Ang and I have gotten spoiled with this season; up until now we've been able to watch everything. This is the first missing episode from this season. Only two episodes of season two are missing making it the most complete season from the 60's.
We listened to this one on The Lost In Time collection that came out a few years ago. It includes the two surviving episodes and the audio for the two missing ones. When this was first released on VHS William Russel reprised the role of Ian to add some links between the audio and the video episodes. This was included as an Easter egg on the DVD.
De Tornebu (the knight with Richard's belt) and the Doctor manage to turn Richard's thinking around about trading with Saladin. There is an element of medieval spin doctoring going on here that is fun to "see."
The three travelers are brought into Richard's court. We are introduced to Richard's sister Joanna, played by Jean Marsh.
Joanna takes notice of Vicki who is dressed in mail clothing. The Doctor claims that he is a young man whose voice has not yet broke. Vicki or "Victor" is certainly wearing stolen male garb. If I remember correctly, the Doctor explains to Vicki that he was concerned for the safety of a young woman in a military camp and thought that it would be best to pass her off as a boy.
Now that I think about it there may have been a more practical reason for dressing her in male drag. The European style clothing that the Doctor stole was itself stolen from Richard's camp. There are very few women in Richard's camp; Joanna and maybe a servant. The majority of stolen outfits would be male clothing. The thief who barters with the merchant might not even bother trying to get ladies garments because they are even more recognizable than their male counterparts.
So when the Doctor steals some stolen clothing, the only option is male.
I'm probably over analyzing again.
Richard notices a jewel about Joanna's neck, a present from Saphadin. Richard finds it odd that the leaders of these two great armies exchange pleasant gifts while their soldiers kill one another. Richard wants the fighting to cease and decides that an arranged marriage between his sister and Saladin's brother might bring peace.
There's a scene that I wish had survived on video where Richard dictates a letter to Saladin proposing the union. Richard is eating and his mouth is full.
Richard has Ian get decked out in proper attire much to the science teacher's chagrin. Richard then tells him that he will be an emissary to Saladin to barter for the return of Sir William. Richard has chosen Ian to perform this task because he knows that Ian has a vested interest in the success of the mission. Many of Richard's finest would prefer that the fighting continue. They would not make the best emissaries.
Ian is then knighted Sir Ian the Knight of Jaffa. He initially protests, but is told that the king's emissary has to have some rank.
Back in Saladin's camp El Akir attempts to bribe Sheyrah a servant to get access to Barbara. Sheyrah resists the bribe, putting Akir into an even worse mood.
At that point a Genoese merchant named Luigi Ferrigo chances by and strikes a deal with Akir. Ferrigo is aware that Saladin is about to sign a treaty with Conrad of Tyre and Ferrigo would like a trade concession. He came all the way to Ramlah only to cool his heels since neither Saladin nor his brother would see him. Akir will arrange a meeting between Ferrigo and either Saladin or his brother and Ferrigo will steal Barbara for him.
Barbara is worried about telling her never ending story to Saladin. Sheyrah has warned her about the threat that Akir poses to her, but lacks any specifics. Barbara decides that she will go through Shakespeare, Hans Christian Anderson etc when Ferrigo arrives. He pretends to be working for Sir William and she leaves with him only to be taken into El Akir's cruel hands.
Ferrigo leaves behind a glove that Sheyrah finds.
Back in Jaffa, the dishonest clothing merchant comes to the Chamberlain and tells him that the Doctor has stolen clothing from him. The pair confront the Doctor who, not too politely, points out that he couldn't steal the clothes from both the Chamberlain and the merchant. At that point Thatcher, the man who brought the stolen goods to the shopkeeper last episode, shows up. The Doctor points out the real thief and avoids any further trouble.
Ferrigo gets his audience with Saphadin; his reputation precedes him. Saphadin and Saladin ask that Ferrigo give his opinion about an internal matter. It soon comes to light that they know that he helped in Barbara's abduction. The fact that he wears the mate to the glove that he left behind on his belt is proof of that.
When Ian arrives he discovers that Barbara is gone. Ferrigo has convinced Saladin that Barbara has fallen for El Akir and went with him to his home in Lydda. Saladin plans to do nothing. Ian plans to go to Lydda.
In Lydda, Barbara manages to escape from El Akir. She runs through the alien city, but is captured.
Another excellent episode. There's a nice balance of the serious and the humorous. The pace is brisk, but not over rushed.
It's interesting to note that both the actors who played Sheyrah and Ferrigo appeared as other ethnic characters in Marco Polo. The former is very appropriately cast in this story as she is of middle eastern descent.
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| Victor, the Doctor and Sir Ian of Jaffa |
Next up: The Wheel of Fortune
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