Doctor Who — The Crusade Episode 3 — The Wheel of Fortune — A Review

2nd February, 2023: The Wheel of Fortune.

Right … 

It’s Friday.

And almost time for dinner.

Fish and chips: again.

No: I still haven’t worked out why we eat fish on a Friday.

But, at any rate … ?

That’s what’s cooking, at the moment.

Prior to me watching the third episode of classic Doctor Who series, The Crusade.

Called?

The Wheel of Fortune … !

Frankly?   I’ll be watching this episode, and have my written and video reviews up by tomorrow night.

I’ll see you, then.

~≈💊≈~

4th February, 2023.

Episode 3 — The Wheel of Fortune — picks up from where The Knight of Jaffa left off.

And shows us Barbara (Jacqueline Hill), still trying desperately to escape from El Akir’s guards … and finally evading capture with the help of Haroun ed-Din (George Little).

He’s offering to keep her safe from El Akir (Walter Randall).

Back in Jaffa, the Doctor and Vicki (William Hartnell and Maureen O’Brien) are choosing new clothes: from clothes merchant, Ben Daheer (Reg Pritchard).

Daheer*?   Is keen to do well: especially given he knows these two customers are highly placed at court.

He doesn’t realise that the apparent Victor is a girl, rather than a boy.

Something Princess Joanna finds out: when she hears the pair talking.

It’s something she manages to turn to advantage: getting the Doctor to keep his ears open at court.

Joanna?

Frankly, Joanna suspects her brother has plans … 

~≈👰‍♀️≈~

Now … 

What did I make of the episode … ?

One thing I feel pleased about is the simple fact The Wheel of Fortune is one of two surviving episodes:  complete with both audio, and video.

Although audio has been recovered for episodes two and four, there’s no video: they’ve been reconstructed with what’s called telesnaps†.

Given there seemed to be less photos available for episode two, The Knight of Jaffa?

That made parts of it awkward to follow.

There’s not much talking whilst Barbara is being chased.

At least I assume Barbara is being chased: from about 20:28 to 20:45, for example, there’s no talking, no narration, nothing to tell us what’s happening, just a few photos.

No talking/narration is understandable in the original broadcast: it’s a TV show, after all, and not a radio show.

But no narration or talking in what is — effectively — an audio drama?

Is awkward: it doesn’t show, nor does it tell.

That is not an issue for The Wheel of Fortune: we can see what’s happening in it.

For me, that’s infinitely preferable.

The episode itself?

Is great.

William Hartnell seems to have thoroughly enjoyed making it: he seems to be a lot of fun as an sceming court advisor.

As do O’Brien, Russell and Hill, as Vicki, Ian and Barbara.

All are involved in various plots: with Barbara, in particular, facing genuine danger: and using her acting abilities to the full.

But the real star of the show?   Has to be Jean Marsh as Joanna: going everywhere from charming, to wily to confrontational high dudgeon: angry that her brother has arranged a marriage for her, with their deadliest enemy, without so much as a by-your-leave!

You have to love it, when the guest star carries a scene, and carries it well.

~≈💊≈~

Which is possibly a good place to leave tonight’s review.

Granted, I may have given The Wheel of Fortune short shift … but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad episode: far from it.

It’s moved the story forward, given us a superb performance from Jean Marsh, and possibly the most over-the-top last line from El Akir‡ (Walter Randall).

And … ?

Means I’ll be glued to the next episode, The Warlords, on Friday, 10th February: and have my written and video reviews up on the 11th.

I’ll see you then!

The Wheel of Fortune.

★★★☆

*        I keep vaguely thinking of the little I know of the Arabian Nights.   It’s packed full of manly heroes, damsels in distress, evil villains … and wily merchants like Daheer.

†        Episodes two and four of The Crusade are what’s called telesnap reconstructions.   They’re made of what are — obviously — called telesnaps: photos, in other words.   The chap that made them took photos of a TV screen, while an  episode of a given show was broadcast: and would then sell them to any interested buyer, including the BBC.   Prior to the existence of VHS, DVDs and the now ubiquitous flash drives?   It a handy way for actors to show their work to potential employers.

‡        “The only pleasure left for you is death … and death is very far away!”   Over the top, menacing … and ever so slightly camp … !