Production 6E: "Arc of Infinity" (January 3-12, 1983) - Classic Doctor Who Season 20 Premiere Review
Omega, the legendary renegade Time Lord and architect of Gallifreyan time travel, makes his shocking return with a desperate plan to escape his antimatter prison and re-enter the positive matter universe. Using the Arc of Infinity as his gateway, Omega hijacks the Fifth Doctor's biodata pattern to create a physical duplicate body - but his scheme becomes entangled with companion Tegan Jovanka's search for her missing cousin Colin Frazer in the picturesque streets of Amsterdam, leading to an explosive confrontation in the heart of the Dutch capital.
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 20 premiere analysis, they celebrate Nyssa's remarkable character development and maturation beyond her sheltered Trakenite origins, explore how the Fifth Doctor finally demonstrates genuine agency and authority compared to his earlier passive characterization, and Jim shares his candid disappointment with Tegan's controversial new costume design that replaced her beloved air stewardess uniform. The hosts also examine writer Johnny Byrne's ambitious return to Doctor Who mythology, producer John Nathan-Turner's bold decision to film on location in Amsterdam, and the return of Michael Gough to Doctor Who.
This episode marks an exciting new chapter as Season 20 begins the countdown to Doctor Who's monumental 20th anniversary celebration later in the year!
Subscribe to The Doctor's Beard Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major podcast platforms. Connect with our passionate Whovian community by emailing us at thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com or joining our active Facebook and BlueSky discussions for exclusive Doctor Who content, character analysis, and fan theories.
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