So we’re back in space--literally, as the crew ends up in a spaceship. The two crew members appear dead (and one of them is played by Ilona Rodgers, who looks discomfortingly like Amy Schumer!), but are only in a suspended state. Maitland (Lorne Cossette), who seems to be in charge, explains that they are trapped in this space sector by the Sensorites, denizens of the Sense Sphere*. If they try to leave the sector, they are mentally and aurally assaulted--but they’re not harmed; in fact, the aliens provide them with food and supplies! There’s also the matter of John (Stephen Dartnell), who somehow was affected by the Sensorites and has been locked away in a section of the ship--a section Barbara and Susan just happened to wander off in....This is our first Mystery Ship episode, a kind of episode that shows up with some regularity, particularly during Tom Baker’s tenure (Hell, about half of his first season revolved around a Mystery Ship!). It’s concerned primarily with the Doctor and his companions wandering around an abandoned or near-abandoned spaceship (or high-tech mining machine, or ocean liner, or zepplin....any sufficiently large traveling device will do) wondering what is going on until the monster of the serial pops up for the last shot. Now, there’s a little more here in this particular half-hour, as our crew actually has people to talk to about the situation, but the framework is there. It may not be exactly exciting, but it’s there.
The acting...well, the guest cast isn’t very good and that inhibits the episode. I have the sneaky suspicion that Cossette in particular is ‘adjusting’ his acting to the kid’s show he’s on, which annoyed me something fierce. There is a very interesting interaction where Barbara manages to calm down and communicate with John which makes me even more convinced that she’s the most interesting of the original companions...something I did not expect from this watch. Susan doesn’t do her crying jags too much, and there’s some nice moments between Ian and the Doctor that continue to redefine that relationship--one where the Doctor proclaims he’s not interested in getting involved, becomes indignant at Ian’s reaction then proceeds to get involved is actually glorious.
Writer Peter Newman does set up the hook for this story fairly effectively, The reason I suspect I’m not as enthusiastic about this one as I feel I should be is partially because of the acting and partially because the Mystery Ship framework gets tweaked and improved upon throughout the years, and I’ve seen the later examples first (wait until we get to ‘The Ark In Space,’ my friends). I also admit that when we get the final shot reveal it’s....a tiny bit underwhelming. Still, as first episodes of a serial go, this is pretty decent. I don’t have the overwhelming enthusiasm to continue that I had with ‘The Aztecs,’ but I’m still intrigued.
*--they’re cousin to the Ood, as Russell T. Davies mentioned during the introduction of those guys, ‘The Impossible Planet’ to justify their similarity to our alien dujour...and then never mentioned again.
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