Warriors of the Deep has a lot to answer for. Michael Grade chose the scene during which the pantomime horse alike Myrka lumbered over some foam doors limply as his reason to put Doctor Who into Room 101 and the show's special effects team had to explain why their work was so shoddy. It didn't help matters that the show had been rushed forward into production, lit so brightly it could burn retinas and had Silurians with the back of their masks visibly sticking out and Sea Devils with hats that made their heads list as if they were drunk. It's pretty awful all around, actually. What's more, Ingrid Pitt, famous as a buxom scream queen from the Hammer horror years and cult classics such as The Wicker Man, looks totally lost here as evil scientist, Solow, mumbling her lines in a heavy accent. Back in the 1970s she was imperious and gorgeous as the Atlantean Queen in The Time Monster, yet here she wanders through the tale genuinely as if she has no idea what she's even doing there. Pitt also gets a moment that, depending on one's sensibilities, is either open jaw awful or camp classic. It occurs at the start of episode 3 when the Mryka 'bursts' into the Sea Base. Rather than run away from it (though a leisurely walk would work just as well), Pitt decides to use some old lady karate moves on it. Thankfully the creature spares the character - and us - any further embarrassment by killing her.
Writer of The Blog of Delights, a review site covering film, TV, cult TV, books and audio. Fan of Dr Who, Bond, X-Men and Marvel. Also the writer of e-book 'Fictional Legends: Doctor Who - the TV Adventures' for Collca.
