[daveyboy7472]

As previously stated, I think this is one of the poorest of the Troughton Era. Certainly compared to the stories of Season 5, it falls down rather badly. The concept of the story is not that bad, which is how a group of pacifists deal with a dominant force that is too strong for them.

However, there are a number of things which make the story fail imo. For a start it takes an absolute age before The Doctor turns up on the scene, the first of two occasions it happens in this particular Season.

The two Dominators spend far too much of their time arguing with each other, Toba too much time trying to ruin the main plan by destroying everything. The Dulcians by the very nature that they are pacifists come across as really boring characters with the exception of the rebellious Cully and the whole atmosphere of the story, which had been the show's strength in Season 5, is missing. Not only that, it moves at an absolute snail's pace, even by 60's standards and the Quarks were too much like Mini-Daleks!

There are some good moments such as when The Doctor and Jamie pretend to be stupid to deliberately fail The Dominator's intelligence test but overall I thought this was a poor start to Season 6.

[Larry1971]

The Quarks pretty much sum up how bad this is their on screen appearance is beyond embarrassing and how any one could of thought they could eventually replace the Daleks is just laughable.The only redeeming thing about The Dominators is the closing credits for each episode it's dull and slow with characters you reallycouldn't give a toss about. Also at 5 episodes it was way to long and could easily been a 4 parter. When you think of all the truely great Troughton episodes that are now missing it's frustrating that we still have The Dominators.

[CoalHillJanitor]

I'll just recycle some old comments here.

Originally Posted by CoalHillJanitor

I'd say the Dulcians weren't boring because of bad writing... they seem to have been written boringly as a sort of parody, a bit like the Xerons from The Space Museum but directed to better comic effect in this case. In fact the whole Dominators story was rather like a remake of The Space Museum.

Also

Originally Posted by CoalHillJanitor

the costumes. The Dulcian men all seem to be wearing window treatments and the women maternity garb. And the Dominators... well, are they really supposed to be shaped like that or do they just wear that to look intimidating? They seem to be trapped in large leather chairbacks.

It is lucky that they didn't check the Doctor to see if he had two hearts, since I don't think the writers had thought of that yet.

[adams66]

Originally Posted by Larry1971

Also at 5 episodes it was way to long and could easily been a 4 parter.

In fact the story was originally scripted as a six parter and the writers were extremely put out when it was cut down to five. They were so annoyed that they withdrew from the show altogether and so the planned third Yeti story was never made.
On the plus side, the loss of an episode meant that The Mind Robber gained its quietly marvellous and decidedly odd extra opening episode.

[daveyboy7472]

Originally Posted by adams66

In fact the story was originally scripted as a six parter and the writers were extremely put out when it was cut down to five. They were so annoyed that they withdrew from the show altogether and so the planned third Yeti story was never made.
On the plus side, the loss of an episode meant that The Mind Robber gained its quietly marvellous and decidedly odd extra opening episode.

I agree with you on this but Larry is right that it could have been a 4-Parter. I think it definitely overstays it's welcome at five episodes. As you say, though, This story's loss was the next's gain.

Also agree the costumes the Dulcian's wear are quite silly in the extreme. Zoe especially didn't look right in them, luckily the fab catsuit was just around the corner......

[adams66]

Absolutely - imagine if the full six parts had been made!!
There's not really enough plot for five episodes, even four would be pushing it. This is a very dull and slow paced story and a terrible choice to open the sixth series.

[chuffnobbler]

The Quarks exploding, leaving just their feet standing on the quarry floor, is one of the most treasurably hilarious aspects of the entire 48.5yrs of DW history. In fact, I was thinking about watching this on DVD last night just so I could see that sequence again.

The Quark voices and the melty-effect weaponry are both very memorable and I am sure the kids of 1968 would have loved them.

There isn't much else going for this story, though ...

[doublefour]

Don’t mind this story as much as others, my main disappointment is the Dominators seem to have such a vice-like grip on events from when they get there, with the threat of the Quarks. Yet by the last episode and a half they are so easily beaten by Jamie and the Dulcian. Design wise the Quarks are again for me a bit Lost in Space-typical 60s Sci-fi like, poorly designed and realised.
Parts of the story I actually quite liked, and the location for the Island was convincing enough. The scenes where the Doctor and Jamie prove themselves to be idiots to the Dominators is entertaining, I always like it when Troughton portrays a panicky schoolboy as he does here. Also, I can remember a scene with a travel shuttle/pod between the two being amusing. For five parts the Doctor is not in it enough. So I would say you could have had a better four parter, but again there simply is not enough in the plot to even make a four parter a good one.
The Dulcians are okay, but the Pacifists on the Dulcian Council just come across as wet! There’s no other way of putting it.
Having said all that I still found myself engaged until the end, but probably my least favourite surviving in full story of the Troughton era. Looks like I am not alone in this statement either

[doublefour]

Originally Posted by daveyboy7472

I agree with you on this but Larry is right that it could have been a 4-Parter. I think it definitely overstays it's welcome at five episodes. As you say, though, This story's loss was the next's gain.

Also agree the costumes the Dulcian's wear are quite silly in the extreme. Zoe especially didn't look right in them, luckily the fab catsuit was just around the corner......

For me up there with some of Peri and Romana 1's costumes in Doctor Who history of these things

[CoalHillJanitor]

This was one of many stories that saw the Second Doctor messing about with electronic equipment and ending up holding the obligatory hopeless tangle of wires.

[daveyboy7472]

Originally Posted by doublefour

Having said all that I still found myself engaged until the end,

To be fair to the story, the last two episodes are an improvement, it's where the good stuff happens. So I think the general assertion we've all made on here that the story could have been shorter would have helped it a lot as a lot was packed into those last episodes.

The other thing I forgot to mention was that it's so strange seeing Brian Cant in this story. When I was a kid the only thing I knew him for was Play Away(and yes, it was a kid's show...)

Originally Posted by doublefour

For me up there with some of Peri and Romana 1's costumes in Doctor Who history of these things

In Peri's case, it was more what she wasn't wearing.....

Originally Posted by CoalHillJanitor

This was one of many stories that saw the Second Doctor messing about with electronic equipment and ending up holding the obligatory hopeless tangle of wires.

Yes, that did seem to happen a lot in this particular Season, The Seeds Of Death being a prime example.

[doublefour]

Originally Posted by daveyboy7472

In Peri's case, it was more what she wasn't wearing.....

That being the case I have forgotton Leela then, and her savage outfit.

Mentioning Zoe, it is one of the reasons I like the 8-part The Invasion story coming up. Albeit she is in an alternative outfit to the catsuit. Not to mention being a good foil for Jamie and the Second Doctor of course.