Story #7: Terror of the Vervoids

[victorylime]

Writers: Pip & Jane Baker
Script Editor: Eric Saward
Director: Chris Clough
Serial Number: 143c
Number of Episodes: 4
Year/Season: 1986/Season 23
The Doctor: 6th (Colin Baker)
The Companions: Mel (Bonnie Langford)
Synopsis: The Doctor and Mel arrive on the Hyperion III in 2986 just in time to attempt to figure out the cause of the murders that seem

Comments

The Tardis gets mired in the 80s

[leorningcniht]

I actually enjoyed Terror of the Vervoids, despite the loud and clamouring entry into the 80s that it marks for the series. Mel's aerobics-mania, the goofy music, and even the "wah-wah" when the Doctor groans about his carrot juice were a little grimace-inducing while watching through these episodes, but that grimace was immediately followed by a smile.

Especially because this episode was made in 1986 amidst some difficult times for the show, I think that it's completely aware of its own 80's-ness, rather than just jumping on the band-wagon in an attempt to be popular. After all, this wasn't the first time that the show had faced hardships (see the Davison era), and so I think that it's possible that the show went to the extremes presented in this episode as a way to just go over the top with it. The slow pan and zoom in on a table with the book Murder on the Orient Express, in the second episode, I think, also demonstrates this self-aware approach. But does this approach work? I think so - the familiar story means that certain

[wisdomchyck]

I'm not quite sure what to say about this serial... I mean, knowing that it was made in 1986 is GLARINGLY obvious given all the 80s culture strewn throughout. Mel is the very embodiment of the 80s, from the pants that come up above her navel to the poofy hair-do to the "workout" that she did to futuristic 80s exercise music (omg that was hilarious

[wisdomchyck]

(Continued