BBC 1
FIRST, A confession. The last time I watched Dr. Who, it was in black and white and I was in short trousers.
So what's changed in 25 years? Dr. Who himself, obviously, having gone through seven incarnations. Other than that, not a lot.
Despite being one of the Beeb's more successful exports (selling to 60 different countries) it still looks cheap and amateurish. Worse than that, it looks tired and I found myself less than engaged by Sylvester McCoy's halfhearted Doctor.
Most of the action seemed to be taking place in an aircraft hangar, with echoey acoustics to match. The robotic Cybermen, who do voice-overs for lager commercials when they're not pursuing Dr. Who, still manage to miss everyone when they take aim with their deadly laser guns, while the Doctor's current sidekick, Ace (Sophie Aldred, who should really do something about her speaking voice) scores a bull's eye every time with her catapult.
There was some fun to be had in the time-warp confrontation between a present-day brassy American dame, flaunting her riches, and a 16th century English couple, coming out with lines like "We needs must walk, we have no carriage."
Apparently they hold Dr. Who conventions in America, where its following is even keener and more loyal than here. The main reason, I'm told, is its kitsch value— all those crummy sets and effects, the lack of technical wizardry. I doubt if they'll be disappointed by the latest crop.
Caption: SOPHIE ALDRED as Ace and SYLVESTER McCOY as the Doctor with the sure shot Cybermen.
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