Right, well its been a while since I did a post on here, so I figured I would get another one or two done before the end of the month. So, this post will be yet another reivist of a previous one, which is on the Doctor Who story, The Time Warrior from the Jon Pertwee era.
So, after 46 years how does this story fair? Well, let's take a look and find out...
And the usual warning is coming up...
PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
STORY
So the story begins with the Doctor (Pertwee) who investigates the disappearance of several scientists along with the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney) from a top secret scientific research centre. The missing scientists in question as it turns out are in fact being stolen by an alien named Linx (Kevin Lindsay) a Sontaran warrior, who was forced to land his ship in the Middle ages on Earth. Linx used a device called an Osmic projector to project himself forward into the 20th century to steal the scientists.
The Doctor meanwhile he is at the centre meets an eccentric scientist, Professor Ruebish (Donald Pelmear) and also a young jouranlist, Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) who is posing as her aunt Lavinia in order to infiltrate the complex and get a story. When Linx uses the projector again, the Doctor discovers that Ruebish has gone missing and he uses the data recorded from one of his own devices to track down the source of the projector. The Doctor then programs the data into the TARDIS and travels back in time to the Middle ages, unbeknownst to him though Sarah Jane has sneaked onboard the TARDIS as a stowaway.
And in the middle ages Linx is found to be working with a bandit named Irongron (David Daker) who Linx has promised many great weapons in return for using his castle to store his ship and give him shelter. It turns out that Irongron has also stolen the castle he occupies from an absent nobleman and he also faces resistance from his neighbours. And one of his neighbours, Lord Edward of Wessex (Alan Rowe) is provoked into forming an alliance against Irongron and sends one of his archers, Hal (Jeremy Bulloch) to kill Irongron but he is unsuccessful who is captured.
The Doctor soon discovers that Linx has kidnapped the scientists and confronts him for his actions as he has created futurisitic weapons for Irongron (rifles) as well as built a robotic knight for him. And it is up to the Doctor to try and stop Linx from his amoral activities and from interfering with human evolution.....
THOUGHTS
The Time Warrior is a very enjoyable opener to what was Jon Pertwee's last season in the role which saw the introduction also of one of the show's most memorable companions, the headstrong and plucky Sarah Jane Smith. The story is also notable because it is the first one that introduced the name of the Doctor's home planet: Gallifrey, which the Doctor tells Linx who asks where he was originally from. And another first introduced into the story was the inclusion of the new title credits for the show (created by Bernard Lodge who did all the series previous titles) which included the famous diamond "Doctor Who" logo, which would go on to be used throughout most of the Tom Baker era.
PERFORMANCES
Performance wise The Time Warrior is pretty good overall.
Starting with Jon Pertwee who once again is great in his part as the Doctor and he plays him with the usual mix of seriousness and fun.
And Jon has some good scenes that include the scene where the Doctor first meets with Sarah Jane Smith and as he rumbles her for not being her Aunt he tells her he won't give her away and say "You can make yourself useful. We need someone around here to make the coffee!". And as Sarah, who is a real bolshy feminist protests the Doctor then goes into his TARDIS and Sarah angrily says "What are you going to do in there?!" and the Doctor says "Make MYSELF a cup of coffee. Good day!".
Another good scene comes where the Doctor is about to follow Linx's trail in the first episode and the Brigadier warns him how the Doctor had gotten lost in the TARDIS before. And the Doctor says to the Brig "Brigadier a straight line maybe the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting! Goodbye old chap!". And last of all there is the moment where the Doctor faces Linx for the first time and he tells him the name of his home planet "Gallifrey! I am a Time Lord!".
Then there is the scene where Linx holds the Doctor captive at the castle and the Doctor warns him "You are interfering with human evolution, Linx. Don't you realise the damage you will do to them?!". And as the Doctor sees Linx has breech loading rifles for Irongron he says to him "You give them breech loading guns now, they'll have atomic weapons by the seventeenth century! They'll have the capability to destroy their own planet before they're civilised enough to handle it!".
