Horror of Fang Rock Part Two

The one where the survivors of a shipwreck arrive at the lighthouse...

It's a stroke of genius by writer Terrance Dicks to shake things up a bit and bring in four more characters in part 2, merely adding more fodder to this claustrophobic base-under-siege tale. But Leela seems less than happy to see these shipwrecked survivors. When Reuben points out that it's too late as the ship strikes the rocks, Leela moodily replies: "They will all die then," as she petulantly turns away from the scene. She seems to be in quite a mood for some reason, not taking kindly to being tasked with sounding the siren (although she eventually learns to find childish fun in it!). I do love Louise Jameson's acting choices: Leela's every mood and whim is so plain in her physical performance.

While sounding the siren, alone in the lamp room, Leela spies a strange green blobby creature with tentacles down on the rocks. It's hardly an impressive-looking foe, but it seems it's one to be feared...

Old Reuben - a man steeped in tradition and superstition - reveals that he thinks the Beast of Fang Rock is back on the scene, last seen back in the 1820s when two of the three lighthouse keepers were killed, and one went mad. The Doctor seems amused by the prospect of a folkloric "beast", but surely he should at least consider that it might be useful to hear Reuben out. After all, there could be some connection between the fireball that fell, and the superstitions of Fang Rock. Perhaps a fireball fell 80 years ago too...?

The four newcomers from the ship are an entertainingly well-drawn bunch. First there's Lord Palmerdale, a short-tempered cad more interested in business and money than people's lives (he really is an utter git); then there's Skinsale, an ex-Army politician who finds Palmerdale's self-entitlement rather amusing; Palmerdale's secretary Adelaide, the definition of "prim and proper"; and trusty sailor Harker, seemingly the only one who realises the gravity of what's happened. They're all played well, to different degrees (Alan Rowe is fab, Annette Woollett perhaps less so), and make for an interesting new dynamic in the lighthouse. None of them seem to like each other!

Of course, there's a secret at the heart of these visitors. It seems Skinsale has given some kind of financial information to Palmerdale in return for him ripping up his IOUs, but now Palmerdale is desperate to act upon the information he's been given and is hellbent on getting to London.

There's a great scene between the two characters as they warm themselves around the fire, in which Palmerdale threatens to expose Skinsale for giving him the information, and the politician replies by saying that if the information isn't acted upon, there's no proof he ever gave it. Wonderful, chess-like dialogue!

The two regulars continue to impress, Tom Baker in particular affecting a suitably sombre mood as the threat worsens around him. Baker's performance is thrillingly spontaneous and random, such as when he suddenly announces: "Just a moment! We haven't been introduced!", or when he bursts into the crewroom so quickly that the camera completely misses his entrance! Best of all is the Doctor's gleeful delivery of the worst news ever: "Gentlemen, I've got news for you. This lighthouse is under attack and by morning we may all be dead. Anyone interested?" The huge grin on his face suggests this Doctor's loving the danger.

It's a subtly gruesome moment when Harker drags Ben's post-mortem body in from the rocks. You don't see the body, but the combination of everybody else's reaction to it, and the fact that you do very briefly glimpse a bloodied chest as the Doctor heaves the corpse away, means the imagination runs riot!

A few more observations about the episode:

• I warmed immediately to Alan Rowe's Skinsale, he just seems so real and genial. The fact he's quietly amused by Palmerdale's pomposity is a nice little character trait, and he has some great lines, like when he describes the lighthouse as a "snug little bivouac", or where he describes Leela as "not a bad looker", and Adelaide rather jealously retorts: "Perfectly grotesque, in my view." Ooh, bitch!
• "Are you in charge here?" ... "No, but I'm full of ideas!" Dicks writes the Doctor so well.
• Dicks is building up the dread and claustrophobia nicely, with even the Doctor slightly rattled by what they're up against ("I think we're in terrible trouble"). The mystery creature is outside, casing the joint and testing the strength and resilience of its enemies (ie, the humans). It really is a base-under-siege with a difference.
• There's one of Leela's wonderfully violent outbursts where she threatens Palmerdale with a knife to his chest: "SILENCE! You will do as the Doctor instructs or I will cut out your heart!" Straight to the point, that girl.

The episode ends with poor Reuben's scream from the depths of the lighthouse's coal hole. Another one bites the dust (which is a shame, as Reuben is a great character).

First broadcast: September 10th, 1977

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: Terrance Dicks builds the tension so steadily and expertly, and the new characters (except for moany Adelaide) are all three-dimensional with nice back stories.
The Bad: Annette Woollett, while given little to do, is pretty annoying as Adelaide Lesage.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★★★★

"Would you like a jelly baby?" tally: 08

NEXT TIME: Part Three...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Part One; Part Three; Part Four

Find out birth/death dates, career information, and facts and trivia about this story's cast and crew at the Doctor Who Cast & Crew site: https://doctorwhocastandcrew.blogspot.com/2014/07/horror-of-fang-rock.html

Horror of Fang Rock is available on BBC DVD. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Horror-Fang-Rock/dp/B0006FNXNK