REVIEW:
If The Awakening has something going for it, it's the theme of alien-force-takes-over-English-village that Doctor Who does well. The story evokes The Daemons (1971), considered to be one of the classics of the early series.
The guest characters stand out more than the regular companions, with Will Chandler perhaps the best of the bunch, pulling off a perfect performance as a 17th century peasant. Hutchinson and Willow are both a bit over the top, but not in a melodramatic way, plus they are under the influence of the Malus, which is bound to affect their personality.
The special effects used for the psychic projections are the story's weakest point. It would have been better for the apparitions to just appear, rather than be accompanied by lots of computer dots flitting around them, but that's 1980s digital technology for you.
Originally planned as a 4-part story and then pared down to 2, The Awakening has a good pace to it, and is easy to watch for anyone more used to the shorter stories of the new series. That said, without any room to explore how the ordinary villagers are reacting to the war games, it feels a bit half done. What sort of affect is the Malus having over them? Why are they going along so easily with Hutchinson's decision to close off the village, or burn Tegan as the May Queen? The villagers aren't even seen until the last half of the second episode, and even then they are few in number and relegated to the background. During all other scenes set within the village, the streets are deserted. It would have been nice if this area of the story had been touched upon, no matter how brief.
The Malus itself is an inventive idea: a psychic weapon designed to subdue a planet so the following invasion force has little resistance to deal with. It makes a nice change from the standard alien hordes with guns blazing. It's also a neat exploration of how alien activity in Earth's history can lead to legends and myths.
FURTHER NOTES:
- Denis Lill, who plays Sir George Hutchinson, previously guest starred in the Tom Baker serial Image Of The Fendahl (1977) as Professor Fendahlman.
- The Seventh Doctor encountered another part of the Harkol probe in the novel The Hollow Men.
