I am so sorry for the delay with this one. I need to start setting myself deadlines!
DOCTOR WHO FOURTH DOCTOR ADVENTURES REVIEW
5.03 and 5.04: THE PARADOX PLANET and LEGACY OF DEATH
By Jack Ryan
BEWARE: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
I F***ING LOVE DOUGLAS ADAMS!!!! His stories, his humour, his relentless crusade to save the rhinos, these are reasons why Adams is one of the best writers of the latter half of the 20th century. At least in my opinion. As well as creating the funniest sci-fi comedy series ever, he was also script editor for one of Doctor Who's most successful seasons, and even wrote for the show, including The Pirate Planet, the un-transmitted Shada and the most successful Doctor Who story ever, City Of Death. Sadly, he passed away in 2001 due to an unexpected heart attack, but his legacy lives on. And some of it can be seen in this...
The planet of Aoris is at WAR!!!! WITH ITSELF!!!! After the actions of the past have reduced their planet to a smoldering husk of a world, a new army has risen and perfected time travel! IN TANKS!!!! Their mission is to go to the past and obtain resources and rescue endangered species for their planet's new age. However, when the TARDIS gets caught up with one of the Tanks in the time vortex and causes them to lose Romana, they'll soon discover that they'll be tied to this planet, and its war, in a very big way...
Oh, this is a good story. Jonathan Morris has, with this story, built what looks to be a good four-parter that could easily fit into the seventeenth season. Everyone who says this is reminiscent of Adams' work is correct. Outlandish sci-fi mixed in with modern relevance, not to mention a nod to Adams' humanitarian work with endangered wildlife, Morris' tale of a people at war with their past is a brilliantly crafted narrative. Of course when everything starts to go, for want of a better phrase, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey, is when this story not only goes into its own but the influence of Adams is at its greatest. You may have to listen to it two or three times in order to appreciate every last fine detail, but it will never seem a chore.
As with most stories of the Fourth Doctor range, the acting quality brought to it is sublime. With a cast that includes City of Death’s Tom Chadbon, Simon Rouse, Emma-Campbelll Jones and the legend that is John Banks, everyone brings their all into this story. And as usual, the mainstays of Baker, Ward and Leeson are a pure delight to listen to. And when the musical talents of Jamie Robertson are thrown into the mix, with his perfect penchant of composing each tune to tailor fit a story, all four episodes are just, for want of a better phrase, music to a listeners ears.
Whilst it might be a bit hard to follow for first timers, Morris and director Ken Bently have crafted a perfect tale with a min of far-off sci-fi and hard down to Earth messages about what we are doing to our planet. No matter how many times we listen to it, this is and will always be a bona-fide classic.
VERDICT: 4/5 The legacy of Douglas Adams lives on! ;D
The planet of Aoris is at WAR!!!! WITH ITSELF!!!! After the actions of the past have reduced their planet to a smoldering husk of a world, a new army has risen and perfected time travel! IN TANKS!!!! Their mission is to go to the past and obtain resources and rescue endangered species for their planet's new age. However, when the TARDIS gets caught up with one of the Tanks in the time vortex and causes them to lose Romana, they'll soon discover that they'll be tied to this planet, and its war, in a very big way...
Oh, this is a good story. Jonathan Morris has, with this story, built what looks to be a good four-parter that could easily fit into the seventeenth season. Everyone who says this is reminiscent of Adams' work is correct. Outlandish sci-fi mixed in with modern relevance, not to mention a nod to Adams' humanitarian work with endangered wildlife, Morris' tale of a people at war with their past is a brilliantly crafted narrative. Of course when everything starts to go, for want of a better phrase, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey, is when this story not only goes into its own but the influence of Adams is at its greatest. You may have to listen to it two or three times in order to appreciate every last fine detail, but it will never seem a chore.
As with most stories of the Fourth Doctor range, the acting quality brought to it is sublime. With a cast that includes City of Death’s Tom Chadbon, Simon Rouse, Emma-Campbelll Jones and the legend that is John Banks, everyone brings their all into this story. And as usual, the mainstays of Baker, Ward and Leeson are a pure delight to listen to. And when the musical talents of Jamie Robertson are thrown into the mix, with his perfect penchant of composing each tune to tailor fit a story, all four episodes are just, for want of a better phrase, music to a listeners ears.
Whilst it might be a bit hard to follow for first timers, Morris and director Ken Bently have crafted a perfect tale with a min of far-off sci-fi and hard down to Earth messages about what we are doing to our planet. No matter how many times we listen to it, this is and will always be a bona-fide classic.
VERDICT: 4/5 The legacy of Douglas Adams lives on! ;D
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