Production 6F: "Mawdryn Undead" (February 1-9, 1983) - Classic Doctor Who Season 20 Review
The Fifth Doctor experiences a bittersweet reunion with his dear friend Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart - but something is terribly wrong. The retired UNIT commander has completely lost all memory of the Time Lord and their adventures together defending Earth from alien threats. Investigating this troubling amnesia, the Doctor discovers the Brigadier's memory loss stems from a catastrophic temporal paradox involving two different versions of the Brigadier meeting simultaneously in 1977 and 1983. At the center of this crisis is the tragic Mawdryn, leader of a group of exiled scientists who attempted to steal the secret of Time Lord regeneration but instead became hideously mutated, unable to die yet condemned to an eternity of agonizing transformations. As the Doctor navigates this complex temporal puzzle, he must confront the limitations of his own regenerative abilities and the sacred twelve-regeneration cycle that governs all Time Lords.
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 pivotal Season 20 episode analysis, they welcome special guest Felicity Kusinitz from The Flopcast podcast for an engaging three-way discussion. The trio celebrates the triumphant return of Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart after a five-year absence, analyze the mysterious introduction of new companion Vislor Turlough (Mark Strickson) - whose true allegiance remains hidden, and explore writer Peter Grimwade's expansion of Time Lord mythology cementing the canonical twelve-regeneration limit that would define Doctor Who lore for decades.
In a delightful segment, Felicity and John attempt to convert the skeptical Jim - who remains unconvinced about the Fifth Doctor - by passionately defending Peter Davison's vulnerable, compassionate portrayal and explaining why this incarnation resonates so deeply with longtime fans despite his more understated heroism.
"Mawdryn Undead" launches producer John Nathan-Turner's ambitious Black Guardian Trilogy, a season-spanning story arc featuring the return of Valentine Dyall's cosmic villain seeking revenge against the Doctor. This trilogy format represented innovative serialized storytelling in Classic Doctor Who's traditionally episodic structure.
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