Terror of the Zygons@45

Doctor Who never scared me - it thrilled me! Even as a child I watched it without feeling the need to leap behind the sofa. Instead I revelled in all those monsters and slime and robots and everything else. Yet I think that one of the scariest moments in any iteration of the programme is the end of episode one of this story when we see a Zygon for the first time. It is something to do with the fact that, as well as  the appearance of the creature being grotesque anyway – a cross between an embryo and a sea horse- it has its mouth wide open and Sarah’s scream is given a slight echo and mixed into the end sting when the theme music starts. Somewhere in the land of What-if there is a period of Doctor Who called the Banks Stewart Era when the writer Robert Banks- Stewart took over the series and every story was delivered with same brio as `Terror of the Zygons` and `Seeds of Doom`. It would be full of hard action, vicious antagonists, quirky characters and lashings of richly swirling Geoffrey Burgon incidental music. In the event though we have just ten episodes with these ingredients but they do stand out even from their much admired fellow stories this season. Unbelievably `Terror` was supposed to end season twelve - can you imagine this story being shown in the summer?

 

In my memory I always thought that this story had a Radio Times cover of Frank Bellamy’s classic artwork but in fact for some reason it didn’t (why not though?) Instead this stunning picture sat inside the magazine but it remains the one I most remember from all his excellent Who work.  It really does set the scene for this story and explains too why Doctor Who is really an autumnal series.  It’s quintessential Doctor Who from 1975 the point where the already popular series became just that bit more sophisticated, just that little bit better! `Terror` is the changeover story; the first one where Philip Hinchcliffe had total control (earlier stories were wholly or partially inherited) and it comes across as something fresh and new.
Reviewing this season is going to be difficult because it is one of my favourites, perhaps even my absolute favourite. I honestly don’t think I dislike a scene in the entire 26 episodes but simply layering superlatives on with a trowel is going to become repetitious. Instead I thought I’d try and re-create the way I originally experienced it not by building a time machine (given up on that one) but by focussing on what makes each story work while trying to come up with some fresh observations and some personal memories chucked in as well. If there are criticisms they are meant in the most affectionate way.

Let’s start with that art! Frank Bellamy created a visual style for Doctor Who that actually made it look even better than it was. He seemed to see what the often rushed or financially challenged production teams were aiming for and he drew it as they’d probably have loved to have seen it. So here we have an absolutely stunning Skarasen full of animal bite and a long way from the slightly static, stop start model they used in the series.
The Zygons are one of the best designed Doctor Who alien races looking quite terrifying in all the orange light and creepily voiced. Though still `men in suits` every effort is made to emphasise their other worldliness. While their organic technology is a refreshingly different aspect for a series normally replete with consoles and switches. The sound effects too enhance this alien-ness further - when the Harry facsimile falls with a very odd rattling noise and in the basement in part four when Broton roars as he attacks the Doctor. Once we see them in their base suffused in red and orange lights, fondling their organic console, and talking in whispery tones about their “dyastellic readings” and “dynochron thrust” they seem so completely alien.
Talking of which the brooding Doctor we see here is one of Tom Baker’s most intense performances in the role.  Settled into the role by now you can see he is starting to explore the wider parameters of the Doctor. He emphasises his apart-ness, his alien qualities in a manner that kicks against his predecessor. The Third Doctor had been very human in his behaviour despite his alien knowledge. By `Zygons` Baker and the writers are asserting the Doctor’s differences from rather than similarities to us. In this story he is dismissive of many human attributes and dependencies (especially oil) and adopts a true outsider’s pose. There is a dark playfulness to him too - he seems to delight in pointing out the oncoming threat- “the sea may be quiet but it’s rarely empty” yet there is still a wicked humour as well and he easily joins in Sarah’s mirth when the find the Brigadier lying on the floor. This ability to shift mood in a moment has to some extent been misinterpreted by the modern series which seems to think that boundless energy is the Doctor’s main behaviour. Yet if you watch this story the Doctor is totally still at times or he will impart his knowledge in serious tones. 

