August 4: The Masque of Mandragora Parts Three & Four

It's perhaps not that surprising, but the Doctor, it seems, is a fairly accomplished swordsman -- he appears to be holding his own against Count Federico's guards (although it's the arrival of the Brethren of Demnos that ends up chasing the guards away), and it's fun to see him wielding a sword -- even if the stuntman doubling for Tom Baker is wearing a wig that's not quite the right hair color.

There's also some entertainment to be had in Hieronymous's hypnotizing of Sarah, as he convinces her to try and kill the Doctor -- a role which Elisabeth Sladen seems to be relishing, as there's a rather evil smile on her face as she prepares to do the deed.  This stuff is probably more memorable in fandom, however, for Sarah's wondering how she can speak Italian -- this being a clue to the Doctor that something's not right with Sarah.  It's a "Time Lord gift" he allows her to share, by the way, but it's the first time that this has ever been brought up in the series before.

Everything else in this episode is fun but rather unmemorable.  Count Federico's machinations aren't honestly that engaging, and it only matters because he's preventing the Doctor from dealing with the main issue: the Mandragora's takeover of Hieronymous and his followers.  Federico's chaining everyone up in the palace dungeon is just letting Hieronymous gain power.  It's only when the Doctor convinces Federico of the threat Hieronymous poses (as the leader of the Brethren, if nothing else) that Federico accompanies him into the catacombs -- where Hieronymous kills Federico, after revealing that there's nothing behind the golden mask he wears except pure Helix energy...

Hieronymous instructs one of the Brethren of Demnos. (The
Masque of Mandragora Part Four) ©BBC

Now that Federico is out of the way, part four can concentrate on stopping the Mandragora Helix.  Yet even this feels a bit distant and uninvolved.  The Doctor has some sort of plan involving a metal breastplate and a bunch of wire, but we're not quite sure what it is.  The most engaging part is Duke Giuliano's decision to hold a masque to celebrate his accession to the throne, and that feels rather detached as well.  The dance is rather good (even if it does look a bit small), and while it's going on we see the Doctor confront Hieronymous, but we don't see the final outcome -- so when the Brethren attack the guests at the masque and lead the rest back to the ruined temple in the catacombs, we don't know what's happening, only that something is going on.  It's only at the end, when the Doctor reveals himself to have taken Hieronymous's place, that we work out what's happened: the Doctor grounded himself and drained away Hieronymous's energy, as well as that of the Brethren.  Earth is safe from the Mandragora.

It's a bit curious how laidback The Masque of Mandragora feels.  For something that could signal the end of the world, there's a lack of dramatic impetus here, as the story is content more to explore the ideas of late 15th century Italy and the interaction between superstition and science than it is to drive home the world-ending threat that we're told the Mandragora poses.  It's charming in its own way, but it definitely feels more like a casual summer stroll than the urgent march we've become used to from similar stories in this era of the show.