History Recap / DoctorWhoS23E2Mindwarp

* FootFocus: After Kiv takes over Peri, the camera pans down to her bare feet and she/he wiggles her/his toes.

->'''King Yrcarnos:''' ''"Today, prudence shall be our watchword. TOMORROW, I SHALL SOAK THE LAND IN BLOOD!"''

* RageAgainstTheHeavens: Partially subverted and played straight at the same time. While the Time Lords aren't literal gods, and the Doctor doesn't go all [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] on them, his verbal rage is something to see.

* BaldWomen: Peri, after the surgery placing Kiv's brain in her body.

->'''King Yrcarnos:''' ''"Today, prudence shall be our watchword. TOMORROW, I SHAll SOAK THE LAND IN BLOOD!"''

->'''King Yrcarnos:''' ''"Today, prudence shall be our watchword. TOMORROW, WE SHALL SOAK THE LAND IN BLOOD!"''

* ShoutOut - When first in Crozier's Lab The Doctor Examines a [[Film/{{Alien}} Chest Burster]] in a glass tube.

Anyway, the Doctor and Peri meander around the beach before going into a cave - and are quickly captured by natives of the planet. Among those aliens is [[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E2VengeanceOnVaros Sil]], whom the Doctor suspects is behind the problems of this planet as well. As it turns out, this is Sil's homeworld, the planet of his species: the Mentors. The Doctor and Peri are taken to a Doctor Crozier and his experiments - one of them being the ever-lovable [[{{BRIANBLESSED}} Bri... King Yrcanos]]. Before the Doctor can object, a lie detector is slapped on his head and the Mentors begin to probe his mind. Before it can do much, however, Yrcanos blows up the machine, breaking free and taking the Doctor and Peri with him. Yrcanos plans to go steal weaponry and blow up the Mentors, but the Doctor then whacks the king on the head and turns Yrcanos and Peri over to the Mentors.

As it turns out, the Mentors are being evolved into higher beings by Doctor Crosier - and the leader Kiv now needs a new body before his brain essentially explodes. Trying to avoid himself becoming a target of that transplant, the Doctor interrogates Peri and accuses her of being against the Mentors repeatedly. Meanwhile, the Doctor is denying that this happened at all during the trial - and that he's being manipulated by someone who's messing with the Matrix ''([[TheMatrix again, not that one]])''. Finally, Yrcanos escapes with Peri and both join the [[LaResistance resistance]] against the Mentors - and plan a massive attack against the Mentors as well.

This serial is most notable for featuring venerated actor {{Brian Blessed}} in a major role as King Yrcanos. This serial is more notable among the fans, though, for having a companion killed off rather than given a happy ending... at least until [[ExecutiveMeddling executive meddling]] went about and reversed it at the end of the season.

* ShoutOut - When first in Crozier's Lab The Doctor Examines a [[{{Film/Alien}} Chest Burster]] in a glass tube.
* SpecialEffectsBeefUp: Just... damn. The scenery has been turned into something fantastic with just a subtle application of something called a 'paint box.' Think of it as a 1980's Photoshop for film.

[[caption-width-right:320: Looks like Peri's [[StarTrekTheMotionPicture Ilia]] auditions are going well.]]

[[caption-width-right:320: Looks like Peri's [[StarTrekTheMotionPicture Ilia]]auditions are going well.]]

[[caption-width-right:320: Looks like Peri's {{StarTrekTheMotionPicture Ilia}} auditions are going well.]]

* RageAgainstTheHeavens: Partially subverted and played straight at the same time. While the Time Lords aren't literal gods, and the Doctor doesn't go all [[GodOfWar Kratos]] on them, his verbal rage is something to see.

Anyway, the Doctor and Peri meander around the beach before going into a cave - and are quickly captured by natives of the planet. Among those aliens is [[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E2VengeanceOnVaros Sil]], whom the Doctor suspects is behind the problems of this planet as well. As it turns out, this is Sil's homeworld, the planet of his species: the Mentors. The Doctor and Peri are taken to a Doctor Crosier and his experiments - one of them being the ever-lovable [[{{BRIANBLESSED}} Bri... King Yrcarnos]]. Before the Doctor can object, a lie detector is slapped on his head and the Mentors begin to probe his mind. Before it can do much, however, Yrcarnos blows up the machine, breaking free and taking the Doctor and Peri with him. Yrcarnos plans to go steal weaponry and blow up the Mentors, but the Doctor then whacks the king on the head and turns Yrcarnos and Peri over to the Mentors.

As it turns out, the Mentors are being evolved into higher beings by Doctor Crosier - and the leader Kiv now needs a new body before his brain essentially explodes. Trying to avoid himself becoming a target of that transplant, the Doctor interrogates Peri and accuses her of being against the Mentors repeatedly. Meanwhile, the Doctor is denying that this happened at all during the trial - and that he's being manipulated by someone who's messing with the Matrix ''([[TheMatrix again, not that one]])''. Finally, Yrcarnos escapes with Peri and both join the [[LaResistance resistance]] against the Mentors - and plan a massive attack against the Mentors as well.

