The Face of Evil parts 1 and 2

[Craig @craig Emperor]

Currently being shown on BBC Four over two nights and available on iPlayer in the UK until the last week in January.

The Doctor arrives on an alien world and is taken captive by the savage Sevateem tribe. Accused of being ‘the evil one’, the Doctor begins to suspect that he has been here before.

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

Well, that was fun. First thought: an early riff on ‘the Doctor needs companions, otherwise he ends up talking to himself’. Fortunately, he meets a warrior from some kind of jungle tribe. One who’s been kicked out for complaining about the local god – so definitely someone who’ll get along with the Doctor of the 1970’s (or was it the 1980’s?).

I think this was when Erich Von Daniken’s rubbish was still fairly popular – the ‘advanced tech seen as gods/demons’ by primitive tribe feels like something of a take on that. But as Calib says, did they meet the spacemen, or are the tribe their descendants?

I also note that Moffat’s practice of having the Doctor unable to remember every adventure he’s been in has a basis in the BG series – Tom Baker’s Doctor realises he’s been on this planet before, when he sees the giant face. But he can’t remember what happened.

[ScaryB @scaryb]

Hurray!

Only came across these episodes by accident- and now there’s a board to comment on as well 🙂

Agree with @bluesqueakpip (love the Christmas party avatar btw 🙂 ) – it’s fun. And interesting in light of some of the criticisms levelled at AG Who – the Doctor needing companions (and one with a story), the Doctor arriving on a random planet and realising it’s all about him! (It was 1977 btw).  And as you say – he can’t remember being here before… maybe he hasn’t yet!

I like the costume design – the sense of cannibalised space “uniforms” hinting at either a former life, or adapting of “found” items. I chuckled at how quickly the Doctor managed to adapt the available tech to synthesise an antidote to the (previously incurable) Janus thorn poison. And people complain about the sonic! Set-wise it’s the old “let’s flood the forest with dry ice so people won’t notice it’s the studio floor” trick.  And invisible giant monsters… that’s handy 🙂

The pacing’s OK, tho a bit of padding dodging through the trees. Good to see Tom again – effortless performance as the Doctor by this time, well into the groove!

 

 

[janetteB @janetteb]

I only just discovered this discussion. Face of Evil is a sentimental favourite of mine. I saw it either on first broadcast or first repeat. Whichever I was a keen new fan of the show when I first saw this and so it reminds me of those heady days. The story was fun and Tom Baker as has been observed in top form. The in-jokes reflect the confidence of actor and the production team. “Would you like a jelly baby.” Leela. “The evil one eats babies.”.

I wrote a paragraph about Leela but cut it because I was concerned it might qualify as spoilers so will post it later.

@bluesqueakpip It was indeed just a few years after Eric Von Daniken published Chariots of the Gods. My parents really loved that book and had long and quasi meaningful discussions about it with the next door neighbour. I had not thought about the connection. Well spotted.

[Anonymous @]

@janetteb @bluesqueakpip

Oh my goodness.

Daniken? Here?

Where?

I also had those parents (are we actually related because, you know, JanetteB, Adelaide?) who did the discussions and went all nutty because of his “output”. It was bloody weird. I picked it up, read it and stormed about the house.

It was a strange day.

I think my brother, when packing up the oldsters house, discovered that same copy.

<off to watch Face of Evil>

[OB-Wan @ob-wan]

A shout-out from “THE BLACKLIST”

Their IT guy just said, (paraphrase) – “I downloaded the fourth series of Doctor Who.  Tom Baker is amazing.”

[makir35 @makir35]

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[makir35 @makir35]

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