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Blimey, episode three is a corker. It's really grown up stuff, too.
Barbara discovers that the hand over her mouth belongs to Haroun, an enemy of El-Akir. He tells her that his daughter has been kidnapped, and forcibly added to El-Akir's harem, her mother and brother having been murdered during the abduction. He's all but a broken man, desperate for revenge, and hiding the truth of it all from his one remaining daughter. He hides Barbara at his house, leaving her there, but the place is teeming with the soldiers of El-Akir. Haroun gives Barbara a knife, and tells her that if the soldiers find her, she should use the knife first on his daughter and then on herself. It'll be better, he says, than the alternative. Ouch. You don't usually find that kind of thing in Doctor Who! It's all so beautifully performed, too, and the dialogue is first rate. Barbara and the girl hide in a secret room, but the soldiers seem sure to find them. Barbara contemplates the knife with a sort of horrified fascination, then tells the girl to stay hidden. She sneaks out, hoping to catch the soldiers unaware, but is seen and captured. Back in the hands of El-Akir, she's told that she'll welcome death when it eventually comes. Ouch again.
There's no less tension back at Camp Richard, where the king's sister, Joanna, has realised that there are plans afoot, that she thinks involve her. She wants the Doctor to find out what these plans are, but when he sticks close to Richard to do so, he comes into conflict with the bullish Earl of Leicester, a soldier whose love of war is too much for the Doctor to take quietly. There's an explosive confrontation between them, and it's great to see William Hartnell with such a good scene. He's a good actor, when he's not busy doing that damned annoying giggle, and "Hmm?!" every five minutes, and this is just the sort of exchange to show off what he can do. His argument that brains are better than brawn doesn't go down well with Leicester, and he makes himself an enemy for the future. Richard intervenes, but then we've already seen that he's tired of war. That's what the whole plan for marrying off Joanna is about. The Doctor hears of this plan, but thinks better of passing it on to Joanna, even though it's clearly the information that she was after. Somebody else isn't so circumspect, though, and in a truly terrific scene, Joanna confronts her brother. Her dialogue is unpleasant, as she's a racist cow, but her attitude is in keeping, I guess. At any rate, it's a blinder of a performance from Jean Marsh, and Julian Glover is no slouch either as he bristles and fumes in response. Again, it's great dialogue. Threatening Richard with the Pope if he tries to make her marry outside her faith, she storms off. A shame, really, as over at Camp Saladin, Richard's opposite number is as tired of war as is Richard himself, and he and his brother discuss Richard's letter proposing the marriage. They're hopeful of peace, but highly suspicious. Again, it's a beautifully done little scene.
The only let up to the grim pace of this episode comes from Ian. He has what amounts to little more than a cameo in episode three, so I'm guessing this was William Russell's holiday week. Asleep somewhere on the ground, he's approached by a sneak thief, who takes his sword and tries for his purse. Ian wakes up, and they fight, only for an unseen somebody to sneak up and bosh Ian over the head.
And so onto episode four, which is audio only. Grr. Bloody BBC. Barbara escapes from El-Akir again, and is hidden by the women of his harem, who hate him. There she finds Haroun's missing daughter, who's delighted to have news of the remainder of her family. She talks of having attempted suicide to escape El-Akir - again, not the kind of thing that usually crops up in Doctor Who! They plot together, but another of the harem girls heads off to warn El-Akir.
Out in the desert, meanwhile, Ian has been staked out on the sand by his sneak thief, who daubs him with honey, and settles back to let the local ants have some fun. He wants money, which Ian doesn't have. Eventually he claims to have gold in his boots, so that when the thief unties his ankles in order to check, Ian has a chance to fight back. He gets the drop on the thief, but winds up making friends with him, and they set off together to rescue Barbara. Ian's great in his exchanges here. He clearly enjoys his association with the local underworld, and he and his new friend have a great time chatting about stolen horses and other booty. When they reach El-Akir's palace, they find a dead guard outside. Haroun has broken in, Barbara's capture being the last straw for him, I suppose. As Fatima the treacherous harem girl leads El-Akir to Barbara, Haroun stabs him in the back. Ian and his new best friend turn up moments later, for a happy reunion with Barbara. As the camera pans away to follow the escapees, though, the other women of the harem turn on Fatima. Yikes. This is pretty brutal stuff!
