Doctor Who: The Visitation: Part 4 starts as the Doctor (Peter Davison) manages to remove the power-packs from Tegan (Janet Fielding) & Richard's (Michael Robbins) Terileptil mind control device's attached to their wrists. The Doctor realises that the Terileptil's are going to release their virus infested rats in London & using the TARDIS tracks them down to a Bakery, but is he too late...
Episode 16 from season 19 this Doctor Who adventure was originally aired here in the UK during Februray 1982, directed by Peter Moffatt I thought it started off quite well but has finished weakly. The script by Eric Saward can be partially blamed as he has the Doctor stand around most of the time, there's plenty of annoying arguing & not much is made of the stories strong points although there is a nice nod towards the great fire of London & how it was started. The direction has been a problem too, the scene where Adric sneaks up on the android & follows it is ridiculous as he walks about a foot behind it! Wouldn't the android notice? The scene at the extremely rushed end when Tegan is hitting a Terileptil with a shotgun is hilarious, the way she swings the obviously plastic gun in the air & down on the Terileptil with absolutely no force whatsoever is a pure comedy moment not to be missed! I don't know, it's just that it has big problems with a dull & predictable script, awful monster effects, inappropriate sounding incidental music & poor direction that spoil The Visitation for me, I know some like it but I don't think it's anything special at all although it is better than the previous story Kinda (1982).
The acting has been OK here, the only other character apart from the regulars who gets any screen time is Richard Mace played by Michael Robbins who puts in an amusing performance. I like Davison as the Doctor & Nyssa played by the cute Sarah Sutton is one of my favourite companions although I'm not sure about those huge fluffy ear muffs she wears during this episode! By contrast Adric & Tegan both have to be among my least favourite companions & The Visitation hasn't done anything to change my opinion of them.
The Visitation: Part 4 is an average & rushed end to an average story, it's not the worst Doctor Who ever but I don't rate it as any sort of classic that's for sure. Overall I'll give The Visitation a generous 6 stars out of 10 across it's four episodes.
Episode 16 from season 19 this Doctor Who adventure was originally aired here in the UK during Februray 1982, directed by Peter Moffatt I thought it started off quite well but has finished weakly. The script by Eric Saward can be partially blamed as he has the Doctor stand around most of the time, there's plenty of annoying arguing & not much is made of the stories strong points although there is a nice nod towards the great fire of London & how it was started. The direction has been a problem too, the scene where Adric sneaks up on the android & follows it is ridiculous as he walks about a foot behind it! Wouldn't the android notice? The scene at the extremely rushed end when Tegan is hitting a Terileptil with a shotgun is hilarious, the way she swings the obviously plastic gun in the air & down on the Terileptil with absolutely no force whatsoever is a pure comedy moment not to be missed! I don't know, it's just that it has big problems with a dull & predictable script, awful monster effects, inappropriate sounding incidental music & poor direction that spoil The Visitation for me, I know some like it but I don't think it's anything special at all although it is better than the previous story Kinda (1982).
The acting has been OK here, the only other character apart from the regulars who gets any screen time is Richard Mace played by Michael Robbins who puts in an amusing performance. I like Davison as the Doctor & Nyssa played by the cute Sarah Sutton is one of my favourite companions although I'm not sure about those huge fluffy ear muffs she wears during this episode! By contrast Adric & Tegan both have to be among my least favourite companions & The Visitation hasn't done anything to change my opinion of them.
The Visitation: Part 4 is an average & rushed end to an average story, it's not the worst Doctor Who ever but I don't rate it as any sort of classic that's for sure. Overall I'll give The Visitation a generous 6 stars out of 10 across it's four episodes.