Doctor Who — The Underwater Menace — Episode 4 — A Review

25th February, 2024: the Introduction.

Yes: it’s Sunday afternoon.

And … ?

Frankly, I’m going to be having dinner with my family.

It’s something of a tradition.

Once I get back … ?

And dealt with the interest in the laptop I’m trying to sell … ?

I’ll be watching the last episode of classic Dr Who story, The Underwater Menace.

I’ll have my reviews up, tomorrow!

~≈📺≈~

26th February, 2024: Episode 4.

The Underwater Menace — Episode 4 — opens with with last week’s cliffhanger: showing us Professor Zaroff crowing with glee, and rushing back to his lab.

Bare seconds later, we see the Doctor and Ben (Patrick Troughton and Michael Craze) enter the throne room: and find the seriously injured King Thous (Noel Johnson) … 

Deciding Thous needs help … ?

Sees the pair decide to get the King to safety … in the Temple of Amdo.

There, they meet Ara, Jacko and Sean (Catherine Howe, Paul Anil and P. G. Stephens): and let them know the bad news.

The only way to stop Zaroff’s plan, and to save Thous … is to flood Atlantis.

Ara and her friends need to clear the Atlanteans, and King Thous, out of the area.

And tell Jamie and Polly (Frazer Hines and Anneka Wills) they need to get out.

Whilst the Doctor and Ben … head for the Generator Room.

Things … are going to get rough …

~≈📺≈~

Now … what did I make of this last episode of The Underwater Menace?

And the series it was the climax to … ?

It has to be said: I don’t know how impressed I am with episode 4.

It does seem a little … not forced, per se, but a touch by-the-numbers.

The incredibly regal King Thous doesn’t die of his wounds.

The sane scientist, Damon?   Helps his king understand a new Atlantis should be a rational city: not prey to the goddess, Amdo.

And the incredibly evil Zaroff?   Get’s a suitably nasty comeuppance: drowned in his own lab … and being ignored by his pet octopus!

So … ?   This climactic episode is fairly-run-of-the-mill.

I will give part four credit for having no muffled dialogue: something that’s cropped up in the three earlier episodes.

And — whilst being a fairly average twenty-five minutes — was at least entertaining.

Something I think we can apply to the whole series.

The Underwater Menace is possibly not the most memorable Dr Who story.

But is watchable: especially if you have a taste for vintage Buster Crabbe SF serials.

Episode 4

★★★☆

~≈📺≈~

At any rate … 

That’s where I’ll leave things for now.

The next thing I’m planning on reviewing?

Will be Ncuti Gatwa’s first complete series as the Fifteenth Doctor: due to hit our screens in May.

I’ve pencilled in watching — and reviewing — the last series of Star Trek Discovery: as and when that hits screens.

And would love to watch and review Dune Pt 2 when it hits the cinema … but will probably catch that when it hits the TV.

Either way … ?

I will either see you then: or the next time you fancy a quiz.

Be seeing you … !

Scores

Episode 1: ★★★☆

Episode 2: ★★★☆

Episode 3: ★★★☆

Episode 4: ★★★☆

Series Average:        ★★★☆