VHS : Doctor Who The Greatest Show in the Galaxy [1963]

Rating: - Ugh!
So, then. The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. A tale with a decent reputation, a tale that has been well received by everyone else who's reviewed it so far. An 'oddball story', true, but one which commands far more respect within fandom than, say, Delta and the Bannermen. A difficult story to attack, one would say.

But really, it's tripe, isn't it?

OK, that's not entirely fair. 'Tripe' is a strong word, and it isn't one I'd attach to any Doctor Who story. But if I was forced to, really forced to, Greatest Show is without any doubt the one I would choose.

It's a shame, really, because it boasts some excellent features. Mike Morris above mentions the direction (at some length), and fair point, it's a well directed tale. Also you've got the great advantage of Sylvester McCoy, by now at the top of his game, as the Doctor. In this story he's as good as ever. One of the things I love about Sylvester is the way he can transform a mundane line into something special. Listen to him in Episode One where he delivers the line, "it's just a promotional device trying to get us to go." 99% of actors would have simply read the line, passed over it in a hurry to get to better material. Sylvester gives it everything, putting those McCoy-patented tones of sadness into his voice and completely altering the line. Wonderful.

So these are two good points about this story. But neither of them are the best. The best thing about this one is the Chief Clown, and to a lesser extent the other clowns. Ian Reddington delivers a wonderfully sinister performance in a role that could have descended into Batman-style camp. He's one of the most menacing figures in Doctor Who history - the smiling (well, sneering) face paint concealing a deep seated malevolence. And the clowns in undertakers' raiments and a hearse work very well.

So yes, these are all plus points. But there's a downside, an aspect of this story which should be seen as the enemy of fandom, if you will. I call this enemy "the script". It's frankly diabolical.

I could attack the tedious cartoon characters which pepper the tale (Nord, Fanboy and the annoying woman on the stall) but that's far too easy a target. It would be better to look at the plot and its development in the tale. But unfortunately that's rather difficult to do, as nothing makes any sense. I'm aware that Mr. Morris above described criticism of this rather glaring deficiency as "missing the point", but I disagree. The script isn't, as he contests, deliberately not making sense. In writing it, Wyatt seems to feel that he's explained everything. Sorry, Steven, but I've still no idea what's going on. What really happened to Kingpin? No idea. Why would a bunch of hippies have owned a psychotic machine dressed as a bus conductor? No idea. Who the **** are the Gods of bloody Ragnarok?!? No idea whatsoever. Stop being so opaque, Wyatt, and sort it out.

Another problem seems to be with Ace's characterisation. Compare the portrayal of Ace here to Marc Platt's in Ghost Light, which dealt with a similar theme (Ace's fear). Ace isn't interested in the circus due to her strong dislike of clowns, so Wyatt uses the age-old and boring device of having the advertising drone ask if she's 'scared'. At which she immediately wants to go to prove the machine wrong. This is broad-strokes characterisation, dull and horribly unsubtle. In Ghost Light, Ace feels like a real human being with many different shades to her character - in this she is nothing but a stereotype of herself. (Another note - the "not scared, are you?" device is unbelievably repeated later in the same episode - this time, unforgivably, the Doctor of all people says it. In fact he says "oh, you're just making excuses because you're scared of clowns." He refuses to listen to Ace's well founded fears. This is not the sensitive Seventh Doctor we know - it feels more like Colin Baker. Awful scripting.)

The acting in this one is a very mixed bag. McCoy and Aldred are good as ever, despite the script, and as I have said Ian Reddington is superb. However, the MC is wooden, and TP McKenna as Captain Cook bored me - I know this was the point of the character, but it's a golden rule that boring characters should never bore the audience. The old woman selling food is simply unspeakable.

In essence then, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy is arguably the worst Doctor Who story I've ever seen. It's not only got no depth - it's got no width, no breadth and indeed no dimensions of any sort. Over-written, over acted twaddle.

Not as good as it used to be? How right he is.