Then Peri and Yrcarnos are captured. Again. They're really not good at this, I swear.

Finally, the Doctor frees Yrcarnos - but Doctor Crosier has already decided to use Peri as the next body for Lord Kiv. As they run to go save her, the Time Lords intervene and rip the Doctor out of time... and then purposely delay Yrcarnos' strike force from actually freeing Peri until after the experiment is over with. As you can guess, the Doctor ''(finally remembering the events of this story, piece by piece)'' is not pleased with this at all.

Time slowly resumes its normal course and [[DroppedABridgeOnHim Peri is now long since gone]] - replaced in her own body by Kiv. Yrcarnos, having fallen for her over the course of the story, is devastated and blows everything up - whatever remains of Peri included. The Doctor, watching this from the courtroom, [[HeroicBSOD is shocked into silence]]. Rather than numbly accept the accusations of the Valeyard, however, the Doctor simply [[RageAgainstTheHeavens vows to get to the bottom of all this]], and that he will somehow avenge the loss of Peri.

!Tropes
* AuthorAppeal: The concept of the Mentors being a heavily-capitalist society, buying up planets and then using them up is a self-admitted example from author Phillip Martin. No one really cares, though, because the whole effect of the species is just that cool - especially for the 1980s.

* DistressedDude: Damn, Yrcarnos just can't stay free.

* HeroicBSOD: Played straight with the Doctor at the end of the serial. Also subverted with King Yrcarnos, as he suffers from a heroic version... that ends with the typical results of a VillainousBreakdown instead.

* MoralDissonance: Most of the Doctor's attitude during the flashback footage after Yrcarnos frees him from the mind-machine. Supposedly, the Doctor was supposed to be blended with Yrcarnos' personality - but a serious communications problem prevented Colin Baker from getting this important piece of information. As such, the Doctor comes off as a royal {{Jerkass}}.

* LaResistance
* ShoutOut - When first in Crosier's Lab The Doctor Examines a [[{{Film/Alien}} Chest Burster]] in a glass tube

* UnreliableNarrator: The Matrix itself, here.

Anyway, the Doctor and Peri meander around the beach before going into a cave - and are quickly captured by natives of the planet. Among those aliens is [[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E2VengeanceOnVaros Sil]], whom the Doctor suspects is behind the problems of this planet as well. As it turns out, this is Sil's homeworld, the planet of his species: the Mentors. The Doctor and Peri are taken to a Doctor Crosier and his experiments - one of them being the ever-lovable [[{{BRIANBLESSED}} Bri... King Yrcarnos]]. Before the Doctor can object, a lie detector is slapped on his head and the Mentors begin to probe his mind. Before it can do much, however, Yrcarnos blows up the machine, breaking free and taking the Doctor and Peri with him. Yrcarnos plans to go steal weaponry and blow up the Mentors, but the Doctor then whacks the king on the head [[WhatTheHellHero and turns Yrcarnos and Peri over to the Mentors]].

As it turns out, the Mentors are being evolved into higher beings by Doctor Crosier - and the leader Kiv now needs a new body before his brain essentially explodes. Trying to avoid himself becoming a target of that transplant, the Doctor interrogates Peri ''(who herself is [[FetishFuel tied to rocks as the tide comes in]])'' and accuses her of being against the Mentors repeatedly. Meanwhile, the Doctor is denying that this happened at all during the trial - and that he's being manipulated by someone who's messing with the Matrix ''([[TheMatrix again, not that one]])''. Finally, Yrcarnos escapes with Peri and both join the [[LaResistance resistance]] against the Mentors - and plan a massive attack against the Mentors as well.

Finally, the Doctor snaps out of his WhatTheHellHero mentality and frees Yrcarnos - but Doctor Crosier has already decided to use Peri as the next body for Lord Kiv. As they run to go save her, the Time Lords intervene and rip the Doctor out of time... and then purposely delay Yrcarnos' strike force from actually freeing Peri until after the experiment is over with. As you can guess, the Doctor ''(finally remembering the events of this story, piece by piece)'' is not pleased with this at all.

This serial is most notable for featuring venerated actor {{Brian Blessed}} in a major role as the excellent character King Yrcanos. Not that he could play a bad character or anything, but the writing here is just so excellent and was so perfect for Blessed in the first place that no one can ever complain about it ever. This serial is more notable among the fans, though, for having a companion killed off rather than given a happy ending... at least until [[ExecutiveMeddling executive meddling]] went about and reversed it at the end of the season.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: Subverted; it was Nicola Bryant herself who came up with the notion that Peri be killed off, when she opted to leave the series when her contract ran out. When she found out that the producers ultimately reversed Peri's death, Nicola was miffed that her character's death was overturned.

