Classic Who "The Face of Evil" Parts 1&2 Reaction

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[@ericreese7792]

Wonderful to see you meet Leela, one of the greatest characters in Classic Who, and someone who there is absolutely no one like in Modern Who.

[@neptune04]

lol Leela would have killed most of the modern who female companions.

[@AtariDad]

In my opinion, she never did live up to her potential in the TV series, but she absolutely shines in the Big Finish audio stories. She's in constant competition with Ace for my all-time favorite Companion because of her portrayal in those audio dramas.

[@linuxstuff73]

The Doctor and her always had an interesting dynamic. I always felt in some ways Ace and "The Professor" sort of mirrored it.

[@Problembeing]

I love the 'cargo cult' element to this story. Also, "I don't take orders from anyone *bites head off of jelly baby*...Take me to your leader" is such a classic line.

[@TheElderBlotch]

The Fourth Doctor is honestly on fire in this story, he throws out quotable lines and moments like Leela throws Janis thorns. "Drop your weapons or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby" "I don't take orders from anyone" _bites jelly baby like a boss_ "That man." _launches Horda_ "I'll break your nose if you don't get up." "I can see you're a person of superior intelligence." "The Evil One." "Well, nobody's perfect." All so great.

[@EvelynMadisonFaust]

don't forget "I'm beginning to think you don't like me" and "Oh flap doodle!"

[@DeanStrickson]

It has one of the coolest TARDIS landings too. I love that whole Hyde Park/ knot hanky fourth wall breaking stuff too. And one of the greatest quotes in all of Doctor Who is to come. You all know the one. The one that Whovians on both ends of the political spectrum use and both think are correct.

[@Problembeing]

SNAP!!

[@iaincoleman5947]

High concept science fiction with razor sharp dialogue - among other debuts, this is the first story from Chris Boucher.

[@Wannabe_Baby]

"Is there only one woman in this tribe?" There was very briefly a second woman, when the tribe was going to attack the barrier. She had long black hair in braids and was carrying a crossbow.

[@ericreese7792]

The whole Hinchcliffe-Holmes era wasn't great with including women, probably its single greatest flaw. Like, the '60s-era showrunners did a better job than the mid-'70s team, which is completely the opposite of what you'd expect.

[@NyderOfSkaro]

@@ericreese7792 Indeed, and as soon as the next Producer takes over we see a lot more variety of women in different roles again.

[@whiteknyght]

From IMDB about this serial. "The novelisation of this story suggests that the Doctor's first visit to the planet of the Sevateem takes place during Doctor Who: Robot: Part One (1974); early in that serial, Sarah Jane Smith witnesses the newly regenerated and still delirious Doctor starting to leave in the TARDIS. However, the Doctor returns so quickly, with his mind so addled as a result of his recent regeneration that he never consciously remembered his time away until his return."

[@Tapguc]

But he has the scarf on that cliff. And he got it later in Robot

[@cmb318]

Timey-Wimey Scarf!

[@cmb318]

Also recall that this particular regeneration was problematic for the Doctor more than usual since he needed a little push from a fellow Timelord to get the process started.

[@captmurdock]

@@Tapguc Which is why I think he made the trip after the Robot clobbered him and he was sleeping off the concussion. Basically, he was sleepwalking.

[@richwagener]

Louise Jameson is awesome and is so wonderful with fans. I got so emotional when I met her and she was so kind.

[@jimcat6795]

I did too

[@timkinss]

Hello all! A bit of trivia you might like-- I have a friend whose mum knew the costume designer for this era of the show, and who remembered Louise Jameson coming over to be fitted for her very famous outfit in the kitchen :) A fascinating character played so well by a very beautiful actress.

[@MrPaulMorris]

It's interesting how time and age changes perception. As a teenager I like Leela's character but never quite got the fuss over Louise Jameson. As a no-longer-teenager I can't take my eyes off the lovely Louise. Now I get it. Still a great character too.

[@AndyRossism]

Youre going to adore the lovely lethal Leela! Th actress is actually a sweetheart, kinda Hippy, touchy feely holistic person, she plays the part so so so well. She asked me for directions once and my friend , who isnt a fan but had seen plenty via me, didnt clock who she was at first but knew she knew her and assumed maybe she had been a Teacher when she was at Primary School lol

[@conscienceaginBlackadder]

Talking to himself in absence of a companion, and proving one needed.

