The Doctor Who Real Time Marathon: The Mind Of Evil

The Mind Of Evil: Episode One (30/01/11)

Wow! Really good this week, possibly the best Pertwee episode so far! The pace was more even this week, too, with events unfolding at a more leisurely speed. The Doctor and Jo have gone to Stangmoor Prison to witness the 113th criminal to undergo processing by the Keller Machine, which removes all negative impulses from the brain and stores them. The Doctor was the rudest he's been since, well, early Troughton during Professor Kettering's demonstration, contradicting him and talking over him to Jo. The criminal, Barnham, must've been a nasty bastard because the machine overcompensated and, not long after, one of the medical students attending was found dead of heart failure.

Meanwhile, UNIT have their hands full with the first World Peace Conference where the Chinese delegate's security officer, Chin Lee, is stirring up trouble, seemingly under some form of control. First she reported some documents stolen, then went to a children's playground and burnt them. Now it looks like she's murdered the Chinese delegate and the Brigadier suspects she may have something to do with it as he's established she waited nearly half an hour between 'finding the body' and calling UNIT. Also, it looks like she may be linked to the Keller Machine as its creator, Emil Keller, installed it at the prison accompanied by a Chinese girl.

Anyway, the scientist in charge of running the machine, Kettering, has drowned in a perfectly dry room (while the student was attacked by non-existent rats) and now the Doctor, left alone at his request to disable the machine, is imagining fire burning him!

Really good, very gritty and grown up, and very much a thriller feel to this story. Jo played the assistant part well, in the scientific sense, and nicely stood up for the Doctor against Kettering. Far better than the last story already as it's well paced and plotted. Definitely looking forward to next week.

The Mind Of Evil: Episode Two (06/02/11)

Ooh! The Master's back and the one controlling Captain Chin Lee who is connected to the Keller Machine! But first things first.

Jo saved the Doctor by distracting the Keller Machine when she brought the Doctor the medical reports on the deaths. He wasn't very grateful. Then Captain Yates turned up to take the Doctor to the Brigadier to help sort out the trouble at the Conference. Jo stayed at the prison (she was hardly in it except for a few quiet scenes with Barnham and Dr. Summers). Benton lost Chin Lee while tracking her when she used the Keller link on him, and the Master tapped the Conference phone lines and listened in on Yates setting up transport of a nuclear missile with a nerve gas warhead to dockyards for disposal (not the most tactful time to do this, as the Doctor noted).

The Master has a limo and a chauffeur now! And used the electrician disguise again. And he's ordered Chin Lee to kill the American delegate. There was a very funny scene where the Brigadier took the Doctor to welcome the new Chinese representative. Fu Peng, the delegate, was very frosty with the Brigadier but warmed to the Doctor when he greeted him in Hokkien in a civil manner - in a story where so far everyone (except Jo, who just seems a bit muted) has been in a very bad mood it was nice to have a bit of a comedy of manners. The Doctor (apparently chummy with Chairman Mao!) and Fu Peng had a right old chat in Hokkien leaving the Brigadier out in the cold. Then, the Brigadier's later flippant remark about Benton losing track of a 'Chinese girl' made the Doctor link it with the prison and Keller's aide, whilst Chin Lee lured the American delegate to Fu Peng's quarters to attack him with the mental image of a Dragon.

Meanwhile, another prisoner has instigated a prison break and taken Jo and Dr. Summers hostage. A really good story so far; exciting, funny, serious and well paced, plus we have the Master again being suave and sophisticated. Brilliant all round!

The Mind Of Evil: Episode Three (13/02/11)

The Doctor and the Brigadier arrived and stopped Chin Lee from killing the American delegate and the Doctor removed the amplifier from behind her ear which the Keller Machine used to transmit its fear-inducing psychic oojima. From interviewing her with the Brigadier, he figured out that she had been connected to the Keller Machine and that Emil Keller was actually the Master.

Meanwhile, Captain Yates rang the Brigadier to say they were getting underway transporting the missile, and the Brigadier brought him up to speed regarding the Master, which was unfortunate because the Master was listening using his phone tap and headed straight to Stangmoor. Before he arrived, Mailer (the ringleader of the riot and next in line for processing) sent Dr. Summers to demand the prisoners' release but, while walking Jo through the prison he was distracted by Barnham (looking for Dr. Summers) and Jo disarmed him allowing the guards to regain control (this bit was very cool and Jo has gone well up in my estimation!).

However, the Master then arrived as Emil Keller, spoke to Mailer and took over the prison again. Having been informed of Jo's capture during the original prison break, the Doctor returned to Stangmoor and was let in, captured, brought before the Master (who explained his plans - to capture the missile and blow up the Peace Conference - I guess Stangmoor is a distraction), escaped, freed Jo and Dr. Summers, got caught again and trapped in the room with the Keller Machine, tied to a chair with the psychic amplifier he took from Chin Lee behind his ear. Cue flames, a Zarbi (?), and Ice Warrior and a War Machine (?) with a Dalek voice-over!!! Run titles.

Really good again, though we had some more dubious bluescreen. Nevertheless, this continues to be one of the best Doctor Who so far. Roll on Episode Four!

