3.03 The Myth Makers
First Doctor with Steven and Vicki
Follows on from Season One, Season Two, Galaxy Four and Mission to the Unknown
DOCTOR: Well, I think with all eternity to choose from, I did rather well to get us back to Earth.
Overview
In the First Doctor era there are two types of historical story and I'm not just talking about pure versus pseudo. Of course, all the historical stories offer cod history, in effect given the constraints of the medium, it couldn't be anything else but that cod history tends to be played in one of two different ways. Some, like Marco Polo and The Crusade, take a historical setting and play it absolutely straight down the line, pitch perfect costume drama. And then there are others which take a historical setting and give it a comedic twist. Like The Romans and The Time Meddler before it, The Myth Makers is played very much for laughs.
My own introduction to The Myth Makers came via Donald Cotton's novelisation of his own original script, which formed part of the large collection of Doctor Who novelisations I grew up with. It's an enormously amusing read, one of the Doctor Who novelisations I'd recommend to anyone. It does make some significant changes from the story as broadcast, however not least because of the limitations imposed by the strict narrative perspective used to tell the story. So, with all four episodes of the serial missing from the archives, to experience the original version of the story, we must rely on the audio soundtrack and reconstructions not for the first time, and, alas, also not for the last.
This story is the last on-screen adventure of the Doctor's surrogate granddaughter Vicki, and marks the start of a transitional period for the show, characterised by rapid companion turnover through the remainder of this third season and the lead up to the Doctor's first regeneration.
The plot, in a nutshell, is this: when the TARDIS lands on a plain just outside Troy in the fateful final days of an epic war, the Doctor, Steven and Vicki find themselves hopelessly entangled in an infamous era of pre-history.
Writer Donald Cotton
Director Michael Leeston-Smith
Script editor Donald Tosh
Producer John Wiles
Observations
Random thoughts while watching:
The humorous tone of this story is set right from the off as episode one, 'Temple of Secrets', opens with comedic music as the backdrop to a drawn-out duel between two classical heroes, Hector and Achilles, who are more occupied in trading witty repartee than they are in actual combat. So preoccupied are they that they don't even notice the TARDIS materialise right there beside them on the plain.
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor, Vicki and Steven watch the fight with interest, trying to figure out where they are and here we are reminded that Vicki twisted her ankle slightly as they escaped back into the TARDIS at the end of their last adventure, Galaxy 4. That episode would have aired two weeks earlier, for the original viewers, with the standalone episode Mission to the Unknown separating the two stories and no possibility of re-watching, so the reminder is necessary. The injury is not serious in the slightest; it is merely a device to keep Vicki inside the TARDIS and out of the action until later in the story. The Doctor is full of bluff and bluster as he resolves to go outside to make enquiries as to exactly where and when they have landed, entirely unconcerned about the two sword-wielding men thrashing out their differences just beyond the door. He is confident, for no readily apparent reason, that they will do him no harm, and won't let Steven go with him either, teasing that he doubts his friend's sarcasm would go down well and instructing him to look after Vicki.
The Doctor's timing is impeccable. He steps outside just as a clap of thunder accompanies Hector's mocking invocation of Zeus; Hector is understandably distracted by this, and quick-thinking Achilles runs him through. Battle over. The Doctor is shocked and deplores the killing, chiding the victor without concern for his own safety, but soon finds that he has larger fish to fry as Achilles assumes he must be Zeus come to aid the Greeks in their long, weary fight against the Trojans and refuses to let him return to his 'temple'. And then Odysseus, here portrayed as a cynical, flea-bitten old salt, comes along to further complicate matters, putting Achilles' back up by pouring scorn over both his defeat of Hector and his claim that the Doctor is Zeus. He has the Doctor hauled off to the Greek camp as a prisoner.
The dialogue in this story is very cleverly written: the lovely lyrical rhythm common to First Doctor historicals combined with delightfully witty word play throughout, it really is a joy to listen to, with laugh-out-loud lines coming thick and fast.
Meanwhile in the TARDIS, Steven and Vicki have been watching all this on the scanner and Steven decides he's going to have to go after the Doctor to try to help him escape. Unusually for impulsive Steven, though, he doesn't just rush straight out into the fray but takes the time to change into period-appropriate clothing first, by which time the Doctor and his captors have all gone. Neither Steven nor Vicki seems entirely in character here, because the plot requires them to enter it at different stages, which means they must remain passive in the TARDIS for far longer than we'd normally expect of either of them, although we can be kind and say that perhaps impulsive Steven is learning from his adventures not to just rush into things the way he used to. Their banter remains as sparky as ever, though, which helps to sell their scenes. A few very blurry clips of these scenes have survived, tiny snippets recorded off the telly on Super-8, and they are very tantalising.
Vicki seems torn between regarding the sword-wielding Greeks as dangerous and regarding the notion of being in Heroic Greece as romantic and exciting. I suppose that latter attitude could be regarded as foreshadowing for her decision to leave the TARDIS later in the story; it isn't entirely in character, but perhaps we should be grateful that her departure is at least built up to throughout the story rather than merely tacked onto the end as an after-thought.
Over in the Greek encampment, brothers Agamemnon and Menelaus are busy trading sibling jibes, both heartily sick of this war. Agamemnon has just decided that his brother should challenge Hector to single combat to settle the conflict when Achilles turns up to announce Hector's death so much for that idea, then, and this disappointment is not the reaction Achilles expected for his triumph! He is quick to proclaim the Doctor's divine intervention, and this does garner more of a reaction from the royal brothers. The Doctor, for his part, is dissembling like mad, playing along and acting the part of Zeus with great authority and dignity, even while having to feel his way very carefully through the situation. I love this side of his character: his quick-thinking ability to latch onto whatever guise will earn him a foothold in the trust and estimation of those he meets and then play on it for all he's worth. He's so inventive and adaptable.
As Odysseus has already proved, not every Greek is as willing to accept the possibility of divine manifestation as Achilles, and Agamemnon and Menelaus are sceptical, very much on the fence. Maybe the Doctor would have managed to talk his way back to the TARDIS and away without incident, and maybe he wouldn't, but two events conspire to complicate matters. The first is Steven, who manages to sneak past the sentries into the Greek encampment only to be captured by Odysseus, who proclaims him a spy and hauls him off to Agamemnon. I really appreciate Peter Purves' voice acting here there's a subtlety to his delivery that makes me long to be able to actually see the performance, the nuance of his body language. Alas, with the entire story burninated it is not to be.
Steven's capture provides an opportunity for the sceptics to test the Doctor, as Odysseus suspects the two men to be connected. So Agamemnon threatens to kill Steven, and again I long to see the performances as the Doctor maintains his cover, feigning disinterest and even endorsing the death sentence how I'd love to see William Hartnell's expressions, and Peter Purves' reactions in this scene! Odysseus is all set to carry out the sentence on the spot and now at last the Doctor intervenes but very cleverly manages not to give himself away by admitting their friendship, instead protesting that it would be profane to spill blood in the king's tent and claiming Steven as a sacrificial victim, ordering him to be taken to his 'temple' and promising a miracle
It's a good plan and it might have worked but at that moment, Odysseus's mute little one-eyed servant Cyclops arrives with news, the second and far greater obstacle to an easy get-away. The TARDIS has disappeared!
And so to episode two, 'Small Prophet, Quick Return', which picks up the action the following morning as the Greek contingent visit the spot where the TARDIS had stood and confirm that it has vanished. I like how Steven finds a quiet moment to ask the Doctor, apparently for the umpteenth time, if he is really sure that Vicki couldn't have dematerialised the TARDIS by accident he's clearly been worrying about it all night! The Doctor is confident that she couldn't and there are tracks indicating that it has in fact been dragged off to Troy. To Odysseus this is evidence that the two men really are spies, and now the Doctor finally drops the pretence and admits that he is not Zeus and that Steven is his friend. Agamemnon promptly loses interest and leaves the two in the hands of Odysseus, who wants to know who they really are a question that the Doctor promptly defers to Steven. He does so love dropping his companions in it in situations like this, I suspect for the sheer fun of watching how they cope with it!
The TARDIS, meanwhile, has reached Troy, captured by Paris, here characterised as a likeable but rather ineffectual chap who hasn't the faintest idea what he has found but is proud of it anyway. His father king Priam is more interested in his son's failure to avenge the death of his brother Hector, while sister Cassandra, high priestess, disapproves enormously and prophesies doom. She is a much more strident personality than her brother and is also a lot cleverer than him to say nothing of having great foresight, correctly foreseeing the doom of Troy, if only any of them knew it, and demanding that the TARDIS be burnt as an offering to appease the gods.
Vicki is still inside the TARDIS, watching all this on the scanner. Another of those tiny snippets of blurry Super-8 film exists of her clutching at her head in a dramatic gesture as she wonders what to do. She has no one around to turn to for advice or support, only her own ingenuity and experience to draw on, but has been shown in previous adventures to be a headstrong and resourceful girl in a pinch, so how will she handle this situation?
