Further Into The Vortex: Specials Scores Please!!!

[Phillip Culley]

Firstly, I really enjoy Season 24 - probably my favourite of all the McCoy seasons

Time and the Rani 7/10 Given the situation the production team was in, with no script editor, not doctor and precious little else, we're lucky to get what we did! The story's not great, but it's certainly not the worst in this season.

Paradise Towers 8/10 Yes, there are several bad bits (Briers overacting, for one), but despite that, another enjoyable one. The story is a good idea, however maybe a little lacking in execution.

Delta and the Bannermen 9/10 This one is just fun - I love it. And Ray would have made a much better companion than Ace did

Dragonfire 7/10 Although this is touted as the season's best, I find it to be its worst story. I'm not sure why - there's nothing wrong with it, however it just doesn't grasp me.

[Martin Penny]

Time and the Rani 5/10: I would enjoy it a lot more if McCoy wasn't so awful all the way through, in fairness to him, its the scripts fault he had to act the clown for the most part of the story. Mel annoys me even more than she did last season as well, especially her screams. On the plus side, it looks amazing, it's nice to see the Rani again, and the Tetraps are cool.

Paradise Towers 7/10: I enjoy this one, I actually think Richard Briers does very well in his role. McCoy is a lot better here than in the previous story, it helps that he's apart from Mel as well. On the downside, the Kangs are bloody annoying and the farcial elements could do with toning down.

Delta and the Bannermen 2/10: Possibly my least favourite story of all time, it does nothing for me, and it all looks quite tacky and unappealing. McCoy's good again, but not enough to save the story. Ken Dodd is one of the best things about it

Dragonfire 7/10: Nice to see Glitz back, and Kane makes for a good villain, the melting effects at the end of the story are superb as well. McCoy's very good in this one, despite his ridiculous cliff hanger moment. I don't like Ace at all here, but she's much better from next season onward.

[Larry]

Time And the Rani 0/10 - there are very few stories that make The Web Planet look like an absoloute classic but this is certainly one them it is simply abysmal and Mccoy is just painfully embarrassing to watch.

Paradise Towers - 0/10 - utter crap

Delta And the Bannermen - 0/10 - see above

Dragonfire - 3/10 - the only half dencent story in the season but still pretty woefull.


the old series had certainly hit rock bottom with season 24 and it's hard to believe just how awful and embarrassing it had become in the space of just a few years after watching the excelent Caves of Andrazanin .

[Paul Clement]

Time And the Rani 2/10
Such an inauspicious start for the McCoy era with too many pratfalls and pantoesque humour.
Paradise Towers 4/10
It's grown on me a bit with repeated viewings, and although there are some downright awful moments in it, there are also a couple of real gem mometns in there too.
Delta And the Bannermen 7/10
The Ken Dodd element is over so quickly that I'm never sure how people can really criticise the story because of it. It's nothing special, but it's a damn site better than what had gone before in the season.
Dragonfire 7/10
On transmission, I had a very overrated opinion of this story, based solely on the fact it felt more like true Doctor Who than any of the others in the season had. Time has made me realise that it's a pretty average story overall, and would almost feel like the clunker if it had been in a few other seasons. It's still probably the best of this season, but not by much.

[Dirk Gently]

If Paul had marked Dragonfire up one point he'd have got my marks for this season...but I've not been giving marks so just ignore me.




My god, what a waste of a post.

[Andrew Curnow]

Ah, good old season 24. I'm unashamed to say I'm a huge fan of (most of) it, and always have been. And to this day I've never actually read any cogent appraisal or review of "Time and the Rani" that backs-up its bad reputation. With some stories that I quite like ("The Twin Dilemma" and "Timelash" are the obvious examples) I can see, rationally, that there are poor performances, and bad production values, etc, etc, even though I enjoy the story - but with TATR I don't think it suffers any of those shortfalls. The plot is cogent, the visuals are tremendously good, and I don't think there are any dreadful performances either. So why, just tell me why, is it so bad? In 1987 it seemed to come under fire because, in a nutshell, middle-aged fans like Jeremy Bentham didn't like it - but that's not in itself a criticism is it, since I would dare to suggest that his generation weren't the main target audience. It just niggles me that, especially on the RT site for some reason, as soon as the story title gets mentioned, we get a stream of 'witty' posts about how awful it is. But it really, really isn't.

