It's interesting how Adric was a generally unpopular character who got the mother of all killings-off, which was particularly poignant as it perfectly suited his character - mathematical, badly-judged yet well-meaning. I actually used to find his need for a father-type figure and tendency to be manipulated generating some interesting conflict. Nyssa was very good, it's a shame she tended to get overshadowed as she was by a distance the most 'typical' Old Who companion of the Davison era, whilst Ainley's Master was for a lot of the time more like Dick Dastardly. Can't agree on the Twice Upon A Time characterisation of the Hartnell Doctor, though, the Hurndall one for me was much better and less 'political'. I do find in the 5th Doctor's reign that there are a few stories, such as Fourth To Doomsday and even Terminus, that are driven by the Doctor/Companion conflict: no wonder no-one seemed to be having fun in the TARDIS these days! And I think that Earthshock's ending is one of Dr Who's best-directed, whilst Caves, for the reasons you've given, is the show's finest moment.
Castrovalva: OK Four to Doomsday: Bad Kinda: Bad The Visitation: Great Black Orchid: Good Earthshock: Absolute Classic! Time-Flight: Bad Ark of Infinity: OK Snakedance: Terrible Mawdryn Undead: OK Terminus: Terrible Enlightenment: Great The King's Demons: Bad The Five Doctors: OK Warriors of the Deep: OK The Awakening: Bad Frontios: Terrible Resurrection of the Daleks: OK Planet of Fire: Great The Caves of Androzani: Absolute Classic!
The King's Demons is a poor attempt to make another Time-Meddler story. But instead of the Master, they should really have used the Meddling Monk, leave out Kameleon and made the goal a bit less ambitious. Everything that made The Time Meddler strong and an absolute classic is really poor here.
It's interesting how Adric was a generally unpopular character who got the mother of all killings-off, which was particularly poignant as it perfectly suited his character - mathematical, badly-judged yet well-meaning. I actually used to find his need for a father-type figure and tendency to be manipulated generating some interesting conflict.
Nyssa was very good, it's a shame she tended to get overshadowed as she was by a distance the most 'typical' Old Who companion of the Davison era, whilst Ainley's Master was for a lot of the time more like Dick Dastardly. Can't agree on the Twice Upon A Time characterisation of the Hartnell Doctor, though, the Hurndall one for me was much better and less 'political'.
I do find in the 5th Doctor's reign that there are a few stories, such as Fourth To Doomsday and even Terminus, that are driven by the Doctor/Companion conflict: no wonder no-one seemed to be having fun in the TARDIS these days! And I think that Earthshock's ending is one of Dr Who's best-directed, whilst Caves, for the reasons you've given, is the show's finest moment.
Castrovalva: OK
Four to Doomsday: Bad
Kinda: Bad
The Visitation: Great
Black Orchid: Good
Earthshock: Absolute Classic!
Time-Flight: Bad
Ark of Infinity: OK
Snakedance: Terrible
Mawdryn Undead: OK
Terminus: Terrible
Enlightenment: Great
The King's Demons: Bad
The Five Doctors: OK
Warriors of the Deep: OK
The Awakening: Bad
Frontios: Terrible
Resurrection of the Daleks: OK
Planet of Fire: Great
The Caves of Androzani: Absolute Classic!
The King's Demons is a poor attempt to make another Time-Meddler story. But instead of the Master, they should really have used the Meddling Monk, leave out Kameleon and made the goal a bit less ambitious. Everything that made The Time Meddler strong and an absolute classic is really poor here.