As the Silurians return to our screens after 26 years. I chose this chance to re-visit the very first time we met the Silurians. Only the second story of what I would call the greatest season of Doctor Who ever. This story was written by Malcolm Hulke who when a list of the greatest DW writers is made his name will be fighting for top spot with Robert Holmes.
Unusually for a Doctor Who series, all bar the first story are seven episodes long. This means that the writer has longer to spend developing characters, working out their motives and to like them or dislike them more than you ever could with a normal four part adventure. Episode 1 spends most of its time setting up Dr Lawrence and all the other personnel at the Nuclear Base. It’s the cliffhanger before we get any whiff of a story. All the characters are very strong and are well acted. I particularly liked Doctor Laurence (played by future Nyder Peter Miles). His slow but noticeable unhinging behaviour was an unexpected joy of his character. Dr Quinn (Fulton Mackay) was working with the Silurians in the hope for knowledge and power. Like most people who desire things that are above him he is disappointed and ultimately betrayed. His death is a shock and also quite sad as I thought his character was still a good one despite what he had done. Geoffrey Palmers (the captain in Voyage of the Damned and Masters in this story) was a character that was understated but no sooner had he arrived and I had grown use to him being there than he was killed off in quite spectacular fashion. An unexpected character that got my attention was Captain Hawkins played by none other than Paul ‘Blakes 7’ Darrow. His character for me went from being a normal captain to something that had potential to be quite sinister. Only one character in this story was a disappointment and that was Miss Dawson played by Thomasine Heiner. I liked her to begin with but once Dr Quinn was killed she just became irritating and he usefulness in this story stopped.
Credit has to be given to Malcolm Hulke that it’s the end of Episode 4 before we actually get to see what the Silurians look like. The revelation of it storming into Dr Quinn’s lounge where the Doctor was examining his dead body was well acted and directed. One thing I loved were the cave scenes. They were tremendously atmospheric and added to the drama. It was a powerful image where the caves where the Silurians lived were dark and dank conditions whereas the ‘superior’ humans live and work in bright well vented places. It’s probably an unintended attempt by Malcolm Hulke to show that Silurians are the bad guys and the humans are the good guys. One thing I didn’t like was the music. It was alright for a few episodes but by episode four it was just grating on me and distracted me at times from what was going on.
As mentioned I think that the fact there were seven episodes allowed the characters and the different plot points to grow and develop. Jon Pertwee and Caroline John have settled down and are working well together. The humour that Pertwee interjects at varying parts of this story show how his Doctor is not just a dandy daredevil. The Silurians is a classic in every sense of the word.
Unusually for a Doctor Who series, all bar the first story are seven episodes long. This means that the writer has longer to spend developing characters, working out their motives and to like them or dislike them more than you ever could with a normal four part adventure. Episode 1 spends most of its time setting up Dr Lawrence and all the other personnel at the Nuclear Base. It’s the cliffhanger before we get any whiff of a story. All the characters are very strong and are well acted. I particularly liked Doctor Laurence (played by future Nyder Peter Miles). His slow but noticeable unhinging behaviour was an unexpected joy of his character. Dr Quinn (Fulton Mackay) was working with the Silurians in the hope for knowledge and power. Like most people who desire things that are above him he is disappointed and ultimately betrayed. His death is a shock and also quite sad as I thought his character was still a good one despite what he had done. Geoffrey Palmers (the captain in Voyage of the Damned and Masters in this story) was a character that was understated but no sooner had he arrived and I had grown use to him being there than he was killed off in quite spectacular fashion. An unexpected character that got my attention was Captain Hawkins played by none other than Paul ‘Blakes 7’ Darrow. His character for me went from being a normal captain to something that had potential to be quite sinister. Only one character in this story was a disappointment and that was Miss Dawson played by Thomasine Heiner. I liked her to begin with but once Dr Quinn was killed she just became irritating and he usefulness in this story stopped.
Credit has to be given to Malcolm Hulke that it’s the end of Episode 4 before we actually get to see what the Silurians look like. The revelation of it storming into Dr Quinn’s lounge where the Doctor was examining his dead body was well acted and directed. One thing I loved were the cave scenes. They were tremendously atmospheric and added to the drama. It was a powerful image where the caves where the Silurians lived were dark and dank conditions whereas the ‘superior’ humans live and work in bright well vented places. It’s probably an unintended attempt by Malcolm Hulke to show that Silurians are the bad guys and the humans are the good guys. One thing I didn’t like was the music. It was alright for a few episodes but by episode four it was just grating on me and distracted me at times from what was going on.
As mentioned I think that the fact there were seven episodes allowed the characters and the different plot points to grow and develop. Jon Pertwee and Caroline John have settled down and are working well together. The humour that Pertwee interjects at varying parts of this story show how his Doctor is not just a dandy daredevil. The Silurians is a classic in every sense of the word.
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