---

Rating: - Gripping
The 7th Doctor passed me by the first time around as I was still in There Is No Doctor Worth Worth His Salt After Tom Baker mode....I am happy to say that I am being proved wrong 15+ years later, especially with regard to the 5th Doctor and most surpisingly to the 7th Doctor. He is my Hungarian wife's favourite Doctor! Just as my grandmother's favourite was the First Doctor. And my young boys (4 and 3)seem pretty impressed as well. I now accept that the later Doctors indeed had CONSIDERABLE merit. This is one of the best McCoy era stories and I was nothing than genuinely amazed at the quality of virtually everything about it. It may not be The Green Death or The Sea Devils but it is MIGHTY fine. I stand corrected Sylvestor. You were, at least in your second and third seasons a FINE Doctor. It is very satisfying to have my previous prejudices rendered UTTERLY redundant. And yes, the Clowns were inspired and indeed SPOOKY. Oh Ye Cynics DISAPPEAR!

---

Rating: - The greatest McCoy story in the galaxy!
Greatest Show In The Galaxy is a cherishably surreal voyage into previously unknown territory. Taking as its starting point the oft-repeated maxim that clowns are scary (they are, you know), the story plays with some deliciously bizarre imagery, such as clowns driving a silent hearse, or brightly coloured kites being used to track down fleeing prisoners. As a subversion of childhood images of stability and reassurance, it really hits the mark - but it can also be enjoyed as that straightforward SF standby (much used in Dr Who) of an ancient evil about to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
The story meanders slightly in parts 3 and 4, but these are minor quibbles in a production that boasts so much - among them chilling incidental music, terrific visual effects (especially the monsters, whom I am not giving away), and Ian Reddington's terrifying performance as the Chief Clown.
This is a McCoy story that you should buy and cherish.

---

Rating: - A chilhood nightmare........................
When i first saw this story i was 4, and the only part of it that stood in my mind were the clowns! Yes, the clowns scared the hell out if me and even today when i watch this story i get an uneasy, nervous feeling. Unfortunately for me that happens a lot since there are loads of clowns in "The Greatest Show", but don't take that as a bad thing. I would highly recommend this story to any viewer, it has everything; a chilling atmosphere, tension, excitement, comedy, you name it, it's in it! Sylvester McCoy puts in a great performance and its nice to see a fairly convincing supporting cast too, especially the actor who plays the head clown (who's name escapes me now!) While the ending may not be top-notch, the rest of it certainly is, and on that basis, "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" fully deserves its five star rating and perhaps even my own rating as "The Greatest Sylvester McCoy Story"!!

---

Rating: - Claustrophobic horror but the ending is weak
Sylvester McCoy, despite his short tenure, ranks alongside Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as one of the great Doctors. Ace is also up there with Joe Grant, Leela and Sarah Jane Smith as one of the best assistants. The combination is excellent, and the scenario for this unusual adventure is also very strong — a psychic circus which has turned into a fatal attraction run by sinister clowns where the only attractive characters are cowed or insane.
This story has a nightmare logic which makes a virtue of the limited cast and low budget.
Sadly, the climax lets the story down. The culprits are the gods of Ragnarrok — a rather lazy piece of pseudo-norsism, especially when compared to the 'Curse of Fenric' just a couple of adventures later. For some reason the gods of Ragnarrok can't make their own fun (although this is never explained convincingly in the manner of the Eternals in one of the fifth Doctor adventures), and therefore require entertainment. Sylvester McCoy is a magnificent and versatile performer, but he reverts to Vision On type as he entertains the gods with conjuring and tumbling until Ace and the now sane Kingpin are able to slip him the Eye, which, for no very adequately explained reason, can be converted into a weapon against the gods.

Despite some creepy performances and nice cameos, this is an ultimately disappointing adventure – the whole doesn't equal the sum of the parts. If you can't get enough of Ace and the Doctor, then you'll want to add it to your collection. However, if you want to see McCoy in classic mode, you would be better placed looking at 'Time and the Rani', 'Battlefield', 'Dragonfire' and 'The Curse of Fenric'. 'Remembrance of the Daleks' also comes strongly recommended, although to my mind is not one of the strongest Dalek stories.