Top Five Stories: The Fifth Doctor

Five is a middle-of-the-road Doctor for me, not especially standout but very pleasant and Doctory.  Peter Davison (who I will now love forever thanks to The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot) had a tall order following in Tom Baker’s footsteps, and his Doctor was saddled with his fair share of questionable writing, but he also had some memorable stories and excellent companion dynamics.

“Enlightenment” (Series 20, Episodes 17-20)

The Eternals have a big ole space race with seafaring ships refitted for celestial travel.  Aside from reminding me of Treasure Planet, an unexpectedly amazing movie, that’s just a bang-up premise.  The Eternals are an interesting race, the visuals are magnificent, and both Tegan and Turlough are used to good effect.  (Just ignore the Black Guardian’s ridiculous crow hat – oy vey.)

 

“Black Orchid” (Series 19, Episodes 17-18)

This short story is delightful fun, lighter and fluffier than most.  Dropping in on an English manor in the 20s, we have the Doctor mistaken for a famous cricketer, Nyssa and her 1920s double in fabulously cute insect costumes, and Tegan adorably dancing the Charleston.  Even Adric is pretty tolerable.  Fantastic all around!

 

“Castrovalva” (Series 19, Episodes 1-4)

Five has an interesting first serial.  With a major regeneration crisis in progress, the Doctor travels deep into the TARDIS to keep stable, leaving the many pieces of Four’s outfit like breadcrumbs to find his way back.  Also, Tegan and Nyssa fly the TARDIS by themselves, and Tegan climbs rocks in heels!  Girl’s got pluck.

 

“The Caves of Androzani” (Series 21, Episodes 19-23)

From first to last.  Final stories are a crap shoot for any Doctor – for every “The War Games,” you have an “End of Time” – but Five’s is pretty darn good.  Sharez Jek is a mundo creepy villain, and it’s affecting to see the Doctor and Peri struggling to withstand the toxin they’ve been exposed to.  The last few minutes are wonderful; after starting out with such a lovely Doctor in Five, Peri really lost the companion lottery to get saddled with Six for the rest of her time on the show.

 

“The Visitation” (Series 19, Episodes 13-16)

I’m a big of this 17^th-century adventure.  Highwayman/actor Richard Mace makes an amusing one-shot comrade, the Terileptils are awesome and gross, and the harlequin robots are gorgeous.  Plus, I always love it when the historical stories really incorporate history into the plot – the final shot is to die for.