Terror of the Autons [TV/1971.1.2 ~ 1.23]

★★★☆☆

  Terror of the Autons is a combination of many things: not only is it one of Robert Homles's most influential contributions to Doctor Who, shaping an entire era by introducing its many tropes and characters (Jo, Captain Yates, the Master), it's also the second and final appearance of the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons as well as a quaint showcase of green-screen technology of 1971. The latter part may be a detriment to some (seeing as how they aren't particularly good), but I enjoy those tacky effects nonetheless. It's almost as if the serial is laughing to itself, like a child trying out doodles for the first time. Not perfect by any means, but endearing.

  I'm entertained by any serial as long as it gives me Jon Pertwee donning a silly expression, and he does contort his face into extreme dimensions while being choked by a telephone line. I'm delighted to say, therefore, that this is a solid first serial of Season 8. The rather checklist nature of it all (it almost, almost feels like a setup story for the entire season with stock villains, in a way the Autons were used in 2005's Rose) may bring my enjoyment down a notch, but it's still a rollicking good time. Katy Manning instantly gels with Pertwee as his new assistant Jo Grant, and their chemistry (still in its infancy) carries some of the less engaging sequences of the episodes. The Autons and their various forms are still, to this day, terrifying; just look at that ugly doll, and the way it moves like an infant to perform its kills. The Master is given a solid introduction; he's obviously evil, has an obsession with the Doctor and is willing to team up with his nemesis in the face of a common threat. Roger Delgado nails the character immediately, and that natural charm and menacing aura lifts the serial up several levels. Entertaining, very entertaining stuff. 

  

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  I'd bemoan about the fact that the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons are utilized so little in the television medium, but then I'd be ignoring the fact that they've been stuck in very operatic stories that do very little to stray away from the blueprint, Spearhead from Space, and that most new writers would be discouraged from using these silly aliens.