Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)If it weren't for this story, I would be left scratching my head and wondering why the hell these four individuals (they were barely a TARDIS team) would hang around each other for so long. Adric just becomes an obnoxious brat with the Fifth Doctor, Tegan just wants to go home, and Nyssa gets shunted to the sidelines every damn time. With the Sixth Doctor and Peri, there were moments in every story where you could tell they were close friends, which is absent with this team.
Except for this story.
Black Orchid, a two-parter that's a bit of a diversion, but it was needed, in my opinion, before the emotional-roller coaster known as Earthshock. A light-hearted adventure that you can sit down and relax to after doing a long shift of work, or even if you've come from a night about the town (like I did on the day I bought this.) The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa, the best Fifth Doctor combination, both get to shine here, Nyssa with Sarah Sutton's double role with Ann, finally giving Nyssa something to do in a story, and the Fifth Doctor, who shows off his amazing cricket skills, bringing a team back from a pathetic score (though I don't think even the Fifth Doctor could help England against Australia!)
And where the TARDIS crew get along? The scenes at Cranleigh Manor are easily some of my favourite of the Fifth Doctor era, where Tegan shows Nyssa some of the Earth dances and cheering on the Doctor in cricket, and Nyssa just looks more amused than ever at these bizarre rituals. Not to mention where they both gently mock Adric about his constant eating (how large are Alzarian stomachs anyway?) Adric for once is actually likeable.
Surprisingly, there are no science fiction elements whatsoever, a throwback to the early Doctor Who days where sci-fi and history genres went hand-in-hand, it's more like a murder mystery, a whodunit, where the Doctor becomes trapped while getting ready for the costume ball at Cranleigh Manor, and someone takes his place wearing the clown costume, "Attacking" Ann, and killing a servant who tries to help her...
All in all, one of my favourite Davison stories, and one you can watch and just enjoy.
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