1)Here we have the second appearance of the Ice Warriors as they try to again conquer the Earth. It's an OK story with some major plot holes. The main one is that I find it extremely difficult to believe that the human race would give up all other forms of transport in favor of T-Mat, no matter how efficient it is, nor , having done so, that they would have it controlled through one - apparently undefended - base on the Moon.
2)Of course, the Ice Warriors' plan isn't much better, using a weapon that's vulnerable to water on a planet that's largely covered with the stuff. And they apparently seem to think that knocking out one weather control station in England is all they need to do to prevent humanity from destroying the fungus. Of course, considering that humanity had no back-up for T-Mat, the Martians can't be blamed for supposing the weather control would have no back-up either. Also, they are kind of easily misled by the fake homing signal the Earth people send up - are rockets really that dependent on homing beacons? Additionally, the Ice Warriors are kind of awkward and slow, and seem to have no peripheral vision whatsoever. There's one scene where an Ice Warrior looks right at Jamie and Kelly and somehow contrives not to see them. I did like the little touch of how the Grand Marshal didn't wheze the way the Ice Warriors on the Moon did - since he would of been in a ship with an appropriate Martian atmosphere.
3)The most interesting character in this Fewsham - I'm a sucker for "weak" characters who find their strenght in the end and manage to redeem themselves.
4)Episode Notes:
Episode One:
- A different sort of "space museum" - I'm surprised the Doctor didn't say "Not another one..."
- Cliffhanger: The Ice Warriors kill Locke!
Episode Two:
- "I'm afraid the TARDIS isn't suited to short-range travel."
- The Ice Warriors appear to melt when they're zapped - are they actually made of ice?
- Cliffhanger: The rocket's homing beacon has cut out!
Episode Three:
- "Your leader will be angry if you kill me - I'm a genius!" And humble, too!
- The seeds are pretty obviously balloons.
- Cliffhanger: A seed arrives on Earth!
Episode Four:
- Apparently they knocked the Doctor unconscious so Troughton could have a week off.
- Cliffhanger: An Ice Warrior corners Zoe!
Episode Five:
- Alot of running up and down corridors in this.
- Cliffhanger: The Doctor is overwhelmed by a wave of foam!
Episode Six:
- If you look closely, you can see Padbury start to crack up a bit at the sight of Troughton covered with foam - on the commentary track, she apologizes to the director profusely.
- "What about Slaar's signal?" How does she know his name? She's never heard it.
- "Use your retro-active rockets to change course." Surely with "retro-active" rockets you could changer course before you went off course?
Overall:
An entertaining enough story so long as you don't examine the plot too closely.
[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]
Replies
"How does she know his name? She's never heard it."
This kind of problem crops up in almost every single episode of ROBOTECH. (Re-watching that now, first time in over 20 years. Never mind the BUTCHER-job they did re-writing the plots to badly, horribly, awkwardly try to time 3 completely-unrelated series together, this thing doesn't even work on its own terms.)