Customer Reviews

Doctor Who: The Horns of Nimon (Story 108)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Take a story based in Greek mythology (the Minotaur story), add a plot twist (no spoilers), and sprinkle in the most satisfying death in Doctor Who history (who didn't cheer when Nimon offed that annoying co-pilot?), and what do you have? One of the best stories of Doctor Who. Adding to the satisfaction of the pilot's death is that it is a death laden in humiliation, as the actor's pants split at the seams as he falls.

Tom Baker's witty dialogue is prevalent in Horns of Nimon. "You will be qustioned, tortured and killed." "Well, I certainly hope it's in that order." Lalla Ward offers her best performance as Romana, on equal footing with the Doctor for once, and not in the shadow of the Doctor's scarf. She has even assembled her own sonic screwdriver, which obviously the Doctor prefers, as he tries to pull the old switcharoo on her. Here is a viewer tip that applies to all Romana 2 stories: Pay special attention to her facial expressions as she reacts to occurrences when she is in the background. Believe me, some of them are priceless.

As is the case with most of Season 17, "fandom" is not too enamored with Horns of Nimon. They claim it's too silly. They claim that the jokes take away from the drama. This makes Nimon extra-special. When "fandom" forms a concensus, most of the time they are dead wrong. And this is one of those times. Horns of Nimon has the distinction of being the last story before JNT sucks the life out of Tom Baker (unless you count the uncompleted Shada). Enjoy this one, because you will never see this type of Who again.

Yes, I'm giving "The Horns Of Nimon" a perfect 5-star rating, and no, I have no shame about it. I'm giving this much-maligned "Who" story the highest rating for the simple reason that I totally love it, despite the majority of fans saying that it's too silly (no no no, people---"The Creature From The Pit", THAT'S a silly story. I mean, an inflatable bean-bag chair with arms for a monster? And that's just for starters....). I guess this puts "The Horns Of Nimon" in the category of "guilty pleasure" for me. Fine, it's a guilty pleasure of mine. And I'll tell you why:

As another reviewer pointed out, one of the main things I love about "Horns" is that it is, in my opinion, great, GREAT fun. It's funny, lighthearted, doesn't take itself too seriously, and, as fate would have it, it's the very last story in which you'll see Tom Baker as the REAL fourth Doctor (not counting the never-completed "Shada"), before producer John Nathan-Turner swept in and shamelessly destroyed Tom Baker's Doctor by not only changing his costume (I never liked the solid-red costume, OR those stupid question marks on the Doctor's collar), but also changing the fourth Doctor's *personality*, making him a lot less humorous and a lot more serious, to the point of being a shameless grouch (and by the time Tom Baker's Doctor finally snuffed it at the end of "Logopolis," I was GLAD to see him go, considering what JNT had done to him---mind you, it's not Tom Baker's fault, let me make that clear). In "The Horns Of Nimon," Tom's Doctor is still his old, jolly self. Baker is clearly having fun in this story, and it shows in his delightful performance here.

I'm also glad that other reviewers have mentioned that yes, indeed, "Horns" is easily Lalla Ward's finest hour as Romana. She was fine in her previous stories (and she's always very easy on the eyes too, of course), but, finding her footing in the role at last, Lalla's Romana is truly the Doctor's equal in this story: brave, strong and assertive but never overly-so. Although Romana still needs rescuing at one point in the story, she's never, ever reduced to being a damsel in distress here, like she was in "Destiny Of The Daleks" or "The Creature From The Pit". Lalla Ward's performance in "Horns" is an excellent one, and her best one.

As for the cheap-looking sets, visual effects, and the cheap-looking Nimon itself, they're all fun too. Look, I'm not going to argue with any fan who hates "The Horns Of Nimon," as I know perfectly well that it's not, and never has been, a popular Who story (ditto for "Underworld," which I also happen to like). But I'm sticking to my guns about "Horns" nonetheless that it's one of my very-favorite Tom Baker stories, and I'm very pleased to see it coming out on DVD quicker than I thought it would (it was one of the very last Baker stories to get released on VHS). Like another reviewer already said, "The Horns Of Nimon" also represents the end of an era for Doctor Who, as you would never see another Who story quite like it ever again (which has both positive AND negative aspects to it, I suppose). "The Horns Of Nimon" may not be a popular Doctor Who story, but I love it. Bite me.

