The Fifth Doctor and Peri find themselves caught up in the violent politics of ancient Egypt. What is the secret of the strange box?
The Fifth Doctor and Peri find themselves caught up in the violent politics of ancient Egypt. What is the secret of the strange box?
THE EYE OF THE SCORPION
After exploring new territory with Project: Twilight, Big Finish turned to Peter Davison’s Doctor with the same idea as that used with Colin Baker: the introduction of a new companion. Recognizing the opportunity to introduce a new dynamic, this companion was introduced to the Doctor/Peri pairing, further extending Season 21 — but before that could take root, the introductory story needed to be told.
New-to-Who author Iain McLaughin’s script surprisingly gives performed Doctor Who its first full-length trip to ancient Egypt. Given the popularity of Egyptian-themed stories, it’s surprising that it took this long for Doctor Who to make it back to the age of the pyramids (The Daleks’ Masterplan notwithstanding), but the eventual result is impressive. McLaughlin presents authentic-sounding period detail (though I can’t speak to its true realism) while combining alien elements in the “pseudohistorical” tradition.
Unfortunately, these alien elements come across much less convincingly than do the historical elements. It seems as though, with a little tweaking, the plot could have remained purely historical; the alien influence sounds like a forced replacement for a more natural tale of ambition and rebellion. The worst offender in this regard is the climax, one of those tedious mind battles that involves the Doctor and the villain groaning at each other for three minutes. This is not a major flaw, however, as the plot is well-constructed and the characterization is strong.
Peter Davison’s performance is commanding. The Doctor takes a very active role in proceedings, engaging in frequent action sequences and debating political intrigue at the highest level of society. Davison responds in kind, giving one of his strongest performances yet — a feat made all the more amazing by his absence from the second episode. McLaughlin writes the character very well — of course, this is nothing like the Doctor of S21, but that’s a constant issue with this period of BF productions.
It is obvious, though, that McLaughlin has paid attention to Peri’s development, as this is very much a character that has just joined the TARDIS. Nicola Bryant’s performance is very bright-eyed and enthusiastic — it’s noticeable at the start of the play but by the conclusion it’s offering a refreshing change from her relationship with the sixth Doctor. There’s also a distinct lack of whining — the author clearly understands the strengths of his regular characters.
This is the first story for new companion Erimem, and Caroline Morris turns in an excellent first performance. Erimem is, of course, unfamiliar with any concepts past those known to ancient Egypt, yet she is a very strong judge of character. Much like a modern variation of Leela, she bonds well with the Doctor — but her strongest friendship forms immediately with Peri. This is a legitimately strong female character that doesn’t resort to stereotype: she is capable of ruling an empire or sharing a joke and she is a pleasure to hear. The script also implies she will die at the conclusion, making her presence aboard the TARDIS a nice surprise.
As for the supporting cast, the performances are universally strong. Though some of the acting is a bit over the top, the political intrigue is intentionally melodramatic — a technique which is then undercut by the Doctor’s response. Stephen Perring, for example, seemed to be overacting but ultimately I understood the decisions involved. Harry Myers plays Yanis in much the same way.
The production is solid as always, David Darlington’s work painting a fascinating picture of ancient Egypt. Admittedly (and in Darlington’s own words), it is impossible to know what thousands of swarming scorpions sound like, but he certainly does a convincing job. The music is also captivating, giving a unique sound to proceedings while remaining nicely understated. Gary Russell’s direction is of course strong, the play being kept to a good pace. The chariot battle at the beginning demonstrates the excellence of the production — perhaps the dialogue is a bit clunky but the effects sound perfect.
As a vehicle to introduce a new companion, The Eye of the Scorpion is excellent, but many will forget the redeeming factors that make this play stand up on its own. It’s not without its flaws but it’s the second very strong release for Peter Davison, who finally gets a great production or two after 24 releases.
8/10