REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: SIXTH AND NINTH DOCTOR ERAS

 And we keep soldiering on! Finishing up the Classic Series and delving into New Who.   

"The Rules": https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html

'OLE SIXIE: 

The best of the best. Not just my favorite Classic Who Doctor, but my all-time favorite Doctor of them all. No, I'm not being sarcastic. I know he finishes up near the bottom on most peoples' lists. But I just see that as people having poor taste!  

The Sixth Doctor was loud and bombastic. But also quite intrepid and dramatic when he needed to be. Really, he was everything. I loved the arc they were working through the character. Starting him off as a bit of anti-hero and evolving him into something more charming and likeable. I enjoyed this Doctor so much. I even adored the coat! 

We do get two really outstanding Recurring Foes that make their first appearance during this period. Just one more of the many things we can love about this incarnation! 

VENGEANCE ON VAROS

Recurring Foe: Sil 

A really fascinating alien. Within seconds of meeting him, we find ourselves saying: "Bring this guy back!" 

Writing:          ........................................          9

I suppose the biggest problem with Sil's construction is that we've seen his type before. The Usurians from The Sunmakers are the best example of an alien that resembles him. But there are a few more characters or monsters that have also appeared over the years that were very financially-motivated. 

Other than that, though, Sil is a magnificent character. All sorts of nuances are given to his personality that we haven't really seen before in a greedy alien. So we'll knock a point off for a slight lack of originality. But, otherwise, Sil is great. 

Performance:   .......................................          10

Nabil Shaban gives us the most convincing portrayal of an alien, ever. He just completely immerses himself into the character. Giving him so many interesting mannerisms that seem completely non-human. We don't really see a person in a costume when we look at Sil. We see some sort of sea slug that loves money and power. 

The Actual Story:   ..................................          11

And, again, we give a bonus point to this tale because it makes into my Top Ten. Just like we did with Kinda in the last entry. There is just so much to love about Vengeance on Varos. On top of it being an awesome story, we also get a magnificent villain who will come to haunt us again. It's difficult to make this tale any better!  

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  ..         10 

Colin really does have some of the best confrontation scenes with enemies. Even in the much-maligned Twin Dilemma, he's great when he tells off Mestor. What really makes him so awesome is his blending of styles. He shows the same moral indignation One and Three would often display in such moments. But he also throws in quite a bit of Four's sarcasm. And, of course, a bit of his own thing.  I especially like his first scene with Sil where he just uses him in a game of politics to save his life. But Sil's failed invasion plans is a great sequence, too. I love how Sil yells after him as the Doctor proclaims: "Now you see me...." and traipses off!

Long-Term Impact:   ..................................         9

What an amazingly odd story Mindwarp is! Such a strange pace to the whole thing that is quite amazing. But is also ever-so-slightly clunky, in places. It was interesting to get a fuller background on Sil and his people. Philip Martin does do some great world-building. For the most part, Sil's second appearance is quite awesome, too.   

But we need more! Nabil Shaban's getting pretty long in the tooth. Haul him back in before it's too late. In fact, he should get a few more appearances. Maybe even make him a major villain for a season. Both the character and the actor playing him can, easily, carry that sort of weight.

FINAL SCORE: 49 

Not quite as great as the Mara. But he's still up there!   

MARK OF THE RANI 

Recurring Foe: The Rani 

Writing:              ......................................          10

What a delightful villainess Pip and Jane Baker have written for us. A fully-fleshed Renegade Time Lord who seems to rival the impact the Master has had on our protagonist. We're even able to see that effect since they've dropped the Master into the plot, too! 

What gets us to love the Rani the most are her gimmicks. Not just her love of disguise and penchant for weird land mines. But it's also the idea that she's not just another maniac Time Lord like the Master who's hell-bent on universal domination. She's a cold, dispassionate chemist that just wants to be able to conduct her ruthless experiments. It makes her far more interesting than most Recurring Foes that have come out of the series. 

Performance:   ........................................         10 

Like Valentine Dyall as the Black Guardian, it is a screaming shame Kate O'Mara will not be able to reprise the role if the character ever makes its way into New Who. As someone capable of regenerating, it will be easy to write in a new actress, of course. But it just won't be the same. Kate's Rani will probably be held in the same regard as Delgado's Master. And she deserves it. She played the role to perfection. 

The Actual Story: ..................................          7

Mark of the Rani is a decent enough tale. It nearly earns an above-average score - but not quite. The first half really is quite excellent. Particularly when the Master, the Rani and the Doctor are all in one room bantering away. Those are some wonderful scenes. 

Part Two, however, is troubled. The plot doesn't really seem to go anywhere. We just deal with a series of set-pieces and then the Master and the Rani, rather anticlimactically, just leave. Part two does fall apart quite a bit. Half of the story is amazing. But the other half is a tad underwhelming. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  ....     10 

There was the vaguest temptation to cheat again and give this one an "11". The sparring between villainess and hero in this tale is top-notch and deserves the bonus! 

What I really love about the chemistry between Sixie and the Rani is the way they really do make it feel like they've had a whole slew of unseen battles between them before this. In truth, of course, this is the Rani's first appearance (or she wouldn't be in this entry!). I really am impressed with the history these two create between each other.  Colin also gives us some more of that gorgeous "half serious/half smarmy" attitude that I love so well when he confronts his enemies. His delivery is pitch-perfect with the Rani (and the Master, for that matter). He's never too sarcastic with her. Nor does he ever become melodramatic as he berates her. This just might be my favorite villain confrontation sequence in the whole history of the show 

Long-Term Impact: ................................         4

Goodness me, is the Rani ill-served in her sequel! The actual plot of Time and the Rani isn't as bad as some folks would have you believe (truthfully, I'd give it about a "6"). But the Rani, herself, fits so poorly within its structure. Her two main "gimmicks" of disguising herself and creating mine fields are both ridiculously over-contrived, here. The Rani also seems very out-of-character. Gone is the cold, calculating chemist. She flies into fits of rage and just behaves like a run-of-the-mill megalomaniac. The story is far from incredible. But I have a much bigger bone of contention with how the Rani is used within it. 

FINAL SCORE: 41

Though her sequel really damages her final score, the Rani is probably still the villain from the Classic Series that we most want to see in New Who. Come on, BBC. Work out the legalities and bring her back! 

SORRY SEVEN, EIGHT AND WAR 

And now we have to take a big jump ahead. For three incarnations, we get absolutely no Recurring Foes that make a first appearance. We can see why Eight and the War Doctor didn't have any. There's just not a lot of presence that they genuinely have in the show. There's a barely a chance to introduce a new returning baddie during their very short tenures. 

While Sylvester McCoy does spend a bit more time in the role, it's only so much more. By this point in the show, the episode-count of the seasons had been drastically reduced. In many ways, there just wasn't a whole lot of of run-time available to start introducing new recurring foes. We could check in on the Daleks, Cybermen and the Master now and again. We could even bring the Rani back. After that, though, the production team focused on one-time-only villains. 

Although, I must admit, I really would've loved to have seen Fenric come back. He certainly merited another battle against the Doctor. "We play the contest again, Time Lord." is still one of the coolest and creepiest moments in the whole history of the show. At the risk of sounding "super-fannish", I would have really loved it if Fenric had been The One Who Waits at the end of Series Fourteen. 

