The Ark

Season 3 is a bit of a shambles really, but then going as it did through three producers that’s only to be expected. Consequently much of the stories are sub-par, although it does contain its share of greats. The Ark, however, is one of the only complete stories that survive this fragmented period. People criticise this and justly, although calling it too much like Star Trek is a bit unfair seeing as it predates that show (although an anagram of its name is “ah, Trek”), but when you consider what it lost it does give rise to the whole What Were They Thinking question. That said, it’s by no means a lazy episode and gets full marks for effort.

The Ark has a big advantage of having Barry Newbery as a designer and he delivers some outstanding sets and special effects, creating an extremely impressive looking episode. The jungle set is outstanding, looking absolutely perfect (even though black and white does mask imperfections), and the inclusion of a live elephant is the icing on the cake. The story’s major icebergs though are the Monoids, probably the worst monsters of the decade; they could be reasonable (not great, but perhaps not so heavily criticised) were it not for comparatively minor details such as their hippy-wigs and the fact that the actors’ legs are held together so that they walk like they all have haemorrhoids. I noticed that there were no Monoids aboard Platform One, as The End Of The World takes place at exactly the same time as this; the production team of the new series have decided wisely which elements are best left in their own eras. 

The story still has an ace card, though, and that’s Tristram Cary’s superb score, which shows how good electronic music could be back in the 1960s. I know the score dates back to The Daleks, and was far more appropriate to the tone of that story, but even so I lap up every opportunity I can get to hear it.

The elephant, toucan, lizard…they’re all great; it’s only the Dodo that annoys. I’ll not mince words: Jackie Lane is absolutely pathetic, and she drags the episode to floor level from the moment she steps out of the TARDIS with her stage-sneezes and her cold symptoms that get switched off when they’re not needed by the story. In fact she’s so bad that even Peter Purves, normally very good, seems uncomfortable – when she trills “Earth? Earth?” at him in that annoying voice I just want to strangle her. She did improve slightly in her short period as a companion, but here she is abominable. Hartnell soon arrives though and he well and truly sorts them out, as good an actor in his third season as he ever was, despite his increasing sickness. The “indoor nature park” is so obvious and takes so long to set up that it really dates the story to a time when the audience was patronised by some writers (they still get patronised now if I’m honest, but not in the same way).

Is it me, or does that crewman who gets miniaturised seem like the Arnold Rimmer type? The special effect of his punishment is good if a little silly, and there are some more fantastic (and huge) sets on display. 

The writing in this episode is good, and the dialogue is never boring to listen to. Characterisation is a major problem though with people being portrayed in very obvious terms: so it is that Zentos and Controller play an exaggerated version of Good Cop Bad Cop when the regulars are brought to them. While as I said it’s worth watching to an extent, this story never rises above the level of Moral Lesson For The Kiddies territory. Dodo spells out the concept of Noah’s Ark when it would be better to let it speak for itself - however, while morals and supposed subtexts are a hallmark of John Wiles’s time as a producer, subtlety is not as far as it is possible to tell from his suddenly-curtailed tenure. This story, of the four he helmed the one where he had the most influence, seems typical of his attitude: while it attempts to be meaningful it displays its philosophies at surface level so that what was intended to be deep comes out extremely shallow. It is a shame, as the first episode is generally quite good concerning itself as it does with introductions.

The fever strikes very suddenly; it could have done with more of a set up. The scene where the Controller is struck down is also the first lapse in Jackie Lane’s accent; in a better character that might mean something to me. Zentos transforms into a word-twisting fool; it is a clichй, but he is appropriately dislikeable.

It is episode two where the flawed execution of this story starts to let it down. The excuse that data on the common cold was lost centuries previously is ironic in the light of the missing episodes problem; it’s a shame that there weren’t any missing episodes at this point as otherwise this would be the closest this comes to a subtext. 

Eric Elliot as the Commander is a real ham, sending his dying-man characterisation into orbit, and Steven’s moralising to Zentos (not the last time we’ll have morals given to us on a plate) annoys; the Controller is even used to provide a commentary about it. However, although I’m not sure it was intentional, the fact that Zentos only really starts to care when a human dies undermines the idea of racial utopia very effectively, foreshadowing future events.

Despite some good moments (such as the cliffhanger) Michael Imison’s direction is also lacking, and his penchant for setting up some kind of explanation (“now listen carefully…”) and then cutting does seem very corny and B-movie like, although the worst moment is not now but in the second half when the Monoids go into a huddle.

The destruction of Earth looks wonderful though, as this story boasts some brilliant special effects. It’s the cliffhanger that steals the show though, slow and sombre, making Cary’s music actually fit for once. The double-plot idea stretches credulity, as it is hard to believe that the TARDIS would spontaneously rematerialise at the exact end of the journey (although it’s no worse than the randomiser taking it to Skaro thirteen years later). While it doesn’t quite work its concept is very good and original though, making it even more of a shame that this story isn’t a success; it really could be.

The scanner effect is good, and I’ll contradict myself and say that there is some good direction that gradually reveals the reversal of fortunes between humans and Monoids. Their voices are slightly daft but nowhere near as bad as they are sometimes made out to be; the Monoids certainly sound better than they look.

The third episode of a story is notorious for being dull, but I’ve never had any real problems with them myself. That said, there is a gigantic exposition scene here that gets by only through assured dialogue. The pill being dropped into the water is another superb effect, although why it suddenly transforms into a bowl of peeled new potatoes is beyond me. The spacecraft effects are similarly good, this being an example of how the black and white years can surprise. I’m perfectly prepared to overlook the visible wires and the fact that the statue falls downwards at the end. Refusis II is a well-realised alien planet, not looking too much like a set. A Monoid trips over coming down some steps, but Cary’s score stretches out into its full majesty. The Refusians sound good and their invisibility is well done, although the explanation of a solar flare being responsible for their condition is stupid and lazy – and lazy is a criticism I’ve tried to avoid for this story. The cliffhanger is a bit strange, with Hartnell not making the prospect of being marooned seem very dramatic.

By episode four I’m getting tired of all this, and I’m even going to criticise the visuals by pointing out the painted backdrop in the Ark that can be seen waving about. The search for the bomb could be dramatic if its location hadn’t already been revealed to the audience, and similarly the Monoids wondering who is flying the shuttle is dwelled on pointlessly. There is lots of eavesdropping in this episode, which drives the plot. With every criticism, I lament the promising idea and introduction yet further.

The insurrection among the Monoids is well written but with such poor monsters it’s hard to care about them really. Their battle scenes are pathetic, as they hobble around with their fastened legs shining lights at each other; they’re so pathetic that I feel sorry for them when they die. Maharis is equally irritating, reminding me of Weyland Smithers. 

And so on, so forth – the bomb is found and explodes harmlessly (another decent effect), and the moral is finally and unsurprisingly hammered home. All that follows is a poorly-done lead-in to The Celestial Toymaker, with Dodo and Steven (in absurd costumes) taking ages to notice the Doctor is fading away. In fact, even the Doctor takes his time to realise it.

I feel bad for criticising this story; if it had a facial expression it would be looking at me with puppy-dog eyes, willing me to like it. Sadly, that’s just not going to happen as it is so unsophisticaley made when it should have been so much better. That said, it will always be remembered as a story that tries its very best. There are worse things to be remembered as.