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KamelionAs voiced by Gerald Flood |
One of JNT's big ideas gone AWOL... by Tom May Updated 5/6/03 (originally 16/2/98)
I do not honestly know why producer John Nathan-Turner decided to draft a shape-shifting android with an all too literal name into the series; but he did, and e'er since then, the tragic Kamelion has been neglected by Doctor Who fandom in a big way -- unlike awfully misguided companions such as Mel and Adric, the dubious silver feller has hardly been at the epicentre of debate. Perhaps this is because he is thought of as a waste of time and utterly inconsequential -- which is true, I suppose.
Initially, in a truly weedy little yarn by the denomination of The King's Demons -- the pseudo-historical genre at the end of its tether -- he took on the shape of the bearded King John, and was surprisingly unsurprised about the Doctor's entrance, calling him and attendant companions his demons. It transpires that this 'King John' is but a wheezing tool of the Master's in possibly his dullest yet plan to undermine the Doctor. Kamelion is just a conduit, a mere vessel... he is not even, as the Sixth Doctor says of Childeric in The Holy Terror a "stereotype!" He is an empty vessel, completely devoid of character.
After the unquestionably "small-fry" events -- is the Magna Carta really woven into the matter of the story? It's really all just woeful production and weakling sword fights -- of this two-parter, the Doctor somewhat unwisely takes Kamelion on board... but why? For scrap metal? Or is the TARDIS supposed to be a rest home for slightly camp-voiced, ungainly liabilities such as he? His entrance to the TARDIS just goes unexplained. It comes as little surprise that he does not e'en moan one word or appear in the following adventures -- it is a shame our friend didn't appear in Resurrection of the Daleks say, as he'd have probably improved that appalling, macho "thriller"/filler; he perhaps could have had a chat with Davros over a cup of tea or two!
Eventually, after JNT's excuses over "Technical Difficulties" (and why, pray, didn't the hapless producer consider this before deciding to allow the metalic mannequin on board?), he does make a fleeting reappearance... only for it to prove the sorry chap's end! In the irritating if just-about-passable Sarn stroll The Planet of Fire he is once again usurped by the Master (yawn... cue the Master's perverse glee in pronouncing his inanities: "Ah, Kamelion, my slave...!") and again proves a liability to the Doctor. Heck, what would I give to see the bumptious Sixth Doctor of Season 22 express his verbose opinions on the merits - or lack of - of this robot!? Indeed, he could have been the focus of much comedy as a prop to both Bakers... but Davison seems to have little interest in conversing with him, or in considering his status as a genuine lawful impedement. I suppose in the context of Planet of Fire, Kamelion makes Peri seem all the more feisty by comparison. Controlled by the prancing Master? Is she heck! Peri manages to out-talk him and even chase the mini-Master around, stiletto in hand!
Poor old 'long-suffering' Kamelion is made to resemble both the Master, and Peri's stepfather; that non-entity of a character called Howard. There are disconcerting images of a silvery, cyborg Howard-Kamelion, ineptly blundering after Peri; what could have appeared to her a disturbingly incestuousness action just induces in one a withering "Oh, it's old Kamelion again... even in another form he can only dodder about like an old dear!"
Considering the below reviewer's point that this android is a tragic figure, committing the only companion-suicide; I would say in all candour that there is nothing to feel melancholy about. He does not really appear a character at all; and is merely the equivalent of a Black-and-Decker drill in the hand of a D.I.Y.-dabbling Master!
Kamelion is frankly saved from his misery by the Doctor's mercy killing of him.
Truly the most low-key low-ebb in the history of Doctor Who, Kamelion was never a likely success, and he delivered nothing to the series: except yet more continuity baggage to be unpacked in Planet of Fire. Not once did the lamentable automaton actually aid the Doctor in his contests with the Master, or indeed make an impression in practically any sense!
Why am I the only person who likes him? by David Barnes 15/8/02
Kamelion is possibly one of the most hated and reviled companions ever, made to line up behind the likes of Mel and Adric. The phrases "conveniant plot device" and "useless" have been batted about when discussing Kamelion. But Kamelion is my third favourite companion. Yes, you heard me right.