Another snippet of Super-8 film sees Steven looking tantalisingly rough and stubbly as he falters to the end of his story, having decided to make a completely clean breast of it by telling Odysseus the actual truth ending with a dig at the Doctor's piloting skills, much to that gentleman's irritation. Amazingly, Odysseus decides that their story is so preposterous that it must be true, and, cunning old fox that he is, decides to make use of them, announcing that they have two days within which to use their 'supernatural' knowledge to devise a means of conquering Troy, on pain of being declared liars once again and executed accordingly.
What price non-interference now? Two seasons ago the Doctor was adamant that he and his companions must not influence history in the slightest, but those principles are not so much as mentioned here.
Back at Troy, preparations are underway for the sacrificial burning of the TARDIS and Paris is petulant about it, so he gets his father to first make Cassandra call on the gods for a sign and Vicki takes her cue to step out of the TARDIS, astonishing them all. Heaven-sent indeed. She reads her audience well, playing the part of the meek little girl and wrapping both Paris and Priam around her little finger within moments, although cynical Cassandra remains suspicious. Like Steven before her, Vicki freely admits to coming from the future, and I'm intrigued by how open they are about their origins here. The only thing King Priam doesn't like about Vicki is her name, so he promptly renames her Cressida thus giving away the end of Vicki's story to anyone who knows the tale of Troilus and Cressida! Vicki accepts the re-naming without a murmur, but of course at this stage she isn't expecting to have to live with the new name long-term, she's just going along with whatever will improve her chances of surviving a dangerous situation.
Back at the Greek encampment, the Doctor and Steven are struggling to come up with a plan for the Greeks to capture Troy. Steven does suggest the legendary wooden horse, but the Doctor dismisses the idea out of hand, certain that it was a mere fancy of Homer and far too impractical to actually work. When Odysseus returns, the Doctor is quick to try to extract assurances from him that Vicki will be spared if and when Troy is taken even though he has no leverage with which to bargain, he doesn't let that deter him, not when Vicki's life is at stake. That's the Doctor, not afraid to bluff on no cards in the interests of those he holds dear. Odysseus won't offer any guarantees, however, so Steven offers another suggestion. Paris, at his father's behest, has been calling for Achilles to meet him in single combat to avenge his brother Hector, but Achilles is unwilling to go. Steven offers to go in his place, thus earning both respect and scorn from Odysseus. Steven isn't planning to actually fight Paris, though he means to get himself captured so that he'll be taken to Troy in hopes of finding Vicki there. He's got it all thought out. Steven has come a long way since his first trip back in time with the Doctor.
We're quite a long way into the post-Ian and Barbara era of the show now, yet the scene in which Steven challenges Paris under the guise of Diomede, skirmishes briefly with him, then quickly submits and flatters his opponent into going along with it could almost have been written for Ian the dialogue throughout is very Ian, as is the scheme in general. Hot-headed Steven has usually had a pretty distinct personality since joining the show, even in the scripts that were written for Ian and Barbara and then adapted for him, but here he really does seem to be occupying Ian's role rather than forging his own. Anyway, the ploy works.
In Troy, Vicki is enjoying dinner at the palace, and here we are told about the Trojan love and worship of horses, upon which careless Vicki very nearly gives away the legend of the Trojan horse. When Priam starts pressing her to explain what she means, she quickly changes the subject to his youngest son, Troilus, who has already left the room. He is about Vicki's age and very good-looking, she thinks she is clearly very taken with him and Priam thinks he is equally taken with her, so it's a shame we haven't actually seen them together for ourselves to see how they get on! Troilus is about to become a very important person in Vicki's life, after all, yet the birth of their relationship is off-screen. Vicki sounds adorably pleased when that old gossip Priam tells her he thinks Troilus likes her again, I really wish I could see the performance! Based on the audio, Maureen O'Brien does a good job of selling the girlish infatuation.
So Vicki is getting on well, winning hearts and minds in Troy, when Steven goes and ruins all her hard work just as he did with the Doctor earlier. This is not Steven's best story ever, and yet he is trying so very hard to protect his friends, bless him. Paris hauls him into the dining room, all pleased with himself at having captured 'Diomede', Steven and Vicki both very carelessly cry out one another's name in surprise and the jig is up. Cassandra, who already hates Vicki, quickly seizes the opportunity to denounce them both as spies and orders the guards to execute them on the spot.
As episode three, 'Death of a Spy', opens, Steven and Vicki are saved by Paris's indignation at Cassandra undermining his authority their sibling squabbles are wonderfully funny, all the more so with Steven still interjecting the odd line or two of flattery to keep Paris on-side, much to the bemusement of that man's family. Despite all the truth-telling up till now, it doesn't seem to occur to either Vicki or Steven to admit that Steven is another time-traveller and is only disguised as a Greek, not that they are really given much opportunity for explanation anyway. Vicki is well and truly hoist on her own petard as Priam gives her one day within which to use her knowledge of the future to save Troy on pain of being burnt alive as a false prophet!
Over at the Greek encampment, the Doctor has come up with a ludicrous plan to build flying machines, based on the basic principles of the paper aeroplane and the catapult, and proposes using such devices to launch the Greek army over the walls of Troy. Odysseus greets the idea with about as much enthusiasm as you might expect and suggests the Doctor himself should take the first flight. The Doctor promptly back-peddles at speed, and this is probably the weakest sub-plot of the story very amusingly written, but basically just filling time, and it's hard to judge the Doctor's motivations at this point. Is he truly stumped or just stalling for time? Perhaps if the visuals still existed it might be easier to judge. Anyway, the Doctor backtracks on the whole flying machine suggestion and, in desperation, proposes instead the traditional wooden horse, despite having dismissed it out of hand earlier. Odysseus, for reasons best known to himself, likes the idea, and between them they expand on it: the Greek army at large will withdraw out of sight, while a hand-picked team hide inside the horse to be taken into the city, where they will wait until nightfall before opening the gates to let the army in
Down in the dungeons of Troy, Vicki and Steven are bickering over whose fault it is that they've ended up here. Poor Steven is understandably aggrieved that his daring rescue attempt has proved so unwelcome, but I do love the way Vicki stands up for herself, telling him he should have had more faith in her ability to look after herself. She isn't so confident, however, when Steven tells her that she is now in direct opposition with the Doctor they each have just one day to devise a way of defeating the other, in effect! And, of course, they all know how legend describes the outcome of this war, although no one actually mentions that the alleged immutability of history and the Doctor's usual policy of strict non-interference are not touched on at all in this story.
It doesn't take long for Vicki's mind to wander back to her shiny new crush on young Troilus, although Steven is far more concerned with their general predicament. Then they are both distracted by someone throwing stones into the cell it is Cyclops, the mute servant of Odysseus, the character adopted by Donald Cotton's novelisation as narrator. Steven is quick to give him a message to take back to the Doctor, asking him to delay the Greek attack on Troy, and then, because it's all go down in the dungeons of Troy, young Troilus himself turns up with some food for Vicki our first on-screen encounter with the lad. He is initially all stiff and business-like, understandably wary and suspicious because the girl he likes turns out to be connected to an alleged Greek spy, but it doesn't take long for Vicki's unaffected warmth and honest charm to win him over all over again. In no time at all they are chatting like old friends, a free and open exchange of opinion, getting-to-know-you, and this is more like it we only have the audio to go on, but they really do sound like teenagers with a mutual crush, relaxed and friendly and very sweet. Troilus tells us that he will be 17 on his next birthday, which Vicki describes as only a little bit older than herself, which means they are both only 16; this seems very young, but it would be considered adult perhaps by Trojan standards, and is the typical age of the traditional teenage romance of literature, film and TV. So, it pretty much works for me, they are very cute as Vicki tells Troilus she doesn't like to think of him killing people and Troilus admits that he doesn't like it himself, although he does love adventure which is something he has in common with Vicki. Background music plays and young love is in the air.
Vicki hasn't forgotten about Steven, however, still languishing in the next-door cell listening to all this puppy romance. She tries to persuade Troilus to let him have something to eat too, but Troilus doesn't see the point, which is a good little cultural contrast, a reminder that although Troilus seems a pleasant young lad his outlook and worldview are very much shaped by the very primitive culture he comes from, a world apart from Vicki's sophisticated futuristic sensibilities. He brought food for Vicki because he likes her, they'd already struck up a friendship, but it would never even occur to him that the comfort of a 'Greek' prisoner should matter in any way rather, the very suggestion reminds him that the girl he likes is connected to said prisoner in some way, and he is jealous and quarrels with her about it, and I still don't understand why Vicki and Steven don't just come clean here and admit to being travelling companions. Even now they are keeping up the pretence of Steven being the Greek Diomede.
