"Alright? Of course, I’m alright, my child. You know, I am so constantly outwitting the opposition, I tend to forget the delights and satisfaction of the arts...the gentle art of fisticuffs!"
Two minutes into this episode Angela declared the Doctor to be on crack. No we haven't skipped ahead to The Twin Dilemma.
The mute assassin tries to sneak up on the doctor, sword up and ready to kill. The Doctor blocks the blade with the lyre he was practicing on. The Doctor then proceeds to mop the floor with the assassin. He knocks him down, throws water in his face, hits him over the head with a vase and even flips him in a move that would make Pertwee green with envy. All the while the Doctor is keeping up this heckling commentary and seeming to be enjoying himself no end.
Yes this is Hartnell. It was one continuous take. No stunt doubles.
It's probably just a coincidence, but this is the second story in a row where the Doctor has gotten into a physical fight; it's also Vicki's second story.
Vicki finally chases the assassin (yeah he's got a name, I just like writing assassin) out of a window. The Doctor is upset with her that she's ruined his sport. He boasts that he trained the Mad Mauler of Montana.
Vicki tells him that the centurion has disappeared. The Doctor isn't surprised; he believes that the centurion is the one who hired the assassin in the first place. The Doctor is so casual about someone trying to take his life and the web of conspiracy that he's seen through. It's a trait that carries through to the current day..
They continue on to Rome.
Barbara has already made it there. She's kept in a cell with a woman who's gotten sick over the month long march from Gaul to Rome. Barbara, being Barbara, tends to the ailing woman as best she can.
This behavior gains the attention of Tavius. He tries to speak with her, but is rebuffed. Tavius offers to buy her before she hits the block, but the slave trader isn't going to budge.
The Doctor and Vicki arrive in Rome. A slave auction is about to begin. Vicki is curious, but the Doctor leads her away presumably wishing to spare her the sight. As soon as they're off frame, Barbara is brought out on the block.
This is a recurring motif in this story. Characters will come very close to meeting, but won't due to some minor twist or happenstance.
The bidding for Barbara goes well. I don't know how to spell sustercea and am too lazy to look it up, but the bid gets to 2,500 sustercea when Tavius jumps it to 10,000. Ian and the two male slaves went for less than 2,500 TOTAL last episode.
That gets everyone's attention.
It turns out that Tavius is in charge of purchasing slaves for Nero's household. He saw Barbara being selfless in a situation where most people would be looking out for their own well being and decided that she needed to be helped. Barbara is a slave, but a household slave of Nero's wife is a better lot than most slaves find themselves in.
Barbara tells Tavius point blank that she has no intention of staying there. Tavius understands, but points out the consequences of being caught.
Just then a page arrives with a message. Maximus Pettulian has arrived from Corinth and wishes an audience with Cesar Nero. Tavius tells the messenger to bring him in, but quickly changes his mind and says that it will be better to meet him in the other room.
Tavius starts to tell "Maximus" that he knows about the problems that he's been through getting there. He's taken care of it. Tavius starts to mention a place where "he is" when Nero is announced. Vicki is giddy at the prospect of meeting Nero.
Nero is played with very broad strokes. He brandishes a turkey leg and an ego almost as large as the Doctor's, with less than a tenth of his competence.
The Doctor manages to both stoke Nero's ego and avoid playing through a combination of quick wit and massive brown nosing.
After the audience the Doctor and Vicki check out the room that Tavius mentioned. In it they find the centurion's corpse.
While all this has been going on, Ian has found himself part of the rowing crew on board a Roman ship. This is the weak part of the story. They row. There's an escape attempt that fails miserably. Then a storm hits and Ian and his rowing pal Delos manage to survive the wreck. Delos figures that they must be near Rome. He thinks that it's best to head north away from Rome. Ian is insistent on going to Rome to find Barbara.
They get to Rome, Ian suggests a risky course of action, Delos is skeptical, but decides that they've been lucky so far and decides that he's game. They are captured before they've taken three steps.
They're taken to be used in the arena. If they please Nero then they may win their lives.
Ian was given the short end of the plot stick this time around.
This story is a comedy. Really the first time that they've tried that in the series. I think that it works in large part due to the fact that most of the characters are grounded somewhat. It's very easy to take a comedy script and do it with a weird voice or exaggerate the acting. So far Nero is the only really exaggerated character that we encounter. Which is either true to the historical character or it's true to the perception of the historical character.
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| One day I shall come back and open a can of whoop ass! |
Next up: Conspiracy
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