Review of Complete Serial:
THE FACE OF EVIL is a four-part Tom Baker DOCTOR WHO adventure notable for introducing Baker's brief companion Leela, played by Louise Jameson. The story begins when Baker lands on an alien planet occupied by caveman-style tribes who live in fear of the return of an evil god destined to bring destruction to their world. However, there's a surprise in store...
There's no faulting the ambition of this production, which attempts to bring to life an alien civilisation in a way that is fairly well realised. The tribal stuff is quite a bit of fun, although campy (and the guy wearing a glove on his head has to be seen to be believed!), and the limited special effects work quite well. I particularly enjoyed the Mount Rushmore-style ending of the first episode which is a lovely hook, and those studio jungles never get tired.
A shame, then, that the script is so predictable and even a little tired by this stage. The old 'Doctor infiltrates an alien race and helps them to overcome evil' is played out with almost exactly the same plot ingredients as previous adventures and the whole warring tribe stuff is a bit pitiful. The latter two episodes move to the usual corridor type settings and are a bit more fun, and it's nice to have TV regular Leslie Schofield on board. But Jameson is a little awkward in her debut appearance and Baker seems merely to be going through the motions, leaving this a lesser story from his tenure.
THE FACE OF EVIL is a four-part Tom Baker DOCTOR WHO adventure notable for introducing Baker's brief companion Leela, played by Louise Jameson. The story begins when Baker lands on an alien planet occupied by caveman-style tribes who live in fear of the return of an evil god destined to bring destruction to their world. However, there's a surprise in store...
There's no faulting the ambition of this production, which attempts to bring to life an alien civilisation in a way that is fairly well realised. The tribal stuff is quite a bit of fun, although campy (and the guy wearing a glove on his head has to be seen to be believed!), and the limited special effects work quite well. I particularly enjoyed the Mount Rushmore-style ending of the first episode which is a lovely hook, and those studio jungles never get tired.
A shame, then, that the script is so predictable and even a little tired by this stage. The old 'Doctor infiltrates an alien race and helps them to overcome evil' is played out with almost exactly the same plot ingredients as previous adventures and the whole warring tribe stuff is a bit pitiful. The latter two episodes move to the usual corridor type settings and are a bit more fun, and it's nice to have TV regular Leslie Schofield on board. But Jameson is a little awkward in her debut appearance and Baker seems merely to be going through the motions, leaving this a lesser story from his tenure.