The quarrel doesn't last long; the teenagers like each other too much for that. Once Troilus has gone, promising to return with news as soon as there is any, Vicki reveals that she has saved some food for Steven, who teases her about her crush on Troilus, every bit the older brother figure they have struck up a wonderfully sibling relationship during their sadly few adventures together. Vicki doesn't care, musing that she really thinks she could be happy here in time and that's the bit that seems out of character, because up till now she has always been very definite about not wanting to live in the past and about her attachment to the Doctor and the TARDIS, her adopted home, since the death of her father. Also this is Troy, on the brink of falling to the Greeks, so she has to know that soon there won't be any 'here' to be happy in. But she's young and falling in love for the first time, so it's entirely plausible that she'd get so swept up in the romance that she'd forget about everything else. She wouldn't be the first teenager to let romance and hormones cloud her judgement!
Back at the Greek encampment, Cyclops is unfortunate enough to run into a pair of trigger-happy guards who don't know him and is unable, being mute, to explain himself, and thus gets himself shot dead before delivering Steven's message to the Doctor. The Doctor himself, meanwhile, is unconvinced of the stability and durability of the wooden horse the Greeks have constructed and is very reluctant to climb inside, but Odysseus insists and again, the weakness of this sub-plot is how unclear the Doctor's motivations are at this stage. What is he actually trying to achieve? He knows the Greeks are going to win; history says so. The alacrity with which Odysseus seized upon the idea of the wooden horse should tell him that that part of the legend was also accurate. He hasn't received Steven's message asking him to delay. So what is his problem here? Does he simply not want to be present for the sacking of the city? If so, why? He knows that his TARDIS is in Troy and he knows that Vicki and Steven are in Troy, so you'd think he'd be eager for the opportunity to get there himself to try to find them and escape, yet instead he seems to be actively avoiding Troy. Does he hope that if he stalls for time, Steven and Vicki might manage to escape the city by themselves? If so, they would all still be stuck because the TARDIS is in Troy. Is he concerned about being caught up in a famous moment of history, given his belief in non-intervention? We don't know, because we are not given any insight into his motivations whatsoever here.
The Doctor's attempts to escape are thwarted Odysseus bundles him up into the horse just before the Trojans find it.
Meanwhile in Troy, Steven has reverted to type and is throwing himself at his cell door in a desperate escape attempt now that's more like the hot-headed Steven we were first introduced to. Then young Troilus comes bouncing back all excited to tell Vicki that the Greeks have gone, packed up their camp and disappeared, which he believes means the war is over. It appears that the Trojans believe Vicki is the good luck charm who made it happen so Troilus has come to release her but when she quickly asks about Steven, who tiredly affirms that he does not intend to fight the entire Trojan army all by himself, so not to worry, Troilus is not prepared to go that far. So Steven is left languishing in his cell while Vicki apologetically follows Troilus to freedom.
Up on the walls of Troy, Cassandra is still prophesying doom, but no one is listening, she has been completely discredited. In the wake of the Greek withdrawal, a very excited Paris jubilantly declares his discovery of the Great Horse of Asia, and sees nothing suspicious about its sudden appearance whatsoever. Cassandra, however, sees it as an omen of doom, while Vicki for a second time, careless girl is startled enough to call it 'the Trojan horse' out loud, giving away another ominous snippet of her knowledge of the future, which Cassandra sees as further proof of the imminent doom of Troy.
And Cassandra is absolutely right, of course. That's the kicker.
As the horse enters the city, Priam and Paris and Cassandra all bicker among themselves and Vicki takes the opportunity to sneak away. They all assume she's gone down to the square to watch the horse being brought into the city, so love-sick Troilus promptly volunteers to go looking for her, while Cassandra, deeply suspicious of the 'sorceress', sends her handmaiden Katarina to search also this is our first glimpse of Katarina, who is about to embark on a fateful voyage, here presented to us as a dutiful handmaiden in service to the high priestess.
Vicki has, in fact, gone to the dungeons to free Steven and brings him up to speed on recent events as they make their way out into the square to disappear in the crowd. Vicki is confident of her favoured position at court even if she is found, but Steven older, more pragmatic and far more cynical can see clearly how easily the tide of opinion could turn against her, especially if they are found together. They both guess that the Doctor is inside the horse but wonder why he didn't delay longer, as Steven had asked in his ill-fated message sent via the unfortunate Cyclops. Vicki confidently supposes that the Doctor has a brilliant plan.
He really doesn't. He's having a miserable time of it, stuck inside that horse with Odysseus. It's unusual to see the Doctor come up against a personality so forceful that he is unable to talk his way around it!
In the square, Vicki sees Katarina, recognises her as one of Cassandra's handmaidens and realises she has been missed, so Steven tells her she'd better get back to avoid suspicion. He also teases her again about her crush on Troilus, like the big brother figure he has become for her, and is highly amused at how hot and bothered she gets on the subject but then, realising how deep her feelings for Troilus really are, becomes serious and quietly advises her to tell Troilus to leave the city, if she's so fond of him. I really, really wish we could see this scene, because the emotional shift in Peter Purves' audio performance here is superb. At first Vicki doesn't understand what he's saying but then she is hit by the reality of what is about to happen to the city and its people.
With Steven's disappearance from the cells having been discovered, Vicki has picked rather an awkward moment to return to the royal fold she is questioned in depth by the various royals, each with their own opinion of what is going on, and Cassandra orders Katarina to stay with her. She means for Katarina to keep watch on Vicki as a suspected sorceress and spy, but it turns out to be rather a fateful order for Katarina. When Priam tells Vicki that he sees her as the salvation of his city the good luck charm that caused the Greeks to leave and brought the Great Horse of Asia to them she is very uncomfortable, knowing only too well what is going to happen.
In the horse, the Doctor rails at Odysseus, infuriated by the man's calm in the face of war and his callous attitude as he hopes for the deaths of his allies which will leave more of the spoils for him! Now at last we get some real, solid characterisation for the Doctor, insight into his mind-set as he pleads to be allowed to leave before the fighting begins, appalled at the thought of the bloodshed to come and furious at being made a party to the sins of his bloodthirsty captor. This is an excellent scene, William Hartnell's best performance of the serial as he argues passionately to no avail.
Vicki returns to the palace and Troilus finds her alone there, and this is Vicki's one attempt at changing what appears to be the inevitable fate of Troy and its people she can't save the city, but she can't bear to think of Troilus dying here, so she urges him to leave the city, lying that she wants him to recapture 'Diomede' so that he can prove himself as a warrior. Troilus isn't sure how to take this, as he is young and untested and Diomede a famous warrior, but Vicki insists that 'Diomede' is unarmed so he'll be safe, and he is so disarmed by hearing her say she doesn't want him hurt that he agrees almost before he knows what he is doing, utterly bewitched. He does hang around murmuring sweet nothings for a while, though, while Vicki frantically urges him to leave at this point, she is clearly not intending to stay with him, she hasn't thought that far ahead, she is just desperate to get him away from the fighting before it is too late.
Night falls. The Greek fleet returns and the concealed soldiers leave the horse, the Doctor and Odysseus among them.
Out on the plain, Troilus is searching for Diomede but instead comes upon Achilles, killer of his brother Hector, and, unlike Paris, is eager to exact vengeance. He also, however, believes now that his beloved Cressida has deliberately sent him into a trap. Troilus is young and untested while Achilles is an experienced warrior, but Troilus has enough rage and determination on his side to emerge the victor, slaying his opponent but not before being wounded himself. So much for Vicki's plan to keep him safe.
In the city, battle rages. Priam and Paris are killed and Cassandra poor Cassandra, proved right in the worst possible way is dragged away into slavery. It's rather bleak, really.
Amid the confusion, the Doctor manages to sneak away from Odysseus and finds Vicki, and they have an adorably sweet reunion. The Doctor is anxious to find Steven and make good their escape, but Vicki can't stop worrying about Troilus, so she sends Katarina to find 'Diomede' while she talks to the Doctor, and it's all very chaotic and amusing as the Doctor is confused by Katarina, not knowing who she is or where she came from, and Katarina is confused by everything. She has no idea why Vicki wants her to find Diomede or why they must go to her 'temple', but Cassandra told her to stay with Vicki, which means Vicki is in charge, so she obeys. She finds Steven just as he is discovered by a Trojan soldier and forced to fight for his life he manages, somehow, to dispatch his opponent, but is wounded in the shoulder in the process. He hasn't the faintest idea who Katarina is, but is too weak with pain to argue as she leads him away.
I really, really wish we could see these last few scenes, because with audio only it's all a bit confusing. Vicki is with the Doctor as he examines Steven's injured shoulder, and then she helps Katarina carry him into the TARDIS she is definitely there. Then Odysseus pops up just as the Doctor is about to follow them, and tries to claim the TARDIS for himself, so the Doctor jumps in quick smart, slams the door and dematerialises, leaving Odysseus to wonder if he was Zeus after all. So it appears that Vicki is aboard the TARDIS when it leaves, and I'm curious to know: if the visuals still existed, would we see her leaving? Because leave she surely must, at some point during this scene, because the next scene picks up with the injured Troilus out on the plain watching his city burn and despairing, because he believes that 'Cressida' has betrayed him only for Cressida herself, Vicki, to approach and say that she stayed here to find him, because she couldn't bear to have him think her a traitor. It's a huge decision to have made in the heat of the moment, in the midst of such chaos, and she is very aware that Troilus may not believe her or forgive her, but she wants to be with him and urges him to look to the future, promises they will build another Troy together (with the help of his cousin Aeneas, who conveniently wanders past at just that moment, too late to help defend Troy).
