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| Sarah Jane with the ruthless Scorby (John Challis) |
6 episodes. Approx. 145 minutes. Written by: Robert Banks Stewart. Directed by: Douglas Camfield. Produced by: Philip Hinchcliffe.
THE PLOT
When an alien pod is discovered deep in the ice in Antarctica, the Doctor is called in to consult. As soon as he sees pictures of the pod, he insists on getting to Antarctica as fast as possible - and once there, his worst fears are realized. The alien pod is a Krynoid, which the Doctor describes as a "galactic weed" that feeds on animal matter. "On most planets, the animals eat the vegetation. On planets where the Krynoid gets established, the vegetation eats the animals."
The Doctor isn't the only one interested in the pod, however. Driven by greed and resentment, Richard Dunbar (Kenneth Gilbert), the official who briefed the Doctor on the find, has sold the same information to billionaire plant enthusiast Harrison Chase (Tony Beckley). Chase has an enormous collection of plants, and sees this unique alien plant life as the ultimate prize. He sends his "most efficient man," the ruthless Scorby (John Challis), to recover the pod - and to kill anyone who might act as a witness!
Scorby is all too successful, leaving the Doctor and Sarah Jane to follow him back to London in a desperate race to destroy the pod before it germinates. If it does, as the Doctor observes, "it will be the end of everything!"
CHARACTERS
The Doctor: "Nothing's hopeless - All we have to do is think!" If you were to distill Doctor Who's core ethos into one statement, that might well be it. Tom Baker's Doctor is about as grim as he's ever been, fully focused on the Krynoid. Only during the various points at which he's captured by Scorby and/or Chase does his accustomed flippancy emerge, as a response to being at gunpoint. Even then, it is more subdued than is normally seen from this Doctor. He may indulge in a moment's clowning, introducing Chase to his own employees - but in his next breath, he demands the return of the pod. Once the Krynoid emerges in full, his fury is unmistakable as he practically spits orders at Chase's surviving guards. Tom Baker is outstanding throughout, utterly magnetic as he delivers one of the very best performances of his seven-year run.
The Doctor: "Nothing's hopeless - All we have to do is think!" If you were to distill Doctor Who's core ethos into one statement, that might well be it. Tom Baker's Doctor is about as grim as he's ever been, fully focused on the Krynoid. Only during the various points at which he's captured by Scorby and/or Chase does his accustomed flippancy emerge, as a response to being at gunpoint. Even then, it is more subdued than is normally seen from this Doctor. He may indulge in a moment's clowning, introducing Chase to his own employees - but in his next breath, he demands the return of the pod. Once the Krynoid emerges in full, his fury is unmistakable as he practically spits orders at Chase's surviving guards. Tom Baker is outstanding throughout, utterly magnetic as he delivers one of the very best performances of his seven-year run.
Sarah Jane Smith: Continues to show why she's considered the greatest of all companions. Her trust in the Doctor is absolute, and she uses her own natural rapport with others to act as a bridge between them and him. At the Antarctica base, the Doctor pronounces that the only hope for an infected researcher is to amputate his arm, which is the source of the infection. Moberley (Michael McStay), the base zoologist, balks. That's when Sarah Jane steps in to argue the plan far more persuasively than the remote, aloof Doctor does, pointing out that there is no other solution available and that Moberley is the only person present qualified to perform the operation. It takes all of two minutes for her to persuade the base crew, because she appeals to them on a human level - something the Doctor, this incarnation in particular, simply isn't able to do.
THOUGHTS
The Seeds of Doom was the final Doctor Who serial directed by Douglas Camfield, who previously helmed such stories as The Daleks' Master Plan, The Invasion, and (at least the location work for) Inferno. Camfield's signature precision gives this story a considerable boost. He does the opposite of Christopher Barry's tactic in The Brain of Morbius. Where that story embraced its own theatricality, this story does everything possible to make us feel as if the setting is real. The Antarctica scenes see a constant snowfall overlaid, and there's also a constant wind sound that the characters have to shout over in order to be heard. The base camp interiors are also well-done, cramped and confined, with corridors laid out in a way that matches the well-shot models. Given the limitations, it's remarkable how well-done all of this is.
Episode Three transplants the story, with the plant itself, to a new setting. In effect, it becomes a second Episode One, with an extended sequence introducing both Doctor and viewers to the general layout of the Chase estate. This sets the general geography of the main house, the grounds, and the cottage in a way that clarifies the action of the remaining episodes. When people are trying to escape through the grounds in Episodes Five and Six, we comprehend where they are and what they have to get through - meaning that we aren't just watching random snippets of action, but that we know how that action relates to the larger whole.
Speaking of action, I don't think any other "Classic Who" serial comes as close as this one to turning the Doctor into a traditional action hero. He's very physical in this story: punching out henchmen and threatening Scorby and Chase with a gun at one point. There's even a moment that sees him leaping through a skylight to rescue Sarah Jane, descending on the villains through a rain of broken glass. This might pose a danger to the Doctor's uniqueness, but at every turn the situation is sold as being desperate enough that we believe it. It helps that Tom Baker's determination in these action sequences heightens the tension, whereas Jon Pertwee's showiness in similar scenes during his era tended to more often deflate it.
This is the second script of the season by Robert Banks Stewart, whose Terror of the Zygons launched the season. I wasn't overly impressed by that story, finding it entertaining but a bit thin. The Seeds of Doom is a much better script. Its structure is very precise, effectively changing its tone and general situation every two episodes. The two episodes in Antarctica act as a prologue; the next two establish Chase's estate and concentrate on Chase as the villain, with the Doctor attempting to stop him before his actions allow the Krynoid to be fully unleashed; the final two episodes shift focus to the Krynoid, with Chase a lesser concern. This structure works admirably, resulting in a six-parter whose pace never lags.
Characterizations are strong, with very good acting and memorable moments for all the principles. Tony Beckley is particularly good as Chase, who seems every bit as alien as the Doctor despite being fully human. With his elaborate and isolated estate, his armed henchmen, and his penchant for giving guided tours to people he plans to kill (elaborately, of course, by turning them into maulch), he could easily double as James Bond villain. John Challis' Scorby, meanwhile, may be the greatest of all Who henchmen. He is venal and violent without being stupid. His theft of the pod from Antarctica is planned with precision, ruthless but meticulous. As he observes, he's a survivor... one who ultimately falls victim to his own fierce sense of self-preservation.
Though excellent overall, a few minor points keep The Seeds of Doom just shy of the "10" mark for me. I confess to absolutely hating the character of Amelia Ducat (Sylvia Coleridge). Her eccentricities are so forced and over-the-top that I found myself gritting my teeth through her every appearance. There's also the bizarre scene in which the Krynoid speaks. Having the monster plant talk shatters the sense of "otherness" that has kept it creepy even when unveiled in its mediocre CSO glory. Far better if it had never uttered a word.
These are minor nit-picks. They add up just enough to keep this story from achieving full marks, but not enough to keep it from being an outstanding story. As a close to Tom Baker's second season as the Doctor, I don't think much better could have been asked.
Overall Rating: 9/10.
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