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094 – Image of the Fendahl
Doctor Who serial
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byGeorge Spenton-Foster
Written byChris Boucher
Script editorRobert Holmes
Produced byGraham Williams
Executive producerNone
Music byDudley Simpson
Production code4X
SeriesSeason 15
Running time4 episodes, 25 minutes each
First broadcast29 October – 19 November 1977
Chronology
← Preceded by
The Invisible Enemy 		Followed by →
The Sun Makers
List of episodes (1963–1989)

Image of the Fendahl is the third serial of the 15th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 29 October to 19 November 1977.

The serial was Chris Boucher's third and final script for the series and is set in an English priory, where the cultist Max Stael (Scott Fredericks) prepares the scientist Thea Ransome (Wanda Ventham) to be possessed and transformed by an ancient gestalt alien called a Fendahl.

Plot

[edit]

In a priory near the village of Fetchborough, four scientists, Adam Colby, Max Stael, Thea Ransome and Dr. Fendelman, are doing tests on a human skull they found in Kenya, apparently twelve million years old. When Dr. Fendelman starts using a sonic time scan, trying to get an image of the owner of the skull, the skull itself seems to react, locking onto Thea and releasing something in the priory grounds that kills a passing hiker, who eventually totally disintegrates.

The scan catches the attention of the Fourth Doctor and Leela when they are pulled down to Earth by it. They set off to find it before it creates a continuum implosion and destroys the planet. They separate and Leela finds the cottage of ‘Mother’ Tyler, a local modern-day witch gifted with psychic powers. The Doctor ends up narrowly avoiding death at the hands of the creature created by the skull, which then kills the leader of a detachment of guards Fendelman has brought in after the death of the hiker, sealing everyone into the priory.

Mrs Tyler then encounters the creature but survives and is saved from going into psychic shock by the Doctor, who by this time has worked out that the thing is a Fendahleen, a creature from his planet's mythology, supposedly destroyed when the Fifth Planet broke up. He makes his way into the priory and finds the skull, which tries to kill him. Leela saves him and they go off to the Fifth Planet, only to find that the Time Lords sealed the planet in a Time Loop, making all proper records invisible even to them.

Thea, meanwhile, has been gradually converted into the new core of the Fendahl, a creature that feeds off life energy and leaves nothing behind. Stael, leader of the local black magic cult, recognises this and believes he can control the Fendahl and use it to dominate. He and his followers capture Colby, kill Fendelman, who was actually influenced through his genetics by the Fendahl to bring this about, and set up the Sonic Time scanner to power the skull and Thea's final transformation.

The Doctor, Leela, Mrs Tyler and her grandson Jack head for the priory only to find the Fendahl core has formed and is converting the cult members into Fendahleen, to form the full circle. The Doctor frees Colby and helps Stael shoot himself after killing one of the new Fendahleen, in turn finding out that they are fatally allergic to salt, leaving the Fendahl core two short of the twelve it needs to be complete and form a gestalt. The Doctor rigs the scanner to implode upon itself and grabs the now dormant skull, leaving with the others only just before the priory is destroyed, along with the Fendahl core and the remaining Fendahleen. The Doctor and Leela then leave and plan to dump the skull near a supernova, thus ending the Fendahl race forever.

Production

[edit]

Writer Chris Boucher was commissioned to write the story (his third for the series) on 2 May 1977. He delivered the first episode just two days later, the final one being submitted on the 17 June.[1] Boucher had drawn on the 1967 film (rather than the 1958 TV original) Quatermass and the Pit and the 1959 Kurt Vonnegut novel The Sirens of Titan including the discovering of an alien skull linked to occult symbols, alien influence of mankind's evolution and the dormant alien influence being brought to bear in contemporary humanity.[2] He also took inspiration from the work of archaeologist Louis Leakey who had been excavating human remains for many years until his death in 1972. Boucher named Colby's dog Leakey as a tribute to him, although later realised that people would miss the reference and assume the name came because "he pissed all over everything!"[3] Terrance Dicks' subsequent novelisation of the serial in fact gives both reasons for the name. At the initial read through Tom Baker made numerous jokes about the script, picking out all the double entendres and sending it up. This caused Boucher great upset at the time, but had the knock-on effect of him combing through his scripts from there on for any signs of double entendres.[3] Boucher never wrote for the series again, immediately after this becoming script editor on Blake's 7 for four years and as the BBC didn't want anyone working on two shows at the same time. Boucher would write another script concerning an alien gestalt entity, for the 1981 Blake's 7 episode "Rescue".