Before digressing too much, I'll get to my real point: We are skipping over all these Doctors and bringing ourselves to.... 

THE NINTH DOCTOR ERA

It's 2005. Doctor Who is back! Yay! Christopher Eccleston is awesome as Doctor Nine. More Yay! But only stays in the role for a year. Boo!   

But what a year it was. A really super-solid first season for the New Series. Still one of the best. A great set of stories with some awesome arcs running through them. The chemistry between Doctor and companion is also quite excellent. And there's a really good supporting cast. Camille Coduri does a great job as Jackie. Sadly, however, it's hard to appreciate Noel Clarke's performance, anymore. 

While trying to forge a lot of new ground, the show still makes sure to acknowledge its first twenty-six seasons by featuring a third invasion attempt by the Nestene Consciousness right in its first episode. Which was a very nice touch that re-assured the hardcore fans that this wasn't going to be a full-on reboot that was forgetting everything that came before.  

From that point onward, the show works for a while on creating its own new continuity (until, of course, we hit Dalek). We get the first appearance of a Recurring Foe in the very second episode. Only two episodes later, another baddie that would return in the very same season makes its debut. 

Such choices are bold - but still wise. The more familiar faces RTD can create for this new audience, the better. And the cast of recurring characters don't all need to be friends like Jackie, Pete and Mickey. A few enemies that will come back from time-to-time will also help with building up a new Lore. 

THE END OF THE WORLD 

Recurring Foe: The Lady Cassandra

Writing:          ............................................         8

RTD creates a very fun villainess for us. She gets lots of jokey dialogue about her ex-husbands, her obsession with cosmetic surgery and some amusing historical inaccuracies concerning Earth. It all makes for a great little laugh. Even after it's revealed that she's actually brewing the most evil of plots, she's still a really good time. As the very first Recurring Foe created in the New Series, we're off to a good start. 

The biggest flaw in how she's written is that it seems pretty obvious that she's the true baddie behind it all. Even with the Red Herring that we're given with the Adherents of the Repeated Meme, we're not really fooled. We know she'll still be connected to the whole scandal in some way. 

Performance:   ..........................................          9

Zoe Wanamaker is delightful as the Lady Cassandra. We have a bit of a Sutekh situation with her. The character, itself, is very static. But the voice more than makes up for that. Although, she's not quite as good as Gabriel Woolf. But she's pretty damned close! 

The Actual Story:   ....................................          8

The End of the World ends up being a fairly solid episode. The fact that it's only the second story of the whole New Series and we're, already, watching the Earth get destroyed was a very bold move. It also introduces us to a very new twist in canon. The Time Lords are all dead and the Doctor's the only one left. It announces this in a suitably dramatic manner. We also get to see the first real signs of Nine's survival guilt.  

While doing all this, End of the World also remembers to have a half-decent plot to it. Not anything too spectacular. But still more-than-adequate.     

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  ...          8

Eccleston seems to be taking more of a Tom Baker tact with how he confronts villains. He's quite smarmy when he tells them off. Of course, with Cassandra, it's pretty hard not to be dripping with sarcasm. She delivers quite a bit of sass, herself. So it's impossible to not give her some back. All in all, though, it's a very nice scene when he unveils that the bitchy trampoline is the true villainess of the plot. And the way he just allows her to die is always quite brutal to watch. 

Long-Term Impact:    ...................................          7

I'm giving this an average score even though New Earth is a fairly awful story. The plot does still treat Cassandra's character well. Her death scene is especially good. It's both clever and touching. But the overall poor quality of the story drags things down considerably. 

FINAL SCORE: 40

The Lady Cassandra does a fairly decent job of introducing fans to a Recurring Foe created entirely within the continuity of New Who. There would be better enemies of this nature that would come along, of course. But she's still pretty solid. 

ALIENS OF LONDON/WORLD WAR III 

Recurring Foe: Those fartin' Slitheen! 

Writing:           ..........................................            7

Oh my God! Farting aliens! How dare RTD write about such things?! Absolutely terrible! Damn him all to Hell!  

I'm being completely sarcastic in that first paragraph. I think the Slitheen are okay. The farting didn't really bother me. It actually seemed like a very "Whoish" trait to give an alien in the show.  A mix of menace and comedy is something we've seen in lots of monsters before them. 

RTD does his best to make the Raxacoricofallapitorans into a fascinating alien species. In the end, though, they're okay. Not much more than that. 

Performance:  ............................................             7

Performance matches writing. Those costumes often seem far too cumbersome for the movement artists working within them. There's also, of course, the bad blend between CGI and practical. There are still some nice moments, too. The creatures are articulated quite gorgeously, in places (the assistant getting pinned to the wall and being throttled to death looked really disturbing). But, because of the various strengths and weaknesses at play, the rating levels out into something fairly average. 

The Actual Story:  .....................................             7

And .... another average score! The very first multi-part story of New Who is neither awful nor spectacular. But it is okay. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them; ....            9

Again, some of that gorgeous Chris Eccleston smarmymess raises this category to above-average. The confrontations are particularly fun when he squares off with them from within the conference room. 

While I say that Nine's approach to bantering with villains resembles Tom Baker's, I should still point out he isn't completely mimicking him. He has his own special brand of sarcasm as he puts down his foes. Although, he does still use a wonderfully goofy grin the whole time he's getting in their face! 

Long-Term Impact:      ...............................           7

And.... back to average. Boomtown is a passable sequel. Not particularly spectacular, either. But there's little I can genuinely complain about. The Slitheen don't make a particularly large impact as Recurring Foes. But they're still decent. 

FINAL SCORE: 37

Yup. They fart. And, if you were one of those fans that just couldn't stand that, then you probably gave them much lower scores than I did. But I think the Slitheen are okay. It might even be fun to see them come back one more time and cause more trouble. They do seem to be a fairly large family... 

That wraps up Classic Who nicely and propels us firmly into the the New Series. First appearances of Recurring Foes become slimmer and slimmer pickings from this point, onward. We'll soon be done.

Have you missed earlier entries? Here they are: 

First Doctor

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_18.html

Second Doctor

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_22.html

Third Doctor

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/09/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html

Fourth and Fifth Doctors

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/09/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_18.html

REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: FOURTH AND FIFTH DOCTOR ERAS

In case you've missed them, here are "The Rules" for this series. Give 'em a read before diving in:  

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html

DECREASING RECURRING FOES

Things are finally starting to "thin out" a bit, here. Doctors One, Two and Three have laid most of the important foundations for the show. From this point, onward, we can coast a bit on established continuity. Which has a definite effect on how many new recurring foes we're going to see coming along. It's almost as if they can't fit new returning baddies in, anymore. Production seems almost scared to try establish some new villain and/or monster that's meant to be a massive threat to the Universe. If they do, the fans might respond with: "Why haven't we seen these guys sooner?!" 

For this reason, we won't be getting too many more entries that will feature just one Doctor. New recurring foes become few and far between from this point, onward. In some periods, we won't see any new ones at all!

THE FOURTH DOCTOR 

Admittedly, I could have actually given this Doctor his own entry. He has a total of four recurring foes making their first appearance during his era (which still seems like a small amount when you consider he's got seven seasons under his belt). Other Doctors in this study have also only had that many and gotten a post all to themselves'. 

