Logopolis: Part One

In my latest DOCTOR WHO marathon-- this time, watching the individual episodes for the 1st time since the 80s (I have "Inferno" up to "Terminus" that way). I just reached the point where I was painfully reminded that the writing FELL RIGHT OFF A CLIFF.

Yep... "LOGOPOLIS".

I swear... Christopher Bidmead is like the exact opposite of Eric Saward. He's a MUCH better story editor than he ever was a writer. Plus, this was his first of ONLY 3 scripts he ever did on his own. And it was a rush job. What you get is a mixture of fascinating ideas... and REALLY terrible characterization and dialogue. Tom Baker, Mathew Waterhouse, Sarah Sutton, Anthony Ainley... all were wonderful in "The Keeper Of Traken". Yes, even "Adric". And NONE of them come off good in this one. In fact, more than ever before, I was reminded of what a WONDEFFUL character "Tremas" was... so intelligent, reasonable, warm... he deserved better. He deserved a return appearance... not to be MURDERED so that a ONE-dimensional erratic bad parody of Roger Delgado should take his place.

Frankly, I think they only come off looking acceptable because Janet Fielding-- who I KNOW is a nice person off-camera-- came across as such a TOTAL B**** as "Tegan" (my LEAST-favorite WHO companion of all time).

I swear, the ONLY actor in this who comes across well in this is, surprisingly, John Fraser as "The Monitor".

Looking back, I wish to God that John Nathan-Turner had left after this one year. Because I KNOW... as wonderful as Peter Davison is as a person and as an actor... the BULK of his 3 years was EVEN WORSE than this. BAD writing, BAD directing, BAD acting across the board.

This time around, I've been skipping any stories I just don't like. I managed to get all the way through Tom Baker's 7 years and ONLY skip one single story (one that I simply have seen too damn many times for something that horrifically downbeat and disturbing). I'm wondering if I'll even watch HALF of Davison's stories? I know one thing... as soon as I'm done with his, I'll be pulling out CAMPION to watch again. Man, I LOVE that show!!!

Review of all 4 episodes:

This story had a huge impact on me when it was first broadcast as it was the first regeneration story I saw where my beloved Doctor changed. Tom Baker was the Doctor for an epic 7 seasons and became the difinitive Doctor. Him leaving is a huge moment and his final story is a major milestone. I remember being sad but also excited about the regeneration. Tom is still my favourite Doctor and on my many rewatches I am always moved by him saying farewell as the incumbent Doctor.

The story itself is quite a dense science fiction story involving complex mathematical ideas and quite weird concepts of the universe being threatened by 'entropy'.

The Doctor is trying to fix his TARDIS chameleon circuit with help from the mathematicians of Logopolis. The Master hijacks this plan materialising his TARDIS in the same spot as the Doctor causing a 'recursion loop' and then travels to Logopolis himself in an effort to use the threat of entropy to gain power and control.

It is all quite involved with ambitiously big concepts. This is added to by the foreboding figure 'The Watcher' who is following the Doctor and the cloister bell ringing both of which give an atmosphere of impending doom.

I find this story fascinating and stimulating. It maintains my interest and makes me feel the tension and dread of the imminent regeneration. It is also entertaining and has a great battle of wits between Tom Baker's Doctor and Anthony Ainley's Master which is great to watch.

Tegan Jovanka, a brash Australian air stewardess played by Janet Fielding makes her debut as the new companion.

The regeneration scene itself is powerful for me still today as it evokes the feelings I had at the time. A clear memory from my youth and a very good scene.

Overall this is a suitably high quality finale for the great Tom Baker. The joy Tom has given us from his phenomenal performance and dazzling presence as the 4th Doctor is so special and I treasure his era, particularly his incredible first 3 seasons. He is a hero on and off screen.

My ratings: All 4 episodes - 9.5/10.

A sense of déjà vu, gradually conveys, as a Tardis, in a Tardis, in the Tardis, repeats, replays, while a sinister old foe, minimises a combo, and we get the chance to meet Tegan, and say, Hello Hello.

This is story is pervaded by feelings of dread and decay. It's very well written, yet unavoidably sullen. The Fourth Doctor is not long for this world, and the presence of a shadowy phantom confirms this.

The Doctor quickly finds himself coming to terms with feelings loss and even death. For the audience, this almost seems like a countdown to the unavoidable end of of a character that a generation had grown up watching (1974-1981).

The Newly regenerated Master lures the Doctor into a trap that will ultimately put the entire universe in danger and force the Doctor to make the ultimate sacrifice to stop him.

So many things ended with this story- season 18, the Tom Baker era, and- some might say- classic Doctor Who. For better or worse, things would NEVER be the same after this.

Not entirely sure why Tom Baker left Doctor Who and another one regenerated right in his place? A documentary on the new DVD for the episode Logopolis explains it pretty clearly, but you might just as well stick with just watching the episode. In the interest of full disclosure I should note that my opinion on the episode is based on not having watched the series chronologically, even as I understand some of the basic stuff surrounding the huge stakes in an actor's final turn as the Doctor from watching David Tennant's most recent season finale of the more recent show (as I also knock on wood that he'll return). But just as a stand-alone episode a lot of it is kind of mind-boggling.

To be fair, this is what makes the show more often than not a humdinger, a puzzle of elaborate rouses and little mysteries that lead to others and occasionally come back around as either/or riddles or enigmas. In the case of episode Logopolis, a time-lord is placing a kind of loop on the Tardis itself: is it in the read world or is another Tardis inside the Tardis with Doctor and the boy? Who is the guy in the white get-up and make-up save for possibly a bad mime crossed with the rabbit from Donnie Darko? Why does everyone on Logopolis used abacuses? There are plenty of head-scratching turns in the episode, and maybe even more than usual. I wouldn't want to tear my head away for a second, as exposition sometimes piled on some more, but it's hard not to have a little fun watching the ladies trying to change their tire whilst Baker and the boy try and figure what the hell is going on.

As for it being a good swan song for Baker (in his original run that is, he came back once or twice for other special installments like with one featuring all the Doctor Whos), it's... good. It's not exactly a masterpiece of a final-bow, as we see our gallant and joyfully but oddly subtle camp-faced actor dangling and falling to his doom and suddenly a revelation comes that is kind of 'meh'. But there's lots of good suspense overall in the episode revolving around entropy, mathematical comeuppances, and the usual 'taking-over-the-universe' deal which tends to happen in convoluted set-ups on the show.