It could be argued that the fifth Doctor has possibly one of
the worst regeneration traumas of any of the Doctors. In a way I guess this
could be a reflection of how the viewing public must have been feeling at the
time. Tom Baker had been in the role for 7 years and therefore for many
children he was the Doctor and they had no memory of any other. Therefore
seeing the regeneration must have been as much a shock to their system as it
was to the Doctor's.
Not only this, but during his trauma, Peter Davison unravels Tom Baker's scarf!!! That's like blasphemy!
Fortunately the Doctor soon locates the Zero Room in the TARDIS which blocks all external interference from the universe allowing his mind time to heal. There have been a many a time when I've been hungover that I've prayed for a Zero Room!
Adric is captured by the Master and his mind is used to construct the fictional city of Castrovalva in an attempt to trap the Doctor and his companions in a space/time trap. Adric is being held in place by a sort of metal web and I've heard rumour that there is one scene where you can see Adric has an erection... I looked really hard but I'm afraid I couldn't spot it.
At this point it's still to early to judge Peter Davision's portrayal of the Doctor as it takes him till around episode 4 to settle down and realise who he is. His new costume consists of mainly cricketing attire and bizarrely a stick of celery on his lapel. Apparently Peter Davison only agreed to the celery on the provision that it was at least explained at some point why the Doctor wore it. They would do this eventually in his very last story but I won't spoil it now!
The Master displays his ever growing fondness for getting dressed up in strange disguises. Unfortunately it never seems to work as Anthony Ainley has such a unique way of delivering lines that you can always tell it's him even under all the make up.
Overall this is a fairly strong story for a new Doctor. And I'm so excited to be starting a whole new era!
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