Doctor Who (TV Series) Arc of Infinity: Part Three (1983) User Reviews

Quite an eventful episode, with Blue Peter special effects

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 19 August 2015]

The Doctor has been sentenced to death as a devastated Nyssa looks on, but....all is not as it seems, the anti matter being has sent the Doctor into the matrix, The Castellan's suspicions are aroused by the events, and he orders an investigation, he and Maxel quickly discover the Doctor is alive, and that his scan was transmitted. The Doctor deduces that his captor is well known to Gallifrey. Back on Earth, Tegan and Robin are zapped by the Ergon. The creature can no longer hold the Doctor, so has to persuade him not to interfere by threatening Tegan. The Castellan believes he's unearthed the traitor. A full scale search begins for the Doctor, and the true identity of the rogue timelord is witnessed. Not just that, there is also the return of a legendary foe.

I haven't mentioned thus far, I really like the music throughout, it fits well. Truly 80s. Some of the effects are dodgy, wobbly Tegan is not the greatest work in all fairness. The anti matter monster is truly effective when the negative lighting effect is used, without that he is much less impressive.

The Ergon.....oh the Ergon, it's not the Special effects department's finest offering, but he's hushed up Tegan, so some plaudits for that.

It's very much a Peter Davison story, he's an excellent actor, I'm slowly forgiving him for replacing Tom, very slowly!!!!

Acting showdown between Sachs and Gough, and Gough wins at a canter, Michael Gough has been excellent throughout.

A bit of running around, a bit of padding, but an enjoyable continuation, the unmasking of the traitor, and the return of an old foe :-)

Only one more part to go...

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 21 March 2008]

Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity: Part Three starts as Commander Maxil (Colin Baker) & the Castellan (Paul Jerrico) discover that the termination machine was sabotaged & the Doctor (Peter Davison) is not dead. In reality the Doctor has been transported into the virtual reality of the Matrix where the renegade (Ian Collier) keeps him safe as he finalises his plans for bonding with him. Back on Earth in Amsterdam & both Tegan (Janet Fielding) & Robin (Andrew Boxer) have been captured by the renegade & he uses the Doctors feelings for Tegan to make him cooperate...

Episode 3 from season 20 this Doctor Who adventure originally aired here in the UK during January 1983, directed by Ron Jones one has to say that Arc of Infinity really isn't that good. The script by Johnny Byrne is probably the worst Doctor Who story set on Gallifrey &/or involving the Timelords. Like The Deady Assassin (1976) from season fourteen the Doctor finds himself stuck inside the matrix for a considerable part of this episode, unfortunately while in The Deadly Assassin & in the later story The Trial of a Timelord (1986) during season twenty three where the virtual reality world of the Matrix transports the Doctor to various surreal locations & events here in Arc of Infinity the Doctor is merely seen floating on a black background. Again there is far too much meaningless pseudo-science that will leave most casual viewers behind & confused (terms like 'if I charge the transduction fields the Matrix itself will be isolated' are meaningless), hell I consider myself a Doctor Who fan but I don't understand most of the silly complicated nonsensical exposition & explanations given here that you would need a degree to follow. Half of the dialogue just seems like randomly thrown together scientific words that mean nothing to the average person trying to follow the story. This episode also sees the 'surprise' twist revelations that Counsellor Hedin is the traitor & that Omega is the main villain which is fine if you have seen The Three Doctors (1973) from season ten but if you haven't it will totally pass you by & mean nothing & render the revelation cliffhanger ending rather flat. Oh, & how Omega survived the events of The Three Doctors is never explained.

You know if you pushed me I would probably say that Peter Davison was the single best actor to play the Doctor, again here he is very charismatic & puts in another fine performance but the scripts he was given were terrible & it's no wonder he jumped ship after only three seasons. For the first time Tegan is seen in a different outfit other than her airline stewardess uniform while Nyssa would have to wait until the next story Snakedance (1983) to get out of her regular costume. Distinguished British actor Michael Gough played Counsellor Hedin here, he had been in Doctor Who before playing the evil Toymaker in The Celestial Toymaker (1966) way back during season three.

Arc of Infinity: Part Three is another overly confusing mess of ideas that never really come together & it's pretty clichéd stuff using aspects of other Doctor Who stories set on Gallifrey & featuring the Timelords with less than impressive results.