Horror of Fang Rock - Episode 3

The 15th season’s start continues in a good way. I often wonder with four part stories whether they could work as a five or six parter and part of me thinks that this episode would work with an extra episode so that we get more of the Rutans. As it is there is very little padding that takes place at any point during this serial.

Adelaide becomes even more annoying because for most of the episode she just seems to be shrieking and sobbing and just being irritated. I think that if I were a fan of Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abbey then this sort of person might not have such a grating effect on me but I just don’t like the woman. The only good thing that comes from her involvement in this episode is when Leela slaps her for screaming.

Reuben has been taken over by the green thing. I thought that Reuben was creepy before but now he is definelty creepy. The green blob that looks like it came out of someone’s nose isn’t the great effect although its involvement becomes greater in this episode because it kills Skinsale. Skinsale is the first of the current crop of supporting characters. Harker dies a few minutes later. I think that Dicks knew how annoying the character of Adelaide was and decided to hold off her death until the last episode.

It’s impressive that the action keeps moving in such a small location. There are only three sets (not including Reuben’s room) and so at times it felt like a stage play. The performances have all been solid (bar Annette Woollett’s). The Doctor has been largely sombre and Leela has been her usual self and they have both been on good form during this story. The directing has also been good because its never been boring and the tight spaces have helped create a nice bit of claustrophobia and the base under siege theme is helping make this story work. Considering that the monster hasn’t really been involved in things, its impressive that there is as much tension as there is.

The cliffhanger does seem to come out of the blue. I didn’t realise that the episode was at this stage until the theme tune played. The episode ends with the Doctor making a horrible realisation realising that he has locked the creature in the lighthouse with them. It’s his face that makes it such a good ending. The endings so far in this story haven’t been really actioned packed but have still managed to be exciting.