MovieChat Forums > Doctor Who (1963) Discussion > The Invasion of Time

The Invasion of Time

posted 7 years ago by chainsaw_metal1
9 replies | jump to latest

Watched this one tonight for the first time in many years, and wow, does it feel like it needed several more rewrites. For a six chapter serial, it feels like there are several stories all crammed together and not enough time for most of it. I love the interactions between The Doctor and Borusa, and of course it was sad to see Leela go, but the story just didn't seem to flow. Is it just me? I feel like the story should have been doctored a little more. I do wonder if any of it had to do with the strike that went on at the time (according to the trivia).

[–] mrmoo2001 7 years ago

I found it consistently entertaining, even if it was sometimes in an eye rolling kind of way like with the pursuit through the many rooms of the TARDIS.

So no, it is not a good serial in a Hinchcliffe/Holmes at their prime kind of way. But it is campy fun.

Take them to the security kitchen!

[–] chainsaw_metal1 7 years ago

You're right, I should have stated, I was entertained. But there is so much that doesn't work. The inside of the TARDIS looking like a normal building, for starters (although, I liked that the pool area looked like that).

So no, it is not a good serial in a Hinchcliffe/Holmes at their prime kind of way. But it is campy fun.

Agreed.

[–] alpha128 7 years ago

Watched this one tonight for the first time in many years, and wow, does it feel like it needed several more rewrites. - chainsaw_metal1

If you research this one, you'll discover it was a last minute replacement for another story that fell through:

The script is credited to David Agnew, a pseudonym often used by the BBC for work produced "in house" by contracted production team members. On this occasion it masks the authors Anthony Read (the series' script editor) and Graham Williams (series producer). This story was written as a replacement for another story, The Killers of the Dark by David Weir, which was considered too expensive and complex to shoot. The script was written in just two weeks, with four days for rewrites.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invasion_of_Time#Production

I have always loved this story, despite its flaws.

[–] chainsaw_metal1 7 years ago

Interesting. I had looked the episode up last night, but hadn't come across this. Thanks very much. It definitely explains a lot.

[–] alpha128 7 years ago

Thanks very much. It definitely explains a lot. - chainsaw_metal1

You're welcome.

[–] mindbait 7 years ago

I think Invasion works well, I tend to forget that it's a 6 parter... I guess because it's a pretty workable 4-parter with a massive twist that easily sustains the last two eps

https://soundcloud.com/coin-sides

New song "Breathless Love"

[–] apostasia 7 years ago

It might have been done out of last-minute desperation, but I rather like that the TARDIS has rooms that look nothing like they're in a ship. So it should. 

Just a painted face on a trip down suicide row

[–] mindbait 7 years ago

Yeah I prefer it to the "journey to the centre of the TARDIS" or "the doctor's wife" where it just looks like a spaceship

https://soundcloud.com/coin-sides

New song "Breathless Love"

[–] johnnybear (146) 4 years ago

I remember reading about the story that fell through and that it being called The Killer Cats of Ginseng! Set on Gallifrey it was about a race of Cat people who also live on Gallifrey or the like...
JB