So that's the last we see of Vicki: tending her injured sweetheart outside a burning city in the 13th century BC an unlikely place for a space-age girl to end up, but very much her own choice. I suppose she did spend a few months living in ancient Rome with the Doctor, Ian and Barbara that one time, so she is already familiar with life in a primitive culture, which should help her to adapt. It may not seem the ideal place to stay, and I'm not sure a day's acquaintance is enough to base a lifetime together on - especially when there are such massive cultural differences - but we are clearly intended to have faith that Vicki will be just fine, she has the brains and adaptability and determination to survive and succeed.
Back aboard the TARDIS, however, Steven is in a bad way, feverish and delirious and fretting about Vicki, not knowing why she isn't there, and the Doctor has his hands full tending to him while also attempting to deal with Katarina's confusion, as the Trojan handmaiden has absolutely no context within which to place the TARDIS. She can only assume that they are all dead and in limbo, on their journey through the beyond, it's the only way she knows to interpret what has happened, but she is at peace with this fate. The Doctor doesn't have the time or energy to educate her, anxious as he is about Steven although he does tell her in no uncertain terms that he is not a god, as she has presumed, which is characterisation I much prefer over his later incarnations who come to believe in their own hype. He can see that Steven's wound is badly infected, but has no drugs aboard the ship to treat the infection. The episode ends with one last snippet of super-8 footage filmed off the telly as he frets over what to do, already missing Vicki, hoping that she will be all right, and desperately resolving to somehow navigate to a place where he can find help for Steven. After such a plot-driven and humorous story, it's a lovely, character-centric cliffhanger end.
Quotable Quotes
DOCTOR: What is this? What is it you take me for?
ACHILLES: The Father of the Gods and ruler of the world.
DOCTOR: What? Do you really? And who might you be, may I ask?
ACHILLES: Achilles. Mightiest of warriors, greatest in battle, humblest of your servants.
DOCTOR: Well, if I may say so, you're not very humble, are you?
ACHILLES: If you had appeared to me in your true form, I would have been truly blinded by your radiance. It is well known that when you come amongst us you adopt many different forms.
DOCTOR: Oh, do I?
ACHILLES: To Europa, you appeared as a bull. To Leda, as a swan. To me, in the guise of an old beggar.
DOCTOR: I beg your pardon. I do nothing of the kind!
ACHILLES: Oh, but still your glory shines through!
DOCTOR: Oh, indeed. Indeed so. Yes, so I should hope
ACHILLES: Have a care, pirate. Are there no Trojan throats to slit, that you dare tempt my sword?
ODYSSEUS: Throats enough, I grant you. Some half score Trojans will not whistle easy tonight. But what of you?
ACHILLES: Oh, but a trifle. I met Prince Hector. Here he lies.
ODYSSEUS: Zeus!
ACHILLES: Was instrumental.
DOCTOR: This is my travelling temple. Being small, it's convenient.
AGAMEMNON: Now you drink too much, Menelaus. I've told you about it before. Why can't you learn to behave like a king instead of a dropsical old camp follower? Have a little dignity. Try to remember that you're my brother, can't you?
MENELAUS: One of the reasons I drink, Agamemnon, is to forget that I am your brother. Another is this ridiculous Trojan expedition. We've been here for ten years! I want to go home. Besides, I'm not getting any younger.
AGAMEMNON: You won't get any older if you talk to me like that, brother or no brother. What's the matter with you, man? Don't you want to get Helen back? Don't you don't you want to see your wife again?
MENELAUS: Quite frankly, no.
STEVEN: So really, you see, we arrived in your time entirely by accident. It's just another miscalculation by the Doctor.
DOCTOR: Well, I would hardly call it a miscalculation, my boy.
STEVEN: Well, then, what would you call it?
DOCTOR: Well, I think with all eternity to choose from, I did rather well to get us back to Earth.
STEVEN: I'm very glad you're pleased with yourself. I suppose I should be grateful for standing here, trussed like a chicken, ready to have my throat cut.
ODYSSEUS: No one mentioned cutting throats.
DOCTOR: No, they didn't.
ODYSSEUS: I had something more lingering in mind.
CASSANDRA: Who are you?
VICKI: I'm nobody of any importance. I'm just someone from the future.
VICKI: No, I am from the future. So you see, I don't have to prophesy, because as far as I'm concerned, the future has already happened!
PRIAM: Now don't be frightened, child. You shall die when I say so, and not a moment before.
VICKI: That's very comforting.
ODYSSEUS: You really are a very brave man indeed. I should have been most distressed to have had to put you to death myself.
STEVEN: A very consoling thought.
PARIS: I'm in command here!
CASSANDRA: Of everything except your senses.
PARIS: I'm treated with more respect by the enemy than I am by my own family.
CASSANDRA: They don't know you as well as we do.
ODYSSEUS: Catapults? That sounds like a vulgar oath to me. I must try it on Agamemnon. Catapults!
STEVEN: I disguised myself so that I could rescue you.
VICKI: You succeeded beautifully. Thanks, Diomede.
STEVEN: Oh, look, be fair. How was I to know that you'd manage to get round King Priam?
VICKI: You might have guessed. I know how to take care of myself.
STEVEN: Troilus?
VICKI: Paris's younger brother. He likes me. I like him.
STEVEN: I don't think that's going to matter much when the city starts to burn.
TROILUS: You're not a witch, are you?
VICKI: Of course not. Do I look like one?
TROILUS: Well, no, but then, I've never met one. Look here, I shouldn't be talking to you like this. And what are you laughing at?
VICKI: Well, you're not in the war, are you? You're far too young.
TROILUS: I'm seventeen next birthday!
VICKI: That's hardly any older than me. You shouldn't be killing people at your age.
TROILUS: Well, between you and me, I don't honestly enjoy killing at all. But I love adventure.
VICKI: Yes. I know what you mean.
VICKI: You know, Steven, I think I could get to be quite happy here in time.
STEVEN: I hate to remind you, but time is the one thing we just haven't got.
VICKI: I told you strong-arm tactics wouldn't work.
ODYSSEUS: What is it now, Doctor? Upon my soul, you're making me as nervous as a Bacchante at her first orgy.
PARIS: Now understand me, Cassandra. I will not have one word said against that horse.
TROILUS: And neither will I against Cressida.
CASSANDRA: Will you not? Then woe to the House of Priam. Woe to the Trojans.
PARIS: I'm afraid you're a bit late to say 'whoa' to the horse. I've just given instructions to have it brought into the city.
ODYSSEUS: Of all the undignified ways of entering a city this takes the fried phoenix.
TROILUS: No, I'll be all right. Look, Cressida, I don't understand.
VICKI: I don't suppose you ever will. That doesn't matter so long as you trust me.
TROILUS: Trust you? After all
VICKI: I didn't betray you. That's why I stayed behind. I wanted you to know that I didn't. The main thing is I belong here now with you. If you'll have me.
TROILUS: Cressida, look what's happened.
VICKI: There's only us now.
KATARINA: Strange god, you bring me peace.
DOCTOR: No, I don't know what Vicki has advised you, but
KATARINA: Oh, the Priestess Cressida told me all would be well and I knew it was to come.
DOCTOR: What was to come, my dear?
KATARINA: That I was to die.
DOCTOR: My dear child, you're not dead. That's nonsense.
KATARINA: This is not Troy. This is not even the world. This is the journey through the beyond.
DOCTOR: Well, as you wish.
KATARINA: Thank you.
DOCTOR: Yes, yes, yes, as you wish, my child. Now, I want you to keep an eye on that young man. Will you?
KATARINA: Yes, great god.
DOCTOR: His name is Steven. And remember, Katarina, you must call me Doctor.
KATARINA: Oh, as you wish Doc.
DOCTOR: I'm not a Doc. I am not a god. Oh, my dear Vicki, I hope you'll be all right. I shall miss you child.
The Verdict
Overall and taken as a whole, The Myth Makers is a lovely, entertainingly amusing serial, although not without its frustrations.
On the one hand, as an installment in the ongoing story of the Doctor and his companions, it isn't what you'd call a character piece, far from it the characters are primarily cogs in the wheel of the plot here, rather than the plot being designed to showcase them and as an exit story for Vicki it could have been much better. Our heroes' motivations are painfully thin throughout, while the ethical dilemma of finding themselves in Troy on the eve of its downfall is not mentioned at all; it is merely a predicament for them to escape, the fate of the doomed citizens not a concern to them in the slightest (Vicki's attachment to Troilus aside). But on the other hand, this story was never written with such concerns in mind; it was only ever intended as a comedy and, as a standalone adventure designed as pure entertainment, The Myth Makers is absolutely delightful and wonderfully funny, and does manage a few really nice character moments in spite of it all. It is a joy to listen to and I long to be able to actually see it, to appreciate the story in full.