Producer Graham Williams had worked with director George Spenton-Foster previously on Z-Cars and chose him to direct this serial due to his experience with night filming. Spenton-Foster would direct one more time for the series in the following year's The Ribos Operation. Script editor on the serial was Robert Holmes in his final assignment. During the work he was trailed by incoming editor Anthony Read, who would subsequently take up the role solely for the next story in production order Underworld (the following transmitted story The Sun Makers having been recorded before Image of the Fendahl). Read had been a television producer but was asked by BBC Head of Serials Graeme McDonald to be script editor to which Read refused until he learned it was for Doctor Who.[4] McDonald had read through the scripts for Fendahl and objected to a scene in part four which showed Stael raise a gun to his mouth. This was changed at the order of producer Williams and the gunshot is only heard. Following this serial, the horror elements under Holmes' guidance were considerably toned down at the order of McDonald.[4]

The exterior scenes were shot on the Stargroves estate in Hampshire, which was owned by Mick Jagger.[5] The same location had been used during the filming of Pyramids of Mars. Filming began on Monday 1 August 1977 and continued until the following Thursday. This included two night shoots for the serial on the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The first night's filming was disrupted when the generator caught fire. Another generator had to be ordered from London and arrived at 4 am. Filming at the estate had only been agreed on the 26 July – less than a week before filming began, with the instruction (as had been the case with "Pyramids of Mars") that no effects or explosions were to be undertaken given that the property was a Grade II listed building. Two days after filming was completed Tom Baker and Louise Jameson attended the world's first ever Doctor Who convention in London. Following rehearsals, studio recording for the serial began on Saturday 20 August and was completed on 6 September 1977.[1] Jameson regards this as one of her best stories due to it being written by Chris Boucher, who had created Leela. It was, however, during the making of this serial that she decided to leave at the end of the series.[4]

Wanda Ventham, playing Thea, had previously appeared in The Faceless Ones, and would subsequently appear in Time and the Rani, her three appearances each being ten years apart: 1967, 1977 and 1987. Ventham had in fact auditioned for the James Bond film Goldfinger, but lost out to Shirley Eaton and therefore was excited to be painted gold in this serial, as would have been the case in Goldfinger. She also had to wear a dark wig as the human Thea, as Spenton-Foster thought that her natural blonde hair would lose credibility as a scientist.[4] Denis Lill, cast as Fendelman, was the production team's second choice after actor Anthony Bate became unavailable. Lill would subsequently appear in the 1984 story The Awakening and was Ventham's husband in the sitcom Only Fools and Horses. Scott Fredericks had played Boaz in 1972's Day of the Daleks and was later cast by Spenton-Foster in the Blake's 7 episode "Weapon" alongside Graham Simpson who also appears in this story. Derek Martin had appeared a number of times in Doctor Who as an extra, going back to 1965 and subsequently as a stuntman with the HAVOC group, who had taken part in a number of early serials featuring Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. This was his first and only work on the series as an actor. Geoffrey Hinsliff who played Jack would go on to appear in the 1979 story Nightmare of Eden.

