The Doctor and Steven have just left behind the devastation on the planet Kembel...
Ed Watkinson@CouncillorEd I LOVE The Massacre - its my number one story I would love to see recovered.Amazing story; Purves is a class apart, Hartnell's abbot mesmerising and a sumptously detailed setting. Love it!
Ed Watkinson@CouncillorEd I remember getting the Target Novelisation back in the late 1980’s and loving it, then being sad that it no longer existed.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Heard the audio first time when I was 12 and thought "I don't understand what's going on, but it's brilliant."
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Really can't imagine the modern series tackling a subject as serious as this.Not in as serious a way, certainly. It would be riddled with "cool" one-liners...
The TARDIS materialises in Paris in the year 1572.
The Doctor is pleased to be back in Paris, even though he nearly lost his head last time out.
The Doctor decides to visit the famous apothecary Charles Preslin.
When Steven asks if he has suitable clothes for the era, the Doctor replies "You'd be surprised what I've got in my wardrobe!"
In a nearby tavern a band of Huguenots are drinking, when a quarrel breaks out.
Simon Duvall has taken offence at Gaston's perceived insult to the Catholic Queen.
Steven isn't keen on staying cooped up in the TARDIS while the Doctor gallivants, so opts to stay in the tavern.
Simon Duvall has taken offence at Gaston's perceived insult to the Catholic Queen.
Steven isn't keen on staying cooped up in the TARDIS while the Doctor gallivants, so opts to stay in the tavern.
Steven doesn't have change of an ecu, much to the landlord's annoyance. Nicholas Muss buys him the drink.
Steven has thought better of letting the Doctor go off on his own & wants to find Preslin, but Nicholas persuades him to stay.
The Doctor arrives at the apothecary's, to find a furtive Preslin reluctant to admit his identity.
The Doctor gains Preslin's trust with some germ chat. Dirty so and so.
Gaston mistrusts Steven but is amazed to hear he has recently been in Egypt - which is not untrue...
A Hugenot servant girl, Anne Chaplet, flees Catholic pursuers and runs into Steven...
The guards are in the employ of the Abbot of Amboise, and are infuriated at the Hugenots for sheltering Anne.
The Doctor's also taking an interest in the Abbot; a reactionary opposed to Preslin's "Heresy".
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Is this when he decides to impersonate the Abbot? Certainly seems to suggest it!
Steven is curious about what it is that has frightened Anne, so Nicholas & Gaston question her.
Anne overheard guards mention Vassy, the site of a Huguenot massacre by Catholics 10 years ago.
Nicholas decides to send Anne to his master, Admiral de Coligny and explains to Steven that he fears an assassination attempt on the King.
The Doctor leaves Preslin and sets out, ostensibly to rejoin Steven. But does he have another purpose in mind?
At the tavern, the shifty bar keep informs Simon Duvall of Anne's destination.
Steven grows anxious for the Doctor's safety as the curfew nears...
Simon returns to the house & reports to the Abbot - who looks just like the Doctor!
Grave-Ad@davadsteel The earlier scene could be seen as the Doctor deciding to pose as the Abbot. Clever story telling!
Episode 2 - The Sea Beggar.
Grave-Ad@davadsteel I love the structure too. No reprise of the cliffhanger.
Gaston fumes that his master Henry of Navarre doesn't take the threat to his life seriously.
Roger Colbert arrives to question Nicholas about Anne's whereabouts, but Nicholas passes her off as "Genevieve".
Roger Colbert is played by Chris Tranchell, who'll pop up in the Doctor's future!
MAW Holmes @MAW_H "She wears leather, you say, and likes to play rough...?"
Steven peers out of the window and seeing the Abbot, exclaims that it's his friend, the Doctor!
Marshall Tavanne will have news of "The Sea Beggar" for the Abbot shortly.
When Steven & Nicholas arrive at Preslin's shop, there's no sign of the Doctor...
With Nicholas growing suspicious, Steven gives him the slip.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland One the great things about The Massacre is that its not such a well known historical event not all the viewers are aware of what's going to happen - remember no one would have called it The Massacre in 1966.
Very true! Inform, Educate and Entertain indeed!
Steven has thought better of letting the Doctor go off on his own & wants to find Preslin, but Nicholas persuades him to stay.