Follows on from Season One, Season Two, Galaxy Four and Mission to the Unknown
DOCTOR: Well, I think with all eternity to choose from, I did rather well to get us back to Earth.
Overview
In the First Doctor era there are two types of historical story and I'm not just talking about pure versus pseudo. Of course, all the historical stories offer cod history, in effect given the constraints of the medium, it couldn't be anything else but that cod history tends to be played in one of two different ways. Some, like Marco Polo and The Crusade, take a historical setting and play it absolutely straight down the line, pitch perfect costume drama. And then there are others which take a historical setting and give it a comedic twist. Like The Romans and The Time Meddler before it, The Myth Makers is played very much for laughs.
My own introduction to The Myth Makers came via Donald Cotton's novelisation of his own original script, which formed part of the large collection of Doctor Who novelisations I grew up with. It's an enormously amusing read, one of the Doctor Who novelisations I'd recommend to anyone. It does make some significant changes from the story as broadcast, however not least because of the limitations imposed by the strict narrative perspective used to tell the story. So, with all four episodes of the serial missing from the archives, to experience the original version of the story, we must rely on the audio soundtrack and reconstructions not for the first time, and, alas, also not for the last.
This story is the last on-screen adventure of the Doctor's surrogate granddaughter Vicki, and marks the start of a transitional period for the show, characterised by rapid companion turnover through the remainder of this third season and the lead up to the Doctor's first regeneration.
The plot, in a nutshell, is this: when the TARDIS lands on a plain just outside Troy in the fateful final days of an epic war, the Doctor, Steven and Vicki find themselves hopelessly entangled in an infamous era of pre-history.
Writer Donald Cotton
Director Michael Leeston-Smith
Script editor Donald Tosh
Producer John Wiles
Observations
Random thoughts while watching:
The humorous tone of this story is set right from the off as episode one, 'Temple of Secrets', opens with comedic music as the backdrop to a drawn-out duel between two classical heroes, Hector and Achilles, who are more occupied in trading witty repartee than they are in actual combat. So preoccupied are they that they don't even notice the TARDIS materialise right there beside them on the plain.
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor, Vicki and Steven watch the fight with interest, trying to figure out where they are and here we are reminded that Vicki twisted her ankle slightly as they escaped back into the TARDIS at the end of their last adventure, Galaxy 4. That episode would have aired two weeks earlier, for the original viewers, with the standalone episode Mission to the Unknown separating the two stories and no possibility of re-watching, so the reminder is necessary. The injury is not serious in the slightest; it is merely a device to keep Vicki inside the TARDIS and out of the action until later in the story. The Doctor is full of bluff and bluster as he resolves to go outside to make enquiries as to exactly where and when they have landed, entirely unconcerned about the two sword-wielding men thrashing out their differences just beyond the door. He is confident, for no readily apparent reason, that they will do him no harm, and won't let Steven go with him either, teasing that he doubts his friend's sarcasm would go down well and instructing him to look after Vicki.
The Doctor's timing is impeccable. He steps outside just as a clap of thunder accompanies Hector's mocking invocation of Zeus; Hector is understandably distracted by this, and quick-thinking Achilles runs him through. Battle over. The Doctor is shocked and deplores the killing, chiding the victor without concern for his own safety, but soon finds that he has larger fish to fry as Achilles assumes he must be Zeus come to aid the Greeks in their long, weary fight against the Trojans and refuses to let him return to his 'temple'. And then Odysseus, here portrayed as a cynical, flea-bitten old salt, comes along to further complicate matters, putting Achilles' back up by pouring scorn over both his defeat of Hector and his claim that the Doctor is Zeus. He has the Doctor hauled off to the Greek camp as a prisoner.
The dialogue in this story is very cleverly written: the lovely lyrical rhythm common to First Doctor historicals combined with delightfully witty word play throughout, it really is a joy to listen to, with laugh-out-loud lines coming thick and fast.
Meanwhile in the TARDIS, Steven and Vicki have been watching all this on the scanner and Steven decides he's going to have to go after the Doctor to try to help him escape. Unusually for impulsive Steven, though, he doesn't just rush straight out into the fray but takes the time to change into period-appropriate clothing first, by which time the Doctor and his captors have all gone. Neither Steven nor Vicki seems entirely in character here, because the plot requires them to enter it at different stages, which means they must remain passive in the TARDIS for far longer than we'd normally expect of either of them, although we can be kind and say that perhaps impulsive Steven is learning from his adventures not to just rush into things the way he used to. Their banter remains as sparky as ever, though, which helps to sell their scenes. A few very blurry clips of these scenes have survived, tiny snippets recorded off the telly on Super-8, and they are very tantalising.
Vicki seems torn between regarding the sword-wielding Greeks as dangerous and regarding the notion of being in Heroic Greece as romantic and exciting. I suppose that latter attitude could be regarded as foreshadowing for her decision to leave the TARDIS later in the story; it isn't entirely in character, but perhaps we should be grateful that her departure is at least built up to throughout the story rather than merely tacked onto the end as an after-thought.
Over in the Greek encampment, brothers Agamemnon and Menelaus are busy trading sibling jibes, both heartily sick of this war. Agamemnon has just decided that his brother should challenge Hector to single combat to settle the conflict when Achilles turns up to announce Hector's death so much for that idea, then, and this disappointment is not the reaction Achilles expected for his triumph! He is quick to proclaim the Doctor's divine intervention, and this does garner more of a reaction from the royal brothers. The Doctor, for his part, is dissembling like mad, playing along and acting the part of Zeus with great authority and dignity, even while having to feel his way very carefully through the situation. I love this side of his character: his quick-thinking ability to latch onto whatever guise will earn him a foothold in the trust and estimation of those he meets and then play on it for all he's worth. He's so inventive and adaptable.
As Odysseus has already proved, not every Greek is as willing to accept the possibility of divine manifestation as Achilles, and Agamemnon and Menelaus are sceptical, very much on the fence. Maybe the Doctor would have managed to talk his way back to the TARDIS and away without incident, and maybe he wouldn't, but two events conspire to complicate matters. The first is Steven, who manages to sneak past the sentries into the Greek encampment only to be captured by Odysseus, who proclaims him a spy and hauls him off to Agamemnon. I really appreciate Peter Purves' voice acting here there's a subtlety to his delivery that makes me long to be able to actually see the performance, the nuance of his body language. Alas, with the entire story burninated it is not to be.
Steven's capture provides an opportunity for the sceptics to test the Doctor, as Odysseus suspects the two men to be connected. So Agamemnon threatens to kill Steven, and again I long to see the performances as the Doctor maintains his cover, feigning disinterest and even endorsing the death sentence how I'd love to see William Hartnell's expressions, and Peter Purves' reactions in this scene! Odysseus is all set to carry out the sentence on the spot and now at last the Doctor intervenes but very cleverly manages not to give himself away by admitting their friendship, instead protesting that it would be profane to spill blood in the king's tent and claiming Steven as a sacrificial victim, ordering him to be taken to his 'temple' and promising a miracle
It's a good plan and it might have worked but at that moment, Odysseus's mute little one-eyed servant Cyclops arrives with news, the second and far greater obstacle to an easy get-away. The TARDIS has disappeared!
And so to episode two, 'Small Prophet, Quick Return', which picks up the action the following morning as the Greek contingent visit the spot where the TARDIS had stood and confirm that it has vanished. I like how Steven finds a quiet moment to ask the Doctor, apparently for the umpteenth time, if he is really sure that Vicki couldn't have dematerialised the TARDIS by accident he's clearly been worrying about it all night! The Doctor is confident that she couldn't and there are tracks indicating that it has in fact been dragged off to Troy. To Odysseus this is evidence that the two men really are spies, and now the Doctor finally drops the pretence and admits that he is not Zeus and that Steven is his friend. Agamemnon promptly loses interest and leaves the two in the hands of Odysseus, who wants to know who they really are a question that the Doctor promptly defers to Steven. He does so love dropping his companions in it in situations like this, I suspect for the sheer fun of watching how they cope with it!
The TARDIS, meanwhile, has reached Troy, captured by Paris, here characterised as a likeable but rather ineffectual chap who hasn't the faintest idea what he has found but is proud of it anyway. His father king Priam is more interested in his son's failure to avenge the death of his brother Hector, while sister Cassandra, high priestess, disapproves enormously and prophesies doom. She is a much more strident personality than her brother and is also a lot cleverer than him to say nothing of having great foresight, correctly foreseeing the doom of Troy, if only any of them knew it, and demanding that the TARDIS be burnt as an offering to appease the gods.
Vicki is still inside the TARDIS, watching all this on the scanner. Another of those tiny snippets of blurry Super-8 film exists of her clutching at her head in a dramatic gesture as she wonders what to do. She has no one around to turn to for advice or support, only her own ingenuity and experience to draw on, but has been shown in previous adventures to be a headstrong and resourceful girl in a pinch, so how will she handle this situation?