Kamelion first appears in The Kings Demons part 2. Well, he really appears all the way through, disguised as King John, but Kamelion himself dosn't appear till part 2. The first shot of Kamelion (a slow zoom while Kamelion plays the lute and sings in King John's voice) is the best opening of a companion ever. I haven't seen The Kings Demons often but that is the scene that sticks in my mind.
Kamelion was a robot apparantly acquired by the Master during his stay on Xeriphas, who can change his shape, form and voice at will. Unfortunately, that will tends to be someone else's. I think it was The Crystal Bucephalus by Craig Hinton that introduced the notion of Kamelion being controlled by the person with the largest will in the vicinity (or something like that). Now, a companion that gets taken over by the enemy in every story dosn't seem like a good idea. But I can think of no companion who has never had his or her mind controlled at some point. Kamelion just has it controlled more than most.
But back to The Kings Demons. The Master has been using Kamelion to impersonate King John and thus disrupt the signing of the Magna Carta (which isn't as bad a plot as it is often thought, although simply killing King John would be more villainous). When the Doctor discovers Kamelion, there is a large battle of wills between himself and the Master to control Kamelion. Unfortunatly, I cannot remember the ending of that story but obviously the Doctor saved the day and Kamelion shuffled onboard the TARDIS.
The reason why I think Kamelion is so great is because he was a real robot. The BBC actually paid for a real android! Kamelion looks really cool (much better than almost every other robot or cyborg in Doctor Who, including the Cybermen) and the voice is really creepy too. Kamelion itself was rather difficult to actually manipulate, especially after the only man who knew who to operate it died (which explains why Kamelion is far more static in Planet of Fire than The Kings Demons).
Unfortunately, becaue of the loss of movement in Kamelion, and the amount of money it cost to use him (the voice took ages apparantly), Kamelion only appeared in two stories on TV. And he only appears as his true robot form in 3 of those 6 episodes (4 if you include his death scene). Luckily, the Virgin and BBC past Doctor range has managed to readdress the balance a bit by having 3 more stories with him.
The Crystal Bucephalus is a frankly very confusing story, with a lot of technobabble flying about. Kamelion dosn't do a heck of lot (actually, Kamelion dosn't do a heck of a lot in any of his stories), being, for the most part, either stuck in the TARDIS (as usual) or having his mind controlled by someone else. However, Kamelion does blast the TARDIS free from a vortex by destroying a large statue. At the end of the book, Kamelion decides to stay in the TARDIS as he considers himself a danger to his new friends (explaining why Kamelion seldom appeared on TV).
Imperial Moon is a much loathed book but I actually rather enjoyed it. Kamelion's role is, as ever, limited, but there is a well written scene in which Turlough asks for Kamelions help over a problem. Kamelion stays inside the TARDIS for the most part as energy fields controlling an atmosphere bubble interfere with his circuitry. Later on though, Kamelion saves the Doctor from suffocating or freezing in the airlessness of the luner crater when the atmosphere bubble is destroyed and impersonates Queen Victoria's dead husband, Albert, in order to tell Victoria that man is not ready to fly through the stars.
Kamelion next appeared in the television story Planet of Fire. He again has his mind taken over by the Master and is the Master's servant for the majority of the story. At the end, Kamelion begs the Doctor to kill him as he is tired of being abused. The Doctor obliges, although rather too quickly for my liking, and Kamelion is destroyed by a tissue compression eliminator.
Kamelion was a rather tragic companion, always being controlled and made to do horrible things he knew were wrong. Kamelion is the only companion on TV who committed suicide (sort of) and I shall always think of Kamelion as rather endearing.
Kamelion appeared in one more book, The Ultimate Treasure, and is finally allowed to rest knowing he has done well. Throughout the book, he is disguised as a Unicorn named Red, as a portion of his personality remained intact due to his interface with the TARDIS and was able to create a new form for himself thanks to a race known as the Gelsandorians. Red helps the Doctor and Peri throughout the book and at the end reveals himself to be Kamelion, much to the Doctor and Peri's surpise. Kamelion wanted to make amends for his actions on Sarn and, at the end of the story, dissipates, grateful for his second chance.
Kamelion for me was far more tragic than Katarina, Sara Kingdom or any other companion. And he will forever be my third favourite companion.