080 Terror of the Zygons

 Started 27-Apr


We watched the DVD on the big screen with info text, all in one go.

This is the best directed DW serial so far.

Douglas is back and so is the ECU and the directed action. New is the lighting. Not just the red/green in the Zygon spaceship but the mist greenish cast in nearly every inside shot that suggests cold, misty Scottish highlands (or something). It's subtle but it's there.

Take p2. After the end of  ep cliffhanger (which revealed the Zygon with a crash zoom as it lunged for Sarah).  The whole ep just hums.

Consider these images:

• The Doctor's head as he looks out the medical unit window.
• The full profile shot of the Zygon with shadow cast on the wall behind as it locks the decompression chamber door.
• The hypno scenes... 
• the shots of Sarah looking for Harry in the barn
• The UNIT soldier in the impenetrable mist as he hears the Skarasen.
• The lingering hand of the crushed UNIT soldier.
• The way the recall device moves on the table and the camera defocusses to Sarah's reaction.
• The approach/retreat follow shots of the Doctor as he run across the moor being pursued by the Skarasen.

Reading this you do not have to look these up. They're seared into your brain. This is the way great direction works.

According to the stories of those who worked on the show, the main ingredient of this was hard work and continuous insistence on making lighting and sets line up in shots properly. There seems to be some of the 'it's only DW so who cares' attitude being vanquished here (albeit intermittently).

There are some visual effects problems. The Skarasen and the spaceship and the way Broton's undies are showing when he dies in p4. Less well recognised is the oil rig and the way the doors in the Zygon spaceship aren't quite big enough for the Zygons.... This is all down to the budget not the work. Better are the Zygon spaceship control panels, especially the lighting and lighting design, the monster tootth cast and the various explosions. The clever use of the model Zygon spaceship on location is only obvious when it's pointed out.

The costumes of the Zygons are (otherwise) a triumph. The voices... are spectacularly chilling. There is a strong case for arguing these are the best rubber suited monsters ever filmed.
They look scary, they sound scary, they act scary. They are ridiculous if you look hard.but they are simultaneously visually arresting and allow the actor to go completely over the top. The costumes allow the actors to act and look convincing... that double is almost unprecendented even in modern CGI fuelled movies. Best in a notoriously risible form but best nonetheless.

The soundtrack (music by Geoffrey Burgon, special sound by Dick Mills and BBC RW) is right on the spot. My favourite is the sequence in p3 when Sarah inadvertently gains access to the Zygon spaceship.

Performances are outstanding. John Woodnutt is excellent as the Duke/Broton. Tony Sibbald is good as Huckle, Angus Lennie convincing as Angus, Lillias Walker chilling as Sister Lamont, Ian Marter is great as Harry. The cast is relatively small but well used. Liz Sladen makes good work of a mostly limited role. Nick Courtney is solid in his ast appearance for the 70's. Tom Baker is on form. He's cheeky with Broton and yet serious with the fears of others. It's all good.

The story has one slight issue for mine. Why are the Zygons suddenly motivated to go homicidal and take over the world? They've been dormant/hiding in the Loch for 100's of years. Why now? Did something provoke them? The question is not asked or answered. Nearest related is the dialogue early in p3 where the Doctor speculates the Oil company medical centre has been built in the area that the Skarasen habitually uses for an overland shortcut to the sea.

There are some tiny problems with this story but they just demonstrate that nothing is perfect. Series 13 has started with a strong story. Will anything beat it. Well...


ABM Rating 3.73/4.00
LJM Rating 4.40/5.00
SPJ Rating 9.81/10   

No. 4 (out of 80)

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