Colin Baker's first story proper as The Doctor was a tale of giant slugs and dodgy support actors. The Twin Dilemma by Anthony Steven was deliberately designed to instill a sense of danger in the new Doctor. His post regenerative trauma was heightened and viewers saw him attacking Peri in the TARDIS as the sixth Doctor strove to stabilise his new persona. The story has come in for quite a bit of criticism over the years which is somewhat unfounded in a lot of cases. The cast is strong with Colin Baker putting in a bravura debut performance as the colourful Time Lord. The cast is blessed with two fine actors: one who would go on to great things, Kevin McNally, and one who had already a list of great performances to his credit, the late Maurice Denham. The story is let down a bit by the performances of an inexperienced Gavin and Andrew Conrad as Romulus and Remus and Helen Blatch as Fabian who seems mystified as to what she has got herself involved with. Whilst never coming very high in fan polls, this is a good vehicle for the new Doctor and Colin makes the most of his chance to shine.

COLIN BAKER ONLINE RATING 6/10

"Oh please don't choose that one Colin... You'll regret it..."

Azmael, the old dog, shows the Doctor a new Jacondian greeting. Peri isn't quite so keen to say hello...

"Oh come on Maurice, the script isn't that dull !"

The legend: "I am the Doctor - whether you like it or not !"

The Twin Dilemma is available on DVD in Regions 1, 2 & 4.

A race of giant gastropods has taken over the planet Jaconda. Their leader, Mestor, now intends to cause an enormous explosion in order to spread his people's eggs throughout the galaxy, and he kidnaps juvenile twin geniuses from Earth to work out the necessary mathematical equations.

Space fighters led by Lieutenant Hugo Lang are dispatched to get the twins back, but they come under attack and Lang is the sole survivor when his ship crashes on the asteroid Titan 3.