The Enemy Of the World: Doctor Who: Season 5



SYNOPSIS

DETAILS

CAST & CREW

REVIEWS





Goldby


Grob


The Enemy Of the World SYNOPSIS:

Landing on future Earth the Doctor narrowly survives an assassination attempt. It turns out he is the exact physical double for the current megalomaniac dictator of this time - Salamander. Giles Kent, his sternest opponent enlists the Doctor's aide in bringing down the dictator.

Jamie and Victoria are sent with Kent assistant Astrid to gather evidence on Salamander and recruit Kent's political ally Alexander Denes to their operation, this fails when Denes is discredited and executed and the two companions are arrested.

The Doctor impersonates the dictator once he has convinced Security chief Donald Bruce of the threat Salamander poses to the world and is taken by him to the main research centre. Beneath the centre in a bunker the real Salamander has conditioned a team of scientists that the world above ground has become a nuclear wasteland due to war.

He urges them to keep creating the natural disasters against the remainder of the surface as a retaliation to the war. While above ground he is using these natural disasters as a way to consolidate his political influence. The Doctor's impersonation gathers the evidence needed to topple the dictator but discovers Salamander's closest ally is in fact Giles Kent.

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The Enemy Of the World DETAILS:

Episode Broadcast Run Time Viewership (In Millions)
Part One 23-Dec-67 23:45 6.8
Part Two 30-Dec-67 23:48 7.6
Part Three 6-Jan-68 23:05 7.1
Part Four 13-Jan-68 23:46 7.8
Part Five 20-Jan-68 24:22 6.9
Part Six 27-Jan-68 21:41 8.3


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The Enemy Of the World CAST & CREW

Stars:
The Doctor:
Patrick Troughton(Second Doctor / Salamander)

Companions:
Fraser Hines (Jamie McCrimmon)
Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield)

Guest Stars:
Bill Kerr — Giles Kent
Mary Peach — Astrid
Colin Douglas — Donald Bruce
George Pravda — Denes
David Nettheim — Fedorin
Milton Johns — Benik
Henry Stamper — Anton
Rhys McConnochie — Rod
Simon Cain — Curly
Carmen Munroe — Fariah
Reg Lye — Griffin the Chef
Christopher Burgess — Swann
Adam Verney — Colin
Margaret Hickey — Mary
Gordon Faith, Elliott Cairnes — Guard Captains
Bill Lyons — Guard on Denes
Andrew Staines — Sergeant to Benik
Bob Anderson — Fighting Guard
William McGuirk — Guard in Corridor
Dibbs Mather — Guard in Caravan

Production Staff for Serial PP:
Writer - David Whitaker
Director - Barry Letts
Script editor - Peter Bryant
Producer - Innes Lloyd

Missing episodes 1,2,4,5,6.

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The Enemy Of the World REVIEWS



Goldby

I too remember watching Enemy of the World in all it's grainy glory way back when I got the Troughton Years for my birthday in the early 90's. Back then, as now, having re-watched it a couple of months back it seems like an episode stuffed to the gills with padding and the thing is you don't need to see the other 5 parts to realise this. No action and a talkfest in B & W = sleep. Seems the only thing that's going on is getting that Czech fella out of a badly wall papered corridor, even for the 1960's, and to freedom.

An escape being arranged between Victoria, Jamie and some bit of blonde bint. Nearly 10 minutes seems to revolve around Victoria and a grumpy chef in the kitchen with a silly Aussie accent. Is it any wonder no story has been set in Australia since? Ok there are two things to recommend it, the guards uniforms are ok and It's good watching Troughton playing the villainous Salamander, the Doctor's exact double, with an outrageous Mexican accent. He can do evil well plus he pops up as the Doctor for one 2 minute scene. both points go to him 2/10. If one episode dragged you can bet the rest would have!



Grob

I first saw Enemy Of The World (episode 3 by the way, not the whole story) back in August 1993 as part of The Troughton Years VHS tape. It was a present from a couple of very close friends who then took me to the movies at Southland to watch Cliffhanger with Sly Stallone later that evening. After the movie, I came home, popped the video into the player and watched it in all its grainy glory.

I enjoyed this episode very much and appreciated that it seems to be a bit of a "budget" episode in so much that it takes place in either a corridor, or a kitchen, or an office or a hut so its not big in the whole set department area. Its also not a monster story either as there are no aliens or invasions or robots or anything from the planet Varos. In fact its a bit like James Bond done on a budget similar to the food budget that went towards feeding Tim, Liz and Nicholas tonight. This story that comes smack in the middle of season 5's monster season is a real oddball cos the only "monster" if you could call it that is Salamander and he is (wait for it) an exact double for the Second Doctor!!!

Troughton is great in both the roles and you can see he was probably itching by this point to stretch the acting muscles a bit. There are a tonne of other characters in here as well and they are all shift in one way or another and everyone seems to have it in for someone else. There is also a lot of talk in this episode and nearly stuff all action which can wear a bit sometimes. However, there is a great comedy relief scene with Griffin the Chef who is a real laugh out loud character who is completely incongruous to the rest of the story and for whatever reason he is only in one scene. Worth watching though. 6.5/10

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Screen Shots:

Enemy Of The World Titles



Enemy Of The World the Doctor



Enemy Of The World Salamander



Enemy Of The World Jamie



Enemy Of The World Victoria



Enemy Of The World Giles Kent



Enemy Of The World Donald Bruce



Enemy Of The World Volcanic Disaster



Enemy Of The World Jamie and Victoria



Enemy Of The World Astrids bluff



Enemy Of The World Salamander2



Enemy Of The World Fariah



Enemy Of The World lava flow



Enemy Of The World Astrid Denes and Anton



Enemy Of The World Giles Kent and Benik



Enemy Of The World under arrest



Enemy Of The World the Doctor close up