[@TheMoonRover]

"Drop your weapons, or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby" was ad-libbed. The original line was a more serious threat, which Tom Baker refused to say it as he felt it was out of character. The director (or somebody with authority anyway) objected to the change and reported him for refusing to say the correct line. Obviously Tom Baker was the star of the show, the new line ended up being well received anyway, and no action was taken. So from here on, Tom Baker knew he could effectively pull rank with creative decisions like that.

[@trentmacdonald6283]

For better AND worse

[@lancealot1235]

what was the original line?

[@TheMoonRover]

@@lancealot1235 I don't know exactly, but I think it was something like "...or I'll kill him" while holding an actual weapon.

[@Alexandrashepiro]

Leela is one of the most popular Classic Doctor Who characters! Just everyone loves Leela! I know she is one of my top 4 Female companions!!!!! This is a great story!

[@jonathanmurphy3141]

One of the young bearded men of the Sevateam, Caleb, played by Leslie Schofield, was an Imperial officer in the first and original Star Wars. The bald Shaman, Neeva, played by David Garfield, was in Troughton's last stop "The War Games as the alternate German/US Confederate officer. This was one of the earliest Who that I saw on PBS, back in 1981.

[@TheZodiacz]

Leslie Schofield was also in The War Games! He was one of the Civil War Zone soldiers.

[@darrylguerrant5101]

Leslie Schofield was also in episode two of Blake's 7 with no beard.

[@jonathanmurphy3141]

@@TheZodiacz True

[@darrylguerrant5101]

Series 1 episode 2 'Space Fall'

[@jimcat6795]

Leela! Wonderful actor, met her randomly in a NY theatre

[@keithsolley]

R.I.P Chris Boucher,who wrote this serial

[@Melancthon7332]

Leela has entered the chat yall! I really dig that your first observation off the bat of Leela is that she's questioning and curious. You're totally right, and that character note is going to pay a lot of dividends in the future. Excellent reaction, this is a fun one in a fantastic season!

[@Buzzardonic]

I'm so glad you've finally made it to Leela! She's my favourite companion by a long way, and I'm looking forward to you seeing her time in the TARDIS!

[@Faction.Paradox]

4's alienness is one of my favourite aspects of his character & and it's out in full force in this part of the series/show and I LOVE IT

[@robert_bbiii]

Great episode on how things like cargo cults formed. Everything makes sense. One thing I love in science fiction is how a language would form over time

[@meropetied]

This season was extremely popular in initial airing. And it has remained generally considered the or a peak of all of Doctor Who. But it's always a subjective thing. Personally, I absolutely adore it. I wish Sarah Jane had more agency in her stories, wasn't so possessed. There are women as extras you can see in a flash once or twice in Leela's tribe. I do wish there were more women too. It makes wonderful Leela feel a little bit like Smurfette.

[@fadikhoory5350]

There was always a Smurfette in the classic series, Genesis of the Daleks, Death to the Daleks, the Sea Devils, the Web of Fear etc.

[@mpittard21]

@@fadikhoory5350 Id always assumed that this area was the main war camp and closest to the barrier/enemy. Then further away were the women/children. Budget aside they did have a pretty large cast of extras when they needed to

[@danniemadsen1996]

In the novelisation of this story, the Fourth Doctor’s previous visit to this world took place during Part One of Robot in the seemingly extremely brief time he was gone in the TARDIS before returning to UNIT. The Doctor was suffering from post-regeneration trauma, which explains why he does not remember this visit. It also explains why he got something of a bad reputation as “The Evil One”.

[@fadikhoory5350]

Originally, the title would have been 'The Day God went mad' and Tom Baker wanted the new companion to be older like Amelia Ducat from the Seeds of Doom or he wanted to just wander around talking to himself.

[@Faction.Paradox]

I belive "just put a cabbage on my shoulder that I can explain the plot to." Was also a Baker suggestion 😂

[@cmb318]

"She's been killing b*tches." Welcome to the Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle Era of Doctor Who! Leela is my absolute, favorite companion from Classic Who. With her, Leela is the very definition of "f*ck around, and find out." One thing you need to keep in mind about her is that Leela is actually highly intelligent, look how quickly she picks up on the Doctor's explanations of various technologies along with figuring out fast how to use the futuristic weapons she comes across. However, she's extremely ignorant because of where she comes from, and the society she was raised in.

