Doctor Who Re View The Dæmons

The Story

The final story of Series 8 is an all time classic and one of the best stories of any incarnation of the Doctor, classic or modern. The Dæmons was a Dennis Wheatley style supernatural story with the Doctor attempting to put in the ‘scientific’ explanations. According to the show’s ethos everything had to have a rational explanation, but never was the rational explanation so thin or so unimportant as it was in this story.

The village of Devil’s End is the site of an archaeological dig that promises to unearth something more spectacular than Sutton Hoo according to the archaeologist in charge of the dig, Professor Horner. However, local white witch Miss Hawthorne is sure that it will unleash the devil himself and tries to persuade him to stop it. Professor Horner refuses, sending the Doctor and Jo down to Devil’s End in a desperate attempt to stop the excavation which is due to occur on April 30 at midnight. However, it seems as though dark forces are conspiring against them as they find themselves lost after a freak wind sends them in the wrong direction. They arrive just as the tomb is being opened and it is instantly clear that things have taken a frightening turn.

This story sees the UNIT family bonding together in a way that make them the archetypal Doctor Who team. Every member of the team has their moment to shine and together they are superb. Roger Delgado has huge fun playing the new vicar, Mr Magister! His scenes in the cavern – the programme wasn’t allowed to call it a crypt in a nod to Christian sensibilities – stay very slightly the right side of parody most of the time, but that only serves to make the scarier scenes that much scarier.

The director doesn’t usually get a namecheck in reviews, but this was directed by the legendary Christopher Barry. Barry had directed 4 episodes of the original Dalek story, spoof serial The Romans, the Patrick Troughton classic The Power of the Daleks, sadly wiped by the BBC in their senseless purge, Robot which introduced Tom Baker and Brain of Morbius which rewrote the history of Doctor Who and which featured Barry himself very briefly. Every one of his stories were special, but even he thought that The Dæmons was the best of the lot.

Damaris Hayman was a character actor in the best meaning of that term. You could put her in a part, however small, and she would make something more of it than you expected. The Dæmons was the highlight of her film and TV career as she got not only the character of Miss Hawthorne to work with, but also found herself with the extra role of advisor in any occult matters. Initially envisaged as a dithery old lady by both script writers and director she point blank refused to play the part that way and she proved to be absolutely correct, something she took great delight in reminding Christopher Barry of whenever they met subsequently! Miss Hawthorne becomes the serious centre of the story and by making her a character of real strength she made that centrality far more realistic.

Azal, the last of the Dæmons, is played by radio and TV actor Stephen Thorne. Christopher Barry chose him because of his voice, knowing that he could give real weight to the character. This wasn’t his final part in Doctor Who as he would appear in Series 10 in another all-time classic, The Three Doctors, as renegade timelord Omega.

Favourite Moments

Well, where do I start? I could pick at least a dozen, but I will restrict myself to the three that really made an impact on me as an impressionable child and as a more cynical adult! The trouble is that a number of the scenes that I would love to include give away important plot points.

The first ceremony involving The Master could have come straight out of the Hammer films of the 50s, 60s and 70s. It is a masterpiece of increasing tension and fear. Definitely a scene to send you behind the sofa.

The first appearance of Bok, a gargoyle who acts as an advance guard for both The Master and Azal, is extremely well done. It could have been somewhat laughable, but Stanley Mason gave him a real malevolence and presence.

Finally, I would have to choose the finale from the battle with the forces of evil, including its iconic line for the Brigadier, its explosive denouement and most marvellously its character moments for each of the UNIT family. I won’t say any more because I would hate to spoil it for you.

Final Thoughts

The Dæmons was the story that made me fall in love with Doctor Who – well Katy Manning really! – and all these years later it is still a fantastic piece of television. If you want to show a modern Doctor Who fan, or a complete non-fan, how good classic Who can be there is no better programme than this. It is quite simply the best of the best.

Looking Ahead

I have a number of other classic Doctor Who stories in my DVD collection so watch this space!