It's just slightly off that May Day airdate, unfortunately, but still a fitting story to have broadcast in those days of late spring. This is probably the most atmospheric and aesthetically interesting story of the Pertwee run so far, and I confess, I am a bit of a sucker for black magic.
Actually, let's talk about magic first. This is one of many stories where the Doctor explicitly rejects magical and supernatural explanations for the phenomena of the world and insists that nothing is inexplicable, only unexplained. On the one hand, this is a fine appeal to rationality, but on the other, Doctor Who has almost always been a series that's implicitly, if not explicitly, magical. I couldn't count the number of times that the Doctor themself has been compared with a magician or wizard, and as I pointed out before, the entire premise of the program is basically an expansion on the Wardrobe to Narnia. The program more often verges on science-fantasy than pure science fiction, so it's just a little odd to see a story reject that part of Doctor Who's DNA so stridently!
The UNIT part of the formula is at its best since it's held mostly in abeyance until the final episode, when they're unleashed with a somewhat impotent fury against the humorously rendered Bok. It makes UNIT look somewhat extraneous, but Benton and Yates are useful, and the Brig gets some fantastic lines. I was especially taken by his wry remark about getting a pint at the very end. I wouldn't want them marginalized in every episode, but the fact that the Doctor and Jo get the honors of properly saving the day is very welcome in an era that's starting to feel a bit crowded.
The Master is at the peak of his hammy excellence, crowing out nonsense words in a darkened crypt and surrounded by hooded cultists. (Surely Russell T. Davies had this in mind at the beginning of The End of Time Part One?) This time, he has an entire town under his sway, and it feels like he's putting the regulars into real danger, especially with how many times Yates and Benton get clobbered by mesmerized villagers. The scene where the Doctor is tied up to the maypole and almost burned as a witch is especially effective, and I enjoyed his use of sleight of hand in getting out. I'm surprised this serial didn't catch more flak for showing a man of the cloth (even a fake one) conducting sacrificial satanic rituals in the basement of his church!
The town of Devil's End in general is well-realized; it's charming just how over the top it is with its devilish aesthetic, right up to the local tavern being the Cloven Hoof. The villagers themselves are mostly entertaining, and the slightly dotty white witch Miss Hawthorne makes for a nice secondary character. I wish Professor Horner had survived past Episode One, he's quite funny and would have made for a good addition to the scenes in Devil's End.
Alas there is one place where this production stumbles, and that's on the interactions between the Doctor and Jo. He's been fairly harsh and arrogant toward her all season, but I would hope he'd have been over it by this point. It doesn't help endear this Doctor at all when he scolds Jo for grumbling about the Brigadier in the same way he did two seconds before. Since when did the Doctor care about showing respect to authority figures? This nasty paternalistic streak has really got to go away sooner or later. Still, the story goes some way toward redeeming itself by having Jo outright save the day, out of her willingness for self-sacrifice to save her friend the Doctor. Tellingly, he's a little warmer toward her after that as well. I think these two could have a marvelous friendship, if only the wrinkles could be ironed out.
The special effects surrounding Azal aren't the best realized, but the titular Dæmons are an interesting enemy that I'd love to see return in a more modern context. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the first time we've had an alien race be presented to us as the foundation for an Earth myth, or at least the first time it's been done prominently. It works this time, and adds to the flavor of the serial.
All around, then, I can say this season ends on a high note. I'll be summarizing my experience with Season Eight next time around.
(Modified from the original posted at Gallifrey Base on 28 March 2021.)
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