4.20: Image of the Fendahl

In which they accidentally make a first draft.

Broadcast: October-November 1977 

Watched: July 2020

Image of the Fendahl, Part One

“You must have been sent by Providence.” “No, I was sent by the council to cut the verges.”

This is funny and compelling but remarkably little happens, it’s all just set up. Oddly the regulars take about six minutes to appear, so it’s lucky the scientists are fun. 

It’s a very Doctor Who thing to imagine scientists all work in ancient manor houses in wood panelling for some reason, isn’t it? Some weird memory of Oxbridge that mixes up the labs with the colleges? Or just because it looks nice on television?

The bit where Thea’s face is superimposed on the skull is weirdly terrifying, possibly because it’s reminiscent of that bit in Knightmare when the player is running out of time.

The cliffhanger is extremely confusing and I have no idea what’s meant to be happening.

Image of the Fendahl, Part Two

Remarkably little continues to happen. Horror people, is the build up meant to be the fun part? Only this is really boring.

Anyway. Both Denis Lill’s fake accent, and the name Stahl, suggest an attempt to link eternal evil with suspicious teutonic types.

Lil and Ventham would play a married couple in Only Fools. Surprised to realise she’s older than him, as a) he’s weirdly ageless – he looks exactly the same here as he did as Cassie’s dad, a decade and more later, and b) he’s definitely been cast as older than her here.

Image of the Fendahl, Part Three

Why on earth is this called “Image of the” by the way? Just to make a change from “Terror of the” or whatever?

Anyway. Odd structure. The regulars are taken out of this one on a wild goose chase to a non-existent planet (that would, if the “hundred a seven million miles out” refers to its orbit, actually be the fourth planet, but whatever). Colby and Fendleman sort of act as another set of protagonists, or would do, if they didn’t immediately get tied up.

Nothing continues to happen; the whole serial is a series of delays building tension for the climax. Is this just how folk horror works?

I’m slightly surprised Fendlemen didn’t turn out to be evil to be honest. The whole “We only have 100 hours!” bit, cutting to a clock with 98 and a bit hours on it, is a bit suspish.

Imagine how annoyed you’d be if you’d tuned into this for K9.

Image of the Fendahl, Part Four

“There’s going to come a time when I’ll be too old for this sort of thing.”

In this episode, the Doctor gives someone a gun to assist their suicide. Weird.

I think this is where my not really getting horror becomes a problem. I can see this is well done, but it just doesn’t do it for me. There’s no there there, it’s all set up and then nothing. Why do people turn into snakes? The explanations are nonsensical. Unless I do the pilgrimage again in 20 years time or something, I’m not sure I will ever watch this story again. It’s a nicely made thing that just bounces off me.

Things I did like: the “What you gonna do” look the Fendahl/Thea gives someone at one point before turning them into a snake is hilarious. The way Colby is clearly a decent man, while also being an arrogant posh prick, and the two don’t really contradict. Tom saying, “Remember – three minutes!” while holding up four finger.

Things I didn’t: the thing in this era where stories just stop and the regulars f*ck off without saying goodbye.

[Something the ever helpful James Cooray-Smith told me after I’d written these notes: the writer, Chris Boucher, sent a first draft to the outgoing script editor Robert Holmes, and got an acceptance slip from the incoming script editor Anthony Read, who didn’t realise it was only a first draft. Hence it being a bit shapeless.]