survival

As I recall, the story concerned a race of interdimensional-travelling cat-like people who had abducted a number of people, including a youth group from some English town led by a redneck ex-squaddie, and the Doctor's old nemesis, The Master.

Ratings were declining from eight odd million in the 1970s to closer to four. A season that tried to appeal to every conceivable audience in Britain fell flat. Younger audiences could no longer accept unrealistic special effects or the programme's self-referential nature, while existing fans were not impressed by simplistic plots, melodramatic acting and scripts heavily-laden with political correctness. Perhaps because the final explanation how daleks climb up stairs proved to be an anti-climax, or simply the fans had grown up and it was time to move on.

Ironic then that the final story was called Survival.

Sur*viv"al (?), n. [From Survive.]

1.

A living or continuing longer than, or beyond the existence of, another person, thing, or event; an outliving.

2. Archaeol. & Ethnol.

Any habit, usage, or belief, remaining from ancient times, the origin of which is often unknown, or imperfectly known.

The close bearing of the doctrine of survival on the study of manners and customs. Tylor.

Survival of the fittest. Biol. See Natural selection, under Natural.

© Webster 1913.