 |
| The Doctor reluctantly teams up with journalist Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen). |
4 episodes. Running Time: Approx. 97 minutes. Written by: Robert Holmes. Directed by: Alan Bromly. Produced by: Barry Letts.
THE PLOT:
In the Middle Ages, the bandit Irongron (David Daker) has taken control of a castle adjoining the lands of Sir Edward (Alan Rowe) - who, thanks to the Crusades, lacks sufficient men to expel him. One night, Irongron and his men spot what they think is a falling star. It is actually a crashed spaceship belonging to Linx (Kevin Lindsay), an officer of the Sontaran Space Corps.
Linx strikes a bargain with Irongron: He will make the bandit weapons far beyond this primitive time, and in exchange he will be given space in the castle and resources to repair his ship. But he also needs experts and equipment, and he uses time technology to take them from the future - specifically, from a high security research center in the 20th century United Kingdom.
The Doctor is tracks Linx to the past, determined to rescue the scientists and to stop the Sontaran from disrupting the course of history. But he has an unwelcome guest: journalist Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), who inadverdantly stowed away in the TARDIS. As soon as Sarah realizes that she has traveled back in time and that the missing scientists are here as well, she draws the only logical conclusion: that the one behind all of this must be the Doctor!
CHARACTERS:
The Doctor: He has encountered the Sontarans before - "unfortunately," he adds. He is scornful of their war against the Rutans, and he's appalled that Linx is providing Irongron with weapons centuries in advance of this time. Even so, he's willing to help Linx repair his ship and get back to where he belongs if the Sontaran will simply release the scientists and destroy the weapons he's made for Irongron. The Doctor values saving innocents and keeping history on its proper track. If that can be accomplished peacefully, so much the better. Linx refuses, of course, but the Doctor still strives to find a way to save the people in Irongron's castle, including the band of criminals. When Sarah mistakes a stink bomb he's created for poison gas, he's offended: "Good heavens, what on Earth do you take me for?"
Sarah Jane Smith: In her debut story, Sarah seems to think that she's the lead. She's proactive, managing to save the Doctor twice during this story. Her suspicion of the Doctor makes perfect sense, given that the scientists have been taken to the past and that the Doctor has a time machine. Though I doubt anyone would have guessed that she would go on to become the most iconic Doctor Who companion, both Elisabeth Sladen and the character make a strong first impression. The moment that most impressed me was her first encounter with Irongron and Linx. As she slowly realizes that she's actually in the past and in serious trouble, fear grows in her voice and eyes. Linx approaches, talking about her like some kind of lab specimen while touching her face and throat. Sladen responds with a perfectly played mix of disgust and terror.
Professor Rubeish: When the other kidnapped scientists are brainwashed, he manages to escape. He credits this to his strong will, but the Doctor realizes that it's because the man was taken without his glasses, without which he is functionally blind. He's mostly a comedic figure, but he's not incompetent. He spends his time in Linx's workshop crafting a lens with which to see. When the Doctor is at Linx's mercy, Rubeish is able to act, and he does so capably. He refuses an early attempt at rescue, however, finding the alien's technology too fascinating to leave before getting a chance to study it.
Irongron: The human villain, a bloodthirsty bandit who sees in Linx a path to stealing not just one castle, but the entire country. He's a sadist, deciding to use the Doctor as target practice for the firearms whose use he and his men barely comprehend. When Linx argues for simply killing the Time Lord outright, Irongron sneers: "Would you spoil good sport, old toad?" He boasts loudly in front of his men, but he's only marginally less cowardly than they are. As Linx observes, after the Doctor thwarts his attempt to seize Sir Edward's castle, Irongron himself leads the retreat - which doesn't for an instant stop him from berating his men for fleeing with him. Actor David Daker gives a large performance to match the character's bravado. He's often quite funny in his interactions with Linx, but Daker injects just enough base shrewdness to make sure that an element of danger sits alongside the comedy.
Linx: The television series' first Sontaran. Kevin Lindsay finds the perfect voice to match the make-up, and Robert Holmes's script makes sure that Linx works both to represent a new alien species and as a character in his own right. His relationship with Irongron parallels that of the Doctor's with the Brigadier: He is stranded on Earth, offering his superior knowledge and technology while trying to free himself. Where the relationship differs is that Linx finds the "primitives" surrounding him to be beneath contempt. He dismisses the Doctor's protests about the impact of his actions on human evolution, declaring that he cares nothing for that... though he's spiteful enough toward the planet he's trapped on to be amused by the prospect of it being ruled by the despicable Irongron.
 |
| Linx (Kevin Lindsay) holds the Doctor at gunpoint. |
THOUGHTS:
"A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting."
Despite multiple later appearances in both the Classic and revived Doctor Who series, The Time Warrior remains the Sontarans' best television outing. Robert Holmes's script is excellent. A lot of information about the Sontarans is seamlessly slipped into dialogue: their attitude toward war; the millions of cadets "hatched" at each muster - "thus we can sustain enormous casualties on all battle fronts"; and their ongoing war with the Rutans, which the Doctor already is aware of and disdains. In a handful of lines that fit perfectly into the script, and featuring only a single representative of the species, Holmes creates a full background and backstory to make this new race seem real.
The dialogue is often a joy just to listen to. There's a lot of dark humor in the conversations between Irongron and Linx, each of whom believes that he is using the other. These two do not like each other at all. Irongron casually insults Linx's short stature and facial features. Linx sneers at Irongron's primitive understanding of the wonders he can offer. Each is individually shown to fantasize about what he'd do if he didn't need the other's assistance. The combination of mutual dependence and hostility adds an edge to their scenes, and the performances of both Kevin Lindsay and David Daker are terrific.
The serial benefits from being a four parter. It moves quickly from one scene to the next. Nothing feels rushed, but there are also no wasted moments, and it's one of the easiest Pertwee stories to sit down and watch in a single sitting. It's nicely structured, with each major element set up and paid off. This includes the way Linx is defeated at the end, which utilizes both the Sontaran's previously established sole weakness and the role (and profession) of one of the guest characters.
OVERALL:
The Time Warrior is one of the most entertaining serials of Jon Pertwee's era. It's energetic, benefiting from good performances, a terrific script, and generally decent production values. It's a fine introduction to Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith, a great first story for the Sontarans, and just a thoroughly enjoyable story in general.
Overall Rating: 9/10.
Previous Story: The Green Death
Next Story: Invasion of the Dinosaurs (not yet reviewed)
Review Index
To receive new review updates, follow me:
On BlueSky:
On Threads:
No comments:
Post a Comment