VHS : Doctor Who - Battlefield [1989]

Rating: - The lame duck in the otherwise fantastic Season 26
Series 24 of Dr Who is regarded with no small amount of loathing by a great number of fans. Though it did have its good episodes, Dr Who improved greatly from Series 25 onwards. But there were always holdovers from Sylvester McCoy's shaky first season which still haunted the series throughout his three years in the title role. Battlefield, I have to say, is one of them. It concerns alternative universes and the 'legends' surrounding King Arthur. Quite honestly it just feels like lazy writing. All kinds of Arthurian elements have been thrown in without rhyme or reason. It all looks nice, but where's the story? True, it has its moments, and it's nice to see the Brigadier back in action. It's just a pity it couldn't have been in a story more worthy of this enduring character. Everyone except Nicholas Courtney is completely over the top, from the Doctor shouting like a drunkard and Mordred's hammy laughter to knights (in helmets recycled from a seventies story called Androids of Tara) performing badly-staged fights to the accompaniment of another one of Keff MCulloch's utterly dire musical scores. We're introduced to a lot of characters who just seem to disappear into the background, and the impressive-looking Destroyer is just wasted in a minor role. A disappointment from the writer behind Remembrance of the Daleks.

---

Rating: - good!
I had heard a lot of bad things about Battlefield. Fortunately, they were all wrong.
Battlefield is a very light, fluffy Doctor Who adventure. It isn't as much 'Who for 9 year olds', as someone claimed. The writer tries to have a bit of fun with the characters, and in doing so makes a interesting, and even sometimes dark, story.

So ignore those nay-sayers. Battlefield is a treat.

---

Rating: - One Of McCoy's Top 5 BEST Stories!!
Battlefield has a reputation for being a poor story, and compared to 'Remembrance Of The Daleks', 'The Curse Of Fenric', The Greatest Show In The Galaxy' and 'Survival' this is by far the worst of McCoy's best five stories. But it is still FANTASTIC and a GEM from McCoy's sickeningly under-rated tenure.

Plot:

The 7th Doctor and Aceland in 1990 and take part in a battle from another dimension.

A simple plot, showing off Ben Aaronovitch's plotting and Writing talent, plus, McCoy and Sophie Aldred are excellent as the regulars. And, also, Jean Marsh, Angela Bruce and Nichola Cortney are excellent guest stars.

The Destroyer is a fantastic creation as well, with a low, inhuman voice, and laughing with a voice unlike a Meglomaniaic, but like Michael Wisher in 'Genesis Of The Daleks'.

Overall, one of the best McCoy stories and one of the best EVER!!

---

Rating: - "Advanced forms of magic are indistinguishable from science"
Battlefield is without question the worst story from season 26 of Doctor Who (the final of it's original run). That, however, is like saying that "Fixing a Hole" is the worst song from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club, i.e., its such a damn good collection that the worst is still really good!

Battlefield sees the return to Doctor Who of UNIT, Bessie, and the good old Brig. It's a thrilling mythical yarn based on Arthurian legends which casts the good Doctor in the role of Merlin... literally! As the Doc learns that one of his future incarnations takes the identity of Merlin in order to command the righteous in battle agains the evil sorceress Morgaine in an alternate dimension.

The Who take on Arthurian mythology is thoroughly entertaining, and refreshingly doesn't try to explain away the apparrent use of magic using sci-fi technobabble. McCoy and Aldred are by now completely comfortable in their respective roles, while Nicholas Courtney effortlessly slides back into his role as the now much older Lethbridge-Stewart, without falling into the trap of acting like he's still the age he was during the Brig's heyday in the 70s. You can tell he relishes the oppurtinity of portraying the older, retired Brigadier having to step back into action, realising he is no longer as capable as he used to be, and fleshing out his character's background in scenes where he is off duty and acting alongside Angela Douglas as his wife, Doris. Also worthy of note is Jean Marsh as Morgaine, a talented actress who manages to add layers of depth to the somewhat cliched role of the villainess sorcerer.

And while watching remember to pay attention to the cliffhanger of episode two, Sophie Aldred's screams of help are not all acting as this particular stunt went horribly wrong and almost killed her.

To sum it up, Battlefield is an entertaining and original Who story, and started the show's final season in fine form.

---

Rating: - A good last season starter
Battlefield is a very good story, the way they tie in the mystery of the doctor and merlin is very well thought up...
The visual effects are surprisingly good (for once the guns shoot realisticly)and the location shooting is very good.
with extended scenes this is a must for doctor who.