REVIEW: Doctor Who: 'The Mind Robber' by Peter Ling and Derrick Sherwin

The Mind Robber is one of 1960's Doctor Who's supreme triumphs.

The origin of the story is well known by now, and it is another outstanding example of why the classic series worked so well with a shoestring budget. In the best traditions of the series, it uses its limited facilities to create something boundless. 

The first episode is dazzling and terrifying. The crew's disquiet about where they are and what they are about to encounter really shines through to the viewer. Patrick Troughton, in particular, shows the severe gravity of the situation. The Doctor is twitchy and scared, whilst Jamie and Zoe are delightfully naive. The lack of incidental music really helps the unease, as does the white void and the mysterious voices. As the Doctor puts it, "it's only the unknown that worries me" and we completely believe him. Zoe's bloodcurdling scream as we see the two companions dressed in white, beckoning the Doctor outside, is creepy and unnerving. And the cliffhanger, which builds slowly and then speeds up as the tension is ratcheted up, is brilliant. I can imagine children staying behind the sofa after the transmission of the first episode in 1968.

That this entire first episode was a late addition is a revelation, as it actually works better than the following four. That said, the other episodes are still exceptional, creating worlds and characters with such an ease, it's easy to feel as though you're watching the works of Lewis Carroll. The atmosphere is whimsical with a slight touch of menace, and these episodes touch on fantasy more strongly than the horror present in the first episode. The temporary substitution of Frazer Hines with Hamish Wilson works particularly well, another example of how imaginative and peerless the series could be when faced with difficult obstacles. Wilson gets Jamie's mannerisms and attitude perfectly pitched.

Once in the Land of Fiction, the mystery is slowly unravelled through a series of excellent set pieces. All of the TARDIS crew are excellent in this story. Jamie is loyal and lovable, ready to defend his companions to the death. Zoe is headstrong and forward thinking, and her frustration as she tries to make sense of a bizarre situation is entertaining to watch. The Doctor is defiant yet patient, willing to sit it out until the enemy shows himself, but also extremely irritated at the childish games he's being forced to play. It's a masterful piece of acting from Troughton, who is at the top of his game as the Doctor.

A remarkable feature of The Mind Robber is how it is able to create fictional characters in the context of the story and make them so entertaining. Bernard Horsfall as Gulliver is first rate, with a genuine presence that befits the original character. He is at once likeable whilst also quite disposable, as none of his actions can influence the events around him. The way that Peter Ling works Gulliver's dialogue into the story is extremely clever. The strange and sudden appearance of characters to help with the Doctor's quest is a witty idea to thrust the story forward, particularly the appearance of the puzzles: "Jamie is safe and well", sheer brilliance. 

Rapunzel is also absolutely delightful, and the moment when Jamie climbs through her window only for her to vanish is at once quite amusing whilst also disquietingly scary. "The Master" writing the Doctor and Zoe's future actions is inspired, and the game steps up a gear when the Doctor exercises his free will. The Karkus, similarly, is really supposed to be a joke that for all the brilliant fictional characters that exist, some terrible ones do as well. One of the most wonderful surprises is that the villain is really, for all intents and purposes, a captured Frank Richards! It's a terrific blurring of fact and fiction. To end episode four with the terrifying notion of Jamie and Zoe being crushed in a book is admirable, particularly if one takes into account the literal and theoretical interpretations. 

It's been said before that the realisation of the Land of Fiction doesn't work too well. For the most part, I disagree. The world is so wonderfully diverse in setting and styles, usually making something simplistic look sublime. The only thing that doesn't quite work is the Forest of Words, which doesn't quite match up with the overview shot. The clockwork robots are at once fairly iconic and also extremely effective. Everything from cobwebs, to doors, to caves, to redcoats, to forests and castles are all very good. 

The finale has also been criticised for its abruptness, which in reality works in keeping with the events preceding it by having little explanation. I must mention the theory that this entire story was a dream of Jamie's. Judging by the beginning of The Invasion, this seems very possible, but not definite. 

The Mind Robber is sheer magnificence from a time when Doctor Who was struggling to make an episode a week. That it succeeds so well is a remarkable achievement. 

Buy from the BBC Shop:

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