After spending seven episodes, it’s
time to go and do something different. After a pure historical the show needed
to go into space and it seems that they decided to go to Terry Nation to write
this six part story due to his success of the Daleks story. The story opens up
with a nice model shot of the island. The interaction between the regulars is
very calming which is in contrast to the beginning of the series. There’s a
nice line from Barbara about colour television which was funny as the story was
filmed and broadcast in monochrome. This scene is also the start of several ‘Hartnellisms’
that became part of his time on the show.
When they leave the TARDIS they discover
Susan sees the sea and instantly want
to go for a swim. Despite being told not to by the Doctor, she decides that she
is going to go for a paddle in a small bit of water but she was stopped before
she could put a toe in. Her reaction to the shoe dissolving in the acid water
was a slight over reaction. After a good run of episodes where she was well
written for and put in some good performances it seems like she taken a step
back. However just when I started to despair, she redeems herself and her
performances for the rest of the episode are better.
The mysterious figure shows an
interest in the TARDIS which his hand gliding over the lock. The mystery is
made easier somewhat when we actually get to see ‘him’. It turns out that they are called the Voord
and are intruders to the island. One of them has already perished by a tear in
their suit and a leak of acid into the tube that they travel in. It’s not the
greatest enemy in the history of television because they seem to be killed
fairly easily.
We are introduced to the conscience of Marinus, it’s a powerful
thing and has the potential to cause problems. The Voords are interested. There’s
a nice bit of exposition from Arbitan. We then learn what the course of the
next five episodes would be about. The conscience is controlled by 5 keys and Arbitan
wants the regulars to go and find the keys for him but they decline. Instead of
just letting them leave, Arbitan puts a force field around the TARDIS. There’s
a nice bit of acting from the regulars which requires all the regulars being
exact in how wide the force field is.
When they realise that they don’t
have any other choice but to help Arbitan on his way, the regulars find that
they don’t have to go in those tube. There’s a neat trick of getting the
regulars from one set to another and that’s by a wrist watch and they all stand
in front of a black cloth so that a bit of special effects can be done. It is
quite good and must have seemed like cutting edge in 1964. After all
disappearing Arbitan is killed by one of the Voords which is a bit of an odd
thing because its okay if you watch this story in one go or as I am doing
watching over six days because I will remember this but back in 1964 would
people remember this six weeks after it had happened? I doubt it.
There are problems with this
episode. There is a shot when Ian says look and we get to see the city is a
little bit of dodgy editing because it doesn’t gel together very well. Then some of the set designs aren’t as good as
they could have been. In ‘The Daleks’ it was clear that some of the backgrounds
were cloths but it was hidden quite well. Here it’s quite obvious that the
actors couldn’t walk any futher on or they would walk through the cloth. There
is also a moment where the Voord falls into the acid but it’s not very
convincing as it looks like a cardboard cut-out. Then there is the small matter of the
cliffhanger scene. The Doctor, Susan and Ian arrive but they are standing in
front of a bit of garden furniture. The cliffhanger is quite good because there
is a wrist watch that belonged to Barbara but not Barbara and the comment from
Ian that it has blood on it is meant to strike some concern and in 1964 it must
have done but here in 2013 it doesn’t have the same effect.
The opening episode of this story
is enjoyable. Yes there are problems with this story and some plot holes that
you could drive a bus through but I still think there is a lot to like in this
episode and it’s nice to know what the point of the story is so early on. So
you can sit back and enjoy the rest of the story.
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