The Crusade: Doctor Who: Season 2
| SYNOPSIS |
| DETAILS |
| CAST & CREW | REVIEWS |
 Goldby |  Boland |
The Crusade SYNOPSIS:
The Tardis crew land in 12th century Palestine at the time of the crusades and manage to prevent a kidnapping attempt of King Richard, who escapes the ambush slightly wounded, while one of his companions William des Preaux is captured along with Barbara during the Saracen ambush.
Now Disguised in period garments, the Doctor, Ian and Vicki return the King's wounded friend de Tornebu to the Monarch's court and though rewarded are treated curtly by the King. Posing as the King and his sister Lady Joanna, Barbara and De Preaux are presented to Saphadin by El Akir but they are forced to reveal their true identities. Their lives are however spared by Saphadin's brother Saladin.
Involving himself in court politics the Doctor manages to persuade the reluctant King to rescue Barbara and Ian is knighted and sent as an emissary to secure her release and offer Joanna's hand in marriage to Saphadin. Ian is delayed in his duties by bandits and Barbara temporarily manages to escape El Akir who wishes her dead for his humiliation in front of Saladin.
The Doctor gets caught up in court intrigue and a battle of wits ensues with the Earl of Leicester. He may be executed as a spy unless Ian returns swiftly from a successful mission to stave off the King's deliberation to have them all put to death.
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The Crusade DETAILS:
| Episode | Broadcast | Run Time | Viewership (In Millions) |
| Episode One: The Lion | 27-Mar-65 | 24:56 | 10.5 |
| Episode Two: The Knight of Jaffa | 3-Apr-65 | 23:28 | 8.5 |
| Episode Three: The Wheel of Fortune | 10-Apr-65 | 24:51 | 9 |
| Episode Four: The Warlords | 17-Apr-65 | 23:40 | 9.5 |
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The Crusade CAST & CREW
Stars:
The Doctor:
William Hartnell (First Doctor)
Companions:
William Russell (Ian Chesterton)
Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright)
Maureen O'Brien (Vicki)
Guest Stars:
Walter Randall — El Akir
Roger Avon — Saphadin
Bernard Kay — Saladin
Julian Glover — Richard the Lionheart
David Anderson — Reynier de Marun
Bruce Wightman — William de Tornebu
John Flint — William des Preaux
Reg Pritchard — Ben Daheer
Tony Caunter — Thatcher
Jean Marsh — Joanna
Gábor Baraker — Luigi Ferrigo
John Bay — Earl of Leicester
Robert Lankesheer — Chamberlain
George Little — Haroun
Petra Markham — Sadiya
Sandra Hampton — Maimuna
Zohra Segal — Sheyrah
Viviane Sorrél — Fatima
Diana McKenzie — Hafsa
Tutte Lemkow — Ibrahim
David Brewster — Turkish Bandit
Billy Cornelius — Man-at-Arms
Derek Ware, Valentino Musetti, Chris Konyils,Raymond Novak, Anthony Colby — Saracen Warriors
Production Staff for Serial P:
Writer - David Whitaker
Director - Douglas Camfield
Script editor - Dennis Spooner
Producer - Verity Lambert
Missing Episodes 2 & 4
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The Crusade REVIEWS
Goldby
I remember watching this on those old Years video tapes back in the early 90's and thinking it was rather good. Seen both episodes since and reckon this is actually again a fast paced for a Hartnell and actually...engrossing? Sounds strange but the BBC always did better at producing Period costume drama's and they pull out a few stops here which makes you not at all notice the overspending on the Web Planet.
Pity there's only half of it as ALL the acting is of a very high standard, from the King to Jean Marsh to the bad guys who seem particularly slimy. Plus the Tardis crew are in their element, Hartnell is not fluffing lines and enjoying meddling in the King's court, Vicki is enjoying running round dressed as a boy, Ian is enjoying all the heroic Knighty stuff and Bab's is enjoying the damsel in distress with attitude. Amazed that the whole crew get involved in a slightly well staged sword fight as soon as they land. Alas as there's only half of it well give each episode a 3 each to make 6/10.
Boland
The Crusade: The first thing that strikes the viewer when watching the Crusade Episode One is that the BBC had an impressive collection of fake beards in 1964. Some of them are truly glorious. The dude who gets arrowed in the chest in the opening fight scene has one of the most luscious beards in television history. I doubt there’s a man alive who could actually grow one as stunning. Competent script by Mr Whitaker. Starts with action which is very rare for a Hartnell. Actually featuring any sort of action is a rarity for those times.
Episode One is in the poorest condition of any existing episode I can think of. I presume they remastered the picture for the Lost In Time box set but still the scratches on the film are very intrusive. Still, it was the second last episode to turn up and nice to have regardless. I find the ‘blacking up’ of actors a little disturbing. Then again, it was ‘of the time’ wasn’t it? Hartnell gives an excellent performance here, especially in the first episode. We have the comic relief in the shop keeper. And we have a selection of British accents doubling for Arabs, although it’s not nearly as evident as in ‘The Romans’.
Episode three is called ‘The Wheel of Fortune’, yet there is no sign of Baby John Burgess which is a big disappointment. The beards get longer and more lush, the shop keeper is back hoping to make Vicki a ‘veritable strutting peacock’. We get to see a young Jean Marsh too! I wouldn’t mind seeing parts two and four. But please don’t ask me to merely listen to them! The actors – Glover and Marsh, make this one of the strongest casts Who had in the sixties, if not beyond. They use studio for exterior shots very well in this one. The director has done a great job in achieving shots (such as through curtains) and it seems there is more studio space for this one. Good pace. Pity two episodes are missing. 7.3/10
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