Another scene where the Doctor tells Sarah a little about the Time Lords while helping to make a mix of potions to fend off Irongron's oncoming assault. So, the Doctor says to Sarah "My people are very keen to stamp out unlicenced time travel. You can look upon them as galactic ticket inspectors if you like!". Sarah then astonished says "I could murder a cup of tea! You're serious, aren't you?" and the Doctor says "About what I do, yes. Not necessarily the way I do it. For example you know what this is?" and he holds up a sack containing a yellow mixture and Sarah says "I have no idea". So, the Doctor tells Sarah "This is my own special smoking fixture, consisting of saltpere, sulphur and fat. With a few little extras thrown in!". Then in the background a trumpet sounds and the Doctor smiles and says "Ah, that is Irongron! Battle is about to commence!".
Then there is the scene where the Doctor dresses in the robot armour leftover from one of Linx's robots to trick Irongron and stall for time to allow the scientists to be sent back home.
So, the Doctor enters Irongron's hall dressed in the armour and tells Irongron "I am a gift to Captain Irongron from the one who made me, Commander Linx". So, Irongron asks the Doctor "Can you fight, iron man?" and the Doctor says to him "That is my purpose" and Irongron says "Then fight me" and the Doctor tries backpedal his way out of a fight by saying "I was programmed to fight for you, not against you". Irongron however insists "Fight me, iron man, or I'll return to you to Linx in as many pieces as did your brother!" and the two of them engage in combat.
And after the Doctor manages to fend off Irongron and a couple of his men in swordplay and Irongron, a little wary says to the others "Hold, I say! We must slow this iron man's speed a little! Stick me some cross-bolts in the creature and if that fails then we'll lop its head off and try again!". By this time however the Doctor finally interjects and in his own voice asks Irongron "Isn't that a little unsporting, old man?! I mean sitting ducks and all that!". Irongron the demands "Lift up your visor!" and the Doctor says "I cannot reveal my face, Irongron" and Irongron asks "Why?" and the Doctor says "Because if I did it, it might give you a seizure!". So, Irongron lifts the Doctor's visor and gasps and the Doctor says to him "Well, I did warn you, didn't I?!".
Elisabeth Sladen is also great in her debut as Sarah Jane Smith and already she has a good understanding of her character and how to play her and was the first effectively headstrong companion in the show (although you could argue Lis Shaw was also and even Jo in her later stories did too).
Lis has some good moments in the story also such as the scene where after having stowed away in the TARDIS and Sarah finds herself in the Middle Ages and she is captured by Irongron's men who take her to him. And Sarah who clearly has no idea she has travelled through time insults Irongron and his men by saying "Why don't you take off that ridiculous gear and go home to your butcher's shop! I warn you, anymore of this and I'm going straight to the police!".
Sarah then is a little shaken up by all the events and says to Irongron "Look, please. Now you've had your laugh, now, you know, just let's stop it and let's talk sensibly. I mean, if it's any consolation to you, you're scaring me out of my wits!". Irongron's second in command, Bloodaxe then says to Irongron "Perhaps the wench is crazed, Captain" and Sarah asks "Come on, what is this place?" and Irongron tells her "You are in the castle of Irongron, my lady. Few uninvited guests come here and few that do leave here alive!".
Sarah however is not convinced and says to herself as she paces around "All right, if you insist on playing guessing games. Now, it's not a village pageant, it's too elaborate for that. A film set. No. No, no lights, no cameras. I've got it! It's one of those tourist places. A medieval castle all restored to its original condition, with jolly banquets and buxom serving wenches. That's it, isn't it? Mind you, I think you've overdoing the sordid realism a bit. I mean, I know things were a bit grotty in the Middle Ages, but, really, you might leave the tourists a bit of glamorous illusion. I've never seen such a scurvy, smelly...". Irongron however impatiently shouts "For pity's sake, cease this babbling, girl!".
Another good moment comes when Sarah and Hal come for the Doctor who evades Irongron's men and he says to her "Thank you very much, Miss Smith. A most timely rescue" and Sarah says "This isn't a rescue, Doctor, its a capture!".
Then there is the scene where Sarah infiltrates Irongron's castle again later in the story disguised as a kitchen servant and she is caught by the head servant, Meg who forces her to work. So, in the scene Sarah stirs a stew for Irongron's men and she talks defiantly of Irongron and his men "I'm not afraid of men. They don't own the world. Why should women always have to cook and carry for them?!". Meg asks warily "What should we do?" and Sarah insists "Stand up to the men. Tell them you're tired of working from them as slaves!". Meg however tells Sarah "Women will never be free while we have men in the world. We know our place" but Sarah annoyed says "What subservient poppycock! You're still living in the middle ages!" and Meg asks "Eh?!" and Sarah realising what she has said responds "Nothing". So, Meg puts Sarah in her place and leaves the kitchen after which Sarah distracts one of the servants who stirs another pot and she points and shouts "Look at that great spider!" and the servant scampers away and Sarah pours the potion into the pot.
