Doctor Who — The Abominable Snowmen — Episode 6 — A Review

12th December, 2022: Episode 5.

Did I mention it snowed, last night?

It snowed, last night.

And, frankly?

It’s cold enough to freeze that snow, overnight.

Walking around, outside, tomorrow?

Is going to be dangerous: because I think we’re going to see a lot of black ice.

For the moment, though?

I’m not going to worry.

No.

As I’ve had dinner — stew, baked spud ands some vegetables — I’m going to stay in.

And watch the last episode of the classic Dr Who story I’ve been watching for the past few weeks: The Abominable Snowmen.

~≈🩺≈~

Episode 6 picks up from last week’s cliffhanger: showing us glowing green lights crawling from a cave in the mountains.

The scene shifts: to show us the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) being told by Travers (Jack Watling) that the cave in the mountains is being used by Abbot Songsten … to seemingly control the robot Yeti.   After all, the Abbot (Charles Morgan) was being followed by four of the things!

It’s only at the end of this conversation?   That the Doctor find out Khrisong (Norman Jones) has gone to talk to Abbot Songsten (Charles Morgen): and is in terrible danger!

Something Khrisong only finds out for himself: when he confronts Songsten, and Master Padmasambhava (Wolfe Morris) … and ends up stabbed in the back, by the Abbot, himself.

With the dirty deed done?

The Doctor, Thomni, Jamie and Victoria, all burst into the Inner Sanctum … to find Khrisong bleeding to death on the floor.

Before he dies?   Khrisong tells the Doctor the rest of the Monks should not blame the Abbot … 

Whilst, outside, Thomni tells the monks what the Abbott has done whilst under another’s influence, and what they must do as a result.

The Brothers must flee the monastery.

Whilst he, the Doctor, and a few others deal with the corrupt Master … and the control devices hidden behind the throne … 

~≈🩺≈~

Now … 

What did I make of the episode?

What did I make of the series … ?

What — if anything — have I learnt or noticed?

And what do I make of other bits of news … ?

Let’s start with that first questions, shall we?

The episode, itself, is great fun.

This closes off the story well: with a dramatic confrontation between the Doctor and Padmasambhava, a confrontation that sees of the Great Intelligence that’s been controlling the Sage for many years.

Whilst showing us a sad ending for Khrisong, bravery from both Jamie and Thomni, and Victoria* waving a lovelorn farewell to Thomni.

It shows us Travers has hope: haring off after a real Yeti, at the end of the episode.

It also shows us a prone Robot Yeti: one that — from what we learn later — has been taken back to England by Travers … and that — presumably — is the one we see in the opening episode of Web of Fear.

Which is something I may have to review: at some point.

At any rate … ?

The last few minutes of the episode show us a prone Yeti … a prone Yeti that’s not as dead as we think … 

It’s rounded off an entertaining serial, very well.

Episode 6

★★★★

~≈🩺≈~

What did I make of the overall serial?   The Abominable Snowmen, as a collected story?   And the blu-ray it came on … ?

For starters?

The animation is as good as ever it was was.

Yes: there’s some changes made.

The animated monks look more East Asian than the white English actors we know played them in the original live action broadcast.

The same goes for Padmasambhava: he’s an aged looking white English actor, in the live action broadcast, and an animated corpse in this reconstruction.

The ‘real’ Yeti that Travers chases at the end of episode six?   Is something like an albino gorilla in the reconstruction: replacing the re-used Robot Yeti in the live action version.

Yes, I have — or possibly had — my doubts about that: as I said in my review of episode one.

But those changes are sensitively done: sensitively … and unobtrusively.

We are literally pulled in, and entertained, by the story: regardless of the changes.

It’s well acted, well made, well restored … 

And, above all, well done.

Those reading my written reviews will note that the average rating for the series comes in a ★★★⅔.

Which is possibly not doing the The Abominable Snowmen justice: it is a very watchable piece, that’s well worth the time.