Another snippet of Super-8 film sees Steven looking tantalisingly rough and stubbly as he falters to the end of his story, having decided to make a completely clean breast of it by telling Odysseus the actual truth ending with a dig at the Doctor's piloting skills, much to that gentleman's irritation. Amazingly, Odysseus decides that their story is so preposterous that it must be true, and, cunning old fox that he is, decides to make use of them, announcing that they have two days within which to use their 'supernatural' knowledge to devise a means of conquering Troy, on pain of being declared liars once again and executed accordingly.
What price non-interference now? Two seasons ago the Doctor was adamant that he and his companions must not influence history in the slightest, but those principles are not so much as mentioned here.
Back at Troy, preparations are underway for the sacrificial burning of the TARDIS and Paris is petulant about it, so he gets his father to first make Cassandra call on the gods for a sign and Vicki takes her cue to step out of the TARDIS, astonishing them all. Heaven-sent indeed. She reads her audience well, playing the part of the meek little girl and wrapping both Paris and Priam around her little finger within moments, although cynical Cassandra remains suspicious. Like Steven before her, Vicki freely admits to coming from the future, and I'm intrigued by how open they are about their origins here. The only thing King Priam doesn't like about Vicki is her name, so he promptly renames her Cressida thus giving away the end of Vicki's story to anyone who knows the tale of Troilus and Cressida! Vicki accepts the re-naming without a murmur, but of course at this stage she isn't expecting to have to live with the new name long-term, she's just going along with whatever will improve her chances of surviving a dangerous situation.
Back at the Greek encampment, the Doctor and Steven are struggling to come up with a plan for the Greeks to capture Troy. Steven does suggest the legendary wooden horse, but the Doctor dismisses the idea out of hand, certain that it was a mere fancy of Homer and far too impractical to actually work. When Odysseus returns, the Doctor is quick to try to extract assurances from him that Vicki will be spared if and when Troy is taken even though he has no leverage with which to bargain, he doesn't let that deter him, not when Vicki's life is at stake. That's the Doctor, not afraid to bluff on no cards in the interests of those he holds dear. Odysseus won't offer any guarantees, however, so Steven offers another suggestion. Paris, at his father's behest, has been calling for Achilles to meet him in single combat to avenge his brother Hector, but Achilles is unwilling to go. Steven offers to go in his place, thus earning both respect and scorn from Odysseus. Steven isn't planning to actually fight Paris, though he means to get himself captured so that he'll be taken to Troy in hopes of finding Vicki there. He's got it all thought out. Steven has come a long way since his first trip back in time with the Doctor.
We're quite a long way into the post-Ian and Barbara era of the show now, yet the scene in which Steven challenges Paris under the guise of Diomede, skirmishes briefly with him, then quickly submits and flatters his opponent into going along with it could almost have been written for Ian the dialogue throughout is very Ian, as is the scheme in general. Hot-headed Steven has usually had a pretty distinct personality since joining the show, even in the scripts that were written for Ian and Barbara and then adapted for him, but here he really does seem to be occupying Ian's role rather than forging his own. Anyway, the ploy works.
In Troy, Vicki is enjoying dinner at the palace, and here we are told about the Trojan love and worship of horses, upon which careless Vicki very nearly gives away the legend of the Trojan horse. When Priam starts pressing her to explain what she means, she quickly changes the subject to his youngest son, Troilus, who has already left the room. He is about Vicki's age and very good-looking, she thinks she is clearly very taken with him and Priam thinks he is equally taken with her, so it's a shame we haven't actually seen them together for ourselves to see how they get on! Troilus is about to become a very important person in Vicki's life, after all, yet the birth of their relationship is off-screen. Vicki sounds adorably pleased when that old gossip Priam tells her he thinks Troilus likes her again, I really wish I could see the performance! Based on the audio, Maureen O'Brien does a good job of selling the girlish infatuation.
So Vicki is getting on well, winning hearts and minds in Troy, when Steven goes and ruins all her hard work just as he did with the Doctor earlier. This is not Steven's best story ever, and yet he is trying so very hard to protect his friends, bless him. Paris hauls him into the dining room, all pleased with himself at having captured 'Diomede', Steven and Vicki both very carelessly cry out one another's name in surprise and the jig is up. Cassandra, who already hates Vicki, quickly seizes the opportunity to denounce them both as spies and orders the guards to execute them on the spot.
As episode three, 'Death of a Spy', opens, Steven and Vicki are saved by Paris's indignation at Cassandra undermining his authority their sibling squabbles are wonderfully funny, all the more so with Steven still interjecting the odd line or two of flattery to keep Paris on-side, much to the bemusement of that man's family. Despite all the truth-telling up till now, it doesn't seem to occur to either Vicki or Steven to admit that Steven is another time-traveller and is only disguised as a Greek, not that they are really given much opportunity for explanation anyway. Vicki is well and truly hoist on her own petard as Priam gives her one day within which to use her knowledge of the future to save Troy on pain of being burnt alive as a false prophet!
Over at the Greek encampment, the Doctor has come up with a ludicrous plan to build flying machines, based on the basic principles of the paper aeroplane and the catapult, and proposes using such devices to launch the Greek army over the walls of Troy. Odysseus greets the idea with about as much enthusiasm as you might expect and suggests the Doctor himself should take the first flight. The Doctor promptly back-peddles at speed, and this is probably the weakest sub-plot of the story very amusingly written, but basically just filling time, and it's hard to judge the Doctor's motivations at this point. Is he truly stumped or just stalling for time? Perhaps if the visuals still existed it might be easier to judge. Anyway, the Doctor backtracks on the whole flying machine suggestion and, in desperation, proposes instead the traditional wooden horse, despite having dismissed it out of hand earlier. Odysseus, for reasons best known to himself, likes the idea, and between them they expand on it: the Greek army at large will withdraw out of sight, while a hand-picked team hide inside the horse to be taken into the city, where they will wait until nightfall before opening the gates to let the army in
Down in the dungeons of Troy, Vicki and Steven are bickering over whose fault it is that they've ended up here. Poor Steven is understandably aggrieved that his daring rescue attempt has proved so unwelcome, but I do love the way Vicki stands up for herself, telling him he should have had more faith in her ability to look after herself. She isn't so confident, however, when Steven tells her that she is now in direct opposition with the Doctor they each have just one day to devise a way of defeating the other, in effect! And, of course, they all know how legend describes the outcome of this war, although no one actually mentions that the alleged immutability of history and the Doctor's usual policy of strict non-interference are not touched on at all in this story.
It doesn't take long for Vicki's mind to wander back to her shiny new crush on young Troilus, although Steven is far more concerned with their general predicament. Then they are both distracted by someone throwing stones into the cell it is Cyclops, the mute servant of Odysseus, the character adopted by Donald Cotton's novelisation as narrator. Steven is quick to give him a message to take back to the Doctor, asking him to delay the Greek attack on Troy, and then, because it's all go down in the dungeons of Troy, young Troilus himself turns up with some food for Vicki our first on-screen encounter with the lad. He is initially all stiff and business-like, understandably wary and suspicious because the girl he likes turns out to be connected to an alleged Greek spy, but it doesn't take long for Vicki's unaffected warmth and honest charm to win him over all over again. In no time at all they are chatting like old friends, a free and open exchange of opinion, getting-to-know-you, and this is more like it we only have the audio to go on, but they really do sound like teenagers with a mutual crush, relaxed and friendly and very sweet. Troilus tells us that he will be 17 on his next birthday, which Vicki describes as only a little bit older than herself, which means they are both only 16; this seems very young, but it would be considered adult perhaps by Trojan standards, and is the typical age of the traditional teenage romance of literature, film and TV. So, it pretty much works for me, they are very cute as Vicki tells Troilus she doesn't like to think of him killing people and Troilus admits that he doesn't like it himself, although he does love adventure which is something he has in common with Vicki. Background music plays and young love is in the air.
Vicki hasn't forgotten about Steven, however, still languishing in the next-door cell listening to all this puppy romance. She tries to persuade Troilus to let him have something to eat too, but Troilus doesn't see the point, which is a good little cultural contrast, a reminder that although Troilus seems a pleasant young lad his outlook and worldview are very much shaped by the very primitive culture he comes from, a world apart from Vicki's sophisticated futuristic sensibilities. He brought food for Vicki because he likes her, they'd already struck up a friendship, but it would never even occur to him that the comfort of a 'Greek' prisoner should matter in any way rather, the very suggestion reminds him that the girl he likes is connected to said prisoner in some way, and he is jealous and quarrels with her about it, and I still don't understand why Vicki and Steven don't just come clean here and admit to being travelling companions. Even now they are keeping up the pretence of Steven being the Greek Diomede.