And at the end of the story as Hal calls the Doctor "a great magician and the Doctor says "To tell you truth, Hal, I'm not a magician at all" Sarah quietly says to herself "I'm not so sure about that!" just before they depart in the TARDIS.
Then we have Kevin Linsday who threatens to steal the show here he is great in his part as the Sontaran warrior, Linx, who uses Irongron and the captured scientists to repair his ship so he escape back to his war.
Lindsay also has some highlights in the story such as the scene where Linx first meets Irongron and asks for his help and for things to repair his ship. And as Irongron says "We have no such things of which you speak" Linx says "Then I must take them from those who have!".
Then there is the scene where Sarah is captured and taken to Irongron's castle where Linx arrives and interrogates her to find out where she came from. So, Linx looks Sarah and says "This girl is not of your kind, Irongron. The hair finer, the thorax is of a different construction" and Irongron sighs and says "Do you not have any girls beyond the stars?!" and Linx says "Ah, I understand. You have a primary and secondary reproductive cycle. It is an inefficient system, you should change it!". Irongron puzzled asks "You what?" and Linx says "At the Sontaran Military Academy, we have hatchings of a million cadets at each muster parade. Thus we can sustain enormous casualties on all battle fronts". However Linx then feels Sarah's jacket and says "This cloth is machine woven. This girl is not of your time, Irongron!".
Another good scene comes when Linx has removed his helmet as he toils in his workshop within Irongron's castle and Irongron and angrily barges in and sees Linx's wide alien potato head for the first time. And Linx says to him "Did I not warn you, you might not find my features pleasing!" and Irongron says "Not a truer word spoken. Are they all so fair a face beyond the stars?" and Linx angrily says "The variety of sentient lifeforms is infinite. Do you think your primitive features are pleasing to me?!".
Then there is the scene where the Doctor first meets Linx and Linx fires his ray gun to stun the Doctor but allows him to get up. So, Linx tells the Doctor "I'm commander Linx - Fifth Sontaran Army Space Fleet!". So, the Doctor slowly get's up and says "Ah, yes. Yes, as I thought. A Sontaran warrior. So, the perpetual war between the Sontarans and the Rutans has spread to this tiny planet, has it?!". So, Linx tells the Doctor "Emergency landing. I was on a reconnaissance mission when I was attacked by a squadron of Rutan fighters. You have encountered my race before, Doctor?" and the Doctor tells him bluntly "Unfortunately" and Linx angered, raises his gun but thinks better of firing it and says menacingly "I'll overlook that insult for the moment!".
Linx asks where the Doctor originates and the Doctor tells him "Gallifrey!" and Linx says "Ah yes. A race of great technological achievement, but lacking the morale to withstand a determined assault!".
And last of all there is the scene where Linx argues with Irongron and Linx warns him "Threaten me once more and I will destroy you!" and as Irongron goes to hit him, Linx easily knocks him aside and shouts "Primitives! Childish, squabbling primitives! It is well I do not need to spend much more time among you!". Lindsay's mask for Linx is also very worthy of note as its excellent and was once again the work of the ever creative and brilliant visual effects designer, John Friedlander.
David Daker is also excellent in his role as the hotheaded Irongron who shelters Linx in his castle but squabbles often with him while other times tries to extend his friendship to him.
Daker also has some good moments such as the scene where Linx travels with Irongron as he attempts to assault Edwards' castle. And as Linx advises Irongron to use the rivals to shoot the guards, Irongron laughs and says "On my oath, Linx, when I am king, you shall be my champion!" and he pats a bemused Linx firmly on the back!.
And lastly there is the scene where Irongron argues with Linx after his men are forced to retreat after the Doctor's thwarts Irongron's attack on Edward's castle. And in the scene Irongron berates his men as they return and he shouts "MICE! A few loud noises, a few bad smells and you all scatter like sheep!!". Irongron then shouts at his men "We attack again in the morning! I will take Sir Edward's castle or I will see every man of you perish in the attempt! CHICKEN HEARTED KNAVES! BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT!". At this point Linx enters the room and looks disgusted with Irongron and asks him "Did I not see you lead the retreat yourself, Captain?!" and Irongron threatens him and says "Taunt me not, little toadface, or by the stars I'll see if the colour of your blood is red like mortal man's!".