But since his successor only has one first appearance from a returning enemy, I figured I'd lump the two together. Also, if we're being technical, there's really only three villains/monsters that make their debut during Tom Baker's reign. The fourth is another example of a "Recurring Foe that emerges from another Recurring Foe." Like the Cyber-Controller was during the Second Doctor era. Those are just a little bit of a cheat and should, probably, be left out. So, in some ways, this period does come up a bit short and could get blended with another one.   

GENESIS OF THE DALEKS

Recurring Foe: Davros 

Here, of course, is the "Recurring Foe from a Recurring Foe" that I just mentioned. Initially created by Terry Nation to handle some of the heavier dialogue that the Daleks get, he became so much more than that!    

Writing:            ........................................          8

"What?!!" some of you are probably screaming, "How can the writing of Davros' character get anything less than a Ten?!" 

I know many of you think this is one of the greatest Doctor Who stories ever. But I'm really only so impressed with it. And part of the problem does stem from how Davros is written. He's frequently assigned speeches that are really just there to fill time. This becomes especially apparent in Part Six when his appeals to the rebelling Kaled Scientists drone on forever and ever. It's funny how the Daleks made it over to the Thal Dome quite quickly in an earlier episode but just take so long to come back. Almost as if the final part of the story was a bit light on plot and Nation is stalling things for as long as he can! So we get Davros rambling endlessly while his creations move at the most sluggish of paces.

Of course, some of Davros' speeches aren't time-fillers. They're actually just silly! When the Doctor asks him a hypothetical question about a virus, he really does go on for quite a bit. I know lots of people like this monologue, but all I'm thinking is: "I don't really think anyone would get this excited about an imaginary virus!" 

Those speeches definitely make it impossible to give him a perfect score. But there's a lot of other stuff about him that I do like in this script. His utter ruthlessness to create what he believes to be the perfect race is a very engaging core trait. We now see why the Daleks are so fanatical. They're just emulating their creator.    

Performance:    ........................................           8

"What?!" you're screaming again, "Another Eight?!  How dare you?! Change that to a Ten this instant!" 

I don't hate Michael Wisher's performance, of course (if I did, it would have gotten a much lower score). But I do think this is one of those "he played the role first so we like him best" nostalgia effects. Wisher does still give a very definitive portrayal that will certainly influence anyone else that gets the part. But I don't actually like how stiff he makes Davros. I'm a lot fonder of the more emotive stuff that Molloy does with the role. Even in a story like Revelation of the Daleks, where Terry is just a head in an empty fish tank, he is so animated! Wisher's Davros is considerably more restrained. Which, for me, makes him less interesting. 

The Actual Story:     ..................................            7

I'm guessing, by now, that your voice has become too raw to scream any further. 

There's a lot about this plot that I don't particularly like. When you're already doing captures-and-escapes right in the first episode of a six parter, you know there's going to be trouble. I've always felt Genesis works much better in theory than it does in execution. The Doctor on a mission to prevent the creation of the Daleks is a great premise. But it really can't fill up the time its allotted. It drags horribly, in places. 

It has some excellent moments here and there. I absolutely love the twist where Davros helps the Thals to wipe out his own people. The way he keeps turning the tide of the war is very nicely done. These positive plot points help to balance out the more atrocious stuff we see in the writing and earns the tale an average score rather than a bad one. But this is still a far cry from the Classic many fans like to make it out to be.      

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:   ....          9

Tom Baker is at an interesting place with his role when this story gets made. He really seems unsure of just how he wants to play his Doctor. Because of this, he's making some very hard turns between comedy and drama. 

During Genesis, he's choosing to play things very straight. Which means he's taking Davros quite seriously in this tale (Oh, how different that will be when they meet again in Destiny!). Their confrontations play out quite nicely during most scenes. I just wish he hadn't asked him about that silly virus! 

Long-Term Impact:       ..............................          10 

Finally! A perfect score! Davros does go on to become a real heavy-hitter in the Recurring Foe Pantheon. From this point, onward, he's in every Dalek story we get in the Classic Series. He pops up frequently enough in New Who, too. Missy has every right to get a bit jealous when Twelve claims Davros is his greatest enemy. He really is the only villain that can legitimately overshadow the Master. 

FINAL SCORE: 42

A great villain who many of you believe was off to an excellent start. Unfortunately, I don't feel the same way. He still finishes up with a decent Final Score, though. In the end, there is still enough good stuff to Genesis of the Daleks to make it a more-than-passable first appearance for Davros. 

TERROR OF THE ZYGONS 

Recurring Foe: The Zygons 

For many years, these guys were the most popular "one-time only" monster. That finally changed during the Fiftieth Anniversary. It changed a bit more during the Peter Capaldi Era, too. 

Writing:             ................................................        6

If I'm being completely honest, I'm not sure why the Zygons were so popular. As far as evil aliens go, they're pretty generic. They lost their home world and now have eyes for Earth. We've witnessed this sort of motivation in monsters before and will see it again. We've also seen any number of species hiding out on Earth for many years and becoming responsible for some sort of legend. Even their shape-shifting skills are nothing special. There are plenty of nasty creatures out there that can do a great job of disguising themselves. There's really nothing new or special about them. 

Performance:   ..................................................        8

While the Zygon costumes look great, they are just a bit too much on the restrictive side. Which makes it difficult for the actors within them to give the creatures much body language. Even facial expressions seem hampered - even though we can see their features clearly. The headpieces they're wearing don't allow for much movement. 

Nonetheless, the performers are doing their damnedest within their constraints. They also do a very good job of being very sinister in their human form. It was an interesting choice to have the same actor playing both a Zygon and their human counterpart. In some ways, it may have been a better idea to have proper movement artists in the Zygon outfits. But, at least John Woodnutt got to show off his chops a bit more. He's great as Broton, Fake Duke of Forgill and Real Duke of Forgill! 

The Actual Story:    ..........................................         7

Terror of the Zygons is pretty "meh". Not terrible. But there's really nothing all that special about it. It plays with a few tropes involving double-identity and stranded aliens and then just, sort of, peters out somewhat anti-climatically. It is excellently-directed. Which helps to save some of the script's weaknesses. But I still can't give it much more than an average score. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:   .........          8

Tom Baker is still bouncing around quite a bit during this part of his tenure. He's serious one story and silly, the next. He's going a bit more for the laughs in this one (although it does seem like Camfield manages to reign him in during moments where things are meant to be really creepy). When Baker's in "goofy mode" he uses a style of confrontation that is somewhat new to the character: He mocks his enemy. At this stage of his run, this works quite well. The Fourth Doctor is being sarcastic with his foes but not going too far with it. This will, of course, rage completely out of control in later seasons. But, right now, it works. I particularly love: "Isn't it a bit big for just the five of you?!"

Long-Term Impact:   ..........................................         8

The Return of the Zygons in Day of the Doctor is one of those instances in New Who where the whole thing felt more like just a gesture for the fans than a proper plotline in the story. "Everyone misses the Zygons." Moff decided, "So let's bring 'em back! We won't care too hard about why they're in the story. It'll just be nice to see them again!" 

The Zygon Two-Parter during Capaldi's era helps to make up for this. A very well-put-together adventure with one of the best speeches the Doctor ever delivers. Had there only ever been the appearance in Day, this score would be substantially lower. 

FINAL SCORE: 37 

Admittedly, the Zygons are a great-looking monster. Beyond that, however, I never could understand what the fuss was about. There are any number of other one-time-only alien species that seemed intensely more interesting to me. They should have gotten a return appearance way before these guys did.  

