Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor's 15 Greatest Stories

3. City Of Death

Duggan, why is it that every time I start to talk to someone, you knock them unconscious?

The final Fourth Doctor stories were not as consistent as the Hinchcliffe era but one tale that stands out in these later years is City Of Death. One of the most finely-scripted stories in the show's history (Douglas Adams of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy fame is behind it) and with a scene-stealing performance from Tom Baker, this story is guaranteed to a bring huge grin to your face every time. Shot entirely on location, Paris makes a wonderful backdrop to the tales of intrigue behind the stolen Mona Lisa, a mysterious count and a fluctuation in the space time continuum. Lalla Ward's Romana is a brilliant straight-woman to Baker's Doctor, while Tom Chadbon's Inspector Duggan makes a worthy second companion. But it is the tête-à-tête between the Doctor and Julian Glover's Count Scarloni that makes this story so much fun. Every line of dialogue is pure comic gold. Half the fun is watching each event unfold, more ridiculous than the last. City of Death is a tale that makes great use of time travel and Baker's comic timing to deliver a very funny story indeed.