(686) Ghostlight - Part 1

Even though this was the second of four stories in the season, it’s was the final story to be produced in the classic era. The next time a Doctor Who story would produce again would be in the US of A. The thing about this story is that it’s one that I have found very confusing and as a result its not one of those that ranks in my top ten. I do have hope hopes that over the next three days things will be made clearer. The opening scene is very eerie and things are made even eerier when the servants are pretty much tripping over themselves to leave.

This story is arguably a cruel lesson from the Doctor. Ace has a secret that we learn the house that this story is set is the one that she burnt to the ground a hundred years in the future. This is some nice development of the character of Ace and it shows that it was possible to develop characters in the classic era. It’s a good episode (and indeed story) for Sophie Aldred as she takes this rare opportunity given to her and runs with it. She even manages to make the character of Gwendoline seem a bit more animated because she does come across at the beginning as just a bit of nothing.

There is a funny routine in the first half of the episode where Ace’s clothing causes controversy. The fact that her shoulders are on display is something that shocks people. It’s hard to remember that this story takes place in 1883 when such things aren’t as informal as they are today. God knows what they would make of Clara of Amy Pond. The supporting characters are all in different ways. Ian Hogg plays Josiah Samuel Smith. The character is wonderful because he is very passive aggressive from start to finish. Mrs Pritchard (Sylvia Syms) is very creepy and doesn’t crack a smile at all. She does the dirty work for Smith and I struggle to decide who is the more evil. Michael Cochrane returns to Doctor Who after appearing in Black Orchid (1982) but this is arguably his strongest role. Here he plays Redvers Fenn-Cooper who is a little bit mad. Carl Forgione plays Nimrod and from the moment he appears on screen he is someone that the viewer is able to trust because he doesn’t talk down to the Doctor. Forgoine is impressive because he goes to the trouble of walking like a Neanderthal.

The cliffhanger is perhaps the only disappointing because its Ace being menaced by some weird creatures. There is something good about the fact that she doesn’t scream but apart from that I was left disappointed with the ending. I will be honest and say that despite enjoying what I see, I am still struggling to understand just what is going on. I get that the Doctor is trying to understand Ace a bit more but apart from that it seems like they have arrived in a low rent Upstairs Downstairs.