[@dansunder7minutebeerreview271]

THis was the first ever episode I saw of Doctor Who on WHYY public TV way back in 1983..fell in love with the show and have been a big fan ever since,

[@geoffbrundell4685]

Love this story and the Beautiful and talented Louise Jamison😊

[@captmurdock]

This is part of the hot streak of great stories in the Tom Baker era. He could take a pretty good script and make it epic. Can't wait till you react to the next parts!

[@JSkinnerish]

It's quite an interesting idea to have the Doctor who'd rather not indulge in violence but will if pushed and Leela who is brought up in a society where violence is often the only recourse teaming up. It's one of my favourite stories. I have no idea why Leela was the only woman on the planet. Probably the BBC budget at the time could only run to the one leather dress.

[@Concetta20]

I love that Big Finish has so many more stories with Leela and the Doctor, really deepening their friendship both as characters, and the actual actors.

[@alexlee2237]

We do see one other woman, marching behind Caleb as the warriors go to the attack, about six minutes into part two. Not many, but two up on the Deadly Assassin, which has no women at all. Random fact, the Janis thorns were originally pronounced like the name "Janice", but Tom Baker thought "Janice Thorn" sounded like an out of work actress, so it was changed.

[@Tejiknasten]

Fantastic with a new story and a new, brilliant, reaction this Friday. It was just what the Doctor prescribed to the kids and me, all staying at home with covid-19. You saved the day. This story looks quite interesting. I like the Chemistry between the Doctor and Leela. Greetings from Strömstad, Sweden. 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

[@ajivins1]

Get well soon!

[@HudsonMedia]

I really enjoyed this story on first watch and grown to love it more and more with every watch. This whole era is just a blast with some truly terrific cliffhangers as was Philip Hinchcliffe's intention.

[@Lenkic13]

This is a cracking good story and Leela is my absolutely favourite companion.

[@zipadeedooda7938]

I always figured that after his regeneration, when Sarah caught him as he was trying to leave UNIT in the TARDIS, he already had and was actually returning. It's the only 'gap' I can think of when he could have visitied this planet.

[@OutOfPrintGM]

And finally you have got to where I started watching Dr Who in 1977. Glad to see you enjoyed it

[@bertinamiller9626]

Hi, always has been my favorite doctor since I started watching Dr who in 1981. Great reaction

[@thomasstevens2746]

Intro of by far one of my favorite TV characters My fourth favorite companion. Leela!!!

[@whobp8]

Looking at that final shot of Tomas at the end of the second episode, where he fires his gun and sees the "phantom" has the Doctor's face, it occurs to me to wonder how many Doctor Who guest stars of this era had a similar look of horror on their faces upon seeing a rampaging Tom Baker descending upon them. 😂

[@therealpbristow]

Ha, yes! Straight after the story where they briefly indulged Tom's demand to be companionless, they did a whole story where the villain was Tom's ego! =:o}

[@acdchook]

My parents named my sister from this episode. A lifetime of telling people how to pronounce Xoanon.

[@alexlee2237]

Genuinely curious, is that true? Who did they name you after?

[@acdchook]

@@alexlee2237 Totally true. And I'm just a normal Adam.

[@therealpbristow]

=:oO There were lots of girls named Leela after this, but dang...!

[@jacobhogan3208]

"Is there only one woman in this tribe?" I mean that's more then was on Gallifrey last story.

[@johnmcclure40]

"Is he talking to me?" Well, presumably he went to your spa, so...

[@paulhunter6178]

Face of Evil is certainly one of the highlights of season 14 for me. If I recall correctly, there was a week or two week break between this episode and the end of Deadly Assassin, and it certainly had a different feel to it.

[@benji274]

Actually it was nearly 6 weeks between the two stories. Definitely feels like the beginning of a new era.

[@colinmcdonough4034]

At the time the BBC actually announced The Face of Evil as the start of a new season of Doctor Who.

[@lostwizard]

A proper cargo cult. Makes for a good setting for a mystery.

