User Reviews

You have to hand it to Philip Hinchcliffe, he knew exactly what he was doing with the show, he had the luxury of Tom and Sarah, so he was already on a winner, but the writing and production throughout his tenure was just so good. Tom and Liz truly were a magnificent combo, they were well supported by the cast here.

The Seeds of Doom, case in point, it has to be one of the most terrifying stories of Doctor Who, the first part is chilling, it's grizzly and macabre, featuring some truly scary scenes.

I would imagine the scene of the pod opening, and its contents curling around the poor victim gave kids (and some adults) nightmares back in 1976, a truly great, horror moment. The scenes of poor Winlett transforming were really grim, green was always the colour of possession.

A classic that begins in some style. 10/10

Review of all 6 episodes:

The story here is that The Doctor and Sarah go to an Antarctic base where three scientists have discovered a form of unknown plant life buried in the snow. It has been there for many thousands of years but is of alien origin. The pods found turn out to be Krynoids, a plant which is carnivorous, parasitic, powerful and immensely fast growing. The Doctor knows this plant is a threat to all humanity but a pod is stolen by crazed millionaire Harrison Chase who is obsessed with plants.

Horror content was at its peak at this point in the series history and this story is one of the most horror based of all. There are some genuinely grim and macabre scenes which must have had children AND parents hiding behind the sofa. After having a lot of complaints during this time for being too adult and horrific, Doctor Who producers were forced to tone it down. The series, whilst still always continuing to have brilliant thrills, scares and adult qualities was never again to have quite the level of grown up thrills found in series 13 and 14. A scene where someone gets chewed up by a recycling machine is one example but there is a lot of quite gritty and dark content here and that only serves to make this a superb and memorable adventure.

This is another example of the brilliance of this era with Robert Holmes as script editor and Phillip Hinchcliffe as Producer. They created the best sustained quality I think the show has ever had. This story is just one of many top standard classics from this time and writer Robert Banks Stewart has provided a great story to follow his equally great Terror of the Zygons.

The dialogue of this story is intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable and it is delivered with superb acting by the whole cast while director Douglas Camfield again shows he is one of the finest directors the show had. The first 3 episodes in particular are tremendous and are at the highest possible standard. The engrossing science fiction/horror story and remote setting enriched with phenomenal characterisations and an alien threat makes this electrifying entertainment. The final 3 episodes are a bit less cerebral and more about monster attacks, confrontations and action but still have a tough, dark feel and the interesting human villain as well as the fun giant monster.

Right from the start when the story begins with the three research scientists in the Antarctic those three characters are all very convincingly written and acted. It is actually a shame that such a well acted part as Moberley (Michael McStay) only lasts one episode. The sinister villain Chase (the superb Tony Beckley) has a smooth, slimy, creepy menace which is really entertaining and perfectly played. His violent thug Scorby (played brilliantly by John Challis, 'Boycie' from comedy classic 'Only Fools and Horses') is far more than your average 'heavy', he is another effective and interesting villain. Dunbar, Thackeray, Keeler and Hargreaves are all also extremely well acted. In addition we also get the larger than life eccentric Amelia Ducat (Sylvia Coleridge) who adds a humour and lightness amongst the mostly serious characters. There are actually lots of wonderful, witty moments interspersed with all the drama and menace.

Tom Baker is magnificent as The Doctor. He delivers numerous witty lines with sparkling charisma whilst mostly is at the toughest and most stern we ever see him. He tells people off and barks orders one moment then makes a great joke the next, both with equal conviction. He is seen to be both selflessly heroic and the most actively tough the character has ever been. He engages in punch ups and even points a gun but this is all done so well that it works.

The suspense and shocks, intelligent, engaging script and the enjoyable action make this a true classic. Even the Krynoid, which at times shows up the limitations of the show's effects, has some great moments. The stop motion work with the giant monster and the house is actually impressive. This is a fantastic, gripping and entertaining pleasure from start to finish. A 10/10 classic that all 'Whovians' must see.

My ratings: All 6 Parts - 10/10.

