2. The Master's Terrible Characterisation (And His Inexplicable "Plan")
Eclipsed only by the embarrassing gurning of John Simm in 2007, Eric Roberts' performance as the Master is one of the most excruciating depictions of the character ever put on screen. At least Simm had some energy about him. Devoid of motivation, flair or even a comprehensible plan (to be fair, most of the Master's plans and goals are flimsy at best!), Roberts' Master simply scowls and makes grand declarative gestures while killing people with his new snake-like abilities. Roberts looks mostly bored throughout, and who can blame him? There's nothing to get his teeth into here. The Master is the Doctors oldest enemy, his equal and opposite. Here, he's reduced to a standard villain replete with rants and gratuitous murdering. And his plan to steal the Doctor's remaining regenerations is fine, except that it probably results in the destruction of the universe, which makes the Master more than a little shortsighted here. And then, adding insult to injury, he gives the TARDIS indigestion (something the viewers might just relate to).