PYRAMIDS OF MARS 

Recurring Foe: Sutekh the Destroyer 

That evil Osirian who we never thought we'd see again becomes the biggest surprise during the latest season of the show. Did we really need him back, though?   

Writing:             ............................................           10 

A magnificently-constructed villain. There is so much to love about Sutekh. I adore all the lore that gets built around him as the Doctor gradually explains throughout the course of the story why this Osirian is so dangerous. It's also great how we get a sense of his raw power when the Doctor takes a quick hop into the future to show Sarah how the Earth will look if they don't stop him. But, mostly, I enjoy those gorgeous speeches he gets at the beginning of Part Four as he tortures the Doctor.  It's all absolutely gorgeous. 

Performance:     ............................................           10 

It's all about the voice, of course. Especially since the character can't actually move for most of the story. So much has been said about Gabriel Woolf's glorious delivery of his lines. All those compliments are well-deserved. He makes the villain absolutely chilling. Easily, some of the best voice-work we've ever gotten on the show. 

The Actual Story:     ......................................            7

While Sutekh is a master-class villain, the adventure he's housed within really only works so well. The plot is pretty thin. And what does exist of it has quite a few holes. The biggest one being: Why do you imprison an evil being but then give him everything he needs to escape?! The utter absurdity of this particular issue almost destroys the whole logic of the story. The fact that Sutekh, himself, is so awesome raises the tale to an average score. Had he not been so enjoyable to watch, I would have probably accorded this adventure far less points. 

How the Doctor Interact With Them:    .....              10

That torture scene at the beginning of Part Four just might be one of the most gorgeous villain confrontations in the whole history of the show. Tom Baker. still in a very mercurial stage at this point, is in the mood to be serious during this story. It's such the right choice. He does a magnificent job of showing the Doctor's stubborn defiance against all evil. Regardless of how strong of a hold that evil might have on him. While not quite as dramatic, his final victory over Sutekh at the end when he strands him in the time corridor and ages him to death is also very well-played.   

Long-Term Impact:     ...................................              5

An even bigger gesture of fan-pleasing than the Zygons could ever hope to be. I complained about plot holes in Pyramids, but they're nothing compared to the stuff we get in Empire of Death. Even the very explanation we're given on how Sutekh survived his first battle against the Doctor doesn't make all that much sense. The One Who Waits really should have been someone else. Basically, anyone but Sutekh!    

FINAL SCORE: 42 

As a one-time villain, Sutekh is brilliant. The actual story he appears in is troubled but we really can let a lot of those problems go. Bringing him back, however, really wasn't the best of ideas. In some ways, it even tarnishes his reputation.   

THE ARMAGEDDON FACTOR 

Recurring Foe: The Black Guardian

An interesting addition to the whole Lore of the show. The Black Guardian is, essentially, the Devil. He's given some nice sci-fi trappings to make the comparison less obvious. But that's really who he is. And he's great fun! 

Writing:            ................................................             9

The whole concept of Guardians in Time, in general, is a very fascinating one. These two omnipotent beings don't actually seem to really do much of anything. Rather than get properly involved with the ebb and flow of the Universe, they prefer to move mortal beings around like pieces on a chessboard. Getting them to do most of the leg-work. It's quite an awesome image, really.  

Finally meeting the Black Guardian during the last few minutes of the whole season-long adventure is a great contrast to what we got with the White Guardian at the opening of the year. He's a great counterpoint to his rival. Even as he proclaims: "Doctor! You shall die for this!" we're already hoping to see more of him. He's a very well-crafted character. 

Performance:    ..................................................         10 

As much as I want to see the Guardians come back in New Who, the fact that Valentine Dyall is no longer around to play the role would be absolutely soul-crushing. He really knew how to just drink in that villainy and savor it like a fine wine. And then there's his actual voice. I would think that even just ordering at a dive-through would absolutely terrorize the poor fast-food employee working within the restaurant! He really knew how to make every word he pronounced sound absolutely evil! No one can play the Black Guardian better!

The Actual Story:    ............................................          6

The Armageddon Factor really does let down the whole arc of the Key to Time season. It's a fairly-substandard runaround that could have been accomplished in considerably less episodes. It's really quite bad, in places. So much so, that I seriously contemplated just watching Part Six since we only actually see the Black Guardian, there. I really didn't want to have to sit through the rest of the story. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:    ..........          8

By this point in his era, Tom Baker seems hell-bent on taking the piss out of just about anything the show has to offer. For some reason, however, he decides to take the Black Guardian a bit more seriously than he has anyone else throughout the season (except, maybe, the White Guardian!). He does still create a bit of comedy during their final confrontation, but it's properly reigned in. Overall, it's a pretty good scene. It could have played out a bit better, but not much. 

Long-Term Impact:     .........................................          10 

Quite honestly, I really prefer the next occasion that we see the Guardians. Particularly as we get to Enlightenment. The final few minutes where the Guardians greet the Winner of the Race is one of the coolest scenes in the whole history of the show. But the Black Guardian tormenting poor Turlough for so many episodes is also great fun to watch. I really loved the dream sequence in Mawdryn Undead. It's absolutely chilling when the Black Guardian shows Turlough he's still sleeping in bed. 

So why have we never gotten more of this infinitely-evil being?! His first appearance is problematic but we definitely got that fixed. Even if it won't be Valentine Dyall, anymore - I want me some more Black Guardian! 

FINAL SCORE: 43 

More Guardians, please! Their presence in a story always raises the stakes. So let's bring them back!    

THE FIFTH DOCTOR 

After the wild, seven-year-long roller coaster ride that was the Fourth Doctor, it's nice to see the protagonist transform into something far more subtle and mild-mannered. While I did actually start watching the show when Tom Baker was at the helm, Peter Davison feels far more like my Doctor. It was while he played the role that I became an avid fan. In fact, I'd say it was him that made me into an avid fan. Quite simply, I preferred what he was doing with the part. And this caused me to truly fall in love with the show.

By this point, however, new recurring foes are becoming quite scant. Which makes a sort of sense. Just checking in on all the old returning enemies can really chew up some episodes (just look at Season Twenty-Two - or even Season Twelve, for that matter!). If you still want the show to produce a steady influx of new characters, you have to start imposing some limits. 

Which means that, as delightful as Five is, he really only introduces us to one Recurring Foe. And, no, I'm not talking about Lytton. He gets disqualified because he's actually a good guy when he comes back in his second story. Attack of the Cybermen actually ends with the Doctor reflecting on how horribly he's misjudged Lytton. 

KINDA 

Recurring Foe: The Mara 

Writing:           ....................................................            10 

I absolutely love how the Mara is written. A sentience travelling through various people or appearing in different forms is such a cool concept. He starts as a dream figure, takes over Tegan for a while, transfers to Aris (who loves to brag about his voice!) then finally manifests as a big paper-mache snake. The whole journey of evil is incredible to watch. Yes, that final manifestation doesn't look too great - but that's hardly the scriptwriter's fault! 

Performance:  ....................................................            10

The journey the Mara takes doesn't just look good on paper. Each actor that either plays the malevolent being or becomes possessed by it takes on a very distinct personality. They actually seem quite snake-like. Vicious and angry and ready to strike at any moment. And, most importantly, no one goes for the cheap shtick of exaggerating any word that has the letter "s" in it! 

