Episode 16: Five Hundred Eyes

 

Synopsis:

Alone at the oasis, Tegana mocks his fellow travellers as he pours water into the sand - knowing that they will be dying of thirst...

The Doctor has been allowed to rest in the TARDIS, accompanied by Susan. He is awakened by water dripping onto his face. He fills a jug and takes it outside to show to the others. At first Marco is furious - believing that the Doctor has been secretly hoarding water in the ship. Ian and the the Doctor have to explain to him that it derives from condensation - moisture forming on the walls and ceiling of the ship as it cools down overnight, after the great heat of the day. Marco's anger subsides as he recalls having seen this before.

With the extra water supplies, the caravan proceeds to the oasis.

Tegana tells them that he came across bandits at the oasis last night, which is why he could not return with water for them.

They decide to spend the night here before moving on the next morning. The Doctor had been hoping for a period of at least a week to repair the 2LO circuit. He has managed to make a spare key, however.

Ian and Barbara are suspicious of Tegana's tale of bandits, as there is no sign of their fires. The desert is freezing at night, so surely they would have built fires? Marco dismisses their suspicions.

The next day they set off for Tun-Huang, famous for its many temples and for the Cave of 500 Eyes. Ping-Cho has a story about this place, where there are painted masks of 250 evil men who dwelt there. These were the Hashashins, so called because of their use of hashish according to Marco. Ian believes this is where the word "assassins" comes from.

At the Cave, Tegana has a secret rendezvous with a couple of warriors who have come from Noghai - Malik and Acomat. He learns that their master has formed an army and is on the march to Karakorum. Tegana tells them of the magical caravan which he plans to steal from Marco and the Doctor.

Barbara has followed him and he captures her and ties her up, leaving Malik and Acomat to guard her.

When her absence is discovered, the Doctor and Susan ask Chenchu - the way-station manager - for directions to the Cave, suspecting that the history teacher may have gone there. He warns that the place is haunted by the spirits of the Hashashins.

After they have gone, Tegana questions Chenchu and learns that he has told them of the Cave.

The Doctor and Susan explore the tunnels and find evidence that Barbara has been there - her dropped handkerchief.

Susan suddenly screams as she sees the eyes of one of the painted faces move...

Next episode: The Wall of Lies.

Data:

Written by: John Lucarotti

Recorded: Friday 14th February, 1964 - Lime Grove Studio D

First broadcast: 5:15pm, Saturday 7th March, 1964

Ratings: 9.4 million / AI 62

Designer: Barry Newbery

Director: Waris Hussein

Additional cast: Philip Voss (Acomat), Jimmy Gardner (Chenchu), Charles Wade (Malik).

Critique:

The highlight of this episode is the lengthy scene wherein Ping-Cho recites the story of Ala-eddin and Hulagu. The popular Christmas pantomime of Aladdin has the title character a young man -a heroic figure - but the version told here is of a wily old man of the mountains. The full recital is included below.

Surprisingly, this recital was going to be cut by Waris Hussein, and Zienia Merton had to argue strenuously for it to be kept in.

We learn about the possible origins of the "assassins", deriving from their use of hashish. "Hashashin" does refer to a user of hashish in the Arab world, and a religious sect who used hashish to create visions later set out to assassinate the leaders of the European Crusades.

Mention of real life illegal drugs in a family show would never have been allowed just a few years later. Opium is referenced in 1976's The Talons of Weng-Chiang - a story which refers back to Marco Polo as the Doctor tries to recall his previous visits to China.

It ought to be remembered that in its earliest days Doctor Who had an educational remit. There was a reason why the two human companions were teachers - one of history and the other of science. The historical stories were supposed to inform children of the facts of these time periods, and the sci-fi stories were supposed to include references to genuine chemistry, physics or biology. According to Sydney Newman, even the more odd-ball "sideways" stories would have an educational element, as the TARDIS crew encountered different states of matter - being miniaturised, made invisible etc.

This episode also has the Doctor and Ian explaining all about condensation and how it can form, so this week we are getting lessons in science, history and etymology.

Merton was extremely nervous about her recital, but nailed it on the first attempt, and the applause from her fellow cast members was genuine. She was coached in her performance by Indian actor and dancer Zohra Segal, who was featuring in the episode as a background artist.

To make life easier for himself, designer Barry Newbery had the set for the Tun-Huang way-station simply the one seen at Lop last week, redressed.

Trivia:

• Both Philip Voss and Jimmy Gardner will return to the programme later - Voss playing Cully's friend Wahed in The Dominators, and Gardner playing Idmon in Underworld.
• Zohra Segal returned in The Crusade. She is one of a very small number of Doctor Who actors who lived to be 100 or more.
• Ping-Cho's recital goes as follows:

Gracious maidens, gentle lords

Pray attend me while I tell my tale
Of Ala-eddin, the Old Man of the Mountain
Who by devious schemes, evil designs
And foul murders ruled the land.

 
No host of arms, no vast array
Of banners served this wicked lord.
They were but few - ruthless, reckless men
Who obeyed his cruel commands.
Thus did he persuade them

Promising paradise, he gave his followers
A potent draught and whilst they slept
Transported them to a vale where
Streams of milk and honey, wine and water, flowed.
Here were gardens and flowers of every hue

And essence. Here, too Golden pavilions outshone the sun
And even the stars of heaven envied
The bejewelled interiors strewn with incomparable silks, tapestries,
And treasures.
Hand-maidens, dulcet-voiced

Soft of face, attended them, and thus bemused

Did they dwell in this man-made paradise
Until Ala-eddin intent upon some evil deed
Proffered again the hashish draught
And brought them sleeping to his castle

What lord, are we cast out of paradise
Awakening, they cried.
Not so, Go abroad, seek out my enemies
And strike them down.
But care not for your lives.

Paradise is eternal.
So terror stalked the land for many years.
Then one day, came mighty Hulagu To stand before Ala-eddin's lair
For three long years in siege
And thus fell Ala-eddin and his men.

 
Now honest hands reap harvests of life
From the soil where death and evil Reigned.
And those who journey
Through the vale are heard to say
Tis truly paradise today.

• On the Thursday following the broadcast of this episode (12th March) it was announced that Carole Ann Ford would be leaving the series in October when her current contract expired. The reason given was fear of typecasting, especially whilst playing a character much younger than herself (she was 23 and a mother). Privately, she was unhappy that Susan was not being developed in the way that she had been promised.
• The next day, it was officially confirmed that there was to be a second Dalek story later in the year.
• On a personal note, Five Hundred Eyes was the first episode to be broadcast after I was born.