Pyramids of Mars (TOTT version)

⭐9/10

😍 Superb! → Light recommendation!

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

PRIMARY NOTES:

This Tales of the TARDIS episode presents an omnibus edit of the 1976 four-part adventure Pyramids of Mars, with roughly 15 minutes’ worth of material cut, updated visual effects, and a fresh musical score. Two short bookend scenes featuring the Doctor and Ruby discussing the story precede and succeed the serial.

The bookend scenes alone are not worth watching because they are brief, add no value to the serial, and are readily available online.

This new edit retains the essence of the story, although some argue it flows more effectively due to the removal of unnecessary padding. However, new viewers or those who aren't fans of the story may find this more appealing, while old fans may still prefer the original version.

The editors have eliminated the cliffhangers and cliffhanger repeats, ensuring a smooth transition. They've also substituted the original time vortex effect with the one from Season 1, which, despite its distracting appearance, perfectly complements the story.

One of the better edits comes at the tail end of the story, which sufficiently shortens the puzzle-solving sequence on Mars leading up to the climax. This makes for a swifter conclusion.

This is one of the more familiar stories amongst fandom, so there would be no point in giving it another spin in a new format without switching things up a bit. The changes in this TotT version do nothing to fundamentally alter the story, but it does makes things a bit whizzier and move things along at an enjoyable pace. The only noticeable edits are when they intercut between scenes (I wonder if someone unfamiliar with 70s television would spot this as a change). The updated effects also fall into the category of “nice to have” value add. They make the show feel a little more dressed up for its 21st century reimagining.

The story itself is a bit of a turnaround, but one of the best that the show has ever delivered. The imagery of Sutekh and the trippy visuals that his powers inspire bump the story into a higher category than the script would achieve alone.

My rating is not reflective of Pyramids of Mars as a story itself, but of the TOTT version. The opening and closing scenes with 15 and Ruby are well-acted, but short and incredibly slight, nowhere near as impactful as the previous TOTT scenes, and the cutdown version of the story is unnecessary, as Pyramids is one of the best paced serials of the classic era.

I have mentioned on Twitter a few times that I'm not the biggest fan of this serial. The original episodic version feels quite slow for me, and usually the slower pacing with the classic series doesn't bother me. I also don't find the mummies a very credible threat, as they are very slow and lumbering.

Benjamin Cook's 75 minute cut, however, surprised me with how much more I enjoyed it compared to the original. It moves at a much stronger pace, and the mummies feel much more competent here than in the episodic version. It also wisely removes the puzzle scenes, which really caused the story to drag.

The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane's chemistry is incredibly strong here. Their special bond as best friends is conveyed throughout the story, and it features one of their most iconic scenes, where the Doctor shows Sarah the future if they don't stop Sutekh.

The new CGI is surprisingly limited. I was expecting Sutekh to be replaced with the 2024 version, but it's mostly replacing the time and space corridor effects with the 2024 title sequence. It's still a cool touch, but more subtle compared to other classic series serials that have received new special effects.

This Tales Of The TARDIS's linking scenes are a bit more basic than the previous ones. They essentially boil down to Ruby confidently stating that the Fifteenth Doctor can defeat Sutekh because he's already done it in his fourth Incarnation, and the Doctor expressing that he got lucky before. The fact that he's wearing a similar long scarf to Tom Baker's is a neat touch, but it does lack the emotional beats of the other Tales Of The TARDIS linking scenes.

This story is very good. The idea is interesting and the plot is tight and well written. The original is well-liked for a reason. This new edit feels solid and, while I haven’t seen the original for ages so I can’t compare the two, it seems to hold up very well considering that about an episode’s worth of material had to be cut out. It felt well-paced and exciting throughout. The new scenes at the start and end were nice but they’re not really anything substantial, but I never expected them to be. All in all, this new version exceeded my expectations.