The last time I looked at a Troughton story on these pages, I ended up feeling slightly ashamed about my continued inability to like a David Whitaker story that general fan consensus holds in the highest of esteem.
This time around, you find me playfully tugging at the whiskery chops of Sandifer and his ilk, and championing a story from his golden boy that is almost universally derided.
Yes, "The Wheel In Space" gets a rough ride from fandom, as a rule. But what crimes has it committed?
Some criticise it for being yet another formulaic Troughton base-under-siege story. Well, you liked all the others, so why pick on this one?
Idiots.
Got a problem with Mondas' finest making yet another appearance, so soon after the much-lauded "The Tomb of the Cybermen"? Well, I'm sorry, but you're gonna be seeing them again very soon in "The Invasion", so you'd better get used to the idea.
Crap Cybermats?
Uh, don't think so. (Even if they do conveniently eat stuff essential to the operation a laser cannon. Fortunately they don't appear to have any cravings for mercury...)
New companion not up to snuff? Sorry, but Zoe was probably one of the most unique and likeable sidekicks seen in the series up to that point.
And Wendy Padbury (or Mrs Melvyn Hayes, as she was) is as cute as a button, so let's have a look at another oft-published shot.
And the Servo Robot is... the Servo Robot.
While no on-screen footage exists of the Servo Robot in action, there are enough well-used photos of it to suggest that in execution it was probably as underwhelming as the Quarks are generally considered to be in the following story.
But the Quarks are actually quite cool, so I'm not going to dignify that particular comparison with a response...
The fact that the robot is indirectly responsible for injuring the Doctor (and allowing Troughton to slip off on holiday for a week during Episode 2) must surely bolster its reputation?
Sadly not. And all the tedious mucking about with mercury is a noted Whitaker trope, which doesn't help an admittedly struggling first episode very much, it pains me to say.
Dirty Patrick, there. Wondering which family to take with him on holiday, no doubt.
I will admit that some of the dialogue can at times be a bit clunky, but there are some sterling performances hidden amidst the average. Anne Ridler is an absolute joy as Gemma Corwyn, and Michael Turner raises the bar on the familiar leader-unable-to-cope-with-anything-not-in-the-rulebook-and-heading-for-a-nervous-breakdown-pretty-bloody-quick role, giving a sympathetic portrayal in the same league as fan favourites Peter Miles and Clifford Rose.
But for my money, the real star of the show is composer Brian Hodgson, usually only on hand for special sound. With four of the six episodes currently only existing as audio soundtracks, his skill and ingenuity are placed in even sharper focus. (Think the exact opposite of Dudley Simpson and the score of "The Space Pirates", for example).
And at the end of the day, please remember that if you have problems with international space crews and their comedy accents, "The Moonbase" had the same and a character named after a vaginal/anal stimulation device...
