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

“THE UNDERWATER MENACE – WHEN JAMES BOND MET THE TARDIS”

Broadcast in early 1967 at the height of Sean Connery’s dominance as James Bond (with You Only Live Twice only months away), The Underwater Menace wastes no time dipping its toe into the spy-fi waters. From the Cold War-style villain in a volcanic lair, to elaborate traps, shark tanks, and megalomaniacal monologuing, this is Doctor Who gleefully piggybacking on 1960s espionage hysteria. Its Bond-like flair is strongest in the first two episodes – from the lift that whisks our heroes deep beneath the sea to the ritualistic sacrifice scene that feels like something out of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. But while the super-spy styling fades as the story progresses, the sheer camp energy never does.

From the moment Jamie joins the TARDIS crew (without much time to even process the idea of time travel), the story barrels ahead. Jamie, Ben, and Polly land with the Doctor on a beach near Atlantis and are almost instantly captured by Atlanteans. It’s not the most elegant integration for a new companion, but it’s certainly efficient. The team is soon drawn into the schemes of Professor Zaroff, a mad scientist determined to raise Atlantis – by draining the oceans into the Earth’s core and destroying the world in the process. Naturally.

ZAROFF: NOTHING IN THE WORLD CAN STOP HIS MADNESS

It’s difficult to overstate just how completely and wonderfully absurd Professor Zaroff is. Joseph Furst delivers every line like he’s been dared to outdo every Bond villain at once, chewing the scenery so voraciously you half expect him to devour the TARDIS. His performance is so over-the-top it becomes oddly magnetic – and his infamous “Nothing in the world can stop me now!” cliffhanger is legendary for all the wrong (and therefore right) reasons. But amidst the camp, there’s a fascinating undercurrent of menace: Zaroff's violent outbursts in Part 3, where he murders guards and priests alike, show a man losing control and becoming truly dangerous.

His scenes with the Doctor, especially their long exchange in Part 2, are the story’s highlights – a game of manipulation, charm and flattery as Troughton’s clownish yet shrewd Second Doctor tries to win him over. Troughton is rapidly cementing his Doctor’s moral compass and offbeat charm here. He dresses in disguise (again), grins impishly through sticky situations, and yet never loses sight of doing what’s right. It’s a delight to see him work with Zaroff with a mix of humour and sincerity.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE FISHY

Despite its reputation as a shambles, The Underwater Menace is stuffed with memorable moments – not all of them good, but all of them entertaining. The infamous fish people ballet in Part 3 is a classic example. Visually inventive, it’s a beautiful underwater dance sequence with striking choreography. But narratively, it serves no purpose whatsoever and slows the story to a crawl. Likewise, the subplot involving enslaved miners rising up against their Atlantean oppressors is paint-by-numbers rebellion drama, and while it introduces one of the serial’s most likeable minor characters – the charmingly Irish Sean – it’s otherwise forgettable.

Sean and Jacko’s budding bromance is one of the story’s unexpected pleasures. Their camaraderie is oddly compelling, and it's genuinely surprising that Big Finish hasn’t jumped on the opportunity to spin them off into their own side-adventures. Given the audio company’s penchant for resurrecting obscure guest characters, their omission seems like a missed trick.

Meanwhile, the main guest cast is a mixed bag. Damon is gloriously theatrical, a mad scientist in his own right, though his distinctive bushy eyebrows are sadly subdued in the animation. Ramo, played with a calm, dignified presence by Tom Watson, offers the moral counterweight to Zaroff’s mania. And then there’s Lolem – Peter Stephens plays him with an irritating whine that immediately recalls his equally grating turn as Cyril in The Celestial Toymaker. He’s loyal to Zaroff and thoroughly unpleasant, making him perfect pantomime fodder.

ANIMATION SALVATION

The newly released animation brings fresh life to the story, which had long been incomplete. While the animation is basic, it’s more than functional: character likenesses are solid, movement is smooth enough, and the facial work is expressive. That said, fans may have strong opinions about the updated designs of the Atlanteans and some of the stylised sets. Damon in particular loses some of his distinctive visual identity, and whether the stylistic liberties are improvements or missteps is up to individual taste.

Nonetheless, this is a serial that benefits greatly from being made whole. The underwater aesthetics, the eccentric visuals, and the pulp sensibilities are all more coherent when experienced in full, and the animation helps elevate the fun factor.

POLLY, JAMIE, AND THE COMPANION CONUNDRUM

Unfortunately, the companions don’t fare well here. Polly is reduced to a damsel in distress, stripped of her usual wit and spunk. Forced into the fish people conversion plotline, she spends most of the story helpless, and Anneke Wills has openly expressed disappointment with her role. It’s a frustrating regression for a character usually written with far more agency.

Jamie, despite being the new companion, is underused. He’s still splitting time with Ben, and the story doesn’t allow him space to shine. His personality is still taking shape, and although Frazer Hines is likeable, Jamie’s contribution is limited to a standard rebel subplot with Ben that never quite catches fire.

As for Ben, he does what he can, but none of the companions have significant arcs or impact on the plot. They are pulled through the narrative more than they drive it – functional, but not compelling.

CLIFFHANGERS, SHARKS, AND LOST DEATHS

The cliffhangers range from unintentionally hilarious to delightfully absurd. Part 2 ends with Zaroff dramatically entering a throne room, standing still, grinning… and that’s it. It’s gloriously clunky and bizarrely iconic.

Part 4’s climax, however, is much more effective. As the ocean begins to flood into the collapsing Atlantean base, there’s a genuine sense of urgency. Zaroff’s end – off-screen due to the original footage being lost – is described as one of the most satisfying villain deaths in Doctor Who. It’s a shame we can’t see it, but knowing his grandiose plan ends in watery doom somehow feels very fitting.

WRITER’S DEBUT… AND SWAN SONG

This was Geoffrey Orme’s only script for Doctor Who, and one can see why. The structure is haphazard, the pacing uneven, and the tone swings wildly from political thriller to slapstick pantomime. But within the madness lies a singular kind of charm – a story that’s so earnest in its nonsense that it becomes impossible to dislike. Orme’s ambition outstrips his control, but that ambition makes the story memorable in a way that many better-plotted serials are not.

📝VERDICT: 70/100

The Underwater Menace isn’t Troughton’s best story, but it’s one of his most delightfully deranged. With sharks, mad scientists, underwater ballet, and Atlantean rebellions, it’s Doctor Who at its most unapologetically camp. Joseph Furst’s Zaroff is a gloriously unhinged villain, Patrick Troughton balances silliness with sincerity, and the animation breathes new life into a long-maligned tale. While the companions are underserved and the plot often borders on incoherent, there’s never a dull moment. A cult classic of underwater nonsense that proves that sometimes, Doctor Who is at its best when it’s at its silliest. All together now: “Nothing in the world can stop me now!”