Season 20, Story 1/7, Serial 6E: 4 x 25min episodes, 3rd to 12th January 1983, Writer: Johnny Byrne, Director: Ron Jones, Script Editor: Eric Saward, Producer: John Nathan Turner
Love the way you can tell straight away by the collar it's a Time Lord...
It's a little-known* fact that Time Lords are actually cold blooded, and use their collars to regulate their body temperatures.
*made-up.
That negative effect on the villain is quite good actually.
It *must* be the Doctor. Yeah, funny that.
In the DVLA in Swansea, Talor and Damon watch an alarm go off.
Ah, the 5th Doctor & Nyssa relaxing with a bit of technological DIY, no Tegan or Adric to annoy them.
Judging by the completely non-stereotypical music this must be Spain, I reckon. Duh. Tulips from Amsterdam indeed.
Backpacking Chuckle Brothers Colin (an Australian) and Robin (a whatever-Gonzo-is) are arranging to meet up with Colin's cousin, but Robin's dipped his fly in the ointment by losing his passport.
The Doctor's particularly pleased that there's nothing worth listening to in space. Bit harsh on Roger Limb, to be honest.
Nyssa calls the Doctor lazy and also calls him out on why he allowed his script editor to destroy the TARDIS' temporal grace.
When he hears her calls, he's inclined to pretend that there's still nothing to hear, but something in her tone conveys that she's seen something on the "shit going down" detector.
The phantom pen-waver tells Mr. Negative that the transmission was detected, so measures will have to be taken before the plan can go ahead...
Robin's choice of cheap accommodation leaves a lot to be desired: he wants to put Colin in the grave.
"Have I every led you astray?" Robin looks like he leads astray everyone he possibly can at the first opportunity he can possibly get.
The readings don't make sense! No change there, then.
I thought you only had to spend the night in a haunted house to inherit something? I saw it in a documentary about these kids that went around solving mysteries with a Great Dane.
Robin leads Colin down for a crazy night in a crypt.
On Gallifrey, Damon too calls it a night, leaving Talor at the mercy of the phantom pen-waver.
Instead of legging it when a gun is pointed at him, Talor pauses to categorize it. And gets shot.
Colin can't sleep because he's too worried about the neighbours. Is that still going?
The phantom pen-waver tells Mr. Negative to take his chance before the sabotage is discovered.
An extra-dimensional swirly light enters the TARDIS through the viewscreen (don't ask)...
...and chases the Doctor down a TARDIS corridor. Slowly.
Classy "horrified slow turn around" from Nyssa.
Mr. Negative overlaps with the Doctor...
...who then collapses.
Back in the crypt, Colin can't sleep. He hears a noise, which sounds suspiciously like a TARDIS.
The Aussie with the dayglo socks (does he even need that torch?) goes to investigate.
What the-? A giant zombie chicken comes out of the stars in their eyes door and zaps Colin.
Aboard the TARDIS, with Mr. Negative gone, Nyssa's checked and the creature was made from Anti-Matter.
It can exist in this region of space, called the "Arc of Infinity" because the Arc shields Anti-matter with radiation from a collapsing Q-star. Obviously.
The Doctor doesn't immediately suspect Omega, for... reasons.
Robin evades the zombie chicken as it zaps a weeping angel when he ducks.
The Time-Lords have a conversation all sat in a straight line, facing to camera. For... reasons.
Only a member of the High Council could have done it! None of the non-speaking bit parts!
The 6th Doctor who isn't the 6th Doctor turns up with a chicken hat and, at the Castellan's behest, orders the TARDIS recalled.
So, zombie chicken in Amsterdam, chicken on Maxil's head. Is he the villain then? Commander KFC is "simply following orders", so despite his chicken hat, maybe someone else is the traitor...
Same recall sound effect from the Hand of Fear there. Nice.
Robin, still thinking he must have just had some dodgy "coffee" earlier, sneaks back into the crypt for his shoes...
...but sure enough, there's Colin looking like only a man zombified by a space chicken can.
The TARDIS arrives on Gallifrey...
...and Commander KFC orders Damon to restrict the Doctor's movements until his welcome wagon's ready.
Robin goes to the YMCA and gives the receptionist backchat because Colin isn't there. Rude.
Aussie Colin's cousin is arriving at the airport tomorrow. Hang on...
Nyssa worries that the Time Lords have summoned the Doctor back just to execute him.
Ah, Davison's little 'this way, no that way' business. Lovely.
Now the Doctor's on the run in the capitol.
Nyssa shoves a guard in the back.
And Commander KFC shoots the Doctor, dead I bet.
Well, he's not regenerating so that's the end of the series!
Clara really dropped the ball there.
Well, it's been a great series but that was kind of a damp squib to end on. I've loved all 5 Doctors along the way.
Hang on, episode 2? Is this going to be like Taggart now? will it be the Nyssa show? Or Commander KFC?
Oh, he's not dead. Probably should have seen that coming.
