10 Most Cringeworthy Doctor Who Moments From The 70s

2. The Death Of Soldeed - The Horns Of Nimon (1979)

Graham Crowden was a remarkable actor, known for both his comedic and his dramatic roles. So it's anybody's guess what happened to him when he was cast in the role of Soldeed in The Horns of Nimon. While Bruce Purchase may have turned his performance up to 11 in The Pirate Planet, Crowden's performance could only be explained using an entirely different base of mathematics. There's not a moment in his time onscreen that's quiet or understated - even his quieter lines are delivered with the sort of moustache-twirling delivery better suited to a movie serial villain from the '40s than a character who's been duped by science fiction villains in the '70s. While his most OTT delivery of a single line has to be his face-clutching read of "My dreams of conquest!" it's still nothing compared to his death scene, in which he sinks slowly to the floor, telling Romana and her companions that they are doomed - and begins to laugh. Problem is, it's not the character laughing - it's Crowden. This is one of those cringeworthy moments that has become so famous it's almost a meme. We have to say, though, that if it weren't for Crowden's performance, we wouldn't have this small slice of brilliance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98MxxpzIoyg As Eleanor Bron puts it in another episode from this season: "Exquisite. Simply...exquisite."