The Doctor and Vicki, meanwhile, having decided that Camp Richard is no longer for them, decide to head back to the TARDIS to wait for the others. En route they're cornered by the Earl of Leicester, who for reasons that I forget thinks that the Doctor is a traitor. Not that he needs much persuading to want to kill the Doctor anyway, after their clash earlier. He's just about to do something unpleasant when Ian turns up, and with some quick thinking, claims a prior right to kill "the traitor". The Doctor begs one last look at Jaffa before his execution, and as Ian leads him off into the trees, they both leg it back to the TARDIS. Cue a very befuddled group of soldiers, who see the TARDIS dematerialise. Rather sweetly, Leicester assumes that poor Sir Ian has been abducted by demons. It doesn't seem to occur to him to doubt the word of a total stranger claiming to be on his side.
The TARDIS, meanwhile, has just landed at the space museum. And that, of course, is a very different story.
Barbara hears Haroun's sad tale.
And is horrified when he gives her his knife, and tells her why she should take it.
The Doctor clashes with the Earl of Leicester.
Saladin and his brother contemplate the possibility of peace.
Ian battles with a sneak thief.
An incensed Joanna confronts her brother.
Barbara is brought before El-Akir. Again.
He's getting really pissed off with her now. :D
Ian is staked out in the desert.
And his assailant pours honey all over him.
I know it's not very clear, but you can blame the BBC for that, for deleting the episode.
Barbara meets Haroun's missing daughter.
Ants. Allegedly.
Ian watches their approach with increasing trepidation.
And appears to confess at last to his captor.
Haroun and his daughter are reunited.
Whilst Ian has great fun with his former tormentor. Good old Ian.
Note Barbara's exasperation in the background.
The Doctor and Vicki lurk in the woods.
As Leicester prepares to execute the Doctor, Sir Ian of Jaffa steps in.
Some rather befuddled soldiers.
The gang, safe back in the TARDIS, wonder where they'll end up next.
Honestly, Ian, do your shirt up. What would Mary Whitehouse say?!
So that's that for another adventure, then. Fabulous stuff. Some of those historical adventures really were amazing, and I wish they still made them now. More fun than watching Shakespeare battle corny witches. Especially when Ian's there being brilliant. :) Hooray for Ian!
And the rest of the TARDIS crew. Obviously...
Barbara discovers that the hand over her mouth belongs to Haroun, an enemy of El-Akir. He tells her that his daughter has been kidnapped, and forcibly added to El-Akir's harem, her mother and brother having been murdered during the abduction. He's all but a broken man, desperate for revenge, and hiding the truth of it all from his one remaining daughter. He hides Barbara at his house, leaving her there, but the place is teeming with the soldiers of El-Akir. Haroun gives Barbara a knife, and tells her that if the soldiers find her, she should use the knife first on his daughter and then on herself. It'll be better, he says, than the alternative. Ouch. You don't usually find that kind of thing in Doctor Who! It's all so beautifully performed, too, and the dialogue is first rate. Barbara and the girl hide in a secret room, but the soldiers seem sure to find them. Barbara contemplates the knife with a sort of horrified fascination, then tells the girl to stay hidden. She sneaks out, hoping to catch the soldiers unaware, but is seen and captured. Back in the hands of El-Akir, she's told that she'll welcome death when it eventually comes. Ouch again.
There's no less tension back at Camp Richard, where the king's sister, Joanna, has realised that there are plans afoot, that she thinks involve her. She wants the Doctor to find out what these plans are, but when he sticks close to Richard to do so, he comes into conflict with the bullish Earl of Leicester, a soldier whose love of war is too much for the Doctor to take quietly. There's an explosive confrontation between them, and it's great to see William Hartnell with such a good scene. He's a good actor, when he's not busy doing that damned annoying giggle, and "Hmm?!" every five minutes, and this is just the sort of exchange to show off what he can do. His argument that brains are better than brawn doesn't go down well with Leicester, and he makes himself an enemy for the future. Richard intervenes, but then we've already seen that he's tired of war. That's what the whole plan for marrying off Joanna is about. The Doctor hears of this plan, but thinks better of passing it on to Joanna, even though it's clearly the information that she was after. Somebody else isn't so circumspect, though, and in a truly terrific scene, Joanna confronts her brother. Her dialogue is unpleasant, as she's a racist cow, but her attitude is in keeping, I guess. At any rate, it's a blinder of a performance from Jean Marsh, and Julian Glover is no slouch either as he bristles and fumes in response. Again, it's great dialogue. Threatening Richard with the Pope if he tries to make her marry outside her faith, she storms off. A shame, really, as over at Camp Saladin, Richard's opposite number is as tired of war as is Richard himself, and he and his brother discuss Richard's letter proposing the marriage. They're hopeful of peace, but highly suspicious. Again, it's a beautifully done little scene.