The quarrel doesn't last long; the teenagers like each other too much for that. Once Troilus has gone, promising to return with news as soon as there is any, Vicki reveals that she has saved some food for Steven, who teases her about her crush on Troilus, every bit the older brother figure they have struck up a wonderfully sibling relationship during their sadly few adventures together. Vicki doesn't care, musing that she really thinks she could be happy here in time and that's the bit that seems out of character, because up till now she has always been very definite about not wanting to live in the past and about her attachment to the Doctor and the TARDIS, her adopted home, since the death of her father. Also this is Troy, on the brink of falling to the Greeks, so she has to know that soon there won't be any 'here' to be happy in. But she's young and falling in love for the first time, so it's entirely plausible that she'd get so swept up in the romance that she'd forget about everything else. She wouldn't be the first teenager to let romance and hormones cloud her judgement!
Back at the Greek encampment, Cyclops is unfortunate enough to run into a pair of trigger-happy guards who don't know him and is unable, being mute, to explain himself, and thus gets himself shot dead before delivering Steven's message to the Doctor. The Doctor himself, meanwhile, is unconvinced of the stability and durability of the wooden horse the Greeks have constructed and is very reluctant to climb inside, but Odysseus insists and again, the weakness of this sub-plot is how unclear the Doctor's motivations are at this stage. What is he actually trying to achieve? He knows the Greeks are going to win; history says so. The alacrity with which Odysseus seized upon the idea of the wooden horse should tell him that that part of the legend was also accurate. He hasn't received Steven's message asking him to delay. So what is his problem here? Does he simply not want to be present for the sacking of the city? If so, why? He knows that his TARDIS is in Troy and he knows that Vicki and Steven are in Troy, so you'd think he'd be eager for the opportunity to get there himself to try to find them and escape, yet instead he seems to be actively avoiding Troy. Does he hope that if he stalls for time, Steven and Vicki might manage to escape the city by themselves? If so, they would all still be stuck because the TARDIS is in Troy. Is he concerned about being caught up in a famous moment of history, given his belief in non-intervention? We don't know, because we are not given any insight into his motivations whatsoever here.
The Doctor's attempts to escape are thwarted Odysseus bundles him up into the horse just before the Trojans find it.
Meanwhile in Troy, Steven has reverted to type and is throwing himself at his cell door in a desperate escape attempt now that's more like the hot-headed Steven we were first introduced to. Then young Troilus comes bouncing back all excited to tell Vicki that the Greeks have gone, packed up their camp and disappeared, which he believes means the war is over. It appears that the Trojans believe Vicki is the good luck charm who made it happen so Troilus has come to release her but when she quickly asks about Steven, who tiredly affirms that he does not intend to fight the entire Trojan army all by himself, so not to worry, Troilus is not prepared to go that far. So Steven is left languishing in his cell while Vicki apologetically follows Troilus to freedom.
Up on the walls of Troy, Cassandra is still prophesying doom, but no one is listening, she has been completely discredited. In the wake of the Greek withdrawal, a very excited Paris jubilantly declares his discovery of the Great Horse of Asia, and sees nothing suspicious about its sudden appearance whatsoever. Cassandra, however, sees it as an omen of doom, while Vicki for a second time, careless girl is startled enough to call it 'the Trojan horse' out loud, giving away another ominous snippet of her knowledge of the future, which Cassandra sees as further proof of the imminent doom of Troy.
And Cassandra is absolutely right, of course. That's the kicker.
As the horse enters the city, Priam and Paris and Cassandra all bicker among themselves and Vicki takes the opportunity to sneak away. They all assume she's gone down to the square to watch the horse being brought into the city, so love-sick Troilus promptly volunteers to go looking for her, while Cassandra, deeply suspicious of the 'sorceress', sends her handmaiden Katarina to search also this is our first glimpse of Katarina, who is about to embark on a fateful voyage, here presented to us as a dutiful handmaiden in service to the high priestess.
Vicki has, in fact, gone to the dungeons to free Steven and brings him up to speed on recent events as they make their way out into the square to disappear in the crowd. Vicki is confident of her favoured position at court even if she is found, but Steven older, more pragmatic and far more cynical can see clearly how easily the tide of opinion could turn against her, especially if they are found together. They both guess that the Doctor is inside the horse but wonder why he didn't delay longer, as Steven had asked in his ill-fated message sent via the unfortunate Cyclops. Vicki confidently supposes that the Doctor has a brilliant plan.
He really doesn't. He's having a miserable time of it, stuck inside that horse with Odysseus. It's unusual to see the Doctor come up against a personality so forceful that he is unable to talk his way around it!
In the square, Vicki sees Katarina, recognises her as one of Cassandra's handmaidens and realises she has been missed, so Steven tells her she'd better get back to avoid suspicion. He also teases her again about her crush on Troilus, like the big brother figure he has become for her, and is highly amused at how hot and bothered she gets on the subject but then, realising how deep her feelings for Troilus really are, becomes serious and quietly advises her to tell Troilus to leave the city, if she's so fond of him. I really, really wish we could see this scene, because the emotional shift in Peter Purves' audio performance here is superb. At first Vicki doesn't understand what he's saying but then she is hit by the reality of what is about to happen to the city and its people.
With Steven's disappearance from the cells having been discovered, Vicki has picked rather an awkward moment to return to the royal fold she is questioned in depth by the various royals, each with their own opinion of what is going on, and Cassandra orders Katarina to stay with her. She means for Katarina to keep watch on Vicki as a suspected sorceress and spy, but it turns out to be rather a fateful order for Katarina. When Priam tells Vicki that he sees her as the salvation of his city the good luck charm that caused the Greeks to leave and brought the Great Horse of Asia to them she is very uncomfortable, knowing only too well what is going to happen.
In the horse, the Doctor rails at Odysseus, infuriated by the man's calm in the face of war and his callous attitude as he hopes for the deaths of his allies which will leave more of the spoils for him! Now at last we get some real, solid characterisation for the Doctor, insight into his mind-set as he pleads to be allowed to leave before the fighting begins, appalled at the thought of the bloodshed to come and furious at being made a party to the sins of his bloodthirsty captor. This is an excellent scene, William Hartnell's best performance of the serial as he argues passionately to no avail.
Vicki returns to the palace and Troilus finds her alone there, and this is Vicki's one attempt at changing what appears to be the inevitable fate of Troy and its people she can't save the city, but she can't bear to think of Troilus dying here, so she urges him to leave the city, lying that she wants him to recapture 'Diomede' so that he can prove himself as a warrior. Troilus isn't sure how to take this, as he is young and untested and Diomede a famous warrior, but Vicki insists that 'Diomede' is unarmed so he'll be safe, and he is so disarmed by hearing her say she doesn't want him hurt that he agrees almost before he knows what he is doing, utterly bewitched. He does hang around murmuring sweet nothings for a while, though, while Vicki frantically urges him to leave at this point, she is clearly not intending to stay with him, she hasn't thought that far ahead, she is just desperate to get him away from the fighting before it is too late.
Night falls. The Greek fleet returns and the concealed soldiers leave the horse, the Doctor and Odysseus among them.
Out on the plain, Troilus is searching for Diomede but instead comes upon Achilles, killer of his brother Hector, and, unlike Paris, is eager to exact vengeance. He also, however, believes now that his beloved Cressida has deliberately sent him into a trap. Troilus is young and untested while Achilles is an experienced warrior, but Troilus has enough rage and determination on his side to emerge the victor, slaying his opponent but not before being wounded himself. So much for Vicki's plan to keep him safe.
In the city, battle rages. Priam and Paris are killed and Cassandra poor Cassandra, proved right in the worst possible way is dragged away into slavery. It's rather bleak, really.
Amid the confusion, the Doctor manages to sneak away from Odysseus and finds Vicki, and they have an adorably sweet reunion. The Doctor is anxious to find Steven and make good their escape, but Vicki can't stop worrying about Troilus, so she sends Katarina to find 'Diomede' while she talks to the Doctor, and it's all very chaotic and amusing as the Doctor is confused by Katarina, not knowing who she is or where she came from, and Katarina is confused by everything. She has no idea why Vicki wants her to find Diomede or why they must go to her 'temple', but Cassandra told her to stay with Vicki, which means Vicki is in charge, so she obeys. She finds Steven just as he is discovered by a Trojan soldier and forced to fight for his life he manages, somehow, to dispatch his opponent, but is wounded in the shoulder in the process. He hasn't the faintest idea who Katarina is, but is too weak with pain to argue as she leads him away.
I really, really wish we could see these last few scenes, because with audio only it's all a bit confusing. Vicki is with the Doctor as he examines Steven's injured shoulder, and then she helps Katarina carry him into the TARDIS she is definitely there. Then Odysseus pops up just as the Doctor is about to follow them, and tries to claim the TARDIS for himself, so the Doctor jumps in quick smart, slams the door and dematerialises, leaving Odysseus to wonder if he was Zeus after all. So it appears that Vicki is aboard the TARDIS when it leaves, and I'm curious to know: if the visuals still existed, would we see her leaving? Because leave she surely must, at some point during this scene, because the next scene picks up with the injured Troilus out on the plain watching his city burn and despairing, because he believes that 'Cressida' has betrayed him only for Cressida herself, Vicki, to approach and say that she stayed here to find him, because she couldn't bear to have him think her a traitor. It's a huge decision to have made in the heat of the moment, in the midst of such chaos, and she is very aware that Troilus may not believe her or forgive her, but she wants to be with him and urges him to look to the future, promises they will build another Troy together (with the help of his cousin Aeneas, who conveniently wanders past at just that moment, too late to help defend Troy).
