The Ice Warriors - 4

Back to the live action episodes and its quite an odd thing that after it seemed like the Ice Warriors were going to kill Victoria from behind that they suddenly decide not to. The Ice Warriors think that the Ioniser is a weapon against them instead of just a way of melting the ice. This is the first time that I can remember a purpose for what is going on. Quite why it’s taken until episode four for this to happen I don’t know but at least it gives some credibility to the Ice Warriors’ motives.

Victoria gets to do something quite brave and different from her usual screaming and whining.  She has to try and not get caught by the Ice Warriors and just gets on with it. This is the best that I have seen/heard from the character since she first appeared. The chase between Victoria and the Ice Warrior was quite well done. Even towards the end when she is trapped by the snow and the Ice Warrior and cries out for a long time I still thought that it was a good performance from Deborah Watling.

Something I haven’t commented on was the double act between Peter Sallis (voice of Wallace in Wallace and Gromit) and Angus Lennie who play Penley and Storr respectively. Even though they only feature briefly in each episode their performances are fun and entertaining. I can’t help look at Sallis and think of his role in the BBC comedy ‘Last of the Summer Wine’. Penley is the more likeable of the two whereas Storr seems rather mad and I get the feeling that this is a bit of a red herring. Storr’s death was a bit of a shame really as I thought that the double act was working quite well.

Troughton is very good from start to finish. When Clent is being rather rude to Victoria he is quite calm and polite to her. Then there is the moment when he is using the weird machine and he says he desperately wants it and it turns out to be water. The comedic tone was quite good and the only thing missing was Jamie. Speaking of Jamie it’s a shame that he’s given a redundant role in this episode as he is getting over his trauma. I expected him to start talking about the phantom piper like he did back in ‘The Moonbase’.

The cliffhanger is rather good as the Doctor is put in danger and instead of just cutting away from him we get to see the Doctor’s panic expression as the credits start to roll was a nice way to end the episode. Not sure whether it was intended to end like that or not but either way I thought that the cliffhanger worked and overall the episode was rather good. I think that of the six parters that we have had, this has to be the strongest so far because I don’t feel bored and think that with two more episodes there is plenty that could be done so I am liking The Ice Warriors.