The Face of Evil [Doctor Who, Story 89]

The Face of Evil by Chris Boucher

1 - 22 January 1977

"They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit their views, which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering."​

I've always been fascinated by the concept of The Face of Evil. When it came up in the course of my marathon, I was also excited for the introduction of Leela, whose episodes I had never watched. This story didn't disappoint me in either respect, and I ended up enjoying myself a lot.

First, a word on how sumptuously beautiful the production design in this story is. The outdoor sets look great, rivalling the redder jungle sets from Planet of Evil the previous year. The corridors of the Tesh base could have been crap (as corridors often are), but because of the mirrors there's an illusion of size that's created. And of course, Tom Baker's face in the side of a mountain is hilarious and memorable.

Front and center of this show, however, is the new companion! I enjoyed Leela's caustic remark early on that "One day [Calib will] get so cunning even he won't know what he's planned." Lines like this, as well as the animated and active performance of Louise Jameson, tell us immediately that while Leela may come from a primitive culture, she's still clever enough to be a match for the Doctor.

The mad computer Xoanon is a fantastic invention. We hear his voice early on, and it's impossible to disguise that it's Tom Baker's tones booming out of Neeva's shrine. Disguising it isn't the point, however; it makes the viewer wonder whether the Doctor could really by the "Evil One" everyone is talking about. Of course, we learn that the truth is more complicated than that. Seeing that this whole mess is a consequence of a mistake the Doctor made far in the past is a really interesting conceit. It shows that the Doctor isn't infallible, and allows him to come good again by fixing what he did wrong.

This whole story is a really interesting consideration of belief, personhood, and consequences, and makes for one of the smartest scripts the show has had so far. Just like The Hand of Fear, this one was a pleasant surprise. I'll definitely come back and watch this again sometime soon.

The Robots of Death is next.

(Modified from the original posted at Gallifrey Base on 12 May 2021.)