The Trial of a Time Lord fatigue sets in and it's only episode 2
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We dive headlong into the second installment of The Mysterious Planet this week, only to find a struggle with the overarching structure of The Trial of a Time Lord.
From the pitfalls of 1980s "stunt casting" to the surprisingly accurate technological predictions of the mid-80s, we explore why this era of Doctor Who often feels like a struggle between a standalone story and a courtroom drama.
Our key talking points
- The "Bland" Factor: Why The Mysterious Planet lacks a certain "humanity" compared to other "mid-tier" stories like Black Orchid or Paradise Towers.
- Stunt Casting vs. Character: We look at the appearances of Joan Sims and Brian Blessed, and whether their larger-than-life personas pull the audience out of the story.
- A Win for the Prop Department: We marvel at a service robot that looks suspiciously like a modern-day automated vacuum cleaner—is this 1980s Doctor Who's most accurate prediction of future tech?
- Scale and Sci-Fi Talk: Why "wanted in the six galaxies" feels like a hollow threat compared to the more grounded stakes of Star Wars or earlier eras of the show.
- Peri’s Perspective: A rare moment where Peri isn't being objectified or "claimed" as a future wife (at least until Mindwarp).
But here's the thing: at the midway point of this 4-parter season opener, it oddly feels more taxing than any commentary we've done before -- especially comparing this with how the show's format and pace was completely different a couple of years later.
We're presenting our commentaries to you on Patreon in a complete story-by-story package, in both video and audio. To remind you, Season 23 comprised the following individual stories:
The Mysterious Planet by Robert Holmes
Mindwarp by Philip Martin
Terror of the Vervoids by Pip and Jane Baker
The Ultimate Foe by Robert Holmes (with Pip and Jane Baker)
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What do you think of the Sixth Doctor's final stand? Let us know in the comments.