* LaResistance

* WhatTheHellHero: Called on his MoralDissonance behavior by Peri, who is just as confused as the audience as to what the hell is going on.
* WorldOfHam: Perhaps one of the hammiest productions Series/DoctorWho has ever done. Certainly, this world is built upon non-kosher shores and celebrates the juicy cliffs of bacon.

* WorldOfHam: Perhaps one of the hammiest productions DoctorWho has ever done. Certainly, this world is built upon non-kosher shores and celebrates the juicy cliffs of bacon.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: Subverted; it was Nicola Bryant herself, that came up with the notion that Peri be killed off, when she opted to leave the series when her contract ran out. When she found out that the producers ultimately reversed Peri's death, Nicola was miffed that her character's death was overturned.

* DistressedDude: Damn, Yrcarnos just can't stay free.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bald_peri_4823.jpg

Then Peri and Yrcarnos are captured. [[JamesBondage Again]]. They're really not good at this, I swear.

This serial is most notable for featuring venerated actor {{BRIAN BLESSED}} in a major role as the excellent character King Yrcanos. Not that {{BRIAN BLESSED}} could play a bad character or anything, but the writing here is just so excellent and was so perfect for {{BRIAN BLESSED}} in the first place that no one can ever complain about it ever. This serial is more notable among the fans, though, for having a companion killed off rather than given a happy ending... at least until [[ExecutiveMeddling executive meddling]] went about and [[WallBanger reversed it]] at the end of the season.

* Main/AuthorAppeal: The concept of the Mentors being a heavily-capitalist society, buying up planets and then using them up is a self-admitted example from author Phillip Martin. No one really cares, though, because the whole effect of the species is just that cool - especially for the 1980s.
* Main/DroppedABridgeOnHim: Subverted; it was Nicola Bryant herself, that came up with the notion that Peri be killed off, when she opted to leave the series when her contract ran out. When she found out that the producers ultimately reversed Peri's death, Nicola was miffed that her character's death was overturned.
* Main/FetishFuel: From the body transplantation to Peri in bondage again...
* Main/GrandTheftMe: Poor, poor Peri.
* Main/HamToHamCombat: {{BRIAN BLESSED}}, ColinBaker, the entire damned cast...
* Main/HeroicBSOD: Played straight with the Doctor at the end of the serial. Also subverted with King Yrcarnos, as he suffers from a heroic version... that ends with the typical results of a VillainousBreakdown instead.
* Main/JamesBondage: Damn, Yrcarnos just can't stay free.
* Main/LaResistance

* Main/MoralDissonance: Most of the Doctor's attitude during the flashback footage after Yrcarnos frees him from the mind-machine. Supposedly, the Doctor was supposed to be blended with Yrcarnos' personality - but a serious communications problem prevented Colin Baker from getting this important piece of information. As such, the Doctor comes off as a royal {{Jerkass}}.
* Main/RageAgainstTheHeavens: Partially subverted and played straight at the same time. While the Time Lords aren't literal gods, and the Doctor doesn't go all [[GodOfWar Kratos]] on them, his verbal rage is something to see.

* Squick: The pulsating brain in the same lab is rather nauseating. Great effect, though.
* Main/SpecialEffectsBeefUp: Just... damn. The scenery has been turned into something fantastic with just a subtle application of something called a 'paint box.' Think of it as a 1980's Photoshop for film.
* Main/UnreliableNarrator: The Matrix itself, here.
* Main/WhatTheHellHero: Called on his MoralDissonance behavior by Peri, who is just as confused as the audience as to what the hell is going on.
* Main/WorldOfHam: Perhaps one of the hammiest productions DoctorWho has ever done. Certainly, this world is built upon non-kosher shores and celebrates the juicy cliffs of bacon.

<<|Recap/DoctorWho|>>

This serial is most notable for featuring venerated actor {{BRIAN BLESSED}} in a major role as the excellent character King Yrcanos. Not that {{BRIAN BLESSED}} could play a bad character or anything, but the writing here is just so excellent and was so perfect for {{BRIAN BLESSED}} in the first place that no one can ever complain about it ever. This serial is more notable among the fans, though, for having a companion killed off rather than given a happy ending... at least until [[ExecutiveMeddling executive meddling]] went about and [WallBanger reversed it]] at the end of the season.

This serial is most notable for featuring venerated actor {{BRIAN BLESSED}} in a major role as the excellent character King Yrcanos. Not that {{BRIAN BLESSED}} could play a bad character or anything, but the writing here is just so excellent and was so perfect for {{BRIAN BLESSED}} in the first place that no one can ever complain about it ever. This serial is more notable among the fans, though, for having a companion killed off rather than given a happy ending. Peri joins Adric and at least one other companion ''(Katarina from the First Doctor's ''the Dalek's Master Plan'', actually)'' as the few to have died alongside the Doctor.

* Main/DroppedABridgeOnHim: Peri. Maybe. We're never sure, and actor Nicola Bryant would rather have that dropped bridge.

-->{{BRIAN BLESSED}} at his finest.