The sixteenth series of Doctor Who wasn't perhaps its shining hour, but there was one glimmer of hope, 'The Stones of Blood.'
It all starts at a stone circle, with hooded figures, a full moon, blood tributes being paid to the stones and a ceremony praising a pagan figure. No comedy Pirates here! This first part was a classic.
The scanner indicates the third segment of the key to time is located in the centre of the stone circle, so they investigate and are met first by Professor Emilia Rumford, and then by her friend Vivian Fay, who are conducting work on the site. They tell the Doctor about Hugo de Vries, Leader of the BIDS, British institute for Druidic Studies, and the Doctor sets off to meet him. We see De Vries and his wife worshipping the Cailleach. The Doctor is koshed after a shock appearance of The Cailleach, whilst Romana is lured to a cliff's edge seemingly by the Doctor and tumbles over.
Romana has definitely warmed to the part and softened, there is a definite easy quality between Tom and Mary.
The humour works so much better, it's lesser and better used. Unlike the recent serials it wasn't playing for laughs, it had some natural easy humour.
Beatrix Lehmann is a complete and utter joy!!! Her acting, charisma and simple presence are a joy to behold, she is sensational, oh if only she'd travelled in the TARDIS, a definite sign that the Doctor could have an older companion. Tom bounces off her beautifully and every scene they do fantastic.
We don't only have one fantastic charismatic actress, we have a second, Suzy Engel plays Vivian Fay, another casting success.
The cliffhanger to end the first episode works tremendously well, both The Doctor and Romana are left in mortal danger, we actually see Romana fall over a cliff, seemingly to her death.
Part 1 very definitely has the feeling of a Philip Hinchcliffe episode, it's dark, sinister, mysterious and has the feel of Hammer Horror about it. I'm sure Mary Whitehouse cast a longer lasting look at this one.
10/10 This episode is just perfect.
It all starts at a stone circle, with hooded figures, a full moon, blood tributes being paid to the stones and a ceremony praising a pagan figure. No comedy Pirates here! This first part was a classic.
The scanner indicates the third segment of the key to time is located in the centre of the stone circle, so they investigate and are met first by Professor Emilia Rumford, and then by her friend Vivian Fay, who are conducting work on the site. They tell the Doctor about Hugo de Vries, Leader of the BIDS, British institute for Druidic Studies, and the Doctor sets off to meet him. We see De Vries and his wife worshipping the Cailleach. The Doctor is koshed after a shock appearance of The Cailleach, whilst Romana is lured to a cliff's edge seemingly by the Doctor and tumbles over.
Romana has definitely warmed to the part and softened, there is a definite easy quality between Tom and Mary.
The humour works so much better, it's lesser and better used. Unlike the recent serials it wasn't playing for laughs, it had some natural easy humour.
Beatrix Lehmann is a complete and utter joy!!! Her acting, charisma and simple presence are a joy to behold, she is sensational, oh if only she'd travelled in the TARDIS, a definite sign that the Doctor could have an older companion. Tom bounces off her beautifully and every scene they do fantastic.
We don't only have one fantastic charismatic actress, we have a second, Suzy Engel plays Vivian Fay, another casting success.
The cliffhanger to end the first episode works tremendously well, both The Doctor and Romana are left in mortal danger, we actually see Romana fall over a cliff, seemingly to her death.
Part 1 very definitely has the feeling of a Philip Hinchcliffe episode, it's dark, sinister, mysterious and has the feel of Hammer Horror about it. I'm sure Mary Whitehouse cast a longer lasting look at this one.
10/10 This episode is just perfect.