I’ll admit from the start that I
higher hopes for “The Underwater Menace” than I realistically should have.
Maybe it was the newly recovered episode that would make this special. Maybe it
was the completionist in me rejoicing at getting the “last” DVD release of the
Classic Series (more on that in a bit). Whatever the reason, I was really
looking forward to settling down and watching this one. Hmm.
It’s really not great, friends. We do
get something approaching a traditional Troughton performance, and
realistically I know it’s only his third story, but it still feels here like
Patrick Troughton is forcing a character that he doesn’t feel 100% comfortable
in. There are small moments when he simply relaxes into the role and those
scenes are more watchable. Unfortunately, they are few and far between.
Additionally, since it’s still early in his run, the shtick of “put the Doctor
in a weird costume” is still here, and wow does that get on my nerves. As an
occasional bit of business, it would be fine. The problem I’m finding, between
this story and “The Highlanders”, is that it’s being forced. The situations
where the Doctor needs to don a disguise feel contrived and out of place. It
really bothers me.
I will say, however, that the underwater
effects are rather good. The swimming effects feel a bit more polished than the
similar flying effects way back in “The Web Planet”, although the fish people
are almost as silly looking. Can you tell I’m kind of grasping here? Let’s do a
list!
1)
Professor Zaroff is every bit bats***t crazy as fan lore describes. He is the
stereotype of a “Mad Scientist” and just OTT in all of his scenes.
2)
Poor Jamie. He gets to be a companion, and most of his lines are just tacked
on, last minute additions. I know that the choice to add Frazer Hines to the
regular cast was kind of a spur of the moment decision, but Jamie is not served
well by this story.
3) The
Second Doctor has been described over the years as “the little fellow” and the
like. They mention in this story that he’s 5’9”. I’m only an inch taller than
the Second Doctor? I know that I’m average height (as my 6”1’ 15-year old will
attest) but I never really thought I would be towards the lower end of the
Doctors-as-Height-Chart.
4) The
BBC release of this story is, in a word, disappointing. I’m aware that as Doctor Who fans we have been spoiled by
really top of the line DVD releases. This is not one of them. It has the feel
of a disc that was released strictly for the completionists and to quiet them
down. This way *every* available episode has been released with nothing being
held back.
“The Underwater Menace” fails for me
on almost every level I can think of. I didn’t have fun watching it. I didn’t
hate it, but I was definitely not engaged with it. I’ve always been a Second
Doctor fan, but most of my exposure has been to his later stories. Following on
from “The Highlanders” I really thought I’d enjoy this more, but try as I
might, I just didn’t. I have higher hopes for the next story as I’ve seen it a
bit more recently and I do love me some Mondasians!
OTHER
DOCTOR WHO RELATED BITS OF GOODNESS!!
As most of us know by now, “The
Underwater Menace” will NOT be the last Classic Series video release. The BBC
will be releasing, both digitally and on disc, depending on where you live, Pat
Troughton’s first story, “The Power of the Daleks”! The list of extras looks
amazing, there’s going to be a one-night cinema release here in the US (anybody
in the Philly/Delaware area want to make a night of it?), plus it was revealed
today that there will also be a COLOR version made available as part of the
release. It almost makes me forgive the sub-par quality release of “Menace”.
Almost.
Additionally, the weekend of November
11th-13th (just 8 short days away as I write this) will
see the return of Long Island Who, a Doctor
Who convention now in its fourth year. They have great guests this year (as
always) including Peter Purves, Anneke Wills, Sophie Aldred, Jemma Redgrave,
and THREE Doctors- Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Paul McGann. If anyone
reading this is going, please let me know, I would love to meet up! Their
website is http://longislanddoctorwho.com/
and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I can’t wait!
That’s all for now, but after a year
of no new Who, it’s good to finally
have some news. Which reminds me – what does everyone think of Class? It’s not
aired in the US yet so there’s no possible way that anyone here could have seen
it, no sir, but I thought I’d ask.
See you after L.I.Who!!
NEXT
EPISODE: The Moonbase
"The Underwater Menace"
novelization cover, courtesy The TARDIS Data Core at tardis.wikia.com
