The E-Space Trilogy By @The_Knights87

Oh what can happen when you fly through a charged CVE.  Well you end up in E-Space that’s what.  What’s E- Space you say? Well E- Space is not a parallel universe but a universe existing alongside ours.  Well it just so happened that The Doctor, Romana and K-9 were aboard the TARDIS heading to Gallifrey when they flew through a charged CVE and ended up in E – Space. 

What is commonly called the E – Space Trilogy by fans of Classic Who consists of three very different stories that helped comprised season 18’s entropy themed season.  Full Circle, State of Decay and Warriors Gate are very cleverly written and also have some historical significance to the history of Doctor Who. 

Full Circle has the dubious distinction of being the story that introduces Adric.  That’s right.  That whiny companion who many people do not like at all myself included.  It takes place on the planet Alzarius.  There the Doctor and Romana arrive right when mistfall occurs and the rise of the Marshman from the planets marshes appear.

State of Decay is a true vampire story written by old Doctor Who stalwart Terrance Dicks.  It is an awesome story that pits the Doctor against the ultimate evil Vampires.  Or more accurately The Doctor must stop the Great Vampire.  The Great Vampire is an old enemy of the Timelords from the old days.  It is the sworn duty of any Timelord who happens upon The Great Vampire to kill it and prevent it from conquering the universe. 

Warriors Gate is the story that sees the departure of Romana and K- 9 from the TARDIS.  It is a pretty basic story that takes place entirely in the studio.  But what they do with it is quite amazing.  From the ship to the Gate itself this story boasts some impressive sets and what they did with the green screen shots for 1980 was pretty impressive. Most impressive is the world behind the mirror which has some pretty cool imagery which still stands up today.  It also boasts an anti-slavery message as Romana leaves in order to help release the Thralls from slavery. 

The E – Space Trilogy was something different and regarded by some as some pretty fine stories from season 18.  I enjoyed each of the stories that comprise the trilogy as each story brings something different and has its own little niche. The thing about the stories is that they could stand on their own without the linking aspect of E – Space. 

The E – Space trilogy has some wonderful moments and some good performances by the regular cast.  In fact you could say that Tom baker really shined in these stories and you can truly see how magical he was in the role of The Doctor. So I hope you join us for the next three Wednesdays as we revisit season 18’s E – Space Trilogy.

Full Circle

Romana: "The Time Lords want me back."

The Doctor: "Yes, well, you only came to help with the Key to Time."

Romana: "Doctor, I don't want to spend the rest of my life on Gallifrey - after all this!"

Trying to get Romana back to Gallifrey, after being summoned home by the Time Lords the TARDIS appears to have landed on Gallifrey, but the Doctor and Romana have actually landed on a planet with misty marshes and a crashed spaceship… But they are not in the normal universe. They have somehow fallen into Exo-Space.

This was the first time the series featured a story written by a fan. The young Andrew Smith.  The production team were very impressed by him. Andrew’s knowledge of the show certainly shows, practically in the first episode, with many continuity references, to the Invasion of Time and the Key to Time.  But Full Circle is more than just a fan story.

In an effort to connect with younger viewers the story features a new companion Adric, played by Matthew Waterhouse, originally conceived to be a kind of artful dodger, often getting in trouble he becomes a student of the Fourth Doctor and quarrels with the Fifth.

So if you have the DVD stacked on your shelf, the classic VHS tucked away in a box then be prepared for 7.30pm GMT. Have a drink and some food and get ready to join in with the @DoctorWhoBar from 
7pm GMT on Tuesday 21st June.

Though we fully support the DVD releases, you can also watch it online on You Tube, as it has been uploaded by the BBC to their official site.

Remember to press Play on your DVD, VCR, or online at
7.30pm GMT so we can all stay in sync and discuss via Twitter.

Matthew Waterhouse the Definitive Doctor Who Male Companion.

Many people scoff at the character of Adric, but those who do don't realise the potential that was in the character and why he developed the way he did.  Matthew came on board when he met Producer John Nathan-Turner, he had been working as a File Clerk at the BBC and had appeared briefly in To Serve Them All My Days.

The casting of a young male companion was not new as both Frazer Hines and Michael Craze had previously been cast in a similar role, however the character of Adric differed in several aspects.  Adric was the first male teenager who was not from Earth to be a companion for the Doctor.  Additionally the character was also a mathematical genius as denoted by the star he wore on his costume.

Matthew Waterhouse began his tenure in the role of Adric in the first E-Space adventure Full Circle shown in 1980 where he starred opposite Tom Baker.  The character continued when Tom Baker was replaced by Peter Davison, until the 1982 adventure Earthshock in which Adric sacrificed his life to save his friends.

The character is often derided in fan circles but many people just don't realise that although the intentions were good to start off with with the character, the development of Adric was forgotten when the other new companions of Nyssa & Tegan came on board.  There where too many companions aboard the TARDIS at this point in the shows history.  If Adric had remained solely as companion, instead of introducing Tegan & Nyssa he perhaps would've been given more to do and been remembered more fondly.  However, writers tended to take the lazy way out by pairing Adric off with the villains in the stories!  However I do like the character of Adric, and was upset at his demise in the story Earthshock.  However he did return twice to the role on television, in Time-Flight the story directly after Earthshock playing an apparition of Adric and in Davison's swansong Caves of Androzani in which it is very telling that the last word the Fifth Doctor uttered before he regenerates was the name of his deceased companion.

As yet there has never been a companion who replaced him.  The character of a young male teenage companion aboard the TARDIS didn't continue, it was a succession of young female girls who were paired up with the Doctor.  Adric was the last true definitive male companion in the series.  

Adric's legacy will never be forgotten, as those fans like myself who have loved him over the years, appreciate Matthew Waterhouse's contribution to Doctor Who.  One such person is Heather aka @MissAdric2 on Twitter, who stands up proudly as a big fan of the character, so it is to her I respectfully dedicated this article.

Friday Night In The 'Bar'