‘Kinda’ benefits from the slow pace
The third story finally showcases the Fifth Doctor’s strengths and reveals the uniqueness of his portrayal. Yes, the story unfolds at a leisurely pace, but for once, this is not working against the drama. The Buddhist themes in Christopher Bailey’s script are allowed to play out, leading to some genuinely terrifying sequences in which Tegan has an existential crisis. It is arguably the most sophisticated and adult set of scripts seen in the series to this point. Simon Rouse’s character of Hindle has a breakdown before his sanity is restored. He gives a performance of mental unbalance unseen since John in ‘The Sensorites’, nearly twenty years earlier. In Richard Todd and Mary Morris, it also has an impressive guest cast of acting royalty. One of the children was Jonny Lee Miller, who would grow up to be a star. By the end of ‘Kinda’, it’s impossible to imagine any other Doctor in the lead. Peter Davison has proven the qualities that he can bring to the part.
