Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora

As a long-time Doctor Who fan, I've been asked a few times what my favorite period of the show is. Usually I answer 1975 to 1977, which were the first three years Tom Baker played the Fourth Doctor. Baker was fresh to the role, full of energy and enthusiasm, portraying the Doctor as an eccentric bohemian wanderer through time & space with a keen passion for justice.

Paired with Baker for his first two and a half seasons was Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith. Baker and Sladen had this incredible chemistry. They just worked so well together. You could see the genuine friendship and respect the Doctor and Sarah had for each other.

Also a part of the series during this time were first-time producer Philip Hinchcliffe and veteran Doctor Who writer Robert Holmes as script editor. The collaboration between the young Hinchcliffe and seasoned Holmes probably brought a new, interesting energy to the show. In addition, Holmes' rather macabre sensibilities led him to commission a fair number of stories which combined sci-fi with horror and the trappings of the supernatural. This has caused a lot of fans to refer to this era in the show's history as the "gothic horror" period.

The four-part serial The Masque of Mandragora, written by Louis Marks, and originally broadcast in September 1976, is one of the strongest entries in this period. It is a story of the clash between science and superstition, set in 15TH century Italy.

The Doctor and Sarah arrive in the dukedom of San Martino, a province beset by political intrigue. The ambitious Count Federico, having arranged the death of his brother, now seeks to eliminate his young nephew Giuliano, the last obstacle to rule of San Martino. Federico is aided in his machinations by the court astrologer Hieronymous. What Federico does not realize is Hieronymous harbors his own ambitions, and is a member of the secret, ruthless Cult of Demnos.

Into this atmosphere of plots and counter-plots comes the sentient alien energy force the Mandragora Helix. A fragment of the Helix has infiltrated the TARDIS and caused it to land in San Martino in the late 1400s. The Helix realizes this is a key era and location in Earth history, the dawning of the Italian Renaissance. The Helix hopes to plunge humanity back into the Dark Ages of ignorance & superstition, and realizes the perfect focus to bring the entirety of its energy to Earth is Hieronymous and his cult.

The are are some fantastic performances in The Masque of Mandragora. Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen are both in absolutely top form here. The guest cast is likewise wonderful. John Laurimore portrays Count Federico with sadistic, sneering aplomb. In contrast, Norman Jones starts out playing Hieronymous in a rather low-key manner, gradually having him become more zealous and aggressive as the moment approaches when the Mandragora Helix will endow him with vast powers.

On the opposite side of the coin, there is the heroic duo of Giuliano and his friend Marco. Giuliano is played by Gareth Armstrong as an idealistic and forward-thinking, albeit somewhat naïve, youth who is greatly interested in the rebirth of scientific learning. Tim Pigott-Smith plays Marco as a more seasoned, perhaps cynical, presence who wishes to aid his friend but feels the need to advise the young Duke to more decisive action.

There is an almost Shakespearean tone in much of the colorful dialogue by Louis Marks (possibly with some input from Robert Holmes, who often contributed to the finished scripts to one degree or another during his tenure) that gives the serial a rather theatrical feel. It was a canny decision to cast Armstrong and Pigott-Smith, both of whom had previously performed in Shakespearean stage productions.

It has often been observed that the BBC excels at producing costumed period dramas. The Masque of Mandragora definitely plays to that strength, with its rich historical setting. Set designer Barry Newbery and costume designer James Acheson deserve a lot of credit for creating an authentic atmosphere. Newbery, who had done work for Doctor Who, since its debut in 1963, did a great deal of research in preparation for designing the sets. His efforts definitely show. Likewise, Acheson's costumes are rich & detailed. And I love the dress he created for Sarah's character in this story. Elisabeth Sladen looks absolutely beautiful wearing it.

The locations for The Masque of Mandragora were filmed in the exotic Welsh village of Portmeirion. The unusual neoclassical architecture present in the area really helps to make it appear that the action is taking play in Italy five centuries ago.

One other thing of note in The Masque of Mandragora. After 13 years on the air, Doctor Who for the first time offers something in the way of an explanation as to how everyone on the show appears to speak English, no matter what era in time or far-off planet in space the TARDIS lands. The Doctor informs to Sarah that it is "a Time Lord gift I allow you to share." Which would presumably explain why earlier in the story we saw a couple of guards who, despite being from 15th century Italy, were speaking with heavy Cockney accents. Oh, that wacky TARDIS telepathic field, you never know what its going to do next!

The DVD contains several interesting extras. "The Secret of the Labyrinth" contains interviews with the cast and crew. Among these is Barry Newbery, who fortunately after all these years is still with us to offer his insights into the program. There's also "Beneath the Masque," a ridiculous, tongue-in-cheek parody of a "making of" feature. Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman are quite bizarre in this one. But it was fun, and Doctor Who is one of those shows that lends itself quite well to parody.

"Bigger on the Inside" is a look back on the various redesigns of the TARDIS interiors that have taken place over the years, right up to the Russell T. Davies' revival of the show in 2005. (I definitely have to agree with the sentiments expressed in this feature about the TARDIS console room that was used in the 1972 story The Time Monster -- yep, that thing is hideous!) Presumably this extra was included on the DVD because The Masque of Mandragora introduced the secondary TARDIS console room, a low-lit, wood paneled affair designed by Barry Newbery. It was a perfect fit for Tom Baker's Doctor, and it's a real pity it was only used for one season.

All in all, The Masque of Mandragora is a well-acted, well-written, well-produced Doctor Who story. Add to that some interesting extras, and this is a highly recommended DVD.