In fact, the only slight reappraisal of season 24 that has happened for me since 1987 is in the ranking of stories 2 & 3 - I liked them both way back then, but Delta more than PT. I would say that PT has grown on me, and Delta lost a little of its magic since then.

The only weak spot in the series is "Dragonfire" which is ironically one of the worst stories I've seen. From the appalling opening dialogue "You lucky, lucky people... army of mercenaries... spread terror", through a rather bizarre plot, it seems to lack on so many levels - Tony Selby seems to be running on half-power, the cliffhanger to part 1 is absurd, and McCoy is allowed to slip and slide around while nobody else does... Was there a director involved with this one at all? It's just stinky, and at the time was a very disappointing end to a really enjoyable series.

So, enough of my constant defense of the supposedly-indefensible, and on with the scores:

Time and the Rani 9/10
It's like sunshine after a rainstorm - fresh, exciting, colourful, new, invigorating. McCoy makes a striking and impressive debut, by turns the fool and the genius, and his moments of melancholy are gently done. The part 2 reunion of the Doctor and Mel is a classic moment, as it's deftly structured for each to disbelieve the identity of the other. Three memorable cliffhangers, some good old-fashioned monsters, and a real sense of something new being done to/with the show. I love it - and in fact it only loses a point for the rather 'cartoony' fate of the Rani, strung up with the Tetraps.

Paradise Towers 9/10
McCoy is already in control of the part, here being absolutely captivating in his "how you do" scenes with the Kangs, or in his various confrontations with the caretakers, or in (my personal favourite) his escape in episode 2. The dirty corridors give a real sense of place to the story, and the way that the plot gradually brings the various disparate factions together is actually very traditionally Who-y. And yes, I fall into the camp that likes Richard Briers' performance here. It just loses a point for the rather rushed climax with Pex and the dynamite.

Delta and the Bannermen 8/10
Again, fresh, fun, delightful... and then it takes you totally by surprise by blowing the bloody bus up. A real shock moment. Don Henderson is superb as Gavrok, and McCoy is again in top form in his confrontation at the end of part 2, or in his rather more wistful mode later on. (It isn't as tight a production as "Pyramids of Mars" but at least it's ending isn't a "solution out of the hat" affair.)

Dragonfire 2/10
Very little to recommend this one. The intellectual guard is rather fun, and the farewell to Mel is surprising but rather nice. Overall though, it's all pretty naff, and Sophie Aldred makes a poor first showing.

Oh and, for the record, I think Bonnie L is excellent throughout this series, and in her costume for the last story, dare I suggest even a little bit sexy!!

[SiHart]

and in her costume for the last story, dare I suggest even a little bit sexy!!

Oh my!
Personally I think she looked better in the Delta jeans and denim shirt combo myself.

With some stories that I quite like ("The Twin Dilemma" and "Timelash" are the obvious examples) I can see, rationally, that there are poor performances, and bad production values, etc, etc, even though I enjoy the story - but with TATR I don't think it suffers any of those shortfalls. The plot is cogent, the visuals are tremendously good, and I don't think there are any dreadful performances either. So why, just tell me why, is it so bad?

I couldn't agree more Andrew.The plot is cogent, if a little convoluted and I suppose the Rani having a great big brain in her cupboard is a little silly, but somehow it seems to work. I have a feeling that the fans wouldn't have liked whatever Doctor Who was made in 1987, no matter what it was, and so TATR gets a hard time simply because of the state of fandom at the time. I know it's not to everyone's tastes, but really it's better made than the majority of other stories that get a kicking. The pre-credits teaser is one of the best openings ever- the tumbling TARDIS is gorgeous and really, really well done.
I think they did the best they could they could under the circumstances (JNT suddenly having to produce a season with my script editor, no Doctor and very little time...)

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

I agree - that pre-credits sequence is a really well-paced few minutes, and I also like the first scene with the new Doctor (the "I'll smash it to pieces!!" bit) where we see him from the Tetraps POV. And in defence of Keff, the music is very rousing too.

