Doctor Who - The Green Death (Episode 69)

Rating:
Summary: Jo's finest hour!
Review: Global Chemicals have a process that results in 25% more petrol from crude. While that may mean "more money, more jobs" it also means "more muck, more devastation, more death," as well as a doubling in atmospheric pollution. When a miner is found dead in the mine in Llanfairfach, South Wales, covered by a green phosphorescent glow akin to putrefaction, UNIT is alerted. The Doctor, however, wants to go to Metebelis Three to get one of their blue sapphires and Jo wants to help Nobel Prize-winning ecologist Professor Jones and his hippie group of scientists against Global Chemicals.

Soon, two more deaths follow, and Jo and the Doctor discover the cause down the mine--a green petrochemical slime that causes death on contact. Worse, the slime has irradiated maggots to two feet in length who also kill on contact.

The Brigadier, and the Doctor (after a perilous but successful expedition at M3) work against Global Chemicals and the director, Jocelyn Stevens. However, in Episode 1, Stevens is seen talking to (himself?), as if he's under control by someone else.

Professor Jones reminds Jo of a younger version of the Doctor. He believes in using alternative energy sources, such as solar power, movements of the wind, tides, and rivers. No waste means no pollution. Stewart Bevan, then Katy Manning's beau, is a most welcome guest performer as the progressive but ecologically conscious Jones.

This is Jo's show all the way. She did well as the Doctor's assistant, but here, she's more than just a pretty face. Her concern and compassion whenever the Doctor is near death is shown to its best when she hears of the death of Bert, a "funny little Welshman" she only met for a few hours down the mine, but whom she felt was very special. Jones' comforting words to her are magic here. She chooses to go to South Wales instead of "all the time and space being offered" to her by the Doctor. As the Doctor says quietly, "So, the fledgling flies the coop." His reaction after he says goodbye to her at story's end tells his fondness of her.

For a good example of Who, Episode One is simply packed with action and a chain of events that draw the viewer in. The writhing and hissing maggots are well-constructed. They used fox skulls for those up close, and for those far away, inflated condoms! No joke!

Note: Tony Adams (Elgin) fell ill midway through production and so his lines were carried on by Mr. Dalek voice himself, Roy Skelton (Mr. James) in Episode 5. John-Scott Martin (Hughes) is best known for as being one of the men inside the Daleks. Roy Evans (Bert) later appeared next season in The Monster Of Peladon as Rima.
As for errors, notice the hand at the bottom right of screen giving Mostyn Evans (Dai) his cue to speak in Episode One. The CSO effects aren't that good when people go down the mine in the lift. And why use CSO and film intermittently in the "field of maggots"?

Katy Manning not only had three seasons as one of the series' most memorable and lovable companions, but had the best farewell story of any companion. The danger on pollution and condemnation against irresponsible corporations who flagrantly poison the Earth so that the ends (more fuel and money for everyone) justify the means, is still relevant--why else were films like A Civil Action and Erin Brockovich made over twenty years later?

Jo's rallying words at the beginning of Episode One still serves as a reminder today: "It's time that the world awoke to the alarm bells of pollution instead of sliding down the slippery slopes of..." Slopes to ruin, yes. Bye, Jo. We'll miss you!

Rating:
Summary: JON PERTWEE AT HIS BEST
Review: Story: Jo Grant, the Doctor's assistant, decides to help a group of environmentalists in their protests against Global Chemicals who are attempting to use a new, more productive technique to refine oil in an old Welsh mining town. This presents a conflict of interests when her boss, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, anounces that he has been tasked in protecting Global from the eco-terrorists by providing security. The doctor gets involved when an miner, sent to perform rountine checks on the abandon mine, collapses and dies while he skin turns bright green. Global Chemicals are unsurprisingly revealed to be the villans and have been dumping their highly toxic waste into the abandoned mine to save costs. The waste has mutated maggots into glowing green killers which have to be stopped before they turn into flies and infect the world! If this isn't enough, Global is actually run by a meglomanic computer with the ability to control minds of humans and is intent on taking over the world. Can the Doctor stop the mad computer? Can the Doctor find a cure for the infected Jo Grant? Can the Doctor kill the maggots and save the Earth? What do you think!!!???

Feeling like a cross between a Quatermass film and the old William Hartnel episode "The War Machines", The Green Death is an enjoyable romp from the Pertwee "exile" period. The wriggling green maggots are (fondly?) remembered by all children who watched the original transmission back in the '70's, the cast ham it up beautifully and the story ends on a sad note as Jo elects to leave the Doctor for a young scientist. While the scipt is very good and moves along at a decent pace, the effects are unfortunatly typical for the time period - the CSO (green-screen) effects in the mine are awful and the flying insect is laughable, however the maggot infested slag-heaps and the attacking maggots are done very well.

Rating:
Summary: It's Mine I tell you
Review: This story is a peculiar ending to this particular season as it does not really fit in the overall scheme of things.

Another six part story, typical of the Pertwee years, what is of interest here is not so much the story but the way that it sets up the next season, which was to be Pertee's last.

As often was the case, the story reflects some of the scientific issues of the time and this is no exception as it deals with the environmental consequences of toxic waste. There is apolitical edge to this story to as it concerns the mine closure and the promise of future jobs as well as highlighting the dangers of working underground and the lack of investment in the pits. This was an ongoing dispute in Britain at the time between the Conservative Government of Ted Heath and the National Union of Mineworkers which resulted in strikes and eventually the country being on a three day week with electricity being rationed to the general public.

The storyhas considerable merit though it is really a little too long. The attempt to make the show more interesting by giving it feature length time was in itself admirable, but given the financial constraints under which Doctor Who operated, it was not sufficient to make it work.

What was also interesting about the Pertwee years was the way in which it was presented as a coherent package. The whole thing is interlinked with references to other stories within his playing of the role. In the Green Death, Jo leaves the show when she falls for the handsome young Professor and the Doctor gives her the crystal from Metabilis Three as a wedding gift, which assumes a crucial role in the final show of the Pertwee years.

One final note. The VHS version was released to mark the death of third Doctor Jon Pertwee who died suddenly at the age of 76 in May 1996. The show originally aired 19 May 1973 to 23 June.