There must be some kind of way out of here…
No one wants to be compared to their predecessors, regardless of the situation; far better to be evaluated and judged on one’s own merits and talents, without having to be measured against someone else’s performances. Peter Davison plays it rather cool in interviews and commentaries when asked about filling Baker’s shoes, but honestly: can you imagine the pressure? That alone would need a few days hiding in a Zero Room.
With the unraveling of a scarf and the donning of a smart cricket jumper, the Fifth Doctor’s era begins in earnest in the opening story of Season 19. Chris Bidmead writes the “bookend” to this regeneration sequence, and we all enjoy the tight story, the use of each companion’s character strengths (yes, even Adric), and that brilliant episode 4 reveal. Start to finish we love the story, but we do note that for those looking to get a true “feel” for Five, this may not be a definitive story to hand over, since the wonky regeneration keeps them from being able to express themselves as they would in more ‘normal’ conditions. All the more to look forward to, eh?
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