The first part of City of Death is probably as wonderfully charming as Doctor Who ever gets. The sight of the Doctor and Romana wandering through Paris as nothing more than tourists (albeit of an intergalatic nature rather than just off the Eurostar) is utterly irrelevant to the plot - yet it's one of the best scenes in the history of the show, simply because of how delightful it is to watch and listen to - the shots are put together perfectly and the music is some of the best from the show's history.
Happily, the rest of the story is just as wonderful. For a start, Tom Baker and Lalla Ward could pretty much carry anything (and do frequently during this season) - they both effortlessly carry the charm, wit, humour and seriousness needed for this story. Duggan is a fantastic character - certainly a dim tough guy but far from an unsympathetic one, and you're always absolutely behind him to carry out the most important punch in history. You can also add The Countess, the hapless Professor Kerensky and Hermann the Butler, described by the Doctor as wonderfully violent, to the list of memorable characters who each contribute everything to this story's entertaining charm.
Above all of them though is Julian Glover's Count Scarlioni - truly one of Doctor Who's best ever villains. He combines charm, wit, menace and deviousness, all while avoiding descending into cartoon villainy (at least until the mask comes off). And of course, who can disparage someone who can wear a suit as fabulous as this?
Above all of them though is Julian Glover's Count Scarlioni - truly one of Doctor Who's best ever villains. He combines charm, wit, menace and deviousness, all while avoiding descending into cartoon villainy (at least until the mask comes off). And of course, who can disparage someone who can wear a suit as fabulous as this?
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| Although it admittedly benefits from a better skincare regime than on display. |
I haven't even mentioned the funniest scene in Doctor Who history - let's just say that the TARDIS as a work of art is the perfect gag, especially with John Cleese in it.
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| Sadly, the Modern Art Prize Foundation could not award the TARDIS first prize as it had disappeared. |
The premise is fantastic - it's far from simple the way its written makes it effective, well paced, well explained with some good twists and intrique. What more can you ask? Nearly everything makes sense and fits together, and some small questions never divert your attention away from the wider picture. It's a great story, elevated by some cracking dialogue, especially from the Doctor.
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| I'm seeing double! Four Mona Lisas! |
The story is also shot and directed very well, some cuts and shots adding to the comedic wit of the script with ease. The production values are great - the overseas filming really pays off and the transition to the studio never jars too much. There are also three great cliffhangers, especially the second episode.
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| Don't think that I haven't found your drug stash in 16th century Florence, Doctor! |
So is there anything really wrong with this story? Not really, as long as you're on board with the premise and the story's light hearted feeling, which admittedly you might not be, but there's really nothing to dislike, and that's perhaps the story's greatest success.
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| "What did you think of S11E01, Hermann?" "Mediocre at best, excellency" |
So, yeah. It's pretty difficult for me to talk positively for so long, so I'll just wrap this up with the conclusion that this is one of the best Doctor Who stories of all time because of its brilliant characters, acting, premise, writing and production. I see no reason to carry on repeating myself. If you haven't seen it already, go watch it (it's a fantastic first Classic Who story if you're a NuWho Scrub), and even if you have seen it already, why not go watch it again.
Final Score: 10/10. One of the best stories in Doctor Who's history. 'nuff saif.
Next Episode: Colony in Space
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