The Ark In Space (1975) Review

If you had any doubts about Harry...

The Ark In Space is a great thriller let down by a really crappy-looking monster. However, it's still a very impressive, fun story.

PLOT

The TARDIS crew find themselves on an adrift space station in the 30th century, where the survivors of the human race(yes, there's been ANOTHER big catastrophe) have been placed into cryogenic storage. After waking up the station's senior technicians, they must convince them that the station is under attack from a swarm of insectoid aliens...

It's really a bit terrific. The later episodes fly by a little too quickly for me(I think it would've worked even better as a six-parter), but other than that, it's very memorable. The set design is one of the best there's ever been and the acting is stellar. The special effects are dodgy, but I can live with that.

CHARACTERS

Toning it down a little, Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor is much more pleasant and he has a great rapport with Ian Marter's clumsy, but loyal Harry Sullivan and a passable one with Elisabeth Sladen. It's a nice return to the Troughton-era companion dynamic and it works like a charm.
I loved that the first episode was all about the regulars. It doesn't seem to work as well in color, though(certainly not as well as the first episodes of The Wheel In Space or The Mind Robber).

Of the guest cast, Noah started out as slightly annoying, but his anguished acting when being consumed by the evil bubblewrap really elevated him in my eyes.
I also really liked the character of Vira, who was out of touch with Harry's 20th century behavior. Her development was great.

NOTES

*Despite getting heavily burned, the Doctor's scarf looked fine a scene later.

*I think having the story be more ongoing(having the characters move on without the TARDIS) is much more gripping than them just popping in and out in the first and last episodes. It reminds me of The Daleks' Master Plan, when they traveled via spaceships and transmats and stuff.

*Speaking of transmats, here we get to hear the word for the first time. I find it slightly odd there's no reference to The Seeds Of Death, though.

*Tom Baker seemed to zone a lot in episode 3. There were whole scenes where his REALLY HUGE eyes just stared into the distance.

BEST QUOTE

"Homo sapiens. What an inventive, invincible species. It's only a few million years since they crawled up out of the mud and learned to walk. Puny, defenceless bipeds. They've survived flood, famine and plague. They've survived cosmic wars and holocausts. And now, here they are, out among the stars, waiting to begin a new life. Ready to outsit eternity. They're indomitable. Indomitable."

CONCLUSION

It's atmospheric and brilliant, but somewhat messy. I still highly recommend it, though.