140. The Mark of the Rani

You'll have a FABULOUS time at the Bathhouse with the Rani!

Mark of the Rani is hands down my favorite story of the Colin Baker era. The introduction of Kate O'Mara as the evil Time Lady The Rani is the best thing to happen to Doctor Who in years. She's the perfect counter point to the Master and a fantastic foil for the Doctor. Evil loves evil and the Master and the Rani's witty barbs are a joy to watch. And the exchanges between the Rani and the Doctor are magic on screen. 

Kate O'Mara plays evil so well and was born top play the Rani. While Anthony Ainley's Master has gotten to over the top, the Rani is more subdued and calculated. Despite being disguised as an old crone running a bath house, the Rani emerges from her disguises in a fabulous 80's blouse and tight black leather pants and high heel boots! Gorgeous! She is every gay man's dream! There are also few attractive young men running around this story. We even get to see Luke's wood. Yum!

Despite the Master being more of a comic relief, the Rani shines through. She even has a fabulous TARDIS console room. While she does return once more in the classic series, I wish she returned more!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mark_of_the_Rani

139. Vengeance on Varos

As the worm turns!

After the trot down memory lane last story, we get a whole new antagonist this time. Sil is a nasty little worm that laughs, laughs, laughs. The Doctor sulks for the first episode with Peri prodding him along. The Doctor actually kills a few people in this one, on live television. Peri gets turned into a bird. And Sean Connery's son runs around shirtless. Good times.

This story has seemed to become a classic amongst classics and stands out from its fellow stories of the era. The level of violence is quite high and the commentary of the public watching and voting on TV, long before American Idol, is quite interesting. Also the torture and execution of people based on popular votes,especially of elected officials was a cautionary tale decades ahead of its time. 

The Doctor's and Peri's relationship is still quite abrasive and argumentative. They spend quite a bit of time in the TARDIS "repairing" things before landing on Varos. But throughout Colin Baker is showcasing his acting talents and stretching the range of the Doctor's personality. While not my favorite 6th Doctor story, it is one of the better ones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vengeance_on_Varos

138. Attack of the Cybermen

Everything old is new again!

Season 22 kicks off the 6th Doctor's freshman season with the return of a classic monster- the Cybermen. And this story is a sequel of sorts to half a dozen old stories. And, if that wasn't enough, the Doctor fixes the Chameleon Circuit... temporarily. The TARDIS lands back in 76 Totters Lane, of the first episode of Doctor Who. We see the return of Commander Lytton from last season's Dalek story. The Doctor and crew head back to Telos, home of the Tombs of the Cybermen, and we see the Cyber Controller for the first time in 15 years. And apparently the Controller's been dipping into the box of cyber chocolates a bit too much over the years. Basically they threw everything including the kitchen sink into this one.

The Doctor seems to have calmed down after his manic regeneration. We also see his relationship with Peri reach a baseline for this season with her chasing him around in heels, whining about everything. Where when the 5th Doctor and Tegan argued, the Doctor was quiet about it. The arguing between the 6th Doctor and Peri seems louder and more bombastic, as the 6th Doctor is. And while I adore the 6th Doctor and this stage of his relationship with Peri is now classic, I do enjoy the point when they actually act like friends and good traveling companions. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_of_the_Cybermen

137. The Twin Dilemma

Once flew over the cuckoos' nest!

Season 21 concludes slightly out of tradition, with a full story introducing the new Doctor instead of ending on a regeneration as has been done for the past 3 Doctors. So with Peter Davison bowing out last story, Colin Baker explodes on the scene making his debut at the 6th Doctor. And from the get-go, the 6th Doctor is the absolute antithesis of the 5th Doctor. Crazy, cranky, manic, depressive, homicidal, over the top, brash, obnoxious, and the list goes on. While the 5th Doctor was quiet and unassuming, the 6th Doctor is very LOUD and stands out in every crowd. 

So let's talk about the costume. It's the United Colors of Benneton tossed in the blended. Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. As the story goes, John Nathan-Turner wanted the 6th Doctor in an outfit that was totally tasteless, and that's what we got. While his costume reflected his mental state, it would have been interesting if the Doctor's costume had evolved over his tenure to become more solid and coherent as his psyche also became more coherent and settled. Colin's been quoted as saying he wished his costume was all black, like the Masters. He's also been seen in an all blue version which actually looks quite lovely. 

