Snakedance [TV/1983.1.18 ~ 1.26]

★★★★★

  Yeah, I'm with 1995 Steven Moffat on this one. Snakedance is one Dr. Who serial I can't really fault; it's meticulously made, crafted with such care and brilliance, and brought to life like the BBC's continued existence depended on it. I don't think there are many more examples of a serial that can give such a convincing illusion that the show had a much bigger budget than it did, because every set is filled to the brim with details, every costume sewn with truly exotic charm and beauty, and every special effect is (if not convincingly high-budget, which it rarely was in the classic series to be honest) so stylised to the point of giving the impression that it's intentional, to evoke an almost uncanny feeling of discomfort and mystery. 

  I have to give it to Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Martin Clunes and the cast props here. Without their talents and total dedication, this serial wouldn't have been as convincing as it is. Almost like the early William Hartnell historicals, there's a greater focus in creating a vast world that touches the imagination and transports you away from the confines of a stuffy BBC set. A fictional world with so much detail to admire, so much mythology and mystery that even those interested in archaeology would take an interest in this made-up culture -- Christopher Bailey really outdid himself with this script, and Fiona Cumming (who directed another Davison era masterpiece, Enlightenment) outdid herself with the direction of this ambitious story. 

  This is a tale of legacy, repressed fears and desires, Buddhist principles (just to be expected from Bailey) and tradition. It's a beautifully produced serial with a much more reflective, adult tone than fans are used to, and it hits that sweet mark of being much more serious while being more exciting, genuinely fun and terrifying. The two Mara serials, this and Kinda, are both visually impressive with ambitious visual representations of the Mara's powers, and this serial in particular is aided by some amazing set design to flesh out the world of Manussa. Peter Davison is brilliant here, faced with the dilemma of no one even entertaining the idea of believing him, and Janet Fielding has a field day (pun intended) with her role as the Mara. She's delightfully over-the-top, and so is Martin Clunes. I quite like how the serials ends pretty abruptly, too; not every story needs to be explained by the Doctor as they and their friends walk back to the TARDIS, you know. It's much more resonant that the Doctor save Tegan from the jaws of hell and comfort her while the Mara is defeated once again. Using the silence between lines of dialogue to its poetic advantage, Snakedance is pretty much perfect, and it's definitely up there with my favourites of the entire TV adventures of Dr. Who.