The Ambassadors of Death [3.8]

Something is wrong in Outer Space. Above the earth, a trio of astronauts have lost communication with base, and ground control sends up a rescue rocket to investigate. As the Doctor watches developments on the television, a terrible grating sound comes across the speakers. He is the only one to recognise what it is – an alien message to the people of Earth.

The return of the astronauts only makes things more complicated, as they are immediately abducted by nefarious persons unknown. Where are they now? Have they become radioactive? Were they really the astronauts at all? What is their plan? As the Doctor attempts to investigate, mad General Carrington urges the human race on to interplanetary war.

The Majesty

“Ambassadors” benefits from a pretty complicated plot, which sustains the mystery, and leaves us continually guessing as to what is going on. The story also benefits from a good villain – once again the true baddies are the humans, and the aliens are the victims. General Carrington has a good backstory, a good motive and a largely comprehensible plan, and his number 2 – Reegan – comes with his own agenda also.

The Misery

The alien race themselves are nothing special. We only ever see them on a screen and they look like people wrapped in fairy lights. They certainly don't have any easily-recognisable design features that would make them a returning race.

Despite being so long, it feels like the second half of this story is missing. There would have been a lot of potential for a few plot points where Carrington has been revealed as the villain and his plan has (sort of) worked and the conflict is in trying to stop him. As it is, he is stopped before he even has a chance to propose his plans properly.

This is also a disappointing note for myself, but I seem to have accidentally watched an abridged version of this story: only four episodes long. I don't know where it came from or how I got it, but it got me very confused when I came to episode 5 and it was all over! I guess the very fact that the story can be told in four episodes without appearing significantly curtailed is an indication of some serious padding throughout!

Magical Moments

(with the disclaimer that there are the only magical moments I viewed: apparently the other 40% of the show remains unwatched!)

• Nice to see the TARDIS console again, even if it is in the middle of a living room.
• The self-destruct device on Carrington's transmitter is very cute
• Professor Taltalian's magnificent French/Italian accent brings joy to his every scene.
• It's delightfully creepy when the astronauts seem to be replying to the Doctor from inside the space capsule, but only ever say one phrase over and over and over again. It's a shame it just turned out to be a tape recorder: it had the makings of something much more sinister. The idea was used 'properly', shall I say, in the David Tennant story “Silence in the Library”
• Liz gets the chance for a proper action sequence: a car chase in Bessie which ends up in her making a truly death-defying stunt and somersaulting over a reservoir dam.
• Reegan is very suave: “How are our zombie friends?”
• Liz is also at her most superior, even when she is captured and held at gunpoint. “Don't try anything,” growls the thug. “Don't worry,” she smiles sweetly. “I won't hurt you”
• Under arrest, walking to his cell, the Brigadier calmly knocks out his two jailors and makes a run for it
• With all their cars compromised, the Brigadier and his entire army cram themselves into Bessie, with their guns sticking out of every conceivable space.
• Even to the end, General Carrington is both unrepentant and desperate for approval: “I had to do what I did. It was my moral duty. You do understand, don't you.” What else can the Doctor say but “Yes General, I understand.” It's a strangely poignant moment right in the thick of the climax.

In Summary

“The Ambassadors of Death” is the weakest of a very strong series and probably gets judged a little harshly as a result. It's a very enjoyable story with good characters, a good concept and a good plot. It is, however, a bit studio bound, and all the confusion that I had with the abridged episodes means I can't be entirely objective. So all in all – it's good, I guess, but it's more confusing to me that good at this point, because I missed out half the story without noticing... and that surely can't be good.