Now that Series 6 of Doctor Who has ended, and with the touching tribute to the late, great Nicholas Courtney in the series finale "The Wedding of River Song", the time is right to continue my combined tribute to Courtney and Doctor Who icon Elisabeth Sladen, who both passed away earlier this year. The tribute finds itself at 1972's The Sea Devils, a story which features neither Courtney nor Sladen, but sees the return of Roger Delgado as the Master and the introduction of recurring monsters, the Sea Devils.
Under The Sea
Checking up on the Master, captured at the conclusion of The Dæmons, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo Grant (Katy Manning) find him a well-behaved inmate of his island prison, governed by Col. Trenchard (Clive Morton). While all seems well, there are disquieting reports of ships being lost at sea, much to the worry of Capt. John Hart (Edwin Richfield) of the nearby naval base. Investigating a sea fort, the Doctor and Jo encounter a Sea Devil, the aquatic relative of the Silurians. As the Doctor works to assure the Sea Devils that the human race means them no harm, the Master escapes his confinement and puts his own plan into motion, one that will bring the Sea Devils and the humans to warfare over the fate of planet Earth.
A Few Good Men
For all the talk of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce in this serial, it's strange that there's no actual UNIT presence, but it does allow the new characters to shine. Edwin Richfield as Hart and Clive Morton as Trenchard do just that, Hart an initially bewildered, but ultimately steadfast supporter of the Doctor; and Trenchard a gullible, good-hearted old man manipulated by the Master into deceit and death.
...and One Very Lousy One
Less impressive is Martin Boddey as Parliamentary Private Secretary Walker, a man who callously orders nuclear strikes and asks for toast and tea in the same breath, and timidly suggests not fighting the Sea Devils when they've overrun the naval base. With no redeeming qualities whatsoever, Walker exists purely to embody the worst in the human race - gluttonous, bloodthirsty, uncaring and cowardly - and comes across as a caricature instead of a character.
The Children of Gallifrey
While the Sea Devil angle is the usual alien invasion story, the serial once again highlights the tight chemistry between the Doctor and the Master. Six serials in, though, it's clear that his character was still a work in progress. Jo seems almost pleased to see him in Episode 1, and despite all precedents, the Master still trusts the Doctor with dangerous and powerful equipment - twice.
Verdict: Guilty
Despite the strong performances of Richfield and Morton (with even Jo Grant being upgraded from idiot status), The Sea Devils still lags. It's hard to fully appreciate the gravity of nuclear assaults when Walker calls for them so flippantly, and despite the strong moral element - with the Doctor himself bringing about the Sea Devils' destruction - the Sea Devils look so ridiculous, with their over-sized fish-heads and flimsy nightgown-like costumes, that it's almost impossible to work up strong feelings one way or another.
I know this was Doctor Who in the 1970s, and maybe I've been spoiled; but with Walker condemning a submarine crew to death one minute & physically impeding Hart from implementing an escape plan the next, to the Master consistently believing the Doctor will not oppose him, only the Doctor seems to know what he's doing.
Fish Custard
Ultimately, we're left with only a scrap of redeeming elements from The Sea Devils: the Doctor and the Master fencing through the prison, and the Doctor's newly jerry-rigged radio blowing up when he was feeling very pleased with himself.
Sounds like this serial.
3.5/5.0: Strong in only certain places, The Sea Devils disappoints with some pedestrian storytelling and characterization.
Michael Perera - The only rule in writing is honesty. If you're honest, the words will write themselves.
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