4X2 - Image of the Fendahl 2

There is some simply gorgeous direction in this episode by George Spenton-Foster, which makes for a nice change from the hack job done by Derrick Goodwin in The Invisible Enemy. The still above is taken from a scene where Fendleman and Colby discuss the x-ray results of the skull. Most of the scene is captured in a tight two-shot which perfectly captures the expressions of expression from Fendleman and the increasing wariness of Colby, and the only prominent lighting is from the x-ray screen itself, lending the scene a cool glow that looks staggering.

Colby is probably favourite character in this story because he is so relentlessly posh. I could repeat Colby's line to Thea about the recently deceased security guard 50 times and never get tired of it. "The mahn's dead, Thee-uh!". Despite being posh, Colby is slightly played to be the stooge in this episode, too, which means actor Edward Arthur will be having some great scenes with Tom Baker, the latter of whom always seems to get along well with endearing comic stooges.

Also amusing is the character of Martha Tyler (how many times did Russell T Davies watch this story when trying to think up companion names for the new series?), partly because of the fact that she's quite cantankerous and superstitious, but still manages to be one step ahead of almost everyone in this story, but mostly because, as a Canadian, I think people with West Country accents sound funny.