June 7: The Sea Devils Episodes Three & Four

Well, the Master missed.  And Trenchard arrives to save the Doctor from death -- although as he's just going to lock him up (in what feels monstrously unfair, even given that this is Doctor Who and these sorts of things happen all the time -- a tribute therefore to Clive Morton's performance as Trenchard, who's nervously matter-of-fact about the flagrant violation of the Doctor's rights), it doesn't really help him out that much.  But it also means that we spend an episode with the Doctor locked up and Jo trying to rescue him, which does feel a bit like stalling for time.  But we also have the reasonably entertaining subplot where Captain Hart sends a submarine to find out more about the Sea Devils' base, only for said submarine to be invaded by the creatures they were there to investigate.

The Doctor is eventually freed, of course, which leads to an escape across the fields surrounding the prison, leading to the beach.  But the Master has been working on a device to contact the Sea Devils, and while the Doctor and Jo are trapped on the beach between Trenchard's guards and a minefield, the Master summons a Sea Devil, which emerges from the waves...

Episode four has a bit more action, and it starts with the Master sending the Sea Devil toward the Doctor and Jo, who are therefore forced into the minefield.  But when the Sea Devil follows, the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver (now in the form we'll come to know and love (more or less) for the rest of the 20th-century version of the series⁶⁶) to explode the mines near the Sea Devil, causing it to turn and flee.  Thus our heroes are able to make their escape and return to the naval base.

The Sea Devils arrive to collect the Master. (The Sea
Devils Episode Four) ©BBC

But while the Doctor is trying to convince Captain Hart of the Master's position of power in the prison (during which he scolds Jo for wanting to eat and then scarfs down the sandwiches prepared for her himself), the Master is putting his plans into motion.  Having contacted the Sea Devils, he then waits as a large group of them raid the castle, killing basically everyone inside, including Trenchard, who's shot down right outside the Master's quarters, defending his prisoner and doing his duty to the end.  It's a rather dignified end for this occasional parody of a man, even if it ultimately means his death.  And in any event it's no use; the Sea Devils have freed the Master (and presumably taken him with them).

During this the submarine is still being invaded, culminating with the Sea Devils breaking into the main control section of the sub (with a fabulous moment as the door melts away and then a Sea Devil bursts through what's left).  The commander of the sub, Ridgeway, allows the Sea Devils to use the submarine for their own ends so that he can find out where their base is.  And when the submarine is tracked on the naval base's sonar, the crew up there can tell it's heading for the semi-abandoned fort from the first episode -- which leads the Doctor to ask to take a dive down to the foundations to look for himself.  This means that they get a genuine diving vessel from the Royal Navy to film on, complete with its diving bell being lowered into the water and back out again.  It's very impressive, and it gives the story that extra frisson of reality.  And in story terms, when the Doctor is lowered down in the diving bell and then reports seeing something outside in the water before contact is lost, it's a suitably exciting moment -- one heightened by the fact that when the diving bell is retrieved from the water, the Doctor is gone...







⁶⁶ Actually it made an appearance in Colony in Space first, when the Doctor detects the alarm beam in the Master's TARDIS, but as it wasn't signposted as the sonic screwdriver, its use may have passed you by.