Broadcast and reception

[edit]
EpisodeTitleRun timeOriginal release dateUK viewers
(millions) [6]
1"Part One"24:3829 October 1977 (1977-10-29)6.7
2"Part Two"24:445 November 1977 (1977-11-05)7.5
3"Part Three"24:2212 November 1977 (1977-11-12)7.9
4"Part Four"20:3219 November 1977 (1977-11-19)9.1

Paul Cornell, Martin Day, and Keith Topping wrote in The Discontinuity Guide (1995) that Image of the Fendahl was "one of the best stabs at outright horror in Doctor Who's history". They said it was "possibly one episode too long... but the verve of the production more than makes up for this."[7] In The Television Companion (1998), David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker felt that the scripts were "a little vague when it comes to certain details about the Fendahleen" and the Fendahl was "something of a disappointment", but they praised the supporting characters, in particular Daphne Heard's performance, who "plays the role to perfection and is largely responsible for conveying the sense of high tension and anticipation in the latter episodes". They considered Image of the Fendahl to be "one of the last truly frightening Doctor Who stories".[8]

Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times awarded it four stars out of five. He considered Chris Boucher's scripts "his strongest for the series" and described the story as "indeed a 'good one', if not quite great, and a highlight of a dodgy season." He praised Baker's performance, saying he was "fully engaged with the drama, providing a pleasing balance of gravitas and flippancy" but noted that Leela was "toned down". He acknowledged that it is "often cited as the last gasp of the horror sub-genre prevalent in earlier seasons" but added that "punches are pulled" and regarded it as "more like a tale of the supernatural" with "atmospheric night filming and an unusually eerie soundscape." Mulkern concluded that it was "a serial that is the sum of its admirable parts" and "one of the least fraught behind the scenes in season 15".[9] DVD Talk's John Sinnott gave Image of the Fendahl three and a half out of five stars, praising the atmosphere but noting that the slow start and "rather convoluted story" held it back from being a classic.[10]

The second episode of this serial attained a 75% score on the Audience Appreciation Index, a record high up to this point.[1]

Commercial releases

[edit]

In print

[edit]

A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in May 1979. The book's cover (painted by John Geary) was once voted as the worst in the series by readers of DWB magazine.

Key Information

Home media

[edit]

This story was released on VHS in March 1993 and on DVD on 20 April 2009 (1 September 2009 in North America). This serial was also released as part of the Doctor Who DVD Files in issue 70 on 7 September 2011. In March 2024, the story was released again in an upgraded format for Blu-ray, being included with the other stories from Season 15 in the Doctor Who - The Collection Box Set.[11]

Critical analysis

[edit]

A book length study of the serial, written by Simon Bucher-Jones, was published as part of The Black Archive series from Obverse Books in 2016.[12]

The serial was covered in volume 27 of the Doctor Who: The Complete History book series, which reprinted Andrew Pixley's Archive features from Doctor Who Magazine and the various Doctor Who Magazine Special Editions, as well as new articles created specifically for the book.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Image of the Fendahl

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Image of the Fendahl is a four-part serial of the British science fiction television series , which was first broadcast on from 29 October to 19 November 1977. It comprises the third story of the programme's 15th season and stars as the alongside as his companion Leela. In the serial, written by Chris Boucher and directed by George Spenton-Foster, the Doctor and Leela are drawn to Fetch Priory in present-day England after the detects a sonic time scan creating a temporal anomaly. There, a team of scientists led by Dr. Maximillian Fendelman, including archaeologist Adam Colby and parapsychologist Thea Ransome, are examining a fossilised estimated to be 12 million years old—a discovery that defies known human evolutionary history. The , revealed to be a remnant of the Fendahl, an ancient gestalt entity comprising twelve aspects that feeds on life force and has influenced human development over millennia, begins exerting a malevolent influence, transforming individuals and summoning deadly manifestations known as Fendahleen. Produced by Graham Williams with incidental music by and production design by Anna Ridley, the serial was filmed on location at Stargrove Manor in during 1977 and recorded in studio during and September of that year. Key supporting cast includes as Thea Ransome, as Dr. Fendelman, Scott Fredericks as Maximillian Stael, and as Martha Tyler. The story draws on themes of ancient evil, scientific hubris, and , with the Doctor uncovering the skull's role in a plot to resurrect the Fendahl Core using the time scanner's energy. Reception has been generally positive, with citing it as one of his favourite stories due to its atmospheric filming location, formerly owned by musician . Critics have praised its blend of gothic horror and elements, though some note inconsistencies in character motivations and pacing across the episodes. The serial has been released on DVD and is available for streaming on official platforms, preserving its status as a notable entry in the era.

