Holmes really only does okay, here. Inevitably, one can't help but make the comparison to the first story involving the Nestene. And we see a substantial difference in quality. No doubt, he does a great job writing the Master. But the plot, in general, is somewhat unwieldy. There's lots of bits where characters have some highly unlikely motivations in order to propel certain elements of the plot forward. And then, of course, there's that huge change of heart the Master suddenly has at the end. After about a ten second speech from the Doctor, he decides "You know what?! Those Autons are real buggers, after all!" and brings the whole adventure to a very unlikely ending.
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ..... 10
Another well-deserved perfect score. Pertwee totally steps up to the plate as he faces this foe and delivers an incredible level of energy that makes their scenes together really shine. Even before they meet and the Doctor's just talking crap about him to the other Time Lord, we love the whole vibe he's giving off. It's clear these two have an intense rivalry. It explodes on the screen in front of us as they, at last, meet. It's great to watch. Later encounters between these two might not go as well (and I'm talking, specifically about Delgado and Pertwee - I don't always think they get the chemistry right), but there really is nothing to complain about, here.
Long-Term Impact: .............................. 10
Another recurring foe that can't get anything less than a perfect score in this category. The Master is such an important enemy to the whole formula of the show. I find it almost difficult to believe that it took eight years before we finally meet him for the first time! But all the fascinating things that get done with the character as he returns over and over in days to come is incredible. He has enhanced Doctor Who immeasurably.
FINAL SCORE: 46
Not too many superlatives I have left to use, here. The Master is great. End of story. So happy to finally see him introduced into the Lore of the show.
DAY OF THE DALEKS
Recurring Foe: The Ogrons
Admittedly, I might be stretching the definition of Recurring Foe a bit, here. The Ogrons aren't so much a true returning enemy as they are someone who recurring foes hire on a semi-regular basis to assist in their plans. They are only actively fighting against the Doctor because someone has enlisted them to do it.
Still, I think that's enough to let them get analyzed in this little study. Especially since they really are great fun to watch in their all-too-scant appearances.
Writing: ..................................... 9
The Ogrons really do have a very unique presence in this story. They're lumbering around in the background of so many scenes, adding extra menace to the true antagonists of the story. They create such a great atmosphere that causes us to be absolutely fascinated with them. We've not really had a monster quite like this. Which causes us to appreciate them in a whole new kind of way.
It might have been nice to give them just a little bit more spotlight, though. Their second story, for instance, expands greatly on their background. I would have enjoyed it if they had gotten just a bit more of that sort of thing in their first one, though. Not a lot, but a bit. Just to flesh them out slightly better.
Performance: .................................. 9
Thankyou artistes playing the Ogrons for portraying ape-like beings and not giving us any of the cliched mannerisms such creatures usually get in these situations. No one's scratching their armpits or pursing their lips ridiculously as they make silly chimp noises! Everyone feels very formidable and intimidating. The way grunt-like security guards are meant to come across.
Sadly, however, I must deduct one point for: "No complications."!
The Actual Story: ............................. 8
There seems to be a general disdain for Dalek stories in the Pertwee Era. I'm not entirely sure why. For the most part, they're solidly-written. I quite enjoy Day of the Daleks for the way it looks so deeply into the cause-and-effects of time travel.
The Daleks do feel a tad generic, here. Like it really could have been any old monster running the Earth (and, at one point in the script-writing process, it was!). So I can see why the fans might be a bit disgruntled with the tale. But it's still a pretty damned tight plot. Which, for me, makes it better-than-average. Not necessarily amazing. But still pretty damned good.
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: .... 7
In many ways, the Doctor immediately recognizes the Ogrons for what they are. A somewhat mindless servant-class for a far more formidable enemy. So he doesn't waste much breath trying to talk to them. In his first encounter with Ogrons, he beats one up a bit with some Venusian aikido. A minute or two later, he even shoots one dead! But, in the end, there's not much else he can do to reason with them. They've been given orders by their masters and he can't really counteract those instructions with just mere words. So he has to resort to violence to deal with them.
It might have bene better, however, if he had made some sort of attempt of that nature in some later scenes. He is, perhaps, just a tad too cold in his treatment of these particular foes.
Long-Term Impact: ........................... 7
Only one more full story during the Pertwee Era and a brief cameo in Carnival of Monsters. That's all we've gotten. The Ogrons should be popping up all over the place. Not just in Dalek stories. But we should see other beings recruiting them to their cause. Like the Monk way back in the times of the First Doctor, they deserve a better legacy than they've gotten. They're not quite as intriguing as he was, but they still should have gotten more appearances on the show.
FINAL SCORE: 40
The Ogrons are great fun. We love them. They will never truly be a great enemy of the Doctor's. But they can keep doing a great job of accentuating the ones that are. Come on, New Who, bring 'em back!
THE THREE DOCTORS
Recurring Foe: Omega
One of those villains that isn't just great fun to watch as he chews up the scenery, he also makes a fairly big contribution to the show's canon.
Writing: ............................................ 10
What a magnificently-constructed villain Omega is. His whole backstory is making a huge contribution to the Doctor's own origins. That's pretty spectacular in and of itself. But the fact the Omega is a really fascinating character on top of that really makes the writing of his character excellent. We actually feel for the guy as he's stranded in the Singularity Point. It's absolutely horrible to discover that his body has corroded away and only his actual will is left. Omega just works so well on so many levels. He's also got one of my fave lines, ever:
"A hero? I should have been a god!"
