Doctor Who Television Review: Pyramids of Mars

Episode: Pyramids of Mars
Story Number:  82
Season: 13
Screenwriter: “Stephen Harris” (Robert Holmes and Lewis Greifer)
Director: Paddy Russell

Thoughts:

The Doctor and Sarah Jane are returning to UNIT headquarters, something I find surprising when I watch this story because it seems like it’s been a couple of seasons (and a regeneration) since The Doctor was based at UNIT.  A time anomaly forces the TARDIS to land at an English estate in 1911 on the site where the UNIT headquarters will be built in the future.  The owner of the estate, archaeology professor Marcus Scarman (Bernard Archard) has been turned into an animated corpse and become the servant of Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf).

In the Doctor Who universe, Sutekh is a member of a powerful race of aliens called the Osirians, and is the influence for the God of Death, Set, in Egyptian mythology. Scarman is plotting to release Sutekh from under a pyramid on Mars where he was imprisoned by his brother Horus millennia ago. Naturally, he is aided by robots that look like mummies.  The Doctor and Sarah have to try to stop them with some limited assistance from Scarman’s brother Laurence (Michael Sheard).

Influenced by Hammer horror films, Pyramids of Mars is atmospheric and has a strong script.  There’s a lot about Sutekh and the plot that doesn’t make a lot of sense.  But that’s easy to set aside since Sutekh is a truly scary antagonist and a believable challenge for The Doctor.  The dialogue between The Doctor and Sutekh is particularly strong.  Plus, the chemistry between The Doctor and Sarah Jane is strong, with several good moments for the companion.

Score: 8 of 10

Television Review: Carnival of Monsters

Episode: Carnival of Monsters 
Story Number: 066
Season: 10
Screenwriter: Robert Holmes
Director: Barry Letts

Thoughts:

I’m not a big fan of the Pertwee era, this is a certifiable Doctor Who classic.  This story takes place just after the Doctor has regained control over the TARDIS after being exiled to Earth for a few years.  Being able to freely travel through space and time again reinvigorates the series as we find the Doctor and Jo trapped inside a miniscope and displayed as a circus sideshow.  The big surprise is actually telegraphed early on, but the story has enough other twists, plus Robert Holmes’ cutting dialogue, that it doesn’t really matter.  The Third Doctor’s patrician mannerisms are downplayed here and he seems more likable. Jo is all-too-often characterized as a ditsy blonde, but this story allows Manning to really build the character and show Jo’s capabilities.  This is definitely one of my favorite Third Doctor stories, and another I’d recommend to new viewers of Classic Doctor Who.

Score: 9 of 10