When Plants fight back!
This is a great story for characters.
Has there ever been a better villain than Harrison Chase? His motivation is both bonkers and somehow makes sense. This isn’t somebody after Universal domination, this is a bloke who has a fetish for plants which makes Troy McClure’s feeling towards fish look like a gentle hobby. Harrison Chase is really into plants, identifies with plants and likes to spend his time making horrible synthesised music surrounded by greenery. A glorious villain, who even manages to be racist about hybrids (plants that is). I only wonder what he actually eats? (Even before he got possessed!). He’s obviously repelled by meat and yet eating vegetation obviously causes him qualms too.
Add to that Amelia Ducket (who has more than a touch of Hyacynth Bucket when it comes to the pronunciation of her surname) and Scorby, the wonderful hired thug and this story becomes a joy.
Here we are in deepest Antarctica, where the snow looks like expanded polystyrene and sticks to actors as though it’s full of static. Fortunately, we switch swiftly to the marvellously camp Harrison Chase who is complaining about plant abuse, such as bonsai.
Doctor Who is never kind about civil servants and Dunbar is no exception, but this must be one of the last occasions when the Doctor turned up as an active part of UNIT (though sadly, with none of the regulars). It’s nice to see the 4th Doctor twitting civil servants just as much as the 3rd loved to do.
I liked Moberley, throttled just as he was manning up to lop off his killer’s arm, though Scorby and Keeler were shaping up nicely as a double act early in the second episode, though Keeler’s subsequent fate splits that pairing up.
I’m sure I’ve seen that Krynoid costume worn by contestants in Jeux Sans Frontiers…
The Doctor and Sarah Jane really are a great double act aren’t they? Though the Doctor has rarely been so personally violent. Leaping through the skylight, fighting his way through when he has to.
All in all, one of the better 4th Doctor adventures.
Quote, unquote
“I’ve got my toothbrush”
“A human being whose blood is turning into vegetable soup.”
“Turn around Doctor… facing this way!” (As the Doctor does a 360 turn).
“Even your pension, Dunbar!”
When is this?
Seems to be the 1970s, or is that the 80s?