Review of City of Death (#105)
DVD Release Date: 08 Nov 05
Original Air Date: 29 Sep – 20 Oct 1979
Doctors/Companions: Four, Romana II
Stars: Tom Baker, Lalla Ward
Preceding Story: Destiny of the Daleks (Four, Romana II)
Succeeding Story: The Creature from the Pit (Four, Romana II)
When my husband walked past where I was watching City of Death and taking notes for this post, he stopped and said, “Haven’t you already reviewed this?” Even he, who doesn’t watch the show (though he’s seen some, now and again), knows that CoD is one of “the best” stories out there in the eyes of fandom at large.
In fact, the famous i09 article from which I take my rankings for classification purposes has listed CoD at #3 of 254, which is one of the reasons it qualified for the Highs & Lows theme this year. It may therefore seem a little strange that I haven’t ever reviewed it.
This very popularity is exactly the reason I’ve avoided it in the past. After all, what fan of Classic Doctor Who—or even of the modern era—hasn’t at least heard of City of Death, by name or otherwise? A single glance at the Doctor and Romana traipsing through Paris told not only my husband but my kids which story it was. (“Isn’t this the one with all the Mona Lisas?”) I’ve never needed to write a review to convince anyone it was worth watching.
But now that it’s come around on the guitar, so to speak, I’m happy to take my turn. Besides, some readers may still be wondering what all the fuss is about. For example, if you’re one of those fans still just dipping a toe into Classic Who, you may be put off by all the hype about this story (like Deb from Verity! initially was) or simply not be enamored of this particular Doctor, who’s “all teeth and curls” (like me). If you find yourself in one of those camps, then hopefully some of the things I outline below will convince you that City of Death is worth your time.
First let me address the issue of Tom Baker’s Doctor. For viewers who find the Fourth Doctor to be too over-the-top goofy, too frenetic, too slapstick, I have good news: this is one of his more restrained performances. Here Baker manages to retain the comedic timing and dry wit that make him so beloved without taking his performance into pantomime territory.
Further, the script—famously pseudonymously co-written by script editor Douglas Adams—is delightful. The following exchange, one of my favorites, is but one example:
“Can I ask you where you got these?”
“No.”
“Or how you knew they were here?”
“No.”
“They’ve been bricked up a long time.”
“Yes.”
“I like concise answers.”
“Good.”
The storyline is just crazy enough—timey wimey hijinks with inhuman motives—to be fun without being off-putting, the dialog is sharp and witty, the characters (like Duggan!) are unforgettable, and they even wedge in a cameo by well-known comedians John Cleese and Eleanor Bron.
Julian Glover, who had previously appeared as King Richard the Lionheart in the First Doctor adventure The Crusade, chews up the scenery as Count Scarlioni, giving one of my favorite guest performances of all time. (And I can’t help but wonder if someone on the production team took a bet on how many times they could get the word “Count” into the script, given how often the character is addressed by his title…)
Basically, City of Death is the epitome of a Doctor Who “romp.” It’s lighthearted, with stakes that are high without ever feeling oppressive, and while it never takes itself too seriously, nor does it fall off the other end of that scale (like, ahem, the following adventure). In short, it’s perfect escapist viewing for tense times, its own little vacation in Paris.
