133. Frontios

There's nothing better with hamburgers than tractators!

The TARDIS gets drawn into the far future and lands on a distant Earth colony that's being bombarded by meteorites. Of course the Doctor has to help out and insinuates himself into the situation. Also, people are being sucked underground by mysterious forces. It turns out that the Gravis and the Tractators have infested the planet and are creating havoc.

Tegan dons a fetching leather skirt and a classic 1980's top with heels that are wholly inappropriate for the planets terrain. She is also seen crawling through ventilation ducts, in a mini skirt. She takes it in stride but it does look silly. Turlough on the other hand spends quite a bit of time drooling on himself in an almost catatonic state because apparently his people have a history with the Tractators. He also gets to chum around with the only girl on the planet. 

The most exciting part of the story is when the TARDIS gets "blown" apart and the Console Room is scattered about the caves. It's the most interesting thing they've done console room in decades. This actually is a good story for the 5th Doctor and lets Peter flex his acting muscles. With only a few stories left in his tenure, he actually seems to have settled into the part. And it's about time!

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

132. The Awakening

Hold no Malus!

I have to be honest. I had to walk this story twice because I couldn't really remember much about it after the first viewing. So Tegan wants to visit her Grandfather in a little English village. An English village that happens to be doing a war game reenactment. A reenactment that seems to be tied to some extra temporal demon in the wall of a church. A church that seems to have become a portal in time. A portal in time that draws in the TARDIS. Hilarity ensues.

For a little two episode story, it's pretty unmemorable. We do get to see Tegan in a Queen of the May dress before they attempt to burn her at the stake. And now that Turlough isn't trying to kill the Doctor, he seems to be fading into the woodwork. Actually Polly James as Jane is a far more interesting character and would be a hoot to have in the TARDIS. She's almost the anti-Tegan but not in the same way Nyssa was. In the grande scheme of the season, this story sits very oddly between two big stories and kind of kills the flow. This story or a different two part story could have been place between Resurrection of the Daleks and Planet of Fire, to give Turlough a solo story, or between Planet of Fire and Caves of Androzani, to give Peri a little more time with the 5th Doctor. Either, it would have been a better use of time...and space.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Awakening_(Doctor_Who)

131. Warriors of the Deep

Beware the Myrka!!

Doctor Who's 21st season kicks off with a belated anniversary return! More than a decade after their introduction, the Silurians AND the Sea Devils return to try to destroy the homo Sapiens squatters on planet Earth. Of course both reptiles have gotten a face lift since last we saw them and new outfits. And we have to mention the very bad Myrka pantomime sea creature that was the laughing stock of the entire sea world. Poor Myrka.

It's a pretty action packed story that is a product of the 80's Cold War that ended with every single character in the story dying. After the Five Doctor's reaffirming theme, it's very disconcerting for the Doctor to lose in such a way and to have the episode filled with so much death. While both the Silurians and Sea Devils seemed to be killed off in their respective prior appearances, their deaths in this story are far more horrific and can be laid directly at the Doctor's hands.

This story also begins the final season of Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, rounding out a 3 year tenure. Warriors of the Deep is definitely a high point for Davison's senior year.

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

130. The Five Doctors

Happy 20th birthday Doctor Who!!

After a whole season of special anniversary treats we get a BIG birthday cake of a special. In the best tradition of The Three Doctors, we now get The Five Doctors! Even though there are only three real Doctors, one recast and old footage of Tom Baker, it's still a lovely and cherished special. 

From the opening classic scene of William Hartnell from The Dalek Invasion of Earth to the closing special arrangement of the theme tune, the Five Doctors is packed to the gills with treat after treat. Besides all the Doctors, we get a cavalcade of companions, monsters, a heavy dose of Time Lord drama and a lovely reaffirmation of what Doctor Who is. 

To mark this anniversary special, here's a rapid fire review:

First Doctor William Hartnell- just so lovely to see him again and especially that scene

First Doctor Richard Hundrell- does a fine job filling in

Susan- her clothes don't fit the era she is supposed to be from, and is still spraining her ankle!

