Who Reviews The Curse of Fenric by Matt Rabjohns

"These three...and the greatest of these is....and the greatest of these is...."

Every now and then there comes along a Doctor Who story where everything is right. The production, the score, the acting quality and the atmosphere. The Curse of Fenric has to own the crown of the most suspenseful and creepy story of the entire Sylvester McCoy era. It has to be the one story that packs the most punch of that season, and all three other stories hit home hard enough.

Ian Briggs has a second chance to impress us, after his debut story was a little muddled and had a baffling cliffhanger. But he did display a flare for good character building in Dragonfire, and yet the Curse of Fenric is his undoubtable master stroke of creative writing.

The feel of the Second World War is phenomenally achieved, especially on a tight BBC budget. There is the real aura of hopelessness, opression and the loss of faith in the face of overwhelming bleakness. The backdrop is never less than totally convincing. The stage is set for a story that will leave us reeling. This story succeeds admirably in stirring up serious contemplation on just what wars do to the land and to people.

Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor takes on a far more mysterious and devious nature in his final TV season. The Curse of Fenric produces perhaps his finest performance of his entire run. This is most assuredly the story to play for those who think the McCoy era is lacking. He is calculating, brooding and unknowable.

Sophie Aldred is presented with the chance to truly excel with a story that gives a lot more to a companion's background than the show has ever really managed before. The whole scenario of her hating her Mother, and the revelations of the baby she loves being her Mother, are some of the very finest scenes given to any companion in the entire classic era run.

Sophie even gets to have a bit of a playful run in this story too, where she deliberately leads on a guard so the Doctor can free the Russian Captain Sorin from the British base. Her final dive into the waters of the Maiden's Point and the voices of her speaking to her Mum as a child are profound and subtly moving.

Nicholas Parsons as the Reverend Wainwright triumphantly delivers a performance of award-winning quality. His display of his faith eroding through the horrors of the war time are credible and he is a delight to watch. This part could so easily have been overdone, but Nicholas is pitch perfect.

Dinsdale Landen is absolutely sublime as the crippled Dr Judson. That he meets with such a horrific fate, in being overcome and having his poor broken body used by the evil of Fenric is utterly horrendous. Dinsdale brings a lot of pathos and enthusiasm to the role so that the character is never just a spare part.

Joann Kenny and Joanne Bell, portraying Jean and Phyllis, deal extremely well with what are characters laced with a slight undercurrent of virginity. The overtones are not overtly over the top into explicit, but they are there. Particularly in the scene where Jean and Phyllis have been turned into vampires and are luring the Soldier to "Come and Play with them".

Maybe Alfred Lynch is perhaps just a little too similar to being a little Hitler-esque, in losing his sanity and resorting to ranting when he can't win a battle. But this is only an extremely minor quibble in an otherwise flawless production. But even Mr Lynch does have a few calmer moments, such as his discussion on the use of chemical weapons with the Doctor is a highly charged and dark scene. So he is not totally OTT, just a few times he verges on being a tad caricature.

The Haemovores appear in a manner reminiscent of the Sea Devils from back in Jon Pertwee's era. They are also a sublimely realised set of monsters. They exude palpable menace. The design of the Ancient One in particular is a remarkable achievement. The revealing of Fenric's betrayal of the Ancient One into poisoning and destroying his own future is another memorable moment from the story.

The inherent wastefulness and loss of life in war is remarkably probed when Ace meets her Grandmother, Kathleen, with a piece of wrinkled paper in her hands. How many mothers and wives had this kind of despairing news that their loved ones were missing, presumed dead during the war time?? Sophie and Cory Pulman's playing of this heart-breaking scene is nothing short of award winning. Proof positive that the show was not in any way lagging and should have been allowed to continue. This was the most mature the show had been in a while. This story perhaps is of a rather more adult and intense tone. A young child may struggle with some of the subtleties of the script. An adult such as me relishes it though. This scene is also a pointer that openly rebuts the notion that classic Doctor Who did not have the emotional impact of Modern Era Doctor Who.

That Fenric should be defeated by a simple game of chess is a cracker of plot point. That such dark evil would never consider that two sides must join together to win the fight just displays it's weakness. Underestimating his opponent. The Ancient One comes full circle and proves he is a lot more than just an undead human being from the future thirsty for blood. It's rare we get the chance to see a monster actually listen to the Doctor and take on board what he has stated. You actually end up feeling very sorry for the Haemovores when Fenric orders the Ancient One to destroy them. That the Ancient One has the last laugh is poetic justice indeed and the perfect way to end the story on a very strong and high note.

So, in re-iteration, It is really a disappointment that the show came to a halt not soon after this story was aired. This story was proof positive that there was so much more the show had to offer. Sylvester's darker and more manipulative Doctor was (and still is) truly engaging to watch. Ace being caught up in his machinations is wonderfully brought to the screen. The show could, and should, have been allowed to continue. The inherent drama in this adventure is palpable on so many levels. Season 26 had Doctor Who in knockout mode. The Curse of Fenric was just the icing on the delightfully delicious cake...