Robert Holmes establishes his long-running genius for Doctor Who scripts in this first-class Pertwee story...

Back in my review on Colony In Space, I mentioned that writer Malcolm Hulke had found some way to travel forward in time. Well, now I’m convinced that there was a whole gaggle of writers who built their own TARDIS, and armed with copious quantities of beer and kippers, travelled forward to the 21st century.

So while Hulke conducted research on the nitty-gritty of the British economy, Robert Sloman was assigned to have a chinwag with Sting about the environment, while Robert Holmes was assigned to do two things: One was to investigate the mundane policies of politicians, the other was to investigate that thorn in everyone’s TV side, reality TV. The end result? Carnival Of Monsters.

Carnival Of Monsters sticks out like a sore thumb in the Pertwee years. Most of the early 70s adventures tend to have some grain of reality, with a million and one research companies, politicians and environmentally unfriendly businesses. Carnival Of Monsters instead offers an overgrown visual iPod, a stuck 1920s ship and crew, and lots of scary monsters that eat human flesh for breakfast, dinner and tea (with a spaceship thrown in for good measure at elevenses).

About the only scrap of real life is the political unrest on the planet of Inter Minor. Holmes has definitely done his homework, and even in the 21st century, nothing’s changed. Countless rules and regulations, most of which are designed to wrap up people in red tape rather than do any good to the country. In-party squabbling and sneaky tricks to gain power. Relentless toadying. The politicians of Inter Minor may look as realistic as a walking, talking cardboard box, complete with very obvious bald wigs, but personality-wise, Holmes was on the money.

"Terence Lodge is excellent as the fawning Orum, a man that can’t even count up to five without asking Kalik for advice"

We learn of four main political figures. The unseen President Zarb, who’s regarded as a soft touch by his unscrupulous brother Kalik, the most vicious of the lot. Kalik is prepared to go to any lengths to oust his brother from power, even if it means letting loose a few hungry Drashigs in the process. Up until now, Michael Wisher has portrayed rather genteel wet blankets, but it’s in Carnival Of Monsters that he starts to gain a reputation for convincingly playing the bad guy. And he does it brilliantly – he uses many amusing facial expressions and vocal touches to make Kalik a credible, boo-hiss baddie. “This scope contains many alien creatures. The Lurman has imported them without a licence!" “One has… twinges.” “Amazing(!)” Just three great quotes from Wisher, which really have to be seen and heard to be believed.

The other two politicians are just as amusing and well played, though. Terence Lodge is excellent as the fawning Orum, a man that can’t even count up to five without asking Kalik for advice. Every suggestion of Kalik’s he goes along with – presumably if Kalik told him to throw himself off a 100-storey Inter Minor shopping centre, he’d go along with it. He certainly never agrees with Pletrac, the shining example of a pompous bureaucrat who does everything by the book. Peter Halliday may be best known as the sadistic Peeeeaaackkkahhhh in The Invasion, but he’s just as good in this story, adding a lot of humour to the part and convincingly making Pletrac such an annoying buffoon.

"Carnival Of Monsters is the first Robert Holmes script to really use his trademark humour and quirky story structure as hooks"

For once though, the political situation is not at the forefront of the adventure. Far from it, it’s a minor subplot, which The Doctor sees through from a million miles away after he wakes up on the planet. It’s all very small in scope (ha ha) for once, with Kalik trying to overthrow his brother rather than global domination. Even the subplot of the Functionaries’ plight is not dwelled on. The grunting workers are slaves, pure and simple, but despite a mini rebellion by one of their number in the first episode, nothing really comes of this.

Instead, the key aim is to entertain. Carnival Of Monsters is the first Robert Holmes script to really use his trademark humour and quirky story structure as hooks. The plot basically revolves around the Miniscope, a machine that houses many life forms for people to come and look at, like a cross between a telly and a portable zoo. But then Holmes possibly knew more than he was letting on.

Just look at today’s TV, which is practically drowning in reality TV programmes. Viewers are invited to look at people like animals in a zoo – the worst example of which is the increasingly irrelevant Big Brother, which slowly limps to its long-overdue conclusion like a knackered whippet in a 50-mile marathon. The contestants (which judging from a five-minute guilty sneak the other day, this year includes an Osmond brother in specs and a cape; another fey posh boy; a cross between Jordan and the Tango Man; and Trevor McDonald doing an impersonation of Beyonce) are just like the individuals in the Scope – the bizarre difference being that nowadays, people actually volunteer for this sort of humiliation. Money and getting your face on TV are apparently better substitutes than dignity and self-respect.

But I digress. The inhabitants of the Scope include a Cyberman, a Plesiosaurus, Drashigs and the crew of the SS Bernice. They’re your archetypal fops on board the ship – the bumbling old major, the screaming daddy’s girl and the dashing hero. They’re all clichés of course, but they’re superbly acted by Tenniel Evans (Jon Pertwee’s old Navy Lark buddy), Jenny McCracken and Ian Marter, who successfully warms up for his role as Harry Sullivan.