For a minute there I thought that Colin Baker chap was going to take over from Peter Davison. Crazy.
The Time Lords note that there's always violence when the Doctor's on Gallifrey but Hedin points out that that does tend to be a bit one-sided.
Commander KFC imprisons Nyssa and the stunned Doctor to the TARDIS, and confiscates a key circuit to prevent them leaving.
Here comes Colin's cousin. I've got a bad feeling about this...
While the Doctor sips OJ in the TARDIS, Damon gets down to the real work and prints off the transmission log.
That's a haircut and a half Tegan's had. At least she's changed out of that stinky uniform. She was lucky that the state of temporal grace keeps clothes mountain fresh.
Good that her abence between Time-Flight and this story allowed for some great Big Finish Fifth Doctor and Nyssa audio adventures.
Commander KFC has a look around the TARDIS. Measuring up the curtains and that.
"Disappeared? Couldn't he have just wandered off?" Oh yeah, that'll be it. Thanks Tegan, never thought of that.
Bet the Celestial Toymaker's the baddie.
Before he slopes off to play Alfred
Name-drop for Romana there; still in E-Space, it seems.
Robin's acting shifty because he's lost his passport. How's he planning on getting home? Swim?
Tegan's plan is to make a nuisance of herself by complaining loudly and often. Sit back, Robin, this is gonna be a master class.
The Time Lords refuse to believe that one of their own could have beamed the Doctor's biodata to Mr. Negative.
So instead they sentence the Doctor to death. Over the top much?
The dutch police have found Tegan incomprehensible. Fair enough.
The Time Lords won't listen to Nyssa...
...but at least Damon manages to slip the Doctor the proof he needs.
The Celestial Toymaker expresses his concern to the Castellan that one of them could be a traitor...
The Doctor is confined to Nyssa's bedroom. Pretty sure he slipped Commander KFC a tenner to sort that.
Hedin explains that the Time-Lords have tried nothing and are all out of ideas, so the Doctor will be executed.
Tegan's had enough of Robin fannying about and decides to go to the Crypt herself.
...but is unable to snoop when the Doctor and his chums retire to Nyssa's bedroom again. All goes on in there, doesn't it? Is this Damon going to be a new companion?
The Doctor's concern now is that with a traitor on Gallifrey, the Time Lords could lose control of the "space time Matrix".
The Castellan says execution by dispersal has only happened once before. Morbius?
Hedin explains that the Time-Lords have tried nothing and are all out of ideas, so the Doctor will be executed.
Tegan's had enough of Robin fannying about and decides to go to the Crypt herself.
The Castellan has Maxil plant a listening device in the TARDIS control room...
...but is unable to snoop when the Doctor and his chums retire to Nyssa's bedroom again. All goes on in there, doesn't it? Is this Damon going to be a new companion?
The Doctor's concern now is that with a traitor on Gallifrey, the Time Lords could lose control of the "space time Matrix".
The Castellan says execution by dispersal has only happened once before. Morbius?
Tipped off by the phantom pen-waver that the time is nigh...
...Mr. Negative sets zombie Colin to some important switch-flicking.
Nyssa prepares to take desperate measures to rescue the Doctor from execution. Has he got a plan?
Hedin voted against the execution. A wasted vote, apparently...
The Doctor is able to persuade the Time-Lords to let Nyssa off for holding them all at gunpoint.
Mr. Negative orders his slaves to throw a switch...
The Time-Lords execute the Doctor with a white light that burns him away.
Unless that glimpse of Mr. Negative meant anything.
When I go, I want a chicken-hatted Colin Baker to say "Judgement has been carried out". Classy.
I've been caught out like this before, but I'm pretty sure the Doctor is definitely dead this time. Odd little 2 parter, that was.
Oh ho ho, fooled me twice!
"What was your opinion of the termination, Maxil?"
"Pretty cheap looking. 4/10"
See - he's not dead. Having a nice float in the Matrix instead. Looks relaxing, that.
Shouldn't the Doctor recognise Mr. Negative's voice? It's a different actor, sure, but same character.
Mr. Negative congratulates his co-conspirator.
Robin takes Tegan in the service passage.
The Doctor realises Mr. Negative is known to the Time-Lords. He's known to YOU, you clown!
Commander KFC has found that not only was the execution faked but Nyssa was right about there being a traitor, but the phantom pen-waver knows they're on to him...
As Tegan & Robin prepare to share a sleeping bag, there's the noise of machinery starting up, and Zombie Colin carries out a bit of maintenance for Omega's Amsterdam dungeon.
The Castellan interrogates Damon, who is less keen to share info with someone who's a possible suspect themselves, but Nyssa welcomes the news that the execution was faked and the Doctor's still alive.
The Castellan interrogates Damon, who is less keen to share info with someone who's a possible suspect themselves, but Nyssa welcomes the news that the execution was faked and the Doctor's still alive.
