Rate and Discuss: The Enemy of the World

[Anthony Williams]

Well, it's on iTunes for download now, and we want to know what YOU think of this recently-recovered story! Did it meet expectations? Was it better than the recon? Or perhaps you were disappointed by the visuals?

Let us know your thoughts!

(P.S. I would be happy if some other enterprising mod would affix witty statements to the poll options. I'm so terrible at doing it...)

[Andrew Curnow]

At the risk of having to hand my anorak back in, I went to bed at 10:30 last night, but have just woken up so thought I'd pop downstairs just to check out what the midnight news had brought...

I'm not one for downloading, but have already got Enemy of the World on DVD at the top of the Christmas list! In the meantime, I've just watched the trailer for it - extraordinary, just extraordinary. It's a story that has never, as far as I can recall, featured in any sentence that began "The missing story I'd most like to see come back is..." and yet I just have this little tingly feeling now that as the years go on, it'll come to be accepted as actually one of the gems of Who - always overlooked, perhaps, as being season 5's "monster-lite" story, it clearly has its own charms. Salamander with a cigar! A little bit of flirting between Astrid and the Doctor! The underground people!

So, Herr De Flores, Herr De Flores - WONDERFUL NEWS!!

P.S. Good morning Ant!!

[Anthony Williams]

Good morning!

I stayed up rather later than usual to watch this, and so I'm a little sleep-deprived this morning. However, I have time for a very quick review before I dash off to work.

I watched this one with trepidation. I wasn't expecting to like it much - I hadn't enjoyed the recon when Whitney and I watched it back in early 2012, finding it rather dull, to be honest. It was one that we really struggled with.

However, thanks to me not being able to watch this on the TV (thanks, iTunes), I sat here with my laptop last night, and enjoyed all six parts in one go. And you know what? It was thoroughly enjoyable. Not perfect, but very, very enjoyable nevertheless. Patrick Troughton was delightful in his dual role as the Doctor and Salamander, and the fact that he's a very visual actor meant that in actually being able to sit down and watch the proper footage, you can really see the way in which he brings both characters to life in a way that you can't on audio or on the recon.

I can see why people say that this is James Bond-style Doctor Who. It has that feel to it, and I really, really enjoyed watching it. I can't wait to move on and do The Web of Fear when I get home from work tonight. It's going to be another long day!

8/10 from me

[Andrew Curnow]

It's a while since I last listened to this one, but my memory tells me that at the time I got a bit of a 'flirting' vibe between Astrid and the Doctor in part one. Is there any evidence of this when you see it, or am I just a hopeless old romantic...?

[Simon R]

No, no it's there on screen. The Doctor is clearly pleased to little mint balls that the bewigged hottie in the thigh boots with the ass that won't quit is interested in him.

[Simon R]

*Spoilers*



We've still got the last episode to do but what a great story this is so far. We did the recon last year and came away praying that episode one would turn up because it was such a visual and exciting episode. It did not disappoint. The opening scene is charming and completely illustrates the chemistry between the three leads and Troughton's Morecambe and Wise high kick jump thing as he runs into the sea is the perfect example of the little ad-libbed details that are lost in recons and on audio.

[Junkyard]

I’ve got very few memories of watching ‘Enemy’ as I was only 10 years old at the time. But I didn’t consider it one of the highlights of the season. So I downloaded it from I-Tunes and gave it another chance. It’s not the best story from this period but it’s a long way from being the worst; good Dr. Who rather than great Dr. Who.
Its strengths are the performances from the cast particularly Pat Troughton who is excellent in his dual role. Frazer Hines and Debbie Watling are both on good form and the other supporting actors are convincing. Milton Johns (Bennik), George Pravda (Denes) and Colin Douglas (Bruce) all appeared in later Dr. Who stories, mostly opposite Tom Baker. Bill Kerr (Kent), Mary Peach (Astrid) and Carmen Munroe (Fariah) also did a good job, and one of the stuntmen was the late, great Bob Anderson.
Barry Letts keeps the story moving on at a steady pace and there is enough going on to stop you getting bored, very little padding.
The story is also interesting for me as an example of what some people in 1967 thought the world would be like 50 years on in 2017. Quite understandably, they thought that progress would continue at much the same rate and in the same directions as it had over the previous 50 years, from 1917. If you could bring someone forward from 1967 to today, they might be surprised to discover we were not using orbital solar power to grow vines in Alaska, that hovercrafts were not in widespread use and that you could not travel from Australia to Hungary in 2 hours by sub-orbital rocket plane. All of these seemed not too unreasonable predictions in 1967. They would, however, be utterly amazed by mobile phones and I-Pads.

[Nyder]

Episode 1.

Troughton was a joy to watch! I loved his enthusiasm and gusto as he pelts down the beach. Also loved Bill Kerr's performance - such a contrast to his characterisation in the radio series of Hancock's Half Hour.

