FFF5 - The Mind of Evil 5

I get an odd, luvvy duvvy feeling when I watch this episode. It's filled with so many warm and fuzzy moments that, by the end of it, you just hope this story ends at Episode Five and everyone just agrees to shake hands and agree to disagree.

First up is the Doctor/Master relationship again. After threatening The Doctor in order to secure his help (or, more accurately, threatening Jo to get The Doctor to help him), The Master readily accepts the role of assistant - praising and admiring the device that The Doctor has come up with and helping him as he struggles to control the machine. The Doctor also bears no malice to The Master during this scene - the two men are after the same goal (control of the machine), and so any differences between the two are temporarily forgotten. Aww!

The UNIT crew feel the love, as well. Sergeant Benton, who has had a rough few episodes, culminating in a severe concussion, volunteers his services to join the assault on Stangmoor Prison. The Brigadier, however, is less than convinced - not only because of Benton's recent failings, but because of the fact that he's unwell and should be resting. Aww! Benton eventually convinces his superior officer by referencing his "thick skull", a remark that wins over the icy Brigadier with a smile. Aww!! The Brigadier feels so warm and gushy that he not only allows Benton to join the assault force, he tells Benton to lead the assault! AWW!! The close family bonds within UNIT are shown even further when Benton quietly asks about the status of Captain Yates. The Brigadier, sympathetic to the fact that Yates and Benton are most likely friends, is heartfelt in telling Benton that he's heard nothing new.

AWW!!!!!

Before things get too out of hand, though, thankfully, the episode ends with a violent bloodbath punctuated with several uncomfortable closeups of prisoners getting shot by UNIT soldiers, some of them at point blank range. And what a cliffhanger!