Ok, so, let's be honest: The Underwater Menace is... not good. I mean, it's no Planet of Giants, but it's really not good. In fact, I think it exemplifies all of the negative preconceptions of what classic Doctor Who is - cheap sets, tacky costumes, poor writing, pantomime storytelling, it's all there. Usually, for me at least, the show rises above its technical and financial limitations by presenting interesting ideas and captivating characters. But sometimes, like with this story, it's just cheap and badly written.

Let's talk about that.

The Underwater Menace - Episodes 3 & 4

(TARDIS Data Core recap)

There's not much to say, story-wise, about the back half if this one. The Doctor obviously escapes from his predicament at the end of the last episode, and then helps foment rebellion among the fish people. The mad scientist gets madder, the lower levels of Atlantis get flooded, the Doctor permanently prevents the mad scientist from blowing up the world, and then the Doctor and companions depart again in the TARDIS. I mean,sure, in detail more happens than that. But none of it really matters or makes sense.

For starters, the culture makes no sense. Most of the Atlanteans are running around in tribal outfits and wearing elaborate headdresses while they worship their goddess Amdo. In every single way they are presented as a primitive culture. Except that they also have scientists and engineers operating multiple power plants and providing electric light and other amenities. I am not saying that scientific people can't be religious, far from it, but the dichotomy here makes no organic sense.

Also making no sense: they are an underwater empire, and their only food source is a nutritional paste made out the plankton that the fish people gather. This paste spoils in a matter of hours, with no way to store or stockpile it. This is an important plot point, because the fish people are able to starve out the Atlanteans by simply stopping food production for a day. So the Atlanteans have power plants and electric lights, but apparently haven't mastered the creation of a refrigerator nor have they ever contemplated eating any of the fish or other sea life swimming around right outside.

Even the character behaviors make no sense. The mad scientist has the Doctor handed to him at the end of the second episode, and what does he do? He sends him away with a tribal priest to be executed to the goddess Amdo, with no security guards. The Doctor escapes because (I swear I am not making this up), Polly hides behind the idol's face and issues a Devine command, then dims the lights, and when the Doctor and the other prisoner sneak out the priest genuinely believes that the goddess Amdo has devoured the prisoners entirely and left no trace. The word "credulous" does not even begin to approach it.

At one point later in the story, the Doctor and company have captured the mad scientist. They decide they need to go to the mad scientist's laboratory in order to prevent the doomsday weapon from going off. So what do they do? They split up and send two able-bodied men away on one mission, the Doctor brings Able Seaman Ben Jackson with him on another mission, and leaves Polly -- Polly! -- to guard the mad scientist. I mean hey, cool, up with female empowerment and all that, but... really? It's not even a little bit surprising when the mad scientist escapes.

Don't even get me started on the mad scientist's acting and dialog. There really is a point where he screams, "You fools!"  He grimaces and snarls, frequently spouting Mad Scientist dialog in a German accent and gesticulating like he is in a silent film. It's stinks like day-old plankton paste.

So yeah, not my favorite story.

On the bright side, tomorrow I start The Moonbase with the return of the Cybermen. Yay!

STATS:

Doctor(s): Second
Companion(s): Ben Jackson, Polly Wright, Jamie McCrimmon
Episode(s): The Underwater Menace - Episodes 3 & 4
Steps Walked: 6,798 today, 507,540 total
Distance Walked:  3.30 miles today, 240.02 miles total
Weight: 283.50 lbs (five day moving average), net change -23.80 lbs