Day 54: The Slave Traders

After bidding a fond farewell a couple of episodes ago to the outgoing script editor, the new guy, Dennis Spooner, is able to show what he's made of here in this self penned story. What is key to note, when we look at what Spooner has brought, is to look at the way that other stories in the same genre are handled, so that we can compare and contrast between the two, to see what differences can be spotted. So let's compare The Slave Traders, the first episode of the serial known as The Romans, with A Land of Fear, the first episode of The Reign of Terror. What is obvious from the start is the tone of the story. A Land of Fear, is surprisingly, all about tension, and fear. We see characters gunned down, and the story has a remarkably cruel edge to it. And whilst there is a bit of fun to be had as they figure out where they are, this is immediately dispelled by the terror of the time period. The Slace Traders, on the other hand, is mostly different. It has a far lighter tone, with some absolutely brilliant jokes and pieces of wordplay to be had. There are hints of darkness, yes, history is a dark place, but this is showing that history doesn't have to be serious all the time, it can be fun sometimes as well!

The characters have adapted as well, with the Doctor not being as grumpy, Ian and Barbara clearly enjoying their travels, instead of pining for home every half-hour and Vicki is a more upbeat and Earthly Susan, who is able to have fun, instead of screaming her head off every other scene. But the most important thing to notice is the writer. As mentioned previously, The Slave Traders was written by the new script editor, Dennis Spooner. A Land of Fear was, however written by a new writer to Doctor Who, called Dennis Spooner. This shows that this man has range in his writing capabilities, in that he can write both serious drama, and light hearted comedy. He is also able to focus on character, and have fun with the programme. So welcome Dennis Spooner, and this blog looks forward to what you will bring to the series.