The Underwater Menace

The TARDIS lands in sunken Atlantis in this serial, and almost straight away, the regulars are separated: Polly being taken for a horrendous operation, Ben and Jamie being taken to work in the mines, and the Doctor gone to visit Professor Zaroff. Zaroff is revealed to be the mad scientist in charge of 'raising Atlantis' and is looked up to by the entire nation. However, it is soon revealed that Zaroff actually wants to destroy Atlantis and so the reunited regulars along with a good supporting cast set out to stop him.

The plot in The Underwater Menace might be a bit odd, but I find that it's paced well and is structured cleverly, so you never get bored. The excitement build as the story progresses, with lots of running around Atlantis and some fight scenes to boot. The story is quite complex though, and requires four locals to help the Doctor beat Zaroff. Sean and Jacko are an entertaining double act, and Rano also brings joy to the screen.

You really can tell the actors are enjoying themselves making this. Zaroff's german accent is strong all the way through, sometimes providing slight comedic moments in an otherwise completely serious serial. The plot and acting is serious, but unfortunately, the costumes aren't. 

While it would have been great joy to work on costumes for a serial like this, the results are unique, but sadly, way over the top. Corral headdresses, clothes made from sea plants, and religious masks in the shape of paralyzed goldfish don't convey seriousness. Also to fault are the fish slaves.  The eye pieces look silly and the costumes are just odd. The silent acting is a joke.

However, it's a pretty enjoyable tale. Good action, a great villain and cast, and an excellent script are plagued by hideous costumes and the set pieces leave a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, it works well and it's a pity three episodes are currently not in the BBC archive.