The Actual Story:     ...........................................           11

Just like when I was looking at the Sontarans in the last entry, I'm going to cheat a bit and give an above-ten score. If the actual story I'm reviewing makes it into my Top Ten Fave Doctor Who Stories Ever (https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-of-lists-top-ten-who-stories-6.html), it deserves a bonus point. Not only are we totally captivated by the evil plans of the Mara, but we have an equally-compelling conflict going on within the Habitation Dome as Hindle loses his mind and plots to blow up a good chunk of the planet. It's an absolutely fantastic story that truly shows off just how sophisticated television can be if you allow a writer's imagination to run wild. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:    ........           10 

Direct confrontations between the Doctor and the Mara are sporadic. But they're still quite good. The major one occurs right near the end when the Doctor is about to spring the ring of mirrors on his opponent. We get a lot of the same vibe that happens when he yells at the Cyberleader in Earthshock. But a bit more underplayed. Almost as if Davison knows what's coming and wants that one to get more attention. Still, he plays the scene beautifully, here, too. Allowing a certain momentum to build up before he really gets up in his rival's face. Once at his peak, he unleashes the mirrors. But you can't help but notice that he had to tell off the Mara before launching the attack. He could have just had the mirrors turn around right away, but he needed to have that angry little chat, first!    

Long-Term Impact:  .........................................          10 

There are some fan rumors out there that claim there had been plans for a Mara Trilogy (but then, you can find fan rumors on just-about anything!), but I'm fine that there was only one more story involving the Great Psychic Snake. In it, we learnt the Mara's origins and saw it get destroyed. So it does feel like the saga is truly complete. I'd even go so far to say that Snakedance is the greatest sequel the show ever produced. 

FINAL SCORE: 51

What?! The Mara got a score that was higher than the actual confines of the point system?! How is that possible?! Am I trying to say that this is the best first appearance of a Recurring Foe, ever?! 

Yes I am. 

Another installment done. This series really is just chugging right along. The next entry should take us quite nicely into New Who. But with a stop along the way to cover a few Recurring Foes that first appear alongside 'Ole Sixie.... 

REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: THE THIRD DOCTOR ERA

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

REVIEW OVERVIEW: BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: THE SECOND DOCTOR ERA

The REVIEW OVERVIEW of first appearances of recurring foes continues. Just in case you're late in coming, here's an explanation of the Grading System: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html

And, here's my review of recurring foes that make their first appearance in the First Doctor Era: https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions_18.html

THE SECOND DOCTOR ERA: 

While the Second Doctor reigns, the show starts settling into a proper formula. The Doctor is the Hero. The companions are really just meant to ask: "What is it, Doctor?!" And there's lots of scary monsters that really want to invade people's bases!  

Having said that, however, there's still quite a bit of experimentation going on. Sixties Doctor Who hasn't quite figured itself out. Which means the show also hasn't perfected the manufacturing of the Perfect Recurring Foe. There's a lot of hit-or-miss going on, here. We will witness monsters and/or villains that merited return appearances but didn't get one. At the same time, we will also see characters that, maybe, should have never come back. 

While the First Doctor Era always seemed to bring back the enemies they should have, it's a bit more of a mixed bag when Troughton takes the helm. 

THE MACRA TERROR 

Recurring Foe: The Macra 

Admittedly, this one scarcely bears looking at. It almost feels like a joke when they are brought back in New Who. But a recurring foe is a recurring foe. The pattern must be followed.  

Writing          ........................................          7

The way the Macra are written is interesting. It's another case of seeing a monster handled in such a manner for the first time so it does make them stand out a bit. For the most part, they are controlling things from behind the scenes. Getting certain humans to do the bulk of their dirty work for them. Which, as I said, is a new and interesting way to present a baddie. 

There's a considerable drawback, though. There should have been a moment where they were brought into the spotlight. A scene similar to what the Rills get in the latter half of Galaxy Four. But that never really happens. And, because it doesn't, the Macra never have all that firm of a foothold in the plot. They stick more to the shadows. Which is creepy in its own right and has some degree of merit to it. But the effect also works to the monsters' detriment. 

Performance     .........................................        4

There aren't really any performers playing the Macra. It's, moreso, a case of operators. Production did something very ambitious with the way they constructed them. But it was a tad too ambitious for a low-budget show being made in the 60s. Things, for the most part, just end up looking awkward and clunky. 

There's not much existing footage to go by, of course. But what does remain isn't particularly watchable. Lots of actors putting on horrified expressions as they are "menaced" by the slowest-moving mechanical monster you've ever seen. Or, in some cases, we get a single claw being extended into the edge of a shot and looking thoroughly unconvincing. It's all quite painful. 

The Actual Story  ......................................       6

I would say The Macra Terror is a tad sub-par. It's a bit more interesting in its first half when it's this sort of kitschy Orwellian Dystopia. But when it switches to being more about the Macra, it tends to just plod along. It takes forever, for instance, for Jamie to find his way out of a tunnel! 

The writer seems to expect that we'll find turning gas valves on and off to be a wild and exciting piece of action. It isn't, of course. Which makes the whole conclusion of the plot wildly anti-climactic. The story's biggest blessing is that it only needed to fill out four episodes. If this had been a six-parter, it might have killed me to sit through it!  

How the Doctor Interacts With Them   ......  2

He doesn't really interact with them. That's part of the problem. He, sort of, tries to talk to them through a vid-call while they're manipulating the colony's figurehead leader. And he sees them for a bit through a window! Hardly the great confrontations we usually get when he faces off with a villain. 

Long-Term Impact     .................................     2

I think when RTD brought the Macra back in Gridlock it was too show off how much of a super-fan he is. "Look Everyone! I can remember an obscure monster from the 1960s and write them into one of my scripts!" In that sense, it's a bit of a fun gesture. As a super-fan, myself, it amused me. But, really, they didn't need a second appearance. They barely deserved the first!    

FINAL SCORE: 21

In The Great Hall of Recurring Who Villains, the Macra Exhibition is found in a hidden service corridor next to the staff washroom! If you ask the Guide about them, he simply responds: "We don't talk about the Macra." and glares at you.     

TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN 

Recurring Foe: The Cyber-Controller

If we're being extremely technical, I shouldn't be writing anything up on this guy. The first appearance of the Cybermen was covered in the last entry. That should be it for anything Cyber-related. 

But, sometimes, a new and interesting recurring foe evolves from an already-established recurring foe. They deserve an analysis of their own when that happens. This, I believe, is one of those cases. In a few years' time, someone similar will grow out of Dalek lore. Way down the road, the Cybermen will do this one more time (No, I'm not talking about the Cyber-Leader. He's really just a sort of watered-down version of the Cyber-Controller. David Banks did do an awesome job of playing him in Earthshock but we're still not gonna cover him).

Writing:        ........................................          10

The Cyber-Controller is magnificently-crafted. He is, essentially, the voice of the Cyber-People. His dialogue, for the most part, is a direct manifestation of the Cyber-Philosophy of Life. With the Need to Procreate ("You will become like us") and the Need to Continue ("We will survive") always at the forefront. Giving voice to the thoughts inside the heads of all Cybermen makes these monsters that much creepier. It's an absolutely gorgeous effect. I love that a writer took the time to create such a character. It made the race the Controller hails from all-the-more menacing. 

