Who Review #33 - the Underwater Menace

Only episode three of this story exists.

Jamie wonders what is going on but is assured that everything is alright by Ben and Polly. The TARDIS lands on a beach. Polly thinks it might be Cornwall; Ben scrornfully says she said that the last time she guessed. But she was right, as it was Cornwall. (The Smugglers.) The Doctor, looking at the geology, deduces it isn't Britain. There is a volcano close by. Polly thinks she saw something moving on the volcano. Polly rests a bit from climbing up the rocks; the boys move on. They are on a group of islands. Polly looks in a cave and finds a bracelet; somebody grabs her. She screams and Ben and Jamie rush back. They enter the cave. The Doctor, finished examining the beach, looks for the companions. Ben and Jamie enter the cave and are caught. The Doctor is also thrown in with his friends. Their cage descends. They pass out. Guards move them to four tables. They discuss when and where they are. Polly suggests 1970, because her bracelet says Mexico OL 1970. For Ben and Polly, that olympics hasn't happened yet. They are escorted out. The Doctor rushes over to some food and starts eating with pleasure.... it is plankton! Ramo, a priest, welcomes the travellers. His goddess has prophecised they would fall from the sky. They are to be a part of a ceremony for the Vernal Equinox.. The companions are led away. The Doctor tells Ramo he knows a Professor Zaroff. Ramo wonders how he knows the Professor. The Doctor passes a servant, Ara, a message to give to Zaroff. The companions are held above a pool filled with sharks. The Doctor is placed on the fourth table. Damon takes the letter from Ara. He gives the letter to Zaroff. The tables tip and the travellers begin to slip towards the shark pool. Zaroff rushes in and stops the sacrifice because he needs to know the secret the Doctor knows. Zaroff was believed to be dead; the Doctor has no secret and Zaroff laughs at the Doctor's ruse. Elsewhere, the boys are sent away to mining duties. Polly looks at an underwater scene, where creatures are farming food. They are people who have been fitted with gills, surgically altered people. Polly is going to be operated on, to make her into a fish person. Zaroff has promised to raise the people of Atlantis. Ara informs the Doctor of what is going to happen to Polly.

Zaroff explains his plan. When water rose, some people were trapped and existed on in air pockets. The Doctor has wire cutters in his hands and moves towards the wire. The operation on Polly is disrupted because supply for light is faltering. The operating theatre is plunged in darkness. Ara releases Polly. The Doctor's sabotage has been noticed. Ara and Polly run through tunnels. Zaroff has promised to help the survivors of Atlantis by draining water from Earth. The Doctor says it could destroy the world; Zaroff doesn't care, as he is overtaken by the idea and the power it will give him. At the mine, two prisoners, Sean and Jacko, are heard talking by the overseer. He approaches them; an object is passed to Jamie for hiding ' it is a compass. The four talk. The Doctor learns more about the place from Damon. He pours two chemicals onto each other, creating a noxious reaction that allows him to escape. Ara and Polly arrive at the temple; Polly is told to hide. Sean, Jacko, Ben and Jamie discuss an escape plan. They slip away down a tunnel after confusing the overseer. Guards are looking for the Doctor; he meets Ara and wishes to meet her chief of state. Damon and Ramo talk; after Damon moves off, the Doctor approaches Ramo and tries to form an alliance. He discusses Zaroff's plan with Ramo, showing what will happen if he is succesful. Jamie has lost his footing; Ben and co. help him up from the chasm. Polly wakes and sees a door below the idol open; it is the foursome. Ramo and the Doctor see Thous, the King. The Doctor tries to explain to Thous that Zaroff is mad. Thous orders a door opened. Zaroff is standing there. He may do with Ramo and the Doctor as he will.

They are taken away to the temple for sacrifice. A scream and then bellowing voice sounds from the idol; the voice orders them all to bow. Ramo and the Doctor run to the idol and hide. There they meet Polly, Ben, Jamie, Jacko and sean. Zaroff tells Thous that in two days time Atlantis will be read. The priest relates the mystical sacrifice; he believes the sacrificial lambs are indeed dead. Zaroff doesn't believe it and orders the guards to search. The Doctor thinks they can make the fish people revolt and not harvest food. The Doctor and companions plan to kidnap Zaroff, Jacko and Sean head off to persuade the fish people. The Doctor disguises himself as a street beggar. Polly dresses in Atlantan costume. ,Ben and Jamie as guards. They trick Zaroff away from his guards, so he is alone. He pretends to have an attack. Polly is left with Ramo to tend to Zaroff. But he kills Ramo and takes Polly captive. (Super Polly does nothing but watch and let out a scream at the killer blow...She misses the big vase she could have smashed on Zaroff's head to save Ramo, etc.) But the boys prevent this, Zaroff runs off laughing like a poor parody...I mean maniac. Zaroff shoots Thous and declares nothing can stop him now.

Later, the Doctor and Ben find Thous and move him to safety. The Doctor plans to flood the lower levels of Atlantis in order to flood Zaroff's lab. Food riots are breaking out. Ben takes the Doctor as prisoner towards the generator. They get in and begin their sabotage. Polly and Jamie see the water begin to break through. Ara, Jacko and Sean carry Thous Jamie and Polly are nearly trapped but find an exit. Jacko and co. reach higher land and a camp. Zaroff advances his plan. Ben and the Doctor enter his lab. The scientists run when the Doctor explains. A metal gate cuts off the Doctor from Zaroff and the controls. The Doctor pulls at some wires turning out the lights. Zaroff lifts the gate; Ben lowers the gate cutting Zaroff off. The travellers run. The Doctor goes back to rescue Zaroff; he just cannot bring himself to leave him behind. Zaroff drowns though. Damon says they will build a new Atlantis, without gods and fish people. The travellers are reunited on the beach. They leave the island. Jamie says he feels happy in the TARDIS. The companions laugh when the Doctor says he can control the TARDIS. Suddenly the TARDIS lurches out of control.

Not much to say really. This is as dreadful as the Gunfighters.
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