[@TheYoungDoctor]

Leela was the first companion I remember.

[@tokublwhovian]

Leela! ❤ I find it funny that you’ve post this on the same day, as I’ve started a show with a similar character to Leela as the protagonist.

[@johna5635]

I'd never made the link between Tom Baker's Jelly Baby threat - and Matt Smith's Jammy Dodger threat before watching this reaction!?!

[@chrisbrooker7260]

This season & the one before it are the most consistently good & innovative Who has ever been, classic or new. Baker is at the peak of his powers here, and what a great first impression Leela makes (in more ways than one. My dad actually watched Who with me during her tenure, for some reason….) Seriously though, Louise Jamieson is an excellent actor - certainly compared to some previous companions - and yeah, she’s undoubtedly hot, but having such a different character type for a companion works really well, mostly due to her acting chops. This story is decent, but is mostly a good debut for a new, very different kind of companion

[@alexfletcher5192]

In retrospect, the one thing I wish we had was a different Doctor on the mountain. But of course that creates all sorts of issues; not least with the voice. And Leela has so much information dumped on her (rather as Jamie used to have) that it would just be untenable. Louise is, of course, marvellous. And I believe I am right in saying she was to become the first companion immortalized as an action figure!

[@KevDaly]

Teenage me was very fond of Leela

[@Concetta20]

I always felt like Leela was 4th’s Jamie in a way. Loyal, good instincts, “primitive”, skilled, but also very warm and sweet all at the same time, ready to protect any one in their “circle”.

[@Jamestopboy]

It was during 4’s first episode, when he briefly ran off in the TARDIS. He came here and programmed the computer, then left - but due to the regeneration, it went a little cuckoo. And, yes, it *is* an incredibly stupid hat…

[@joshuajoshua2732]

Has that actually been confirmed though because i don't think the Doctor went anywhere during "Robot".

[@Jamestopboy]

@@joshuajoshua2732 PROSE: Doctor Who and the Face of Evil Sneaking away from UNIT during the events of Robot, presumably during the overnight time-skip in Part Two, the Doctor visits the Mordee colony, and attempts to repair their supercomputer.

[@hornorsilk2901]

Welcome Leela

[@karlmortoniv2951]

Keep an eye on what Louise Jameson does in the background of scenes in which she appears but isn't necessarily playing an active part. She's always doing something with how Leela watches others, especially the Doctor. Jameson's a hard core, old school actor's actor who does her homework. Leela's at her best in the next few stories but the show runner changed after that and the new people didn't seem to know what to do with her. She's always worth watching, but her role in stories becomes a bit more generic as time goes on. Behind the scenes, some kind of unpleasantness happened between Louise and Tom at some point fairly early on. There's no indication that anything nastily improper occurred, but something did. For most of the years since it was somewhat mysterious since Louise only said that Tom acted rather coldly toward her and she assumed he didn't like her personally or didn't like how her character was written but some ten years ago Tom gave a very candid interview in which he set the record straight - well, as much as he ever did. On the contrary, he admired her enormously, thought she was doing great things as Leela, and would have liked to get to know her VERY well indeed but she either tactfully didn't respond to his advances or didn't notice them or something along those lines. Tom admitted to perhaps taking the perceived or actual rejection rather hard - he was getting used to being the star of a hit show and getting to know where boundaries were - and said he might have let that color their professional relationship but Louise never complained openly so he had no idea at the time how hurt she was. The two hashed it out between themselves years ago before they re-teamed for Big Finish - Louise has said she had a heart to heart talk with him to clear the air before committing to the long run of recordings they embarked on and whatever happened between them they seem thick as thieves now. Presumably it's all been forgiven and forgotten.

[@scottredding7357]

I’ve always thought there was a parallel between the Sevateem and the reveal in The Doctor’s Daughter.

[@matthewt1772]

This storyline, for me, marks the beginning of a fairly extended high point (which would be...a mesa? I guess?) for Dr. Who. This may be partially nostalgia, because this was about where my local PBS station started showing the series in the 70s, but it also was where Tom Baker, I think, really came into his own, and also where writers like Douglas Adams were able to do some really interesting universe-exploring after Pertwee's mostly Earthbound era.

