3.4: Inferno
In which the Doctor talks some fascists into an altruistic act.
Broadcast: May-June 1970
Watched: December 2019
The thought occurs that this is the first time the show repeats a title, I think? (The fourth part of The Romans was called Inferno.) Poor show if they’re already running out, we’re only in 1970. Anyway.:
Inferno, Episode 1
“Too much power!” I’ve only seen this once, about a dozen years ago, and I remember coming away thinking it had quite a lot to say about the acquisition and use of power. Was that pseud-y bullshit? Let’s find out!
The return of the special effects title card... last appearance, no? [Actually, no, there’s one on Mind of Evil.]
Why do we start by watching the Doctor driving and whistling? I thought this might be to cover the fact he wasn’t gonna be in it for ages, but no.
Love how obvious it is that the bloke with the moustache is going to end up a zombie.
The Doctor doesn’t even acknowledge Benton. Telling.
Greg Sutton has the same slightly odd face as Henning Wehn.
It is just a base under siege again isn’t it? It’s Fury From The Deep only with a different deep.
The effects in TARDIS sequence are nightmarish. For a moment I assumed they meant the parallel universe story kicked off earlier than I’d thought. but no.
I like the sort of meta joke in which the Doctor laughs at the picture of the moustache-less Brig for looking bad... and later we will learn that the moustache-less Brig actually is bad.
Inferno, Episode 2
“Venusian karate!”
I like the way the Doctor and the Brig pointlessly climb to the roof to have a big chat.
Sutton’s a great character. I like the show’s unspoken respect for practical expertise (see also the stuff with the computer). Sir Wotsit is hard to take seriously because he’s Henry Gordon Jago.
Love that the Doctor’s high tech device is the sort of shit every Mondeo owner in Guildford now has to open their garage. Also kind of admire the way the Doctor just doesn’t give a shit that the world is ending, he just wants to fuck off.
Inferno, Episode 3
“Then you won’t feel the bullets when we shoot you.”
Why, when the Doctor skips universes, does Bessie go with him? Beyond plot convenience.
There’s a running theme in this era of a tension between the lone genius and the stodgy, unnamed “ministry”. I wonder if it’s an unconscious reflection of the show’s set up or if both are reflecting something else.
James Cooray-Smith would like me to point out that the fascist Britain’s logo is similar to the Brexit Party’s one.
It’s strange in its way that it takes so long for Who to get to a parallel universe. I guess maybe because it’s a story it’s only worth doing if you have a regular setting to subvert, otherwise you might as well just call it another time or planet? I do like the way at the end of the first UNIT season it dramatises the vague unease of teaming the Doctor up with the military, by suddenly having the military as a bunch of fascists who keep trying to shoot him.
Would [writer Don] Houghton/the production team have seen Star Trek do we think? [Probably not.] It’s interesting that the facial hair changes in the fascist universe, though mostly it vanishes rather than appearing.
Is that primord the same technician who got turned in the real world?
Fascist Liz is hot. Fascist Benton is anidiot. The Brigade Leader has scars, huh.
Some of the other parallel characters are odd. Why is Sutton exactly the same on both sides of the divide? And why is Petra’s career going better under fascism?
Sir Keith Gold is a very good name. Great Jewish name, Keith.
Inferno, Episode 4
“Of all the ungrateful nitwits.” Can’t watch this without being aware that one of the NAs – which? – retconned the fascist leader as another face the Time Lords had offered the Doctor.
Why does Sutton get to be the only one pushing back against fascism?
The interrogation scene, watching the Brig and Liz just screaming at a slightly broken Doctor, is upsetting in a way that feels like a slightly odd choice for a teatime kids show. I love the effect they use to show we’re switching universes.
Blimey, Olaf Pooley only died in 2015. “Penetration zero” is a very funny name.
But bloody hell, the last five minutes of that one are incredible. The countdown. The hazmat suits. There’s an intensity I’m not sure we’ve seen before. Just excellent.
Inferno, Episode 5
It’s not massively clear what happens at Penetration Zero (snort) that makes everyone run around screaming. Explained soon enough, but you’d think the technicians would be a bit harder.
Quite odd to hear the Doctor say, basically, there’s nothing we can do, we’re f*cked.
“Oh Greg I’m frightened! What can we do?” Petra says, hand on his chest. I think it’s fairly obvious what she thinks they can do.
Proper sense of dread in this one. Everyone waiting to die. Benton drilling the troops. Occasional hints that the zombies are massing. Most horror movie the show has been yet, I think.
Oh Benton is zombie fodder there’s a shock. This is why he’s in Ambassadors isn’t it? To give this sequence a bit more power.
Big influence on Waters of Mars this sequence, isn’t it?
Sutton is great, one of the best guest characters in ages.
I like the way Sir Keith’s car journey is tense because we know it killed him in the other world.
Ha the credits use the parallel universe job titles. Nice.
Inferno, Episode 6
“You want to end your lives fighting like animals?” Very Survival.
Meant to say. Slightly rubbish cliffhanger after the last few, that. Oh wow, a monster! That’s it.
I like how the “Don’t waste it!” bit is foreshadowed by the Brigade Leader being so free with the bullets.
Some nice character work in how everyone responds to the crisis. The Brigade Leader is a prick. And in the next scene we see the real Brig at his most unpleasant. It’s very well done.
Also well done: the way we’re left to assume sir Keith is dead because we know what happened on Earth 2. This one’s still all about building tension really... but it’s tension about what will happen in the Doctor’s world.
The “blimey it’s hot!” effects are pretty effective
Petra telling the Brigade Leader that brute force doesn’t always work is great. So is fascist Liz taking the piss out of him.
The sequence in which they’re running and all have to fall over simultaneously for the tremors must have been great fun to film.
The Doctor’s gentle response to Petra’s failure (”Yes or course you did my dear”) is a lovely contrast to the fascist bullying. The Brigade Leader’s voice breaking is actually quite disturbing.
Wow this really is an influence on Waters Of Mars isn’t it? Right down to the “I can’t save you because of some technobabble” bit. Liz, Petra and Greg take the “I’m leaving you to die” bit very easily.
Oooh some stock footage, cool. Christ it’s like Threads, right down to the “terrified people looking resigned while covered in soot” stuff.
Inferno, Episode 7
“You know you really do look better with that moustache.”
The way the reformed fascists all die and the Doctor just arrives home is a bit harsh.
Not obvious to me why accelerating the drill would be the thing that destroys the world.
Two hearts again. Since when is Liz a medical doctor? [Since Spearhead, I hadn’t been paying attention.]
Petra falling for Greg is really not set up properly in the real world. I do like her stepping up and standing up to Stahlman though.
Pertwee must spend more time unconscious than any other Doctor.
Sir Keith’s alive! “That’s excellent.” “Yes I think so too.”
Everyone seems remarkably pleased that the Doctor has just killed the project they’ve spent years on. No one looks annoyed at all.
I sort of love the way the season ends with the Doctor trying to escape his exile, landing in some rubbish and having to beg for the Brig’s help. Nice “you’re not getting out of this that easily” statement.
If there’s a problem with this episode, it’s that it sort of can’t live up to the last few. It’s decent, but the serial peaks with 5 & 6. We know the world will be saved, it’s just a question of how.
But best season yet, I think: 25 episodes of absolute joy. Despite the fact it still has bases under siege, it does feel like a totally different show to the year before.
Shame there’s no more Liz. Love Jo, obviously, but Liz is underrated.
Is Bond a conscious influence on Pertwee, btw? Cars, charm, edge of violence, eye for the ladies.