The Curse of Fenric

In many ways, the penultimate story of Doctor Who's original run combines the preoccupations of the McCoy era with the themes of the Hinchcliffe/ Holmes era. It explores themes such as the Doctor's manipulative nature and Ace's coming to terms with her own personality and combines them with the 'horror' stylings of the early Tom Baker era. Steeped in Norse mythology, the plot is also influenced by horror films (John Carpenter's The Fog being an obvious example) but takes familiar ingredients and cooks up something new with them. The plot is easy enough to follow. Russian soldiers covertly arrive in the Northumbria to steal the ULTIMA machine, the most advanced code-breaking computer in the world. However, Commander Millington, the base commander, is only too willing to let them have it- an ancient evil, entombed in the nearby church for centuries, is about to awake and the Doctor must stop it. This description does not hint at the nuances of the superlative script. The ancient evil under the church is not merely the primordial entity that is called Fenric by some, but the natural poisons that seep from its foundations. Ace's stake in the story is not just her own development, but the entire direction her life has taken. The situation between the Russians and the British deflates the cosy belief that the USSR only became our enemies after the war. Ian Briggs's script is replete with great dialogue- the use of 'love' as the codeword to detonate the booby trap in the ULTIMA machine, Ace's thoughtlessness when it comes to 1940's mores. Briggs's writing is so skilful that we never notice the pains taken to avoid the use of the word 'Ragnarok'.

Beyond the script, the excellence of the story is confirmed in its realisation. Nicholas Mallett doesn't put a foot wrong in his direction of the story, making great use of well-chosen location with superb lighting and camerawork. The production design is fantastic, combining the BBC's usual aptitude for costume drama with the increasing sophistication of the special effects department. The Haemovores are instantly memorable, with their hideous appearance evoking rotting cadavers and leeches. Mark Ayres's music is again wonderful- it is a real pity that he came to Doctor Who so late. Mallett also commands a brilliant guest cast. As has been said by many, Nicholas Parsons's portrayal of Rev. Wainright is a revelation, his face speaking volumes on the conflicts in the man. Dinsdale Landen and Alfred Lynch bring Judson and Millington to life with style. Tomek Bork is very charismatic as Sorin and Cory Pulman is very sympathetic as Kathleen. Both Bork and Landen do excellent jobs in portraying both their characters and Fenric possessing their characters. It says a lot that the worst performers Joann(e)s Kenny and Bell as Jean and Phyllis would not have stood out as such three years earlier.

There is very strong material for the regulars and both rise excellently to the challenge. The Doctor is more manipulative than ever, but this is in the face of a truly awesome foe. The moment that he has to break Ace's faith in him is brilliantly written and performed- the Doctor's subsequent 'I'd have done anything not to hurt you' shows what a powerful actor McCoy can be. Ace grows up in many ways in this story and Sophie Aldred provides a very effective performance.

This is another story where two versions exist. The original version has a wonderfully frenetic pace, but the special edition lets the story breathe and provides depth to the characters. The two editions are quite different in content and, although I would state that the special edition is better, this is not to say the original is worthless- both are recommended.

In all great Doctor Who stories, there are moments that stand out and this one is no exception- the runes appearing on the wall, Sorin warding off the Haemovores with his faith in the Revolution while Wainright loses his faith in the Bible, the runes turning out to be a logic diagram and, of course: 'We play the contest again- Time Lord'. This is one of the truly definitive Doctor Who stories.

NEXT: Survival