5 replies to this topic

[O2Sean]

This story is often regarded as one of Doctor Who's all-time worst, at least if fan polls or reviews are an indication. You could also say that it significantly damaged the show, not only because of the decision to have the Doctor verbally abusing and throttling his companion (and although some would say they didn't mind that if Peri was involved, I think it destroyed what often keeps DW going, what can be counted on even when the budget is invisible and the scripts are crap -- the relationship between Doctor and companion), but also to have this story as the last one viewers would see for months. Viewers were all but invited to lose interest in a show which had just changed actors and had presented this as their first and last image of the new Doctor.

Opinions on the story are just that, and I tend to like stories which are considered to be duds ("Invisible Enemy," "Time-Flight", among others), but there is something about the way this era of the show was done which bothers me. I blame Eric Saward, but then, I'm sure there are others to blame, or credit, depending on your POV.

I mostly wanted to talk about the commentary for this episode, which I really enjoyed, and which was the last Colin Baker recorded (he'd already done tracks for all his other stories). I can't say enough about how much I appreciate the humorous and positive attitude Colin often takes in spite of being so royally screwed over. He could use the commentaries to complain all day long and to rhapsodize about how superior the new version is and how the original was so much worse (I think some actors have done this), but he and Nicola Bryant manage to refer to some of the not-so-happy times of that era while still letting us know about the positive moments and trying to be fair to the episodes.

This commentary also had Kevin McNally, who played Hugo Lang, who was a second male lead throughout the story. I was so used to this era of the show slaughtering anyone and everyone I was surprised that Hugo lived to the end. He also seemed to fit in with the Doctor and Peri. I wish they'd considered keeping him around.

The most interesting part of the commentary was when the three spoke about their working relationship. Colin and Kevin behaved like kids, and Kevin had no idea that Nicola and Colin weren't getting along at this time. Apparently Peter Davison had spent weeks winding Nicola up about how bad Colin was to work with, and Nicola didn't know he was just joking. His behavior with Kevin only made her assume the worst, and it was only after they had a meal and talked that they became friends. One point of contention was that Colin bit her on the bottom when one scene was being taped. Then Kevin did the same thing later. She, in her words I think, "slugged" him.

[Kalendorf]

This isn't the worst Doctor Who story ever, although it's damn close. For me the worst is Warriors of the Deep, which I think does more damage to the Doctor's character by presenting him as a criminally negligent, humanity-hating turncoat appeaser. Sure what was done to the Doctor in making him a woman-throttling monster in Twin Dilemma is an inexcusable character assassination and a cheap shock tactic, but at least there you can put the Doctor's behaviour down to post-regenerative stress disorder. Warriors of the Deep just tarnishes the character permanently.

But yes this is a major black stain on the show, and on Colin's era. Infact I'd go so far as to say that if it was deleted, Colin's era would probably not seem so bad.

[Carlos1969]

Having just watched The Twin Dilemma again recently after it came out on DVD, I have to say that it isn't exactly near the top of my list either. I think that if TPTB had spent more time focusing on the story itself instead of allowing the main character to become such a jerk, this story would have been remembered more fondly.

I will say that I always liked the scene when the Tardis lands on Jaconda, and the Doctor realizes how much damage the gastropods had done to the planet. I feel that particular part of the story should have been explored more.

[suerterana]

Ugg. I didn't like this one. The only good thing was his regregation crisis.

[Last Time Lord]

I've only seen this serial once, but I remember thinking it was more dull than outright bad.

Story was too thin for the four episodes it had to fill, and could have used another draft, I think.

[lacorelli]

Strangely, I don't hate this episode (and agree that it was more dull than bad). Also, bizarrely, I enjoyed Colin Baker's performance. But oddly the thing that I remember most is the scene where the Doctor is sitting and explaining something to Peri who was standing in front of him and Colin Baker's struggle to make sure his eyes focused up at her face instead of straight ahead at something else. It was really awkward blocking.