As for the Doctor's poor companion, Peri becomes a victim of circumstances. After a few lovely stories with the 5th Doctor where she seems fine, she causes the Doctor to die and witnesses his regeneration. So as the 6th Doctor is a manic nutcase, Peri is bouncing around trying to catch up, stay up and not get killed by the Doctor. Granted, this probably was the most unstable regeneration to date and a lesser companion would probably have bailed on the Doctor quite quickly. But Peri stuck in there and for the next season and a half, her relationship with her Doctor becomes the stuff of legends,or infamous.

The story and season ends with the Doctor reaffirming that he is the Doctor whether we like it or not with a cat-like grin. And with that, I fell in love with the 6th Doctor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twin_Dilemma

136. The Caves of Androzani

It feels different this time....

After 3 seasons, we bid adieu to Peter Davison as the 5th Doctor. As the youngest actor cast to play the Doctor, up to that point, and as the first Doctor to grow up having watched Doctor Who, he played the role brilliantly and with a great youthful wisdom. The old man in a young mans body. This story has been lauded as one of the best Doctor Who stories ever and certainly the crown jewel of the 5th Doctor's era. 

Having picked up Peri last story, it's somewhat strange to see her companioned with Peter Davison's Doctor as we have gotten to know her much better as a 6th Doctor companion. I must say though, that the Doctor's regeneration is all her fault! If she hadn't so clumsily fallen into the spectrox nest and gotten her and the Doctor infected, he would never had to regenerate. So all her complaining about the 6th Doctor's personality issues can be laid on her shoulders. Of course we won't talk about the circumstances of the 6th Doctor's regeneration....

Peter Davison does an amazing job playing off so many of the great guest actors in this story as he bounces between them, reacting more than acting. His single mindedness in finding a cure to save Peri shines through in this story, for a girl he just met. With 30 years hindsight, it would have been interesting if Peri had died and was brought back from some of the Doctor's regeneration spilling over to her. Just a thought. 

For the first time, the new Doctor actually get to say something right after the regeneration before episodes ends. And based on the few sentences uttered, we in for a very different Doctor in the form of Colin Baker....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Caves_of_Androzani

135. Planet of Fire

Ginger Speedo!!

We say hello and good bye (again) in this story as Peri joins the TARDIS crew and we bid farewell to Turlough. Like Nyssa who shed her Trakenite velvet and donned comfortable clothes as she left, so to does Turlough. After a year stuck in his English school boy suit, he wears shorts and a beach shirt! and when Peri, in her revealing bikini, begins to drown, Turlough strips down to a Speedo to save her. A Speedo!!! Be still my heart! The 11 year old me was VERY excited to see this and has never forgotten. :) 

This also sees the end of mechanical traveling companion Kamelion. First introduced in the King's Demons, he hasn't been seen since and was put out of his misery here. Great concept but mechanical issue plagued the robot from the beginning and never fully functioned properly. Fitting that it would be the Master that would bring about its end, as he first introduced the character. And speaking of the Master, he pops up again with no explanation of his survival or escape and then seemingly dies again here. 

This story has some great location shooting throughout and the story benefits from not being studio bound. It's nice to see the normal cast in more casual clothes. The costumes of the people of Sarn are scant and lovely. All the men look like 80's porn stars. Yum. And I must also make note that Peri's stepfather is HOT! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_of_Fire

134. Resurrection of the Daleks

Good bye mouth on legs!

After two seasons and two Doctors, we bid farewell to Australian air hostess Tegan Jovanka. She was not always the easiest of traveling companions. She was not always the most optimistic of companions. And she wasn't always the most cooperative of companions. But she would do anything for her friends and always did what was right. Despite the circumstances of her decision to depart the TARDIS (the slaughter of so many innocent people by the Daleks), I can't imagine her leaving any other way. She definitely wouldn't run off to marry someone. She wouldn't run off to save the planet. And she wouldn't just walk away all happy go lucky like. It could only be over some emotional strife that would tear her away from the Doctor. 

The other notable thing about this story is the return of Davros, as played by Terry Malloy. While filling the shoes of character originator Michael Wisher was not easy, Malloy does it with his own style and flair. The fact that he returns to the role twice more on television and numerous times on Big Finish audio speaks to his strong connection to the character. This story begins the Civil War between Davros' Daleks and the Emperor's Daleks, that plays out for the rest of the classic series.

While most Dalek stories are not picnics in the park, this story seems extra specially brutal. I don't think anyone gets out alive of this one, except Lytton. There's a bit of body horror, a bit of mind control, and plenty of full front on the Daleks. As the 5th Doctors only real Dalek story, it does stand out against the plethora of previous Dalek stories.

With the departure of Tegan, the era of the 5th Doctor begins to wind down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_the_Daleks