Salutations good readers of this blog.
Welcome to Day 3 of Favourite Fours. We stem away from Harry and
Sarah as we move to the Doctor befriending a savage hunter, name of
Leela (Louise Jameson of The Game, Tenko, Rides, The Upper Hand
and EastEnders) to broaden her horizons and perhaps her
educational standings. Making their way to Brighton, the TARDIS
lands on the island of Fang Rock because the TARDIS detected a plot
device. This is Horror of Fang Rock.
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| Your sexual magnetism melted it, Leela. |
The Doctor insistent on investigating
the lighthouse nearby as well as ask for directions as it would
appear the TARDIS got lost in the fog. Leela is still untrusting of
the craft's capabilities as this is a common trait for companions but
she trusts the Doctor's judgement. No sooner have they have made
their arrival that they discover a dead body of one of the lighthouse
keepers. The other two keepers, Reuben (Colin Douglas of A Man
from the Sun, The Crawling Eye, A Family at War, Doctor Who and The
Pickwick Papers) and Vince (John Abbott of Doctor Who,
Lady Jane, Treasure Island, Agatha Christie: Poirot, Revenge of Billy
the Kid, Kappatoo and Four Weddings and a Funeral) are leery
about their whole assignment as their paranoia falls immediately on
the Doctor and Leela when the Doctor does his level best to defuse
the situation at hand.
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| The Everlasting Gobstopper is stalking us!!! |
With the lighthouse on the fritz the
Doctor springs into action to best repair it when he observes that
the generators seem to be drained of all energy. Remembering that
Vince spoke of a light in the sky landing nearby the coincidences
seem the most likely offenders. A luxury yacht comes crashing to
shore. Its survivors four make their way to the lighthouse for
shelter from the fog and rain. Concerned for these humans'
survival, the Doctor concludes to keep the harmful alien life-form
that may have killed the keeper away from everyone and fortify the
lighthouse. One of the survivors a Lord Palmerdale insists they
must commandeer a vessel to reach the stock exchange so he may make a
killing. This of course was the reason their late ship was
travelling at the speeds that it did.
Will the creature make short work of
the humans? Can the Doctor prevent an impeding invasion? Will the
fact the creature has been acknowledged as an alien decrease their
chances of survival?
How about some fun facts on our serial
now? Well tough, you are getting them anyway.
This was the only Doctor Who serial
made at BBC Pebble Mill (the complex that housed, Pebble
Mill at One, The Archers, Top Gear, Doctors and Gardeners' World).
6.8 million viewers gathered for its original transmission.
Though it is not abundantly clear, this episode takes place in
Victorian times 1900s. The use of language and costumes should have
tipped their hats well enough but you know how thick some of us
carbon based life-forms can be.
Director Paddy Russel did not care for
Tom Baker's attitude during the production of the story. He
apparently didn't like the script and tossed his out a window. With
the tension between Baker and Jameson working together, Russel
decreed she would never work on Doctor Who again after this.
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| Yes, next time I swear I will ask for directions first. |
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