The Keys of Marinus

Throughout most of the Hartnell era, each episode was given its own unique title, rather than the umbrella name grouping serials together. This was particularly appropriate to this story, as each of the middle four episodes has its own setting, and a new supporting cast. Upon landing on the planet Marinus, the regulars are compelled to go on a quest to find the titular keys by George Coulouris’s Arbitan (The quest idea would, of course, be returned to by the programme years later). This leads them to various locations around the planet (it is refreshing to have an alien planet that is not monocultural). However, some parts work better than others. "The Velvet Web" depicts a place where the perception of reality is controlled by the sinister Morpho Brains. The regulars believe they are living in the lap of luxury when they are in fact hallucinating. The Doctor picks up a tin mug and admires it, believing it to be a piece of scientific equipment. Susan’s beautiful new dress is a collection of rags. The direction in this episode is excellent- Gorrie’s use of shots effectively shows the contrast between reality and illusion without special effects.

"The Screaming Jungle" has some quite interesting concepts behind it, especially the scary idea of the jungle itself. However, the episode is almost an exercise in how not to plot a drama, and the episode teeters on the balance between success and failure.

"The Snows of Terror" is entirely forgettable. As in The Daleks, there’s a very small chasm to be traversed (indeed it could well be the same set redressed). Even in a plot this simple, there are holes- why didn’t Ian take the keys and the transporter bracelets when he went to get the girls from the cave. A jarring aspect of the plot is that there is the real feeling that Barbara is in danger of being raped by the trapper- a danger that no companion would be subjected to nowadays.

"Sentence of Death" consists mainly of Ian’s trial on a false charge of murder. Courtroom drama is probably the most constricting genre of all, as there can be little variation as to dramatic structure and the layout of the set. It is performance, cinematography and direction that decide success, and this episode managed it, a success that continues to the final episode.

The Voords are usually billed as the ‘monsters’ of the story, but they only appear in the first and last episodes. These too are weak. George Coulouris (who was in Citizen Kane for God’s sake!) is very flat in this and Arbitan’s death is one of the worst directed scenes I have ever seen. It is as if John Gorrie simply said ‘Go in and stab him in a half hearted manner’! The Voords themselves are well designed (even though their ‘aerials’ make them look like evil Teletubbies’!) but the special effects for their submarines bring to mind the fleas of Michael Bentine’s It’s a Square World.

It is also notable that this is the first story where the TARDIS crew act as friends, not co-travellers. The bonds between them were seen to increase over the course of Marco Polo, but are finally established here- The Doctor waiting outside Ian’s cell after the verdict has been passed is truly touching. Jacqueline Hill deserves special mention for her work in ‘The Velvet Web’- Barbara is the real hero here, and we are with her all the way. The only supporting player who really stands out is Fiona Walker. The rest are good but not exceptional (although I now have a crush on Katherine Schofield!)

The story also illustrated Terry Nation’s strengths and weaknesses as a writer. He is good at ideas and basic storylines, but constantly resorts to cliché in the finer plot details. There is also some very weak dialogue and indeed, no quotable lines of dialogue until the very end. With scripts like this, it’s no wonder Gorrie’s work as director is so variable.

So it is with a cliché that I shall conclude: The whole is considerably less than the sum of its parts.

NEXT: The Aztecs