Doctor Who Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 06/26
By James Aggas
In The Masque of Mandragora, the Fourth Doctor arrives in 15th Century Italy. But a dangerous force has arrived with him…
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC.)
In today’s Doctor Who stories on Twitch, we say goodbye to Sarah Jane and hello to Leela, as the Doctor faces the Mandragora, the Master…and even himself!
The last season of the Philip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes era of Doctor Who begins today on Twitch. So far, the era has been very strong. Perhaps even the strongest of the Classic Series. Will the high standard of quality continue?
The Masque of Mandragora
The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive in Renaissance Italy. Within this important historical period of discovery and new ideas, there’s also court intrigue and devious plotting. Naturally, the Doctor seems to find himself caught in the middle of it.
But there’s also another danger. Because something else has traveled to this period with the TARDIS crew. Something that wants to stop humanity from ever venturing out into the stars…
The Masque of Mandragora is something a little different for the Hinchcliffe era. There’s a stronger historical influence on the story than with others.
Perhaps it’s because it goes even deeper into history than other stories have. The only other instance of the TARDIS crew visiting a historical period during this era was in Pyramids of Mars. And that was only early twentieth century.
(Of course, there’s one more historical story to be told by the team of Robert Holmes and Philip Hinchcliffe. And it’s brilliant. But more on that later.)
So it feels quite strange to visit a historical period, at least for this particular era. However, it suits it quite well. Particularly when the Doctor is in between two stories: one of political intrigue, and the other of, essentially, black magic.
The Masque of Mandragora is a very stylish mix of historical and science-fiction, with some decent performances. It’s not my personal favorite of the Hinchcliffe and Holmes era, but it’s still a decent watch.
Sarah Jane is possessed by a living stone hand in The Hand of Fear.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC.)
The Hand of Fear
More from Winter is Coming
- For All Mankind finally gives us information in Episode 405, “Goldilocks”
- Watch a stunning VFX breakdown of The Wheel of Time season 2
- Of course Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) thinks Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen) should rule Westeros
- Confirmed: The Last of Us season 2 will air in 2025
- Final season of Star Trek: Discovery will have “a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of fun”
The Hand of Fear is a pretty decent story. We have some excellent performances, particularly from Elisabeth Sladen as the possessed Sarah. Judith Paris is also fantastic as the creature Eldrad. For a long time, we’re not sure whether Eldrad itself is evil, or whether it simply has a bad influence on people.
The story also has some genuinely creepy moments, especially with the hand itself. The cliffhanger to part one particularly stands out as a great Doctor Who moment.
But honestly, what this story will always be remembered for most is the fact that it’s Sarah Jane’s exit story. A much loved companion, she’s given a wonderfully bittersweet goodbye.
If you’ve only seen School Reunion, then the ending of The Hand of Fear will definitely add a lot of context to the Doctor’s and Sarah’s reunion decades later. More importantly, it’s a hugely emotional scene, and a real highlight for the story.
The Fourth Doctor returns to Gallifrey to face an old enemy in The Deadly Assassin.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC.)
The Deadly Assassin
Oh, where to begin with The Deadly Assassin? This story established so much of both Time Lord and Gallifreyan mythology. Rassilon, the Eye of Harmony, and even the limit of thirteen lives are introduced in this crucial story.
But The Deadly Assassin is more than just an episode focused on mythology. It’s also an incredible mixture of genres.
While it uses The Manchurian Candidate as its key source, it also includes Gothic horror, surrealism and even an epic battle. Robert Holmes really uses the four-part structure to shift between genres so brilliantly with this serial.
We also have the long-awaited return of the Master with this one. But in a completely different form than before.
Now, the Master looking different is unsurprising, especially as Roger Delgado had sadly passed away just a couple of years before. And regeneration had already been established, so it was expected that a different actor should play him.
A horrific look
However, what’s really shocking is how the Master now looks. Burnt, disfigured and basically looking like a walking corpse, it perhaps wasn’t the most tasteful choice on Holmes’s part to write him as such.
Nevertheless, story wise, it does work really well. Certainly, it avoids the easy trap of simply copying Delgado’s success, that’s for sure!
I also need to talk about Spandrell, who’s a real standout one-off character. Brilliantly played by George Pravda, he’s very much a no-nonsense kind of cop, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Since the character of Hildred is most definitely is a fool, this leads to many hilarious scenes.
He’s equally great to watch opposite Baker’s Doctor. A man reluctant to believe the Doctor at first, Spandrell eventually starts to believe the Doctor’s story more and more. It’s great seeing him progress on such a journey.
The Deadly Assassin is a wonderful example of this era. Violent, atmospheric, and a brilliant take on Time Lord society, it’s an easy classic.
The Fourth Doctor meets Leela in The Face of Evil.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC.)
The Face of Evil
The Face of Evil stands out in the Classic Series for two reasons. Firstly, it’s the story where the Doctor meets Leela for the first time. It’s a rather strange meeting, and not just because of how primitive Leela is. It’s also because she’s genuinely afraid of the Doctor, at first.
Which leads me to the second reason this story stands out. It’s one of the only stories in the Classic Series that focuses on the consequences of the Doctor’s actions. Which is kind of strange, really. After all, we’ve never seen the Doctor’s original visit to Leela’s home planet.
Nevertheless, it is fascinating to see the impact the Doctor’s actions can make after he leaves. Especially in the rare instances when he makes a massive mistake.
There are also some interesting themes with this story. Particularly with the warring groups of the Sevateem and the Tesh. One focuses on simple living and instinct, the other on science and technology. But which is the more savage?
The Face of Evil is a great introduction story to an interesting companion, and a fascinating early glimpse of seeing how dangerous the Doctor’s actions can be. You can read more about the story in our full review here.
Overall recommendation of the day: The Deadly Assassin
Yesterday’s choice of recommendation was tricky. Today, however, it’s really easy. Not because the other stories are weak. On the contrary, they’re all rather strong stories.
But The Deadly Assassin is nothing short of a masterpiece. It works brilliantly in so many genres. Conspiracy thriller, horror, sci-fi, surrealism, and even epic adventure.
It also feels big. Not just for how much it explores Time Lord society, which it does in great detail. But also because the Doctor’s and the Master’s battle feels more personal than ever.
Expect a review going into greater detail on the brilliance of this story soon. For now, make sure you check it out today and enjoy an essential piece of Doctor Who history.
Next: Torchwood: Series Six announced as God Among Us (audio)
Which is your favorite out of today’s stories? Are you sad to say goodbye to Sarah Jane Smith? Happy to say hello to Leela? Let us know in the comments below.