Some time ago I got hold of the Target novelisation of this story and was surprised to be drawn into the story. The clowns dressed as undertakers driving a hearse had a Prisoner-esque flavour, and the characters had a larger-than-life allegorical quality. I particularly liked the self-referential elements - the implacable family audience, and the Whizzkid who famously says 'although I never got to see the early days, I know it's not as good as it used to be, but I'm still terribly interested.'
Having posted enthusiastically elsewhere along these lines, I decided to have the courage of my convictions and watch the actual story.
I was prepared for disappointment this time, but actually escaped unscathed. Even Ace wasn't as annoying as I remembered her. In fact the Doctor/Ace relationship began to seem convincing and likeable. I got a distinct Leela/4th Doctor vibe, as if the Doctor had a project to educate Ace to solve problems through other means than Janis thorns or Nitro-9.
And their relationship is paralleled by the quite different, exploitative relationship betwen Captain Cook and Mags. I've since read that the Captain is supposed to be a symbolic anti-Doctor. That works for me.
Nord does not. He's a children's programme villain like Mildred's Uncle Ben, with his amusing threats and comedy motorbike. Neither - sadly - does the Whizzkid. It's great to have him played by the Adrian Mole actor, but Gian Sammarco (now a psychiatric nurse - 100% true) deploys a quality hardwood acting technique that drains the character of life. Maybe it's an attempt to show the Whizzkid's detachment from reality?
Update: I later did a Target comparison for this story.
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