Doctor Who Twitch Watch finale: Recommendations of the day 07/23

The Seventh Doctor takes Ace on a surprise trip to somewhere from her past…

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

So here we are. After almost two months and hundreds of episodes, the Twitch marathon of the Classic Series comes to an end. What can we recommend from these final three serials?

Well, it’s been quite a journey. Less than two months since this marathon started, we finally come to an end of Twitch’s Doctor Who marathon today. We hope many of you have enjoyed the marathon, particularly those of you who’ve never watched the Classic Series before.

We also hope that you’ve been enjoying the daily recommendations, or at the very least, found them useful in deciding which stories you should watch. I’ve certainly enjoyed writing them, that’s for sure.

For the final three serials of the Classic Series, we have a different kind of ghost story, a clash of Norse mythology and code breaking in World War Two, and the return of an old enemy, but one in a very unusual state. But which do we recommend watching the most?

Ghost Light

The last Doctor Who serial produced in the Classic Series, Ghost Light is a wonderfully atmospheric story by Marc Platt. The setting of the house in Victorian England is gorgeous, and everything else – from the costumes to the performances to the lighting – helps to add to that strong sense of atmosphere.

There’s a really intricate story in there too, and it can take multiple viewings to understand everything. There are a number of little details that relate to Ghost Light’s key themes, including evolution and a fear of change. So on first viewing, its plot can seem almost impenetrable, at times.

Fortunately, there’s certainly a great deal to enjoy on the first viewing. Aside from the rich atmosphere, the characters are great to watch.

But what really stands out the most are the depictions of the Seventh Doctor and Ace. We have the Doctor at his darkest yet, deliberately choosing to take his companion somewhere she never wanted to go back to. His speech on the things he fears is a wonderful moment to watch.

We also find out more about Ace’s past in this serial. Something that continues in the very next story…

The Seventh Doctor and Ace go back to World War 2, where they uncover an ancient evil…

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

The Curse of Fenric

It’s amazing just how much The Curse of Fenric includes in its story. From its World War Two setting, to its use of Norse mythology, to its rich themes of faith and belief, The Curse of Fenric includes so much across its four episodes. It also includes vampires, which is just awesome.

More from Winter is Coming

But seriously, what really makes The Curse of Fenric so brilliant to watch is how much it balances all of these key elements while also telling a strong Doctor Who story.

Once again, we get more instances of the Seventh Doctor acting secretive and not telling his companion everything. Not only does it backfire, but we also find out what exactly he’s been keeping from Ace the whole time.

There’s a particular scene from this story that really stands out. It’s not just shocking because of the revelations about Ace. It’s also because of how the Doctor acts. Perhaps more than any other story, The Curse of Fenric shows exactly how far the Seventh Doctor is prepared to go to win.

It’s also one of the key stories that sets up his direction in the expanded universe. First with the New Adventures novels, then more recently with Big Finish’s audios.

But more importantly, it’s just a fantastic serial to watch, and another strong reminder of how much better Doctor Who was finally getting when the BBC cancelled it.

The Master returns in the last ever serial of the Classic Series, Survival.

Survival

Out of all three stories today, Survival is the one that, ironically, shares the most in common with the New Series. Not only does it have a high focus on a very ordinary setting like Perivale. It also focuses on the people, with many of them feeling like people we’d actually know. Certainly, it seems to share the same feeling of domesticity that Russell T Davies’s era had.

It’s also a very strong story. Perhaps simpler in some ways than today’s other two stories, but that’s no bad thing.

One of my favorite things about Survival is its depiction of the Master. Anthony Ainley gives us arguably his greatest performance in the role. A big part of that is that for once, he’s not just written as some copy of Delgado’s character.

Instead, he’s put in a rather desperate situation, and he’s ready to use any means to get out of it. So we have a Master that feels more dangerous than in other Eighties stories. The confrontation between him and the Doctor at the end is incredibly satisfying to watch.

As the story ends, we feel sad that Doctor Who reached its ending here. Not just because of the beautiful speech that Seven gives. But also, because they cancelled it just when it was starting to find its feet again. After years of being uncertain of its direction, years of very uneven stories, it was finally starting to be great again during McCoy’s era. It really is a shame that it ended when it did.

Overall recommendation of the day: The Curse of Fenric

All three stories are brilliant today, but I had to go with The Curse of Fenric as my top choice. It’s full of great characters, the story has so many different elements, and it’s a wonderful exploration of faith. It also features the Seventh Doctor and Ace at their very best.

Of course, if you can, I’d recommend all three stories today. They’re all incredibly enjoyable. But if there was just one story you had to watch on the final day of the Twitch marathon, then make it The Curse of Fenric. You won’t regret it.

Next: Multiple episode stories – when and why they work

Have you enjoyed the Twitch marathon? Are you sad that it’s over after today? Which were your favorite stories from the marathon? Let us know in the comments below.

Home/Doctor Who