The Claws of Axos
The story starts off drearily enough. Something is observed by some UNIT officers heading towards Earth who assume it’s a meteorite. But then it changes course… Shock, horror, it’s a spaceship (how can they be that surprised, they’re in UNIT for heaven’s sake). Anyway, the thing lands, tries to make peace with the Earthlings by offering them unlimited energy, unlimited food and a massive frog. Or something.
The Master has been captured by said aliens. And so, he makes a deal with them to invade the Earth. Shocker. So, for the third time in as many stories the silly arse has made a bargain with a group of aliens almost certain to stab him in the back.
The story makes good use of human greed and makes it utterly plain that the British are bastards who’d let every other country in the world starve as long as we’re alright…
The aliens turn out to be one single entity, which is a very nice idea. It isn’t really explored in great detail but the thing is basically a space parasite floating around and eating planets.
The Master gets a few good lines – there are some actual laugh out loud moments in this and they’re mostly down to him and are perfectly delivered. Again, Delgado is stunning and he bounces well off both the Doctor and The Brigadier.
The story has a great ending – the Doctor’s plan, which involves some nice double crossing, is very good. What makes it better is that with this Doctor you almost believe it’s possible – he’s tried to get off Earth several times and Pertwee is actually quite believable as a swine.
The special effects aren’t great but then I don’t care much about those as long as the plot is good and this one really rather is. It doesn’t reach the highs of some of the greatest Doctor Who storylines but it definitely earns an 8/10, for the last episode alone.
The story starts off drearily enough. Something is observed by some UNIT officers heading towards Earth who assume it’s a meteorite. But then it changes course… Shock, horror, it’s a spaceship (how can they be that surprised, they’re in UNIT for heaven’s sake). Anyway, the thing lands, tries to make peace with the Earthlings by offering them unlimited energy, unlimited food and a massive frog. Or something.
The Master has been captured by said aliens. And so, he makes a deal with them to invade the Earth. Shocker. So, for the third time in as many stories the silly arse has made a bargain with a group of aliens almost certain to stab him in the back.
The story makes good use of human greed and makes it utterly plain that the British are bastards who’d let every other country in the world starve as long as we’re alright…
The aliens turn out to be one single entity, which is a very nice idea. It isn’t really explored in great detail but the thing is basically a space parasite floating around and eating planets.
The Master gets a few good lines – there are some actual laugh out loud moments in this and they’re mostly down to him and are perfectly delivered. Again, Delgado is stunning and he bounces well off both the Doctor and The Brigadier.
The story has a great ending – the Doctor’s plan, which involves some nice double crossing, is very good. What makes it better is that with this Doctor you almost believe it’s possible – he’s tried to get off Earth several times and Pertwee is actually quite believable as a swine.
The special effects aren’t great but then I don’t care much about those as long as the plot is good and this one really rather is. It doesn’t reach the highs of some of the greatest Doctor Who storylines but it definitely earns an 8/10, for the last episode alone.