Performance:  ......................................          9

Michael Kilgariff totally rocks at bringing the Cyber-Controller to life. His movements have just the right level of dramatic intensity as he storms about the set. He's a big man with a big presence. And was, therefore, perfect for the role. 

The portrayal loses a point, however, because of the voice-work. Something odd happens between Parts Two and Three. At the end of the second episode, the ever-chilling "You will become like us" line gets delivered with its weird electronically-synthesized tone. It sounds great. When they reprise the cliffhanger next week, you can clearly tell that they've forgotten the setting they had the vocoder at. They go for something at a higher pitch that is frequently hard to make out. You have to, pretty much, watch the story a couple of times before you truly understand everything the Cyber-Controller says. 

The Actual Story:   .................................       8

I've given Tomb of the Cybermen a pretty thorough Review elsewhere in this blog (https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2021/12/book-of-lists-top-five-cybermen-stories.html) so I won't dwell on it long. Parts One and Two are amazing. Some of the best stuff I've ever seen in 60s Who. The second half of the story, however, does get a little wonky in places. Never does it descend into being completely horrible - but there are some problems. However, the strength of the first half, somehow, makes up for a lot of these issues. In the final analysis, it's still a great story. A few problems (which causes it to get the score it's gotten), but not enough to mar my admiration of it too much. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:   ....  9 

Always wanting to give us something different from One, Troughton confronts foes in a very unique manner. Rather than being full of bluster as his predecessor frequently was, he actually seems more timid. Even a bit comical (the "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" line in Part Three cracks me up every time!). But, as is always the case with Troughton's performance, he gets it to work. While this version of the Doctor doesn't, necessarily, stand up to the bully, we still get a clear impression that he also won't yield to them. Which makes for some very engaging drama. 

Long-Term Impact:      .................................   6

This one gets a significantly lower score. The Cyber-Controller is great in his first appearance but really lacks presence any time he returns. He almost doesn't fit into the plot of Attack of the Cybermen. We would have been just fine if the Cyber-Leader had run the show. Bringing back Kilgariff to play the role all those years later was also a difficult decision to stomach (God, I'm just so hilarious!). 

And then there's those last few minutes of  Age of Steel where a converted John Lumic is claiming to be the Cyber-Controller. Quite simply, he's not. He's still got his side-handles and doesn't even have an elongated forehead!      

FINAL SCORE: 42

Oh, what a wonderful first appearance. I wish New Who would finally bring him back and properly restore him to his glory. 

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN 

Recurring Foe: The Great Intelligence 

The Great Intelligence: that evil villain who we thought we'd only ever see during the Second Doctor Era. What a delight it is when he makes a super-triumphant return during Series Seven of New Who.  

Writing:          ................................................       10

A very unique and intensely-fascinating villain. The Great Intelligence really captures our imagination. He's this mysterious figure in the earlier episodes of the story who turns into something quite terrifying as we do start getting his origins in the latter parts. On paper, he's absolutely terrifying. He's also quite different from most of the monsters we've seen thus far in the show.  

Performance:   .............................................        10 

The performance is absolutely terrifying, too. For most of the story, it's mainly about voice-work. But the tone his dialogue is delivered in is downright bone-chilling. Simply through vocalization, it feels like there are two personalities fighting to dominate the Abbot. It's all being performed in an extremely effective manner. 

Finally meeting Padmasambhava at the end can only be experienced through reconstructions. But it still looks like a totally awesome scene that was magnificently-acted by Wolfe Morris (again, the dialogue sounds like it was delivered perfectly). If only we could properly see it! 

The Actual Story:  ........................................      9 

I really am trying to find some flaws, here. But it's hard. I think everyone involved in this production did some excellent work. The plot, perhaps, didn't quite need a full six episodes to be told. But it doesn't really drag much, either. So I still find myself giving it a great score. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:  .....      9

Again, things are being done here in Patrick Troughton Style. He doesn't get up in his enemy's face much. He, instead, just has pointed conversations with them where he is assessing weaknesses and figuring out a strategy to beat them. I probably would have liked the confrontation between him and the Great Intelligence to go on longer than it did. We certainly could have used a more protracted discussion to explain this mysterious being just a bit better. 

Long-Term Impact:     ................................     8

For decades, it looked like we were only ever going to get one sequel. Fortunately it was magnificent. As high-scoring as Abominable Snowmen is, I like Web of Fear even better. 

But then Moffat decides to bring the nasty old jerk back in New Who. And, for the most part, he does a great job with it. It's especially cool that he gives us a prequel to Abominable Snowmen first. The Surprise Reveals that he hands us in the first two stories are also quite wonderful ("GI" - it was right in front of us the whole time!). The final demise of the Great Intelligence works a bit strangely. But, otherwise, there's much to love in the legacy this first appearance creates. 

FINAL SCORE: 46 

While it's difficult to truly pass judgement on just one episode and then a bunch of re-construction, the brilliance of Abominable Snowmen shines through. The Great Intelligence completely deserves all the attention he gets. In both New and Classic Who, the character is handled magnificently. Especially since they got Richard E. Grant to play him in Series Seven!   

THE ICE WARRIORS 

Recurring Foe: The Ice Warriors

When it comes to returning villains, one could almost say that the Ice Warriors are a bit lucky. It's quite amazing that they ever come back since they do not make the best of first impressions.    

Writing        ................................................        4

The Ice Warriors are meant to be these vicious warriors that still adhere to a rigid set of codes and try to remain noble in their pursuits. Most of the time, their brutal tendencies put them on the wrong side of a battle with the Doctor. But, because they are still highly-principled, he has a measure of respect for them. 

The Ice Warriors we get in this story, however, are nothing like that. They are a bunch of bullies who don't seem to give a rat's ass about honor. They're just out for themselves and will brutally murder anyone that looks at them the wrong way. In this tale, they're merely a generic "monster of the week". 

Performance:   ............................................       6 

Let me say upfront that I do not fault the artistes in the slightest for this low mark. They are doing their damnedest with what's been handed to them. But, essentially, the costumes are far too restrictive. Even the mouthpieces make it difficult for them to do any kind of proper lip-synch with the voice artists that are doing their dialogue. We're kind of getting Tenth Planet Cybermen again. Except this time, the effect doesn't work. 

Later Classic Who Ice Warrior tales would give us an Ice Lord to be the main speaking part. The actual warriors just lumber around menacingly. The bulky suits didn't get much in their way for that sort of acting. But in Ice Warriors, they have our full attention. And much of their awkward mannerisms are difficult to watch. 

The Actual Story  ........................................      6

The plot to Ice Warriors is a bit of a mess. It just seems to meander all over the place and does a miserable job of properly filling the six episodes it's been allotted. Several complications are created just to buy a bunch of time. By having Jamie badly wounded, for instance, it makes getting him back to the Ice Base a much lengthier process (that's meant to be exciting, of course, but really amounts to Peter Sallis firing a toy gun at some stock footage of a wolf). Victoria dashing about madly in ice caverns, pretty much, amounts to the same thing. There is a ton of stalling as everyone proclaims over and over "We can't do anything 'til we know what sort of engines they have!" 

It all gets a bit tiresome pretty quickly.   

