This much-criticised Who venture has a fan, who will explain...

The Invasion Of Time is brilliant.

There, I’ve said it. Admitting to this is not something that is for the faint-hearted, as The Invasion Of Time has had something of a turbulent press since its original broadcast in March 1978. You can level a million and one criticisms at Invasion, all of which are true, but somehow the successful aspects of the story transcend these to produce a big, bold epic drama.

But let’s look at the problems with The Invasion Of Time, and how much they impact upon the final result.

The Vardans

Probably the most disappointing aspect of The Invasion Of Time, the story keeps you guessing as to what exactly these creatures are. At first, you think they’re giant silver runner beans with the power of speech. Wrong! Because then they turn into floating shimmers of tin foil with the power of speech. Wrong again! Because they are in fact…

Men in green suits. Yeah, that’s right - boring old extras who look like they’ve just wandered in from the pub across the road. Admittedly, they try to make the head honcho stand out by making him about three feet shorter than the other two.

It doesn’t help that the Vardans have all the emotion of a paper clip - their leader seems to like speaking in wooden, broken-up sentences, and overall they don’t really have much bargaining power, do they? They dish out the odd shimmering ray, and can read minds, but that’s about as far as they go.

Thinking about it though, the Vardans are probably used as a decoy by the Sontarans for this very reason. The Vardans are boring, inefficient, lacking in imagination, and so, the Sontarans use them to dupe The Doctor and his team into thinking that they have achieved an easy victory - allowing the cheering crowd to take their eyes off the ball for one crucial moment.

"Derek Deadman’s gorbloymey Cockney voice is all too obvious, to the point where you think that Stor is going to wheel a market stall barrow in front of The Doctor and offer him a rotten marrow"

The Sontarans

Mind you, the Sontarans haven’t exactly had stellar receptions in this story. Interestingly, it’s the first time that we’ve seen more than one of the creatures in the same place. Linx stomped about all on his own in The Time Warrior, while Styre reported to his master, the Marshal in The Sontaran Experiment like a naughty schoolboy. However, a new crack team of Sontarans show up in The Invasion Of Time in one of the best cliffhangers of the seventies - the memorable end of part four sees The Doctor and co react with jaw-dropped shock at the sight of the potato heads in a brilliant twist - all to the sounds of that unusual new Sontaran theme from Dudley Simpson, which I can only describe as the synthesised equivalent of treacle.

The problem though is that their leader Stor isn’t quite in the same league as Kevin Lindsay’s memorable creations. Derek Deadman’s gorbloymey Cockney voice is all too obvious, to the point where you think that Stor is going to wheel a market stall barrow in front of The Doctor and offer him a rotten marrow.

The flip side of this argument though is that script editor Anthony Read pictured the Sontarans as threatening East End-type thugs, a kind of dummy run for the dummy Mitchell bruvvers in EastEnders (which presumably means that there’s a Sontaran matriarch along the lines of Peggy “Geeeaaaaahhhmaaahhpub” Mitchell). And I must add that the Sontaran make-up is really effective too, especially when Stor is staring boggle-eyed into the camera in part six while hissing his Cockney threats.

Altogether, I don’t think that the Sontarans are as bad in this story, and they’re certainly leagues ahead here than in the woeful Two Doctors. And it’s also a neat little bookend to the use of the Rutans in the Season 15 opener, Horror Of Fang Rock.

"I can’t believe that in 14 and a bit years, we’ve never explored the inside of the TARDIS in such great detail."

The TARDIS chase

Taking up most of part six, the Sontarans go on the hunt for The Doctor and his friends in the confines of the TARDIS. Fans haven’t reacted too well to this, saying it’s a bit prolonged and besides, doesn’t it destroy the mystery of The Doctor’s TARDIS?

In the Doctor Who version of Through The Keyhole, we get to see a sickbay, a bathroom (read that as a whopping great swimming pool with loungers), an indoor garden with Venus Fly Traps, an art gallery and a workshop. Who would live in a TARDIS like this - literally. David, it’s over tew yew.

Padded nonsense it may be, but it’s still rather enjoyable, and at least it demonstrates the imagination of the new production team. After all, I can’t believe that in 14 and a bit years, we’ve never explored the inside of the TARDIS in such great detail. The Edge Of Destruction could only manage a measly amount of rooms and some top-class fluffing from William Hartnell. In The Invasion Of Time though, we get to see a whole new world that really does give new meaning to the oft-touted term “It’s bigger on the inside than on the outside”.

"Andred, despite boasting the charisma of a cream cracker, manages to win over the heart of the savage temptress. Quite how is anyone’s guess, since on screen, they have all the chemistry of a duet between Van Morrison and Lady Gaga"

Leela and Andred

And also what’s Leela doing on Gallifrey in the first place, given that Sarah was booted out before The Doctor travelled to Gallifrey in The Deadly Assassin? Leela, however, not only gets to travel to Gallifrey, but gets to stay there as she inexplicably chooses to fall in luuurve with mulleted tailor’s dummy, Andred.

