2 episodes. Approx. 78 minutes. Written by: Jonathan Morris. Directed by: Nigel Fairs. Produced by: David Richardson. Performed by: Deborah Watling, Helen Goldwyn.
THE PLOT
The TARDIS materializes in the future, on the island of Sumatra. In this time period, Sumatra is base to a Space Elevator, which connects Earth to the Sky Station, which is kept in geosynchronous orbit with the island. The Doctor is delighted, having always wanted to see such an edifice, and quickly tries to ingratiate himself with Tara Kerley (Helen Goldwyn), the base's stern head of security.
They have barely arrived when a message is received from Bastell, communications officer for the Sky Station. The terrified officer cries out that there is an emergency, and says something about electric shocks - And then the message abruptly cuts out.
Power to the elevator is also cut, but the Doctor comes up with a way to power it long enough for a single trip to the station. When he, Victoria, Jamie, and Tara arrive, they find the station's crew apparently unharmed - but all behaving with a nearly-robotic stiffness and absence of emotion. It quickly becomes clear that the crew have been taken over by an alien force - A force that plans to feed by unleashing fierce electrical storms on Earth!
CHARACTERS
The Doctor: Is protective of Victoria, to a greater extent than to most of his past companions. Victoria reads this as sexism, but I think it's probably more because of his promise to her father to take care of her. Certainly, he was never as determined to keep Polly or (in his previous incarnation) Vicki away from danger as he is Victoria. The Doctor's characterization is spot-on throughout. A highlight is the scene in the control room, in which the Doctor wanders from crew member to crew member, touching a spoon to each person's head. Jamie comments that he's finally lost it - But the experiment is what confirms for the Doctor that this crew has indeed been possessed.
Victoria: Bristles at being treated like a helpless damsel in need of protection. She refuses to allow the Doctor to leave her behind while he goes up to the station, then refuses to wait in the elevator for the Doctor to investigate, and finally insists on trying to infiltrate the control room to learn exactly what the aliens' plans are. During the elevator's long ascent, she is enchanted by the view - but the act of enjoying it causes her to reflect on how much she wishes she could share these experiences with her father.
Jamie: Argues against Victoria going into the control room, insisting that this is too dangerous "for a wee girl" - and in so doing unwittingly makes sure she will undertake the risk. He does not enjoy the elevator ride one bit, and his eagerness to be out once it reaches the station leads him to press what he believes is the exit button... Setting off a fire alarm and getting the TARDIS regulars and Tara thoroughly soaked in foam flame retardant.
THOUGHTS
The first of only two Victoria-centered Companion Chronicles. Why there weren't more such stories is readily apparent: Deborah Watling is only adequate as a narrator, with an inability to capture the performances of her co-stars even a little bit. She doesn't even properly recapture her own 1960's performance, her voice having simply changed too much; unlike most of the readers from this range, she just doesn't sound like her younger self at all anymore.
Surprisingly, this doesn't particularly hurt The Great Space Elevator as a story. Writer Jonathan Morris has concocted a thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced piece. On the one hand, it's a Troughton era "Greatest Hits" package: A base under siege, people possessed by an alien intelligence... There's even a bit of weather control thrown in, lest any box be left unchecked. It's obvious that Morris was striving to capture the pulse of Patrick Troughton's tenure in one, 78-minute piece, and what he's crafted is an unapologetic love letter to the 2nd Doctor era.
More than that, it's a well-turned story in its own right. Morris' research into electricity and its behavior shows in the details about the way in which the alien electricity works, and the ways in which the Doctor attempts to thwart it. There's a bit of physical comedy thrown into Episode One, with the regulars flailing about in the foam Jamie accidentally unleashes... But this bit cleverly sets up a key moment in Episode Two, so what seems like just a set piece (a sight gag in an audio) turns into an important plot point.
All told, this is enormous fun, particularly for fans of late '60's Who.
Overall Rating: 7/10.
Previous Television Story: The Tomb of the Cybermen
Next Television Story: The Ice Warriors
Search Amazon.com for Doctor Who
2nd Doctor Audio Review Index
2nd Doctor Television Review Index
To receive new review updates, follow me:
On Twitter:
On Threads:
No comments:
Post a Comment