CELEBRATING FORTY YEARS OF SEASON TWENTY: 'ENLIGHTENMENT'

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

CELEBRATING FORTY YEARS OF SEASON TWENTY: 'ENLIGHTENMENT'

There's no parlaying with these pirates, Wrack (Lynda Baron) and Mansell (Leee John) as the Doctor soon discovers, in Enlightenment.

Recently departed from the Terminus space station, the Doctor receives an important message from the ethereal White Guardian that will see him and his companions partake in an unusual space race held by the mysterious Eternal species - their endeavours comprising craft replicas of ancient Earth sailing vessels, their human-ensnared crews literally mined for their mental abilities so as to keep the unique aliens 'entertained' through long periods of nothingness. The prize for such a soon dangerous race, 'where winner takes all': the universal power of Enlightenment itself, of which certain players will not hesitate to wrought destruction and death against their rivals to achieve it, especially those devils in league with the malevolent force that is the Black Guardian, plotting for the final time (so far) to rob the universe of the Doctor, of which Turlough is given one last chance to aide the galactic bully in his thirst for revenge...

A memorable success with fans and the general public, Enlightenment was a fine idea from one of the series then all too few female writers, Barbara Clegg (with important input from script editor Eric Saward) and nicely realised by now regular director Fiona Cumming, who brings atmosphere (the early episodes have an almost Sapphire and Steel vibe about them) and a sense of mature fantasy, alongside some fine casting with the likes of the splendidly OTT and voluptuous Lynda Baron as pirate Captain Wrack, and Keith Baron as the enigmatic Striker, who surely enjoyed adding some more drama to his resume after several years of prior TV comedy work. Let's also not forget Malcolm Clarke's atmospheric score, the terrific filmed model work from Mike Kelt and his effects team, gorgeous costumes from Dinah Collin (whose work made Janet Fielding never look more lovely as in this story) and Colin Green's multi-period capturing set design. Only the final confrontation between the Black Guardians Black and White (a brief but nice to see return by Cyril Luckham), literally sitting opposite each other at a table, and Turlough's fateful but now obvious decision, fail to ignite the finale that the story needed, which is a bit of a shame after such a strong build-up of power and danger present within the previous two adventures...

The Doctor observes the mysterious Captain Striker (Keith Barron).

Another great variation of the posed publicity image.

1983 on-air BBC title card for the story.

At a party on Wrack's ship, and having swapped his celery lapel (in a fun little character moment), the Doctor confers with the Eternal known as Marriner (Christopher Brown) and the specific object of his eternal affection: Tegan