Inferno Episode 4

The one where we hear the Earth screaming out its rage...

Writer Don Houghton wastes no time in fleshing out most of the characters in the parallel world a little bit more, and in some cases slightly more than so than the "real world" versions. It's great to see Elizabeth Shaw already beginning to show slight chinks in her armour with her curiosity about her parallel self. She asks what the other Liz is like, and the Doctor explains that she is a scientist, something Elizabeth had considered doing when she was younger (she studied physics at university). The very fact she asks about alt-Liz shows that at least she doesn't disbelief the Doctor's parallel world explanation outright. On the face of it, his claim that he is from a parallel world is frankly ludicrous, but there's something within Elizabeth that makes her at least consider it. Her willingness to listen to the Doctor is also demonstrated in her allowing him to fix the computer with the micro-circuit.

Houghton also packs in more characterisation for Dr Williams into two scenes than he gave the alt-Petra in the entire previous three episodes. The exchange between her and Greg about his future after the project is over, how he could be a good "servant of the state" if it wasn't for his tendency to speak out of turn, is nicely written, showing that Petra has a soft spot for Greg that she is currently unwilling to admit. It's hard to see what she might see in Greg in "our" world though, seeing as he's such a sexist pig! There are also suggestions that people who don't toe the line in this fascist Britain get "disposed of", or "liquidated" as Stahlmann says at one point...

There's far less characterisation for the Brigade Leader sadly, which robs Nicholas Courtney of a vital third dimension. He's simply a brusque, militaristic sadist, and although performed well by Courtney, it'd be nice to have the Brigade Leader given a moment of humanity among the torture and interrogations.

The Doctor's interrogation appears to have been quite exhausting for him, as we see him slouched half-dressed and tousled in a chair and pouring with sweat. There's no obvious evidence of torture beyond people shouting at him in turn, and surely he can't be perspiring so much from having two desk lamps pointed at him? Nevertheless, the effect suggests the questioning has been arduous for the Doctor as we realise that he is one man lost in a strange world, without friends or back-up. He is alone in this terrible alternative world, where even his sonic screwdriver and his words of persuasion can't help him. Later, Elizabeth tries the "good cop" approach to interrogating the Doctor in his cell, which the Doctor amusingly nicknames Secret Police Routine 7/4 (perhaps a sly wink to the fact this is Season 7 Story 4, or perhaps the fourth of seven episodes?).

There's a rousing return for rabid Bromley (last seen blasted with a fire extinguisher in episode 3) when the Doctor awakes to find his cellmate writhing and grunting beneath a blanket (other explanations as to what's going on are available). Bromley deals swiftly with the RSF sentry and then prises the cell bars apart like they're made of jelly, leading to a courageous escape by the Doctor into the outside world. I find it odd that Bromley is in jail at all. When we last saw him he was in the same rabid infected state we see him in here, and it seems since then he's been tranquillised and imprisoned. But why would the RSF apprehend and incarcerate such an obviously dangerous creature, rather than kill him?

The Doctor's escape is great, and we see Jon Pertwee balletically leap over barrels as he races for the nearest jeep. Disguising himself in a protective suit, he returns to central control to try and stop the drilling before the Earth's crust is penetrated. If only he'd put this amount of effort into stopping Stahlman in the real world, instead of giving up and buggering off to his workshop. He's seen little more here in the parallel world than he did in "his" world to convince him it's a disastrous idea, but he seems even more motivated here.

"Listen to that!" he shouts as the drill head approaches penetration zero. "That's the sound of this planet screaming out its rage!" The tannoy counts down to one as the end titles flood in, leaving the viewer wondering what the heck is going to happen now the crust is broken. We'll have to find out next time!

First broadcast: May 30th, 1970

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: "Listen to that! That's the sound of this planet screaming out its rage!"
The Bad: There's an element of padding in this episode, which is principally taken up with the Doctor being questioned over and over. The plot doesn't develop until the closing minute.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★★☆☆

"Now listen to me" tally: 6 - The Doctor can just be heard telling Stahlmann to listen to him regarding the professor's infection as he is bundled out of the Brigade Leader's office
Neck-rub tally: 0

NEXT TIME: Episode 5...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Episode 1; Episode 2; Episode 3; 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/inferno.html

Inferno is available on BBC DVD. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Inferno-Special-DVD/dp/B00BEYWVGW