DWM12: The Revenants, Episode 2: The Wissfornjarl

As mentioned last time, this review is spoilery. It's not quite as bad as I expected, but I'd still postpone reading until you've listened to it if you're at all spoilerphobic.

The first thing to say about this episode, straight away, is that it definitely doesn't match the quality of the first. Not that it's bad - it's no worse than episodes of The Mists of Time or Freakshow, the previous two free Companion Chronicles - but it does bring the story's overall rating down from "something special" to merely "very good".

So, what's the problem? To start with, it gets very talky. There are long discussions of what happened to the Doctor, why Iananbarbara were abandoned, and how ancient superstitions make logical sense in the circumstances. All are interesting, with well-written dialogue; but they overwhelm the plot. You can tell good stories that are all talk, but that wasn't how this one appeared to be going at the end of Episode One. The balance feels off and there are times when the tension drains away.

Secondly, Janet virtually disappears from the action. When she's bustling about in the kitchen it makes sense, but she's far too reticent when she returns - I didn't see her as the shy, retiring type last time! It also seems a waste of Sharon Small to give her as little to do as this. In fact, she didn't have a huge amount to say last episode either, after the opening scenes; but I didn't notice it as Jeannie's presence was felt more, even if it was sometimes expressed as pauses in Ian's narrative as he received an implied "look" from the younger Orkney Islander.

Still, there is also a lot to like about the episode. As mentioned the content of the discussions is good, and very much in keeping with the early Hartnell stories; it's only the quantity I have any problem with. The resolution of the "cottage under siege" plotline was unexpected, and gave Janet a powerful and appropriate moment in the spotlight. It's hard to pull that off without sidelining the regulars, but Ian Potter manages it well.

Visually, it continues to be very strong. And actually, this story feels like a perfect blend of old and new: much of it could have been made for television in 1964, but the marsh-wains are virtually tailor-made for CGI.

And then we have the closing part of the framing sequence, which ties everything up very nicely and adds some of the extra information that makes re-listening so worthwhile. In the middle of this, there's a moment when Ian explains about how he had to come back to Orkney, and I realised the implication: that Barbara was no longer with him. Because otherwise she would have had to come back too. It reminded me that Jacqueline Hill, too, is no longer with us: a huge loss for her family and friends, of course, but also (and much less importantly) for Big Finish listeners, because we will never get a Russell/Hill two-handed Companion Chronicle.

There's a bit more to say, but I'll save it for next time.

Rating:
6/10.

Next Time:
The Revenants as a whole.