Frontios: Part One

Review of all 4 parts:

Many years before the 11th Doctor story The Hungry Earth we see a 5th Doctor story where people are drawn down into the soil and disappear underground. The phrase that the earth is hungry is even used. So I guess this was influential on that much later story? Also in common with that later story this is somewhat average and lacking in brilliance but it is a serviceable filler story.

The planet Frontios is well realised and the production values overall are decent. The humans are costumed pretty well and the effects are fine. When we meet the alien Tractators they are less impressive but are not a bad effort compared to many classic Who monsters. A little bit of CGI enhancement to animate some life into their faces and skin texture would not go amiss but for the budget and constraints of the day they are acceptable.

The plot involves hard to fathom science fiction ideas but nothing jumps out as being a terrible idea, it all works okay without being particularly impressive or hugely convincing. Humans are being used by the Tractators who are, in turn, controlled by one of their kind the Gravis who is inexplicably super powerful.

Mark Strickson as Turlough is good and Peter Davison as ever performs very well as the Doctor. Other actors are mostly solid and the script is reasonably written. It is quite dark and almost feels like a less impressive precursor to the gloomy brilliance of Caves of Androzani. It is quite enjoyable but it all just feels a bit lacking in either a convincing serious quality or entertaining levels of fun. It is all adequate quality without being brilliant.

My ratings: All 4 episodes - 7.5/10.

Review of the Complete Story:

That the Peter Davison-era Who story FRONTIOS only turns out adequate at best is no surprise given the troubles that seemed to have plagued this production. Producers were contending with the suicide of production designer Barrie Dobbins when they learnt of the murder of actor Peter Arne (STRAW DOGS), who had been cast in one of the leading roles and who had even gone so far as to have his costume fitted out. A replacement was drafted in at the last minute, but an oddly depressing atmosphere hangs over the whole production.

In any case, this is middling stuff indeed, although not one of the very worst Davison adventures (I hated KINDA and SNAKEDANCE in particular). The setting, of a war-torn, almost post-apocalyptic planet, is a good one, but the monsters, which take the form of giant woodlice, are particularly poor. There isn't much story here either - just the usual gruff military types, plus a couple of people (including Lesley Dunlop) who turn out to be nice and help the Doctor. It all feels predictable, though, and companion Turlough is an odd chap who it's difficult to warm to.

I know that Frontios isn't a universally loved story, but it certainly has its merits.

I'm watching this for the first time in years, and my overall impression of this first episode is very positive. I'm aware it was a troubled production, but I think they delivered a rather intriguing story. I love the idea of a human colony under seige, it's well crafted, with some nice sets, fine performances, but its two greatest assets, firstly the sense of mystery, and secondly the out and out sense of dark bleakness about it, I felt some stories under Kant's stewardship has an often frivolous feel, far from it here, this is intensely dark.

A great opener, which has me hooked. 8/10