The Velvet Web (The Keys of Marinus Episode 2)

The one where everything is much grimmer than it seems...

It transpires that the blood Ian found on Barbara's discarded travel dial was just a scratch on her wrist, and she's actually perfectly safe and lording it up in what appears to be an intergalactic version of Ancient Rome (echoes of the future here...!). The Doctor, Ian and Susan find Babs reclining leisurely on a chaise longue, quaffing orange juice and popping grapes as if she's been there for days. From the others' perspective, it's been a matter of mere moments, but perhaps Barbara's travel dial took her back in time somehow? Or maybe writer Terry Nation just didn't think it through very well.

John Gorrie's direction in The Velvet Web is a real step up from last week's shambles, and the effect when the Doctor, Ian and Susan break through the doors into the city of Morphoton is well-handled, with flashing white lights and disorientating sound effects. The way he handles the problem of swapping perspectives once the truth of Morphoton is revealed is excellent, so subtle at first, flipping between Barbara's view of a society in ruins, and the others seeing pomp and finery. The viewer notices the differences gradually, making it an experience for us as much as those on the screen.

Barbara fills in her travelling companions on what life is like in Morphoton. She flirts gently with Ian, the Doctor scoffs pomegranates and truffles, and Susan moons over a beautiful roll of silk. When Altos arrives, carried into the room by two beautifully naked legs, he fills them in further, stating that the people of Morphoton are the most content in the universe. This is classic Terry Nation, who would much rather paint a society in extremes (the most peaceful/ content/ intelligent/ efficient people in the universe) than add in any texture.

"Our one wish is to fulfill your every need," adds Altos (oh, don't tempt me, Altos!). Susan pleads for a silk dress (perhaps inspired by the one she wore in 13th century Cathay a few weeks back), while the Doctor dreams of "a well-equipped laboratory with every conceivable instrument". He's not asking for much, but then at least this Doctor hankers after something true to his character. If 21st century Doctors had been granted their every wish, they'd be smothered in silly things like bow ties, guitar plectrums and bananas. Give me a Doctor with a scientific curiosity and an eccentricity to match any day.

Suddenly everybody gets very sleepy, and Barbara has to manhandle a comatose Susan into bed as if she's six years old, not 15 (Nation treats Susan as if she's an ordinary adolescent. She's not, she's an unearthly child!). Before he retires, Ian makes the observation that Altos's eyes didn't blink, "not once", but while Robin Phillips does a great job of getting his glassy-eyed presence across, he does blink. Just once!

While our heroes sleep, a glowy-eyed face on the wall lulls them into some kind of spell (we later learn it's called a mesmeron, another fantastically Nation-esque creation) and a zombified girl lays devices on their foreheads. All very intriguing; this is such a step up from The Sea of Death. Barbara awakes and immediately sees the truth of the world around her, all filthy mugs and dirty rags. This is no paradise; it's a dystopian trap - a velvet web (all credit to Nation for such a beautifully evocative phrase, by the way).

William Hartnell does make me chuckle in the scene where Barbara lashes out against his proffered chipped teacup. As it smashes to the ground, he scolds: "This is going to test our host's patience, you know. It's one of a set!" He's also most amusing when presented with his magnificent laboratory, which is actually an empty room with a manky old mug in it. He holds it aloft and proclaims that the instrument may be able to help him fix the TARDIS's time mechanism. Give it 41 years, Doctor, and your TARDIS console may well be made out of manky old mugs...

When we finally see the creatures behind this massive charade, they don't disappoint. No, they're not shambling slimy monsters or metallic robots, or even thoroughly nasty villains in togas. The Masters of Morphoton are talking brains in jars, with eyes on stalks. What a fabulously inventive, arresting design from Raymond Cusick, whose talents were really stretched in this serial. Heron Carvic gives Morpho a fruitily imperious voice too, well-spoken but utterly ruthless.

It seems the Masters need humans to carry out their physical needs, which includes feeding them. I'm not sure why they need feeding as they don't have any bodies (or even mouths), but who am I to question a talking brain monster? "The human body is the most flexible instrument in the world," states Morpho. He's obviously seen Altos's legs...

Babs is having none of this bunkum, however, and resorts to good old violence to thwart the Masters. The sight of Jacqueline Hill smashing merry hell out of the brains is a pleasure to behold (it also makes for a very satisfying gif). You go, girl!

We end with a servants' revolt off-screen and the Doctor deciding to split up from the rest of them to travel ahead to Millennius for the fourth key, while Ian, Barbara, Susan and their newly-recovered pals Altos and Sabetha (ah, so that'll be Arbitan's daughter then!) plod on to episodes 3 and 4. Why the Doctor doesn't take at least one of the others with him is a mystery, but then maybe William Hartnell didn't fancy having Robin Phillips on holiday with him (he had the legs for sunbathing though!).

Carole Ann Ford gurns her way into the cliffhanger when her ears are assaulted (read: gently caressed) by the sound of a screaming jungle. Susan predictably loses it a bit at this point, but maybe she's been mentally scarred by the horrors of the singing sands a few weeks back? Yes, that'll be it...

First broadcast: April 18th, 1964

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: John Gorrie makes up for his faltering start last week with some ingenious direction, and some credit has to go to Raymond Cusick for designing such icky monsters. Oh, and those legs...
The Bad: I know there's only 25 minutes in which to wrap everything up, but the Masters of Morphoton are dispatched a little too easily and suddenly, albeit spectacularly. The fact that once someone has seen the reality of Morphoton, the mesmeron will no longer work on them, seems too convenient.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★★★☆

NEXT TIME: The Screaming Jungle...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: The Sea of Death (episode 1); The Screaming Jungle (episode 3); The Snows of Terror (episode 4); Sentence of Death (episode 5); The Keys of Marinus (episode 6)

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: http://doctorwhocastandcrew.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-keys-of-marinus.html

The Keys of Marinus is available on DVD. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Keys-Marinus-DVD/dp/B002ATVDHI