The Doctor arrives at the apothecary's, to find a furtive Preslin reluctant to admit his identity.
The Doctor gains Preslin's trust with some germ chat. Dirty so and so.
Gaston mistrusts Steven but is amazed to hear he has recently been in Egypt - which is not untrue...
A Hugenot servant girl, Anne Chaplet, flees Catholic pursuers and runs into Steven...
The guards are in the employ of the Abbot of Amboise, and are infuriated at the Hugenots for sheltering Anne.
The Doctor's also taking an interest in the Abbot; a reactionary opposed to Preslin's "Heresy".
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Is this when he decides to impersonate the Abbot? Certainly seems to suggest it!Steven is curious about what it is that has frightened Anne, so Nicholas & Gaston question her.
Anne overheard guards mention Vassy, the site of a Huguenot massacre by Catholics 10 years ago.
Nicholas decides to send Anne to his master, Admiral de Coligny and explains to Steven that he fears an assassination attempt on the King.
The Doctor leaves Preslin and sets out, ostensibly to rejoin Steven. But does he have another purpose in mind?
At the tavern, the shifty bar keep informs Simon Duvall of Anne's destination.
Steven grows anxious for the Doctor's safety as the curfew nears...
Simon returns to the house & reports to the Abbot - who looks just like the Doctor!
Grave-Ad@davadsteel The earlier scene could be seen as the Doctor deciding to pose as the Abbot. Clever story telling!Episode 2 - The Sea Beggar.
Grave-Ad@davadsteel I love the structure too. No reprise of the cliffhanger.Gaston fumes that his master Henry of Navarre doesn't take the threat to his life seriously.
Roger Colbert arrives to question Nicholas about Anne's whereabouts, but Nicholas passes her off as "Genevieve".
Roger Colbert is played by Chris Tranchell, who'll pop up in the Doctor's future!
MAW Holmes @MAW_H "She wears leather, you say, and likes to play rough...?"Steven peers out of the window and seeing the Abbot, exclaims that it's his friend, the Doctor!
Marshall Tavanne will have news of "The Sea Beggar" for the Abbot shortly.
When Steven & Nicholas arrive at Preslin's shop, there's no sign of the Doctor...
With Nicholas growing suspicious, Steven gives him the slip.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland One the great things about The Massacre is that its not such a well known historical event not all the viewers are aware of what's going to happen - remember no one would have called it The Massacre in 1966.
Very true! Inform, Educate and Entertain indeed!
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Also tells us a lot about how history was taught in schools back then & what the children were expected to know.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland And people were more aware of religious 'differences'. Non-Catholics marrying Catholics wasn't straightforwardMAW Holmes@MAW_H Well, religious divides were about to erupt in the British Isles around then.John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland As we become more secular in England, we tend to forget how big these divides were and still are.
Nicholas is now convinced that the Doctor is the Abbot of Amboise.
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Definite suggestion that the Doc is pretending to be the Abbot, Roger being asked about him. Let's the audience fill gaps.Steven goes to the Abbot's lodgings, hoping to discover the Doctor's fate.
The Marshal's annoyed by the Abbot's disappearance but informs Simon and Roger that the Queen has given the order to have "the Sea Beggar" killed the next day.
Steven hastens away to tell the Hugenots what he's overheard but Gaston draws his sword...
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Purves is so good in this! A brilliant performance.
Such a shame that so much of season 3 is missing.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Absolutely. He is the star of this, a spaceman in 16th Century France, and the politics, the nuances are all lost on him. He carries these episodes. Purves is underated as an actor, and Steven is underrated as a companion.
He's easily the equal of the Brigadier, Ian and Harry as a powerhouse of heroism.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland I agree. After 'The Power of the Daleks', The Massacre is the story I most want to see.Grave-Ad@davadsteel They're my two Most Wanted as well.
Nicholas realizes that Steven was true to his word and had important information for them.
Steven is being followed - but it's only Anne, desperately trying to find safety.
De Coligny returns to tell Nicholas the king will aid the Dutch and crucially, that the King even gave him a nickname: "the Sea Beggar"! Now we know the intended victim of the Abbot's plot!
