Lords of the Red Planet

Lost Stories #4.3

Released: 15 November 2013

Listened: 10/21/20

Although the last Lost Story was kind of short, this one’s bumper-sized. It’s a six-parter, and each part is over 30 minutes. If this one had been made in Season 6, it likely would’ve replaced “Seeds of Death,” because it’s an Ice Warrior story. In fact, it’s trying to be a “Genesis of the Ice Warriors” story. The TARDIS crew arrive on Mars during Earth’s prehistory, so the Doctor thinks there won’t be any intelligent life around, but he’s got that wrong. In this case, the Ice Warriors are the product of deliberate genetic engineering, an attempt to create a slave race. It was adapted by John Dorney, but he sticks mostly to the outline of original writer Brian Hayles, who created the Ice Warriors, with none of Dorney’s typical trickery. The characters are rather two-dimensional, which befits a 60s story, but it’s a little unsatisfying to have to rely on for six parts. And unfortunately, because it’s a “genesis” type of story, the Doctor can’t fully succeed, as the Ice Warriors are needed further down the timeline. The casting is a family affair, with Michael Troughton and Charlie Hayes, Wendy Padbury’s daughter, both in major roles. Ultimately, it’s a decent enough story, but somewhat long.