[Pip Madeley]

Time And The Rani - 4/10
Paradise Towers - 3/10
Delta And The Bannermen - 6/10
Dragonfire - 3/10

Time And The Rani has many faults. The Doctor's regeneration is brought on by a bump to the head - daft. Why does the Rani want to manipulate time? Why does she need the Lakertyans? They're so bland/dull/badly written for that I couldn't really give a toss if they all died (Faroon's ok though). In terms of performance of the actor playing the Doctor, it's the pits. McCoy's first scene is embarrassing, falling about the Rani's laboratory, and the Doctor's constast misquotations tire the viewer very quickly... thank goodness the writing for the Doctor improved so much. Kate O'Mara's Rani has changed from a brilliant scientist into a female Master with a really crap convulted plan, wasting time pretending to be Mel. Which means poor Bonnie Langford is resigned to wandering around and scweaming - is this the character that was meant to be a computer programmer?! On the positive side, the effects/models are pretty good, the Tetraps are visually impressive and the new titles are cool (I've even warmed to the theme music in recent years). But as a story, Time And The Rani isn't classic Doctor Who, it's panto.

More thoughts on the rest of season 24 soon.

[Andrew Curnow]

The Doctor's regeneration is brought on by a bump to the head - daft. Why does the Rani want to manipulate time? Why does she need the Lakertyans? They're so bland/dull/badly written for that I couldn't really give a toss if they all died (Faroon's ok though). In terms of performance of the actor playing the Doctor, it's the pits. McCoy's first scene is embarrassing, falling about the Rani's laboratory, and the Doctor's constast misquotations tire the viewer very quickly... thank goodness the writing for the Doctor improved so much. Kate O'Mara's Rani has changed from a brilliant scientist into a female Master with a really crap convulted plan, wasting time pretending to be Mel. Which means poor Bonnie Langford is resigned to wandering around and scweaming - is this the character that was meant to be a computer programmer?!

Oh Pip, you're just not feeling the love for it are you.

Why does the Rani want to manipulate time - isn't there a scene in part 4 in which she expounds about her plans to reverse and reorganise the development of the universe (she references taking Earth back to the cretaceous age)? This also, incidentally, fits in very well with her being a scientist rather than a megalomaniac - she doesn't want to take over the universe, she wants to rewrite and rearrange it along different paths.

I'm not saying that the plan to dress up as Mel isn't a rather odd way to get the Doctor's co-operation, but within the logic of the story it makes sense - the Doctor is the only genius who can repair the machine after all.

Criticising a story because the companion is reduced to the role of a screamer? I would think that's half of SJS's stories in the bin then, and probably all of Jo Grant's. It may not be very acceptable to modern eyes, but it's hardly an aberrance in TATRani. Anyway, Mel doesn't just scream - she does when she thinks she's about to be blown up at the end of part 1, but she also spends a lot of time tracking down the Doctor, allying herself with the natives, and breaking into the Rani's HQ.

And, the bump on the head... What was the alternative, given that the story has to start with a regenerating Doctor? There's a limit to how dramatic you can be, at the start of a story.

And finally, the Lakertyans... Donald Pickering is rather unemotional as Beyus, I agree (although arguably that's the characterisation not the performance) but I would say that Faroon in particular really does engage the audience. Am I the only one who finds her discovery of Sarn's skeleton to be a very affecting moment?

And finally, finally... No, sorry, I can't see it, where is McCoy putting in this dreadful performance. OK, the pratfall early in part 1 isn't too good, but other than that? He's, to me anyway, tremendously watchable - the sequence where he's following the path of the Rani's machine, or where he bids Mel "go and listen", or "Doesn't bode well for my seventh persona" or... Ah, why bother. It's very easy to say "it's a rubbish performance" but I don't see that, not at all.

IMHO, naturally!!

[Matthew T]

This was the first season I watch on the telly as a fan - aged 7 - and I loved it at the time, especially Paradise Towers, which me and my brother must have rewatched on video 50 times. HOWEVER, these stories have not stood the test of time, in the same way as when I watch an episode of something like Ulysses 31 or He-Man, both of which I loved as a kid, but think are utter shit now.

So:

Time and the Rani 3/10
Paradise Towers 4/10
Delta and the Bannermen 4/10
Dragonfire 3/10

[SiHart]

But as a story, Time And The Rani isn't classic Doctor Who, it's panto.

