Sunday 8 May 2011

Dr. Who: Pyramids of Mars


When it comes to 'Dr. Who', I'm a Pertwee man, I always have been. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate how good Tom Baker was in the role, or the different direction the show went in under producer Philip Hinchcliffe and script editor Robert Holmes. The enterprising duo steered the series into gothic horror, shortening the story runs to a brisk four episodes and pitting the still new Doctor against all manner of dark new foes - prompting record numbers of viewer complaints about how grown up and violent the show had become.

'Pyramids Of Mars' is a classic, one that I can remember watching avidly back in 1975. The menacing Mummies turned out to be robots controlled from another dimension by an exiled alien despot called Sutekh The Destroyer rather than dessicated corpses, but that only made them scarier. There's something chilling about mindless, lumbering creatures, isn't there? That's why I hate going to Asda.

Dedicated to the late Elisabeth Sladen, who eased a painful transition from Doctor to Doctor for this particular six year old. RIP, SJS.

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