2.9: The Abominable Snowmen

In which, in a sign that someone might be leaning too heavily on the “base-under-siege” template, a monastery for some reason has a security chief.

Broadcast: September-November 1967.

Listened: September 2019.

Another one that’s since been animated – they showed the full version at the BFI to a roomful of nerds only a couple of weeks ago – but that didn’t exist when I got to it, so these notes are on the audio, except for the still extant episode 2.

The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 1

Surprisingly dull. The TARDIS business is sort of cute if you’re into the regulars mucking about. Big fan of the Doctor’s coat, mainly from Name of the Doctor.

Travers’ burst of exposition and instant belief the Doctor is a murderer is f-ing weird.

It’s sort of funny the way a *literal monastery* has the exact same character types as every space base we’ve been to of late, up to and including a security chief.

That’s about it.

The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 2

“Don’t worry about that. It’s quite dead.” Jamie is an idiot.

Did abbey-based microstates in the Holy RomanEmpire have security forces? Maybe there is an explanation after all.

Watling  aiming a gun at his own daughter is quite funny. [Jack Watling, the actor playing Travers, is the father of Debbie Watling who plays companion Victoria.] The Doctor running away because Jamie had a plan is good, too.

The disembodied voice is baffling. As is the “terrifying moving spheres” cliffhanger.

Anyway, thinking back, this was always my least favourite episode on the Troughton Years. [An early 90s VHS, collecting some episodes from missing Troughton Stories – this, Enemy of the World 3, Space Pirates 2 – with Jon Pertwee providing links.] 

And. Erm. I have to ask. Is this yellow face?

The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 3

I like the board game/map to move the Yeti around. Shame we can’t see it.

Victoria is much bolshier than I remembered.

Which mountains did they film this on? [It’s Snowdonia, North Wales.]

This story is really dull.  [Friends tell me it works better with animation.]

Buy me a coffee

The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 4

The spheres are a lovely image but a bit baffling. Why put all the computer-y bits in one unit that can fall out?

An aggravating amount of this story is spent waiting for the characters to catch up with the audience.

The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 5

Victoria’s repeated screams of “take me away!” might be where I got the impression she was just wet. The way Padmewotsit says “intelligence” is nicked by the wolf boy in Tooth & Claw.

The Intelligence’s plan is a bit wet too isn’t it? “Don’t harm the Doctor and make the monks go away”. That’s it.

The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 6

Well, that was some things that happened. Not clear why the Doctor doesn’t want to say TARDIS either. This might be the most disappointing story yet. It’s just... there. And it goes on for ages.

Honestly, why are the Yeti remembered as a big monster? There’s nothing here. I know Web [of Fear, a story from later in the season] is better but still. Is it just because they appear twice in a year?

[Consensus seems to be: because it was an early and much-loved novelisation. But it’s striking that, in 2013, Steven Moffat brings back the Great Intelligence, but not the Yeti.]