Survival: Part One

Review of all 3 parts:

This was the final story of Season 26 and very sadly no further seasons were made by the BBC (apart from a one off TV Movie in 1996) until it was resurrected - or regenerated - in 2005. Season 26 had been such a huge improvement in quality after a period of lower standards (in my opinion) and it is such a shame that it was discontinued just as it had got back to a good level. On the plus side at least the show went out on a high and showed some quality before it was taken off air and Sylvester McCoy got some more decent material as the Doctor.

Survival is a very good and enjoyable send off even though nothing about the story suggests it is the last of its era apart from a nice little added on bit of dialogue at the very end which works as a subtle farewell.

The story from writer Rona Munro is great I think and it has a really dark, interesting appearance for the Master which gives Anthony Ainley a great signing off from the classic era as the Doctor's arch enemy. He is brilliant in this and the confrontations with McCoy are pretty powerful.

The Cheetah people are excellent, both in concept and in the way the face masks and characterisation is executed. For this era the costumes and effects are great. The animatronic cat is a bit less impressive but is ok and there is a dodgy motorbike crash but the alien world, the cheetah people, the eye colour changes etc all are done really well.

The themes underlying the plot are interesting and the way it is all presented with Ace returning to her old neighbourhood and finding that her friends have been disappearing works really well.

The acting is very good from most cast members most of the time and while there are cheesty aspects and scenes that don't work as well this is a strong adventure overall with a superb final episode. It follows on from the brilliant classic The Curse of Fenric showing there was potential for some brilliant stuff if the show had continued. I think Andrew Cartmel as script editor had really started to help guide the show to improve.

My ratings: Parts 1 & 2 - 8.5/10, Part 3 - 9.5/10. Overall 8.83/10.

My average Season 26 rating: 8.64/10.

It is all about the survival of the fittest. Alas Doctor Who is about to become extinct.

The final story of the classic series, writer Rona Munro at least acquitted herself well. She became a noted playwright and many years later became the only writer to do new Doctor Who.

The Doctor and Ace arrive at Perivale. She wants to catch up with her old friends. Sergeant Major Paterson tells Ace that she should look up her mother, who thinks she might have been dead.

There are a spate of teenagers that have recently gone missing. The Doctor is more interested in felines. He goes to a corner shop to look for cat food where he is served by Hale and Pace.

The good part of the first episode was the location shooting on the streets of London. It was a eureka element, blending so seamlessly when the show returned in 2005. Then concentrating a lot on the Powell estate.

The negative part was the overuse of the term 'survival of the fittest.' The animatronic moggy looked so mangy. It was a real misstep to show the Master so early on. His reveal should had been left until the end.

Ace wants to head home to Perivale, naturally The Doctor obliges, they are disturbed to find four people have gone missing, and there is a local feline problem.

Survival has always been somewhat disappointing after two stories I would deem absolute classics in Fenric and Ghostlight. It felt a bit like they'd gone back to McCoy's earlier, less successful spells. The appearance of Hale and Pace, I never cared for, it felt the same as when they had Ken Dodd in Delta and The Bannermen, JNT was obsessed with names, rather then talent.

There are pluses, the opening is excellent, the talk of survival is really good, and I like that we get to see Ace in her home setting. I can't offer up any reasoned points as to why I'm not a big fan of Survival, similar to Masque of Mandragora, maybe the story just doesn't appeal to me greatly. I'm not a lover of the cheetah people, they look a little cuddly toy. Ace somehow has gone backwards as a character, she had developed so much this season.

I quite liked it, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. A solid start. 7/10

The Doctor takes Ace back to the London district of Perivale where she grew up. Thinking that his young friend has wanted to visit her former home which he discovers to be quite the contrary. For Perivale Is hardly the most exciting place in the world. Or at least it didn't used to be. Which, the duo soon discover when they are informed of a spate of mysterious disappearances that have recently taken place in the last few weeks. Some of which are old friends that Ace grew up with. Intruiged the Doctor endeavors to uncover what is behind people seemingly vanishing off the face of the Earth. But doing so ends up getting the cosmic time traveler wrapped up in a deadly game of survival on another world. Pitting himself and his young companion against a race of cat-like creatures called the Cheetah people. And an old adversary from the Time Lord's past.

The third and final part of the Ace trilogy, Survival also marked the final serial in the show's 26 year year run, having been axed by Michael Grade who was then controller of the BBC. The series never fully returned for another sixteen years, although a pilot for a proposed series was co-produced between BBC Worldwide and Universal Studios, airing in 1996 on both sides of the Atlantic. And only proved to be a ratings flop in the States, although it pulled in over 9 million viewers in the UK.

This three-parter, written by Rona Munro was initially intended to be the second serial of the 26th series, coming after Battlefield and would then, by followed by The Curse of Fenric and then Ghost Light. Although both it and the latter story were eventually swapped around which would prove somewhat apt given its very last scene.

