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Timelash Format Reviewed: VHS Review Timelash is the second story if the season to feature a member of the guest cast that also appeared in Blakes 7. Indeed, the two series are often talked about in the same breath despite them being different in theme and tone. We also get another pseudo-historical element here with Hebert George Wells appearing as a character. We see the show again fitting in with events from Earth history and purporting to either influence or create events as the happened, another great facet of time travel! Timelash sees the TARDIS caught in a time tunnel (the Timelash) being used on Karfel as a punishment for unruly citizens. The TARDIS lands on Karfel and the Doctor is welcomed as a return visitor, having previously saved Karfel after his second regeneration. The Doctor is then blackmailed into travelling in the TARDIS to the other end of the Timelash (England 1885) to find someone who went down it. He does and inadvertantly brings back Herbert George (HG) Wells as well as the Karfelian Vena. The Doctor then retrieves two crystals from the Timelash and rigs a short time break with one to project someone forward in time whilst maintaining an image in the rpesent. The ruler, the Borad, is dealing with rebels trying to usurp power. The Doctor then confronts the Borad and finds him to be a mutated scientist called Megelen who wants to transform Peri into a Morlox. With an impending attack by Karfels enemies, the Bandrils, peace is restored when Megelen is shown his own reflection and recoils in horror to be captured. Timelash manages to rank as one the campest pieces of television from this era. Paul Darrow and David Chandler really do camp up the whole story and make Timelash somewhat removed from the surrounding stories which are more 'butch' in tone. Doctor Who has always had an element of British camp about it, but now and again it really comes to the fore in stories like Timelash. This isn't a bad thing unless it is overplayed, and sadly it is a bit here as some of the acting has more ham and cheese ladled on than a double fill ham and cheese sandwich. Of the actors here, as mentioned above Paul Darrow and David Chandler as Tekker and HG Wells respectively overact like they are appearing in a carry on film. Robert Ashby though gives a good performance as the Borad which counterbalances the overly camp Tekker and Wells. Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant as the Doctor and Peri respectively do fine in their roles, probably without really excelling or being poor. Colin Baker though does start to show that he might be settling into the role a bit though here, and the interplay between Doctor and companion certainly seems to be getting easier. As a concept, the story is fairly interesting but bizarre. Quite why the Timelash comes out in England in the 17/1800's is lost on me, and why there should be such a time tunnel remains a mystery. It is this confusion I think that the problems of the story stem from. I don't believe that the plot lines are particualrly well developed, and the story looks as though it has been cobbled together in a bit of a rush. The best way of enjoying it though is to really suspend your disbelief and enjoy the campness as the substance is lacking. Overall, Timelash is a story that feels rushed and as though several different stories were combined to make it. The plots do not feel rounded or with any depth, and the camp overacting mainly serves to make this show more kitch than classic. Timelash however certainly isn't the worst story of the era, and will bear more repeated watching than some of the stories surrounding it in the schedules. Rating:  |