The Romans

Dennis Spooner strikes again with his second historical, which finds the Doctor and his companions holidaying in Ancient Rome after the events of The Rescue. However, this leads to Ian and Barbara being captured by slave traders and the Doctor and Vicki going to Nero’s court in Rome, where the intrigue deepens.

As with The Reign of Terror, Spooner blends gritty realism with comedy, but the comedy is far more to the fore here. Nero is largely played as a comic character by the excellent Derek Francis, and his interplay with his annoying slave Tigellinus is hilarious (Brian Proudfoot also deserves special mention for his wonderful, wordless performance). Episode 3 is notable for being almost a sitcom, with the Barbara being chased by the lecherous Nero and just avoiding bumping into the Doctor and Vicki. Tigellinus’s casual poisoning had me in stitches. However, the scenes with Ian as a slave are pretty grim. Ian is a gladiator and a galley slave in this and the squalor of Roman slavery is not avoided by the story and the gladiatorial combat is actually rather well choreographed.

The regulars are on fine form, with Barbara again showing that intelligent, strong willed female companions are not an innovation of the 21st century. The interplay between Ian and Barbara is now unmistakeably that of a couple and there are times where you can imagine them kissing a moment later. Vicki’s excitement at her new life is infectiously brought to life by Maureen O'Brien. Here, Vicki shows she is more than a surrogate Susan when she almost poisons Nero because of Poppea’s plan to poison ‘some poor slave’. However, Hartnell continues to astonish as the Doctor, at one point punning relentlessly about playing in the arena, and at another having his first genuine fight scene, where it is clear no stunt-double was used.

If there is any criticism, the sitcom elements of the story seem to have brought with it sitcom production values. The sets are impressive, but not as brilliant as in previous historical (interestingly, Ray Cusick designed this one, rather than Barry Newbery). Christopher Barry’s direction is rather basic visually, although he manages to get good performances out of the whole cast.

It would be interesting at this point to compare Spooner's approach to the historical in Doctor Who with John Lucarotti’s. Lucarotti is intent on immersing the viewer in the time when the story is set, trying to make the viewer feel like they are back in time. The drama here comes as much from the personalities bred in the environments of the setting as in actual history. Spooner is far more interested in plot and intrigue and he picks periods where events are dramatic and iconic. Although a degree of research has gone into The Romans, the production team is not above changing things for effect- Nero is middle-aged, rather than young, Tigellinus is Nero’s personal slave rather than his sadistic lackey. These changes are nothing new or shocking- artistic licence was taken with the likes of Spartacus and Quo Vadis?. Spooner’s historicals are, perhaps, lesser as works of art than Lucarotti’s, but they are thoroughly entertaining throughout.

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