Story: Frontier in Space
Written By: Malcolm Hulke
Length: 6 Episodes
Year: 1973
"Frontier in Space" is the unfortunate end to Roger Delgado as the Master. It is not that his character was definitively written out in this episode, or that Delgado or the production staff chose for this to be the final appearance, quite the contrary, as his final appearance was already in preparation to be Pertwee's last story as well (a script title "The Final Game"). Unfortunately, Roger Delgado passed away after this story was finished in a car accident while filming a movie in Turkey.
So this is his final story before his untimely death, and how is it? Its a pretty good story, but it sadly has no real closure for the Master storyline that was brewing from the beginning of Season 8 until now. As a last story it could of been worse, he has a lot of great moments throughout, but the lack of closure for THIS Master and Pertwee is a definite drag. It does feature the Ogrons, and the Draconians, the latter of which I quite like.
It does have a decent storyline, but it does have its moments that feel like they are slow. Thats key here, something I feel the need to point out about slowness in Film and Television. I'm not a complete "has to be fast paced or I tune out" kind of person, in fact I really embrace slowness - when it works for the story. I like it when a show can stop and smell the roses, and can reflect and think...and isn't all special effects and running. It just kind of slows down in order to fill 6 episodes.
"Frontier in Space" is no where near that problem like "The Mutants" was, but it does have moments that feel like they are dragging. It would have been one hell of a 5 or 4 parter.
It leads directly into the best Pertwee/Dalek story.
NEXT TIME: To the Planet Spiridon
Written By: Malcolm Hulke
Length: 6 Episodes
Year: 1973
"Frontier in Space" is the unfortunate end to Roger Delgado as the Master. It is not that his character was definitively written out in this episode, or that Delgado or the production staff chose for this to be the final appearance, quite the contrary, as his final appearance was already in preparation to be Pertwee's last story as well (a script title "The Final Game"). Unfortunately, Roger Delgado passed away after this story was finished in a car accident while filming a movie in Turkey.
It does have a decent storyline, but it does have its moments that feel like they are slow. Thats key here, something I feel the need to point out about slowness in Film and Television. I'm not a complete "has to be fast paced or I tune out" kind of person, in fact I really embrace slowness - when it works for the story. I like it when a show can stop and smell the roses, and can reflect and think...and isn't all special effects and running. It just kind of slows down in order to fill 6 episodes.
"Frontier in Space" is no where near that problem like "The Mutants" was, but it does have moments that feel like they are dragging. It would have been one hell of a 5 or 4 parter.
It leads directly into the best Pertwee/Dalek story.
NEXT TIME: To the Planet Spiridon
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