DVD review (region 2)
Directed by Christopher Barry
Starring Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, Myra Frances, Eileen Way, David Brierly
Release date Out now

The Doctor explores a mysterious pit, and discovers a creature of unimaginable horror. Really!

That trip to Paris in City of Death must have created a severe dent in the budget for the remainder of the season. Aside from some very effective film shots in the first episode, and a well-realised jungle planet, this story soon collapses into a pointless runaround that badly under-runs and feels a world away from the sophistication of the story before.

It’s not for a complete want of intriguing villains. Myra Frances’ Adastra makes for a slightly kinky leader, all whips, capes and leather boots. She’s straight from the pages of a pulp novel, and is a strong dramatic foil to Tom Baker’s buffoonery.

As the title suggests, there is a horror lurking inside the pit. It’s not Geoffrey Bayldon’s banished astrologist; he’s a likeable and warmly performed character who belongs in a far better story. The true horror is the creature; but for all the wrong reasons. The beast looks like a cross between a mass of green plastic bags and a giant penis. Surely nobody on set was fooled?

Lalla Ward’s performance as Romana is atrocious, though to be fair, this was the first story she filmed. The actress plays the Time Lady as a simpering fool with little of the sassiness that she displays in every other story she appears in. K-9, used throughout most of the tale as a gun (yes, really!) is also played by a new actor, David Brierly. He’s fine, although far more prissy than John Leeson’s version of the character.

Fans of this story are out of luck if they’re expecting a full gamut of special features. Aside from a lively commentary – “All the wit, it’s entirely Douglas Adams!” notes Lalla Ward when describing David Fisher’s script – you get a visual effects documentary in which Mat Irvine is as defensive as ever, and there’s a profile of director Christopher Barry. This profile feels out of place, being attached to his weakest story by far – it probably deserved to be on The Daemons release as opposed to this one. Jonathan Wilkins

VERDICT: 4/10
Managing to be silly and dull at the same time is no mean feat, but The Creature from the Pit manages to take a slight premise and create a story that bores rather than enthrals.