Dr Who: Horror of Fang Rock

Dr Who: Horror of Fang Rock

Director ~ Paddy Russell

1977, 4 episodes, UK

Writer ~ Terrance Dicks

Stars ~ Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Colin Douglas

It’s the claustrophobic lighthouse setting and sense of unseen dread lurking outside that makes this one. Originally a Terence Davies vampire story (that emerged as the later story ‘State of Decay’), a hangover from the series’ previous glorious run of Gothic Horror pilfering, it features a superior chamber piece of disposable but vivid characters and an alien threat that provides the only vivid colour and light to the damp drabness.

Tom Baker is playful, charming, bullying and arrogant, whose high voltage and sometimes inappropriate smile and eccentric approach always makes the Doctor compelling. His glee at delivering the announcement, “Gentlemen, I've got news for you: this lighthouse is under attack and by morning we might all be dead. Anyone interested?” is a highlight. But it’s Leila that gets several great moments here, rolling her eyes at and not at all fitting in with the turn-of-the century’s learned helplessness construction of femininity. Louise Jameson’s excellent line-reading cannot be underestimated, making a character that will almost always be out-of-place (that is, more than usual for a companion) credible and dignified, as eager to learn as to vanquish enemies, never stupid as her “savage” origins might have her. See her explain lasers to an early Twentieth Century lighthouseman.

The cast, character interactions and insider trader backstory provide some meat as the alien menace is simply a fluorescent green blob and the showdown his mostly an argument on the stairs. Still, it is surely the shipwreck that is the most lacking, effects-wise, rather than the alien, which is at least striking (which I always misremembered from childhood being like a green bubble-wrap sleeping bag). It is the under-siege scenario with the atmosphere of creeping menace and the Doctor and Neela running around solving things that we came for, and there is plenty of that to enjoy.

You can debate what the war between the Rutans and Sontarans would look like afterwards for extra fun.