The Twin Dilemma [TV/1984.3.22 ~ 3.30]

★★★☆☆

  Perhaps the best Dr. Who serial to use as a litmus test for people like me who wish to know what sort of Who opinions other people have? The Twin Dilemma's reputation is just as impressive as The Caves of Androzani's is in how universal and far-reaching both are... and while I agree wholeheartedly with popular opinion on Caves, I'm going against the hive mind for Twin by calling it highly enjoyable. Really. It's funny, but I've always considered this serial most like a comic strip realised on telly. Think about it: giant bug creatures whose costumes are pretty well-designed overall (I like Mestor's look a lot), a much more colourful palette and colour grading seen in the set and costume designs, a truly wild plot that involves twins, slug eggs, elderly Time Lords and the destruction of several planets used for what is ostensibly rocket fuel for the aforementioned eggs, and our new hero wearing a multi-coloured coat that's a feast for the eyes. I say this unironically; I love the Sixth Doctor's coat, and have always had a fondness for it. 

  Speaking of, Colin Baker is immediately a breath of fresh air. For fans who maybe dipped out during Season 20 and came back for this one, I can only imagine it would've been a heck of a shock. For Season 21 enjoyers, this change to a more acerbic and brash Doctor wouldn't exactly have been the most surprising thing, considering his predecessor was already heading for a more assertive, no-nonsense persona. What I suppose was more off-putting for... well, everyone, really... was just how post-regenerative trauma turned this particular incarnation into quite a violent and capricious sort, even going as far as being cowardly in a few scenes. I think it's all good fun, though; Baker is such an amazing actor that he can jump from serious drama to unsettling hysterics in the blink of an eye, and when the script (which is by and large a hilarious affair) actually gives the Doctor a serious moment or two, he shines. Check out his exchange with Hugo before leaving the TARDIS (the one where both reply to Peri's American "lieutenant" pronunciation with the British one); he's incredibly serious about setting things right, and Baker shows that his wildly inconsistent character (by that point) has two hearts full of compassion underneath. 

  With these two paragraphs, I'm sure you can at least understand why I don't think The Twin Dilemma is the worst thing ever. Sure, it doesn't have nearly good a direction as the previous serial had, but the combination of set design, costume work and performances (plus a very distinctive score) makes it hard for me to not enjoy it. Nicola Bryant's feeling the weight of the entire show on her shoulders for an episode or two (bless her), obviously burdened by the fact that she's the seasoned actor of the show while only starring in her third serial... but she and Colin Baker hit things off with a bang. The future would sadly not be in the safest of hands, but I sitll really enjoy what I got with The Twin Dilemma. All except the twins who can't act for toffee, of course. The strangling scene doesn't really bother me because Peri addresses her feelings and how the Doctor was wrong for it (which he was).