Image Of The Fendahl (1977) Review

Image Of The Fendahl is like a chaotic nightmare. It's scary and bizarre and only makes sense within its own universe. Also, it's the most incompetently cobbled together serial I've seen since the early 60s.

PLOT

The TARDIS detects a Relative Continuum Displacement Zone(time going screwy) and forces the Doctor and Leela to investigate an old priory where a secret experiment gone awry results in the return of a mythical force - the Fendahl who plot to... erm... do spoo-oo-ooky stuff(eat life or whatever) and are responsible for half of Earth's mythology. Go figure.

ANALYSIS

First of all, I'd just like to say that Doctor Who has never been more satanic than this. We've had evil cults before(at least thrice, actually), but this is pure supernatural with pentagrams, skulls, freaking Medusa...

However, that doesn't really come into play until the second half of the story. Until then, all we have to contend with is a bunch of evil scientists spouting utter gibberish(very reminiscent of the Pertwee era) and the Doctor acting like he's high. Whoop-e-de-doo.

But man, when the poop hits the fan, it gets real. It gets awesome and there's a sense of fun and dark insanity in the whole thing that I really enjoyed.

CHARACTERS

Oh boy oh boy oh boy, this is my favourite part today. We had an epic duo today.

Grandma Tyler and her grandson Jack are probably the first guest stars on the show whom I cared about more than the Doctor and his companion. Like, seriously, they seemed to be from some completely different show, a sitcom or something and I just loved them.

Grandma Tyler is a sassy psychic who can make delicious fruitcakes and Jack's his equally sassy lad with a rifle. What's not to love? There's a richness and kindness about the two characters that makes them instantly lovable and they're easily the story's highlight.

We also have the mad scientist team, led by the hilariously Mexican-accented Fendelman(no apparent connection to the Fendahl) with a Zaroff-worthy evil cultist assistant called Max, a smug arse aka "the young, innocent one who has to uncover the truth" called Colby and the woman, Thea Ransome. And yes, I say "the woman" because that's literally her only characteristic in this. Don't give me that look! If it was a group of women and Ransome was a man, I'd say "the guy" too. 

Oh yeah, Thea is apparently the Fendahl's chosen one or something. No idea why her and not the appropriately named Fendelman, but there you go.

Unfortunately, K-9 does not bless us with his voice in this episode(due to quick rewrites as he wasn't originally supposed to be a cast member) and thus spends the story broken down in the TARDIS. 

The Doctor and Leela have nicely transitioned into a slightly flirty friendship. They both seem a lot cosier than in Season 14.

NOTES

*The Relative Continuum Displacement Zone has already been encountered once in this marathon, in the Second Doctor novel The Wheel Of Ice. I actually thought it was invented for the book.

*Why the heck does the Doctor just stand there in the Episode 1 cliffhanger whilst the Fendahleen approaches him? 

*I'm pretty sure this is the first time the Doctor has ever exhibited the ability to just throw stuff into supernovas. Remember when he opened the doors and everything went nuts? 

*Why is the Fendahl's energy contained inside some old skull?

*Is it just me or has the Doctor's scarf gotten bigger? Or maybe it's just the way he's wearing it, it entirely covers his shoulders in this story.

*Why does the Fendahl look like a weird, golden angel? 

*The priory's destruction plays out really bizarre. There seem to be a lot of explosions in FRONT of the priory and then the whole thing is literally rewinded and that's it. Huh.

*Why does Leela sleep on the TARDIS floor? I know the beds are weird as hell, but c'mon.

*Is the use of vinegar to defeat the Slitheen a reference to this story's use of rock salt to defeat the Fendahleen?

*Even K-9's head makes noise. But I like that he has a mini-scarf.

*I like that the Doctor accepts him, but I have no idea why he went from "it's a computer" to "he's my dog". Completely random.

BEST QUOTE

"I love fruitcake." Quite possibly the most natural delivery in the show so far.

CONCLUSION

It's a complete shambles, but manages to entertain regardless. So bad it's good, I'd say. It has its magic.