Synopsis

Plot

In the first episode, the TARDIS carrying the and his companion Leela is drawn to in the present day after detecting a sonic time scan, landing near Fetch Priory in Fetchborough, . There, Dr. Fendelman and his team, including scientist Thea Ransome, researcher Stael, and technician Colby, prepare to analyze a fossilized skull discovered in that dates back 12 million years, predating humanity by millions of years. As Fendelman activates the sonic time scan on the skull, Thea falls into a , and the skull begins to glow ominously; meanwhile, in the nearby woods, a local man named Jack Tyler is drained of life by an invisible force and dies. The Doctor and Leela arrive at the scene, where the Doctor uses his to detect time anomalies associated with the scan, and they learn from locals about recent strange occurrences at the , including reports of a life-draining entity known as the "old ones." Colby discovers Tyler's body and alerts Fendelman, who decides to delay notifying to avoid disrupting their research, while the Doctor infiltrates the to investigate the skull, introducing the concept of the Fendahl Core as a gestalt entity of immense power. In the second episode, the Doctor examines the skull and realizes its origins tie into Time Lord mythology, recognizing it as part of the Fendahl, an ancient gestalt being wiped from time by the due to its predatory nature. Thea activates the scanner again, entering another trance that draws the attention of the Fendahl's malevolent influence—manifestations of the ancient entity—leading to the death of a by the same life-draining force. The Doctor confronts Thea, identifying an embryonic Fendahleen—a serpentine servant of the Fendahl—forming within her, but Fendelman has him locked in a cellar for trespassing. Meanwhile, Leela encounters Tyler at her cottage, where shares visions of a , soul-consuming darkness, and Leela herself becomes hypnotized, experiencing visions of the Fendahl's gestalt form. Stael, revealed to be leading a covert group at the , abducts the entranced Thea to a hidden chapel, intending to use her as a conduit to harness the Fendahl's power. In the third episode, the Doctor escapes confinement and reunites with Leela at the Tylers' cottage, where they learn more about the 's cult activities and 's hunger for life force to reform itself. Returning to the , the Doctor discovers Stael's in the , where Stael binds Fendelman and Colby, preparing to sacrifice Thea to summon the Fendahl, with Stael positioning himself as the intended host for to gain control over its power. As the progresses, a full Fendahleen emerges, killing Fendelman by draining his life, and the Doctor explains the Fendahl's nature as a collective predator that feeds on vital energy. Leela confronts the Doctor about the necessity of violence in combating such threats, highlighting her growing unease with his non-lethal methods. The Doctor devises a plan to create a time corridor using the and the to trap and destroy the reforming Fendahl by sending its remnants into a . In the fourth episode, Thea fully transforms into the Fendahl Queen, the core of the gestalt entity, as Stael's cult members mutate into additional Fendahleen, overwhelming the priory. The Doctor uses his to rig an implosive around the priory, collapsing it into a singularity to eradicate the Fendahl's physical manifestations, while Leela and the survivors, including Colby and Martha Tyler, fight off the Fendahleen using salt, which proves lethal to the creatures. Stael attempts to merge with the Fendahl but is consumed and killed, and the Doctor rescues the skull from the destruction, ensuring its obliteration in a distant star to prevent any further reformation. With the priory destroyed in the and the threat neutralized, the survivors regroup at the cottage, though the experience leaves lasting psychological scars; Leela reaffirms her loyalty to the Doctor despite their earlier confrontation over violence.