[@matthewt1772]

...though now that I think of it, I realized I'd forgotten an episode coming up soon that has a portrayal of a Chinese character that was...well "cringeworthy" is being much too kind. One tends to remember the high points more than the lows, I guess.

[@andrewroberts299]

@@matthewt1772 yes, but you also have to remember the time in which that serial was written, produced and watched! The character you’re referring to was a high profile one in that story, and I doubt at that time in the UK there was an actor of that ethnicity who could play the character as well as the actor who did play it, hence the necessity to use a white British actor for the role! The BBC make up dept did a good job on the actor’s face to achieve the ethnicity of the character, and I doubt young kids/teenagers (maybe adults too), didn’t think for one moment that the actor playing the part wasn’t of that ethnicity! I also doubt that Hinchcliffe and Holmes went out of their way to ridicule the character’s dialogue and how it was spoken tonally, as I’m sure some people of that ethnicity did actually speak that kind of ‘pidgeon English!’ Indeed, in one scene, one of the white British characters imitates in an over the top way, the speech patterns of this particular ethnicity, as I’m sure others of his kind did back in Victorian England, just as they continued to do so through the decades, up to the 1970’s when this story was written and produced! Of course, time and sensitivity has changed much, nearly 5 decades later, and it’s extremely doubtful anyone making UK drama today would have an actor speak that way, but back in 1976/77, the dialogue used wasn’t thought of as being ‘insensitive’ to that ethnicity, rather as a means to an end to convey the difference in nationality between their culture and those from the UK!

[@geoffmason7215]

so happy you like Leela great times ahead really enjoying these reactions thankyou

[@joshuajoshua2732]

Leela one of my first and favourite companions and the most sexiest a companion that kills and first kind of alien companion since Susan which you sadly don't get on NuWho or on any Television show nowadays. The events of the Doctor accidentally creating Xoanon on the planet he's on happened off-screen sometime still in his fourth and then current incarnation there are some gap adventures. There is another woman in the background but not an important character.

[@dupersuper1938]

Well, Leela grew up on another planet, but she's still human. Plus, New Who had Nardall...

[@joshuajoshua2732]

@@dupersuper1938 Yeah that's true.

[@jmcdonald.1998]

I love how you ask if there’s only one woman in this story, when the story you just finished is the only story in Who with completely no women at all 😂😂

[@209PH]

Mission To The Unknown doesn't have any women either.

[@jmcdonald.1998]

@@209PH true true. But it also doesn’t have Dr Who

[@fadikhoory5350]

The Mutants had no women, S13 had stories with no women. Instead, they re-used any actor they had a few years or even a few stories ago.

[@Nosregni]

@@fadikhoory5350 The Mutants had Jo Grant

[@fadikhoory5350]

@@Nosregni Exclduing companions.

[@michaelhutton8668]

Leela was the first of a couple attempts to change the Doctor's companion from the sterotypical don't hit the red button screamer. From what I've read through the years Tom Baker and Louise Jamison didn't hit it off.

[@jimcat6795]

Yes but they're the best of friends now!

[@joshuajoshua2732]

True but you don't notice it on screen so it doesn't really affect anything.

[@linuxstuff73]

I think there is probably more women in the tribe. The tribe is probably supposed to be bigger than the cast of tribe that we're seeing. It would have helped if they did a far off overhead shot of their village in the opening with lots of extras roaming around about their daily business. I think the implication is we're mostly seeing the happenings around the Chief's hut. Probably time and budget constraints got in the way of giving us a better idea of the size of the tribe. I think the tribe is bigger than what we're seeing on screen, because I believe they've had many generations as evidence by the remnant tech being more like religious artifacts to them. So you have to assume they've managed to populate a lot over many generations. Also if they were low in population, they wouldn't be so quick to kill each other. If it were a small tribe, losing just one member can be a big setback to the survival, especially when there are threats like there are. I don't think the producers thought things out so well, but probably because of time constraints. Also, we're looking at the show in hindsight. So it's easy to notice this stuff after seeing the final cut. That all being said, this is one of my favorite episodes. I really love the environment and sets they made and used (especially the jungle). They did a good job of making it feel like being on some distant planet.

[@papalaz4444244]

There are obviously other women in the tribe but perhaps Leela is the only warrior.