Absolutely great stuff. Extra props to Bob Baker and Dave Martin for showing their classical education by making Omega a traditional Greek Tragic Hero. The costume helps to convey that, of course. But it's there in the writing first.
Performance: .......................................... 10
For quite some time, Stephen Thorne pops up all over the place in Doctor Who. Like Michael Kilgarriff, he gets a lot of roles because he can back up his physical size with a very strong presence, in general. Essentially, he can act as big as he looks!
Also like Kilgarriff, he has one role that he really shines in. This is that part. He's amazing as Omega. The character clearly needs to be melodramatic, in places. Thorne pulls that off beautifully but never actually feels hammy. He really should, sometimes. There are a few scenes where Omega just completely loses his mind. But Thorne always makes it feel believable. We think to ourselves: "Yeah. If I was stranded in a Black Hole between our Universe and the Universe of Anti-Matter, I'd probably be a bit over-the-top, too!"
The Actual Story: .................................. 8
Oh, how threadbare the plot is! It's even quite obvious. A whole lot of nothing happens during Episode Two. Not much more happens in Three. One and Four are the parts where any real serious developments occur. Even then, we get a scene in Part Four involving characters stepping into dry ice mist that drags on forever!
But the core premise of the story gets us too forgive so much. Previous actors that have played the Doctor are being brought back to reprise their roles. And this is such great fun to watch. In fact, it brings about another one of my favorite lines:
"So this is what I become, eh? A dandy and clown!"
I should be more upset with this threadbare plot. But I can't be!
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ....... 10
The confrontation scenes between Omega and the Doctors are great. We start with Three standing up to Omega but also according him a measure of reverence. It's an interesting dynamic for him to have with a villain.
But then along comes Two - doing his usual shenanigans! He plays the fool in order to get Omega to lower his guard and reveal his weaknesses. It's so great to see him up to his old tricks, again.
Being able to watch two different incarnations deal with a villain in their own unique way was a great little spectacle. I can't give anything less than a perfect score!
Long-Term Impact: .................................. 8
Every anniversary year, I find myself holding my breath a bit. Omega popped up for the tenth and twentieth years of Doctor Who. I keep hoping we'll see him again as the show reaches another benchmark. So far, no luck.
It is just a bit sad that Arc of Infinity is not the best of stories. Thus robbing this category of a perfect score. However, I do love how much they changed the character in the sequel. Omega is tired, now. He just wants to come home. And that gives him quite a bit of pathos. Davison is also incredible in Part Four when he's playing him for a bit. He really does seem like a whole different person.
FINAL SCORE: 46
Another one of those recurring foes that gets let down a bit by their only sequel and is, therefore, never seen again after it. This happens from time-to-time on Doctor Who. Personally, I don't even think we should wait for an anniversary year. Bring back Omega as soon as possible. He's great!
THE TIME WARRIOR
Recurring Foe: The Sontarans
The final member of the Great Recurring Foe Pantheon, at last, makes his debut. Like the Ice Warriors, the Potato Heads don't return quite as often as Daleks and Cybermen do. But they still come back a hell of a lot!
Writing: ............................................... 11
One of the rare occasions where you will see me "cheat" just a little bit in the rating system. Linx the Sontaran is, easily, the best-written recurring monster. He deserves the bonus point.
Within the context of the four episodes, his whole background is given a healthy exploration. We learn everything we need to know about Sontarans but not a single bit of the dialogue ever feels too expositional. It's a remarkable work of world-building. Or monster-creation. Or something of that nature!
Performance: .............................................. 10
There seems to be a certain nostalgic prejudice regarding monsters and/or villains in Doctor Who that get played by multiple actors. The first performer we see in the role tends to become the favorite. In some instances, it's merited. The portrayal is iconic. Other times, it really is just a bit of 'member berries going on (as the old South Park episodes used to say!).
Kevin Lindsay, however, deserves all the praise he gets. He makes so many excellent choices that would influence anyone else who would play the part in the many years to come. And, unlike Cho-Je, he would be a lot less racially-offensive!
The Actual Story: ...................................... 7
A more-than-perfect score loses a few points in this category. There are a few problems with the script. It starts off quite well. But, as we get further into it, it meanders more and more. Holmes just didn't give us enough plot to sustain the four parts. Which leads us to some pretty ridiculous time-fillers. The worst being an extended sequence involving the Doctor dodging bullets at point-blank range for the better part of five minutes!
There are still some really great moments in The Time Warrior. But there's some pretty bad stuff in there, too.
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ........ 10
And.... back we go to a perfect score! I love the way the Doctor tells Linx off in every scene that they have. I also love how words, eventually, turn to action and they fight hand-to-hand. It's especially-impressive that Linx actually wins the fight. Very few characters have been able to withstand the might of the Third Doctor's Venusian Karate!
Long-Term Impact: ................................. 10
Admittedly, a few of their return-appearances have been a bit on the weak side. But, overall, the Sontarans really are glorious. I'm quite glad to see that their latest appearance saw them defeating both the Daleks and the Cybermen!
FINAL SCORE: 48
The Sontarans just might be the Recurring Foe that get the very best first appearance.
I'm the first to admit, there's a lot of mean stuff that I say about the Third Doctor Era. I'm a pretty big Negative Nancy about this period. But this is one of the best times for introductions to Recurring Foes! Some really great monsters and villains make their debut while Jon Pertwee is the Star.
Just in case you've missed some of this series:
The First Doctor Era:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_18.html
The Second Doctor Era:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_22.html
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