'Doctor Who: City of Death' (1979)

It feels like ages since I last did a 'Doctor Who' post (actually, it's only been a few weeks) so while I try and find a little time to watch 'Moon Knight', today, lets take a look at 'City of Death'; one of those stories that has stuck in my head to the point where I was positive that I'd already posted about it here. I went back and checked and... nope, no post here. That's 'City of Death' for me, a really memorable story that always has me thinking that I watched it more recently than I actually did. Lets talk about that...

Whilst on holiday in Paris, the Doctor and Romana discover that something is amiss with time. Who is conducting the secret time experiments, and what connects them to the Mona Lisa? The answers lead them to discover a secret that has been hidden for the last four hundred million years...

Half the reason that I do these posts is that it's a great excuse to watch some old favourite 'Doctor Who' stories, as well as hunting out a few that I haven't seen yet (and discovering whether they will become old favourites in the future). It's like hanging out with an old mate for the evening; you don't have to do much, just enjoy each other's company. And that is just what it is like watching 'City of Death'. I came to this story pretty late (give me a break, I was only four years old when it was first broadcast and more than likely not up to seeing what Scaroth looked like under his mask) but I love to watch it now and last night was no different. Again, easily in my top ten favourite 'Doctor Who' stories and probably in my top five. I really need to work that list out one day... ;o)

So what's the big deal then...? The threat to the world is there, just like it is in most stories. What really tickles me though is how it is financed by an alien, fragmented across Earth's history, running what I guess you'd call a 'temporal art scam'. That has Douglas Adams all over it and you can see his influence in the script as well with my favourite line being when the Doctor compliments Lady Scarlioni on the violence of her butler :o) And I always enjoy watching Paris go about it's business while the Doctor and Romana are running through it.

What I really enjoy though are how the supporting characters bounce off the Doctor; I'm talking about Julian Glover's Scaroth and Tom Chadbon's Duggan of course, I'm not that fussed about John Cleese's cameo, it's ok but not a highlight. The Doctor really benefits from having someone working with him who isn't all that cerebral and Duggan's reliance on hitting things is help and hindrance in equal measure. It certainly makes for funny moments where the Doctor thinks he has turned a corner, only to have Duggan knock out the 'star witness'...

Julian Glover's Scaroth is just superb though, all urbane menace. I've never been hugely into the fandom, so don't know for sure, but Scaroth has to be one of the classic 'Classic Doctor Who' villains, surely...? Either way, I think he's brilliant.

'Doctor Who' stories are always fun (that's kind of the whole point, at least from where I'm sat) but 'City of Death' is one of the most fun to watch I think. A little bit of 'Douglas Adams sparkle', some great performances and a story that just sparks off its own slightly irreverent energy; you can't ask for a lot more than that.

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