Doctor Who (TV Series) Bell of Doom (1966) User Reviews

It's a shame it came to an end.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 18 November 2015]

It is the eve of St Bartholomew's day. Steven returns to Preslin's shop to Anne, he tells her he believes it' the Doctor that was killed. After a search for the TARDIS key the Doctor appears, Steven explains the recent events surrounding The Sea Beggar. Anne tells the insistent Doctor the date, he's instantly fearful, demanding Anne returns to the safety of her Aunt's house. The Queen Mother explains her plans for St Bartholmew's day, the massacre of the Huguenots, she believes it to be a mercy. The slaughter begins as Steven and the Doctor make their escape. Steven demands to leave the TARDIS after he surmises Anne was slaughtered, but a series of events sees The Doctor, Steven and young woman Dodo set off in Space.

It is almost a pity this wasn't stretched into a six part serial, I am sure there would have been enough mileage in it to stretch it further. It really is that good.

Plaudits for all those concerned in it's production, it's slick, imaginative, horrifying, interesting, informative, absolutely wonderful serial.

It's a story that fits in well with the concept of the early Doctor, to be an observer in history, not to change it. Great scene between Steven and The Doctor over his leaving Anne Chaplet there, Hartnell and Purves were utterly fantastic!

Highlight for me has to be that final scene where The Doctor remembers his fellow companions and considers going home to his own people, if anyone doubts how great he was as the Doctor, have a listen, it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Dodo's wonderful mix of accents begins.

Bravo 10/10

The Massacre of St. Bartholemew's Eve: Part 4 - Another superb historical adventure

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 19 August 2014]

Review for all 4 parts:

The Massacre of St. Bartholemew's Eve is a 4 part historical adventure beginning with War of God. It surrounds the build up to the true historical event of the title where a huge amount of Protestants in 16th Century France were massacred by the Catholic rulers of the time.

Such a horrific true event gives this story a very dark but very interesting feel and provides tremendous drama, particularly surrounding Steven's anger at the Doctor's insistence that they cannot interfere with the course of known history.

The writing, Paddy Russell's direction, acting by the regulars and the extremely impressive guest cast is of the highest possible quality and it is no surprise that the story comes from John Lucarotti who provided two of the earlier classic historical adventures. However, the script was actually heavily re-written by script editor Donald Tosh which has only served to further enhance it. Along with producer John Wiles, Tosh oversaw consistently high quality stories before they both resigned (after their wish to replace William Hartnell was overturned) with Tosh leaving part way through this production.

It is such a shame that the pure historical adventures, which in my view were often among the best stories, were disliked by Tosh and Wiles successors Innes Lloyd and Gerry Davis so the likes of Lucarotti's all time classic stories would tail off to nothing within a year. I feel that these pure historicals with no sci-fi elements, along with rare pseudo historicals where aliens are attacking in a historical setting, provide the variety of story which makes it easier to sustain interest and quality over a whole series. I genuinely think that if the weaker sci-fi stories throughout all the later series were replaced by occasional pure historical adventures and more of the pseudo-historicals (which were always few and far between) it would have made the series even stronger and certainly in the 6th and 7th Doctor's era could have brought greater success and critical acclaim preventing the decline the show suffered. Anyway it did not happen and the 21st Century series when it eventually returned was re- energised and re-introduced numerous pseudo historical stories if not pure historicals.

This story is a real classic, with top standards in all respects.

My Ratings: Episode 1 - 10/10, Episode 2 - 10/10. Episode 3 - 9.5/10, Episode 4 - 10/10

The Only Greatest First Doctor (William Hartnell) story I know of!

[gabrielwho-44390 · 10/10 · 6 April 2022]

Overall, it's a little hard to choose the right Hartnell stories, but this one is one to accept. It's something worth to enjoy. Paris 1572, Catherine De Medici, Steven making friends with fictional-historical characters, the 'comparison' dilemma between the identities of the Doctor and The Abbott of Amour's, just great!