Who Review #43 - Fury From the Deep

None of the episodes for this six parter exist, only short clips.

The TARDIS lands in the sea. The Doctor and co. row ashore. They start having a sea foam fight. They then spot a gas pipe and investigate. The Doctor opens a box, which is mounted on the pipe, with a little gadget called the Sonic Screwdriver. (This is the first story with the Sonic Screwdriver. It is destroyed in the Davison story "The Visitation". However, it appears again in New Who, where it quite frankly is an annoying cop-out for writers who cannot think of inventive ways for the Doctor to solve situations.) The Doctor takes out a stethoscope and listens; he can hear what sounds like a heartbeat eminating from the pipe. On the sea cliff, a weapon has the Doctor in its crosshairs. All three are shot. They regain consciousness in a bright room. Someone gives them an antidote to the shot. The Doctor and co. are questioned by Robson and then ordered detained. The Doctor learns from Harris that there has been a drop in pipeline pressure and contact has been lost witha gas rig. The Doctor explains what he heard to Harris and they discuss what it could be. The Doctor argues the gas flow should be turned off and the pipe examined. The rig is hailed; one of the crew says everything is OK, whilst the signal crackles with interference. Harris discusses the emergency with Robson. A white gloved hand takes papers from Harris's briefcase. The Doctor and co. escape from their cell. Maggie Harris goes to her home and looks for her husband's lost file. Inside the file is a bit of seaweed which stings her. Robson meets van Lutyens, a Dutch government employee, and they discuss the loss of contact with the rig. Baxter reports to obson that something has entered the pipes and it makes the sound of a heartbeat. Maggie is beginning to feel ill. A white gloved figure releases oxygen out of a cylinder. Victoria hears the sound and enters the room; the figure pushes past her and locks the door. The Doctor and Jamie investigate the base and pipelines. Victoria sees foam begin to come out of a ventilator. She shouts for help. Seaweed tendrils can be seen in the foam.

Jamie and the Doctor pull Victoria out of the oxygen store room. Lutyens and Robson investigate. She is accused of emptying the cylinders. Harris goes back to his home and finds Maggie under the weather. She is confused but manages to explain being stung by the seaweed. The seaweed on the patio is now covered in foam. Harris goes to get a Doctor. The Doctor explains to Lutyens and Robson that he has heard the throbbing sound again in the pipes and asks the gas be turned off so it can be investigated. Harris asks the Doctor for help; Robson consents to let the Doctor go. Maggie opens her front door and lets in Mr.Oak and Mr.Quill, who say they have come to do maintenance. Meanwhile, there is a pressure build up in the station's pipelines. Oak and Quill open the patio door and smile; they both wear white gloves. Oak has weed tendrils protruding from his overall sleeves. They move into Maggie's bedroom, where they open their mouths and emit gas; she falls unconscious. (Legend has it, this was one of the scariest scenes in the show's history.) The excess gas in the pipes is burnt off, but the rigs are once more silent. The impeller stops and Robson and Lutyens hear a hearbeat sound. The Doctor, Jamie, Victoria and Harris are tending to the unconscious Maggie. They find some seaweed. Lutyens and the chief engineer agree that a valve needs to be looked at because the blockage is there; Lutyens is convinced there is something alive in the pipelines.

The Doctor takes the weed to the TARDIS to run tests on it.Harris orders the matron be sent to his wife. Robson suspects the Doctor of sabotage. The impeller starts moving again for a short while. Robson gets angry at everyone; Lutyens thinks the crisis is cracking Robson up and that they should evacuate the complex. The Doctor finds a book; the creature Victoria saw is in this book of legends. The weed creature has been growing, feeding on natural gas and releases a toxic gas, unnoticed by the crew. Robson goes to his quarters; Oak locks his door, and then foam and weed tendrils enter Robson's room. Harris opens the door, Robson runs out and Harris sees the creature. The Doctor and co. return to Maggie's - the place is full of weed and foam. Lutyens and Harris return to Robson's room and discover the weed creature has gone. Harris alerts the security to find Robson. Victoria tells the Doctor that she wishes they once could go a place where things are peaceful. Returning to the complex, the Doctor explains his findings about the seaweed creatures. Maggie, who is covered in weed tendrils, and Robson are standing by the sea. Maggie instructs him to obey and then walks into the sea.

