The Android Invasion: Part Four

Doppelganger robots confuse and perplex, it's anybody's guess what they're here to effect, this is one to neglect, an episode of debt, let's move on, and forget, the Kraals poor affect.

The rather wonderful Android Invasion is concluded. In my humble opinion it's been a great story, with good music, some wonderful atmosphere and very creepy scenes.

The Kraal plan to invade Earth using Androids to infiltrate is put into action. The pods are shot out from the Kraal ship containing Androids of key figure, including a replica Doctor and Sarah. We quickly discover that UNIT has in deed been breached with Androids. As always the Doctor has a plan to save the day.

The moment Sarah Jane meets the replica Doctor is very creepy and well acted, especially when we see duplicate Sarah rising in the background, it looked so good. I feel we are missing the Brigadier, I think it would have worked better if Nick Courtney had been available, Patrick Newell is a little bit ham, but he seemed to be enjoying himself. The Doctor's android detecting device is a bit contrived and I also have to mention the eye piece, I get that it's a bone of contention for many die hards, but it's a bit of fun.

I hope nu who one day revisits Android Invasion, the concept is a great one, a tremendous update could be done. I love the setting of a creepy village.

Series 13 is a high point of Dr Who, and Android Invasion is an often overlooked gem. Next up Brain of Morbius

Returning to Sarah-Jane's own time, the traveling pair emerge from the TARDIS to find a soldier acting very odd, and some white suited men firing at them from their fingers. Going into the village they find an even odder situation of the place being deserted before becoming artificially filled. From here we learn of an experiment by a non- human species, using android copies of humans, and of course the Doctor sets out to foil them.

Following the neat but expansive narrative of Pyramids of Mars, this serial feels a bit messy in its motivations and devices. The plot moves along well enough I guess, and generally provides enough moments of danger, movement, and peril to do the job, but there was something about it that just didn't excite me. Specifically I think it was the way that the material felt quite familiar; I am sure there have been at least two serials before where we had androids (Autons) walking around firing out of their fingers. Okay the twist here is that these androids are replicants of humans – which is an interesting idea and one that throws up at least one memorable moment (fake-Sarah-Jane's face flying off to reveal circuitry and, well, ping-pong balls) but generally it feels like a wasted opportunity. There is no real use of this beyond this, and I would have liked to see more done with the androids we know – specifically the conflict of seeing Benton and Harry being 'baddies'. This is on the table to be had, but is never really delivered upon, which is a shame.

Instead the main villains are the Kraals, and while they are visually interesting, I confess they did not make much of an impact on me. The cast are variable. Baker and Sladen are good value as is mostly the case, however the supporting turns less so. Most surprising is that Marter and Levene seem to know they are poorly served by the material, so their performances are bit lacking – perhaps this 'robotic' feel was directed, but there is that feeling of apathy from them both. Meanwhile Courtney isn't there at all, instead a cookie-cutter 'blustering brass' performance is dropped in from Newell.

In the end it was a serial that did the solid basics well enough to entertain and have some good moments, but didn't really build on or around these to the point where it managed to be more interesting.