Review for all 4 parts:
This adventure is quite bonkers really. It is surreal and strange and unsettling. The TARDIS arrives in a paradise world but find colonialist humans and evil snake creatures having effects on the natives. The plot involves Tegan coming under the influence of the evil Mara, Nyssa sidelined 'feeling unwell' and mystical powers at work but a lot of it seems to be a study in mental breakdown. The character Hindle, strikingly and effectively played by Simon Rouse goes totally out of control and it is quite a powerful view of his mental collapse into psychotic, delusional chaos. His fellow colonial 'soldier' Sanders, played beautifully by esteemed veteran Richard Todd, also has total personality change as a result of a mind altering device. Tegan and native Aris both descend into surreal dreams and are under the influence of the Mara at different times so the whole story is full of ideas about loss of mental control. It is very interesting and also very odd. Tegan's dream sequence is creepy, fascinating and bizarre. Hindle creates an unpredictable danger throughout and is a well acted, memorable character. Sanders and Todd (Nerys Hughes) are very good characters too and the Doctor himself is given plenty of different things to do and is very good indeed. Adric is OK and Tegan has one of her better adventures showing a different side.
The ideas and imagery are unusual, the action is at times intriguing, sometimes fun and sometimes a bit too weird. All in all it is a very good story and very different to the normal adventures.
My ratings: Part 1 - 8.5/10, Part 2 - 9/10, Part 3 - 8/10, Part 4 - 8.5/10. Overall - 8.5/10.
This adventure is quite bonkers really. It is surreal and strange and unsettling. The TARDIS arrives in a paradise world but find colonialist humans and evil snake creatures having effects on the natives. The plot involves Tegan coming under the influence of the evil Mara, Nyssa sidelined 'feeling unwell' and mystical powers at work but a lot of it seems to be a study in mental breakdown. The character Hindle, strikingly and effectively played by Simon Rouse goes totally out of control and it is quite a powerful view of his mental collapse into psychotic, delusional chaos. His fellow colonial 'soldier' Sanders, played beautifully by esteemed veteran Richard Todd, also has total personality change as a result of a mind altering device. Tegan and native Aris both descend into surreal dreams and are under the influence of the Mara at different times so the whole story is full of ideas about loss of mental control. It is very interesting and also very odd. Tegan's dream sequence is creepy, fascinating and bizarre. Hindle creates an unpredictable danger throughout and is a well acted, memorable character. Sanders and Todd (Nerys Hughes) are very good characters too and the Doctor himself is given plenty of different things to do and is very good indeed. Adric is OK and Tegan has one of her better adventures showing a different side.
The ideas and imagery are unusual, the action is at times intriguing, sometimes fun and sometimes a bit too weird. All in all it is a very good story and very different to the normal adventures.
My ratings: Part 1 - 8.5/10, Part 2 - 9/10, Part 3 - 8/10, Part 4 - 8.5/10. Overall - 8.5/10.