The Macra Terror is a story written by Ian Stuart Black who had previously written the slightly dull ‘The Savages’. At this point in the show’s history it’s still under a period of instability. At times I am still thinking about William Hartnell and pining for him to return and fluff the odd line. That said it must have been worst for people watching in 1967. It’s still a period of adjustment for Frazer Hines who is still finding his feet and has to play second fiddle to Ben and Polly. The Macra would of course make a cameo appearance in Gridlock some 41 years so for a lot of people this would be the most that we would ever see after the 1967 episodes were wiped. The setting is a curious one because it seems that it’s a restricted environment with a sort of Butlins. We have a slightly dodgy happy chirpy tune that plays a lot especially at the beginning.
The problem with this story apart from the uneasy feeling of the production and the personnel is that the story is fairly lacking in anything of dramatic interest. Ok there is a Macra that seems to be lurking in the background as you would expect but apart from that there is very little to speak of. I think had I a visual copy of the story then it would be a much better story. Though I think that the Macra isn’t particularly impressive. I think that it’s a major fault considering the story has Macra in the title. What I will say the audio has in its favour is that the cliffhangers are quite good. I did quite like them though that might have something to do with the narration which was constantly impressive.
The regulars are all not on fine form. Troughton is still not being given a script that benefits his acting talents but still manages to get something out of the story. Michael Craze and Anneke Wills are on quite good form and in their penultimate adventure it’s a shame that Anneke Wills reverts back to screaming way too much. Some of the supporting cast are interesting but with them being on audio they do all tend to blend into one. Peter Jeffrey is the best of the rest as the Pilot.
The Macra Terror isnt the worst story ever however neither is it the best and I think that there are things that do work in this story but ultimatley in the annals of Doctor Who history it doesn’t quite rate as highly as other Troughton stories.
The problem with this story apart from the uneasy feeling of the production and the personnel is that the story is fairly lacking in anything of dramatic interest. Ok there is a Macra that seems to be lurking in the background as you would expect but apart from that there is very little to speak of. I think had I a visual copy of the story then it would be a much better story. Though I think that the Macra isn’t particularly impressive. I think that it’s a major fault considering the story has Macra in the title. What I will say the audio has in its favour is that the cliffhangers are quite good. I did quite like them though that might have something to do with the narration which was constantly impressive.
The regulars are all not on fine form. Troughton is still not being given a script that benefits his acting talents but still manages to get something out of the story. Michael Craze and Anneke Wills are on quite good form and in their penultimate adventure it’s a shame that Anneke Wills reverts back to screaming way too much. Some of the supporting cast are interesting but with them being on audio they do all tend to blend into one. Peter Jeffrey is the best of the rest as the Pilot.
The Macra Terror isnt the worst story ever however neither is it the best and I think that there are things that do work in this story but ultimatley in the annals of Doctor Who history it doesn’t quite rate as highly as other Troughton stories.
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