MAW Holmes@MAW_H Love a "slow burner" where the audience gets to go "Ah!"
Episode 3 - Priest of Death - begins with Steven determined to return to the Abbot's house.
At the Louvre, the Queen Mother, King, Marshal, Admiral, & de Teligny argue over France's military aid to the Dutch.
Steven meets the Abbot, who appears not to know him. Is he the Doctor or not?
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Steven's very clever. He confirms the plan to kill the Admiral and and that the Abbot isn't the Doctor!
The Marshal begins to see the Abbot as a liability, as he fears Steven overheard their plot.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Today's the first time I've noticed it's Andre Morell, thus making this my most wanted Who recovery. Sorry Space Pirates.MAW Holmes@MAW_H "Prof Quatermass would like to lead the entire company in Down at the Old Bull & Bush, with this time, chiefly, yourselves!"
The assassin, Bondeaux, fires at the Admiral just as a gust of wind causes the naval man to stoop. He's only wounded.
The Marshal blames the Abbot for the failure & orders his death. Let's hope he really isn't the Doctor!
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Still the suggestion that he could be! Very tense!
Steven still believes that the Abbot is really the Doctor in disguise - so is horrified to hear of the Abbot's murder!
The King is infuriated by the attempt on the Admiral's life and dismisses his advisors. Enter the Queen Mother...
Grave-Ad@davadsteel There isn't a single bad performance in this story. Every actor is so committed.
Outside, an angry Catholic crowd has formed around the dead Abbot and is calling for Huguenot blood to avenge the murder.
Steven barely has a chance to see if the dead Abbot was really the Doctor when the crowd head his way, and he has to flee.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Great cliffhanger. Steven is lost in history, Doctor Who is either dead or missing and there's a huge angry mob...MAW Holmes@MAW_H "Flee! Flee!" (Now what sketch is that from...?)
Episode 4 - Bell of Doom - the story is now being credited as "by John Lucarotti and Donald Tosh".
MAW Holmes@MAW_H ...Ah, the grand tradition of the head writer writing a tag scene and getting a full credit begins... ;-)
The next morning, Anne is hiding back at Preslin's shop, waiting for Steven to arrive.
Hurrah! The Doctor's returned, safe and sound! You can actually hear Steven's jaw drop!
MAW Holmes@MAW_H "BRING BACK BILL HARTNELL"
The first thing the Doctor does upon learning the date is to send Anne Chaplet straight into the Massacre! Crikey!
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Anne saying goodbye to Steven is heartbreaking!
The Queen Mother orders the Marshal to begin the Massacre with the King's blessing...
"Unleash the wolves of Paris..."
Even the Queen Mother knows killing the catholic prince Henry would be an own goal, though, so the Marshall instructs Simon to escort him safely out of Paris.
The Doctor and Steven just make it back to the safety of the TARDIS as the slaughter begins.
As the TARDIS departs, the Doctor rues the many deaths, but Steven is furious that he takes no responsibility for Anne's death.
Steven resolves to leave the Doctor, and departs under a cloud when the TARDIS lands.
Grave-Ad@davadsteel This scene is so powerful. Hartnell and Purves work so well together.
Electrifying magic from Hartnell here, a scene on a par with the very first episode and his 'birth of a universe' speech in the Edge of Destruction.
"Even after all this time he cannot understand. I dare not change the course of history. Well, at least I taught him to take some precautions. He did remember to look at the scanner before he opened the doors. Now they're all gone. All gone. None of them could understand. Not even my little Susan, or Vicki. And as for Barbara and Chatterton. Chesterton. They were all too impatient to get back to their own time. And now, Steven. Perhaps I should go home, back to my own planet. But I can't. I can't."
Hairs on the back of your neck...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly It a great speech delivered, as far as I can tell, without any genuine mistakes. Pity it's characterised as a failure later.
aston Lewis@astonlewis666 it's an amazing speech. Thank god we've got the audio!
Grave-Ad@davadsteel "We can't go into that now!" That's room for a missing adventure to explain Steven's change of heart!
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... The Masque of Mandragora
MAW Holmes@MAW_H ...Ah, the grand tradition of the head writer writing a tag scene and getting a full credit begins... ;-)The next morning, Anne is hiding back at Preslin's shop, waiting for Steven to arrive.
