The Fourth Doctor was larger than life, easily defeating his opponents by force of wit alone, making this scene from Pyramids of Mars the more effective because hes so totally diminished. Travelling to the lair of the terrible Sutekh, the Doctor quickly finds himself overmatched. Sutekh can shred the Doctor's nervous system 'into a million fibres' without so much as a gesture and easily neutralises the Time Lord's most potent weapon - his mind. Forty years on, it's still powerful. Although Sutekh is wonderfully designed and voiced with creepy precision, what sells his menace is the way Tom reacts to him. He's required to do one of those things all Doctors have to at some point - writhe in agony - but he does it with a conviction bordering on the religious. With moments like these, its worth remembering that before he took up acting, he was a Roman Catholic monk for six years. As such, he has a way of playing suffering that seems almost devotional in character. When he does challenge Sutekh, his tone of voice is wearied, almost pathetic. This isn't a confrontation between equals, it's a rout, and Tom's performance is redolent of that. Hes the 'grovelling insect' at Sutekh's feet. A spent force. The sight of this much loved hero helpless in the grip of evil must have been terrifying for millions of children watching it for the first time in 1975. It's totally convincing because Tom gives it his all.
I am Scotland's 278,000th best export and a self-proclaimed expert on all things Bond-related. When I'm not expounding on the delights of A View to a Kill, I might be found under a pile of Dr Who DVDs, or reading all the answers in Star Wars Trivial Pursuit. I also prefer to play Playstation games from the years 1997-1999. These are the things I like.
