Seasons of Fear
Rather than four episode of one story, Seasons of Fear could be split into 4 separate episodes, with only 3 characters being in all of them. Each episode is focused mainly in one location, with the Doctor and Charley trying to stop a man named Grayle from summoning his masters. From Roman times to the court of Edward the Confessor, each episode presents them with a new challenge from him, before the final episode shows just who exactly his masters are. Seasons of Fear, in most respects is much more like the 4x1 episode stories that are released every year now, rather than most main range stories that are made.
Having four separate, yet heavily linked parts helps to keep the story fresh throughout. While it may have run the risk of keeping everything too short, and therefore lacking any substance that most stories rely on to keep them interesting, it doesn’t leave that thought in my head. Yes, it doesn’t have the detail in it that, say, Enemy of the Daleks does, it has enough to keep the imagination clear as to what is happening and make it just as enjoyable as Enemy. In fact, Seasons maintains a focus for each part that is quite clear. Part 1 is meeting Grayle and his origins, 2 and 3 are stopping him from bringing his masters to earth, and finally, the Doctor has to stop the masters from destroying earth.
And when his masters are revealed, it is quite shocking. I’ve never watched the Horns of Nimon, but I do know of its reputation of being awful. The Nimon themselves are meant to be pretty useless on screen, cheap production making them weaker than they could have been. But on audio the Nimon could be what they deserved, a brilliant and powerful evil. It may be a cliché, but it is true. I have no idea whether the voices are similar to that on TV, but Robert Curbishley gives them a deep, almost surreal voice that makes them sound monstrous. Their reveal is something that should not be spoiled on the first listen. It’s a shame that, being an old release, it is very easy to find spoilers for it (hence why I have not kept the secret). However, if you manage to hear it unawares, there is enough to work it out during the first three episodes themselves. The repeated image of the bull, the voice over the intercom and the repeated mentions of black holes. It is there, but it is better when it isn’t ruined.
The main villain of the piece is actually Grayle. Given immortality by the Nimon, he tries to summon them to earth every seven hundred-or so years. He is rather like The Master (the Time Lord, not the Nimon), had he been from earth. Every time you meet him, he is slightly more insane, following him throughout his life until his end, which is, ironically, back at the beginning. Stephen Perring makes a brilliant adversary, equally matching Paul McGann’s Doctor in every way. In many realms, he is Rodger Degaldo to Jon Pertwee, Terry Molloy to Colin Baker, John Simm to David Tennant.
If there is one area that Seasons is let down on, it is its relation to other stories. Keen-eared viewers may notice the Dalek appearing in part 1, or Don Warrington in part 4, or the first hint to Zagreus . These all come into play later on, and aspects of the plot that was never sorted in this.
It does make it a bit complicated, but should you get a chance, do listen to all the stories that make up the over-arching plot. It is worth it.
Having four separate, yet heavily linked parts helps to keep the story fresh throughout. While it may have run the risk of keeping everything too short, and therefore lacking any substance that most stories rely on to keep them interesting, it doesn’t leave that thought in my head. Yes, it doesn’t have the detail in it that, say, Enemy of the Daleks does, it has enough to keep the imagination clear as to what is happening and make it just as enjoyable as Enemy. In fact, Seasons maintains a focus for each part that is quite clear. Part 1 is meeting Grayle and his origins, 2 and 3 are stopping him from bringing his masters to earth, and finally, the Doctor has to stop the masters from destroying earth.
And when his masters are revealed, it is quite shocking. I’ve never watched the Horns of Nimon, but I do know of its reputation of being awful. The Nimon themselves are meant to be pretty useless on screen, cheap production making them weaker than they could have been. But on audio the Nimon could be what they deserved, a brilliant and powerful evil. It may be a cliché, but it is true. I have no idea whether the voices are similar to that on TV, but Robert Curbishley gives them a deep, almost surreal voice that makes them sound monstrous. Their reveal is something that should not be spoiled on the first listen. It’s a shame that, being an old release, it is very easy to find spoilers for it (hence why I have not kept the secret). However, if you manage to hear it unawares, there is enough to work it out during the first three episodes themselves. The repeated image of the bull, the voice over the intercom and the repeated mentions of black holes. It is there, but it is better when it isn’t ruined.
The main villain of the piece is actually Grayle. Given immortality by the Nimon, he tries to summon them to earth every seven hundred-or so years. He is rather like The Master (the Time Lord, not the Nimon), had he been from earth. Every time you meet him, he is slightly more insane, following him throughout his life until his end, which is, ironically, back at the beginning. Stephen Perring makes a brilliant adversary, equally matching Paul McGann’s Doctor in every way. In many realms, he is Rodger Degaldo to Jon Pertwee, Terry Molloy to Colin Baker, John Simm to David Tennant.
If there is one area that Seasons is let down on, it is its relation to other stories. Keen-eared viewers may notice the Dalek appearing in part 1, or Don Warrington in part 4, or the first hint to Zagreus . These all come into play later on, and aspects of the plot that was never sorted in this.
It does make it a bit complicated, but should you get a chance, do listen to all the stories that make up the over-arching plot. It is worth it.