"You can't kill me - I'm a genius !"
| This page looks back to
the Patrick Troughton story from 1969, The Seeds of Death, which was released on BBC DVD in 2003. |
Commander Radnor.
The StoryIn the near future, T-Mat ( a matter transmission system) has become the main transport system on Earth. It is controlled from Earth by chief technician Gia Kelly, but has a vital Moon relay station. Lunar technician Fewsham has messed up a few deliveries so Osgood is sent to investigate. He discovers that the lunar base has been invaded by large reptilian creatures (the Ice Warriors). Osgood is killed by the warriors. On Earth, Gia and her boss, Commander Radnor, are faced with a non-functioning T-Mat system and no way of reaching the Moon to fix it. The TARDIS lands in a museum run by retired Professor Eldred, a rocket pioneer. Radnor and Kelly arrive and try to persuade Eldred to let them use the ion rocket he has secretly been developing. The Ice Warriors, led by Ice Lord Slaar, begin sending seed pods to Earth by T-Mat - pods which suck the oxygen from the atmosphere. The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe travel to the Moon in Eldred's rocket to do battle with the Ice Warriors. |
An Ice Warrior.
The ProductionThe story is a fairly simple sequel to "The Ice Warriors" and has similar plot elements. Even the main characters are similar - Radnor, Eldred and Kelly instead of Clent, Penley and Garrett. However, the story works well and does not disappoint. A new class of Ice Warrior is introduced, but unfortunately this reduces the other Ice Warriors to mere supporting characters who lumber around doing very little. It's nice to see Dr Who visit the Moon again and the climax of the story with the seed pods gave the BBC special effects boys another chance to use their foam machine (last used in Fury From The Deep). The only negative point of the production for me is the costumes of the male characters, which are ludicrous. |
Gia Kelly.
Things to look out forPatrick Troughton's sideburns appear and disappear depending on whether he is seen in a pre-filmed sequence or a studio recording. A prop previously seen as the Doctor's astral map (introduced in The Web Planet) appears as an exhibit in Eldred's museum. Patrick Troughton was absent from episode four, a double being used for sequences where the Doctor's unconscious body is seen. Zoe wears a leather outfit in this story. It was actually primrose yellow in colour and the actress was allowed to keep it after the story was completed. |
Ice Lord Slaar.
AvailabilityThe story was released on a BBC video (BBCV 2019) in 1984 and a DVD release in 2003. |