After the high of yesterday today feels somewhat empty. I suppose I should expect there to be setbacks on this journey though, and days when I don’t feel quite so good about things. I did a lot of cleaning and household chores today to try and keep myself busy. However, this evening I am have dinner with some people from the group, which will be nice, and will certainly help take my mind of things.
I also watched some modern television and film for the first time in quite a while, and it was almost strange watching things in colour, rather than black and white, and seeing the faster editing and pacing. It’s probably a good thing to take these breaks though.
Episode 1 – War of God
We’ve gone straight into education mode here, although unlike previous historical, this is a more obscure period of history, so it’s understandable. As usual in a historical story people are dressing up, but this time the Doctor is prepared, and they get changed in the TARDIS rather than having to acquire clothes by other means. It makes a change.
As with the previous story we are thrown immediately into political intrigue, but this time we know something of the arguments, as opposed to them all being about the year 4000AD. The dialogue is also a lot stronger, as I would expect from Lucarotti.
The Doctor’s becoming quite fatherly to Steven, and quite protective. He clearly wants to ensure he stays out of trouble, while the Doctor himself is gallivanting around after an early scientist! When he does find Preslin he seems to be quite interfering, and pushing along and encouraging his research. This is more than just a friendly nudge in the right direction.
There’s a lot of exposition in this episode. As I mentioned above, even in 1966 this is a fairly obscure period of history. However the exposition dialogue is quite natural and so it does not stand out as much as that type of thing often does.
The cliffhanger showing Hartnell as the Abbott is wonderful. He really has changed his voice and look to play that part. I’m very intrigued.
Episode 2 – The Sea Beggar
This is fantastic drama. While many of the themes are similar to those seen in the Dalek epic – politics, backstabbing, betrayal, intrigue and counterplots, with that story being set in the future there is an element of camp and ridiculousness. Here though everything is played completely straight. If the arrival of Steven and the Doctor in the TARDIS is ignored, and we pretend that they really are just out of town travelers, this could be a standout historical drama all on its own.
Steven and Ann are getting very close. She trusts him completely because he does the right thing, and stands up for him. It’s nice to see the theme of the companions doing the right thing and it winning them allies along the way is continuing.
Episode 3 – Priest of Death
There really is some great drama here, as the plots we are witnessing start moving into high gear.
This is the episode where we get to see Hartnell be absolutely brilliant as the Abbott of Amboise. It is a completely different performance from the one that he gives when he is playing the Doctor. The more you watch him, the less you believe that it is the Doctor, despite Steven’s belief to the contrary. This performance completely undermines the myth that Hartnell was ever losing it as an actor. He is alert here, quick witted and giving a magnificent performance. Mind you, I have not doubted his Doctor for one moment during this journey, despite the flubs. As far as I’m concerned they happen when his mind is ahead of his mouth and he is racing to catch up.
Catherine de Medici is a dominating woman, and she is very well portrayed by Joan Young. Actually this is a very well acted and cast story, insofar as I can tell from just the audio and the telesnaps. Leonard Sachs is great as the Admiral de Coligny, and so is Christopher Tranchell as Colbert, Only Annette Robertson grates a little bit, but that is very much in character in any case.
The death of the Abbott is a great way to end the episode. Steven is still convinced that it’s the Doctor, although I wonder why based on the feelings I have that I described above. But it would certainly concern me to feel abandoned in this dangerous time period.
Episode 4 - Bell of Doom
Even later, Steven is still convinced that the Abbott was the Doctor and he is now dead. So it is a relief when the Doctor does show up and try to make everything simple and straightforward. It’s strange. Even though Hartnell has had a great presence in the story, the Doctor hasn’t really been involved in events at all. He’s simply been off doing goodness know what with Preslin. Steven hasn’t really been that integral to events either. This may be the story in which their actions are completely peripheral to the main thrust of the story being told.
As the massacre begins, the woodcuts are a clever way to portray the scale of events. This is one of the most brutal we have ever witnessed on the show, and Steven does not understand, and wants out. The scale of this devastation, as told by the Doctor, combined with the losses that he and the Doctor suffered during the Dalek story have overwhelmed him.
Steven leaving knocks the wind out of the Doctor, and the speech he gives here is magnificent. It bears all the signs of a tired old man, who relies on his friends to keep him young. I find that there’s as much emotion in this as in a modern series finale. And it’s all down to Hartnell. There’s no Murray Gold music, no spectacular sets. It’s all just Hartnell talking and it’s pure magic! The just as the Doctor is at his lowest ebb, a new young person walks into the ship. Could this be just what he needs to regain his energy? As both the Doctor and Steve get to know more about her, they seem to find that it is just what they need; a new young friend to restore the Doctor’s energy, and the hope that the events of 1572 were not as black as he had feared for Steven. Welcome to the ship Dodo Chaplet!
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