Doctor Who: Underworld

Doctor Who: Underworld, first aired in 1978 on the BBC, is a unique piece of vintage science-fiction television that blends mythology with a futuristic setting, encapsulating the original series' intrinsic spirit of adventure and intrigue. The four-episode serial, produced during the 15th season of the legendary long-running show, follows the Doctor, played by Tom Baker, in his fourth incarnation, alongside companions Leela (Louise Jameson) and robot dog K9 (voiced by John Leeson).

The show is set in the distant future within the cosmic expanse of an uncharted galaxy, reflecting the overarching premise of Doctor Who as a time-traveling entity. The narrative arc of Doctor Who: Underworld employs Greek mythology, particularly the tale of Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece, to add depth and dimension to the story. It's these intriguing connections that make this serial a unique blend of the ancient and futuristic, an approach that had made Doctor Who a fascinating watch over the decades.

In Doctor Who: Underworld, the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), an iconic, time-traveling blue police box used by the Doctor, lands inside a massive spaceship, the R1C, on a mind-bending quest lasting seemingly endless millennia. The ship, on a heroic mission reminiscent of the Argonauts, is helmed by the descendants of Minyans, survivors of a planet previously interfered with by the Time Lords. Their quest, to retrieve their race bank from an exploration ship that exited their planet millennia ago, leads them into a perilous journey through uncharted cosmic territories.

The show offers an adventurous narrative that combines this ship's crew's desperation and the Doctor's typical problem-solving acumen. Despite being alien, Doctor Who: Underworld maintains the show's running theme of standing against injustice and oppression. The Doctor and his companions must navigate unfamiliar environments, face challenging ethical dilemmas, and solve complex problems using intelligence and wit, testing their bonds of companionship in the process.

This serial stands out for its extensive use of CSO (colour separation overlay), a pre-cursor to chroma key technology, also known as green screen effects. While the largely green screen produced environments may seem rudimentary by today's standards, they were groundbreaking for the time and afforded the production team vast, albeit artificial, alien worlds on a television budget. It lent a distinctive visual flair to the production, a graphical representation of fantastic universes, caverns, and celestial bodies, bolstering the show's surreal narrative with captivating visuals.

Just as noteworthy are the performances by the cast members, led by Baker's eccentric, nonchalant, and yet brilliant Doctor. His portrayal of the Time Lord is arguably one of the most iconic and popular, resonating with a wide spectrum of fans. Louise Jameson as Leela, the savage-turned-companion, continues to impress with her growing understanding of advanced concepts and societal norms. The chemistry between Baker and Jameson creates a beloved pair that fans appreciate even today.

Doctor Who: Underworld, while not the most popular or well-received of Doctor Who stories from the classic series, is unquestionably an essential part of the show's anthology for its narrative experimentation and visual daringness. Indeed, the serial is a testament to the flexibility of the Doctor Who format, capable of accommodating diverse genres, from mythology to hard-edged science fiction, within its overarching premise.

In many ways, Underworld perfectly encapsulates what makes Doctor Who such a timeless franchise – the limitless possibilities for story-telling, the ability to traverse time and space, explore obscure cultures, battle strange creatures, and yet come back with underlying themes that resonate on a deeply human level. It is a distinct piece of television history that bridges the gap between past and future and between familiarity and discovery. Whether you're nostalgically revisiting or newly exploring the universe of Doctor Who, Underworld is a journey worth undertaking.