The Web of Fear - Episode 1

Today is the 50^th Anniversary since An Unearthly Child aired on BBC 1 (or BBC as it was back then) and I watch this opening episode of the Yeti’s return immediately after so I’m in a wonderful mood. This is another of the lost stories found recently and it resumes after Salamander got sucked out of the TARDIS. I am surprised that the Yeti returned so soon, not even the Daleks managed that. I wasn’t impressed with ‘The Abominable Snowmen’ which I think was because it was on CD (apart from one episode). This story takes place 30 years after the events of the first story and we are introduced to Ann Travers who is the daughter of Professor Travers. This story returns to the under siege type of story which are ones that I enjoy and another thing that’s interesting about this story is that it is effectively a pilot for the UNIT crew.

When the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria arrive on Earth they find themselves on the London Underground and one man playing a corpse effectively announces that London is a ghost town and that’s as far out as we get. One thing that I am impressed with is the set that they use for the underground. It’s not very big but the lack of light helps create a wonderful sense that they are in the underground. The usual stuff happens in this episode as the Doctor becomes separated from Victoria and Jamie.

It’s quite good how Jamie and Victoria believe that they are helping the Doctor by not telling the officers that the Doctor was with them until they realise that the tunnel is about to be blown up. They don’t know that the Doctor is ok (or is he?). I think that Jamie and Victoria are both equal in this episode though I liked their opening scene in the TARDIS as they were all one nice big family. It must seem weird to Patrick Troughton to only have to play one role and not wear so much make up.

The Yeti are used lightly and rather effectively. Apart from the bit at the beginning where it didn’t move and when it sprayed the explosives it didn’t have much involvement in proceedings.

The cliffhanger is quite good and it looks quite good to see the explosions covered in cobwebs flashing in rather a slow way. It’s a good opening episode which shows that its going to be very different from ‘The Abominable Snowmen’ and that might be a good thing. Everything is in place to make this another six part story that will work quite well. Only time will tell I suppose.