How the Doctor Interacts With Them  ......      9

Troughton is quite interesting, here. For much of the time that he confronts the Ice Warriors, he is acting more like Hartnell did during these situations. He, very much, stands up to them and even taunts them a bit. He still puts some comical touches to the whole thing. Two really only can do so good of a job at throwing his weight around. But his telling off of the Martian warriors is one of the better points of the whole story. 

Long-Term Impact:    ..................................       9 

While they don't clock in quite as many stories as Daleks or Cybermen, this is still a greatly-used monster that merits the many return appearances  they've gotten. Especially since they are much better fleshed-out each time they come back. 

One could almost disqualify them as recurring foes as there is one story where they are genuinely "good". Also, the Ice Warriors we get in New Who are mildly ill-intentioned, at best. But, really, that's good enough for me. They deserve to be here. Even if their first tale is somewhat lackluster. 

FINAL SCORE: 34 

Not very great here. But the Ice Warriors will go on to do much better things. May they continue to flourish in future eps of New Who.... 

And that covers all the recurring foes for Two. Things are much more hit-or-miss during this era. But there's still quite a few of them from this period that end up having a pretty long reach. 

    

REVIEW OVERVIEW: "BAD FIRST IMPRESSIONS" - RATING THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF RECURRING FOES: THE FIRST DOCTOR

Having laid out some basic ground rules in the last entry (https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-overview-bad-first-impressions.html), we can now get on with our review-overviewing. 

THE FIRST DOCTOR ERA 

Those glorious old days of William Hartnell at the helm of the TARDIS. So much experimentation going on as the show is trying to find its feet. Occasionally, during all that mucking about, a villain would get created that "sticks". They would be brought back again. Sometimes only once . Sometimes, still only once, but fifty or so years later. And sometimes -  just sometimes - they became a vital part of the show's lore. 

The First Doctor Era has a decent number of characters like this. Which makes sense, of course. A period of this nature is bound to be full of recurring foes appearing for the first time. The show is in the process of introducing itself to its audience. Which makes it highly likely that we're going to meet a bunch of very influential bad guys for the first time during this time. 

THE DALEKS 

Recurring Foe: The Daleks (well, duh!)

After just one story, we encounter our first recurring foe. And it's a doozy!     

Writing:          ........................................          9

The Daleks we get in this story are certainly different from the Daleks we  will eventually get down the road. During this particular tale, it does almost seem like there's a certain sense of individualism to them (by Dalek standards, at least). Which is ever-so-slightly off-putting. In future stories, these menaces will seem more homogenous. Unless they have some sort of authority, they lack any real identity of their own. We don't get much of that with this first batch of Daleks, though. The drone-like quality of a Dalek is an important trait. Because of its absence, it loses a point in the rating system.  

Aside from this one difference, however, everything else that we need to have in the Daleks is there right from the very start. The paranoia, the need to dominate, the xenophobia. Everything that continues to persist in the character over the next six decades is firmly on display. Which is exactly what was needed to capture our imaginations and get us to fall in love with what is, essentially, salt shakers with plungers and egg whisks stuck to them! 

Performance:     ........................................      10

A certain style of performance for Daleks gets introduced, here. One that we will only see now and again in future stories. In most Dalek tales, efforts are made to make them glide smoothly and seem almost elegant in their movements. Here, they are more jittery. The eyestalk and limbs that extend from them tend to wave about much more. It makes them seem just a bit neurotic. Which I think really works for the characters. It creates a great visual that belies an interesting concept: Deep down inside of that casing, the Kaled Mutant is genuinely scared.   

Again, there will be a few other stories down the road where this type of movement will be brought back. Death to the Daleks is another tale that gives us Daleks that seem like, maybe, they need to cut down on their caffeine a bit. Even New Who stories like Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks will portray the Skarosian Mutants in a much similar manner. Personally, I love seeing them like this. The smoother-moving ones work great too. But I'm just as happy with this version. 

The Actual Story:      ..............................       8

Those first four episodes are actually quite mind-blowing. This really is amazing stuff that we're seeing. Episodes Five to Seven, however, really do start to peter out. To the point where the final climactic battle in the Control Center feels fairly lack-luster. By choosing to do such a long story, Nation appears to have bitten a bit more than he can chew. Which, to me, almost kills the Daleks' chances for a return. I just don't find myself caring that much about anything as we get to the end. I just want the story to finish! 

But I can't deny how good those first four episodes are. Even as we move into the latter parts, the quality does persist quite a bit before it truly dies out. 

Which is why I'm still scoring it so high. 

How the Doctor Interacts With Them:     .....  8

This is another situation that we will never see again. In future Dalek tales, the Doctor is always full of bluster when he deals with them. Even in the very next adventure that features the ruthless cyborgs, the Doctor places those hands firmly on his lapels the first time he meets the Daleks in Part Two and tells them exactly where to go. 

In The Daleks, however, he's acting more like the audience. He's genuinely fearful of them. It's especially brutal to see him trying to use the TARDIS as a bargaining chip near the end of the adventure. 

But it all still works very well. Yes, it's a bit strange to see. Which is why I knock a few points off. But this is the Doctor's first time encountering them. So this very unique behavior does make a sort of sense and helps to create menace in what is, essentially, a bunch of salt shakers with plungers and egg whisks sticking out of them (where have I seen this before?!). 

Long-Term Impact:          ..............................     10 

I think it would be impossible to give this anything less than a perfect score. The Daleks does represent a very humble beginning for these monsters. They will go on to do much greater things than what we see here. But, overall, the story does a great job with getting the ball rolling. One cannot deny the impact this adventure will have on the whole future of the series. 

FINAL SCORE: 45 

A hugely-significant story that is fraught with problems. But it still excels and very much deserves the respect it has earned. 

THE TIME MEDDLER 

Recurring Foe: The Monk

Here we see an excellent example of just how much breadth the show likes to have. The second recurring foe that we meet is an anti-thesis of the Daleks. While we were meant to the Daleks very seriously, the Monk is mainly there for laughs. Even though the contrast is vast, I still deeply adore him. 

Writing:          ........................................          9

It's as plain as day that the Monk has been written to be a bumbler. There's a ton of comedic sequences built right into the plot that we watch him stumble through like a fool. To the point where it's almost difficult to perceive him as a legitimate villain (which is the reason why he doesn't get a Perfect Ten). He is still an absolutely delightful character but he, perhaps, needed just a bit more of a darker side to give him a tad more potency. 

Performance:     ...................................          10

Peter Butterworth plays the role to absolute perfection. He sees what the Monk is meant to be on paper and adds some gorgeous nuances to him. Charm is the most important trait that he imbues his character with that wasn't, necessarily, on the page. In the wrong pair of hands, the Monk could have just been an annoying fool. But Butterworth gives him a healthy dose of likeability. This is a crucial element that triggers his return. We're actually quite happy to see the Monk come back a season later because we really do enjoy him. Or, more accurately, we love how the role is played. 

The Actual Story:   ...............................          8

I do hear this fairly common complaint about Time Meddler. Apparently, it moves a bit too slow. To which I regularly respond: "What episode of 60s Doctor Who doesn't?!" Maybe the story drags even more than others but I don't really feel it. Especially since there is a lot of fun little comedy going on. 

There's also a few things that make Time Meddler quite special. It's our first "pseudo-historical" and it expands quite heavily on the show's mythos. The Doctor isn't the only individual out there travelling in a TARDIS. There are others like him. Which is infinitely fascinating...

