I only ask this question because, as with any '(in)famous story' there have developed a whole range of received beliefs that are very difficult to argue against. It is very difficult to review past Hartnell stories without feeling the influence of JJ Bentham's reviews for the early Monthlies. Having read the '6th Doctor handbook' it is almost impossible to have anything other than contempt for it (I could go on - can one criticise a book effectively when it's published in a 'classic' series? One simply ends up sounding jejeune and immature) OK, so some things make it possible to re-evaluate a received opinion, most obviously the retrieval of a lost story such as 'Tomb'. You find very few referring to this as a 'classic' any more, rather they will cite 'classic scenes' (and try to forget funny sounding Cybermen, ripped cybersuits and kirby wires). So what's with' Terminus'? Well, hell, look at where you're reading this review - I'll be honest, most of you reading this, know 'Terminus' for just one thing. And it ain't Peter Benson's wonderful portayal of Bor, either...

And I suppose that, above all else is what is wrong with Terminus - it was all so obviously grim that Saward and Nathan-Turner, in the subtle script development fashion they'd developed, took one look at all the Icelandic mythology names and the medieval plague issues, and decided the whole thing needed 'lightening up'. So we got a threat to the Universe that was hysterical in its realisation - stopping a handle moving to save the Universe - almost makes one wish for moving trees... I said almost, right? We got the two most unbelievably wet and unconvincing pirates in the history of fiction (didn't someone say to the costume designer, 'err, does white PVC, cloaks and makeup really say 'pirates' to you, love?'????).We got a 'monster' that after the ergon in 'Arc' made you wonder what the next alien the Doctor would meet would be - a man-sized Badger? A megalomaniac hamster? And of courses we got JNT asking the young Miss Sutton to take her clothes off. Now this is all very well in episode one, where she is simply not wearing her jacket, but I'll be honest, her (ummm, how can I put this?) distinctive appearance in just a vest is a little distracting (especially given the camera angles that the director kept finding - woman director too - that's always rather puzzled me, but I think I can detect JNT's sweaty palms on the focus controls...). Also episode one, as a recent DWM pointed out, is really quite good (apart from the pixies, sorry, pirates) and ends with a real shock. But in episode 2 as the whole thing slows down to a crawl, we get that scene, so silly that it defies belief, when Nyssa has her hot flush. I still remember my sister's comment at that point - 'Ian, shut your mouth' - I really couldn't quite grasp that Nyssa, who I had become quite fond of because of her reserve, was suddenly stripping down to not really very much clothing, and I still remember feeling a mild distaste as this was someone who had just contracted a form of leprosy. Of course, I mostly felt that the story had clearly nowhere left to go, otherwise they wouldn't be resorting to this kind of thing. I did get a mild shock when the 'Radio Times' had the following question in the listing for episode 3 - 'Will Nyssa survive?' (This was only a year since Adric's fiery demise), but I never really re-engaged with the story, apart from a curiosity as to how the story finished. Of course it fizzled out pretty swiftly after the silly 'handle of doom' bit, and so dear old Sarah has to lie half naked on the floor. Ah, well, at least Roger Limb remembered Nyssa's theme at this point - a sure sign she was on her way.

The thing quickly moved to its fairly tedious conclusion (Gallagher says that Bidmead didn't re-write 'Warriors' Gate' - somehow after this, that just doesn't ring very true...) when all of a sudden, right at the end, the regulars found an opportunity to do some acting. To be fair, Sarah had been trying her best for most of the story, coping with more appalling lines ('what is this horrendous place?' - you try saying that convincingly) and doing some of that little acting 'business' with her eyes and her gestures (the scene in the lazar's tank where she's determinedly binding her finger to avoid looking around her always brings a lump to the throat) that had allowed her to emerge from Nyssa's mistreatment by the script-writers with much dignity. Janet Fielding had really only had a couple of decent lines (and hasn't she got a bad cold?), but Davison was clearly unhappy with this mess and gives the worst performance of his tenure - so bland it could be called 'McDavison' (It's no surprise that after enduring this and hearing that they'd have to reshoot, Davison apparently blew up at Nathan-Turner when his bad mood was getting Sarah Sutton upset on what should have been her last day)

And so, with the 3 regulars adjusting the script in tiny little ways to suit their characters, they conclude this pretty dire tale with one of the most incredibly charged scenes the show has seen. The reticence of the Doctor and the tears of the girls reflects the end of 'Earthshock' beautifully and the subtly organised scene, with Nyssa being quite forceful with Tegan in the background of the Doctor's chat with Valgard, then Nyssa's formal goodbye to the Doctor (with just the subtlest bit of sexual tension) and then her supporting of the nearly collapsing Tegan, who is absolutely distraught ('She'll die here' is one of the most searing lines in the series for me). Nyssa's last line 'Not easily, Tegan' (which of course is an admission that she will die there) and then the reference to the line in 'Arc', 'Like you I'm indestructible' is almost unbearably poignant, and of course almost the last time that two regulars referred back to conversations they'd had in previous stories (Of course, Romana, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan all did so in seasons 18 and 19). I have sneered at those who read juvenile innuendo into the characters' relationship, but on watching it again, it does strike me as quite a jarring scene in a series that, up to that point, was far too British in its character's emotional behaviour.

And for me, that's why I remember 'Terminus'. The costume is very flattering, I grant you, but that scene is what confirmed my view of Nyssa as the best companion of the series, and it's that scene you should rush out and watch again. Of course sadly, next week, there ws a huge Sarah Sutton shaped hole in 'Enlightenment' and my disenchantment, that had been growing since 'Earthshock' increased until I missed an episode in Season 21, missed quite a few in 22, and only watched sporadically after that. It wasn't just lack of Nyssa, it was lack of the kind of character development in seasons 18 and 19 that she represented. (For more on my view of her character, I've written a review of her in the DW Ratings Guide)