The Doctor is caught in the battle between good and evil. When the Tardis lands on an arid planet, it seems as though the whole place is desolate and lifeless. But then the Doctor, Steven and Vicki discover two crashed spaceships.
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A much over-looked classic, brought into the public eye! The magic of this story is really brought out by the linking narration by Peter Purves. His commentary is so good, that you hardly notice that he’s there – his words blend with the action perfectly. Doctor Who fans should definitely buy this CD – I have been a fan of the series for 14 years now, and often this story was paled into insignificance – and unjustly so. It really is a classic, and once fans re-watch the clip of Galaxy 4 on the Ice Warriors Special video, listeners will visualise the story excellently. This, along with the Web Of Fear is one of the best BBC audios available. Buy it!
The good doctor discovers beauty is just skin deep. Galaxy 4 proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that beauty is definitely not in the eye of the beholder! It is a classic case of looking beneath the surface to see the reality of a situation. Having landed on a desolate planet, the Doctor and his companions Vicki and Steven are drawn into a conflict between the gorgeous Drahvins, headed by the glamorous Maaga, and the hideous Rills,who hide themselves away in their crashed spaceship and whose only contact with the outside is through their servants, the “Chumblies”. Of course, as in classic WHO style, the Doctor’s innate sense of morality allows him to work out the goodies from the baddies. This is one of a series of Missing Stories, which the BBC is reviving albeit on CD format, and for the most part this current release works well. The studio-bound nature of the story adds clarity and tautness to the sound quality, whilst the effects – especially those of the “Chumblies” – contribute humour and personality to the otherwise characterless robots. Peter Purves does a most effective job of linking the action to the dialogue, particularly in scenes where “his” character – Steven Taylor – is involved. Whilst, it must be said, the story is relatively straightforward, it does represent in audio form the kind of aspiration Doctor Who was attempting to achieve in its’ magical early years. A highly recommended disc.
A lost villain I can’t really add much to the other reviews except to praise the late Stephanie Bidmead. Having seen her Madam Devolio character in “Adam Adamant Lives” I was aware that she made a good villain, but I wasn’t prepared for just how good she is in this. There’s a melancholy malevolence about her performance that makes Maaga an unforgettable villain. She is also one of the most understandable in terms of motivation and character. The Drahvin culture explains her attitude and is neatly summed up in the discussion during “Airlock”, her situation explains her actions, and Bidmead’s intonation gives a real depth to her personality. It’s even possible to empathise with her as she laments not being listened to by her superiors, an empathy which softens the listener up nicely for the chilling last few lines of her monologue. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to see this moment on DVD.