Pyramids of Mars - Episode 1

After the previous story didn’t set the world alight in my opinion so I was reliefed to know that this story was coming up. It’s one of the classics of Doctor Who’s classic era and one of Tom Baker’s fines stories. The story is credited to Stephen Harris but actually it was written by Robert Holmes and Lewis Greifer and it seems like another story where Holmes has had to re-write a large part of the story which perhaps shows why the story is as strong as it was. The story sees the Doctor and Sarah still trying to get back to London to meet the Brigadier. It feels like a story arc like what was used in the previous season and its mentioned in this episode just to remind the viewer. The first thing that struck me about this episode is the impressive opening scene. The footage shots of Egypt help create the impression that the first time that we meet Marcus Scarman is in Egypt and not in a studio in London.

The opening scene with the Doctor and Sarah is quite a strange one because it reminds us of Victoria who travelled with the Doctor during the 1967/68 season. It’s a nice if somewhat unexpected reference and I wonder why they chose Victoria of all the companions that the Doctor has travelled with. It’s strange seeing the Doctor as sombre as he was in that scene because he has always been like a six year old after they have had too much sugar. To see him gloomy isn’t a good one but thankfully that doesn’t last too long.

Namin is the first ‘baddie’ that we are introduced to and its fair to say that he has a temper on him. His argument with Doctor Warlock is quite heated and fun to watch. Warlock represents a time of history when he jolly well thinks that he’s in the right because he’s British and that’s just the way it is. Warlock doesn’t last 10 minutes before he is shot by Namin. That shot comes a few minutes after Collins the butler/housekeeper is killed by an unseen force. I quite like Collins (played by Bilton) because he was a genuinely nice character and played well.

The short period where Namin is chasing the Doctor, Sarah and Warlock is quite a great scene largely because it was filmed on location and directed in a certain way but also because of the music. It was very atmospheric and that’s why it’s one of the best scenes in the episode.

I think that the mummies in this episode are very impressive. Ok so they less manoeuvrability that the Daleks but they are visually impressive and the fact they don’t have a face is something that has always made more sinister than perhaps some people would think but I think that they are one of the big selling points of this story.

The build up to the cliffhanger was superb and it was all down to the organ music. It peaks just as the black figure comes out of the time vortex. The effect of him walking on the carpet and smoke coming from under his feet is very good and its equalled by when the figure puts its hand on Namin and smoke comes from under his hands. After being somewhat underwhelmed by the cliffhangers and episodes from the previous story, its good that it feels like the show is getting back to what it does best and that’s action drama. I thought that the action was really strong in this episode with the performances at their best and I am looking forward to the rest of this story.