| THE SEA DEVILS by Malcolm Hulke |
| Story 62 Synopsis: The Master is in prison, where the Doctor and Jo visit. Meanwhile, there are troubles at sea, with reports of "sea devils". The Doctor visits a nearly Naval base to investigate. After Jo arrives with proof of his ID, he is soon on the case of attacked oil rigs, and goes to investigate one. There, he and Jo see a Sea Devil, and radio for help. The Royal Navy send a helicopter to rescue them, but are sceptical of their story. Meanwhile, the Master uses his prison governor, Trenchard, to help him sneak into the Naval base, where he steals some equipment. The Doctor realises that the Master is using Trenchard, and summoning the Sea Devils. The Doctor goes in a diving bell to communicate with the undersea creatures, but is taken prisoner. The Master wants the Doctor's help, but the Sea Devils turn against him. The Doctor is forced to blow the Sea Devils up. The Master escapes in a hovercraft. |
| Review:- After the full-on Doctor v Master antics of the previous season, it made sense to scale down the number of appearances for the Master. Here he returns in the logical follow-on to The Daemons - he is in prison. But typically, he's on the case and plotting a breakout... Once again, he is helping a race whom the Doctor has already thwarted (albeit unintentionally in this case), almost as if the Master is deliberately getting at the Doctor, rather than trying to hassle Earth. Unlike their cousins' earlier appearance in Doctor Who and the Silurians, this time the Sea Devils don't come across nearly so well. As the Master dominates the early proceedings, and the 'monsters' come across as mere henchmen, rather than an example of a civilised species, any chance for compassion for these creatures is lost. Also, they seem not so believable in their grievance with mankind, and they don't even come across as thugs for hire. Sadly, in a considered attempt to redress the flaws of the earlier story, Malcolm Hulke instead throws away the baby with the bathwater. The Master loses something when the Sea Devils join in, too. Formerly a suave master-criminal, he becomes desperate, and in this, he makes silly mistakes which dampen the fire he shows earlier on. His daring escape at the finish seems to be just a tired and smug retread, rather than the action of a mastermind. Captain Hart makes a convenient Brigadier-substitute, and considering that this is the Navy's one big advert to compare with the Army getting in so much action, they equip themselves well, in what little they need to do (it's not as if they splat the Sea Devils, though, is it?) Governor Trenchard is our main guest character, bumbling fool, yet loyal patriot. It is arguably the Master's vilest crime here to manipulate him so shamelessly, although one could argue he deserves it. But his death does not reflect his life. Jo gets some scenes of derring-do, but is mainly just a spare person to stop the Doctor talking to himself. The Doctor gets quite a lot of stuff to do, which is fair enough. His compassion for his fellow Time Lord has spared him the death penalty, and he is sharp enough to home in on the news of sunken ships. He is sympathetic to the plight of the Sea Devils, even when they seem uninterested in being accommodating. It is his solution to destroy the undersea colony, however regretful, and it is sanguine to consider his later response "There should have been another way", after again causing mass slaughter of Sea Devils (and Silurians). Duped by the man to whom he offered mercy, ignored by the race to whom he offered help, it is a sad and tired Time Lord who can reflect after this that his struggle can often seem futile. On the whole, this is a straightforward action romp, with some interesting character issues, but a tendency to deteriorate into tiresome drivel as it progresses. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book, and seen the telly version. |