Well there is that bit where the Doctor gets away from the Rani by pointing behind her...

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

she doesn't want to take over the universe, she wants to rewrite and rearrange it along different paths.

So why does she need to build a Time Manipulator then? The Meddling Monk had exactly the same plan and he just used his TARDIS... sorry, it's just my opinion that it's poorly thought out.

Criticising a story because the companion is reduced to the role of a screamer? I would think that's half of SJS's stories in the bin then, and probably all of Jo Grant's.

Jo Grant wasn't meant to be a highly intelligent woman, though. Mel's character was full of potential and promise, sadly it never got properly fulfilled on screen. When Bonnie isn't screaming, she's a great actress.

And, the bump on the head... What was the alternative, given that the story has to start with a regenerating Doctor? There's a limit to how dramatic you can be, at the start of a story.

The Doctor's regenerations are meant to be rare, special events - I know it wasn't really possible to make it so this time round, but it's presented in rather a matter of fact way that it's ultimately a huge disappointment.

Faroon in particular really does engage the audience. Am I the only one who finds her discovery of Sarn's skeleton to be a very affecting moment?

It's a good moment, but for me it's the exception in this story.

And finally, finally... No, sorry, I can't see it, where is McCoy putting in this dreadful performance. OK, the pratfall early in part 1 isn't too good, but other than that?

I know it's a regeneration story, but I just don't like the silliness because the Doctor comes across as a fool during the comedy bits (Tennant's got the same problem at times). Mel wrestling with the Doctor on their first meeting? No thanks. But there are some good moments, and as I said, Sylvester's peformances improve greatly during his run.

IMHO, naturally!!

Of course, and you're perfectly right to defend your opinion

[Andrew Curnow]

So anyway, this plan to flush out the TARDIS...

[Carol Baynes]

I'm three episodes through "Time and the Rani".

I'd never thought I'd say this, but I quite like it! I'm might have to eat my words with season 24 yet!

I'm really liking Bonnie Langford too! I think, in 1987, I wanted Who to be just like it was when I was a child (Hinchcliffe, Williams, etc) and resented the new direction. I'm not saying it's great, but it's better than I remember (and bear in mind I haven't seen any of S24 since '87)

[Milky Tears]

Time And the Rani - 3.5/10 (34%)
Paradise Towers - 5/10 (50%)
Delta And the Bannermen - 5.5/10 (54%)
Dragonfire - 5.5/10 (56%)

I was mainly watching Corrie at the time.

[Rob McCow]

Time and the Rani 9/10
More fun than being tongued by a Tetrap. Or deep-throated by Kate O' Mara. Glity, ritzy, with pizzazz and razzamatazz, it's a bonkers classic. And it makes far more sense than Terror of The Vervoids. It's got great costumes, lovely model work, good acting (oh yes!) and feels as fresh as a nice shower....
A shower of glitter at the best roller-disco in the world.
Although sadly, some would argue that the benevolent climate induces indolence in the population.

Paradise Towers 10/10
The robots are cool. Nuff said.

Delta and the Bannermen 7/10
I've only seen episode 1, but it looks pretty good. I'll go for a safe 7. At the time, it was the first episode of Doctor Who I ever sat down to watch and I found it damn exciting!

Dragonfire 8/10
Ah, Soapy Aldred. So wicked. So ace. So utterly sickening in this story. I reckon that Bonnie is giving her acting tips, because their performances are oddly similar in a way that works for Bonnie but makes Soapy look a bit rubbish. She got better though.
Most of the reason why Dragonfire is good though is Kane. He's a proper boo-hiss villain, but with slightly more depth than usual. In a way he's very sympathetic. It's also the only time where the Doctor has so blatantly talked a bad guy into committing suicide. Except for Rememberance of The Daleks. And Curse of Fenric (the Ancient Haemovore). Honsetly, the Doctor would make a rubbish Samaritan.
And the Dragon looks really cool. Nuff said.

[Andrew Curnow]

the Doctor would make a rubbish Samaritan

[Wayne]

Paradise Towers 10/10
The robots are cool. Nuff said.

