A review of the first half of the Tales, covering the stories of the three Doctors who are no longer with us. These framing mini-episodes therefore feature only companion characters.
In each, the characters find themselves transported to what they all recognise to be the TARDIS, despite it being a weird hotchpotch of designs representing all eras. Bizarrely, the original console appears to be stuck on the ceiling...
As you watch each instalment you come to see that this is a metaphysical space rather the TARDIS itself - a sort of "memory-palace".
We start with Vicki meeting Steven Taylor. They catch up on their life after leaving the TARDIS - she marrying Troilus and settling down as farmers, rearing a family. Steven describes his becoming a king.
She then finds a Viking helmet, which prompts their memories of The Time Meddler. The story, like all of these Tales, is devoid of opening and closing titles, and has been edited into an omnibus version. I had thought they might have retained the episodes, and used the framing characters between, but they only feature at the beginning and end.
By the conclusion of the story, they are longing to see the Doctor again, and it is hinted that he arrives just as we cut away (Vicki looks up and we hear the Hartnell chuckle). He appears to arrive because they both wish really hard to see him. This alone points towards this being a mental rather than physical space.
This first piece is written by Phil Ford, who is best known for The Sarah Jane Adventures. He doesn't appear to have actually seen The Time Meddler as he has Vicki make a big thing of finding the Doctor's watch in this weird TARDIS - whilst episode two of the actual ,story has Steven state categorically that Vicki told him the Doctor didn't own a watch...
The Tale which accompanies The Mind Robber sees Jamie and Zoe reunited. This one's written by Pete McTighe. It's all about memory again - particularly relevant to the companions whose memories were wiped by the Time Lords. It's all a bit confusing, however, as Zoe seems to recall things before she has even arrived, whilst Jamie needs a bit of prompting.
We get another catch-up - both are grandparents, Jamie having 5 daughters and 19 grandkids, whilst Zoe has a son named James who is a scientist. He seems to be well-off, whilst she is actually a President, on her third term. President of what or where we don't hear.
At one point Zoe thinks they've been brought here specifically to get their memories back, as though organised by the Doctor (or the Time Lords? Continuity is out the window, so who knows where or when these fit in. Personally I can never see myself treating them as canon).
This one ends with the pair vowing that they will keep their newly rediscovered memories.
Ford is back for the third piece, which is by far the weakest of these first three Tales. (I suspect it'll be the worst of the lot. Can't see how any of the other three could be worse).
Rather than have Benton back to remember a Third Doctor / UNIT adventure with Jo, we have Clyde Langer from SJA. This is a most tenuous connection as Jo featured in just one story from that series. The opening is a bit silly, and then it turns thoroughly mawkish. Honestly, you'll need to brush your teeth after this one, such is the amount of schmaltz you'll have to digest. Jo recalls her dear departed hubby Cliff Jones, but instead of then giving us The Green Death, which would be the most fitting choice, we get The Three Doctors...
Clyde tells Jo that Luke and his boyfriend are off at a UNIT space station, whilst he hardly ever sees Rani. This one ends with Jo pleading, on her knees, with him to get back together with her because she knows he loves her and no-one lives forever and yadda, yadda, yadda... The syrupy emotion is laid on with a trowel.
I can confidently say that whilst I might revisit the first couple of Tales somewhere down the line, this third one I will never, ever inflict upon myself again.
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