Andred, despite boasting the charisma of a cream cracker, manages to win over the heart of the savage temptress. Quite how is anyone’s guess, since on screen, they have all the chemistry of a duet between Van Morrison and Lady Gaga. In the first part, they’re too busy bickering, as Leela bellows at Andred’s pomposity (the poor sod’s probably working out how to ask her out for a glass of vintage Rassilon wine). At least by the final part, Louise Jameson and Chris Tranchell attempt some form of connection by handing hands and deep ’n’ meaningful looks.

Despite this, it’s still hard to picture the two getting married, and as Louise Jameson has said, it’s the wrong sort of send-off for Leela, who would have been far better served by getting killed in mortal combat. As it is, she’s probably doomed to a life of culinary dreariness as The Doctor promises that Leela’s “terribly good with a knife”. At least if the Gallifreyans have their own version of Masterchef, Leela would be a shoo-in for the title, especially if the tasks involve filleting meat.

"Kids must have been even more appalled to see their hero go over to the dark side"

So there’s the obvious casualties, but then there’s all the good stuff on offer here too. The prime example is the concept of The Doctor Going Bad. The first part alone offers no rhyme or reason as to why The Doctor’s inexplicably turned into a power-mad bastard. Strutting about Gallifrey and demanding the title of President. Bellowing at Borusa. Getting at Leela. It’s all in a day’s work for this scary new Doctor. You can have the scariest monsters on the prowl, but kids must have been even more appalled to see their hero go over to the dark side.

And Tom Baker carries this concept magnificently. Some of the other Doctors have flirted with the dark side (notably David Tennant’s superb turn in The Waters Of Mars), but for full-blown lunacy, Baker’s the king. The scenes in which he shrieks at “BORRRUUUUSSAAA!!!” are very intense and perfectly sum up the apparent madness of The Doctor. Out of all The Doctors, the Fourth is probably the incarnation that could conceivably go bad - while his humour is never far from the surface, there’s still that edge which manifests itself in bad temper or alien callousness (think Pyramids Of Mars). There’s no comfort for kids at all throughout the first two parts, and it’s probably something of a relief for them to see The Doctor tell Borusa that it’s all been a trick in part three.

Louise Jameson also gives her all in this story, and luckily after the sub-par characterisation of Underworld, it’s a return to the resourceful and brave Leela. She refuses to believe that The Doctor’s turned traitor, and so, having made friends with snotty posho Rodan (surely a play on the Roedean school?), rounds up a gaggle of Shobogans to form a fighting force to defeat the menace. It’s a shame that Jameson leaves after what’s quite a short stint, but we do get a glimpse of things to come with a hoity-toity Time Lady who thinks she’s above it all.

It’s interesting to return to Gallifrey in such a relatively short space of time, but it’s still well portrayed as it was in The Deadly Assassin. It looks as though Gallifreyans have very short memories, since they’re still fairly lethargic and insular. The two doddery old fools Gomer and Savar are too busy arguing about hobbies, but evidently aren’t much cop when it comes to fighting. With his archery ‘skills’ Gomer wouldn’t be much cop on Bullseye, put it that way.

Despite the pomp and circumstance (the OTT induction ceremony), this is still a Gallifrey that’s learning how to deal with threat. As Rodan explains to Leela, the Time Lords still have a policy of non-intervention, which means that it’s not surprising that the invasion is allowed to go ahead with such ease. Greasy toads like Kelner inexplicably get to the top of the hierarchical pile, which shows that shabby politics are not just consigned to Earth.

Talking of Kelner, Milton Johns is very good as the shifty weasel, his fawning personality comes across very well - although he inexplicably survives at the end. If he’d been in The Deadly Assassin, he would have bitten the dust for sure. We also have, for my money, the best portrayal of Borusa. John Arnatt is magnificent as The Doctor’s old tutor, adding real gravitas to the part with that deep old wise voice of his. And while he’s still capable of headmaster-ish brooding, this new Borusa is also a bit more light-hearted, whether he’s getting locked indignantly out of the TARDIS or supping blue cocktails by the swimming pool.

The Invasion Of Time has a lot in common with other season 15 stories in that it wasn’t an easy production to put together. The original script went walkies at the last minute. The threat of a strike loomed large. And as usual, there wasn’t much money in the kitty. So it’s all the more remarkable that The Invasion Of Time actually stands up so well. The designs from Barbara Gosnold are particularly striking. The Panopticon is notably large, and thanks to the echoing sound effects, gives that all-important sense of scale. The interior of The Doctor’s quarters is visually memorable (and was utilised on the novel adaptation). The mix of OB and location filming isn’t too jarring, and actually works quite well.

Even the minute details are well done, including the costumes, the superb model shots of the flying Vardan ship, and, as ever, the brilliant incidental music from Dudley Simpson. The aforementioned Sontaran music adds to the mood of the story, as does the evocative organ music for The Doctor’s induction ceremony.

All told, a fine story which works because of its ideas. The ideas of The Doctor turning traitor and a hunt for The Doctor inside the TARDIS are such obvious ones, but they’re brought to the screen with much wit and flair. And given that behind the scenes, there was many a headache, it’s all the more remarkable that The Invasion Of Time stands up so well in this viewer’s eyes. A sadly neglected gem.

John Bensalhia limbered up for this mammoth task with a full four-series review of Blake's 7, and writes professionally and recreationally all over the web. Check out his portfolio of work at Wordprofectors.

Check out John's previous Doctor Who review, Underworld

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