Control are still trying to hail the rigs, but to no avail. Checks are being run on the impeller and the heartbeat starts again. Jamie and Victoria talk; she is becoming concerned. The Doctor comes in and says he isn't sure what is happening. She says everywhere they go there are horrible things. Harris finds Robson on the beach, but he walks away. Lutyens wants to look at the impeller and see if the weed creature is blocking it; the Doctor argues against it. Oak and Quill operate the lift to the impeller shaft. Lutyens is soon covered by foam; he screams. The Doctor and Jamie go down after him.
Director Megan Jones is coming to the complex. Victoria is left alone with Oak and Quill, who will take care of the Doctor. Jones doesn't believe Harris's explanation. Foam rises and the Doctor and Jamie signal to be taken back up; the control room is empty. They climb a service ladder up to the control room. A helicoper reports that the rigs are covered in foam. Harris wants to blow up the rigs; Robson comes in shouting "we won't allow it" and then rushes off. The Doctor explains that Robson is under the control of the weed creature; it is a parasitical creature. Jamie looks for Victoria and finds her in a pipe room, unconscious. She comes to and they talk; once more she explains her feelings. The heartbeat noise starts up again. The Doctor, Jones and others rush into the piperoom; the pipe is full of weed creature.

The Doctor surmises the weed creature has taken over vital personnel and realises oxygen is toxic to the weed creatures. Oak and Quill hear this and move to the oxygen room; they put on gas masks. Robson is found and contained to quarters; Jones goes to speak with him. The Doctor isn't sure how to fight the creature. Robson leaves his room, his hands covered in weed tendrils; he knocks out the guard by breathing out gas. Jamie chases Oak and Quill when they are suspected. Quill is caught and turns on Jamie; Victoria screams. Quill is punched but falls because of the scream. In the piperoom, the fom and weed crash through the pipe- The Doctor and Jamie are nearly trapped when doors close shut. They manage to escape, but Robson has the unconscious Victoria and he drives off. He then commandeers a helicopter. The Doctor contacts Robson; he is holding her hostage and wants the Doctor to come over to them. The Doctor thinks Robson will lead him to the nerve centre of the weed creature, Jamie and the Doctor set off in a helicopter and head for one of the rigs. They hear Victoria's voice and open a door; the room is full of foam and in the middle is Robson, covered in weed. He says they have been waiting for him.

The Doctor talks to Robson, who tries to explain the Doctor must help take over the world. Victoria screams, which weakens Robson. The travellers make off in a helicopter, flown by the Doctor, which he learnt how to fly from watching Astrid (Enemy of the World) - although he flies it erratically. A company pilot assists the Doctor over the radio. Harris and Jones are waiting; the former wants to evacuate the complex. The Doctor knows now how to battle the weed - Victoria's scream killed the weed. Her scream is recorded whilst foam moves into the base. The scream is sent down the pipes and around the base. The weed creature is killed and Robson, Luytens and Maggie are safe and well on the rig. A celebratory dinner is held at the Harris's place. Victoria makes her intentions clear: she wants to remain on Earth, where she will stay with the Harris's. The following morning, the Harris's and Victoria wave goodbye to the Doctor and Jamie.

Fury... has a reputation as one of the creepiest of the stories and it's easy to see why: Oak and Quill walking about, people being taken over, the ever present threat of foam and tendrils coming out of pipes and ventilators, the action takes place in a base, and the monster is seemingly harmless looking seaweed. It is in many respects better than the usual sea monster story. Dudley Simpson's incidental music is fun.

Classic Victoria
A deadly "AAAAAAAAAAAAARG!"

Deborah Watling in another mini-skirt. (Her black number is quite sassy and stylish!)

A fan has spliced bits from the audio releases to create the following Naughty Victoria. It's childish and silly for sure - but so was High School. (Apologies to Ferris Bueller.)

The farewell scene, which is really a tear jerker. "I was fond of her too", says the Doctor as the very sweet Victoria leaves.

Another brilliant story in a brilliant season.
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