Cast

Tom Baker portrayed the , an eccentric who arrives at Fetch Priory to investigate temporal anomalies linked to an ancient , relying on his intellect and tools such as the to unravel the threat posed by the Fendahl. Louise Jameson played Leela, the Doctor's Sevateem warrior companion, whose survival instincts drive her to confront the cultists and Fendahleen, while her emotional vulnerability is highlighted in a subplot involving hypnotic influence from the Fendahl core. Wanda Ventham appeared as Thea Ransome, a whose leads her to experiment with the skull's time scanner, ultimately resulting in her possession and transformation into the Fendahl Queen, shifting the story's dynamics from rational to horror. Scott Fredericks was cast as Max Stael, the occultist leader of a Fendahl-worshipping who harbors a hidden agenda as the host for a Fendahleen, manipulating events at the to resurrect the ancient entity and heightening the tension between and . Denis Lill portrayed Dr. Maximillian Fendelman, the enigmatic financier funding the skull's research, whose ambiguous motives and knowledge of the Fendahl's power contribute to the serial's intrigue around hidden extraterrestrial origins. In supporting roles, Edward Arthur played Adam Colby, a assisting in the experiments whose skepticism clashes with the emerging supernatural elements; was Martha Tyler, the priory's caretaker haunted by premonitions of the Fendahl's return, adding local folklore to the narrative; and appeared as Jack Tyler, Martha's grandson entangled in the village's disturbances, providing a human perspective on the escalating dangers. Aubrey Woods made a as the Registrar, a minor official at the whose brief involvement underscores the bureaucratic normalcy disrupted by the Fendahl's influence.

Production

Development

The serial Image of the Fendahl was commissioned from writer Chris Boucher on 2 May 1977 by outgoing producer , though production ultimately fell under the oversight of his successor, Graham Williams, marking a transitional period in the show's creative direction. As the final story script-edited by Robert Holmes before his departure, it retained elements of the gothic horror style associated with the Hinchcliffe era while incorporating subtle shifts toward the lighter tone that would characterize Williams's tenure. Incoming script editor Anthony Read performed uncredited final rewrites on the script. Boucher crafted the script as an attempt to create a traditional within the framework, drawing inspiration from Nigel Kneale's (particularly its 1967 film adaptation) and broader occult motifs involving ancient artifacts and supernatural dread. His narrative intent centered on probing Time Lord taboos around , weaving in themes of evolutionary horror through the Fendahl—a gestalt entity depicted as a predatory force from Gallifrey's distant past, capable of assimilating life forms into a collective whole. This concept explored how ancient, suppressed truths could resurface to threaten contemporary existence, with the artifact serving as a key relic tying Earth's prehistory to Gallifreyan intervention. Holmes, in his role as script editor, oversaw the story's alignment with ongoing character arcs, particularly Leela's development from savage instinct to cultural adaptation. emphasized budget efficiency, planning extensive in rural settings to build atmospheric tension through suggestion and shadow rather than costly or studio-bound sequences. Director George Spenton-Foster further optimized this approach by consolidating night exteriors, ensuring the serial's occult chills could be conveyed with minimal resources while maintaining its folk-horror vibe.

Filming

Location filming for Image of the Fendahl took place from 1 to 4 1977 at Stargrove Manor in East End, , which served as the exterior and some interior locations for Fetch Priory. The manor's secluded, and surrounding woods contributed to an eerie, isolated atmosphere that enhanced the story's horror elements. Production encountered a significant setback on 2 when the generator powering the lighting equipment caught fire during night shooting, halting work until a replacement arrived from at 4 a.m. the following day. Studio recording occurred at BBC Television Centre's Studio TC6 in White City, London, across two sessions: 20–21 August and 4–6 September 1977. Directed by George Spenton-Foster in his second and final Doctor Who assignment, the sessions focused on interior Priory scenes, laboratory sets, and key action sequences. Visual effects for the Fendahl entity relied on practical techniques, including atmospheric lighting for the skull and simple projections, while the Fendahleen were realized through practical makeup and costumes worn by actors, emphasizing grotesque, shadowy forms over complex composites. On-set challenges extended to effects integration, particularly smoke used in the time corridor and life-drain sequences, which proved difficult to control under studio conditions and required multiple takes to achieve the desired otherworldly haze. Regarding cast preparation, Tom Baker frequently improvised dialogue to infuse the Doctor's lines with eccentric energy, adding spontaneity to investigative scenes. Louise Jameson, as Leela, performed her own stunt work for combat and pursuit sequences, including an ad-libbed kiss with co-star Adam Colby that captured genuine surprise on screen.

