Hmm!
You know, there are times when having a quiet afternoon can be good, bad, or indifferent.
Or just plain boring …
But, if nothing, I can do what I did, which was simple; do a bit of homework, with a classic “Doctor Who” story, playing in the background.
Which, if you haven’t worked out from the visual clues, was the 975 story, “Terror of the Zygons”.
Nice to be able to watch it, actually.
Now, granted, there’s better stories; the same year saw “Genesis of the Daleks”, being aired. And that was generally agreed to be one of the best stories the original series produced.
But the Robert Stewart Banks written “Terror of the Zygons” may not be the state of the series’ art, it was produced and shown during what many fans regard as something of a golden age for the show.
And, granted an old friend — Sean, over in the states, owner and manager of Tyches Games — does have a point that sometimes the effects could be a touch … ropey … they did know how to knock out a good, fun story, which “Terror” certainly qualifies as, I think.
It’s certainly one for the eco-friendly, as it starts with the destruction of a couple of off-shore oil-rigs …
And moves to Loch Ness and the fictional village of Tulloch, near the equally fictional Tulloch Moor; which the locals inevitably don’t go near, after dark, according to the local inn’s landlord. It’s also got hideous scheming aliens — the Zygons, themselves, led by Broton — and one heck of a big monster. In this case, the Skarasen, a cybernetically enhanced reptilian glove puppet.
Which, these days, really does look ropey, but back then, was rather spectacular.
And was — in the story — the creature responsible for the destroyed oil-rigs.
The Zygons themselves aren’t exactly without a trick or two, themselves, either …
And the story has the sad twist that it’s also Ian Marter’s last as Harry.
But it is a fun one to watch …
| Cast | |
| Tom Baker | The Doctor |
| Elizabeth Sladen | Sarah-Jane |
| Ian Marter | Harry Sullivan |
| Nicholas Courtney | Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart |
| John Levene | RSM Benton |
| John Woodnutt | Duke of Forgill/Broton |
| Lillias Walker | Sister Lamont |
| Robert Russell | The Caber |
| Keith Ashley, Ronald Gough | Zygons |
| Angus Lennie | Angus |
| Tony Sibbald | Huckle |
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