Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear: Part Four starts as Eldrad (Judith Paris) is stabbed by some sort of syringe containing acid, as a silicone based life-form the acid begins to melt her from the inside out. Her only hope is to be taken to the reconfiguration chamber by the Doctor (Tom Baker) & Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) & her body reconfigured. The Doctor & Sarah succeed but Eldrad is reconfigured into his true form & reveals that he is intent on ruling the Universe...
Episode 8 from season 14 this Doctor Who adventure originally aired here in the UK during October 1976, directed by Lennie Mayne one has to say across it's four episodes The Hand of Fear started out very promisingly but has really faded into a dull forgettable story. The script by Bob Baker & Dave Martin had a great opening with the mysterious severed hand that comes to life, the Nuclear power plant setting & an intriguing story but none of it has come to anything & serves as nothing but padding for another silly looking alien who shouts a lot & wants to rule the Universe story. Over the last couple of episodes there hasn't been any sort of kick, twist or significant plot development to keep the story going or keep the viewers interest maintained. The whole of Part Four is the Doctor & Sarah taking Eldrad to a room, her changing bodies & coming out with the clichéd megalomaniac speech about wanting to take over & rule the Universe, blah, blah, blah. the Doctor stops him, the end. A disappointing last couple of episodes, The Hand of Fear could have been great. As it is, it isn't.
Apart from how silly Eldrad looks when he assumes his true form the main thing of note in Part Four is that it marks the last appearance of Elisabeth Sladen as the likable journalist Sarah-Jane Smith who started her time travelling adventures with Jon Pertwee's Doctor during The Time Warrior (1973) from season eleven. At this point Sarah-Jane was the longest serving Doctor Who companion stretching across more than three whole seasons & eighty episodes (although Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon held the record for the most individual episodes appeared in), originally there were plans to kill her character off but the story feel through & here we get a slightly sad ending as the Doctor leaves her behind on Earth. I must admit I do like the character quite a lot & she has remained a popular companion who has since appeared in the K-9 and Company (1980) spin-off, in The Five Doctors (1983) twentieth anniversary story, the new Doctor Who series episode School Reunion (2006) & actually got her own spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007). Lots of great stories, lots of great moments & a great companion played almost to perfection by a great actress.
The Hand of Fear: Part Four is a disappointing end to what could have been a great story, unfortunately it's not a great way to say goodbye to one of the show's best companions either. Overall I will give The Hand of Fear a slightly above average six stars out of ten across it's four episodes.
Episode 8 from season 14 this Doctor Who adventure originally aired here in the UK during October 1976, directed by Lennie Mayne one has to say across it's four episodes The Hand of Fear started out very promisingly but has really faded into a dull forgettable story. The script by Bob Baker & Dave Martin had a great opening with the mysterious severed hand that comes to life, the Nuclear power plant setting & an intriguing story but none of it has come to anything & serves as nothing but padding for another silly looking alien who shouts a lot & wants to rule the Universe story. Over the last couple of episodes there hasn't been any sort of kick, twist or significant plot development to keep the story going or keep the viewers interest maintained. The whole of Part Four is the Doctor & Sarah taking Eldrad to a room, her changing bodies & coming out with the clichéd megalomaniac speech about wanting to take over & rule the Universe, blah, blah, blah. the Doctor stops him, the end. A disappointing last couple of episodes, The Hand of Fear could have been great. As it is, it isn't.
Apart from how silly Eldrad looks when he assumes his true form the main thing of note in Part Four is that it marks the last appearance of Elisabeth Sladen as the likable journalist Sarah-Jane Smith who started her time travelling adventures with Jon Pertwee's Doctor during The Time Warrior (1973) from season eleven. At this point Sarah-Jane was the longest serving Doctor Who companion stretching across more than three whole seasons & eighty episodes (although Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon held the record for the most individual episodes appeared in), originally there were plans to kill her character off but the story feel through & here we get a slightly sad ending as the Doctor leaves her behind on Earth. I must admit I do like the character quite a lot & she has remained a popular companion who has since appeared in the K-9 and Company (1980) spin-off, in The Five Doctors (1983) twentieth anniversary story, the new Doctor Who series episode School Reunion (2006) & actually got her own spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007). Lots of great stories, lots of great moments & a great companion played almost to perfection by a great actress.
The Hand of Fear: Part Four is a disappointing end to what could have been a great story, unfortunately it's not a great way to say goodbye to one of the show's best companions either. Overall I will give The Hand of Fear a slightly above average six stars out of ten across it's four episodes.