Its been nearly a year since we had a Fifth Doctor/Peri/Erimem story. But in the year that Doctor Who returns to TV after a way too long absence, there seems to be a need to inform new Who fans what Doctor Who was like before shiny special effects and Northern actors became the Doctor. Three’s A Crowd is written by Colin Brake that sees a former companion guest star. Debroah Watling played Victoria Waterfield between 1967 and 1968. The first thing that struck me about this story is how grim it seems compared to most Fifth Doctor stories. It about the residents on a colony that are effectively prisoners. The colony is being run by Auntie (Watling) who pretends that she is the friend of the colonists but really wouldn’t give two hoots about their welfare. Watling is great in the role and gives an almost love to hate spin to it. For long term fans like myself its just great to have her back in Doctor Who in any role but for new fans I think even they would like her and the way her voice sounds on radio is a big plus point.
The way that Auntie is portrayed is typically one sided. She is a leader who is more of a dicatator than a leader but then halfway through the story she is shown as someone who’s leadership is actually under attack from the Khellian. The other characters in this story were quite likeable. I particularly found Vidler (Richard Unwin) to be interesting. He was a conspiracy theorist who is the sort of person that you rarely get to witness in modern storytelling. I also liked how his character was totally opposite to Bellip (Lucy Beresford) who is quite a weak character. I do have one gripe and that’s with Butler (Charles Pemberton). No fault to the actor I just think that we’ve moved on in the Sci-Fi storytelling to have robots with hilarious lines.
All of the main cast performed very well. In particular Morris who I thought at one stage was going to leave the show. Thankfully she stayed. I think that this is the best combination for the Fifth Doctor because Peri and Erimem’s relationship is different to any other. Davison puts in another great performance. I thought he did really well in The Game but he has made it two in a row. Nicola Bryant shouldn’t be forgotten. I don’t recall the last time anyone spoke to Peri the way she was spoken to in this story. Bryant sold it really well. Three’s A Crowd isn’t the greatest story that the Fifth Doctor has had. It’s a good start for Colin Brake but ultimately there is nothing that seems original in this story and it’s a run of the mill adventure. Good characters and a good pace can’t help lift this story above the middle of the road feel that Three’s A Crowd has.
The way that Auntie is portrayed is typically one sided. She is a leader who is more of a dicatator than a leader but then halfway through the story she is shown as someone who’s leadership is actually under attack from the Khellian. The other characters in this story were quite likeable. I particularly found Vidler (Richard Unwin) to be interesting. He was a conspiracy theorist who is the sort of person that you rarely get to witness in modern storytelling. I also liked how his character was totally opposite to Bellip (Lucy Beresford) who is quite a weak character. I do have one gripe and that’s with Butler (Charles Pemberton). No fault to the actor I just think that we’ve moved on in the Sci-Fi storytelling to have robots with hilarious lines.
All of the main cast performed very well. In particular Morris who I thought at one stage was going to leave the show. Thankfully she stayed. I think that this is the best combination for the Fifth Doctor because Peri and Erimem’s relationship is different to any other. Davison puts in another great performance. I thought he did really well in The Game but he has made it two in a row. Nicola Bryant shouldn’t be forgotten. I don’t recall the last time anyone spoke to Peri the way she was spoken to in this story. Bryant sold it really well. Three’s A Crowd isn’t the greatest story that the Fifth Doctor has had. It’s a good start for Colin Brake but ultimately there is nothing that seems original in this story and it’s a run of the mill adventure. Good characters and a good pace can’t help lift this story above the middle of the road feel that Three’s A Crowd has.
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