An unfriendly welcome for the Doctor and Adric in Season 19's third transmitted story: KInda.
Paradise is postponed for the Doctor and friends (minus Nyssa, recovering in the TARDIS from the poisons affecting her in the previous story) on the lush and seemingly tranquil realm of Deva Loka, land of the mysterious Kinda tribe. 'The Dark Places of the Inside' have affected the vulnerable Tegan Jovanka, who soon unintentionally releases the evil and parasitic creature of ancient myth, the Mara, once more into the realms of man. Double trouble comes from an un hinged young member of an alien survey team sent to reconnoiter Deva Loka for potential colonisation...
Another Classic WHO gem, from then TV newcomer Christopher Bailey (with input from new script editor Eric Saward), unlike anything then seen or attempted in the series, the intellectual and memorable Kinda mixed parables, Buddhism, a satire on the dangers of past Colonialism in history, and the problems of Tahiti Syndrome, all within a pacy and well constructed four-parter full of strong characters that has grown more and more popular with fans over time...
Composition design for the original DVD release by Clayton Hickman.
Memorable first impressions from viewing the story back in 1982:
Wheel turns... civilisations fall...
I loved that the overall story had a unique sci-fi concept about it that felt fresh and interesting, in much the same way I had previously enjoyed Warriors' Gate. The nightmare-scapes (featuring great for their time video effects) and the prophecy scenes linked to the Mara were most disturbing.
The unnerving and highly sensual performance of Janet Fielding as Tegan, getting the chance to explore her character's facets for good and sexually-alluring evil in ways that had never been attempted with any previous female companion in the series. Never has the climbing of a tree and dropping apples on someone's head onscreen been so naughty!
In the realm of a madman, Simon Rouse was especially effective as the deranged Hindle, controlling his two unique Kinda captives and planning to blow up the safety of the survey dome.
The Mara revealed to the Deva Lokans
The original Mara becomes a living entity. The CGI version of the pink and purple snake was a godsend on its later DVD release, but the blow-up model was good enough for its time, and certainly none of my family nor myself hated it as much as many fans did.
With the story's effective end, one thing I was pretty certain of was that the Mara would return again for the Davison era, of which my instincts were soon proved right by the eventual confirmation of a sequel/continuation later in the summer...
Escaping her dizzy The Livers Birds image, Nerys Huge certainly made an impression as the leggy scientist Todd, giving a fine performance and working well opposite Peter Davison. It's a shame that her character never came back for another story in that era.
The Doctor and Adric's explorations of Deva Loka are cut-off when captured by the TSS machine.
A nightmare of Tegans!
The mentally altered Saunders (Richard Todd) appeals to Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) whilst the boy is trapped in the survey dome.
A towering performance from veteran actress as Mary Morris as Panna.
The Doctor and Todd discover more about the ancient Mara and its chaos-bringing prophecy.
To stop a madman!
A worried Tegan recalls her time under the Mara's influence.
"I think paradise is a little bit too green for me as well..."
Alister Pearson's evocative art used for tie-in merchandise.
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