Doctor Who: Every Doctor's WORST Episode
11. Underworld (The Fourth Doctor)
The behind-the-scenes story of Underworld is far more interesting than the finished episodes themselves.
Budgetary constraints forced producer Graham Williams and the team to create the story via excessive use of bluescreen, and needless to say it does not look good.
Williams' dedication to realising Underworld in spite of the limitations is laudable, but you can't help but wonder why he bothered. The quest for the Minyan race banks is just as intangible as the virtual sets, lacking any real dramatic weight. The characters themselves are woefully under-realised, with only Alan Lake's Herrick standing out in the middle of an incredibly bland cavalcade of Minyans, Trogs and Seers.
Tom Baker became visibly tired of playing the Doctor towards the end of his run and didn’t exactly go out on a high note three years later. It wouldn’t be too controversial to point to this story as the beginning of the end for him.