The Daemons

When watching an old Doctor Who story there is a tendency to have one's opinions attached to the weight of fan lore. Hence people think that The Web Planet and The Gunfighters are awful and they're not. I used to let fan lore influence my opinions before I saw the stories and then I realized fan lore is just a polite way of setting opinion in stone. Or a story gets called a 'Classic' and you feel you must be wrong when you don't enjoy it.

The Daemons is one of those 'classics'.

It's well-liked by those that made it - cast and crew. It's had a video made about it - The Return to Devil's End so it had a reputation for being one of the highlights of not just the Pertwee years but of Doctor Who in general. Although in the early-90s when I first got involved in fandom it - and the whole Pertwee era - was getting a bit of a kicking from some fans - Paul Cornell famously.

So I was a little cynical. I expected to find it a bit disappointing in re-watching like I did Tomb of the Cybermen but I didn't. I really enjoyed it. Perhaps it helps that the previous story was so dull but this was a joy to watch.

All the regulars are here and on top form.

The Master looks damn good both as a vicar and as a black magic occultist bent on sacrificing Jo Grant at the story's end.

You would think by now, knowing the Doctor is exiled to Earth, that the Master might avoid the place for a while. Skulk quietly in a corner of the Universe somewhere where he can get on with being evil to his heart's content but no. Instead, he's trying to carry out his plan in an English country village where a live television archaeological dig (BBC3's answer to Time Team) is taking place whilst the Doctor is lurking a few miles down the road.

As I pointed out a couple of blogs ago with plans like these it is no wonder the Master zips through his regenerations.

It just confirms my theory that neither the Doctor or the Master is playing seriously. It is like the Master has agreed to help make the Doctor's exile less dull by taking him on at a game of 'Stop Me Before I Destroy The World'.

The Doctor is quick to pick up on the danger of opening the Devil's Hump but we never quite know why or how the Doctor knows so much about Azal or his plans. His explanation of the back story seems curiously well-informed.

There's a lovely guest performance from Damaris Hayman as a white witch and apparent Joyce Grenfell impersonator Miss Hawthorne. She gets a lovely early scene confronting the Master (disguised as a priest Mr. Magister.*) and she gets one of my favourite lines in the episode after he tries & fails to hypnotize her: "Why should I believe you. A rational existentialist Priest indeed!"

The UNIT crew is all good in this too and the attack on the Church suitably impressive even if Bok is less so. UNIT looks like it is more than three blokes and a jeep in this. Everyone seems to have proper military haircuts at this point still, although I'm sure they're probably far too long for actual soldiers of the time.

Jo is lovely, ditzy and silly. Her attempted self-sacrifice to save the Doctor at the end is brave and allows our heroes to win even though IT MAKES ALMOST NO SENSE.

However, I think it is forgivable in this case because The Daemons is fun

With its English country village setting that hides many secrets: the Post Office Manager is nicking money; the Grocer pads out his bills, etc (not to mention there being a Black Magic Coven in the Church cavern) it's almost a classic British horror setting and would fit pretty well into modern Doctor Who.

O and the scene at the end which ends with the Brigadier line: 'I'd rather have a pint' line is a nice little moment.


*Don't get me started on the Master's penchant for taking names whilst 'undercover' that are either foreign translations of the word 'Master' or anagrams.)