Although I can't really rate it five stars, I can rate it four. This is a good adventure that probably few love, many hate, and most don't even know about(even so-called whoivans don't know it). It has an excellent cast of character actors and cool sets and back drops. The story is about a race of bull/buffalo-like humanoids who use black holes to traverse from place to place. What I like is not it's "realism" but its fun factor and humor. The atmosphere is farout as well. I first watched this as a kid and loved it all the way through highschool it was broadcast many times then fatefully, Doctor Who was banned from PBS in the US 1988 Feburary 27th and I never got to see it again until now.

"The Horns of Nimon" is really a mixed-bag. Tom Baker and Graham Crowden play it for laughs, while Lalla Ward plays it dead straight. The serial has a real cheap feel to the production. The Nimons themselves are laughable when first seen. They look like giant cockroaches with lanky legs. Some of the sets are convincing, while others are not. Malcolm Terris as the co-pilot is wonderfully OTT. The secens where Romana lands on Crinoth are very effective. But, the supporting cast, especially the actors with no lines, lazilly sleepwalk through most of their staging. "The Horns of Nimon" might arguably be the worst of Season 17, but with an open mind and a few beers, this adventure might make even the most discriminating Who fan look twice.

En route to repairing the TARDIS, the Doctor and Romana crash with a rundown Skonnon battlecruiser bringing some unhappy Anethan youths in yellow karate outfits as tributes to the Nimon, the god of the Skonnos, a military dictatorship revelling in black fascist regalia. The leader of the Anethans is a youth named Seth, whom one of the girls, Teka, believes is a hero who will defeat the Nimon. Teka's devotion is a bit too much, as she expects too much of him.

The leader of Skonnos, Soldeed, is eagerly awaiting the delivery of the youths, as it is the last payment to the Nimon, who have promised the Skonnons technology that will give rise to the second Skonnon Empire. "He speaks of Skonnos rising from its own ashes with wings of fire!" proclaims Soldeed. Indeed, Soldeed fawns and scrapes before the black, red-eyed bull-like Nimon, who seem to have read some Egyptian hieroglyphs for their loin cloths. He isn't bothered that all the Nimon want are youths to be sacrificed. "I play the Nimon on a long string," he says, and regarding an exchange of favours, "if there is an imbalance, make sure it's in your favour." However, Soldeed doesn't realize the full extent of the Nimon's plans, nor what the Great Journey Of Life" is about.

Tom Baker has two funny lines at the expense of the despicable pistol-wielding co-pilot of the battlecruiser. "Have you noticed how people's intellectual curiosity declines sharply the moment they start waving guns?" And when the co-pilot won't allow the Doctor to go to the hold to help with some engine trouble, he says, "Why don't you give me the gun and then I can keep an eye on myself so I don't get into funny business?" When the Nimon tell the Doctor, "Later, you will be tortured, questioned, and killed." the Doctor replies, "Well, I hope you get it in the right order." And I was very bemused when the Doctor tells Soldeed that somebody is "digging a black hole on your doorstep."

Lalla Ward (Romana) has a stylish red overcoat and spends most of her time with the Anethans, playing a Doctor-ish role to them, but does so straight.

However, this is the second time Greek mythology has been tweaked. Think of Seth of the Anethans confronting the Nimon in the Power Complex. Now, think of Theseus of the Athenians confronting the Minotaur in the labryinth. And if trying to correlate Soldeed with Daedalus is a stretch, spell Soldeed's name backwards. Kind of, sort of, yeah? And the Doctor's remembering to have Seth's ship painted white for the welcome party given by his father is a reference to Theseus forgetting to change the sails of his ships from black to white, which had tragic consequences for Aegeus, or as the Doctor says in memory of his involvement with Theseus, "a whole of hoohah."

Graham Crowden is best known as Tom in the Waiting For God TV series, and his OTT portrayal of Soldeed is akin to his future WFG role. He does look funny in the heavy brown beard and pop eyes, and that plummy voice of his may be a bit much. However, his singsong calling of "Lord Nimon" is a bit of pop culture kitsch.

