Bloodtide
The Doctor and Evelyn arrive at the Galapagos Islands, finding a young naturalist named Charles Darwin conducting research and observations there. The Doctor is a bit worried about Evelyn interfering with the development of Darwin’s theories, but he soon has more to worry about - prisoners at the local jailhouse disappear without a trace, and a woman is upset that her brother, whose mind has snapped after what he says was an encounter with “devils,” is scheduled for execution. Though the Doctor is less than impressed with the local governor’s demeanor, he soon realizes that something far more sinister is at work here - a small enclave of hibernating Silurians has awoken in their chambers deep below the islands, and one of them is plotting the destruction of homo sapiens… which may only be fair, since he created homo sapiens.
written by Jonathan Morris
directed by Gary Russell
music by Alistair LockCast: Colin Baker (The Doctor), Maggie Stables (Evelyn), Miles Richardson (Charles Darwin), George Telfer (Captain Fitzroy), Julian Harries (Governor Lawson), Daniel Hogarth (S’Rel Tulock), Helen Goldwyn (Scientist Shvak), Jane Goddard (Greta Rodriguez), Jez Fielder (Lokan)
Timeline: after The Apocalypse Element and before Project: Twilight
Review: I’ve always loved the Silurians, especially their first appearance in Jon Pertwee’s second story in 1970. Their sinister, low voices, that creepy third eye that can kill a human being from across a room, and that nagging moral question over whether they still have a claim to Earth after going into hibernation millions of years ago. That morality plays perfectly with Colin Baker’s Doctor; Baker does righteous indignation and moral dilemmas better than any of the other actors who have steered the TARDIS, and Bloodtide is a real gem of a sixth Doctor adventure. Maggie Stables also holds her own as Evelyn, spending much of the story not with the Doctor but with young Charles Darwin. (more…)