The Romans

The Slave Traders

Though the DVD cover claims this was written by David Whitaker, this was actually Dennis Spooner's second story. And this is a vast improvement on the already high quality the Reign of Terror. This story sparkles right from the very start. Everyone is making jibes at Ian, from the Doctor saying, "there's a difference between resting and being bone idle" and playing the cruel, "don't let your mind wander" joke, to Vicki criticising Barbara for being "as bad as Ian". Then there's the best joke of the Doctor getting Ian's name wrong that we've had. The Doctor and Ian are having a mild argument, the Doctor calls him Chesterfield, and this time Barbara corrects the Doctor by saying "ChesterTON", to which the Doctor says "Barbara's calling you" and walks off.

It's stated that the TARDIS team have made money selling produce from their garden, which is a very nice, simple way to explain the money they have. The Doctor and Vicki make a superb team, so it's nice to see them going off to Rome together whilst Ian and Barbara make use of a finally free house to have sex, which it's quite blatant they have just done in the "fridge" scene. That whole section, and the comedy scene of Barbara knocking out Ian is great to watch.

The Doctor's having great fun finding a dead body and assuming the role of somebody who has an assassin after him. His line to the Centurion where he tells him to stop waving his sword about because he might kill somebody is great. Even better is when he says Vicki "keeps her eye on all the lyres", and Vicki's reaction to it.

I love this. The comedy is perfect and warm, and the story itself is intriguing and though not exactly fast-paced just yet, it's compelling. The four leads are perfect, and I can't think of a single thing to fault it. Wonderful. 10/10

 

All Roads lead to Rome

This episode begins with the best fight sequence we've seen so far in Doctor Who. I mean it. I tend to find fights very dull, and the only way to avoid that is to make them a comedy fight. It's very well done, too, especially the way Vicki chases him out. The Doctor talks about the gentle art of fisticuffs. Once again the Doctor is hilarious here, with Vicki as his foil. The scene with Tavius hissing at him, and then the scene with Nero is brilliant TV. The Doctor plays to Nero's ego hilariously, generally just takes the piss, and of course it features the "impossibissility" fluff. The person who introduces Nero clearly was excited to get a line as he goes massively over the top with it.

The farce that is mostly in episode three starts here, as the Doctor quickly rushes Vicki away from the slave auction just before Barbara appears. Then when Tavius is introducing Barbara to the palace, the Doctor and Vicki arrive and he asks the slave to bring them in, before quickly changing his mind and going out to meet them, so they narrowly avoid meeting her again. Both are played well, particularly the Doctor's eagerness to not let Vicki see the slave auction.

The storyline with Ian and Delos is a little bit harsher, as it doesn't really have the comedy elements in it, aside from Delos stating their luck has held so far right before they walk into a couple of soldiers, which is amusing. But their story is not so much fun.

The comedy in this story is wonderful. Doctor Who is always at its best when it is fun, and here it really is. It would be unbearably grim without that fun, too, with quite a lot of deaths, and desperate moments, such as Barbara sadly wondering if she'll ever see Ian again. I love this story. 9.5/10

 

Conspiracy

Kay Patrick appears here as Poppaea and gosh, she's lovely (Patrick, not Poppaea). In fact, I would have to say she is the most beautiful woman to appear in Doctor Who so far at this point, if you aren't counting regulars, in which case she'd be marginally second to Maureen O'Brien. Her performance is superb too, ignoring the comedy of this episode somewhat, and playing the dangerous, ambitious Empress very well. Her Poppaea fits in very well with this story's Nero. Long story short, I love her.

This episode is where the comedy really hits home, and yet there's still time for all sorts of quite nasty moments, such as Nero murdering Tigellinus and the cliffhanger, which is superb. There's also the moment when Vicki almost causes Nero's death, only prevented at the last second by the Doctor's hasty intervention! The Doctor's concert is brilliant fun, particularly the way Nero storms off when the Doctor gets all the applause. The way the Doctor calls Nero an "extra-ordinary fellow" is rather amusing, too.

I love this episode, too. I know some people don't like comedy in their Doctor Who, but I think it's essential, and there hasn't been a single era without it, anyway, it just varies in tone and subtlety. It's not particularly subtle here, but it is good, and very well played. Small bits like the Doctor calling Tavius, "our hissing friend", and the scene in the sauna with the Doctor repeatedly accidently pointing a sword right at Nero are just so much fun (which is a joke that will be repeated hilariously in the Gunfighters). As with episode one, this episode is entirely faultless. This is Dennis Spooner at his best. 10/10.

Inferno

The way Delos refuses to kill Ian is really sweet, and contrasts nicely to Nero murdering a soldier for "not fighting hard enough". Poppaea gives Tavius one heck of a smack. I like Tavius, and how it is revealed only at the end that he's a Christian. It's sweet how he helps Barbara escape and warns the Doctor. The Doctor making fun of Nero is a great scene, too.

It's interesting having Vicki telling the Doctor how he changed history. Must be quite a shock after the Aztecs and the Reign of Terror. The way he accepts it with that laughter, which merges with Nero's laughter, is almost quite creepy. But rather amusing, too.

I love how the second Ian and Barbara get back, Ian decides to get Barbara back for her fridge joke, and starts quoting Cicero again. Then they've had time to wash and have sex again before the Doctor and Vicki get back even though they left Rome at about the same time. Clearly the Doctor was slowing Vicki down considerably. Good on Dennis Spooner for making a joke that refers back to three weeks ago, though!

Essentially this episode revolves around the regulars giving Nero the idea to burn down Rome, and then running away. It is technically historically accurate, but it's not impossible, and the running away is one of the best things about the historicals. In "future" stories, the Doctor can magic a whole corrupt society better just like that. In the historicals he only makes an impression on a few people, people like Tavius, Anne Chaplet and James Stirling, rather than having an effect on the whole civilisation. I like that. 9.5/10

Conclusion

I've been quite brief about this story, but that's hardly surprising as there's nothing to lay in to. It's not far off perfect, and I experienced the whole thing with a big smile on my face. I wasn't expecting Marco Polo to be knocked off its perch until at least the Massacre, but this creams it, frankly. I love it, and it's easily my favourite story so far in this marathon. Everything I love about Doctor Who and historicals is contained here, and I adore the team of regulars. Vicki is so much fun, the Doctor is absolutely terrific here, and Ian and Barbara are as good as ever, and the people playing them are all on top form in this story. All the guest stars are terrific, the script is flawless. What more can be said?

Average Rating: 9.75

Old Rating: 9

New Rating: 10