Doctor Who: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: Part 1 is set on the distant planet of Segonax where the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) & his companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) have decided to land & check out the Psychic Circus dubbed the greatest show in the galaxy, once there the Doctor gets a strange feeling, a feeling of evil. The Doctor & Ace make their way to the circus, meanwhile two performers named Bellboy (Christopher Guard) & Flowerchild (Dee Sadler) are heading in the opposite direction as they try to escape the circus but are hunted down by a couple of sinister clowns, Bellboy is caught & taken back to the circus where something evil is happening & the Doctor is walking straight into it...
This four part Doctor Who adventure was the last story from season 25 & this first part was episode 11 of that particular season & aired here in the UK in late 1988, directed by Alan Wareing I wouldn't call this great Doctor Who. I have to mention the title of this story The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, as the opening credits end & the title comes up it says Doctor Who The Greatest Show in the Galaxy & I have to say I wondered whether the writer Stephen Wyatt was trying to be clever, trying to be funny or just being ironic, you decide. Anyway, as it stands I thought this episode was OK, like all TV shows the first episode sets the situation up & deliberately doesn't try to give too much away as to try & get the viewer to tune in next week. Unfortunately The Greatest Show in the Galaxy didn't really hook me or interest me that much if I'm honest, very little actually happens apart from the Doctor & Ace trying to find the circus itself & meeting a few people along the way. The highlight of this episode is the Doctors encounter with a killer robotic bus conductor! This story seems to be taking itself quite seriously which I'm not so sure is a good idea considering the material & production values.
The budget was obviously tight & again the production values when viewed today hurt the programme overall, special effects this bad like the terrible cardboard looking robot that attacks Mags (Jessica Martin) just kills dead any tension or suspense that a story such as this could have developed. There are no monsters or aliens in this episode unless you count a couple of robots.
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: Part 1 is an OK Doctor Who episode, it isn't as fun as the best Doctor Who stories & to be honest I'm hoping for better as the story progresses, bring on Part 2...
This four part Doctor Who adventure was the last story from season 25 & this first part was episode 11 of that particular season & aired here in the UK in late 1988, directed by Alan Wareing I wouldn't call this great Doctor Who. I have to mention the title of this story The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, as the opening credits end & the title comes up it says Doctor Who The Greatest Show in the Galaxy & I have to say I wondered whether the writer Stephen Wyatt was trying to be clever, trying to be funny or just being ironic, you decide. Anyway, as it stands I thought this episode was OK, like all TV shows the first episode sets the situation up & deliberately doesn't try to give too much away as to try & get the viewer to tune in next week. Unfortunately The Greatest Show in the Galaxy didn't really hook me or interest me that much if I'm honest, very little actually happens apart from the Doctor & Ace trying to find the circus itself & meeting a few people along the way. The highlight of this episode is the Doctors encounter with a killer robotic bus conductor! This story seems to be taking itself quite seriously which I'm not so sure is a good idea considering the material & production values.
The budget was obviously tight & again the production values when viewed today hurt the programme overall, special effects this bad like the terrible cardboard looking robot that attacks Mags (Jessica Martin) just kills dead any tension or suspense that a story such as this could have developed. There are no monsters or aliens in this episode unless you count a couple of robots.
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: Part 1 is an OK Doctor Who episode, it isn't as fun as the best Doctor Who stories & to be honest I'm hoping for better as the story progresses, bring on Part 2...