Steven believes the Doctor is dead, and searches for the TARDIS key so he can leave this time.
MAW Holmes@MAW_H or settle down with some poor peasant girl...
MAW Holmes@MAW_H or settle down with some poor peasant girl...
The Marshal & Simon decide that Steven is the only loose end that could implicate them in the plot, so he must die!
Hurrah! The Doctor's returned, safe and sound! You can actually hear Steven's jaw drop!
MAW Holmes@MAW_H "BRING BACK BILL HARTNELL"The first thing the Doctor does upon learning the date is to send Anne Chaplet straight into the Massacre! Crikey!
Grave-Ad@davadsteel Anne saying goodbye to Steven is heartbreaking!
The Queen Mother orders the Marshal to begin the Massacre with the King's blessing...
"Unleash the wolves of Paris..."
Even the Queen Mother knows killing the catholic prince Henry would be an own goal, though, so the Marshall instructs Simon to escort him safely out of Paris.
The Doctor and Steven just make it back to the safety of the TARDIS as the slaughter begins.
As the TARDIS departs, the Doctor rues the many deaths, but Steven is furious that he takes no responsibility for Anne's death.
Steven resolves to leave the Doctor, and departs under a cloud when the TARDIS lands.
Grave-Ad@davadsteel This scene is so powerful. Hartnell and Purves work so well together.Electrifying magic from Hartnell here, a scene on a par with the very first episode and his 'birth of a universe' speech in the Edge of Destruction.
"Even after all this time he cannot understand. I dare not change the course of history. Well, at least I taught him to take some precautions. He did remember to look at the scanner before he opened the doors. Now they're all gone. All gone. None of them could understand. Not even my little Susan, or Vicki. And as for Barbara and Chatterton. Chesterton. They were all too impatient to get back to their own time. And now, Steven. Perhaps I should go home, back to my own planet. But I can't. I can't."
Hairs on the back of your neck...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly It a great speech delivered, as far as I can tell, without any genuine mistakes. Pity it's characterised as a failure later.aston Lewis@astonlewis666 it's an amazing speech. Thank god we've got the audio!
The "Chatterton" fluff is very obviously deliberate and not really a fluff at all.
Grave-Ad@davadsteel He's my favourite Doctor. He's hugely under rated by people perpetuating the myth of constant line fluffs.
The "Chatterton" gives the lie to many a "fluff"; it's a character trait that he would deliberately get Ian's name wrong, something he did so often it became a habit, one which he kicks himself for here.
Just then a young girl, Dodo, runs into the TARDIS, thinking that it is a real police box...
Steven returns, and urges the Doctor to take off to evade the approaching policemen, and just like that, he's back. Phew!
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Quick, Doctor, take off! There are policemen coming!" "Why? What have you done?" "I just robbed an off-licence."
Grave-Ad@davadsteel He's my favourite Doctor. He's hugely under rated by people perpetuating the myth of constant line fluffs.The "Chatterton" gives the lie to many a "fluff"; it's a character trait that he would deliberately get Ian's name wrong, something he did so often it became a habit, one which he kicks himself for here.
Just then a young girl, Dodo, runs into the TARDIS, thinking that it is a real police box...
Steven returns, and urges the Doctor to take off to evade the approaching policemen, and just like that, he's back. Phew!
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Quick, Doctor, take off! There are policemen coming!" "Why? What have you done?" "I just robbed an off-licence."Grave-Ad@davadsteel "We can't go into that now!" That's room for a missing adventure to explain Steven's change of heart!
Apparently, Dodo's surname is Chaplet, and her grandfather was French. You don't suppose...?
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Does this spoil it? Or does it remind us that there is hope, there is a future? I think the TARDIS lands there on purpose...
MAW Holmes@MAW_H If it's not too oxymoronic, "The Massacre" is just sublime listening... Like hot soup on a chilly autumn evening.
John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland Does this spoil it? Or does it remind us that there is hope, there is a future? I think the TARDIS lands there on purpose...
MAW Holmes@MAW_H If it's not too oxymoronic, "The Massacre" is just sublime listening... Like hot soup on a chilly autumn evening.
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... The Masque of Mandragora
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