Tuesday 6 August 2013

Landmarks No.23


The Invisible Enemy.
The Graham Williams era might begin with the previous story - Horror of Fang Rock - but for me that adventure always feels more at home in the Hinchcliffe period.
This story moves the series towards more space-set, hard scfi-fi areas. For a science fiction series, Doctor Who has rarely ventured into Space Opera. Up to this point there had only really been The Space Pirates and Frontier in Space.
From here on in, the influence of Star Wars makes itself felt. There are probably more spaceships in the Williams era than any other period of the classic series. At least that's how it feels. And all this despite massive cuts in budgets due to spiralling inflation.
Williams was tasked with toning down the violence and horror, but this has not worked through yet. There are quite a few shootings and knife deaths on view.
Of course, The Invisible Enemy is chiefly remembered for the introduction of that dog-shaped computer K9.
Love him or loathe him, he proved very popular with younger viewers, and remained a part of the series up to the ending of the Sarah Jane Adventures. It is a regenerated version of this one - Mark 1 - which is (over)due to get a second spin-off series.

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