24. The Keys of Marinus, Part IV: The Snows of Terror

First off, it seems like Arbitan should have given the crew some tips about what to expect weather-wise at each stop to improve their chances of successfully retrieving the keys. No wonder previous attempts weren’t successful – They probably froze to death because they didn’t think to pack a parka.

Second, the implied sexual assault is definitely problematic. I realize, like an onion on one’s belt, it was the style at the time. Certainly the movies from my youth – whether Back to the Future or Revenge of the Nerds – had similar plot elements. I assume it wasn’t any better 20 years earlier. But man, hearing Vasor shout “I’ll wait no longer!” to Barbara feels inappropriate in a children’s show.

Finally, when they showed the full bridge, it definitely looked short enough that it could be jumped once the bridge was gone. It was definitely a shorter distance than the one in “The Daleks” – another Terry Nation joint, probably not coincidentally. I guess “having to get over a crevasse in a cave system” is one of his tropes.