Uh oh... we're back...

We never got to finish our review due to the body's natural desire to sleep... We're sure the Rani could've done something about that, but...

Anyway, we left off at the beginning of Season 21...

Warriors of the Deep

The return of the Silurians and Sea Devils (known to some of us as leftovers, part 1 of 4). Well, you know Who lands the you know WHAT inside a subsea station. Here, we find lots of submarine subterfuge (uh oh...), and the S & SD's trying to exploit the current world political situation to effect the destruction of humanity (see what we mean...). Well, you know Who reluctantly helps to destroy them, and succeeds, complaining that "there should have been another way."

A blatant anti-nuke preach. Episode 4 has impact. A bit slow in developing, and some interesting ideas within, but overall, a mish-mash of previous stuff.

The Awakening

Too short to warrant a summary, though saying that it is The Daemons in two episodes is enough.

It should have been called The Dozing. Need we say more?

Frontios

Travelling well past where any good time lord has gone before, you know Who finds himself with one of the last human colonies in the universe. For some reason, the guy who worked for the guy with the chicken on his head seems to know that there were Tractators underfoot. Somehow, the leader of these was able to destroy the you know WHAT, take over, and put it back together, no less, whereupon you know Who dumped it on another, barren planet, which only Who would know.

Chris Bidmead seems to specialize in confusing people with very hasty explanations at the end (cf. Logopolis and Castrovalva). Interesting, as are all Bidmead stories.

Resurrection of the Daleks

No summary needed. See Earthshock, only substitute Daleks for Cybermen and add Davros, Lytton, and time corridors.

This is the first story shown in 45 minute episodes, and was originally supposed to follow The King's Demons. Lytton is about the only redeeming feature of this fiasco.

Joe: Another feature/detriment: Tegan leaves.

Planet of Fire

You know who is back and is after you know Who, again, using K-9 mk IV (on legs). Other than that, this story is all about the guy who worked for the guy with the chicken on his head (we finally learn his origins... hooray... ).

Isn't the bit about religion a bit much? Well, this one also had a feature/detriment: Peri enters. ;-) Yet another companion disrobes before an exit, as it were.

The Caves of Androzani

Spectrox: the fountain of youth. Spectrox: a deadly poison when raw. Guess Who and who manage to find the bad stuff. Well, on their slow road to death, they encounter some real shifty characters (and we don't mean gear shifts, except at the episode 3 cliffhanger...). The man who thinks it is always Halloween has a crush on the girl with the big ones (legs ain't what we mean here... ;-) ), so he kidnaps her, and you know Who has to rescue her. He does (of course), but not before our shifty characters off each other and he gets enough antidote for Spectrox Toxemia... bat's milk. Oops... did some spill? Only enough left for "Legs"? Oh well, time to regenerate.

Far and away, the BEST story of JN-T's era. Good characters, believable situation, excellent script, great music, excellent direction, and a host of other good things, not to mention big-name actors. Pity this is never repeated again. Best cliffhanger is episode 3's.

The Twin Dilemma

Dilemma's a perfect description of the story.

(Someone want to cage us before we really go crazy with this one?) THE ABSOLUTE WORST! A lesson in contrasts. HOW the f**k could JN-T allow this monstrosity to be made and broadcast?? I've seen Sarah Jane in love stories that are better than this. (No, Louis, don't do that to the keyboard... LOUIS!!!!!!!)

Season overall

(Down, boy, down!) A real yo-yo. Inconsistent in quality everywhere. 'nuff said.

Seasonal trivia

                           --The crazy ones

First posted to rec.arts.drwho on 2 Oct 88

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