It sees the Doctor finally taking Ace to her home district of Perivale in West London. A seemingly dull and innocuous place, that Ace says she didn't want to return to because as she states with indifference, "Nothing ever happens here". On the contrary to this remark, Perivale has experienced a spate of mysterious disappearances of Its local residents. Some of which are old friends of Ace's. Of course, It's not long before the Doctor is on the case, as he sets about investigating what or who is behind people inexplicably vanishing without a trace. That brings, the Time Lord and his youthful companion coming into contact with Sgt. Patterson (Julian Holloway). A tactless and callous former T. A.solider, who believes in the old false axiom of there being the survival of the fittest.

Featuring relatively brief guest turns from the old adult comedy double-act of Gareth Hale and Norman Pace (Hale & Pace), who were at the height of their careers in 1989. Playing shopkeepers, Len and Harvey, they essentially offer a bit of light relief in what is an otherwise dark and nihilistic outing for both the Doctor and Ace.

Survival is also noteworthy in that it features the last television appearance of Anthony Ainley, as the Time Travelling alien's old nemesis, and fellow Gallifreyan The Master. Although he would reprise the role one last time for the PC computer game, Destiny of the Doctors before his death, in 2004.

This however stands out amongst all of the serials involving the Master, in so much that this time around he is not out to take over the world, or has some other lofty scheme in the seek of power. Having found himself stranded on the planet of the Cheetah People, a race of teleporting anthropomorphic creatures resembling, well Cheetahs. Transporting between the planet which, as the Master describes as being "frayed around the edges", and Perivale where they stalk and carry their prey to their desert world. Where they finally hunt them down and mercilessly despatch them. The Doctor's old rival's goal is self-preservation, as he wishes to survive and escape what has pretty much become one big prison for him. Thus this depicts him at his most ruthless and dangerous, as this was the man who in the classic 4 part, 1976 story, The Deadly Assassin attempted to destroy his own home world as a means to preserve his own life. Such is the immensity of his narcissism.

This showcases Ainley at his very zenith in the role of the iconic villain, as Survival compliments the very nature of not only the Master but this iteration of the antagonist. Here, every facet of his character is brilliantly realized. Having previously been reduced to being a one-dimensional moustache twirling, villain (at the insistence of then show-runner John Nathan Turner), here is afforded the chance to play him as he always should have. Cunning, ruthless, and single-minded, and relentless in pursuing his goal. And whose symbolically animalistic nature results in him giving in to the planet, and slowly transforming into a Cheetah person. It also boasts an excellent guest appearance from Julian Holloway, who is wonderfully toxic as the pompous and overbearing Sgt. Patterson. Sporting, a thoroughly convincing Glaswegian brogue, which Sylvester McCoy, a genuine Scot himself praised for its authenticity.

Comprising of further strong support by more obscure and younger, but no less gifted acting talent that is made up of Will Barton, David John, and Sakuntala Ramanee. With, the first and former of them making the biggest impression, as his degeneration into a predatory pet of the Master is chillingly brought to life.

McCoy himself is for the most part solid, although as is his propensity, he does overdo it in scenes where he has to show extreme emotion. Resorting to histrionics which feel stilted. Especially in a scene where a fight breaks out between the remaining stranded potential prey from Perviale and their fierce hunters. Sophie Aldred on the other hand really comes into her own here as Ace. Having dispensed with the last vestiges of the immature youth that she was once, but still retains her rebellious, defiant personality. She was never completely convincing as a post-pubescent teenage girl and is more thoroughly believable as a more headstrong valiant young woman. Having matured significantly after her traumatic experiences in The Curse of Fenric. Cast is topped off by the fleeting inclusion of an eight-year-old Adele Silva of Emmerdale fame as Midge's much younger little sister, nicknamed Squeak.

It might be observed that Munro was in some way inspired in her writing, by William Golding's novel The Lord of the Flies. In so much as it depicts to some degree a descent into nihilism and savagery. Encompassing themes of morality and the struggle between order and chaos. There is also the relationship between Ace and Karra (Lisa Bowerman), a Cheetah person who the former develops a powerful bond with. The implied lesbian subtext of their relationship although never overtly stated is understated in how it's rendered., although fairly apparent and pretty daring for what was a 1980s family show.

Where director Alan Waering does let down the side a tad is a horrible wide shot, involving the Doctor and Midge on motorbikes that comes across as overly stagey. And, the animatronic puppetry effects for the feline kitlings look downright ropey. Even by the standards of a 1980s TV series. However, I'm willing to forgive these quibbles, as the rest of Survival, which originally had the working title of Catflap, along with Ghost Light just falls short short a smidge of being the best serial of series 26. With the Curse of Fenric earning that honour.

Topped off by a beautifully delivered final speech by McCoy. Like Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains in the 1942 classic Casablanca. It sees both the Doctor and Ace walking off into the distance, and looking ahead to further adventures. Ones which were planned by JNT and script editor Andrew Cartmel but sadly never came to fruition. I do wish we got that 27th series which would have seen the departure of Sophie Aldred midway through and would have seen the return of the Time Lords as well as the Ice Warriors. As well as the introduction of a safe-cracking new companion. Who the Doctor would take under his wing. But alas it was never to be, but at least the series went out on a high, and you couldn't ask for better than that.