Doctor Who/Recap/S21/E02 The Awakening



"Turlough: We're running out of places to run.

Tegan: It's the story of our lives."

So after their traumatic encounter with People in Rubber Suits the Silurans and Sea Devils, the TARDIS crew aim to spend a restful time visiting Tegan's grandfather in his little English village. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (Stop sniggering at the back)

Well, something's gone very wrong with the local historical reenactment event, for one, with real violence, people staggering about with Mind Control Eyes, projections from the 17th Century, including muddy urchin Will, and Tegan's grandfather has gone missing. Little Hodcombe's local squirearchy, Sir George Hutchinson and his friends, meanwhile, have come under a malign influence and gone all Villain Ball.

After initially leading Tegan and Turlough into the village in the manner of a worn-down parent with two squabbling kids, the Doctor gets the picture, and sends the companions back to the TARDIS so that he can conduct a "scientific investigation" while they stay safe. Instead, they wander out and get in trouble, Tegan finding herself unwillingly crowned as Queen of the May, while Turlough gets locked in with Tegan's grandfather after being snuck up on by a man in a suit of armour whose resemblance to the knight with the rubber chicken out of Monty Python's Flying Circus is bound to be totally accidental.

Meanwhile, the Doctor, Will and local plucky schoolteacher Jane Hampden discover the source of the trouble inside the local church: it is, of course, all caused by The Malus, an evil time-travelling alien feeding on psychic energy. Can the Doctor, the schoolteacher, the urchin, and the companions, plus Tegan's grandad, save the day? Will Tegan go quietly? Will there be tea? Well, what do you think?

Tropes:
"Turlough: I quite miss that brown liquid they drink here.
 * A Fete Worse Than Death
 * Big No: The Malus, through Sir George.
 * Continuity Nod: references to the tinclavic mines on Raaga, from Eric Saward's story "The Visitation" from the previous season.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Turlough, even more than usual.
 * The Eighties: Tegan's outfit, when not being kitted out as Queen of the May.
 * Emotion Eater: The Malus, which also does a sideline in Mind Rape.
 * Fish Out of Temporal Water: Will.
 * Glowing Eyes of Doom: The Malus.
 * Gory Discretion Shot: Used when the trooper is decapitated by the Malus' psychic projections.
 * Human Sacrifice: "I know what happens to  at the end of her day!"
 * I Have You Now My Pretty: Don't try this on Tegan.
 * I Know You're in There Somewhere Fight: Colonel Woolsey and the Doctor try this on Sir George near the end. It doesn't quite work.
 * Malevolent Architecture: The Malus is a wall monster, and while the building it's housed in isn't malevolent (after all, it is a church), it ends up getting destroyed along with it.
 * Plucky Girl: Tegan.
 * Sir Not Appearing in This Trailer: Kamelion, again. Though he does appear in a scene that didn't make it to broadcast. Hurray!
 * Spot of Tea:

Will: Ale?

Turlough: No, tea.

Will: What be tea?

The Doctor: Oh, a noxious infusion of Oriental leaves containing a high percentage of toxic acid.

Will: Sounds an evil brew, don't it?

The Doctor: True. [Beat] Personally, I rather like it."


 * Stock Episode Titles: 39 uses
 * War Reenactors
 * Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: Surprisingly little, considering.