The filmed excerpts were well-handled - especially the exploding chopper!

[Junkyard]

Episode 1.

Troughton was a joy to watch! I loved his enthusiasm and gusto as he pelts down the beach. Also loved Bill Kerr's performance - such a contrast to his characterisation in the radio series of Hancock's Half Hour.

The filmed excerpts were well-handled - especially the exploding chopper!

Bill Kerr is best known for comedy (he also worked with Spike Milligan) but he appears in a lot of straight drama, for example The Dam Busters and The Lighthorsemen.

[Simon R]

Did the last episode today. Had forgotten there was a twist at the end. It must be said the final scene is rather rushed but given the problems they had making it that's understandable. Must be said that Jamie and Victoria who are rather sidelined in the latter half of the story are shockingly stupid to not even consider that it might not be the Doctor who they usher into the TARDIS.

[brandynigma]

We watched this just weeks ago as a reconstruction, and watching the real episodes changed little for us.

One thing I hadn't picked up on in the recon was the connection between Salamander's underground crew and the natural disasters, so that was welcome knowledge!

Despite that, the plot doesn't bear very close scrutiny, but thankfully all the performances are top drawer. I've come to the conclusion that whilst David Whitaker doesn't write the best plots* (there are gaping holes in most of his stories), he writes excellent characters. Barry Letts direction is breathtakingly good for the first two and final episodes too, and reliable in the rest (his editing is very tight too). Troughton is compelling and convincing as Salamander, in a performance that would have just been cringe-worthy with a lesser actor.

Who would have thought that we'd have three consecutive Season 5 stories available in the space of less than a year? Utterly marvelous.

6/10 for The Enemy of the World.

*The Rescue- The whole 'lack of suspects for a Whodunit' thing.
The Crusade- Can't fault it. He should have written more historicals.
The Power of the Daleks- Exactly what are Janley's rebels rebelling against?
The Evil of the Daleks- "Given that exterminating you would be the most sensible thing to do..."
The Enemy of the World- Why does Salamander need his underground force? He could easily run the disasters with his staff- we never do find out what the six scientists on the surface are doing. Is he really planning to build a society with his followers? There's 18 of them at most!

[Nyder]

A disused Yeti?? Ha that ties in so well with the other story found :-)

Yes I've done Part 2 of Enemy. Troughton is really relishing the Salamander role, and Astrid is a force to be reckoned with - especially with that hair do!

[Simon R]

Mary's peach steals the show in every scene is appears in.

[Nyder]

"Get me some men!!!" cries Astrid.

My sentiments exactly :-)

[SiHart]

Oh my!

[Nyder]

Episode 6 was just great! A twist on one of the characters I totally wasn't expecting, and a great scene at the end with The Doctor & Salamander in the TARDIS.

[Jonno]

Did they put a spoiler warning on ITunes for Web of Fear for the (admittedly probably very few) viewers that they might want to watch Enemy first...?!

[Stephen Morgan]

My DVD's on the way from good old BBC shop. Can't wait for Saturday.

[Dirk Gently]

The enemy of the world turned up on my doorstep this morning. Which was a surprise.

[Andrew Curnow]

How frightening. "Mr Gently, my name is Leader Salamander, may I come in..."

[Dirk Gently]

Having listened to Leader Salamander (well watched the DVD) I really can't give it more than 7/10. The regulars were great but some of the acting from the fall out shelter people was poor.

[Andrew Curnow]

some of the acting from the fall out shelter people was poor

That made me really chuckle, Tim. "Yes, yes, I know you're stuck underground and your food & water supply is limited and it's a very grim existence - but you must put in better performances!"

[SiHart]

Enemy is a bonkers story. It's saved by brilliant direction (good old Barry Letts) and a great cast giving it their all. I don't think it was the better find of the two, but it was good to see it.

What's fascinating is all the stuff the audios and telesnaps don't tell us. The little moments like Troughton frolicking in the sea or the lady with the pram or the capsule descent into the bowels of the Earth... great moments we had no idea about. Lovely stuff. We're so lucky to have them both back.

[Dirk Gently]

"...you're stuck underground and your food & water supply is limited and it's a very grim existence..."

"...so don't stand in the background smiling, you're supposed to be suffering!"

[Dino]

Finally managed to get hold of the DVD last Christmas. Only managed to watch it in full twice. But it is excellent. It really sucks you in. Obviously they'd never be able to match the James Bond budgets, but as ambition goes, it's even better than Casino Royale!
Easily my favourite Patrick Troughton story. I can only hope more stuff gets found and released this year.
I love how things are bought to a head in episode four and when you think "Well what the hell are they going to do now?" they add in something that... I remember reading about, but didn't really notice. I can't commend this enough. but let's face it, you've already got it on I-tunes!