This story finished off the awesome series 13 which is a front runner for best season ever along with Season 14 and just ahead of Season 12. This Hinchcliffe & Holmes run era is simply incredible standard. 23 out of the 26 episodes of Season 13 got the full 10/10 from me which is unbelievable standards over a season. Only Parts 2 to 4 of The Android Invasion failed to get full 10/10 with only Part 4 being a real disappointment for me. Any Doctor Who 'show-runner' now or in the future should aim to copy the qualities of this era as it is as good as TV gets.

My Season 13 Average Rating: 9.67/10!

If you think vegetarianism is a more humane path to sustenance, you haven't asked how plants feel about that--and in "The Seeds of Doom," they're poised to enact their revenge on the animals including, and especially, those at the top of the food chain: humans.

This six-part serial that ended the 13th season of "Doctor Who" remains one of the best of the classic period, sporting near-cinematic grandeur on both sides of the camera. In fact, Season 13 itself is one of the best in the long run of this science-fiction series as five of its six serials are top-tier adventures spotlighting the Fourth Doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, and his Earthling companion Sarah Jane Smith. Moreover, the peerless creative team of producer Philip Hinchcliffe and script editor Robert Holmes, together functioning as what today we call "showrunners," were truly at the top of their game, combining crackling stories, Gothic horror, and an adult focus that marked the pinnacle of the original "Doctor Who."

Scripting the crackling story here is Robert Banks Stewart, who draws from a number of literary and cinematic sources including John Wyndham's 1951 novel "The Day of the Triffids" although "The Seeds of Doom" is a not-too-distant cousin to "The Avengers" 1965 episode "Man-Eater of Surrey Green," which featured a carnivorous plant intent on world domination. (Stewart himself penned a pair of "Avengers" episodes that appeared in the same fourth series; however, this wasn't one of them.)

Digging out a large plant pod from Antarctic permafrost, geologist Charles Winlett (John Gleeson) and zoologist Derek Moberley (Michael McStay) show it to botanist John Stevenson (Hubert Rees), who, unable to recognize it, nevertheless believes that, despite being about 20,000 years old, it is alive. Back in London, World Ecology Bureau functionary Richard Dunbar (Kenneth Gilbert) shows a photograph of the pod to the Doctor, who, in his capacity as UNIT's (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce) scientific advisor, immediately arranges a visit to the team's base camp with Sarah Jane.

Meanwhile, Dunbar pays a visit to millionaire plant fanatic Harrison Chase (Tony Beckley), who is so intrigued by the pod, particularly after Dunbar relays the Doctor's speculation that it might be extraterrestrial, that he dispatches his own team to Antarctica to investigate, and you know that they are probably not looking to cooperate with anyone, even after the pod splits open and infects a napping Winlett, who turns green from the effects before he turns nasty.

Jeremy Bear's superb production design of the Antarctic base interiors recalls "The Thing from Another World," and contributing to that cinematic realism is excellent model work depicting the base's exterior while the pod bursting open to disgorge a malevolent entity anticipates the upcoming "Alien." Speaking of aliens, Tom Baker continues to imbue the Doctor with otherworldly character as, after two seasons as the Time Lord, he is fully invested in the character--and not yet grown jaded, flippant, and sometime irritable as he would near the end of his lengthy tenure. Meanwhile, Elisabeth Sladen regains a measure of moxie that had begun to slip after her assured introduction to begin Season 11.

Bringing the first part of "The Seeds of Doom" into sharp, efficient focus is veteran "Who" director Douglas Camfield, renowned for whipping the narrative into shape while drilling his actors to military efficiency. Camfield's firm grip on the helm nurtures thrills and adventure as "The Seeds of Doom" begins to blossom.

REVIEWER'S NOTE: What makes a review "helpful"? Every reader of course decides that for themselves. For me, a review is helpful if it explains why the reviewer liked or disliked the work or why they thought it was good or not good. Whether I agree with the reviewer's conclusion is irrelevant. "Helpful" reviews tell me how and why the reviewer came to their conclusion, not what that conclusion may be. Differences of opinion are inevitable. I don't need "confirmation bias" for my own conclusions. Do you?

In the arctic they've unearthed a curious thing, it's a pod, a seed, a growth that may just spring, no carpenters required, provides a camouflaged attire, and it looks as though it may just have a sting.