Broadcast

Transmission

"Image of the Fendahl" aired on from 29 October to 19 November 1977, with each of its four episodes broadcast weekly on Saturdays starting at around 6:10 PM. The specific transmission times were 18:10 for parts one and two, 18:05 for part three, and 18:15 for part four. Each episode ran for approximately 25 minutes, aligning with the standard format for Doctor Who serials of the era. As the third serial in season 15, it followed "The Invisible Enemy" and preceded "The Sun Makers," continuing the Fourth Doctor's adventures with companion Leela. Pre-broadcast promotion featured trailers that emphasized the serial's gothic horror atmosphere, including eerie visuals of the ancient skull and supernatural threats at Fetch Priory. These promotional clips were later included in releases.

Viewership

The four episodes of Image of the Fendahl drew viewership figures of 6.7 million for part one, 7.5 million for part two, 7.9 million for part three, and 9.1 million for part four, resulting in an average audience of 7.8 million. The reached a peak of 75 for the second episode, the highest recorded for the serial up to that point, with a low of 61 for the finale. In the context of 1970s television competition between BBC1 and ITV, Image of the Fendahl averaged slightly fewer viewers than the preceding serial The Invisible Enemy (7.9 million viewers) but trailed (averaging 8.4 million) and (averaging 8.8 million).

Reception

Contemporary reviews

The Radio Times preview for "Image of the Fendahl" commended the serial's atmospheric tension in its gothic setting at Fetch Priory, while observing that the plot's complexity involving ancient Time Lord mythology might challenge some viewers. Fan publications from the Doctor Who Appreciation Society (DWAS), including zines published in the late 1970s, praised Leela's prominent role as a fierce companion confronting the cult and supernatural threats, as well as the innovative Fendahl concept blending science fiction with occult horror; however, they often criticized the slow build-up in episodes 2 and 3, where exposition on the priory's history delayed the action.

Modern assessments

In later assessments, The Discontinuity Guide (1995, with updated editions) has praised Image of the Fendahl as "one of the best stabs at outright horror in ," highlighting its atmospheric tension and gothic elements despite some narrative ambiguities in explaining the Fendahl's origins. The 2009 DVD release received positive coverage, with awarding it a "Recommended" rating equivalent to 4 out of 5 stars, lauding its Hammer-like chills, strong performances by and , and sustained eerie atmosphere in the isolated setting, while critiquing the slow pacing in early episodes and the occasionally silly monster design. Scholarly analysis in The Black Archive #5: Image of the Fendahl (2016) by Simon Bucher-Jones explores the serial as an evolutionary allegory, interpreting humanity's connection to the Fendahl as a reflection on creation myths and the dark origins of life. Fan discussions on platforms like from 2022 to 2024 often echo these themes, frequently noting pacing issues and underdeveloped explanations as weaknesses, yet valuing the serial's compelling mystery, lore, and thematic ties to later episodes such as parallels in isolation and unseen threats drawn to "73 Yards" (2024). The 2024 Blu-ray release in Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 15 prompted renewed acclaim.

Releases and merchandise

Novelisation

The novelisation of Image of the Fendahl, titled Doctor Who and the Image of the Fendahl, was written by and published by in July 1979, with ISBN 0-426-20077-2. The original , featuring the Fendahl skull, was created by John Geary. Dicks' adaptation expands upon the 1977 television serial by Chris Boucher, incorporating deeper internal monologues for the regarding history, more detailed explanations of the Fendahl's origins, and additional scenes exploring Leela's backstory with the Sevateem tribe. A reprint edition appeared in 1991 with updated . The novel was released as an unabridged audiobook by Audio on 6 February 2020, narrated by . Contributing to the Target series' overall success of over eight million units sold across all Doctor Who novelisations from the to the 1990s.

