3.8: Colony in Space

In which we learn that imperialism and capitalism are both quite bad. In space!

Broadcast: April-May 1971

Watched: January 2020

Colony in Space, Episode One

Confess your unpopular etc: I rather enjoyed that. The Time Lords sending the Doctor on a mission! The silent aliens! The sinister machines! The giant lizards, which might not exist! The heavy handed dialogue about the oppressive Earth government!

Given this is basically Jamestown – where, spoiler alert, almost everybody died – the Doctor’s “No you must stay here and make a go of it!” speech is a bit weird if you think about it too hard.

Is this literally the first story about colonialism? Given what a big theme it’s going to become it’s sort of weird it’s taken this long but I can’t think of another. The Sensorites was imperialism, of course.

I know this is probably going to get dull, but I’m a sucker for stories about something and this makes a change after seven stories running on contemporary earth, so have at it.

Colony in Space, Episode Two

“What’s good for IMC is good for Earth.”

Similar structure to The Myth Makers: new episode, new set of characters to introduce us too.

I like the way one of the mining company guys is horrified by the colonists dying, and yet he’s *immediately* bought off with talk of a bonus.

Oooh scientists are solving the housing crisis. Good for them, not least since there are now apparently 100 billion people on earth.

Love that the thing that makes Jo suspicious of the fake colonist is him saying he likes the look of the food. Also, the way the Doctor clearly suspects Morgan.

The machine with the claws is hilarious.

Anyway – still enjoying this. Weird. 

Colony in Space, Episode Three

Funny to think that a subplot about “the adjudicators” in a largely ignored and un-rated story ends up as a large chunk of world building in the NAs. [Virgin Publishing’s New Adventures, released between 1991 and 1997, were the closest Who had to an ongoing story in that period, and are basically my own era. Two of the companions introduced in those books, Roz Forrester and Chris Cwej, are ex-adjudicators.]

I sort of like the way that both sides in this dispute keep banging on about international law, but IMC is prepared to break it as well as rely on it. Nice way of making it obvious where the power really lies.

The fact of the “primitives” having a “city” feels a bit odd. [A friend pointed out that entirely ignoring the achievements of native people’s is a big part of the colonial mindset, so this might be a clever joke.]

Anyway. Still enjoying this. Weird. [If you’re not familiar with the old show, you should know that this one is considered to be quite near the bottom of the pile, purely because it’s so very boring. Hence my bafflement at the fact I’m not finding it so.]

Colony in Space, Episode Four

Some odd direction choices. At first seem to be disguising the adjudicator's identity – fuzzy radio comms, shooting him from behind – but then when we get to the trial the Master’s just sat there. I do like the double take he does when the Doctor walks in though, and that for once he’s the one being inconvenienced.

I like the way Caldwell is a decent enough guy but still tells the colonists to f*** off: the fact IMC is corrupt doesn’t make him switch sides, even though he doesn’t like it.

The parade of ever smaller primitives is quite sweet. As are their murals.

Oddly struck by the fact that in the future we’ll be using tapes again.

Colony in Space, Episode Five

Every time someone fires in the gun fight, the screen gets weird lines on it. What’s that about, then? [A limit of the technology of the time: firing a bullet, even a blank, interferes with a video camera. This continues to be an issue for Who until well into the ‘80s.]

The bit where the Doctor points out the Master doesn’t have any credentials and the Master replies, basically, “No, YOU” is quite funny. The bit where the Doctor and Jo have to limbo into the Master’s TARDIS is absolutely hilarious.

Not just tape, but telegraphs! Very retro tech in this era.

Kind of weird how much noise the IMC lot make about landing their ship when they only left three mins ago. 

Dent appointing himself as governor and holding a trial in which he’s both prosecutor and judge feels like quite a good comment on empire.

Colony in Space, Episode Six

“He’s keeping out of the way in case he has to see anything unpleasant.”

The stuff with forcing the colonists onto a ship that won’t survive take-off is weirdly horrifying. Also, I suspect from half forgotten memories, a reflection of actual historical events.

The Doctor seems to momentarily consider the Master’s offer of galactic domination... Can’t imagine Hartnell or Troughton doing that.

The doomsday weapon stuff doesn’t integrate into the imperial themes even slightly that I can see, it’s just a heavy-handed metaphor for nukes.

Ashe’s sacrifice is quite well done, but entirely undermined by the fact they seem to forget Mary’s his daughter. Why does he decide it’s okay to die and leave her? Not that anyone else in the script seems to remember she’s his daughter either, including her, she just doesn’t seem bothered.

Also not clear how IMC are really defeated since I wouldn’t trust the next adjudicator any more than the last one, the law’s against them.

I sort of love that it ends on the Brig being exasperated with the Doctor as if nothing has happened.