Episode 54 (M1): The Slave Traders

Let's forget about Byzantium! and Roman Cutaway for a moment, and cast our minds back to 1965. Thirteen million people have been waiting for the resolution of the cliffhanger with the TARDIS falling down the cliff, and this time it gets to #7 in the charts. They play the recap, and fade to Ian lying on his back with his eyes closed, presumably unconscious. Nothing happens for a moment, then he lifts a bunch of grapes to his mouth and starts scoffing them down.

This is so cheeky! The way that they basically ignore the cliffhanger (except for the comment that they've still got to get the ship right-way-up) is something completely new - as is the fact that the crew are all relaxed and happy. The fake luxury of the city of Morphoton springs to mind, but the way this is shot seems to indicate that it's genuine this time. There is no peril. As an audience we know that this is not going to last, but the fact that it has happened at all is significant.

Being shot in Riverside Studios means that sets can be spread out more than they were in the previous historical, and this is used to good effect. The villa is great - you get the feeling that it goes on and on - but even the outside scenes are handled well. When we first turn our attention to Vicki and Barbara, for instance, having the camera draw away down the road is a neat trick to make the space seem bigger than it actually is. There is also some well-planned cutting between camera shots in the undergrowth beside the road, which adds dynamism to an otherwise dull location.

There are a lot of outdoor scenes, actually. The marketplace is lush, with it's patterned floor and working drinking fountain; the slave traders' camp is small, but the attention is drawn away from that by the focus on people. In particular the lighting is brilliant in the bit where Iananbarbara have been captured.

But I'm getting a little ahead of myself in the plot, here, because I do want to mention the later villa scenes. The meeting where the Doctor declares that he is going to Rome is lovely, re-emphasising that he is now much more of a grumpy-but-lovable granddad figure than he ever was when travelling with Susan. Together with the market sequence it also shows us Vicki's enthusiasm and naïvety.

Things get a bit darker with the later road scenes, but we then have the wonderful byplay between Iananbarbara when they are alone in the villa. They are so comfortable together, and it's interesting to see Ian getting a bit drunk. The fridge joke works well, and Barbara knocking Ian out is funny too - though it does make her seem a bit useless.

Throughout the episode the costumes are great, and all the actors play it with conviction. The slide from happy holiday feeling to desperate peril is paced really well. There's something missing, though, which means it was good but not one of the best. Perhaps I just like a bit more adventure!

Behind the Scenes, part 3: Handovers
Because Verity Lambert was a new producer and unusually young for the role, it had been felt that she might need a guiding hand; so Mervyn Pinfield had become Associate Producer (Barry Letts was to take on a similar role in 1980 as Executive Producer for the young John Nathan-Turner). Pinfield ceased to have any real input once the first recording block was over, and on January 11th it was announced that he would be leaving at the end of The Romans.

The same day, the second recording block for the program was extended from 26 to 35 episodes (with five to be held over to open the third season); and there would definitely be a third block. Dennis Spooner's time as script editor was not extended, however.

Speaking of Spooner, just as David Whitaker was officially commissioned to write The Rescue after he had left the BBC, Spooner's commission for this story was made before he took over as script editor. This avoided a similar hassle to the one brewed up when Whitaker had to write serial C while still employed in that capacity.

Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 16th January 1965
Viewers: 13.0 million
Chart Position: 7
Appreciation Index: 53

Rating:
6/10.

Next Time:
All Roads Lead to Rome.