Day 505: The Armageddon Factor Part 6

So the Shadow has been defeated, and the Key to Time assembled. It is then promptly disassembled when the Doctor realises that this has all been a ploy by the Black Guardian in order to create everlasting chaos in the Universe. The story then ends with the Doctor and Romana going on the run to escape the Black Guardian, thus ending this series long story arc.

So perhaps we should look back at this story arc, now that all has been said and done. It's got a nice variety of stories within it, and each one in their own way is enjoyable, from the rollicking adventure that is The Androids of Tara to the Hammer Horror of The Stones of Blood. The characters too are all generally memorable and enjoyable, such as Drax, the cheeky Time Lord, or the overacting Pirate Captain from The Pirate Planet. And above all else, the series has a vast amount of fun behind it, with little jokes and gags throughout the series that keep things light, which makes for a much happier time as a viewer.

And for the past four or five years I have sadly viewed The Armageddon Factor as the mark on the otherwise spotless jewel that is this series. A mixture of bad padding, poor acting and poor special effects led me to dismiss this story. But looking at it for its ideas, and the way in which the story is told, I'm able to see that this story has its merits, and I can enjoy it for what it is, meaning that this series, Series 16 of Doctor Who, is now in my opinion the greatest series of Doctor Who we've covered as of this moment, and possibly of all time. But we shall see whether this holds up, as we start a new series tomorrow, and it's got high standards to live up to.