😑20/50 = Underwhelming! = Not recommended!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

THE ITALIAN JOB!

The opening sees the Doctor and Charley decide to take a holiday in Venice after getting tired of being shot at constantly. Part 1 then sets up the main conflict of a cult trying to resurrect a dead bride, which sees Eight paired with the annoying Churchwell and Charley given the generic companion role of getting into trouble.

By the end of Part 2, the narrative has barely progressed, and it is this slow pace and lack of excitement or tension that make this story a bit forgettable. However, Magrs brings the story to a satisfying conclusion with an emotional Part 4, which reveals the deeper love story behind the adventure.

Other than the stellar main cast, the only guest actor of note is Michael Sheard (Professor Scarman from Pyramids of Mars) as Count Orsino. Mark Gatiss is in there somewhere, but he doesn't stand out like he did in Phantasmagoria.

This one has a strange soundscape from the start and doesn't quite capture the feel of a future Venice about to be submerged. The sound mixing sounds a bit off for me, as there is a strange echo to a lot of the spoken dialogue.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

The Venice setting and the aquatic creatures in the story bring to mind the Eleventh Doctor's adventure, Vampires of Venice.