Delta and the Bannermen [TV/1987.11.2 ~ 11.16]

★★★★☆

  There are bottled-sunshine stories, and then there's Delta and the Bannermen. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why this is shunned by a majority of the fanbase — the warm and sunny atmosphere, Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford having a smashing time... a fun and character-driven three-parter that doesn't take itself too seriously but never goes off the edge into not bothering to convince the audience that there's real passion in it! 

  For a three-part serial, I have so much to talk about when it comes to what I love about Delta and the Bannermen — too much, in fact, to label one by one in a single review! McCoy is confidently on his feet at this point (as the clownish professor of Season 24, anyway), and Langford's Mel is simply enjoying everything that comes at her. There's an argument to be had that this is the finest showcase of her as a companion in her TV oeuvre; when she is confronted by Gavrok and held at gunpoint, yet has the bravery to lie about Delta's safety, you really get to reconsider her integrity. In short, these two are simply sublime to watch in this serial... and luckily for everyone, even the guest cast are delightful this time around! I don't think I've witnessed another serial that has this many agreeable characters (or in other words, this few disagreeable sorts that aren't outright villains) — from the two lovable American agents to Billy and Delta the Chimeron queen, everyone is fun to watch and every actor radiates the kind of energy only seen in productions that were fun to participate in. Sara Griffiths is the star here, and although her role is noticeably diminished in episode 3, her Ray is the standout character that deserved a trip or two in the TARDIS. Have I finished? Erm... oh yes, Keff McCulloch's magnum opus of an incidental score is used for this serial, and its rock-and-roll-infused extravagant music is music to my ears.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  So there we are, folks; I love Delta and the Bannermen to the point of insanity, and I'm not the slightest bit ashamed to admit it. If I had this on DVD or on Blu-ray, they'd be worn to bits due to the sheer amount of times I'd turn it on. Almost nothing in the classic series tops this for me in terms of bliss, light entertainment and jam-packed sweetness and fun. It's not one that ended up in many Doctor Who history books, but in my humble and insane opinion... it bloody well should be.