The only let up to the grim pace of this episode comes from Ian. He has what amounts to little more than a cameo in episode three, so I'm guessing this was William Russell's holiday week. Asleep somewhere on the ground, he's approached by a sneak thief, who takes his sword and tries for his purse. Ian wakes up, and they fight, only for an unseen somebody to sneak up and bosh Ian over the head.
And so onto episode four, which is audio only. Grr. Bloody BBC. Barbara escapes from El-Akir again, and is hidden by the women of his harem, who hate him. There she finds Haroun's missing daughter, who's delighted to have news of the remainder of her family. She talks of having attempted suicide to escape El-Akir - again, not the kind of thing that usually crops up in Doctor Who! They plot together, but another of the harem girls heads off to warn El-Akir.
Out in the desert, meanwhile, Ian has been staked out on the sand by his sneak thief, who daubs him with honey, and settles back to let the local ants have some fun. He wants money, which Ian doesn't have. Eventually he claims to have gold in his boots, so that when the thief unties his ankles in order to check, Ian has a chance to fight back. He gets the drop on the thief, but winds up making friends with him, and they set off together to rescue Barbara. Ian's great in his exchanges here. He clearly enjoys his association with the local underworld, and he and his new friend have a great time chatting about stolen horses and other booty. When they reach El-Akir's palace, they find a dead guard outside. Haroun has broken in, Barbara's capture being the last straw for him, I suppose. As Fatima the treacherous harem girl leads El-Akir to Barbara, Haroun stabs him in the back. Ian and his new best friend turn up moments later, for a happy reunion with Barbara. As the camera pans away to follow the escapees, though, the other women of the harem turn on Fatima. Yikes. This is pretty brutal stuff!
The Doctor and Vicki, meanwhile, having decided that Camp Richard is no longer for them, decide to head back to the TARDIS to wait for the others. En route they're cornered by the Earl of Leicester, who for reasons that I forget thinks that the Doctor is a traitor. Not that he needs much persuading to want to kill the Doctor anyway, after their clash earlier. He's just about to do something unpleasant when Ian turns up, and with some quick thinking, claims a prior right to kill "the traitor". The Doctor begs one last look at Jaffa before his execution, and as Ian leads him off into the trees, they both leg it back to the TARDIS. Cue a very befuddled group of soldiers, who see the TARDIS dematerialise. Rather sweetly, Leicester assumes that poor Sir Ian has been abducted by demons. It doesn't seem to occur to him to doubt the word of a total stranger claiming to be on his side.
The TARDIS, meanwhile, has just landed at the space museum. And that, of course, is a very different story.
Barbara hears Haroun's sad tale.
And is horrified when he gives her his knife, and tells her why she should take it.
The Doctor clashes with the Earl of Leicester.
Saladin and his brother contemplate the possibility of peace.
Ian battles with a sneak thief.
An incensed Joanna confronts her brother.
Barbara is brought before El-Akir. Again.
He's getting really pissed off with her now. :D
Ian is staked out in the desert.
And his assailant pours honey all over him.
I know it's not very clear, but you can blame the BBC for that, for deleting the episode.
Barbara meets Haroun's missing daughter.
Ants. Allegedly.
Ian watches their approach with increasing trepidation.
And appears to confess at last to his captor.
Haroun and his daughter are reunited.
Whilst Ian has great fun with his former tormentor. Good old Ian.
Note Barbara's exasperation in the background.
The Doctor and Vicki lurk in the woods.
As Leicester prepares to execute the Doctor, Sir Ian of Jaffa steps in.
Some rather befuddled soldiers.
The gang, safe back in the TARDIS, wonder where they'll end up next.
Honestly, Ian, do your shirt up. What would Mary Whitehouse say?!
So that's that for another adventure, then. Fabulous stuff. Some of those historical adventures really were amazing, and I wish they still made them now. More fun than watching Shakespeare battle corny witches. Especially when Ian's there being brilliant. :) Hooray for Ian!
And the rest of the TARDIS crew. Obviously...
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