The Mark Of Rani

The story starts off with men going crazy in the village of Killingworth (which despite the name, was peaceful) in the 19th Century after passing out in a bath house. As the title suggests, they end up with a red blot behind their ears. For a dramatic title, I expected something better than a simple red blot. Anyhow, a little old lady runs the bath house, but it was so blatant that it was Rani. What was not neccessary is that she took off her "old lady" mask to reveal herself...for someone who is a scientific genius, you'd have thought she would've invented a better disguise. As usual, the Doctor's TARDIS goes off-course and ends up in this time period, where the Master also arrives. Rani's motive for disruption of the village is unclear, at one point she seems to just want humans to go crazy by making red blots and feeding them genetically-modified maggots (and conversations says she done the same to other planets, but creatures became so violent, she couldn't control them) then just focuses on turning men into trees. That's right, trees. The only explanation is that she's just having constant inhumane experiments as she goes along, while trying to get rid of the Doctor.

However, it is quite refreshing to see another TARDIS in sight, owned by Rani. And not a bad looking one too. But her motive is too unclear along with the Masters, who just wants to break machinery. Presumably just to interrupt the human technological developments.

Moving on to the Doctor himself, probably one of the most arrogant I've seen of Colin Baker's Doctor. It's amusing once every while to pass a passing comment on other characters but it goes too far when he does it too often. The scriptwriters, Pip and Jane Baker are probably the most laziest writers Doctor Who has ever brought on to the team. Often, the companions ask Doctor questions, merely for the audience to understand. Wherelse in this story, every time Peri demands an explanation (as we, the audience need one too) Doctor always reply "I'll explain later" and "not right now".  So this story is definitely not one for scientific explanations. Not even for the tradition "reverse the polarity" explanation. Peri is probably at her most likeable in this, but as her weakest. Sporting a ridiculous yellow and pink outfit (that never seems to get dirty, despite falling over constantly in a mining land) she comes across as a useless dame, definitely room for improvement here.

Personally, I do like the plot and getting the three timelords together but there are no explanations of motives of the characters nor what is actually happening. If the Bakers actually broaden their minds to fictional science and character background, this would be high up with one of the best. But instead we'll just have to admire Rani's TARDIS and enjoy the ridiculous events. Even if we don't know the hell why.

5/10

The Space Museum

The Space Museum, is something that could've been better than it is. The title is already intruiging itself (that has been done again in The Dalek, with the collections of alien stuff) so there are a lot to be played with. So what is a better way to accidently get into a time-shift then accidently land on a planet-turned-museum called Xeros then to see yourself as an artefact in the museum? This alone shows a great William Hartnell's era style of Doctor Who and it promises a lot. It would also intice the wider audience too, as the air of Twilight Zone is very strong.

Unfortunately when The Dimensions Of Time starts (second episode), as they get into "normal time" much the charm is lost and feels like the episode was written for the sake of it. Slowly, it becomes less of the how-to-avoid-becoming-an-artefact then turns into a whole other story about the Moroks (who claims the museum) invasion of Xeros and Xerons themselves. It is quite amusing but it's difficult to care for when the Xerons comes across as excitable teenagers with extra eyebrows that doesn't have a single idea between them to reclaim their planet. In fact, it had to take Vicki to slap about a bored computer to let them into an armory, to finally get guns to fight back with. It is also difficult to feel anything for the Moroks either, as all they are, are bored over-weight funny-looking guards with nothing better to do, now they've claimed the entire planet. The next episode is pretty much the same as the second (except with an absence of the Doctor, rumoured that Hartnell went on holiday) with a couple of reminders of becoming artefacts. The ending is typical. Not saying anymore in case of spoilers...just to do a favour because despite of the heavy faults, it's not one to dismiss.

This story could've been so much better, it feels it was written to be a comedy, a parody of the Doctor Who stories that was aired so far before it. But instead it was made to be serious, on the plot alone it would be very difficult to successfully make a four-episode story on these differences. However, there are funny moments by Doctor, as he teases the Morok's technology while they try to use it on them, which are some of my favourite scenes out of the entire Doctor Who series altogether.

7/10