I’m getting ready for another weekend, and trying to get into a routine. I have lots of plans for the weekend; to finish getting the apartment into shape, to finish the clear-out and to continue my exercise routine, and hopefully improve it.
Episode 1 – The Lion
It’s a real pleasure that the picture gets back to normal with this story, as we open on quite a good looking forest. It’s nice to see they had a real bird in the opening sequence.Oh. We don’t see the TARDIS land. There is simply a sudden cut to Ian, looking onto the action taking place in the forest. It’s all the more strange considering we haven’t seen a story open like this before. There seems to be an attempt to be very dramatic, and the music heightens the tension. It’s far more serious than the recent historical adventures I’ve experienced.
Ian is right back into fighting mode in this episode. And the Doctor joins in as well. I think it’s strange how the characters have become involved, because there was been no reason for them to venture out and do so. Now, of course, they are now searching for Barbara, but they don’t really talk about doing that. They just start fighting.
Ian is very serious about finding Barbara, as should be expected. It’s the same has his behavior in “The Romans”. There was not much interaction between them in the last story, but he is more committed here. The time passes very quickly, which is strange. Hardly a moment goes by, but then Vicki says Ian has been gone over an hour. This is peculiar storytelling, since the on screen pictures do not imply that any time at all has passed.
We are immediately in the realm of mistaken identities again, as de Tornebu has taken on the identity of the king to fool the Saracen. This has become a staple of the historicals so far. And soon Barbara has her own new identity; Joanna, the king’s sister.
The scene in the marketplace is most amusing. It is interesting to me how the Doctor uses the unscrupulous nature of the shopkeeper to justify “borrowing” merchandise from his store. The hand that flies up to grab things from the table is very funny, interspersed as it is with the negotiating of crooks,.
This story has a reputation for being quite serious, but so far it has been a lot funnier than I had expected, despite the drama that has also been present. It’s not as laugh out loud funny as the Spooner stories, but the humor is definitely there.
Things turn serious once again as we reach Saladin’s camp, and the identities are discovered. Barbara bewitches the Saracen, and tells him of her adventures. The drama continues back in Richard’s camp, as her companions plead for the opportunity to rescue her. These scenes are full of some very rich dialog, and Julian Glover’s performance is full of power, and angst.
Episode 2 – The Knight of Jaffa
Now we meet the real Joanna; the wonderful Jean Marsh. It’s wonderful to listen to her sparring with Julian Glover and hear these two wonderful actors work together. They absolutely make the most of the rich dialog that they have been given. Richard is a fascinating character; full of suspicion, but also alternately passionate and homesick. Above all though, he is a statesman and a ruler. Everything else is of secondary importance.
It’s time for dressing up again! Ian looks very dashing! The mistaking of Vicki for a boy is also quite fun. At last Ian receives his mission. But not for the reasons he was expecting. The king has clearly spent some time thinking on this, and has found a way to justify his support for Ian’s plan. I’m sure Ian never expected to be dubbed the knight of the episode's title, but he has earned it with his actions through the series so far.
There’s a funny exchange between the Doctor and Vicki near the end of the episode that makes me smile, as the Doctor wishes he too had been knighted and Vicki doubts that will ever happen! (It only took another 9 incarnations, and 800 odd years!)
Episode 3 – The Wheel of Fortune
The intrigues begin in earnest now, as Joanna seeks to decipher her brother’s plot, and uses the Doctor to do so. I love how Whitaker has her describe the Doctor: “There is something new in you, yet also something older than the sky itself. I know that I can trust you”.
And now Vicki gets to be a girl again. I was hoping for some more mistaken identity. Vicki and the Doctor’s heart to heart is most touching. He wants to protect her, but makes her think she is a problem, and is panicked at the thought. As always though it doesn’t take the Doctor long to set the record straight.
The tale that Haroun ed-Din’s is such a sad one. It epitomizes the violence of the time in which the travelers have landed. Very different from both the 1960s and today.
The debates in Saladin’s camp are fascinating. It’s a thoughtful story this one, and one that greatly humanizes both sides of this debate, which of course is something that we need reminding of today as well. It makes me think again of Barbara’s words in The Reign of Terror about both sides having their good and bad points, and it is even more true here. Each side has their beliefs, and those beliefs are innately good, but bring them into conflict.
You can feel the fear of Barbara and Haroun ed-Din’s daughter as El Akir’s men hunt for them to take their revenge. But as always Ms Wright is never passive, although this time it gets her into trouble.
Vicki looks lovely in her new dress, but the intrigues are mounting up. The rage of Joanna is portrayed wonderfully by Jean March. This is not a woman that you wish to cross. Her expression of anger is devastating to behold. Her arguments are strong and compelling, and drive the king to great anger, almost to violence, but he stops himself.
Episode 4 – The Warlords
King Richard is a just man. His anger gets away from him at times, something I am familiar with, but once he has calmed down, and thought about the situation, he does what is best, even if it is something he does not want to do. He will take the risks that need to be taken.
Ian’s trick with the boots was clever, but I wonder why he waits so long. No he is free he is able to come to the rescue of Barbara and Haroun ed-Din’s daughter, and also provide the gold to the bandits that was promised. Despite how some characters have behaved towards them, all of the TARDIS crew continue to do the right thing, with Ian, especially, living up to his new status of Knight.
Hartnell really is a very good comic actor. I love his “Go and have a cup of tea or something”, as he dismisses Barbara who has started to fuss once they are all back in the ship. He absolutely loves playing the Doctor, and this is a good thing, because I adore him playing it.
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