The Mind Robber: Episode 1

Review of the Complete Story:

THE MIND ROBBER is a semi-successful serial for Second Doctor Patrick Troughton. The episodes are a little better budgeted than in the Hartnell years, and there's a general air of enthusiasm that emanates from the cast members which helps to lift the spirits of the viewer. A shame that the story, then, is complete nonsense, more whimsical fantasy than hard sci-fi, but there's little we can do about that.

The narrative sees the Doctor and his companions narrowly escaping an erupting volcano, only to land on a planet where fiction is commonplace. In essence, they're constantly attacked by creations from their imagination, a bit like in the Marshmallow Man sequence in GHOSTBUSTERS. Unfortunately many of the enemies in this serial, such as the giant-size toy soldiers, look completely ridiculous and take all credibility away from the production.

Thankfully Troughton is on good form, as are his companions. Wendy Padbury is particularly lively in that arresting figure-hugging outfit - racy for its time - while Frazer Hines camps it up a storm as the lovable Jamie. THE MIND ROBBER isn't perfect by any means, but it is mildly entertaining, more than can be said for a lot of the stodgy '60s era Who.