One of the things that makes Carnival Of Monsters so successful is that two apparently unrelated locales join together so seamlessly. After we open up on Inter Minor and its gaudy dayglo colours, we then cut to the SS Bernice – it’s all apparently remote from the planet, but the moment the crew start repeating the same phrases, that’s when the audience twigs that maybe something’s up. And by the time a giant hand has stolen the TARDIS, the mystery becomes even more intriguing.

"They may look totally OTT and like something from Lost In Space, but ironically, Holmes’ attention to detail means that Vorg and Shirna are two of the most well-rounded characters of the Pertwee era"

It’s a canny bit of writing on Holmes’ part, and altogether, the story is expertly structured. The first part neatly builds up the mystery of the two different times and places, and over the next three, he slowly unravels the plot in a way that doesn’t feel contrived or illogical. Along the way, Holmes also treats us to the first of his double acts, Vorg and Shirna.

Vorg and Shirna are great – two showbizzy polar opposites. Vorg is the grizzled, cynical old showman, desperate for success not to mention a few credit bars – Shirna is the more optimistic of the two, despite her fading dreams of touring with the All Star Dance Company and an equally healthy dollop of cynicism. Holmes fills us in with all these little background details – how Vorg used to be in the military or how he managed to trick the great Zarb, for example. They may look totally OTT and like something from Lost In Space, but ironically, Holmes’ attention to detail means that Vorg and Shirna are two of the most well-rounded characters of the Pertwee era. It also helps that they’re played by two excellent actors (who would go on to star in future sitcoms). Cheryl Hall playing Shirna, would go on to be Wolfie’s long-suffering missus Shirley in the first two seasons of Citizen Smith, while Leslie Dwyer (Vorg) would go on to play kid-hating Punch ‘n’ Judy man Mr Partridge in Hi-De-Hi.

Talking of double acts, this is another notable adventure for The Doctor and Jo. Like The Curse Of Peladon, the warm friendship between Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning really comes through here. Interestingly, Jo is more of an equal to The Doctor rather than say in The Claws Of Axos or Terror Of The Autons. She’s now confident enough to say that The Doctor’s wrong (which presumably would have caused a full-scale explosion two seasons ago) and also happens to have a handy pair of Skeleton Keys when they get locked up in the SS Bernice bedroom. There’s a lot of charm in the companion team of The Doctor and Jo – it’s a sense of two great friends enjoying both their adventures and each other’s company. The two gently spar with each other, while maintaining a huge sense of respect and loyalty (“Doctor, you’re brilliant!” pipes up Jo at one point, only for a slightly bemused but flattered Doctor to reply: “I am?”). Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning are superb throughout, and again demonstrate why they are one of the quintessential Doctor-Companion teams in the show’s 47 years.

"Carnival Of Monsters is one of my favourite Pertwee adventures, simply because it breaks the mould of what’s gone before"

In fact, Carnival Of Monsters is one of my favourite Pertwee adventures, simply because it breaks the mould of what’s gone before. There’s a high level of humour which you don’t normally get running throughout. Holmes’ penchant for writing witty lines is evident all through the story (“Give them a hygiene chamber and they store fossil fuel in it” is just one gem out of many), and altogether, it’s well brought to life by Barry Letts.

He certainly makes the Drashigs memorable monsters, despite some of the rotten CSO. The model work is actually not too bad, but even better are their unearthly screaming roars (apparently the work of sound guru Brian Hodgson who manipulated a sound recording of a screeching tyre). Turn the sound down, they look reasonably convincing, but turn the sound up, they may succeed in giving kiddies nightmares.

It’s also worth noting that Roger Liminton’s set designs are also brilliant. He’s allowed his mind to run wild with the interior of the Miniscope – it’s very well realised, right down to the long shots of the clockwork-type innards. The sets of Inter Minor are also well done, as are the SS Bernice interiors, which again prove that no one can quite do period drama better than the Beeb.

Carnival Of Monsters sums up the whole point of what great Doctor Who is all about. It’s about ideas. Imagination. Carnival Of Monsters has so many imaginative concepts and ideas bubbling about, and what’s more, they actually translate well to the screen – despite the frugal budgets that the producer had to work with. OK, so they’re not 100% perfect, but a lot of the images stick in the mind long after viewing the story: The giant hand stealing the TARDIS at the end of episode one. The roaring Drashigs. The eye of Vorg looking through a hole at The Doctor and Jo (“That’s so cool!” squeals Katy Manning on the DVD commentary). No other programme lets the imagination run riot like Doctor Who, and with that in mind, Carnival Of Monsters is a good example of this. Wacky brilliance.

John Bensalhia limbered up for this mammoth task with a full four-series review of Blake's 7, and writes professionally and recreationally all over the web. Check out his portfolio of work at Wordprofectors.

Check out John's previous Doctor Who review, The Three Doctors