Review of The Seeds of Death: SE (#48)
DVD Release Date: 12 Jun 12
Original Air Date: 25 Jan – 01 Mar 1969
Doctor/Companion: Two, Jamie McCrimmon, Zoë Heriot
Stars: Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury
Preceding Story: The Krotons (Two, Jamie, Zoë)
Succeeding Story: The Space Pirates (Two, Jamie, Zoë)

Although it is the franchise’s second encounter with them, Seeds of Death is our first real chance to see the Ice Warriors in action, since two episodes of The Ice Warriors are no longer extant. It’s a great intro, too, because the POV shots give it an interesting sense of mystery at the beginning – “who has invaded Moonbase?”, the (original) audience is left to wonder. And we don’t find out until the end of Episode 1, which works quite well.

They’re suitably creepy and threatening, too. What are they up to? Their plan appears so complex, and has so many pieces, that it takes even the Doctor five or six episodes to suss it out completely. And I just love their weaponry. It’s unique and interesting, especially for 1969. I can’t help but wonder how that would (or “will,” if rumor can be trusted) be adapted today. OK, so some of the effects are dodgy (in what story weren’t they, really?) – those rubber suits are just unwieldy, and the “fungal spores” are absolutely laughable (though at least imaginative) – but the overall timbre is nice.

I also really like the timely commentary on the space age. Humanity has become too dependent on one particular technology (T-Mat), and needs to go back to a more “primitive” technology (rocketry) to get itself out of a pickle. It’s totally a cautionary tale.

Given that it was originally broadcast mere months before the Apollo 11 landing, I was fascinated with Seeds’ depiction of the rocket’s operation. Its insides didn’t look much like a NASA capsule, though the script did try to address both the extra forces experienced on take-off and (temporary) weightlessness once on their way. I also have to wonder how much of what goes wrong there is merely plot device, and how much is playing on fears about the very real dangers 1969’s technologies posed for its astronauts.

I really enjoyed several of the guest characters, too. Fewsham, Phipps, Kelly, Radnor, Eldred… All are wonderful in their own ways. Perhaps most of all, I love Phipps’ ingenuity at creating both a communications point and a weapon in his little solar energy closet. Clearly the Doctor does, too, as he adapts the weapon for his own use later.

Which brings me to a point that’s been bothering me.  At one turn, Two is chastising Radnor, who’s been trying to eradicate the fungus (“Yes, but have you tried to understand it?”), and at the next he’s the one doing the eradicating. He seems perfectly happy to zap Ice Warriors to smithereens both with his portable device and by sending the entire fleet into the sun. Un-Doctorish? Or precursor to The Oncoming Storm? I don’t know, but his defense of “You tried to destroy an entire world” sounds… almost shallow. He never seems to give them the chance to back off (maybe that’s because of the time factor, I don’t know). Five might have said “there should have been another way,” but Two doesn’t seem to blink.

Whatever the case, it’s only on reflection that any of this crops up. For me, the first two or three times through, it all seemed perfectly reasonable. And with a decent story and good acting, I can’t get too worked up over it in the end.

DVD Extras (highlights)

Commentary Track

Just to get the flavor, I watched Episode 1 with commentary. Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Wendy Padbury (Zoë) were joined by director Michael Ferguson (in later episodes script editor Terrance Dicks joins in). I’d say it’s about par for the course for a commentary – better than some, not as good as some others. I always enjoy what Hines has to say (e.g., pointing out how out-of-date this future looks), and love to hear about working with Troughton, so it wasn’t a bad way to watch.

Lords of the Red Planet

The “making of” takes its title from the original script that writer Brian Hayles developed for the Ice Warriors’ return. Actually, I thought it sounded fabulous, and would love to have seen it. But it was too ambitious for the budget, and had to be scrapped – as did, actually, much of The Seeds of Death, which got rewritten by Terrance Dicks. There’s lots more here, too: the usual interviews with stars, director, costume designer, and so on. It’s a nice look at the return of the Ice Warriors.

Sssowing the Ssseedsss

What was it like to be an Ice Warrior? The actors answer that very question here. From the choice to take the role to what it’s like to wear that costume, from how to play it so it comes across properly to why they’re a scary, popular monster – it’s all here.

Monsters Who Came Back for More!

Popular monsters tend to return. Commentary by Nicholas Briggs and Peter Ware explores such things as how to make bringing any given race back work and who they’d like to see return in the future.

For me, Seeds is highly watchable. Two is shrewd and clever (being comedic when called for, with the fungus), and puts on just enough of an “I’m such a silly goose!” show to sell Slaar on his ruse at the end. What’s not to love? Classic Two, classic monster, classic fun.

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