Clucking hell! Tegan and Robin get zapped by the Anti-Matter Chicken Zombie.
Mr. Negative has the Anti-Matter Chicken Zombie scan Tegan's mind and discovers she's a friend of Doctor Who. Knew it.
Mr. Negative thinks she could be useful. She isn't, mate.
Mr. Negative threatens Tegan to coerce cooperation from the Doctor, promising to return him to Gallifrey as long as he doesn't try to find him (Come again?).
He has a good long think about it before agreeing.
He has a good long think about it before agreeing.
"The next time we meet it will be on Gallifrey! Toodles!"
And the Doctor is back.
Tegan is rewarded with the return of her dopey cousin. Bit of a wooden spoon, there.
Colin faints at the sight of Tegan. Fair enough.
The Castellan knows the Doctor's alive, and genuinely believes it's the President who's the traitor.
It's to be hoped the Castellan never finds himself stitched up and having to undergo the mind probe, or anything like that.
The phantom pen-waver's finger wibbling is getting ridiculous. "What we are, we owe to you, your return is all that matters! I mean, anti-matters!"
Hedin is the pen-waving traitor!
The Castellan sounds the alarm - same sound FX as the Deadly Assassin. Gallifrey's continuity obssessed in more ways than one!
Hedin goes to see el prez and requests the matrix to be isolated and el Prez doesn't rumble he's the traitor till he pulls a gun.
The Doctor is *very* slow on the uptake; first Hedin has to confess before he clocks him, then Hedin has to out Omega as the real identity of Mr. Negative.
The Castellan tries to shoot the Doctor and traitorous Hedin sacrifices himself so Omega can live.
Omega controls the matrix!
He knows kung fu now.
Omega's plan is to reverse his polarity and celebrate by going on a massive bender in Amsterdam.
He huffs off when he learns of Hedin's death...
...so the Doctor puts on the glowy matrix crown to get back into the Matrix...
...where Tegan is able to drop some hints as to where Omega plans to leave the Arc of Infinity and break through to the matter universe.
If the Doctor & Nyssa are going to follow Omega to Earth the Time-Lords will need a way to distract Omega so that the TARDIS can get away: "A pulse loop, the very thing! Fetch it, Thalia!"
Nyssa is pleased to learn she'll be reunited with Tegan.
The Time Lords use the pulse loop to sort it for the Doctor & Nyssa to spend the weekend in the Arc of Infinity region of Amsterdam. Aye aye.
As usual for the range, the film footage is beautifully restored, vibrant and colourful. Remember how washed out it was on VHS?
Always fun to see the contents of the Doctor's pockets. No cash, of course.
The Doctor's Anti-Matter detector indicates that they don't have long left - probably about 20 minutes.
As the Doctor and Nyssa systematically check the hostels of Amsterdam...
...Omega starts to spew green gunk. Lovely.
The Doctor and Nyssa run around Amsterdam bowling over the locals and their shopping.
Tegan said to meet her behind the fountain! The Doctor's brought Nyssa so they can make it a party of three.
The Doctor tries to knacker the fusion booster, only to be attacked by Aunty anti-chicken.
Nyssa's got a right scream and a half on her when she feels the need.
Sweet, innocent, Nyssa mercilessly guns down the Ergon. "One of Omega's less successful attempts at a man in a chicken suit."
The Doctor warns Omega that his transference can't possibly be stable, and intends to use the Ergon's matter converter to send Omega back to the Anti-Matter universe. (Why didn't Omega just use a reverse version of this device anyway?)
Omega responds by threatening Tegan again...
...but sure enough the power blows.
Has Omega survived...?
Now Omega's doing his best Peter Davison impression. The voice is rubbish.
Omega takes off, leaving the Doctor to scrabble around for the Ergon's converter gun.
Omega's disguised himself in the traditional boiler suit worn by all dutch YMCA gardeners, or something.
Omega goes to watch the puppet show, hoping to see Patrick Troughton's box of delights.
Some little shit shoves in front of Omega, who bizarrely passes up the opportunity to give him a clip round the ear.
Davo, Sutters and the Fieldster leg it down by the canal.
They hear the screams of a dutch woman who's never seen Rice Krispies before and doesn't understand what they are.
I can see why these "New Romantic Green Rice Krispies" didn't take off.
Omega falls for the oldest trick in the book, smoked out by the Doctor's shouts.
When they catch up with him, Omega tries to force his explosion, hoping to make a hole the size of Belgium in Holland.
The Doctor, who never carries a gun, by shooting Omega. With a gun.
Omega is dead. "Unfortunate wretch. My hope is that he has found peace at last." "Nah, mate, he'll be back for Big Finish."
The ending is absolute comedy gold.
"So you're stuck with me!" says Tegan.
The Doctor's face clearly goes from :-) to :-(
It's bad editing really, they were surely meant to cut, then Davison just relaxes to a neutral face. Looks funny though.
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... Pyramids of Mars
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