DOCTOR WHO MARATHON 37th MEET-UP - THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD

Sunday 14th June 2015

Hello fans-of-dull-blogs!  You join me on our continuing quest to watch all of Doctor Who in order and we are up to a story that, up until 2013, was missing five of it's six parts!

The Enemy of The World kicks off with the TARDIS crew enjoying themselves on a beach in Australia in 2018.  Suddenly out of the blue the Doctor is subject to an assassination attempt.  The controller of the would-be assassins, an agent named Astrid Ferrier, rescues them by helicopter.  Yes it all kicks off early on - gun fighting, helicopter rides!  There's even a hovercraft at some point!
 
Anyway Astrid takes them to her boss Giles Kent who tells them that the Doctor is the physical double of Salamander, a ruthless megalomaniac who is dominating the United Zones Organisation.
 
Salamander has ascended to power by concentrating and harnessing the sun’s rays to generate more crops, but he wants MORE POWER!!
 
Kent, who was once Deputy Security Leader for North Africa and Europe, reveals that he had crossed Salamander, who ruined him and removed his various allies.  The only remaining Kent ally with any authority is Alexander Denes in Central Europe.  When Kent’s home is surrounded by troops led by Security Chief Donald Bruce, the Doctor is persuaded to impersonate Salamander to save his companions and to gather more information on his designs.

Photo 1: MJ, Leigh Jason (holding the sign),
 and Mark (the DVD Cover)
around Shaun's house!

And so we get the joy of Patrick Trout-Man playing two roles - the Doctor and the (possibly) Mexican Salamander!  He seems to relish playing a suave but totally evil wannabe dictator - which also makes it fun to watch.  He seems to have no morals - poisoning a man in one place, shooting other ones - in fact the full extent of Salamander's scheme is revealed as we see him take a lift that goes DEEP underground which takes him to a gang of people who believe that a nuclear war has gone on above ground and that they are only safe under the Earth!  Salamander has convinced them that only mutants have survived and is getting his underground gang to cause all sorts of natural disasters (tsunami's, volcanoes etc) with special machinery and the like.  Salamander seems to want to cause all this chaos so that he can step in and take charge.

Photo 2: MJ, Leigh Jason (holding the sign),
 and Mark (the DVD Cover)
around Shaun's house!

Anyhow there are nice character moments like when The Doctor picks up parts of some crockery, that some bad guards have broken up, and says “People spend all their time making nice things and then other people come along and break them!”
 

Photo 3: Shaun, Leigh (holding the sign),
 Jason (holding the DVD Cover) and Mark
around Shaun's house!

Another character who is quite fun is Fedorin who is second in command to Controller of the Central European Zone -  Alexander Denes (whom Salamader has locked up - saying he was negligent for ignoring Salamander's warnings about the volcanoes.  Volcanoes - of course - that were caused by Salamander's underground people!).  Salamander blackmail's Fedorin into poisoning Denes - but Fedorin can't go through with it.  Salamander smiles, telling him it's all okay - they find another way - and then poisons Fedorin with some poisoned wine!
 

Photo 4: Shaun, Leigh (holding the sign),
 Jason (holding the DVD Cover) and Mark
around Shaun's house!

So overall we have a good tale - a cracking villain (in the form of Patrick Troughton) and Doctor who is funny and quick (in the form of Patrick Troughton).  A good supporting cast - plus we had a helicopter AND a hovercar chase (in the form of Pat - oh no, he can't become vehicles.  Pat Troughton's great - but he aint no Transformer!).  The end scene is great too - when Salamander, having gotten into the TARDIS by pretending to be the Doctor, attempts to fly it off with the doors open!  This does him no good as he gets sucked out into the Time Vortex!

Well I enjoyed that one - and we have even MORE excitement next time as we find ourselves battling Yetis again!  Ooooo!

Well when I say "We" I mean the Doctor and chums!

So until then, I shall return, yes I shall return!

MJ - 22-06-15