[@shinpowerpelt]

Yess I've been looking forward to this one!!!

[@raybearoz]

Although by now you've finished viewing the whole story.. I hope yo make note of the most relevant quote in Doctor who history in the second section... You'll know it when you hear it... This period of the show is considered one of the greatest, with my personal favourite up next after this

[@Lynxdoc]

There's a theory he came here before during his very first story when when I was trying to leave UNIT right after he regnereated.

[@JSkinnerish]

I think that might be in the Terrance Dicks Target novelisation of the story. Apparently still fresh into his new regeneration he couldn't resist taking one trip in the TARDIS and duly made a complete hash of ....well that'll be shown in the next two episodes.

[@julianblake3140]

Yes - that was the explanation in the Target novelisation of the story as I recall.

[@stevetheduck1425]

When did the Doctor visit this world before? Perhaps only the previous trip: he was alone, he interfered, and may have acted incompetently due to having no companions. Here he is on later visit, and he's acting even more strangely due to being alone, perhaps for hundreds of years.

[@alexfletcher5192]

In the days before people were really asking for diversity in the sense we talk about it today, around identity, it really meant offering up more than one type of story or over-arching story per season. That approach had strengths and weaknesses, but endured because the audience was not, by and large, paying much attention to the lore. Every four to six episodes there is a reset and so it becomes a kind of anthology series. So it's amusing when people object to the show not having one ethos and sticking to it - regardless of topicality or the social climate of the day - year in year out.

[@johntaylor564]

Welcome to Leela

[@thethinkingcatakaneonormie3527]

This is my favourite dr who story it's just a pity the name was changed as originally Face of Evil was called the day god went mad. Leela is also my favourite companion and was pretty unique I just wish the new show had a companion like her with deadly innocence and charm as well as humour.

[@flaggerify]

Tom Baker at his best.

[@mark-s]

Enter leela and a new year for dr who 1977 though the rest of this season was excellent this started a slow change in the series

[@grfgtbhh34]

Ah yes, Leela: The only Companion with a human body count. She's wonderful that way, and a good demonstration of why I complain about NewWho's Companions. Leela is super different from the usual template, but she just works.

[@alexlee2237]

Ian kicked Ixta off a roof in The Aztecs. But yeah, Leela has certainly killed the most people of all the companions so far.

[@TheZodiacz]

Depends if you count Sara Kingdom as a companion.

[@wesleywelch6090]

YAAAAAY FINALLY!!!!!

[@jasonthayer1309]

Before there was Xena, there was Leela!

[@kenmcauliffe3028]

Seven/eight incarnations later, still threatening with candy. 😬

[@stevetheduck1425]

There is one other female tribal seen later in the raid. No females of the 'others' though.

[@scottboswell6406]

Leela is such an underrated companion!! I think she gets pushed back when --------- shows up. As I have heard it, she was popular with lots of dads for the cringiest reasons!

[@eddhardy1054]

Leela was never underrated and she was appreciated by the dads because she was a strong independent woman...in a tiny leather bikini 😉😊🥰

[@Alexandrashepiro]

LEELA!!!!!!!!

[@isaackellogg3493]

The inclusion of Calib was to show little kids that politics was not something modern, that requires a whole country, but is endemic to all human groups, in all conditions.

[@frankshailes3205]

Yes there is another woman shown in the tribe. Not very prominent though.

[@AlexanderSy]

Sesskasays says: “Is there not any other female in their tribe?” Nah

[@stevetheduck1425]

One other female warrior is visible when the raid begins later.

[@CP-bx6xw]

Always found this one overrated, not that I dislike it as such. But the following 3 stories are stonewall classics, arguably 3 tens off the belt. And it follows another. Maybe that's why I think this suffers.

[@stevetheduck1425]

This season is one where the production team fully gelled. It's happened before, and may happen again.

[@mpittard21]

This serial is the perfect example of Eugenics mixed in with Technological and societal regression. So many scifi concepts on show.

[@dobr4481]

Something of a hypocrite Tom Baker's Doctor, happy to threaten to break a nose needlessly but berating Leela for her use of Janus Thorns ™

[@stevetheduck1425]

A broken nose will affect the standing of a bad man, especially in a tribal society. Paralysis and death in a culture with no serious medicine is far more serious.