The Time Warrior is the first story to featured Sarah Jane Smith. The Sarah Jane Smith we meet in this story is very different from who we see leave in The Hand of Fear. The story sees the introduction of the Sontarans. The story also makes history by giving a name to the Doctor’s planet – Gallifrey. We meet just one lone Sontaran called Linx who has crashed in Medieval Earth. Linx has kidnapped scientists to help him repair his ship. Written by Robert Holmes this story mixes history with a bit of science. Apparently Holmes didn’t like doing historical stories but was forced to do by Terrance Dicks. To be honest, he does quite a good job with his back against the wall. The Sontarans are a very good design and it’s the best version of the creature that we ever see. Not just in terms of the outfit it wears but for the mask, its seems much more natural than what we get in future stories with perhaps exception of the new series version. Kevin Lindsay is very good as Linx and is the best actor to play a Sontaran. It’s one of the reasons why The Sontaran Experiment (1975) is so good.
There is a moment where Sarah believes that the Doctor is helping Irongron and works against him. Thankfully it doesn’t last for long but there is an underlying tension between them more to do with the feminism side to the Sarah Jane character. The story manages to mix two stories together, as well as the Doctor trying to prevent Linx from his plans and then there is between Irongron and Edward of Wessex. This is a simple story but made all the more interesting by the characters and the superb acting. In particular David Daker as Irongron, the character was just the right side of being an effective bad guy. I also found the performance of June Brown to be funny. Knowing that she would soon find even bigger fame from her time in Eastenders, her role is small yet interesting. I enjoyed every single second that Professor Rubeish was on screen.
In his final season as the Doctor, Jon Pertwee gives a performance which doesn’t show that he’s lost interest in the role or show. It’s quite sad watching the opening part with the Brigadier because it’s a sign that this era of the show is coming to an end. Anyone who replaces Katy Manning would have difficult shoes to fill but Elisabeth Sladen fills them brilliantly. It’s why she is still popular and still going strong nearly 40 years after her debut. Elisabeth Sladen is completely different from Katy Manning and in a good way. It’s just a shame that she loses the edge towards the end of her time on the show.
If there is an issue with this story then it’s with the cliffhangers. Apart from episode one, none of the cliffhangers are any good. They seemed rushed and ill thought of. It’s a shame but when watching them on DVD they spoil the enjoyment slightly. Also the vent on the back of the Sontarans is a rubbish feature on a creature. It might as well have a massive sticker on it telling people about it. Apart from these two issues, the story is pretty good.
This story comes with CGI effects on the DVD which help improve it a great deal. Normally the CGI effects are good but there is one effect in particular that ruins the spectacle. It’s the moment where the castle blows up, to be honest it’s just as bad as the explosion it replaces. The Time Warrior is a reasonable story. It does a good job in introducing Sarah Jane Smith and also the Sontarans. Robert Holmes stories are held in high esteem by Doctor Who fans and whilst this isn’t his finest it is still an enjoyable four part adventure that sets of the Third Doctor/Sarah Jane era off well. Know, off to fight terrible looking Dinosaurs on the streets of London.
There is a moment where Sarah believes that the Doctor is helping Irongron and works against him. Thankfully it doesn’t last for long but there is an underlying tension between them more to do with the feminism side to the Sarah Jane character. The story manages to mix two stories together, as well as the Doctor trying to prevent Linx from his plans and then there is between Irongron and Edward of Wessex. This is a simple story but made all the more interesting by the characters and the superb acting. In particular David Daker as Irongron, the character was just the right side of being an effective bad guy. I also found the performance of June Brown to be funny. Knowing that she would soon find even bigger fame from her time in Eastenders, her role is small yet interesting. I enjoyed every single second that Professor Rubeish was on screen.
In his final season as the Doctor, Jon Pertwee gives a performance which doesn’t show that he’s lost interest in the role or show. It’s quite sad watching the opening part with the Brigadier because it’s a sign that this era of the show is coming to an end. Anyone who replaces Katy Manning would have difficult shoes to fill but Elisabeth Sladen fills them brilliantly. It’s why she is still popular and still going strong nearly 40 years after her debut. Elisabeth Sladen is completely different from Katy Manning and in a good way. It’s just a shame that she loses the edge towards the end of her time on the show.
If there is an issue with this story then it’s with the cliffhangers. Apart from episode one, none of the cliffhangers are any good. They seemed rushed and ill thought of. It’s a shame but when watching them on DVD they spoil the enjoyment slightly. Also the vent on the back of the Sontarans is a rubbish feature on a creature. It might as well have a massive sticker on it telling people about it. Apart from these two issues, the story is pretty good.
This story comes with CGI effects on the DVD which help improve it a great deal. Normally the CGI effects are good but there is one effect in particular that ruins the spectacle. It’s the moment where the castle blows up, to be honest it’s just as bad as the explosion it replaces. The Time Warrior is a reasonable story. It does a good job in introducing Sarah Jane Smith and also the Sontarans. Robert Holmes stories are held in high esteem by Doctor Who fans and whilst this isn’t his finest it is still an enjoyable four part adventure that sets of the Third Doctor/Sarah Jane era off well. Know, off to fight terrible looking Dinosaurs on the streets of London.
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