Doctor Who: Curse Of Fenric - Episode 158by Anonymous

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February 21, 2008: I must admit, I had never watched an episode of Doctor Who before the series was revived in 2005. I relished this reincarnation of the series, however, and soon set out on a mission to see as many episodes as I could. Initially, I had to slightly alter my standards as to what I could expect from the old series in terms of production values, but the charm of the actors and the screenplays eventually won me over. This episode is one of the few that I think actually holds up when compared with the new series. After exposure to all ten incarnations of the Doctor, I must confess a certain fondness for Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy, not least because of his wonderful, father-like bond with companion Ace. Their chemistry often saves the show. More than that, however, I enjoy his darker take on the role. He abhorred violence of any kind (an admirable trait), but would often manipulate and play mind games with those he encountered. I liked the edge this brought to the character. This episode, with its ponderings on the justification of war and the idea of absolute faith, stands as quite strong. However, what makes me love this episode so much does ultimately fall back on the Doctor and Ace. I love the way in which their relationship develops. Their bond is constantly tested, and they play that aspect with such believability that the viewer cannot help but emotionally invest. Anyone who watches the new series and finds themselves affectionate for the Rose and Martha type companions, have Ace to thank.Her strength and development came as quite the relief after several flat companions. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, as the less you know going in the better, but the ending works beautifully and the ideas the episode hopes to convey work quite well. The cast is one of the better casts seen on Doctor Who, and the touches of humor compliment the show rather than detract from it. In short, pick this episode up if you wanna see the beginning foundations of the new series, or the heights of the which the original was capable.