CLASSIC WHO MARATHON
The Reign Of Terror is probably one of the least talked about of the black and white stories. Generally not regarded as a classic, it also rarely attracts negative comment either, instead sitting somewhere in the fan consensus as a solid but unexciting historical. One of the greatest things about this marathon is discovering those moments when you can unearth a previously undiscovered gem and take the opportunity to fully appreciate something that the majority have overlooked. I had not seen this one before. As with the previous story, and the following one for that matter, I had bought the video but never quite got around to watching it. I'd read the book, during the time when I was learning about the French Revolution at school, which enabled me to bluff my way through several history essays. So that's a CHECK for the educational aspect. How then does it fare entertainment-wise? The answer is, very well thank you.
The regular cast always seem in their element when involved in history, squaring up to actual historical figures. This one gives William Hartnell another opportunity to shine, as a case of mistaken identity gives him the perfect opportunity to not just dress up fabulously
but also to adopt a sterner, more authorative role. He seems to immerse himself in the role to a degree he rarely gets credit for. Things kick off when the Doctor, Ian, Susan and Barbara are confronted by revolutionaries in an abandoned farmhouse, which leads to a brilliant scene where the revolutionaries D'Argenson and Rouvray are brutally killed, Ian is captured, and Susan (who is suffering from plague symptoms) and Barbara are sent off to be guillotined as traitors. It's fantastically grim, especially when it culminates in the farmhouse being set alight with the Doctor inside. The Doctor is rescued by a boy, Jean-Pierre, followed by scenes such as the journey along the roadside, including his encounters with shopkeepers and road workers, imbued with Hartnell's sense of humour. We almost have a repeat of the caveman incident as the Doctor seems willing to clobber someone with a shovel.
All of the characters we meet bring something to the table - Jules and Jean, Danielle, Barbara's deceitful love interest Leon Colbert, Lemaitre, and historical bigwigs Napoleon and Robespierre.
Episode 4 and 5 no longer exist in their original form, and are represented on the DVD by full animations from the company who made Danger Mouse. For me it works beautifully, adding nuances to the story that may have been missing listening to the audio alone. Susan's likeness is particularly good.
The icing on the cake is the Doctor's final "our destiny is in the stars" speech. This was the concluding story of Doctor Who's very first season, and looking back, the series has got off to a very strong start, demonstrating many of the qualities which would ensure it would run and run, and that we would still be watching it now.
