Episode #32 : The Underwater Menace

"Just one small question: Why do you want to blow up the world?"

 

 

Episode 32:   The Underwater Menace.
Companions: The 2nd Doctor, Polly Wright, Ben Jackson and Jamie McCrimmon.
Air Date:       Four episodes. 14th January to the 4th February 1967.

 

The TARDIS arrives on an extinct volcanic island. Before long, the travellers are captured and taken into the depths of the Earth, where they find a hidden civilisation - the lost city of Atlantis.

 

This is a rather unusual story as it feels all too comical without actually being funny or a comedy. it all comes down to the villain of the piece, a man scientist named Zarkoff. Zarkoff carries off a strange almost eastern European accent and is played as a stereotypical mad scientist complete with shout "NUFFINK IN ZE VORLD CAN STOP ME NOW!" All in all it is a tad strange and cringe worthy.

The other element that failed for me was the appearance of the fish people (see the photo above) decked out with glitter, sparkly things and carried on strings to emulate swimming. All very cheap and nasty, not to mention plain old silly looking. Considering I love the dodgy cheap special effects later on this just goes to show how bad these are.

 

The Underwater Menace is the first to mention Atlantis, though in this case what the Doctor has found is merely a surviving outpost. Atlantis will get referenced twice more (as of this time), and the story of what happened changes each time.

 

Ultimately it is a very silly story and just boring to watch. it is one of those where I found myself unconsciously looking to flick through a book or check my phone throughout the viewing. Not a good sign.