In a similar cheesy style as Delta and the Bannermen, it is McCoy's second episode. The story starts of by Mel wanting a swim in a swimming pool (a passing comment says that Doctor had to jettison out the TARDIS swimming pool, which of course somehow returned in Eleventh Hour). So Doctor heads off to Paradise Towers, a sort of Utopian Centre Parcs where people take residence in. But as they discovered, Paradise Towers has become dilapidated, covered in graffiti and the corridors being roamed by different colours of Kangs (gangs of teenage girls who seems to have a likeness for Toyah Wilcox). They are hunted down by Caretakers (police/guards of the Towers) and Cleaners (robots who apparently cleans). A waywards character who sees himself as the next Stallone or Schwarzenegger often appears out of nowhere, finding someone to rescue.
Obviously this means a lot of drama and a hint of bad acting. However Richard Briers from The Good Life is the lead baddie, sporting an Adolf Hitler moustache, similar uniform and behaviour, bringing a great amusement to the story. Naturally, Doctor and his faithful screaming companion gets seperated as it traditionally goes. Mel finds herself swayed by into a flat of two female OAPs, being offered lots of tea and cakes but the old grannies compliments much on her body. Obviously too much (as they call her "plump and delicious") but Mel is obviously too naive to see that the grannies are in fact cannibalists. It is greatly played though and very amusing in the black-comedy style. Doctor ended up having to work with the Kangs and finds out that there are no "in-betweens" of the young Kangs and the greedy grannies, assuming that the adults had to leave for a war.
Soon enough, we find there are evil lurking in the basement and the Cleaners has dead bodies in them. As the body counts goes up, Mel finally finds the swimming pool (this seems to be her highest priority??) and naturally, there is a minion in the pool. Serves her right I suppose. Soon enough, with the help of Doctor, the Kangs and the old ladies team up to fight the evil in the basement, giving the moral story of "Forgive and Forget". The ending is a little weak, especially after so much themes, similar to Brazil and 1984. McCoy is still finding his way to play Doctor properly here, but it is easy to see that he's finding his feet after Time and the Rani.
I personally love most of it, but other fans say that it is painful to watch. It is definitely not the best but the satire and black-comedy of it is what makes it watchable for myself. It works on the similar effect as Revelation of the Daleks, but nowhere near as good.
6/10
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