So that's the last we see of Vicki: tending her injured sweetheart outside a burning city in the 13th century BC an unlikely place for a space-age girl to end up, but very much her own choice. I suppose she did spend a few months living in ancient Rome with the Doctor, Ian and Barbara that one time, so she is already familiar with life in a primitive culture, which should help her to adapt. It may not seem the ideal place to stay, and I'm not sure a day's acquaintance is enough to base a lifetime together on - especially when there are such massive cultural differences - but we are clearly intended to have faith that Vicki will be just fine, she has the brains and adaptability and determination to survive and succeed.
Back aboard the TARDIS, however, Steven is in a bad way, feverish and delirious and fretting about Vicki, not knowing why she isn't there, and the Doctor has his hands full tending to him while also attempting to deal with Katarina's confusion, as the Trojan handmaiden has absolutely no context within which to place the TARDIS. She can only assume that they are all dead and in limbo, on their journey through the beyond, it's the only way she knows to interpret what has happened, but she is at peace with this fate. The Doctor doesn't have the time or energy to educate her, anxious as he is about Steven although he does tell her in no uncertain terms that he is not a god, as she has presumed, which is characterisation I much prefer over his later incarnations who come to believe in their own hype. He can see that Steven's wound is badly infected, but has no drugs aboard the ship to treat the infection. The episode ends with one last snippet of super-8 footage filmed off the telly as he frets over what to do, already missing Vicki, hoping that she will be all right, and desperately resolving to somehow navigate to a place where he can find help for Steven. After such a plot-driven and humorous story, it's a lovely, character-centric cliffhanger end.
Quotable Quotes
DOCTOR: What is this? What is it you take me for?
ACHILLES: The Father of the Gods and ruler of the world.
DOCTOR: What? Do you really? And who might you be, may I ask?
ACHILLES: Achilles. Mightiest of warriors, greatest in battle, humblest of your servants.
DOCTOR: Well, if I may say so, you're not very humble, are you?
ACHILLES: If you had appeared to me in your true form, I would have been truly blinded by your radiance. It is well known that when you come amongst us you adopt many different forms.
DOCTOR: Oh, do I?
ACHILLES: To Europa, you appeared as a bull. To Leda, as a swan. To me, in the guise of an old beggar.
DOCTOR: I beg your pardon. I do nothing of the kind!
ACHILLES: Oh, but still your glory shines through!
DOCTOR: Oh, indeed. Indeed so. Yes, so I should hope
ACHILLES: Have a care, pirate. Are there no Trojan throats to slit, that you dare tempt my sword?
ODYSSEUS: Throats enough, I grant you. Some half score Trojans will not whistle easy tonight. But what of you?
ACHILLES: Oh, but a trifle. I met Prince Hector. Here he lies.
ODYSSEUS: Zeus!
ACHILLES: Was instrumental.
DOCTOR: This is my travelling temple. Being small, it's convenient.
AGAMEMNON: Now you drink too much, Menelaus. I've told you about it before. Why can't you learn to behave like a king instead of a dropsical old camp follower? Have a little dignity. Try to remember that you're my brother, can't you?
MENELAUS: One of the reasons I drink, Agamemnon, is to forget that I am your brother. Another is this ridiculous Trojan expedition. We've been here for ten years! I want to go home. Besides, I'm not getting any younger.
AGAMEMNON: You won't get any older if you talk to me like that, brother or no brother. What's the matter with you, man? Don't you want to get Helen back? Don't you don't you want to see your wife again?
MENELAUS: Quite frankly, no.
STEVEN: So really, you see, we arrived in your time entirely by accident. It's just another miscalculation by the Doctor.
DOCTOR: Well, I would hardly call it a miscalculation, my boy.
STEVEN: Well, then, what would you call it?
DOCTOR: Well, I think with all eternity to choose from, I did rather well to get us back to Earth.
STEVEN: I'm very glad you're pleased with yourself. I suppose I should be grateful for standing here, trussed like a chicken, ready to have my throat cut.
ODYSSEUS: No one mentioned cutting throats.
DOCTOR: No, they didn't.
ODYSSEUS: I had something more lingering in mind.
CASSANDRA: Who are you?
VICKI: I'm nobody of any importance. I'm just someone from the future.
VICKI: No, I am from the future. So you see, I don't have to prophesy, because as far as I'm concerned, the future has already happened!
PRIAM: Now don't be frightened, child. You shall die when I say so, and not a moment before.
VICKI: That's very comforting.
ODYSSEUS: You really are a very brave man indeed. I should have been most distressed to have had to put you to death myself.
STEVEN: A very consoling thought.
PARIS: I'm in command here!
CASSANDRA: Of everything except your senses.
PARIS: I'm treated with more respect by the enemy than I am by my own family.
CASSANDRA: They don't know you as well as we do.
ODYSSEUS: Catapults? That sounds like a vulgar oath to me. I must try it on Agamemnon. Catapults!
STEVEN: I disguised myself so that I could rescue you.
VICKI: You succeeded beautifully. Thanks, Diomede.
STEVEN: Oh, look, be fair. How was I to know that you'd manage to get round King Priam?
VICKI: You might have guessed. I know how to take care of myself.
STEVEN: Troilus?
VICKI: Paris's younger brother. He likes me. I like him.
STEVEN: I don't think that's going to matter much when the city starts to burn.
TROILUS: You're not a witch, are you?
VICKI: Of course not. Do I look like one?
TROILUS: Well, no, but then, I've never met one. Look here, I shouldn't be talking to you like this. And what are you laughing at?
VICKI: Well, you're not in the war, are you? You're far too young.
TROILUS: I'm seventeen next birthday!
VICKI: That's hardly any older than me. You shouldn't be killing people at your age.
TROILUS: Well, between you and me, I don't honestly enjoy killing at all. But I love adventure.
VICKI: Yes. I know what you mean.
VICKI: You know, Steven, I think I could get to be quite happy here in time.
STEVEN: I hate to remind you, but time is the one thing we just haven't got.
VICKI: I told you strong-arm tactics wouldn't work.
ODYSSEUS: What is it now, Doctor? Upon my soul, you're making me as nervous as a Bacchante at her first orgy.
PARIS: Now understand me, Cassandra. I will not have one word said against that horse.
TROILUS: And neither will I against Cressida.
CASSANDRA: Will you not? Then woe to the House of Priam. Woe to the Trojans.
PARIS: I'm afraid you're a bit late to say 'whoa' to the horse. I've just given instructions to have it brought into the city.
ODYSSEUS: Of all the undignified ways of entering a city this takes the fried phoenix.
TROILUS: No, I'll be all right. Look, Cressida, I don't understand.
VICKI: I don't suppose you ever will. That doesn't matter so long as you trust me.
TROILUS: Trust you? After all
VICKI: I didn't betray you. That's why I stayed behind. I wanted you to know that I didn't. The main thing is I belong here now with you. If you'll have me.
TROILUS: Cressida, look what's happened.
VICKI: There's only us now.
KATARINA: Strange god, you bring me peace.
DOCTOR: No, I don't know what Vicki has advised you, but
KATARINA: Oh, the Priestess Cressida told me all would be well and I knew it was to come.
DOCTOR: What was to come, my dear?
KATARINA: That I was to die.
DOCTOR: My dear child, you're not dead. That's nonsense.
KATARINA: This is not Troy. This is not even the world. This is the journey through the beyond.
DOCTOR: Well, as you wish.
KATARINA: Thank you.
DOCTOR: Yes, yes, yes, as you wish, my child. Now, I want you to keep an eye on that young man. Will you?
KATARINA: Yes, great god.
DOCTOR: His name is Steven. And remember, Katarina, you must call me Doctor.
KATARINA: Oh, as you wish Doc.
DOCTOR: I'm not a Doc. I am not a god. Oh, my dear Vicki, I hope you'll be all right. I shall miss you child.
The Verdict
Overall and taken as a whole, The Myth Makers is a lovely, entertainingly amusing serial, although not without its frustrations.
On the one hand, as an installment in the ongoing story of the Doctor and his companions, it isn't what you'd call a character piece, far from it the characters are primarily cogs in the wheel of the plot here, rather than the plot being designed to showcase them and as an exit story for Vicki it could have been much better. Our heroes' motivations are painfully thin throughout, while the ethical dilemma of finding themselves in Troy on the eve of its downfall is not mentioned at all; it is merely a predicament for them to escape, the fate of the doomed citizens not a concern to them in the slightest (Vicki's attachment to Troilus aside). But on the other hand, this story was never written with such concerns in mind; it was only ever intended as a comedy and, as a standalone adventure designed as pure entertainment, The Myth Makers is absolutely delightful and wonderfully funny, and does manage a few really nice character moments in spite of it all. It is a joy to listen to and I long to be able to actually see it, to appreciate the story in full.