The Ambassadors Of Death: Doctor Who: Season 7

Goldby

Grob

Boland

Although there's a lot happening though, it's the only one that seems to wander a bit all over the place with the story and sometimes you're not quite sure what's going on - was that the intention? Still not bad all round and not every story in a series can be perfect 7/10



Grob

Another seven parter! I've read number of criticisms on the web saying that Ambassadors of death is too long and not much happens and the aliens are never seen but I disagree. I've watched this one a number of times (I bought it on VHS in Preston at Kmart!) and I've enjoyed it enormously each time. There is tonnes of great stuff going on here. Firstly we have a director who had the balls to stand up to Barry Letts and say "I'm going over budget whether you like it or not!" and as a result we get helicopters, motorbike crashes, lots of stunt work, explosions, guns, trucks and all sorts of shit. There's nothing like seeing the money shot on the screen!

The interior of the space centre is very good and even the model shots of the rockets and the alien space ship are good too. The interior of the alien ship looks like it was designed by members of Pink Floyd which can only be a plus! Director Michael Ferguson has some really good moments here. There's the aliens walking towards the space centre with the sun directly behind them, there is the action sequence mentioned above and the kidnapping scenes with Liz Shaw. Plot wise, yeah Ambassadors Of Death is a bit all over the shop but I think it may have had something to do with the input of so many writers; David Whitacker who started the initial story, then Trevor Ray who took over and got as far as episode one, then Malcolm Hulke on the remainder of the episodes (no doubt with Uncle Tewwance's help along the way!)

However, when Ambassadors of Death works - it works well. You get the impression that a "something" is going on in the background of this story but "what" that could be isn't explained. Its kind of like watching the X-Files with all the government cover-ups; its just a pity that some of these (or indeed any of them) weren't fleshed out. The aliens themselves - although they do fuck all - actually appear...well, ALIEN! I think that this is a perfect example of "less is more" with the three ambassadors. In fact, when you don't actually SEE them, they ARE referred to in almost all the other scenes - everyone is out to get/find/rescue/exploit/use/return these guys in one way or another. One thing I really like about these aliens is the fact that you only see what they look like for a brief second - and even then its from behind a window with a blind on it (or louvre, or whatever). This really build the mystery around them.

I better mentioned the regulars here since I didn't say much about them in my previous review. Pertwee has really grabbed the character of the Doctor and made it his own. Well, since all he is doing is being Pertwee himself then what can you expect. "Troughton who? Never heard of him!" is what people at the time were probably saying until THE THREE DOCTORS came along. Liz is great and its good to see her using her brain although its a pity that Barry and Terry are using every opportunity to turn her into a screaming girlie at every chance they can before booting her out the door. Boo. Hiss. And the Brig is great. He takes the whole thing seriously by dashing about and being diplomatic and waving his pistol about. Pity Barry and Terry got stuck into his character as well. idiots. But this is a good season. Enjoy it while it lasts. I'll go a 7/10.



Boland

AMBASSADORS OF DEATH I get to review one story from the 7th season and it HAS to be Ambassadors..... OF DEATH! Oh no it’s really not that BAD.... it’s just seven episodes long. Silurians moves along nicely, Inferno is almost two stories in one, but Ambassadors is a strange beast indeed. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never seen it in colour. David Whitaker for some strange reason was asked to write another script. Yep. He was the original script editor in 1963, wrote a bunch of Hartnell and three Troughton stories, but why suddenly he was asked to write for this season is a mystery to me.

Well, it’s easy to see the inspiration behind the Ambassadors Of Death . James Bond. Pretty much each episode has a little action sequence in it. A gun battle in episode one, chase sequence in episode two... oh but the highlight of the story is Liz Shaw’s wig and hat. They were probably glued together I’d say. Great cliff hanger (almost literal) at the end of episode three when Liz is chased by goons and falls over the side of the bridge.

I used to love Ambassadors Of Death , but in review I struggle to see why. Maybe because it was weird and strange and didn’t feel like a standard Doctor Who tale. But for such a simple plot it does go on! And it’s all one paced, rather flat through seven episodes, and then the ending seems rushed and inconsequential. Carrington just accepts defeat. Still, the aliens aren’t the bad guys for a change, and it taps into a bit of space fever not long after Messers Armstrong and Co. Had been on the moon. The introduction of the ‘sting’ at the end of the episode makes it special in its own way. Then we have the opening titles, split in two for the only time in Who history. The words ‘The Ambassadors’ come towards us and then the tag ‘OF DEATH’ is added.

Good? No. But rather funny.

Then there is the tedium. Half an episode of Ambassadors Of Death wasted on Reagan running around turning taps on and off as he sabotages the capsule. Okay I’m just delaying the inevitable mark.

4.4............ OUT OF 10!

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