I’m actually as far as you can get from someone who knows stuff about Doctor Who as someone can get, almost at least. From time to time I’m trying to get a bit closer to this BBC production. But I’ve always felt there’s so much to choose from and I have no idea to begin, so therefore I usually just buy adventures with a cool premise. So if you know me I just can’t withstand something called The Daemons and who uses a devil, occult symbols and sports a secret underground “cave” (that word was used to not upset Christian viewers, because it’s clearly a Christian chamber of some kind) in its artwork. It’s also one of those adventures that doesn’t have the Tardis and mostly is shot on location, outside, yeah, no wobbly plywood sets! Or very few of them…
We’re in The Devil’s End, a small village somewhere in the UK. They’re about, in live television, to open a secret underground cave (aka chamber) who hasn’t been open for many, many years. A local nutcase, a white witch, warns them to not open it and somehow Doctor Who and Jo, his female assistant, sees this one the TV and goes there faster than fast - because the good doctor know who’s behind it all, The Master - his nemesis! A renegade time lord, so evil he wears a goatee! Because this little town has its own Satanic cult, and it’s lead by The Master - and now they’re gonna evoke the devil himself! But the Doctor knows the truth and he needs to stop them before it’s too late!
It sounds cool, yeah? IT IS! Yeah, this is how I want my Who-adventures, not so much alien worlds, but rooted on earth and more in the vein of the horror movies of the seventies plus a dash of The Wicker Man and yeah… you know, this era had a fondness for devils, the occult, seances and other stuff that makes religion much more fun than it actually is. I’m an atheist, but if I would turn religious I would choose Satan’s way, at least he seems to have a sense of humour compared to the other supernatural beings out there.
If you haven’t see a British TV-production from this time you might start off slowly, because it takes some time to get used to the cheap sets, the not so special effects etc. But that never have been the point with Doctor Who and the others, it’s all about story and interesting characters. And even if, for example, this episode can feel quite naive, it’s also something you get drawn into very fast. You care about the characters, you can’t wait to see what happens in the next episode. It’s very classy writing, in an unpretentious way. The Daemons delivers it’s fair of cheese, but does it with elegance and a lot of fun.
So far this might be my favorite adventure. To use an expression used too little nowadays, its utterly bonkers and I love it that way!
"I’m actually as far as you can get from someone who knows stuff about Doctor Who as someone can get, almost at least."
I haven´t seen anything about Dr Who......NOTHING I TELL YA!
hahhahahhahah....
"A renegade time lord, so evil he wears a goatee!"
But of course.....just look at Anton LaVey....and....Colonel Sand.....ehhhhh....nevermind.
"If you haven’t see a British TV-production from this time you might start off slowly, because it takes some time to get used to the cheap sets, the not so special effects etc."
I seen some, like The Woman in Black (1989), The Stone Tape (1972) etc.
Usually the storytelling is so good that you don´t mind the lowbudget approach.
"So far this might be my favorite adventure. To use an expression used too little nowadays, its utterly bonkers and I love it that way!"
Well, if you call it bonkers I guess it is bonkers.....good review and thanks.
Posted by: Megatron | February 23, 2014 at 16:34