So, yes, it does drag a bit, in places. But I'd still say it's an above-average yarn.   

How the Doctor Interacts with Them:  ......   9

Now this is more like it. The Doctor cowers in his first tale with the Daleks. But, here, he's much more in keeping with how we usually see him when dealing with an enemy. He's not afraid to get up in the Monk's face and berate him for his plans to pervert history. There's also a fair amount of chest-beating as they compare TARDISes. In Time Meddler, the basic template is set for how rival Time Lords will interact with each other. 

But there are some dynamics that are unique to the way the Doctor and the Monk interact with each other. The Doctor gets far more emotionally-involved in their game of wits than he does with most other renegade Time Lords that he faces. Look how delighted he is as he sabotages the Monk's TARDIS at the end of Part Four. Or sulky and bad-tempered he gets when the Monk locks him up. When these two battle, it's very much like a game rather than a true fight. Which tends to make the Doctor more child-like. It's great fun to watch. 

Long-Term Impact:          ........................      8

Only one other appearance from the Monk?!!  That's it??!! 

In my opinion, we should have seen way more from this guy. Particularly since he is a much lighter character than most recurring foes. While Daleks and Cybermen and the Master create fiendish plots with high stakes and big consequences, the Monk represents a breath of fresh hair. He's a big goof who can actually be dangerous if left unchecked.  He does legitimately represent some degree of threat. But, for the most part, he's just a great laugh. 

Which does limit him in some ways. Because of his triviality, a character like this can only be used so often. Otherwise, he stops being such a treat when he does appear. But only being featured in a measly two stories from the 60s and then never being seen again is a veritable crime. Regenerate the dorky little bumbler and bring him back!    

FINAL SCORE: 44 

Being such a huge contrast to the seriousness of the Daleks makes him a recurring foe that is only one point away from being as appealing as the Great Skarosian Mutants, themselves. 

THE CELESTIAL TOYMAKER 

Recurring Foe: The Toymaker (who's not Celestial, anymore)   

One of those villains that we don't see return for several decades. Although plans were made to bring him back after only twenty years instead of over fifty! 

Writing:           .........................................          9

A well-constructed villain who, at the time, would have a very new and interesting vibe. Basically, he really feels like the Master. He has a profound hatred of the Doctor that he doesn't conceal in the slightest. He also seems to relish being evil. And, while he wishes nothing but ill for the Time Lord, he loves the games they play against each other. We would, eventually, see this dynamic over and over again in years to come. But we are witnessing for the first time, here. And it's done gorgeously. 

Performance:     ......................................         10

Like Butterworth with the Monk, we get some top-notch acting from Michael Gough. It's one thing to create a sort of Traditional Melodrama Villain on paper, it's another thing to bring him to life. The performance has to be pitched just right. You need to chew the scenery a bit but not go too far with it. Gough hits all the right notes with his performance. It's an absolute treat to watch. Or, at least it is in the one episode that's still left!  

The Actual Story:    .................................         8

As has just been mentioned, there is only one part of this story that still exists. It is a bit difficult to work off of the various re-constructions, but it is still possible to get a fairly general gist of the story from them. Celestial Toymaker is delightfully surreal with some very dark undertones masked in child-like imagery. It's only significant flaw might be that watching Steven and Dodo have to play through so many goofy games does seem to drag a bit. Still, it's something very cool and unique. We would get other strange stories like this in the future. But seeing it for the first time, here, makes the tale all-the-more special. 

How the Doctor Interacts with Them:    .....     10 

Hartnell and Gough are great, here. They spark off each other brilliantly in a vicious game of wits. Again, this feels very similar to what we would get with the Master in a few years' time. This sort of chemistry between the Doctor and a rival is always a splendid experience. Both actors have to be at the top of their game for it to work properly. And we definitely get that, here.

Long-Term Impact:     ....................................    10 

While it took forever to finally see him truly come back, it's obvious this is a foe we've wanted to see more of. We would have actually gotten more of Gough had the original plans for Season Twenty-Three succeeded. But, in some ways, it's a bit good that it all fell through. The implication, now, is that the Toymaker changes his form each time he's defeated. Which means more fantastic actors can take on the role. Lets hope they don't take so long to bring him back for a third battle. He's a great villain.    

FINAL SCORE: 47

Woah! The Toymaker beat the Daleks! He deserved it. He makes an excellent first impression... 

THE TENTH PLANET

Recurring Foe: The Cybermen 

Just before bowing out, the First Doctor gives us one more massive returning enemy. 

Writing:          ........................................          9

In many ways, it felt like much more thought went into the crafting of this monster. Which makes sense. Production could feel that their grip on the Daleks was becoming tenuous and wanted something to replace them. The success of the Daleks had been a happy accident. This time, they were intentionally going for a new and exciting monster that would haunt the Doctor again and again. 

Fortunately, they get things right. Oftentimes, when you do this sort of thing on purpose, it fails miserably. You can't get lightning to strike in the same place twice. But Kit Pedlar manages to do that. And we get another great race of monsters that the Doctor will battle over and over throughout the years.

Performance:      ....................................       9

The artistes in the Cybermen outfits have an absolute party creating their characters. Like the writing, you can see a lot of thought was put into all of this. Particularly the way they made the decision not to properly lip-synch their dialogue. Instead, we get something that comes across as very weird and creepy. 

The potency of their performance is best affirmed by the fact that the show will re-create the Mondasian Cybermen several decades later. They stick pretty close to the original costume design. Which, at best, makes a performer very stiff and clumsy. But the sinister quality of that initial performance shines through and inspires a whole new generation to hide behind the sofa from it. 

The Actual Story   ....................................      8

The plot to Tenth Planet is a bit weak, in places. There's not quite enough of it to fill the four parts. We get something akin to captures-and-escapes to mark time. We would see this time-killing trick in other base-under-siege adventures. Instead of capturing-and-escaping, it's more akin to "the monsters break in for a bit, get kicked out, then break back in some more later." Most of the story is still quite good, though. And the Doctor's regeneration at the end does nothing to overshadow the presence of the Cybermen. They still make a tremendous impact. Really, it's two major developments for the show's lore in just one adventure. Which helps to boost its score a bit. 

How the Doctor Interacts with Them:   ..... 8

"Emotions. Love, pride, hate, fear. Have you no emotions, sir?" The Doctor's confrontations with the Mondasian Menaces are full of rich dialogue like this. How can we not love how he deals with them? Although, it does feel a bit like his first encounter with Daleks. He's not that pissy with them, yet. Tell-offs like the one we got in Dalek Invasion of Earth will come later. It does almost feel like the Doctor's trying to understand this new enemy properly before really laying into them. But much of it is still great stuff to watch. 

Long-Term Impact:          ..........................     10 

This would be another monster that deserves a perfect score in this category. That excellent first appearance creates a tremendous legacy of adventures that will never end. For as long as we have Doctor Who, we'll have Cybermen. And I'm thankful for that. Whether they're the coldly logical versions we get in the 60s and 2000s or the more sadistic models of the 70s and 80s, I adore them all. 

FINAL SCORE: 44 

Another great recurring foe. The First Doctor Era is chocked full of them. It was a great time for villains and monsters that would make return appearances. They were all handled magnificently. 

The Second Doctor Era also has quite a few recurring foes to contend with. That will make for another sizeable entry. So he'll get a post of his own, too.