Video editions

The VHS release of Image of the Fendahl occurred in the in March 1993, distributed by BBC Video as a standard analog transfer of the original broadcast footage with no accompanying special features or restorations. The serial received its DVD release in the on 20 April 2009 from , presenting a digitally remastered version of the video and audio elements. Special features included an audio commentary track moderated by Clayton Hickman, featuring actors (the ), (Leela), (Thea), and Edward Arthur (Adam Colby), who discussed production challenges and character dynamics. Additional content comprised the 25-minute making-of documentary "After Image," which explored script development and visual effects creation; approximately 11 minutes of deleted and extended scenes; a photo gallery; a trailer from the original BBC1 broadcast; and a PDF file containing production notes, including memos and design sketches. Image of the Fendahl became available on Blu-ray as part of the Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 15 limited-edition , released in the on 18 March 2024 by . This edition featured an HD upscale restoration derived from the best surviving sources, enhancing clarity and color fidelity while preserving the original 4:3 . New English were added for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and an isolated music track allowed viewers to experience Dudley Simpson's score separately. Exclusive to this release were interviews focusing on the Fendahl creature's effects, including a "Behind the Sofa" discussion with , writer Chris Boucher, and critic , addressing practical effects techniques and design influences from the production. International variants included a Region 1 DVD edition for , released on 1 September 2009 with the same remastered content and special features as the version. The Australian Blu-ray followed with the Season 15 collection issued on 19 June 2024 through local distributor , incorporating the HD upscale, subtitles, isolated score, and Fendahl-specific interviews.

Analysis

Themes

The serial employs atmospheric dread to evoke horror, primarily through unseen forces that drain life from victims, resulting in desiccated corpses that suggest a predatory entity feeding on vitality itself. This is compounded by psychological manipulation, such as control exerted over characters, creating a sense of inevitable doom and isolation within the familiar setting of an English priory. The Fendahleen's emergence as slimy, tentacled manifestations further intensifies the visceral terror, drawing on gothic traditions to unsettle viewers with implications of an ancient, insatiable hunger. Central to the narrative is the tension between scientific rationalism and occult mysticism, exemplified by archaeologists employing sonic scanning technology to analyze an anomalous , only to unwittingly revive phenomena. This conflict blurs empirical investigation with ritualistic practices, as a modern interprets the skull's power through pentagrams and invocations, mistaking alien biology for demonic forces. Superstitions like the use of salt to repel the threat are revealed to have a biochemical basis, yet their ritualistic application underscores humanity's persistent of the inexplicable, merging hard with folkloric dread. The story presents an evolutionary through the Fendahl's role as a cosmic predator that has shaped development over millions of years, exploiting biological vulnerabilities to embed itself in early hominid lineages. The , bearing a formed by bone sutures, symbolizes that accelerates yet perverts natural progression, commenting on survival instincts warped by external influences. This motif critiques the hubris of probing , where scientific curiosity unearths not progress but a predatory legacy encoded in humanity's origins. Gender dynamics emerge in the contrasting portrayals of characters, with Leela embodying agency and instinctive resilience against the threat, actively combating the cult through physical prowess and intuition. In opposition, Thea Ransome's possession and transformation into the Fendahl's vessel highlight vulnerability, her scientific intellect subverted into a tragic conduit for , underscoring the perils of intellectual overreach for women in male-dominated fields. This duality illustrates themes of female strength amid exploitation, without resolving into simplistic narratives.

Connections to lore

In "Image of the Fendahl," the Fendahl is portrayed as a gestalt entity and ancient predator that originated on the fifth planet of Earth's solar system, positioned between Mars and approximately 12 million years ago. This planet was destroyed by the through a to prevent the Fendahl from consuming all life, though fragments of the entity escaped to , influencing via a bio-transference field. The serial introduces the Fendahl as a time-sensitive being from Time Lord mythology, representing a suppressed horror known only through forbidden lore, which underscores the Time Lords' practice of erasing dangerous historical threats to maintain galactic stability. The Fendahl's narrative has influenced subsequent expanded universe content, particularly in ' audio dramas. In "Island of the Fendahl" (2019), part of The Further Adventures of Lucie Miller, the inadvertently releases and confronts the entity on a remote island, exploring its role as an evolutionary dead-end that embodies death itself. Similarly, "Night of the Fendahl" (2019), a audio featuring , revisits Fetch Priory as the site of the Fendahl's resurgence, tying directly to the original serial's events and depicting the entity as a predatory force inspiring modern horror films. This story's depiction of Time Lord intervention against existential threats parallels the suppression of forbidden knowledge seen in "The Deadly Assassin" (1976), where access to the Matrix is policed to hide Gallifrey's darker secrets, reinforcing a recurring motif of institutional cover-ups in Time Lord history. "Image of the Fendahl" also advances Leela's character arc by highlighting her warrior instincts and growing cultural adaptation, which bridges to her departure in "The Invasion of Time" (1978), where she chooses to stay on Gallifrey and marry Andred after aiding the Doctor's defense of the planet.

