The Doctor Who Real Time Marathon: The Macra Terror

The Macra Terror - Part One (11/03/07)

An intriguing and atmospheric episode this week, playing mystery against the setting of an overtly happy Earth colony on another planet. The Doctor et al. arrived at the colony and, uniquely, were welcomed as travellers with open arms, being shown about the place like a tour guide showing prospective holiday-makers round Butlins. There's irritating jingles, happy colonists, and enjoyable work (in the mines!).

The episode was largely spent setting up a relationship between the Doctor and unhappy camper Medok, who seems to know that there's something insidious going on. I'm actually quite liking the Doctor now; Patrick Troughton seems to be continuing the tack he took on the character in the last story - all mysterious and anti-authoritarian. He freed Medok and persuaded him to show him what was going on after curfew. Lo and behold, the colony appears to be suffering from an infestation of crabs - giant crabs.

The Doctor seems to have an idea of what's really going on (maybe he's already read the script) but he may just be putting two and two together from what they saw on the Time Scanner (and where the hell did that come from? Why haven't they used it before? Is it an adaptation of the Space/Time Visualiser?).

Also, Jamie is finally getting some character development. Whilst Polly and Ben were happy to indulge in the treatments on offer at the local spa (Polly had a hair cut! Ben got his shirt off!), Jamie is totally suspicious of the colony and its plastic happiness. He also hasn't forgotten the Time Scanner, which backs up how new to this he is and how used to it Polly and Ben must be. Of course, when your boss has gone mad and tried to take over the world, you;ve lost your job, the old bloke who's taken you off into time and space (and Cornwall) has turned into a not-so-old bloke, and you're constantly being molested by metal aliens left, right and centre, I suppose a shampoo and rinse would make you forget about a giant claw on a TV screen. And Ben's clearly distracted by the dancing girls.

Quite a good episode, then. A bit similar to The Prisoner in places, but that works to its benefit. Well scripted, too, so looking forward to next week!

The Macra Terror - Part Two (18/03/07)

An absolutely brilliant episode! After the mystery and unease of last week, we've finally got some action with the plot rocketing along and some brilliant, if subtle, character development for Polly, Ben and, most of all, Jamie. The Doctor was caught by Ola as he helped Medok, but managed to talk his way out of trouble, then found out that, while he'd managed to stop Polly from being influenced by the dodgy sleep-teaching machines that told the colonists that they had to work and be happy and not question everything, Ben and Jamie were still susceptible. Well, Ben, at least, as Jamie is a bit too thick to be influenced by voices in his gas-induced sleep. It makes sense that, of the three companions, Ben was most easily influenced what with him being a sailor and used to following orders.

Anyhow, the Doctor broke the sleep-teaching wire and Ben handed him and Jamie over to the authorities. Meanwhile, Polly legged it (really loving her now - I want her babies) and encountered the Macra - great big Crab-type things. Ben saved her and they went to inform the Pilot, at which point Ben declared that Macra didn't exist. The Doctor demanded to see the Controller and they eventually got to see this wasted-away version of the man whose pictures are displayed throughout the colony who was subsequently strangled by a massive claw with a posh voice!

So, Jamie has finally got some character development and something to do, Ben has become a traitor, Polly has returned to being headstrong and the sexiest companion the series has ever had, and the Doctor has really come into his own at last! I really hope this is how he's going to stay as, until The Moonbase, I really didn't like the new Doctor that much.

This story is so well written (by the same guy who did The Savages and The War Machines, incidentally) and I'm really enjoying it. I'm just hoping they don't run out of plot since the Macra have already been revealed as being in control (ace cliffhanger, by the way). Again, really looking forward to next week - you can probably tell; just compare this to episode four of The Moonbase!

The Macra Terror - Part Three (25/03/07)

Not quite as exciting as the first two episodes, but by no means dull. The Doctor, Polly, Jamie and Medok were sent to the mines in the Danger Gang (is this what all sci-fi authorities do with their trouble makers? I'm sure the same thing happened to Ben and Jamie recently!). Jamie elected the Doctor to remain in the control room as he may be able to help them from there - again Jamie is getting something to do. Ian Stewart Black really knows how to write good stories for whatever group of regular cast... okay, I'm overlooking Dodo's departure there, but at least it was original!

Ben is having a crisis; having been brainwashed and told to spy on the others, he saw Jamie nick Officia's keys but didn't tell anyone until the Doctor asked him why he hadn't. Meanwhile, the Doctor's working out what the colony's mining gas for (it's what the Macra breathe - shades of Rill there) and Jamie's gone into a cordoned off tunnel with Medok. Medok was attacked (and killed!) by a Macra and now they're after Jamie. It's actually a nice change having Jamie doing something. I think that's it's pretty bad that he's been a regular on the show for over three months now and they've only just started to give him stuff to do!

I'm really liking Ben's dilemma, too. It has shades of what happened to Dodo in The War Machines but has been scripted so much better this time round. I just hope Ben doesn't disappear, never to return, in two episodes time! Even though Polly didn't get to do much this week, this has to be the best story of the season, and the Doctor is just brilliant now; totally different to Bill, but just as smart and likeable. This has to be the first story where I've actually thought "Yeah, this is still the Doctor". Once again, can't wait till next week!

The Macra Terror - Part Four (01/04/07)

I don't think I've enjoyed a story as much as this one since last season! The Power Of The Daleks was good, but that didn't make me smile as often as The Macra Terror did.

Jamie escaped the Macra thanks to the Doctor and Polly diverting the flow of the gas, and encountered a jingle rehearsal session which he did the Highland Fling to escape from, having been mistaken for a dancer! He was caught and betrayed by Ben - an act which eventually led to Ben breaking the mind conditioning - then the Doctor and Polly, who had found Control and seen it was actually a Macra with a posh voice, turned up being Happy Campers and tried to persuade the Pilot to go and see. That was actually Polly's idea - she was much more proactive this week; in fact, they all had something good to do - I reckon that's why I liked it so much!

Lots happened, too. Control ordered Polly, Jamie, the Pilot and the Doctor be locked in a room and proceeded to pump poison gas into it.However, Ben (having come to his senses) turned up to help and the Doctor talked him through a process which led to the Macra in Control being blown up in the backblast. It all ended with the Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie dancing their way out of the colony in order to prevent the Doctor from being made the new Pilot!

I don't think there's been such an overtly fun yet adventurous story since the tales in Rome and Tombstone, and they were both Historicals so therefore were a different kettle of fish. Whilst The Underwater Menace seemed to try to mix Sci-Fi adventure and humour (and failed) this story succeeded in waves! Definitely my favourite Patrick Troughton story so far and quite probably in my Top 3 of the whole series, and definitely my favourite non-serious drama. I guess you couldn't take a story about giant crabs seriously, though. Even so, the humour made it more dramatic. Really enjoyed this one. The next story has a lot to live up to!