Oh Mr. Potato Head…whisper sweet nothings in my ear!
The Doctor (Colin Baker) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) find the Doctor is in trouble. Someone is attacking the Doctor in his past in an attack that could shatter his future. The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companion Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) are taken prisoner on Space Station Chimera and uncover a plot to unlock the Time Lords’ abilities to travel through time. With the Doctor as a prisoner, it is up to the Doctor to free himself and stop the Androgums Chessene (Jacqueline Pearce) and Shockeye (John Stratton) and their allies the Sontarans before it is too late.
Doctor Who: The Two Doctors aired during the twenty-second season of the popular long-running BBC series. The serial aired in three episodes between February 16, 1985 and March 2, 1985 following Doctor Who: The Mark of the Rani. The story has been collected as part of The Colin Baker Years as Story #141 (or Story #140 depending on how you count the unaired Doctor Who: Shada). The serial is currently out-of-print on DVD.
Lets eat some yummy people!
It is always a big deal when there is a Doctor “crossover” and the fact that this is a crossover with one of the more elusive Doctors and one of the most popular companions, leads to a lot of fun. Even now having seeing a number of the existing Second Doctor stories, I don’t have a good feel for him, but it is fun to have him back.
The problem with Doctor Who: The Two Doctors is that the enjoyable Second Doctor is teamed with one of the least enjoyable Doctors in Colin Baker. Baker’s “jerky” Doctor just never really worked with me and I would rather have the Second Doctor return permanently after this entry. Troughton’s role is rather limited for the first half of the series, but I do enjoy the segment as he’s transformed into the hungry Androgums.
So Peri…what exactly is that accent you are doing…and Doctor why are you an ass?
Jamie was the Doctor’s longest running companion and one of his better entries. Unfortunately like the Second Doctor, Jamie’s first appearance has been lost. It is fun to see him back with the Doctor here, but Jamie’s limited with one of the worst companions Peri. Jamie’s not a genius, but I hope he’d see through Peri.
For both Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines, this was the last appearances of their characters. It is obvious that they are much older than their characters where when they previously appeared, but that is forgivable. It is too bad that we are so limited on truly getting to see their performances because the visit by the old Doctor and his friend reminds me how bad Baker was at this point in the series…even if it looks slightly better. Doctor Who: The Two Doctors is followed by Doctor Who: Timelash.
Preceded By:
Doctor Who: The Mark of the Rani (Story #139)
Followed By:
