The Web of Fear [4.4]

The TARDIS is grabbed by a sort of cosmic cobweb, and attempting to break free, the Doctor hurtles everybody to the centre of the web: sixties London. The city is deserted, with a strange fungal plague spreading through the underground and the military doing battle with some familiar furry robots. The Yeti have returned with a vengeance!

Teaming up with Colonel Lethbridge Stewart and the (now elderly) Professor Travers, the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria do battle with these creatures for control of London. But with the Great Intelligence controlling events from afar, who is an ally and who is a pawn in the hands of the enemy?

The Majesty

There's lots to love about this story: the Yeti are back; we return to contemporary London (always a high point for me) and the ideas of the fungus, the deserted city and the unseen menace of the foe produces a delightfully creepy, unsettling atmosphere. Even right up to the end, there are at least four good options for traitors, and the final reveal is a genuine surprise. Best of all, for the first time we meet Lethbridge-Stewart: one of my favourite recurring characters in the whole series.

The Misery

This story has the unfortunate status of being a sequel to an inferior story. It requires the viewer to have seen and remembered key elements of the setup from “The Abominable Snowmen”, if they are to fully appreciate it.

Also, after the steady build of the setup, the climax is a little rushed and abrupt. With the Great Intelligence left hanging as such a marvellous villain, full of potential, it's a bit of an anti-climax to realise we will never meet it again until a reboot decades afterwards.

Magical Moments

• Travers gets a great introductory scene in a museum arguing with the curator - “Stupid old Goat!” The lighting and set design is charmingly Hammer Horror and sets the tone beautifully for what's to come up.
• Later, confronted by the persistent reporter Chorley, Travers comes close to breaking the fourth wall: “Television? Never watch it!”
• One of the soldiers lazily tries a sexist chat-up line on Anne Travers: “What's a girl like you doing in a job like this?” Her reply sizzles: “When I was a little girl I thought I'd become a scientist. So I became a scientist.”
• Evans (the Jar-Jar Binks of the outfit) is horrified at having to sacrifice his tobacco tin for the good of the mission. “I'll be wanting that back!”
• In one of the creepiest moments of the film, two soldiers decide to brave it, and walk into a strange patch of mist. They tie ropes round themselves, leaving the other end with their comrade, under orders to pull them out if anything goes wrong. They step out into the mist and disappear. After a moments silence, their comrade panics. He pulls the ropes and their bodies slide back out, dead and covered in cobwebs.

In Summary

Along with “The Invasion”, ”The Web of Fear” is a pivotal story in Dr Who, as it sets up the format for most of the seventies. It's also a thundering good tale, with engaging characters, a sinister threat, some great set-pieces and memorable concepts (Yeti in the underground). There's been a bit of a gap between me watching it and me writing this review, but as I remember, it was lots of fun.

Overall: 4.4