5Q2 - Meglos 2

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it's in Meglos that the very thing that this blog is named after, a chronic hysteresis, occurs, trapping The Doctor and Romana not only in a time loop, but also trapping them in a bubble that prevents them from participating in the story proper, thus leaving the door open for The Doctor's prickly doppelganger, Meglos, to swoop into Tigella and raise trouble.

The thing is, there aren't enough interesting characters to help push the story along without the aid of The Doctor. None of the Savants (well, neither of the Savants) are at all memorable, poor Edward Underdown, as Zasta, is so clearly ill that it's impossible for him to give anything more than he already is, and Jacqueline Hill (not Barbara) as Lexa is a single minded religious zealot. Hill is very stern and believable in this, but single minded religious zealots never stray too much from their convictions to leave you guessing what they'll do next.

Thus, we're left with the poor man's comedy duo of General Grugger and Brotadac to carry much of the plot, paid minions doing the bidding of a cactus to try and steal a giant dodecahedron (called, conveniently, the Dodecahedron). I actually quite enjoy this story, for some reason, but Episode Two is not it's strongest point.