Dr Who - The Seeds Of Doom (1976)
Hello, & welcome to another personal classic. This amazingly realised story was at the pen of Robert Banks Stewart, the creator of Bergerac, Britain's answer to Miami Vice. & boy, does it show in some of it's villainy! The Doc & Sarah are sent on a mission to a base in Antarctica, whilst a very bitter politician approaches creepy Billionaire, Harrison Chase with intel on the pod that was discovered there.
Our heroes aren't the only guests to drop by. Mercenary Scorby & scientist Keeler. Scorby steals the second pod just after tying Sarah to a bomb & meanwhile, one of the scientists has been absorbed by the second pod, mutates & goes on an equally, murderous rampage. Our heroes survive, unlike the three crew of the base & the first Krynoid, thanks to a massive explosion. Average day in the South Pole then, Father Christmas? Alright, North!
Back in England, Chase has the second pod & nurtures it to full growth without care to the rest of Humanity. The Doctor & Sarah have to infiltrate the Chase estate but it's too late as Keeler has been absorbed, & transforms into a growing Krynoid. Enemies ('cept Chase) are forced to join forces to destroy a literally, growing threat to Humanity! Eventually they succeed with the aid of U.N.I.T bullets & bombs, that..solve everything...
Yes! This is great! My favourite baddie, apart from the Krynoid, is Scorby. & yes, Scorby is Boycie (sorry, outside UK fans). He & I even share the same 70's fashion sense, goatee n' all! I ADORE the scene where Sarah confronts Scorby about his violent tendencies & love of guns! Oscar winning stuff! Was she questioning his manhood?!
The Doctor is more violent than usual & even comes close to whacking Scorby in battle. Probably because this was originally an Avengers episode that our scripter writ. But Harrison Chase, even though he's Human, is so "alien" he even wears gloves like The Master. He happily allows the Krynoid to use him to assist in the extermination of "animal life!" The location scenery is so beautiful & green (yeah, sue me, yet again!) The country-side is beautiful & the Krynoid, swarming about the estate is amazingly well realised. Despite his unique, eccentric personality, Chase shows amazingly, social etiquette skills when confronted by Amelia Ducat over an unpaid, flower portrait. & Sarah is a rose, English one.
The Doctor leads a charmed life. If only you knew Chase, or do you, now? The Krynoid actually speaks, ONCE! And, wow, is it fab when it tries to manipulate Scorby & his guards to sacrifice The Doctor in exchange for their own lives! Literally, six-episodes & it speaks that one moment in a scary, deep voice!!!
The kiddo's of 1976 Britain get to learn how to make a Molotov cocktail bomb thanks to Scorby via The Doctors advice. Yes, The Thing From Another World is an obvious influence, not Day Of The Triffids according to a DWM interview with Mr Banks. The special effects of John Carpenters The Thing were ahead of their time, as is this, on a BBC budget! Truly, this is special.
"I've heard of flower power, but that's ridiculous!" - Sarah-Jane Smith.
Byeee,
Stewart, aka Borgduck.
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