Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma

Colin Baker began his tenure with this story which went against tradition by coming straight after the superb Caves of Androzani (usually you had to wait until the next season to see the new doctor!) As such it seems rushed and it had a very tall act to follow.

The idea for the character that the doctor would adopt would go on to put off many long term fans of the program and I can understand this. Colin can't be blamed for this as the decision was forced on him by producers and writers.

As for the story, it is quite ambitious and the acting was the usual hammy style but the production values and limited budget again rob the story of any chance of being outstanding. The Doctor's bizarre behaviour is also confusing to anyone other than long time viewers and there seemed little attempt made to make his character likeable.

In short, a difficult story to like because of the way it was made and the character attributes placed on the Doctor. If it had been held back until the next season and a little more time put into it it could have been so much better. They might also have re-thought the way the Doctor was going to act.

The Cons : Truly awful. If you had to sit through this for two viewings you would give up on Doctor Who altogether. I did at the time, with the even worse Timelash. The acting of the two twins in this story is beyond cringeworthy and Colin Baker really isn't much better. Edwin Richfield (Captain Hart in The Sea Devils) is lucky enough to be hidden under a grotty monster costume and poor Maurice Denham shuffles off his mortal coil shortly after this story. Dire is a word that doesn't describe it well enough.

The Pros : It's the documentaries in the Special Features that make these Dr Who discs worth viewing. The cast and crew themselves know what rubbish they were making, and they get the opportunity to explain things we as viewers weren't party to at the time. They all know this is an awful story, and that it was to set the trend for a new Doctor, and in hindsight they all see where this was heading.

Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani). Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani). Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani). Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani). Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani). Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani). Dire. Dreadful. Dr Who at its worse (bar Paradise Towers and Time & The Rani).

hard to believe but it was transmitted a week after the superb caves of Androzani.

Although it looks like mostly Colin Baker's fault, he was only trying to do something different with the role. However, Many of the doctors mood swings make him totally unlikable as a lead and almost ruin the identity of the character.

The plot is totally nonsensical and the acting across the board is dreadful, the special effects and weird, nativity play stiffness to the action sequences are also toecurlingly bad. Absolutely nothing saves this espisode. It has no redeeming features whatsoever, I would only recomend this to someone genuinly interested in the history of the programme, warts and all. I only watched it as part of my mission to see all the doctor who episodes that are available.

Considering the classics that aren't, it's a true shame that this one is.