The Mind Of Evil: Episode Four (20/02/11)

This week started off looking like it was going to be the mid-story lull and slow down. The Master wasn't trying to kill the Doctor but seeing how long he could last, so that he could guard the Keller Machine while the Master did other stuff. The Doctor didn't last - one of his hearts stopped and he nearly died, and the Master had to revive him. Great acting from Mr Pertwee here! Then he was taken off and locked in a cell with Jo. Dr. Summers was rolled out briefly to tend to the Doctor (who went into a coma) - his character is so nice, a complete contrast to all the other angry or vicious characters. I doubt he'll make it to part 6 (or 7).

Then things kicked up a notch. The Master organised Mailer to lead an attack on Yates' missile convoy and there was a cool action sequence where Yates was shot (but not killed). The criminals took the missile to a nearby aircraft hanger and were followed by Mike on a bike, but he was seen and caught.

Meanwhile, the Doctor recovered but played possum so Jo could demand food for them both so they could escape. Jo's gone very Action Hero, chinning a convict with a tray and carrying a revolver round with her for half the episode! The Doctor and Jo hid in the Master's office until the last 5 mins when they ventured out and found that the Keller Machine (which actually has an alien in it that feeds on the evil of the mind) has learnt how to travel - by disappearing then reappearing elsewhere. And it's killing anyone it encounters. The cliffhanger had it trapping the Doctor and Jo in the lab while Mailer legged it.

Really good! Oh, and there was a bit where the Keller Machine attacked (or tried to attack) the Master; his greatest fear? The Doctor laughing and pointing at him! Really enjoying this one!

The Mind Of Evil: Episode Five (27/02/11)

The quality of this story is remaining consistent! The machine went after Mailer and left the Doctor and Jo alone but it didn't catch him. The Doctor and Jo tried to escape with Barnham but only made it as far as the main courtyard. Luckily, they were seen by the Brigadier who was flying overhead in a helicopter. Deducing they were being held captive, he set about organising a rescue.

Meanwhile, Mailer contacted the Master and demanded he return to sort out the Keller Machine or he'd reveal where the Master was keeping the missile. The Master, in turn, ordered the Doctor to sort the machine out or he'd kill Jo. While the Master and the Doctor made a cable loop electric thingy to put around the Keller Machine to temporarily ground it, Mike managed to free himself and escape from where the missile's being hidden, having earlier been told what the Master planned to do with it.

More action in the last ten minutes as UNIT attacked the prison, the Brigadier disguised as a provisions delivery man going through the main entrance while Benton led the surprise force through an underground tunnel - Stangmoor having once been a fortress with dungeons and shit.

Some great action sequences with shoot-outs between the prisoners and UNIT. Mailer, however, fetched the Doctor and Jo from their cell and led them through the prison at gun point. Jo, on a staircase, pushed herself back into Mailer and told the Doctor to run, but he faltered and it looks like Mailer's shot him!

He won't be dead though, obviously. Even Yates and Benton survived the apparent massacre of the UNIT troops transporting the missile! Definitely warming to Jo. Having come across as a bit of a div in the Auton story, she's now leaning towards one of those savvy girls from The Avengers! Albeit a bit softer. Had a comedy Major this week, too - one of those posh, older guys who still thinks he's a 20-something Cambridge student-type. Exciting and fun!

The Mind Of Evil: Episode Six (06/03/11)

That has to be the best Doctor Who serial since Jon Pertwee took over, possibly since Hartnell left! It wasn't Mailer that fired the gun; it was the Brigadier. Mailer's dead and the Doctor acted very ungratefully, firstly bitching that the Brigadier had only turned up in the nick of time, then that he'd lost both the Master and the missile. Ungrateful, cantankerous sod!

Anyhow, UNIT took control of Stangmoor and were contacted by Mike Yates who'd managed to reach UNIT Mobile Control and told them where the missile was being kept. The Brigadier went to organise its destruction leaving Benton as Acting Governor of Stangmoor. The Doctor and Jo, meanwhile, went to destroy the Keller Machine but it had freed itself and was travelling about again. It attacked them, but then Barnham walked in and it stopped. The Doctor figured that somehow Barnham's total lack of evil thought neutralised the creature in the machine and, when the Brigadier was unable to abort the missile, took Barnham and the machine to the disused airfield to confront the Master under the guise of returning the dematerialisation circuit he stole in the last story.

Turning up in a Black Mariah, the Doctor distracted the Master so Jo and Barnham could place the Keller Machine by him, and while it attacked the Master the Doctor re-connected the Abort/Self Destruct mechanism. The Doctor and Jo escaped in a UNIT helicopter, but Barnham tried to help the Master (who was writhing in agony) and (rather unnecessarily) the Master got in the van and mowed him down (it's turning into his motif!). Then the Brigadier blew up the missile (spreading the nerve gas throughout the outlying countryside, surely?!) and there was a coda where the Master rang the Doctor at the prison from his TARDIS to say he'd escaped and nabbed the circuit. I imagine he'll return later this season, or next year.

It was quite interesting to have what seems to have been a ten part story arc! Very cool, better than the Auton story (despite dubious deaths and explosions). Hope the rest of the season is as good. This will be a hard act to follow!