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"There Should Have Been Another Way" Production 6M: "Warriors of the Deep" (January 5-13, 1984) Classic Doctor Who Season 21 Premiere Review In the year 2084, the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough materialize at Sea Base Four, a military installation staffed with personnel on high alert due to tensions that could trigger World War III. An unknown object lurking in the waters proves to be a Silurian battlecruiser seeking to revive suspended animation Sea Devil warriors stored in underwater chambers. The reptilian cousins plan to manipulate the base's weapon systems to start a nuclear war, wiping out humanity so they can reclaim Earth as their ancestral home. Join podcaster John S. Drew and acclaimed writer/editor Jim Beard as they master time and space, delivering comprehensive reviews of every Classic Doctor Who serial. In this Season 21 premiere analysis covering this notorious production, they discuss: Production Nightmare Behind the Scenes: Margaret Thatcher's election sabotage - The 1983 UK general election announcement created BBC studio space demands, costing Doctor Who two weeks of production time and forcing rushed filming with minimal rehearsal The infamous Myrka disaster - The creature costume was still being sculpted and painted an hour before shooting, with wet paint and adhesive fumes getting one operator high. The poorly-fitted suit left performers uncomfortable and unable to rehearse, resulting in slow-motion movements that destroyed any sense of menace Johnny Byrne's disappointment - The writer envisioned dark, Alien-inspired sets with the Myrka glimpsed briefly in shadows, not brightly-lit corridors showcasing every flaw. He vowed never to work for Doctor Who again Character and Story Analysis: The Doctor's uncharacteristic violence - Jim questions Byrne's characterization showing the Fifth Doctor as naive, foolish, and suddenly engaging in unnecessary hand-to-hand combat Tegan and Turlough's evolving dynamic - The companions finally bond over eye-r
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