It's all in the mind
This is a clever Doctor Who story ostensibly about crystalline aliens who are dissolved in solvent and who can be restored by brainpower which can also drive their spaceship. The indigenous population are reared like sheep and educated in the learning halls to develop the intellect that the Krotons need whereupon they will leave the p;anet. Of course, the Doctor and his companions arrive and upset the applecart in their usual manner.
Why is this a clever story? Well the thrust of the plot is about the technologically superior aliens, crystalline based and susceptible to acid attack. However, the sub-plot revolves around the servile and passive Gonds who serve up their best and their brightest to be dispersed by the Krotons after they have been tested for brainpower. The interest lies in the revolutionary feelings of some of the younger members of the group, the staid conservatism of the leader and the almost complete disinterest in intellectual advancement. What occurs leads into...
Another man against machine Who story
The ying-yang like halves opening in the wall of the Gond people's teaching hall foreshadows a fight between good and bad. Two students, Abu and Vana, have been given the highest honour, to become companions of the Krotons. Yet Thara, the hot-headed son of Council leader Selris, adamantly tries to stop his girlfriend from going. "Why do we take their orders? We don't even know if they exist."
Landing on a rocky planet that "looks dead, smells dead," the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe, encounter a machine and rescue Vana from certain death from it. Companions of the Krotons, huh?
When Selris learns the truth, the enormity of it sinks in. "The Krotons have been our benefactors. ... Our two best students join the Krotons. They can't all have been murdered!" He also fears that if other Gonds learn the truth, they will rise up against the Krotons, only to be slaughtered. That is being planned under Selris's deputy Eelek. Yet the Gonds' main problem is that they are dependent on the...
Another Great Troughton Who episode
I've been buying loads of Doctor Who videos and DVDs recently, most of which I have never seen. Being a fan of the series, I knew who Patrick Troughton was, but never saw any of his episodes. His appearance in The Five Doctors was just a glimps into what the second Doctor was like and "Who" he was. Needless to say I wanted more. Tomb of the Cybermen was my first Troughton episode...I'm convinced he is one of the best Doctors ever. The Krotons is another excellent episode. An interesting story, cold, creepy and truly alien aliens with bizarre technology and a solid cast. The Kroton's accent made me laugh a few times (don't always sound so bright) but somehow that just added to the charm of this episode. Is it just me, or does black and white seem more believable? I pity the latter generations who may never see anything broadcasted black and white on the TV... Another quality episode recommended for any fan of Dr Who or Sci-fi.
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