Nightmare of Eden Part Three

The one where the Doctor discovers the source of vraxoin...

The monsters are called Mandrels ("Mandrel. Doctor, they're called Mandrels") and, let's take a step back here, they're not that bad. Often maligned, these monsters are actually quite nicely designed, quite well sculpted, even if they do look a little bit like grinning toads. They tower over human beings, they're big and scaly, they're ferocious with slicing claws and glowing green eyes, and they ROAR at people, just like proper monsters should. They look infinitely better in the gloom of the Eden projection, and lose most of their impact when lit in the harsh studio lighting of the Empress corridors, but still... I'm not going to knock them too much because they look like proper Doctor Who monsters. So there.

The early scenes of the Doctor and Romana creeping around the forest of Eden are gorgeous, lit so effectively by Warwick Fielding. It all feels so dangerous and dark, which heightens the tension and atmosphere no end. I love the slo-mo footage of the vines wrapping themselves around the Doctor's legs, like something out of an M R James adaptation, sort of uncanny and unsettling.

Not so great is the tussle with the man-eating plant, but the lighting's low enough to make sure the prop isn't too ridiculous, and Tom Baker sells the attack well enough to convince (just). When he bites into the root and releases a flood of green gooey sap, you can almost feel the annoyance emanating from Tom (he gets covered!) but he keeps his temper in check, signing it off with a flippant "You know, that didn't taste at all bad."

The Mandrel popping up in front of them as if it's saying "Boo!" is a bit too panto, but I'm sure little kids were loving it all back in '79. This is Dr Who being chased by monsters in a gloomy forest, what more do you need? Our heroes are rescued by the wayward laser gun of Stott, played by the terribly handsome Barry Andrews, looking for all the world like he's auditioning to play Tarrant in Blake's 7. Stott takes them back to the safety of his beautifully designed base deep in the forest. I love the diamond shaped window, and the fact they walk past it outside before coming in (reminds me of Kinda). This tiny detail just makes it feel that bit more real.

Stott reveals he is actually an undercover agent trying to get to the bottom of who's smuggling the drug vraxoin. He says the narcotic is being smuggled inside the event crystals, which means it is not picked up by scanning technology. Very clever! But in order to get the vrax in and out of the crystal, the CET machine has to have its dimensional osmosis damper removed. This usually prevents what's in the projection getting out, and what's outside getting in, but without it, interaction is possible. Stott has been searching for the vrax for six months but has yet to locate it.

Stott's explanation puzzles me a little. He claims that Tryst knows nothing, that he doesn't realise his expedition is being used to smuggle "a new sort of vraxoin that someone had found". But immediately he says Tryst would have "arranged somewhere along the line for a pick-up", which infers he does know what's going on. Stott also suggests Secker may have been involved in the operation himself. Later in the episode we see Tryst and Dymond talking conspiratorially, suggesting some kind of guilt, and I also note that Tryst is very reluctant for Fisk to destroy the Mandrels. Everything points to Tryst being in on it, but Stott does say "he knows nothing". Confusing...

One thing to add, every time I watch this episode I flinch at the bit where Stott says: "I thought I was going to be stuck here for the rest of my life. There were a few times where I felt like blowing my brains out." What!? This is a kids' show. I know it's currently a kids' show about an addictive narcotic, but all the same, having characters casually refer to attempting suicide by pointing a gun to their head seems wildly inappropriate (and presciently distasteful in light of producer Graham Williams' tragic demise).

The Mandrels are loose on the Empress, and despite the uncompromising lighting, they're still pretty fearsome. Just like proper monsters do, they go round killing everyone they meet. They also do this in various amusing ways, such as jumping out of lifts, hugging people to death, or rampaging through Pallet 67 terrifying the passengers (but it doesn't matter because they're only economy class!). I like the fact they are predatory monsters who just go round killing people indiscriminately.

The Massacre of Pallet 67 would be vaguely comical (thanks to some desperate attention-seeking acting from the supporting players) if it weren't for the drugged-up Captain Rigg laughing maniacally at it all on a monitor, like he's watching a video nasty. David Daker captures the tone perfectly, guffawing at the death and destruction like it's a hilarious entertainment (which to him, it is).

The Mandrels, on the whole, are great value for money, despite their split crotches and the zip up the back. The scene where the unconscious Mandrel starts to come round behind the Doctor is another cracking monster moment which must look much better through a rapt child's eyes than those of a cynical adult. When the Mandrel smashes into the power unit and is killed, it slowly decomposes into a pile of curious white powder. Vraxoin! The Mandrels are the source of the vrax, which is why Stott couldn't find it on Eden, and perhaps why Tryst is so keen to preserve them. The fauna of Eden is the drug!

As the Doctor, Romana and K-9 struggle to part the two spaceships, Romana bumps into druggy Rigg on the bridge (we last saw him being arrested and taken away by Costa, so how is he free again?). Daker is disturbingly threatening as a desperate man addicted to vrax, but coming down from his last high and demanding more. "Have you got something for me?" he asks Romana with menace. "Something I need? I must have something for this terrible feeling... I know you've got the stuff, now tell me where it is!" Rigg becomes a man possessed by his addiction and sets upon Romana like a violent thug. It's actually quite an intimidating scene, ruined by the arrival of Geoffrey Hinsliff, who stands rigidly to attention, hand behind back, and shoots Rigg at close range (Daker pauses just long enough for him to be shot and for the laser effect to be superimposed). It's a poorly directed moment at the end of a nicely played scene between Daker and Ward. Shame.

Oh, and let's not forget little K-9, who endearingly sniffs Stott to make sure he's friendly, and later, when he's on his way into the matter interface, pauses fearfully before continuing, remembering what his master told him about "determination". I love little moments like that.

First broadcast: December 8th, 1979

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: The forest of Eden is designed and lit beautifully, and Stott's hideout well integrated with the diamond-shaped logo, sorry window!
The Bad: Geoffrey Hinsliff is really bad as Fisk. He's not right for the part at all.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

"Would you like a jelly baby?" tally: 21

NEXT TIME: Part Four...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Part One; Part Two; 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/2014/08/nightmare-of-eden.html

Nightmare of Eden is available on BBC DVD. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Nightmare-Eden-DVD/dp/B0074GPF26