Do you really love it that much? Or are you just trying to compensate for all it's poor marks?

[Andrew Curnow]

Well, it is ice hot.

[Stuart Wallis]

Time and the Rani 5

I've warmed to this story a bit over the years, but not much. Keff McCulloch is the main complaint - music as subtle as a kick in the betties from a horse. A reasonable story, but no more than that, and thankfully the fractured phrases went west.

Paradise Towers 5

An excellent idea swamped by the execution. More helpings of McCulloch, panto performances, "futuristic" robots looking old-fashioned even then, costumes almost designed for laughs, and innapropriately bright lighting.

Delta and the Bannermen 7

Great dollops of fun. What more can I say?

Dragonfire 3

And that's for the melting face. Dull running around unconvincing corridors abounds. Belazh is a better villain than Kane, I thought he was overrated. Glitz was relegated to a sub-Arthur Daley con artist, albeit with a nasty streak. The other guest characters were pretty unmemorable. Least said about that cliffhanger...

[Ralph]

Paradise Towers 1/10
Time and the Rani 1/10
Delta and the Bannerman 0/10
Dragonfire 1/10

Digital scoring

[Rob McCow]

Do you really love it that much? Or are you just trying to compensate for all it's poor marks?

Didn't you read my cogent and convincing argument? Cool Robots.

[Antony Cox]

Time and the Rani 8/10
Its no universal fan classic, but I cant help but like this story! In fact theres not much I dont like about it even Keffs music seems to suit it very well! I know Im in a minority but I always rather liked the character of Mel. Shes so annoyingly goody-goody that it actually makes me like her, and Ive always though that Bonnie played her absolutely perfectly! I also love the Ranis pseudo-Mel, too its such an OTT send-up and always makes me chuckle! Any of Sylvs usual failings somehow dont seem out of place in this story; you can sort of accept it as hes in his post-regenerative state its just a shame he stayed like that for the rest of his tenure!

Paradise Towers 3/10
Havent seen this for ages, probably because I have no urge to watch it again! Pretty dire in every respect, and I think perhaps it fails miserably in trying to be too serious in a way that TATR never did.

Delta and the Bannermen 5/10
I havent seen this for years either, but it doesnt stick in my mind as being as bad as PT so Ive given it a better score. Its still not one of my faves, though maybe I should give it another viewing?

Dragonfire 7/10
In some ways the best story of the season even though I rate TATR higher. Two things spoil it for me the ridiculous cliffhanger cliffhanger and Ace. She got a lot better over the following two seasons but here shes just cringeworthy!

[Carol Baynes]

Ok! For only the second time in nearly 20 years...

Time and the Rani

Really didn't approve of this in 1987, and thought it was a bit embarassing. Nearly 20 years later and I can safely report that....I loved it! Am I mad? Have I lost any sense of taste...or perhaps I have more humour than I had at 14? So it's enjoyable, but it's still a bit of a embrassment. Pip and Jane Baker were cheese meisters supreme, but with this, their descent into stinking cheddar campness actually pays off. The script isn't great by any means,and the accompanying music usually sounds like someone keeps sitting on a synthesiser by accident, but there's lots to recommend in my opinion...but worst things first.
Like I said, it's a bit too silly in places. Sylvester is occassionally too slapstick early on and it's not a story I'd watch very often because of it, but it entertained me from start to finish. The regeneration was poor, but I can overlook that in favour of the stong points. The whole serial looks like it had more budget than some seasons have for the full run- great sets, good location work, brilliant CGI (in 1987!!!) and all on a BBC pay packet. The bubble traps look amazing!!! Kate O'Mara looks like she's having the time of her life, the guest cast do really well considering the cheesy lines they get and Bonnie is fabulous. Love her! Dammit, I want to be her! I can imagine it, you know...although the pink clothes would have to go! The Tetraps impressed me too, far more than I remember from the first time.
All in all, it's a loud day glo sci-fi panto, but it's entertaining! No WAY is it a classic, but it's fun, and a solid start for Sylvester. 6 out of 10 from me (and there's no one more surprised than me!)

Time and the Rani....proof that the first time usually hurts but by the second time I can't get enough!

Next up for me to watch..."Paradise towers". Don't expect another 6 out of 10!