Who Review: The Curse of Fenric

The Doctor takes Ace to what is supposed to be a secret British naval base during World War Two. Initially disappointed by the lack of security, Ace’s mind is soon put to rest as they are confronted by British soldiers. But the Doctor is more interested in meeting Dr. Judson, who is working on Ultima, a computing machine that decodes German messages. He’s also interested in decoding unusual runes from the crypt below nearby St. Jude’s church. The Reverend Wainwright, vicar of the church, tells of an old Viking curse that keeps people away from the church’s silver. It seems the church was built upon a Viking graveyard. In fact, the church is home to the graves of these Vikings’ descendants. But what is this obsession with Viking mythology, and the legendary Fenric spoken of in the runes? While Judson prepares a plan to foil the Russians, who are very interested in the Ultima machine, much more sinister things lurk out at sea beyond nearby Maiden’s Point. Unbeknownst to Judson, the Ultima machine and its rune deciphering has awakened an ancient evil that has been chained up for centuries. Already, dread creatures from the deep have made their presence felt. And this is just the beginning…

SPOILER ALERT!! My comments may (and likely will) contain spoilers for those that haven’t seen this serial. If you want to stay spoiler-free, please watch the story before you continue reading!

Positioned as the penultimate story of season 26, “The Curse of Fenric” was originally supposed to be broadcast earlier, prior to the previous story, “Ghost Light” (Ace mentions hating dark places, foreshadowing her concerns about the house in “Ghost Light”). I’m glad that didn’t work out. “Ghost Light” set a darker, more serious tone to the season that “Fenric” builds on. It’s a good story, and is often well-regarded among Whovians, even if it did, like its predecessor, suffer from some severe editing. The two-disc DVD release restores much of that edited material in a “Special Edition” version of the story, included along with the original four parts. But even the chopped-down version holds up well, I think.

At the core of the story is the Doctor’s battle with this force of evil called “Fenric” by Commander Millington. Way back in the mists of time, the Doctor faced off against this being, defeating him in a chess game. As a result, Fenric was trapped in a Chinese flask, which Ace finds in the crypt below the church. The flask fell into Viking hands which is how it ended up in the church crypt. In the process of applying the Ultima machine to decyphering Viking runes with the flask in the Ultima machine, Judson unwittingly releases Fenric, who now wants a rematch against the Doctor. Meanwhile, Fenric has brought the Ancient One, a haemovore from the future when all the rest of creation has been wiped out by chemical pollution, back in time to capture humans and turn them into haemovores. Fenric’s intention is to use the chemical weapons stored in the facility, weapons Commander Milligton wants to use against the Russians, to destroy life on earth and begin the process that will ultimately be the demise of the haemovores. It seems Fenric likes to play these manipulation games, like bringing Ace face-to-face with a baby who will end up being her own mother–a mother she grew to hate. Or creating a time storm that takes Ace from Perivale to the Ice World where the Doctor met her. But Ace, and everyone else, have just been pawns in the game between Fenric and the Doctor.

What we end up with is a story with layers. At first it seems to be about cracking codes, and defeating the Germans. But then we learn of Milligton’s plot to conceal a deadly chemical weapon within the Ultima machine and allow the Russians to steal the device. The machine has been programmed so that when the word “Love” is decyphered, the chemical weapon will be released. Millington is convinced that the Russians cannot be trusted, even though they are presently fighting with the Allies against the Germans. But he doesn’t only want the Russians put in their place, he also wants the power allegedly associated with Fenric, hence his desire for the urn, and his interest in the Nordic mythology and the story of Fenric’s curse. Then, of course, we have a couple of significant revelations about Ace: her mother’s true origins, and that the time storm she thought she created was in fact the work of Fenric, and that her meeting with the Doctor was no accident.

In the end, the Doctor meets Fenric and sets up another chess puzzle for him. This time, Ace sees the solution, and accidentally tells Fenric. But the Doctor has another trick up his sleeve. We’ve already seen the power of faith to fend off the haemovores. Now the Doctor breaks Ace’s faith in him, to allow the Ancient One to attack. But the Doctor has let him in on Fenric’s manipulation of the haemovores in the service of his petty games. Instead of turning on the Doctor, the Ancient One turns on Fenric.

Given the layers and depth of the story, you have to keep alert and follow closely. This demonstrates a level of sophistication to the story-telling we haven’t encountered often before, perhaps making it a bit of a reach for the younger members of the Who audience. The more “adult” nature of “Fenric” is perhaps most plain when the Doctor asks Ace how she intends to distract one of the guards, and she responds, “I’m not a little girl, Doctor.” She then calls to the guard, saying she’s been looking for him, and talking about how she can feel the wind through her clothes. It’s all very subtle seduction language that is (hopefully) lost on the youngest Whovians, but the older ones no doubt understand what she’s doing (and are, probably, a little shocked–this is Doctor Who, after all!). The story behind Ace’s mother, and the bond that develops between Ace and the baby, is also quite poignant. When Ace sends mother and daughter off to stay with a relative of hers, she tells the baby she will always love her. Will she, now?

As the second story in the “Ace Trilogy,” this is certainly the Perivale Girl’s show. Not only is she the temptress, but she’s also the one who recognizes Dr. Judson’s logic puzzles, helps him with his work by spotting a pattern he didn’t notice, and, as mentioned, unwittingly gives Fenric the solution to the Doctor’s chess puzzle. Quite a feat for the character we’ve only known so far for her street-smarts, sharp tongue, and skill with explosives. But I think this was the intention, to dig deeper into Ace’s character. At the same time, we’re also getting hints and suggestions regarding the Doctor’s long and mysterious past.

The effects are good for late-80s, low-budget BBC, though the haemovore prosthetics are, at times, unconvincing. In terms of acting, we get some of the best performances from the Doctor and Ace in the series so far. Especially the Doctor, whose dramatic turns are a far cry from the comical farce that was “Time and the Rani.” Very impressive.

I’m not sure if “Curse” is “Must-See,” but it is a Seventh Doctor story worth watching. It’s one of the more substantial Doctor Who stories, so be prepared to give it your full attention. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.