About my only concern?

Is the blu-ray extras.

Granted: we know these reconstructions are expensive to make.

But it strikes me that we could have had a few more extras with this set: Frazer Hines’ home movies are welcome, the Troughton in Tibet making of, well done … 

But those extras seem a little sparse.

~≈🩺≈~

Now … what — if anything — did I learn?   Or notice?

Let’s talk about that Abbot, shall we?

You — as I — will notice that the character is named as Abbot Songsten.   That’s how he’s listed in the Wikipedia entry on the story, the IMDb entries† and in the original scripts included with the blu-ray.

I’m assuming Wikipedia and IMDb take their cues from the scripts.

But … ?   And this is something I noticed in episode one, as well episode six.

The other characters address the Abbott as Songtsen.

I’m assuming that writers, Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, lifted the name from the ancient Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo.

But, for whatever reason, spelt it as Songsten when writing the script.

And couldn’t correct it, by the time they sent the script off to the BBC.

I’m assuming the only thing they could do was sheepishly hold up their hands — to director, Gerald Blake, or at the rehearsals — and say “Umm … about the Abbot …”

I don’t know for sure.

But that seems a plausible explanation to me.

What else learnt or noticed?

I remember reading — many years ago — that there were two broad schools of Tibetan Buddhism: the Red Hats and Yellow Hats.

The Dalai Lama?   Is a Yellow Hat.   Despite wearing red robes.

I have no idea which sect the Det-sen monks were supposed to belong to: but their robes are red and similar to his Holiness’s.

Their abbot?   Wears red robes, a yellow over robe, and a — you guessed it — a yellow hat.

One that looks like an extended skull cap with a mohawk.

As far as I can tell?

That means the monks of Det-sen are — much like the Dalai Lama — are Yellow Hat, or Gelug, Buddhists.

Assuming I’m right, of course.

I’ll have to ask, if I meet the Dalai Lama.

~≈🩺≈~

I think there’s possibly more: although that covers most things.

The Abominable Snowmen is a great deal of fun: and well worth your time and money.

However?

There’s issues: about any future reconstructions.

Back in September of this year, Gary Russell — who’s the executive producer for these reconstructions — confirmed that this particular story was going to be the last: for now.

As BBC America had pulled it’s funding for the releases.

He — and BBC Studios — are trying to find other funding partners.

But?   The Abominable Snowmen is it, for now.

I am deeply disappointed: as I imagine other fans are.

I’m aware that William Hartnell’s second season as the Doctor is due for release.   The stories in that Season are complete: bar The Crusade.

Its two missing episodes has been reconstructed with telesnaps, with publicity photos.

Granted, BBC America wants to make sure of its bottom line: but the timing of its decision is atrocious.   I think many would have been happy to see a reconstructed The Crusade, one on the lines of Reign of Terror or Invasion — where the missing episodes were replaced by animated reconstructions — before another box set.

Granted, those sets are fantastic bits of work: especially the extras included in them.

But?   I think I, and others, would have preferred to see the missing stories reanimated first.

Then have the box sets.

I think there’s more than just fan curiosity at stake, here, or money.

I think the live action programmes — and the telesnap reconstructions — can tell us a lot about the times they were made.

And that the animated reconstructions can tell us a lot about how the world has changed since then, about the differences between then and now.

For me, for anyone interested in history?

That’s a valuable thing.

I can only hope alternative funding is found.

~≈🩺≈~

As a last thought … ?

I don’t know what I’ll be reviewing next: whether it’s a film, or a TV show.

But?

As soon as I do something?

You’ll it float past here on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar: and on my YouTube channel, @MrCuddy2977.

I’ll see you soon!

*        I know it was the 1960s … but that does seem to happen to a few Dr Who girls.   After all, in Jo Grant’s last season, everyone fell in love her.

†        There’s two sets of entries for The Abominable Snowmen: one for the live action original broadcast and one for the animated version.