The
idea of animating a whole, unavailable old Doctor
Who story is a step forward from filling in missing episodes and judging
from what’s been done here, a fascinating opportunity. Originally shown in 1966
and long since wiped, this 52 year old tale has always been one of the less
regarded of the canon. Those who did see it at the time don’t rate it highly,
those who have seen telesnap reconstructions or heard audios don’t seem much
more enthusiastic either. This release lifts `The Macra Terror` from its foggy
origins and gives it a chance to succeed. It can’t be some huge re-make nor can
it alter the overall plot but it does take liberties with the original to
service a better story and also to make the Macra more memorable for those who
only know them from their surprise re-appearance in `Gridlock` and those couple
of photos. Purists may carp – and a telesnap version is included for them – but
this is as good as `The Macra Terror` can be- and it’s better than you think it
will be.
