The Web of Fear [TV/1968.2.3 ~ 3.9]

 

★★★★☆

  Dear me, would you feel that atmosphere? The Web of Fear's reputation as one of the best attempts of Doctor Who at claustrophobic horror is more than justified; with Douglas Camfield's subtle and powerful direction, magnificently shadowy and enclosed sets and a clever use of Béla Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (which anyone and their aunt would recognize from Stanley Kubrick's The Shining), the tone of this serial is tremendous. It helps that quite a few scenes, particularly in the first three episodes, are shot on film; there's an added layer of texture and mystery that simply can't be replicated. I am so glad that we are able to watch it today, almost all of its parts rediscovered in its eminent glory. 

  Mysterious cobwebs, giant fungi, growling Yeti and the whispers of the Great Intelligence... this is teatime terror through and through. There's a distinct lack of laughs from the usually jovial Second Doctor, and Patrick Troughton is especially strong in his more focused and commanding role for the serial. For once, you get the feeling that the enemy of the week is not just a common thug waiting to be defeated, but an intangible, immaterial threat that haunts the Doctor on a psychological level. What we see on the screen (deserted London with corpses covered in webs, dark underground tunnels, that iconic Yeti resurrection shot from episode one) is scary enough, but the Great Intelligence makes the serial absolutely terrifying at times. I can't wax lyrical about it enough; I do believe this to be the most successful 1960s Doctor Who serial in terms of atmosphere.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  The Web of Fear is a spectacular slice of television, with great production value shown in the effective Yeti costumes and brilliantly shot sets, and also an important contributer to the wider Doctor Who mythos: our beloved Brigadier (here a Colonel) Lethbridge-Stewart, played by Nicholas Courtney, makes his first appearance. I had so much fun, lapping up the richness of it all. If I were to pick a serial as an introduction to the 60s seasons for a new fan, I'd choose this one.