Review: Doctor Who Classic: The Two Doctors (Revisited)

Doctors meet, for the last time in the Classic series.

See here for my initial look at this story.

Doctor Who - Season 22, Story Four - The Two Doctors
Written between 20th and 21st April 2012

Last time I reviewed this story, I hadn't seen Time-Flight, Warriors of the Deep or Terror of the Vervoids. That time, almost two years ago, I didn't really give The Two Doctors a fair hearing, and now I look back I can see it for the actually quite brilliant story that it is. Everything just fits - the villains are fun, the Sontarans are done right for a change, and despite a lot of filler, that in itself is just as entertaining. The Two Doctors is the entertainment hightlight of this season, and as a Robert Holmes story that's deserved.
     The filler is a big issue that the story only barely contains, as one can see from my very simplified version of events in my original review. The most egregious of these areas is in the third episode, in which the Androgums decide to turn the Doctor into one of them. Two and Shockeye go into the town and eat at a side-character's restaurant, which leads to a hunt around Seville to find the two before Two becomes a full Androgum. It's just not necessary, and you wouldn't have to cut corners to be able to shave The Two Doctors down the same number of 45 minute episodes. However, I wouldn't miss them for the world. It's rare in this era, but the filler developed the characters and actually were pretty entertaining - the way the diner scene flopped between the humour of the confused alien to the tragedy of Oscar Botcheby's death is brilliant, even though there's no reason for it to even be here.
     Speaking of such, the Sontarans don't really seem to have a point here, either - simply pawns hoping to benefit from Dastari and Chesenee's machinations. They're taller, better made and generally better written; writer Robert Holmes, their creator, was keen to improve upon their last appearance, the dreadful(ly funny) Invasion of Time. These Sontarans are classic villains, and it's a real shame when they're offed just before the aforementioned filler exercise. I don't know what they're doing here, but for whatever reason it's great to have one last story done right this time.

The Two-As-An-Androgum plotline is a little odd to say
the least.

     Despite how small Two's role inevitably is, Patrick Troughton's passion for the role shines through and even as a faux-Androgum his appearances are the highlights of the serial. This is the first time where a Doctor really gets to share the limelight equally, and unlike every other multi-Doctor story, Two is perfectly represented without caricature. Not a recorder in sight. Jamie is the same; Frazer Hines really hasn't lost it in the 20 years since he began in Who, and together the two make this multi-doctor special much better from a character perspective than any before or since.
     Robert Holmes' script may be a little baggy, and push through a few overt themes, but every moment of the script is fun to witness. It's a joy to see Pat again, and he arrives at a time where Six and Peri are really beginning to work together well. Add that to enjoyably hammy villains, a beautiful Seville setting and you've got the recipe for some fun, memorable Doctor Who. The Two Doctors has its issues, but I love its little socks off.

Thanks.

NEXT TIME: I try not to fall into the Timelash. On Fridays, I'll also be finishing off my reviews of Season 21, bringing my examination of Saward to an end, starting with The Awakening.