Day 235 — August 23rd 2021
Image of the Fendahl Parts One and Two
Image of the Fendahl — Part One
Atmosphere. That’s what Image of the Fendahl has in spades. After the bland white corridors of the Bi-Al Foundation it’s nice to get back out on location. And they’ve even brought back the smoke machine from Horror of Fang Rock just to really up the spooky elements. I think the best bits of this episode are probably the ones that feature Doctor Who and Leela sneaking around in the dark woodlands on the hunt of a mystery. There’s something about that which feels so right for Doctor Who. There’s some great photographs from the production of this story which show the pair at the Priory gates, and they’re magnificent.
The atmosphere reaches its peak in the cliffhanger, when Doctor Who finds himself paralysed with fear and rooted to the spot as the smoke swirls around him and the camera tracks in ever closer. It’s a great shot from new director George Spenton-Foster, but I’m not sure it’s the most dramatic of cliffhangers. It’s dripping with atmosphere, yes, but it’s not especially scary or exciting.
And I think, sadly, the same is true for this episode as a whole. There’s lots of nice ideas in here, like the glowing skull, but there’s not very much interesting going on. Indeed, there were times in this episode where I actually felt a bit bored, and regular readers will know that I consider that the biggest crime that Doctor Who can commit. The show can go anywhere and anywhen, and is full of monsters. You should never be bored watching it.
There’s sequences in here which feel like they should be exciting. A hiker is pursued through the dark woods by some unseen menace, for example, but they all fall a bit flat. In that example it’s partly because the scene goes on a little bit too long (okay, it goes on a lot too long) but also because it’s missing any incidental music, which would usually help to add to the overall effect. I might have missed some later on, but certainly the first half of this episode is entirely lacking in any music and it stands out massively. I don’t always comment on the soundtrack to these stories, but when you lose it there’s a very noticeable absence.
I think I’m feeling a bit disappointed because both of Chris Boucher’s scripts last season shot into my Top Ten, so I had high hopes for his return to the series. Here I feel like we’re lacking some of the polish he was so good at last time around and that’s a real shame. It’s not all bad — there’s a few examples of sparking dialogue on show here, but they’re the exception where as in his previous adventures every line felt perfect. I think my favourite line in this episode has to be;
Mitchell: ‘Now I can see why they burnt witches.’
Colby: ‘Cheaper than oil.’
I’m also especially fond of the TARDIS’ arrival in this adventure, although it comes surprisingly late in the day.
As with The Robots of Death, Doctor Who and Leela go through the entire first episode without encountering the main guest cast, but they have a great exchange when they arrive in a field;
Doctor Who: ‘Good morning, ladies. Now, which one of you has the time
scanner, hmm?’
Leela: ‘This doesn’t look like the place, Doctor.’
Doctor Who: ‘I did say more or less, though this does look rather less than more. You know, I don’t think these cows know anything about the time scanner. Never mind. It’s a beautiful day.’
They pull a similar gag in The Invasion, and it’s always stuck with me. Most days I drive past a field of cows, and every time I think how brilliant the TARDIS would look parked up among them, so I’m glad to see it’s happened again here.
I’m going with a 4/10 for this one.
Image of the Fendahl — Part Two
I get the sense quite strongly that Image of the Fendahl just isn’t going to be for me. This episode has progressed from being just boring to actually being full-on tedious, and despite a handful of nice moments I’m really struggling to find anything in here at all to grab me.
The worst thing is that I don’t know why that’s the case. There’s a lot of narrative tricks in here that Boucher used in his previous adventures, but whereas there they made me love the stories all the more, here they’re simply not doing it for me. The best example is the characters; they’re just as fleshed out and real as anyone on the Sand Miner last season, but while I cared about each of them these scientists leave me cold.
If there’s one saving grace in this episode then it’s Tom Baker — who as usual manages to make things at least a little enjoyable when everything else is failing in that regard. I’m especially fond in this episode of the way he interacts with the skull;
Doctor Who: ‘Oh! Oh. Would you like a jelly baby? No, I don’t suppose you would. Alas, poor skull.’
Splitting up Doctor Who and Leela is something else Boucher did a fair bit of during The Robots of Death, but it’s a shame to see it here because I enjoyed them both doing their investigating in Part One. It’s nice to see them both given some of the narrative here, but I’d like them to be reunited as soon as possible in Part Three.
The direction continues to at least be interesting here, but it’s got a feeling of style over substance, I think. There’s a great two shot where two of the scientists look at the X Ray and it’s lit beautifully, and we immediately cut to Leela crouching outside the priory, in another nicely composed image. The lighting is the thing which is really selling the shots for me — it feels far more carefully considered than usual. It’s just a shame that this direction couldn’t have been used for something a bit more entertaining!
I’m afraid it’s a 2/10.
