So here we start to learn more about the Silurians, and how they were in fact the previous inhabitants of Earth.
55 It seems they all went into hibernation when the Moon came along and they feared it was going to smash into the planet; they weren't ready for the possibility that the Moon would stick around. So they believe they have a rightful claim to Earth and regard humanity as pests that have moved in while the real owners were away. And interestingly, the Doctor doesn't dispute this claim but instead tries to argue for peaceful coexistence -- a plan which the Silurian leader seems willing to at least consider, over the objections of the young Silurian (well, that's what they call him in the credits). And so we get a power struggle between the two Silurians, which makes for a much more interesting story than a unified block of creatures, and which also mirrors the struggle among the humans, with Liz Shaw arguing on behalf of the Doctor for a chance at peace, while Miss Dawson (presumably because of Dr. Quinn's death) is the strongest advocate for wiping them all out.
This debate is sidetracked a bit when the young Silurian decides to wipe out humanity by infecting Major Baker with a very virulent disease and releasing him back into the caves. The Silurian leader learns of this and gives the Doctor a sample of the disease to try and find a cure (an event which leads to the young Silurian taking over by killing the old Silurian leader with his third eye) -- at which point the drama shifts to a race against time to both find a cure for this disease and to stop it from spreading. Of course, that's a problem when infected people keep leaving the research facility.
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The Doctor and the Brigadier find the body of Major Baker.
(Doctor Who and the Silurians Episode 6) ©BBC |
Episode 6 is all about the disease, both finding a cure and watching as the disease spreads -- thanks primarily to Masters, who heads back to London and wanders around, infecting tons of people along the way. We even get some montages, both of the Doctor analyzing blood samples and drugs while the Brigadier monitors the situation, and of people succumbing to the disease all around London. This is the drama that drives this episode to the exclusion of anything else -- even Dr. Lawrence's death scene; as he finally snaps from the pressure of having his world collapse around him (the research facility's projects having ground to a halt) and attempts to throttle the Brigadier, he suddenly convulses and dies: another victim of the disease. Although, given that Dr. Lawrence hardly starts out as any sort of sympathetic character, it's a bit difficult to muster up any sympathy for him as he dies. Still, by the end the Doctor has found the cure -- only the Silurians break into the base and start to kill him before he can finish writing out the formula for that antidote...
(And I've gotten this far without mentioning the score by Carey Blyton, the most distinctive part of which is the crumhorn (the buzzing instrument) that signifies the Silurians. There are also a number of other older instruments, such as an ophicleide and a serpent (both similar to a tuba), which are designed to evoke an "older" sound in keeping with the story's themes. The score is quite distinctive and generally works quite well (although similar-sounding scores will be less successful when applied to Daleks and Cybermen).)
55 Though not, it should be pointed out, during the Silurian era, which is far too early for complex forms of life like the Silurians to be around. To his credit, writer Malcolm Hulke figured this out and attempted to rectify the error in this story's sequel, The Sea Devils, which has the Doctor saying the Silurians should really be known as the Eocenes. Of course, that doesn't really work either, as that seems to be rather too late for large reptile people to be walking the planet. The books sidestepped the issue and settled for Earth Reptiles, while the BBC Wales series eventually went with Homo reptilia, when it can be bothered to remember.