Warriors of the Deep

Well, here we are again, faithful viewer. We’re on the other side of the twentieth anniversary, and it looks like it’s business as usual once again. That is, as usual as business ever is on Doctor Who. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

In the year 2084, a new Cold War has apparently sprung up between the UK and another unnamed superpower. Most of the action takes place in the depths of the ocean, as submarines armed to the teeth with nuclear weaponry pass silently through the cold black water. At the moment when the Doctor lands the TARDIS on a British deep-sea base, the British forces are preparing to open fire on an unidentified–and therefore obviously hostile–vessel. In an incredible stroke of bad luck, it turns out that the vessel in question is a Silurian ship. “Bad news” doesn’t begin to cover it. The Silurians are on a mission to revive their aquatic cousins (annoyingly dubbed “Sea Devils” by the official canon), and they’re armed with a deadly Myrka and enough firepower to turn the British Isles into another Atlantis. Now that he’s arrived on the scene, the Doctor must stop the humans and Silurians from destroying each other.

Photo credit, tardis.wikia.com

Again.

I must say, faithful viewer, these kinds of stories really depress me. I don’t enjoy watching otherwise sane and reasonable beings turn into genocidal maniacs when faced with a hitherto-unknown sentient race. And the humans are pretty bad as well. Seeing as how it was not yet the 21st century when this serial premiered and Chris Chibnall was not yet available to add a humane touch to the Silurians, they all come across like a bunch of uncivilized brutes. To be fair to them, however, we humans don’t exactly do much to endear ourselves to other races. You can only watch a primate and a reptile butt heads for so long before you start to gently weep for the future of sentient life.

Photo credit, http://www.toplessrobot.com

Also, it still bothers me that Sea Devils are referred to as Sea Devils–even by actual Sea Devils! Not only is it a stupid name, but come on–it’s not sci-fi at all. It’s embarrassing.

And as for the Myrka I mentioned before…oh dear. The creature–resembling Godzilla’s dimmer, aquatic cousin–was clearly supposed to be intimidating muscle and a massive ace in the hole for the Silurians. Unfortunately, it just ended up looking like something else that belonged in a hole. Not for nothing is this story known as “Warriors on the Cheap.” Utterly disgraceful.

Photo credit, batmanmarchreviews.blogspot.com

Very disappointing. Not quite as bad as the Nimon, but only not quite. And it’s all Margaret Thatcher’s fault. No, seriously, faithful viewer. The former PM decided to push the airdate of this serial earlier, in order to allow the intended time-slot to be used for an uber-important telecast. With the result that the Myrka didn’t get slicked up as much as the production team wanted, and ended up looking like it belonged in 1973 with the rest of its “Invasion of the Dinosaurs” cohorts. And, all the 80s Whovians had yet another reason to hate Maggie Thatcher.

One last thing I’d like to talk about, faithful viewer, before I shift off: Turlough. He’s an odd one, for sure. Now that he’s free of his contract with the Black Guardian, he’s presumably free to be himself aboard the TARDIS. After watching him in action for this four-episode serial, I am no more enlightened about who he is than I was before. I one scene, he is quick to leave his companions behind to save his own skin, and in another, he goes out of his way to save someone else’s life. He’s still shrewd and calculating, and I still get the impression that he’s always looking for the right angle–a way to use all this time-travel magic to his advantage. I’m still not sure if I like him–or if I even trust him at all–but I can’t deny that he’s a very compelling character.

Photo credit, tardis.wikia.com

Well, at any rate, faithful viewer, this one was dark and sad. The Doctor managed to prevent a nuclear war between the humans and the Silurians, but nearly every minor character died–including Sauvix, who you might remember from the old “Sea Devils” story back in the 70s. It was a diplomatic shambles that gives you an idea why the Doctor is such a staunch pacifist in the new series.

Photo credit, tvtropes.org

I can only hope–for the Doctor’s sake–that the next serial has a lower body count.

Stay tuned ’til next time, faithful viewer, when a historical re-enactment goes awry and a massive alien face causes trouble in the English countryside…