References

  1. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/image-of-the-fendahl/
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vfcts
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0562853/
  4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vfcw8
  5. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811799/
  6. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vfd15
  7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811800/
  8. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vfd6h
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811801/
  10. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811801
  11. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/438020-doctor-who-image-of-the-fendahl/cast?language=en-US
  12. http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4x.html
  13. https://drwhointerviews.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/chris-boucher-1980s/
  14. https://www.doctorwholocations.net/stories/imageofthefendahl
  15. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ThrowItIn/DoctorWho
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/episodes/?season=15
  17. http://thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/doctorwho/season-15/
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wITCIcgHeYo
  19. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Image-Fendahl-DVD/dp/B001UHNXMY
  20. https://guide.doctorwhonews.net/story.php?story=ImageoftheFendahl/2
  21. https://guide.doctorwhonews.net/story.php?story=ImageoftheFendahl/4
  22. http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4t.html
  23. http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4v.html
  24. http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4w.html
  25. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-my-life-as-a-fan-part-2/
  26. https://aminoapps.com/c/doctor-who/page/blog/the-doctor-who-stories-of-chris-boucher/vktn_u6KLazGg6do8bZgaE530L6RDa
  27. https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/38642/doctor-who-image-of-the-fendahl-episode-94-2009/
  28. https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3816574.html
  29. https://www.reddit.com/r/gallifrey/comments/1bo5dy5/image_of_the_fendahl_discussion_did_rtd_rewatch/
  30. https://www.reddit.com/r/doctorwho/comments/1cvhlmj/potential_parallels_between_73_yards_and_the/
  31. http://kreweduwho.com/blog/TabId/91/ArtMID/468/ArticleID/99/Doctor-Who-and-the-Image-of-the-Fendahl-by-Terrance-Dicks.aspx
  32. https://www.pagefillers.com/dwrg/imagnov.htm
  33. http://www.timelash.com/tardis/list.php?Target-novelisations
  34. https://tardis.wiki/wiki/Doctor_Who_and_the_Image_of_the_Fendahl_(novelisation)
  35. https://doctorwhomagazine.com/specials/doctor-who-magazine-special-target-books/
  36. https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Image-Fendahl-VHS/dp/6304052898
  37. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/01/doctor-who-image-of-the-fendahl-dvd-review
  38. https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Image-Fendahl-Story/dp/B001QCWQ5S
  39. https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/season-15-announced-as-the-next-instalment-in-the-collection-blu-ray-range
  40. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Doctor-Who-The-Collection-Season-15-Blu-ray/356802/
  41. https://bradleybasement.wordpress.com/sci-fi/doctor-who/doctor-who-timelines/the-doctors-timelines-index/the-fourth-doctors-timeline/image-of-the-fendahl-tv/
  42. https://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/2017/05/11/reviewed-the-black-archive-5-image-of-the-fendahl/
  43. https://www.dailygrail.com/2024/06/doctor-who-in-the-1970s-more-occult-than-sci-fi/
  44. https://ajournalofimpossiblethings.com/2022/03/16/image-of-the-fendahl-by-chris-boucher-1977/
  45. https://ancworlds.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/anthropological-horror-in-doctor-who/
  46. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5B9B6ttVbxXsJGbJKKxQrby/the-fourth-dimension
  47. https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/imageoffendahl/
  48. https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-further-adventures-of-lucie-miller-1954
  49. https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/torchwood-night-of-the-fendahl-1711
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