Cast : The Doctor : Tom Baker
The Master : Anthony Ainley
Adric : Matthew Waterhouse
Tegan : Janet Fielding
Nyssa : Sarah Sutton
Aunt Vanessa : Dolore Whiteman
The Monitor : John Fraser
Detective Inspector : Tom Georgeson
Security Guard : Christopher Hurst
The Watcher : Adrian Gibbs
Written By : Christopher H. Bidmead
Produced By : JNT
First UK Broadcast : 28 Feb – 21 March 1981.
Length : 4 x 25 minute episodes.
Plot : The Doctor (finally) decides to get the faulty Tardis chameleon-circuit, fixed on planet Logopolis. However, the Master has also followed the Doctor, to Logopolis; for a final showdown.
Whats good : The fight atop the satellite dish. Tom Baker’s regeneration scene – is the most poignant of any regeneration – before or since. The ‘Watcher’ is an interesting new addition, to regeneration lore.
Whats bad : Tom Baker leaving the show. The new Master is too pantomime – and is no Delgado. The psuedo-science in this episode, is frankly baffling.
Review With Spoilers : Logopolisis the seventh and season 17 and marks the departure of Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor.
Logopolis really lays the Chris Bidmead – scientific explanations on – thicker than Star Trek : The Next Generation but with little real explanation, as to there actual significance – to the story.
The Logopoliton’s talk about “Charged Vacuum Emboitments” in the universe. The Doctor puts the Tardis into a “recursive loop”, due to the Master’s Tardis – materialising around the Doctor’s Tardis.
It is apparent that writer Christopher Bidmead, tried to inject some real sounding pseudo-science – in here. To make it seem more self important.
It’s really just Doctor Who, trying to sound really clever. Give me Pertwee with his universal; “reversed the polarity of the neutron flow” explanation – any day!
The addition of Nyssa, from previous episode Keeper Of Traken – and new companion Tegan. Now means that room in the Tardis – is at a premium; with 3 companions vying for screentime. Adric is still as highly annoying, as ever though.
The idea of bringing the Master back is; on paper – an interesting prospect. Unfortunately, Ainley’s Master is too pantomime – to do justice to Delgado’s legacy. Ainley spends most of this story, sneering like a pantomime baddie.
The only part of Logopolis, that helps partially redeem proceedings; is the Doctors final tussle with the Master on-top of a giant radio antennae, the Watcher sub-plot and the Fourth Doctor’s actual regeneration scene.
“It’s the end! ………..But the moment has been prepared for…..!”
The inclusion of the Watcher, is an interesting addition to regeneration lore. As the Watcher guides the Fourth Doctor throughout this episode and to onto the endgame. Before melding, with the dying Fourth Doctor – to become the new Fifth Doctor.
Logopolis hasn’t aged well, with its pastelly colours, odd look, weird synthy music and crap psuedo-science.
It does however, remain a curiosity, due to being Baker’s swansong, outside of this – it offers little other value.
