N.B. there might (or might not) be spoilers in this article!
Doctor Who had not been this serious before and probably wouldn’t be quite this serious again, but for me season seven is one of the high watermarks of the show’s entire run.
There has been humour, and, as I’ve noted, particularly sharp dialogue, but it’s the gravity of the stories that impresses you. Whether it’s balancing the complexities of an immigrant and indigenous population in Doctor Who and the Silurians or the parallels with modern-day “fracking” seen in the controversial mining techniques used to get at Earth’s resources in Inferno, these are stories with themes that still seem relevant today.
At the centre of it has been an impressive dramatic performance from Jon Pertwee, ably assisted by Caroline John as Dr Liz Shaw (one of my favourite companions) and of course complemented by the ever-wonderful Nicholas Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart. The UNIT family would grow over the coming years, but it works just as well here even when it’s at its core trio: the Doctor, his companion and the Brigadier.
It’s almost astounding to think a classic story such as Spearhead from Space is the season’s weakest, but the strength in depth here is such that that is the case. You wonder how much longer this high standard can continue. But then, there’s a certain arch-nemesis awaiting if I recall correctly …
"My favourite so far is also Inferno."
