The Keeper of Traken (Story #114, 1981)
Viewed 29 Apr 2013

Doctor/Companion: Four, Adric, Nyssa of Traken
Stars: Tom Baker, Matthew Waterhouse, Sarah Sutton
Preceding Story: Warriors’ Gate (Four, Romana II, Adric)
Succeeding Story: Logopolis (Four, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan)

It’s been a while since G has seen the Fourth Doctor. Not only has it been a month and a half since we were last able to sit down and watch together, but he’s cycled through a Companion or two since our last story, which was broadcast nearly two-and-a-half years before this one. So I guess I can’t blame her when her first reaction at the start of the story was, “Oh my gosh! Look at the question marks on this collar!” And later, “He’s got a new scarf!”

I have to pause and explain about Adric, too. The whole E-Space thing kind of goes over her head, but truth be told, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me either, and I’ve seen all the relevant trilogy. She doesn’t comment on his pajama-esque costume, though, and declares that she rather likes “the little guy.” More than once. And why, do you suppose, she thinks so highly of him? “Because when the women used to tell [the Doctor] he was full of ****, he’d get upset, but when this guy does it, he doesn’t care.”

The story is right up her alley, too. Halfway through Part One, she’s already sussed out (well before we see it happen) that “ol’ Melkur’s marching around in the nighttime.” When his presence leads to the Keeper (apparently) declaring that the Doctor and Adric are “Eviiiiiil!” she can hardly stand it. “I really hate misunderstandings.” (Somehow, I’m thinking she doesn’t watch many sitcoms…)

Like many of us do, G tries to figure out what’s going on as the story progresses, and asks me questions. I hate spoilers, though, so I just make her watch. The rest of Part Two is punctuated with well-timed questions and comments:

• G: Is she helping the Melkur?
  me: ~neutral face~
  G: Well, I’m going to try to hold my tongue, but it’s no fair! You know all the answers!
• Who’s punchin’ those buttons?
• Who IS that guy?
• Doesn’t anybody wonder about her new necklace?
• Oh, my goodness! She’s got Eyeball Induction Flow!

Part Three mostly involves commentary on Kassia’s nature (“She’s so EE-vil!”), guesses about the identity of the man behind the Melkur (“This looks like the guy who created the [she means Daleks here, but she can’t remember the word]”), and suggestions for who should sit on the Keeper’s throne next (“I want Nyssa to be there. She’s wise even though she’s little. And that would give her more time to be Keeper.”). She does not, however, notice that the Melkur makes the same noise as the TARDIS when it materializes. Oh well.

By Part Four, she’s gotten so caught up in the story that she can hardly contain herself at the height of the action, shouting “3-3-7!” at the screen, as if she can help them get to the relevant panel and shut down the Source. She never quite figures out the Master angle without being told (and it will begin to make more sense as we continue the changeover), so the ending didn’t shock her the way it must have shocked fans at the time. I was pleasantly surprised, though, that I got something new out of the episode, too; I can’t believe I’d never noticed the Doctor’s awful pun before (“this type’s not really my forté”).

As the final credits rolled, it was smiles all around. I was glad to see how upbeat she was about the whole story. “That was a great one; that had lots of tension. Of course, that might just be too much caffeine…”

Verdict: Thumbs up

Looking ahead: Logopolis

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