STACK #193 Nov 2020

REVIEWS TV

DOCTOR WHO: FURY FROM THE DEEP

The latest lost Doctor Who story to receive an animated reconstruction is a bona fide classic from the Patrick Troughton era. The TARDIS lands at a North Sea gas refinery that’s been infiltrated by a sentient seaweed creature with the power to control human hosts, and the Doctor must discover the monster’s weakness before it can spread across the entire planet... While sinister seaweed might sound a bit silly, the story is actually a wonderfully creepy ‘base under siege’ story that Doctor Who does so well, and also notable for the poignant farewell of companion Victoria. Originally broadcast in 1968, the master tapes were regrettably wiped by the BBC in 1974, but thanks

to surviving audio recordings and sterling work by the animation team at Big Finish, Whovians can finally enjoy this cracking six-part adventure. The character animation is a different style to previous Troughton releases The Power of the Daleks , The Macra Terror and The Faceless Ones (and arguably superior), while the terrific animated ‘sets’ add a sense of depth that makes the story feel a whole lot bigger. Bonus features include surviving footage and a telesnap reconstruction for comparison; b/w and colour episode options; audio commentaries on selected episodes; a look back at the original production with cast and crew; animation featurette; production notes booklet; and more. Out Nov 11