Second Doctor- Patrick Troughton is a gem and camera loves him. Funniest one there.

Brigadier- glad he grew his mustache back

Zoe- love the bubble wrap dress! Very avant garde!

Jamie- doesn't look like he's aged a day!

Third Doctor- same ole Jon Pertwee schtick. Hair even more out of control!

Sarah Jane- always listen to K9! And don't wear a purple rain coat!

Liz Shaw- I wish they could have had a proper good bye for her instead of just a ghost

Mike Yates- would have been better with the Brig seeing him

K9- cute cameo, should have gotten more screen time

Fourth Doctor- despite this being footage from Shada, it's a lovely lost scene in classic Tom Baker style

Romana II- again a lovely lost scene with Lalla Ward in gorgeous 70's attire

Fifth Doctor- the only sane one in the bunch!

Tegan- love her friction with the First Doctor

Turlough- I think Susan and him snogged in the TARDIS

Master- ridiculous as usual

Yeti- why they haven't returned in the new series, I don't know

Dalek- under utilized

Cybermen- over killed

Raston Warrior robot- well endowed

Borusa- a sad degeneration of a once interesting and grande character. 

Castellan- deserved it

Flavia- love the hair, sister!

And as Tegan says in closing, "You're choosing to go on the run from your own people in a rackety old TARDIS?" to which the Doctor replies, "Why not? After all, that's how it all started!"

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

129. The King's Demons

Oui! Oui! Oui!

Over the years, we've had some pretty bad Master disguises. But this one is an all time classic. Sir Gilles Estram has the worst French accent ever and the most transparent "disguise" ever. How the Doctor didn't know it was the Master is a miracle. 

It's cute little 2 part story set in 13th century England on the eve of the signing of Magna Carta. Why the Master thinks that stopping the signing would work in his favor is beyond me. But the BBC puts on a beautiful period piece as usual. The Doctor get in some nice sword fighting. Tegan get a few fur coats.  And Turlough gets to be a good companion for the first time. 

For a season to celebrate 20 years of Doctor Who, it's a nice touch to have the Master close out the season. The closing moments with Tegan choosing to stay is a nice counter point to last season's finale and setting the destination for the Eye of Orion is a nice lead in to the next story, the monumental 20th anniversary special The Five Doctors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King%27s_Demons

128. Enlightenment

Ships! In! Space!

The loosely linked Black Guardian Trilogy comes to a close with a resolution to Turlough's assassins mission. Landing on what appears to be a sailing ship, turns out to be in space manned by eternal being competing for Enlightenment as provided by the Guardians. Tegan get hit on big time. Turlough hops on board with a busty pirate captain wench. And the Doctor gets a new sprig of celery. 

It's a fun little space race with some great costumes and a wonderful performance by Captain Wrack. Ultimately, Enlightenment is given to Turlough who rejects it and throws it at the Black Guardian, seemingly destroying him or at least dissolving their assassins contract. Now Turlough can be just a normal traveling companion. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_(Doctor_Who)

127. Terminus

This show is going to the dogs!

After more than a season on Doctor Who, we say good bye to sweet Nyssa. So dependable. So reliable. So level headed. She was the rock of the TARDIS crew. And unfortunately they writers never did anything for her. Between Tegan's mouth on legs, Adric suicide mission and Turlough's assassination plot, there was no drama left for Nyssa. Thankfully she gets a proper final story and a good reason to stay behind- to help find a cure for the Lazars disease. They bring up her training on Traken with a musical nod to her origin story. And tears are shed as Tegan tries to change her mind but Nyssa is committed to the mission. 

Meanwhile we're still following Turlough's attempts to kill the Doctor, the Black Guardian manipulating Turlough through passive aggressive behavior and a ship that is somehow linked to the Big Bang. Oh and there's a giant Dog-Rat running around the station. Good times!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminus_(Doctor_Who)