Then later there is the scene not long after Linx rows with Irongron and overpowers him and Irongron sits rufeully with Bloodaxe in his halls as the two of them drink wine together. So, in the scene Irongron bitterly says to Bloodaxe "Oh, I should have slain the filthy little toad there and then. I should have carved him up into collops on the spot!". Bloodaxe then says to Irongron "Aye, master, it puzzles me as to why you did not" and Irongron changes his tone a little and says "Aye, well, 'tis a matter of high policy, d'you see? Above your understanding. As yet, we still need Linx's aid. Weapons he has promised me, and by the stars, weapons I shall have. Wonderful, magical weapons, that will crumble the castles of those that oppose me into dust. And then, and only then, shall Linx die by my hand!".
Another good scene is when the Doctor stalls for time and dresses up in Linx's robot armour and pretends to be the armoured robotic knight Linx promised him.
So, in the scene the Doctor enters and Irongron suspiciously asks "Who are you?" and the Doctor says that he is a gift to him from Linx and Irongron says to Bloodaxe "It is indeed the robot, Bloodaxe, though somewhat different in shape. And I remember, Linx promised to make me a second iron man, one that would obey my voice. But why has Linx sent you? Why has he not he himself obeyed my summons?". The Doctor then says in his robotic voice that Linx toils in his workshop to make more robots and then tries to about turn to leave but Irongron stops him and asks "Hold! I would see something of the mettle of this gift. Can you fight, iron man?" and the Doctor says "That is my purpose" and Irongron says "Then fight me!" and the Doctor tries to get out of it by saying "I was programmed to fight for you, not against you" which prompts Irongron to become impatient and says "Cease thy gabble and fight!".
And lastly Donald Pelmear it has to be said while he is quite good in his role as Professor Ruebish his character is the weak link in the chain as he is morely just a rather annoying eccentric boffin.
However that said Donald still has his good moments such as the scene where the Doctor finds Ruebish captive in Irongron's dungeon as he has been captured by Linx along with a number of scientists. So, the Doctor asks Ruebish of the scientists who are all in a daze "What's wrong with all these people?" and Ruebish says "Hypnotised. Can't get a word out of then. Rotten company!" and the Doctor says "You seem to be all right" and Ruebish smiles and says "Didn't work with me. Strong minded you see!".
The Doctor then asks Ruebish "Look, Professor, do you have any idea where you are?" and Ruebish says "Some medieval English castle I suspect" and the Doctor asks him "Yes, you are in a castle but do you know the time?" and Ruebish missing the Doctor's meaning says "About four in the afternoon.We hadn't' breakfast yet, you know. Doesn't feed us much. Once a day if we're lucky". The Doctor then informs Ruebish "Now Professor, listen to me. This may come as a shock to you, so steel yourself. You have been brought back to the early years of the Middle Ages!" and this promps a little but of surprise from Ruebish who says "That's interesting. I've always maintained that the loop theory of time shouldn't have been so arrogantly dismissed by Crabshaw and his cronies!".
And lastly there is the scene where Ruebish having been captured and sent to the Middle ages soon catches up with the Doctor who asks him "Do you want to get back to the twentieth century?" and Ruebish sighs "Steak and mushrooms, lobster, chocolate truffles. Oh dear me, yes!".
Pelmear as Ruebish also get's the pleasure of knocking out Linx in the scene where the Doctor tellingly reveals Linx's only weakness "That probic vent in the back of your neck!" which Ruebish along with the help of a small magnifying class and a piece of wood knocks Linx out by striking him in the back of the neck!
Jeremy Bulloch is not too bad in his role as Hal, the archer who serves Edward of Wessex. And Bulloch has a good line near the end of the story where he grabs one of Irongron's men who has been drugged by the Doctor just before Linx's ship is about to take off and he says "Listen dog! In minutes now this castle will be destroyed by sorcery! If you'd save your miserable skins, then you get you gone!".
Nicholas Courtney also makes a welcome brief appearance in the first episode of the story as good ol Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart who brings the Doctor to the scientific research centre to help investigate the missing scientists.
