Review of the Complete Story:
THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY is a weak adventure for the seventh Doctor, a case of "make it up as you go along" in terms of plotting and narrative intrigue. The storyline sees the Doctor and Ace arriving on a barren planet, where a sinister circus showcases new acts from across the galaxy. Inevitably, something sinister lurks behind the grinning smirks of the clowns, and the Doctor has to find out what it is.
Oh dear. The premise itself sounds cheesy and it turns out that this serial is just as you'd expect it to be: cheap looking, cheesy, very lightly written and with not a lot going on in it. In a bid to counter these problems, plenty of supporting characters are added to the mix, but none of them are very interesting and the acting is substandard, to say the least.
Sylvester McCoy is still a hoot as the Doctor and Sophie Aldred isn't too annoying in this one. What THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY does have going for it is a ton of familiar faces including T. P. McKenna (STRAW DOGS), Ricco Ross (ALIENS), TV actor Ian Reddington, Peggy Mount and even a chap from LOVEJOY. There are a few fun sections here and there, such as the encounters with a deadly robot, but the production has been noticeably "kiddified" and much of it consists of dull characters rambling on or people running around in a quarry. It's hardly 'classic' Who...