The Ambassadors of Death Episode 2

The one where a UNIT convoy is attacked...

As the Doctor and Liz stride confidently into the computer room with the tape recording of the signal sent from space, it's easy to see why Taltalian wants the spool so much. Maybe it's the original two-inch colour master tape of this episode, hence the urgency to recover it. "I want that tape!" demands Taltalian, to which the Doctor replies: "Do you realise the importance of it?" Yes! Because the quality of the picture on The Ambassadors of Death Episode 2 (and most of the rest) is appalling, despite the very best colour recovery and restoration possible in 2012. The flesh tones are all over the place, and the colour very smeary, especially during rapid movement. Some scenes are like watching through a sieve.

But hark! The reprise of the cliffhanger is counterpointed with a marvellous double sting of the theme tune for the title captions, even more exciting than episode 1. TWANG! Love it.

The Doctor's 'disappearance' of the tape is utterly ludicrous, and I'm surprised that this has come from the pens of David Whitaker (credited) and Malcolm Hulke (uncredited), usually such level-headed and sensible writers. What the heck is "transmigration of object"? Even the Doctor says it's not "pure science", because it's not scientific at all! If the Doctor can make things disappear at will like this, why didn't he transmigrate the brainwashing machine in The War Games, or his sonic screwdriver in The Visitation? It's a poor example of the writer trying to get himself out of a situation using nonsense and expecting viewers to swallow it.

For saying Season 7 is so staunchly rooted in the real world of science, politics and industry, this story in particular has a glut of similarly ludicrous moments, such as the silly TARDIS console scene in episode 1, and Bessie's "anti thief device" later in this episode. It's ridiculously convenient that Bessie should have such a device, for this week only.

There's a hint that what I'm watching might begin to feel a bit more like Doctor Who, rather than Department S, when the Doctor suggests the pictographic signals sent from space are alien in origin. Nothing comes of this yet, however, and most of the episode is taken up with some well-shot action scenes where Carrington's men attack the UNIT convoy, as well as a dash of politics and intrigue for good measure. It feels like everybody's in on the conspiracy, with first Taltalian, then his aide Dobson, and then Sir James Quinlan revealed as traitors. Plus, someone on the inside breaks Collinson out of his UNIT cell (rather nastily too, throwing a mug of hot tea in Corporal Champion's face!).

The attack on the convoy may be well directed, but it ultimately proves what a useless bunch UNIT are. They pose very little resistance or threat to Carrington and his small band of heavies, except for one very brave soldier who attempts to get into the helicopter by jumping on its landing skid and forcing the door open. He's a real hero!

There's another long, dull section where space control guides Recovery 7 to Earth, with various technicians twiddling knobs and reciting staid statistics. These scenes do show, however, how The Ambassadors of Death is a breeding ground for crazy hair, be it Taltalian's beard, or the two technicians, who seem to be played by Barbara Windsor and Gimli from The Lord of the Rings.

I do like the running commentary by TV reporter John Wakefield, whose addresses to camera break the fourth wall and provide regular updates on what's going on. There was a realistic preoccupation with the media and its interest in UNIT's activities throughout the early Pertwee years, with the Brigadier fending off the press in both Spearhead from Space and Doctor Who and the Silurians, and television journalists getting involved both here and in The Daemons and Day of the Daleks.

The cliffhanger is a corker. Van Lyden's responses from within the capsule seem a little odd, so the Doctor starts to ask him random questions (including the memorable "how many beans make five?"). When the same response comes to every question, the Doctor realises something is very wrong with Recovery 7. On the page it doesn't really sing, but with Dudley Simpson's tense, rumbling music providing atmosphere, and the rapid cuts between faces, it sends a shiver down my spine every time Pertwee barks, "Right - cut it open!" and the titles crash in. It's one of my very favourite Doctor Who cliffhangers of all.

First broadcast: March 28th, 1970

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: That cliffhanger. It gives me chills!
The Bad: Transmigration of object. That's basically magic, and as we know, magic does not exist, especially in the Third Doctor's world.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

"Now listen to me" tally: 3
Neck-rub tally: 0

NEXT TIME: Episode 3...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Episode 1; Episode 3; Episode 4; Episode 5; Episode 6; Episode 7

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.com/2014/04/the-ambassadors-of-death.html

The Ambassadors of Death is available on BBC DVD. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Ambassadors-Death-DVD/dp/B008H2JK5Y.