So, I will mention just his first scene where the Brigadier brings in the Doctor to the research centre and he tells the Doctor how secure it is.
So, the Brig tells the Doctor "This is one of the best guarded places in the country" and the Doctor says "I gathered that when we arrived. I almost thought they weren't going to let you in!" and the Brig says "Yes, its almost too secure! And that's what makes it all the more puzzling". So, the Doctor coaxes the Brigadier to explain what is puzzling and the Brig says "People vanishing. They've lost half a dozen leading scientists and several millions of pounds of secret equipment". So, the Doctor asks the Brigadier "So, what action have you taken so far?" and the Brigadier responds by saying "Well, I'd rather a bright idea. It's rather hard to keep an eye on all these scientist chaps at home, so I had these cubicles put up on several floors. Confined the whole lot to barracks. All my eggs in one basket, so to speak!" and the Doctor smiles and says "That's fine, so as long as no one tries to steal the basket!".
And last of all there is June Brown and Alan Rowe who are both good in their respective roles as Lady Eleanor and Edward of Wessex but to save on time and typing even more dialogue out I will just leave it there rather than quotes (sorry June and Alan). Of course I will quickly mention that June Brown would later go on to gather her fame as the hapless Dot Cotton in the BBC soap, Eastenders.
DIRECTOR AND MUSIC
As for the story's director, Alan Bromly, he does a fine job in keeping a solid mix of drama and fun and the overall tone of the story is quite light and pleasant for the most part and he keeps the pacing quite tight throughout as its a four episoder it never lags at any time. Bromly himself would later to go on and direct one more serial during the Tom Baker era, which was Nightmare of Eden.
And finally I will get to the show's regular composer back then Dudley Simpson, who provides another pleasant score for the story. The score itself is also thankfully more orchestral than his previous seasons of the show and does still feature some electronic music here and there but its still a very suitable score for the story itelf.
FLAWS (Warning: this section may contain spoilers!)
So onto the flaws section of the review..... has The Time Warrior got any? Well, yep it does.
For starters one thing that troubled me was if Linx had the ability to project himself forward into the future then why didn't he just stay in the 20th century and set a base of operations there and then? Not unless of course his Osmic projector is only effective for short periods of time in that case well that makes sense. Ultimately Linx's ship is trapped back in the Middle ages so he couldn't move that forward in time with himself I guess (so perhaps ignore this paragraph as a flaw!).
But this does bring one thing to mind and that is just how did Linx actually end up IN the Middle ages in the first place???? It seems funny how if he is fighting a futuristic space battle against the Rutans (the sworn enemy of the Sontaran race) then how could he find himself on a historical period in Earth??? This obviously means that Linx's craft must have had time travel capability but again this is not clearly explained in the story if this is so, so you just have to take it on faith.
Another thing is that the Middle ages characters such as Edward of Wessex and Lady Eleanor (played by June Brown who later would become Dot Cotton on Eastenders!) are pretty poorly written and not very interestingly presented. So, I felt they were treated morely as bystanders for the story and didn't contribute a great deal to the proceedings.
The story is also a bit guilty of sexism which is pretty typical of the period in the 1970s and has such lines from the Doctor saying "you could make us all some coffee" to Sarah who takes offence who is very much a feminist character. But then perhaps that was the whole point of Sarah being added to the series, as she is a lot more plucky than quite a few of the previous companions in the show and times were set to change.
And lastly I thought the inclusion of Ruebish is a but superflous to the story as he is a pretty annoying character and there for just a bit of comic relief. But these are niggles which don't really prevent you from enjoying the story.
Anyway that's it for the flaws.
SUM UP
So, to sum up, The Time Warrior is a very entertaining story that added a couple of important details to the show with the inclusion of the name of the Doctor's home planet, Gallifrey and of course the new slit-scan title sequence with the famous diamond logo that would feature also in the Tom Baker era. It also introduces one of the show's most memorable villains in the form of the Sontarans, who are strange weird looking potato head like aliens that are dedicated to a life of war. The story is also very well written by Robert Holmes and features some excellent performances by the main cast and particularly Kevin Lindsay and David Daker provide great efforts as Linx and Irongron.
And despite one or two niggles, I would say this is definitely a very solid story and well worth checking out.
Right, so thats it for now and I will be back hopefully with another post before the end of the month.
Till then its bye for now!
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