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Nov. 26th, 2022 12:12 amTonight's Doctor Who is "The Curse of Fenric."
Oh, this episode. This episode. :) I not only think it's the best Sylvester McCoy episode, I consider it the best episode of the original series.
It's actually a really gripping story about Soviets coming to steal an encryption machine near the end of World War II. But also a story about vampires using obscure lore from the Dracula myth. And a story about the power of faith. And a story about bringing about Ragnarok. And a story about Ace having to deal with familial and romantic love (both faked and real). And a story about Ace's origins, both in the show, and in her life. It packs it all in and it does it wonderfully.
Some nice touches are that the "oriental treasure" turns out to be so mundane looking that everyone ignores it for most of the show, nearly all the fatalities inflicted by the vampires are done to people who frankly deserved it, and that vampires aren't afraid of bibles or crosses but the faith and belief behind them (and any symbols that people strongly believe in). Ace does something no other companion does by basically taking the Doctor to task for keeping her in the dark constantly, as well as seducing a soldier as a distraction after convincing the Doctor that she's done it before: "Doctor...I'm not a little girl." The show was beginning to evolve away from the Hero Doctor and the Assistant that asks the viewer's questions it had followed the last 25 years.
This season really shows how Doctor Who had really upped it game in the effects department, but also the story department. Sadly, it was just too late at this point, and after the next story, Classic Dr Who was done. At least it went out on top.
Oh, this episode. This episode. :) I not only think it's the best Sylvester McCoy episode, I consider it the best episode of the original series.
It's actually a really gripping story about Soviets coming to steal an encryption machine near the end of World War II. But also a story about vampires using obscure lore from the Dracula myth. And a story about the power of faith. And a story about bringing about Ragnarok. And a story about Ace having to deal with familial and romantic love (both faked and real). And a story about Ace's origins, both in the show, and in her life. It packs it all in and it does it wonderfully.
Some nice touches are that the "oriental treasure" turns out to be so mundane looking that everyone ignores it for most of the show, nearly all the fatalities inflicted by the vampires are done to people who frankly deserved it, and that vampires aren't afraid of bibles or crosses but the faith and belief behind them (and any symbols that people strongly believe in). Ace does something no other companion does by basically taking the Doctor to task for keeping her in the dark constantly, as well as seducing a soldier as a distraction after convincing the Doctor that she's done it before: "Doctor...I'm not a little girl." The show was beginning to evolve away from the Hero Doctor and the Assistant that asks the viewer's questions it had followed the last 25 years.
This season really shows how Doctor Who had really upped it game in the effects department, but also the story department. Sadly, it was just too late at this point, and after the next story, Classic Dr Who was done. At least it went out on top.