To complement this dark Doctor, Robert Banks Stewart makes Sarah even more intelligently human. Her wry comments at times are very Doctorish- perhaps she’s picked this up from him- yet she can still become the girl in danger when needed. Witness her superb transformation from the silly “Hello, Fox Inn” with which she answers the phone to her shocked “Harry’s been shot”. Lis Sladen is at her best in this story. Harry Sullivan should have been on the programme for longer. As a comic foil for the Doctor and a chatty friend for Sarah he is invaluable. At least Ian Marter gets a good send -off particularly when he totally convinces as the duplicate Harry wielding a pitchfork at Sarah.
John Woodnutt owns this story. He creates three distinct characters even if the narrative isn’t quite clear which Forgill he is. When he gives the Doctor and co a lift in part one he is said not to utter a word during the journey yet he is chattier when encountering “Mister Heckle” speaking as if he is the real Duke. Or did the Zygons only replace him after this? As Broton, warlord of the Zygons (to give him his full title) despite the restrictions of the costume Woodnutt uses his voice to give real menace to the alien. Broton is vicious yet scheming and though some of his most effective moments come when as Forgill he is more charming as he reveals his plans.  The real Duke is presumably only glimpsed near the end and seems altogether lighter if a little confused. I love the moment when he suddenly realises he’s President of the Scottish Energy Commission only after Sarah has pointed it out. “Yes, I am!” The actor used to describe his Zygon costume as being like “a suit of fairy lights” and clearly had an affection for the programme he made some great performances in. He elevates this story and it is fitting too he gets the last word and that it’s a quip.
Lillias Walker makes quite an impression too; her pale look and demeanour making her Sister Lamont as scary as any Zygon while Scottish colour is provided by Angus Lennie as the landlord of the Fox inn, a man with purported second sight and a tendency to tall tales. He brings a twinkle to the story and it’s a shame when he is despatched. A word too for John Levene who shines here as Benton is stepped up here to become a proactive second in command to the Brigadier played as reliably as ever by Nick Courtney.
This is a story that makes a virtue from its simplicity - a bunch of aliens stranded on Earth plan to make the planet their own using their part cyborg creature lurking in Loch Ness. That’s the plot really. Within that though it’s the small things that count and the serial does noticeably have to stretch its content out- for example the tooth mould or the lengthy chase across the moors. It is certainly hard to see how they could have filled six episodes as original intended. While the Zygons’ iconic design looks amazing in terms of the aliens’ actual plan it was not dissimilar to many another race’s intentions and it is true to say that only the production quality serves to disguise this. While there are some good contemporary references to oil and even alternative energy as well as Forgill’s employees leaving for better paid jobs with the oil companies, the story leaves little intrigue after part 2. Broton explains nearly everything to Harry (and therefore us) but luckily there are enough set pieces to divert the viewer. In some ways it is more of a mood piece with its most assured touches being the rich visuals and strong performances.
Fillet the plot and it can be less robust at times than those “concrete boots” the Skarasen destroys. How long have the Zygons been down there? We hear talk of the Loch Ness Monster being around for centuries, the Jamieson boys’ disappearance is pegged in the 1870s. So does it take decades to nurture a Skarasen? I’d never noticed before that the real Duke’s clothes change later on even though he has presumably been there in the spaceship the whole time since being copied? Earlier he is wearing the tweed outfit we see the facsimile wearing but in part 4 he is dressed the same as the facsimile on his way to the conference.
It is rather a cheeky convenience that the Zygons have parked up adjacent to the head of the Scottish Energy Commission’s castle. Besides if Forgill is so opposed to the North Sea Oil operation, isn’t his Presidency of the SEC, a body that presumably fully supports the drilling, a conflict of interests? Reviewers at the time also pointed out that the writers obviously couldn’t think of a worthy target North of the border meaning everyone has to hightail it to London for the climax. Why even attack a specific energy conference anyhow? Surely more impact would be made by going for Westminster on the other side of the river?
Geoffrey Burgon’s incidental music is a welcome break from the clanging chimes of Dudley Simpson. Where the latter’s work seems to leap out of nowhere, Burgon is more symphonic,  richer and percolates around the episodes creating a mood quite different from other stories. At time it feels like he had incorporated Scottish folk themes. The music supports individual characters in a far more subtle way than everyone having their own theme. Sometimes the music almost seeps over the speech but always you feel this is deliberately adding to the atmosphere while also containing some clever suggestions of Scotland.
It was a big surprise to me years back to discover that the serial was filmed in Sussex and never travelled north of the border because it didn’t need to; an impression of Scotland is recreated perfectly except perhaps for anyone who lives there who might take issue. The odd bagpipe, the cosy interior of the pub, the rugged landscape, a kilt here and there and some highland motifs in the incidental music- it’s enough to convince us. Admittedly part one does tend to overdo the Scottish aspect with references to haggis, bagpipes and kilts in quick succession but this doesn’t persist. Mind you there’s a couple of lovely moments when the pipes on the floor above the pub stop suddenly at appropriate moments.
Douglas Camfield utilises his filmic style to great effect - even something as simple as Sarah and the soldiers running down the village street is shot as wide as possible and from some distance. He then shoots the facsimile Harry in a half light crouching between hay bales. The introduction of the Zygons comes early with narrow shorts of just their eyes and nose before the startling end of part one reveal. 
It is a thing with the original series that the very best stories usually contained one aspect that didn’t pass visual muster and which fans try to ignore. `Caves of Androzani` had the Magma creature, `Talons of Weng –Chiang` had the giant rat and `Terror of the Zygons` has the Skarasen. It can be a little harder to ignore the actual loch Ness Monster which inspired Robert Banks Stewart’s original script but then let’s not forget the programme was using puppets as dinosaurs eighteen months earlier and this is much better. The Skarasen’s main issue is its eye which is too wide and seems to rotate oddly giving it a cuddly rather than menacing demeanour. What the script tries to remind us- and might have mentioned more often- is that the creature is supposed to be part cyborg which means its movements would not be that of a real animal. When it rears its head emerging from the Thames in part four there’s no water running off if which might have helped improve the scene. Overall though it works well enough for what was supposed to be something only seen the once and never re-watched again and again decades later.
This is the umpteenth time I’ve watched `Terror of the Zygons` and its lost none of its appeal even if I know half the lines off by heart now. Not the best written story, it is certainly one of the most visually striking and a great cast help to keep it moving. And I bet I’ll be watching it again sometime soon!

This is a review of the story from 1975...