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Title: The Fourth Doctor - The Sontaran Experiment Post by: Thascales on March 12, 2011, 12:29:15 pm THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT [/size]by Dave Martin and Bob Baker (http://www.themindrobber.co.uk/sontarans/sontaran-field-major-styre.jpg) Starring Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen and Ian Marter. Production Code: 4B First Transmitted: 1 - 22/02/1975 17:30 2 - 01/03/1975 17:30 Quote from: The Discontinuity Guide 'It's absolutely typical of Harry. How anyone in his right mind can fall down a whacking great subsidence like that...' The Sontaran Experiment succeeds despite its obvious limitations. It has a virtual film look, although neither the robot nor the deflection of the Marshal's invasion plans are wholly convincing. The Sontaran Experiment exposes the padding in many Doctor Who stories by completing its narrative with great economy. Title: Re: 4 - The Sontaran Experiment Post by: Oh-Wise-One on March 12, 2011, 07:38:08 pm I'm not a big Sontaran fan on the whole, but I think this is probably my favourite of their stories. Saying that though, it isnt a brilliant story in itself
Title: Re: 4 - The Sontaran Experiment Post by: Dame Roger on March 12, 2011, 09:02:39 pm Not one of the greats, but enjoyable enough. Kevin Lindsay is great as Styre - while I'd agree with Oh-Wise-One about later Sontaran stories, I think the two with Lindsay under the potato-mask (this and The Time Warrior) work really well, and his performance makes them a genuinely powerful enemy.
The main sorce of fun for me in this one, however, is playing Spot-the-Stuntman. After Tom Baker was injured during filming they had to shoot a lot of his scenes with the double, so in most long shots or shots where the Doctor has his back to the camera (and ALL the fight scenes) it's not Tom but Terry Walsh in a dodgy wig. Title: Re: 4 - The Sontaran Experiment Post by: Vampyros Adric on March 12, 2011, 11:05:12 pm Back in the midsts of time when I were but a lad, BBC Enterprises (as they were before they regenerated into 2Entertain) released a twin VHS box set of The Sontaran Expt with Genesis of the Daleks. It was a masterstroke - viewed as a stand-alone piece, this is an ok little story. Put it as part of a bigger season long arc and it comes into its own. When seen alongside the other stories in the season, almost as an overture to GOTD, this story goes beyond its limitations and makes a lot more sense!
Title: Re: 4 - The Sontaran Experiment Post by: Nyki on March 13, 2011, 12:24:49 am I'd agree - that whole series had far more of an arc, I'd say, than anything before The Key to Time. I find this one not great, but enjoyable.
Title: Re: The Fourth Doctor - The Sontaran Experiment Post by: Davros on January 26, 2012, 01:12:33 am I liked this one surprisingly well. A bit slow on the beginning half but I liked how short it was plus the introduction of the Sontarans was a nice bonus. And in context it's more entertaining too. I like that it wasn't a ton of Sontarans invading or taking over, but just one going about his business doing science stuff. |