Tread Perilously -- Doctor Who: The Visitation

Tread Perilously begins its annual Doctor Who month with a Fifth Doctor tale called "The Visitation." The Doctor manages to get Tegan to Heathrow Airport, but 300 years too early. Taking a look around, they find the nearby village is caught in the grips of a plague outbreak. But does the mysterious illness have anything to do with a meteor storm actor/highwayman Richard Mace saw a few days previously? Complicating matters is a seemingly abandoned manor house, an android disguised as Death, and a trio of aliens looking both to escape Earth and subdue it with advanced biological weapons. Erik and Justin continue their backwards journey through season 19 of classic Doctor Who. They enjoy the story's unusual cold open, going into detail about the sequence. Richard Mace (played by Michael Robbins) easily becomes the MVP. Nyssa also acquits herself well for once. Adric, meanwhile, seems to sense how little anyone wants him there. Mrs. J continues to be awesome. The Great Fire of London becomes a key topic. Flintlocks are also examined. Erik relates some tales from the episode's commentary track with Davison, the main cast, and director Peter Moffatt. Justin understands the director's bafflement about the story. The pair try to determine why boy genius characters rarely work and Tegan's hairdo becomes a point of conversation.