Day 678: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy Part 1

On the surface, there's not much to this episode. The Doctor and Ace arrive on a planet, one that looks suspiciously like a quarry, looking for a circus. On their journey, they meet a variety of weird and colourful characters, and it all culminates with the Doctor and Ace making the decision of whether they will enter the circus or not. But, after watching it, I was surprised to find that I couldn't keep my eyes away from the story, as I remained constantly alert throughout the entire piece.

There are so many factors that play into this, but the main one in my opinion is the weirdness of the surroundings. We're treated to surreal images of a clown dressed as an undertaker setting off kites to find an Adam Ant impersonator, which feels so odd that it draws a sense of curiousity about the proceedings. This is helped by the music, by Mark Ayres, who delivers a muted but everpresent feel of mystery to the story, adding a degree of suspense, and helping build an atmosphere that engages the viewer.

So I'm actually rather looking forward to the next episode of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, and I hope that it will live up to the oddness of the first part.