Due to the industrial strike that took place during Shada, The Horns Of Nimon was the last completed story of Season 17, which meant the end of two things. One was the end of Graham Williams as producer for the show and Douglas Adams as script editor, which meant no more silly jokes and lines, such as the loud bangs and silly noises the TARDIS console makes in Episode 3. The other was the blue time tunnel opening titles that had made its debut from the last Jon Pertwee season (1974). Not exactly a great story to end the season, but not bad either.

The 4th Doctor's penultimate season (17th) after Tom Baker's long run as the Timelord (1974-81) is a shakey one, full of kooky and cheesy stories. "Horns of the Nimon" is one of the cheesiest ...although season opener "Destiny of the Daleks" is close. And as Douglas Adams' Shada was never aired Nimon represents the end of that season as well. Thank goodness the new series has stepped up the notion of the season closer. But teasing aside, I still enjoyed this story, Tom Baker's Doctor, still as highly regarded as any of the current actor's to play the role and is always a pleasure to watch. His rapport with Lalla Ward is a bonus, shame they could maintain that rapport off camera in their short-lived marriage (You will notice that the usually reliable Baker is absent from the DVD commentary track, but Ward is onboard).

Released in the UK as a Myths & Legends set including the Time Monster and Underworld both Greek myth heavy stories, "Horns" is the story of an advance culture taking advantage of a lesser one, but in turn they themselves are being set up by an even more advance and aggressive culture. The Doctor happens upon a broken down Skonnan ship mid journey delivering ` Tribute' of young sacrifices and radioactive hymetusite crystals, both of which they are obtaining from the nearby planet Aneth to the Nimon, a higher being on their world, unknowingly delivering their own world to his race of galactic parasites. The UPSHOT: The bull-headed Nimon send a lone representative to an unsuspecting world, offering aid in order to gaining the trust of its inhabitants, before arriving in force to pillage its resources. The Doctor and Romana stumble upon a world which has already fallen to the Nimon linked to Skonnos by a space tunnel through which the Nimons cross from one planet to the next, fueled by the very hymetusite taken from Aneth. Like the Minotaur of legend (which the Doctor claims to have been involved) the Nimon's power complex is labyrinthine with the maze shifting and changing shape. Naturally, this is where the finale takes place, w/K9 stacking the deck.

Even as a kid the noise of the handful extras stomping around the metal grating of the Skonnan Complex served only to call attention the spare numbers. But then again here the Skonnan culture is intended to be an old ailing empire desperate to reclaim old glory...so a handful of soldier stomping around the Complex is just what they'd have. But it is hard to excuse the look of the Nimons or that the race is represented by three skinny limbed, enormous headed, platform shoed monsters (even after the invasion begins.)

On the plus side and the final reason you should get this DVD.... Soldeed! The apparent leader of the misguided Skonnan Empire is played soooo amazingly over-the-top by Graham Crowden. Every line drips of the stage.... "Lord Niiimon! It is I....SOLDEED!" and he actually calls Roman "a hussy!" But gems like "my dreams of conquest" and ".....you are all doomed" are simply genius !!! Crowden gives what is, in my humble opinion "the best death scene ever in DW history!"

Some Nimon Drinking Games:

Drink whenever....

... the co-pilot calls the Aneth sacrifices "weakling scum!"

...someone pulls out a sonic screwdriver ( Romana ever has her own in this one, which the Doctor promptly pilfers ).

...Hymetusite is seen or mentioned

The Doctor says...."What could possible go wrong?"

....SOLDEED says "Lord NIMON" his own name or "Meddlesome hussy ."

...someone says "IN THE NAME OF THE 2ND SKONNAN EMPIRE" and "THE GREAT JOURNEY OF LIFE."
...we see a NIMON.

...the Doctor covers K9's mouth (this doesn't happen enough in this season)

...the Nimon assures us that "the Program will continue!"

... SETH's girlfriend Teka, tells us what he's gonna do to the Nimon, yikes!

I noticed a couple of similarities between "The Horns Of Nimon" and the 2009 Doctor Who easter special "Planet of the Dead". Both involve a race of creatures that move from planet to planet draining each one of resources. Perhaps this much maligned Doctor Who story is more influential than one might think.

The story of The Horns of Nimon is a bit like the Greek legend of the minotaur. The Nimon look the way a minotaur would, and their place of operation is a labyrinth the Doctor and Romana get stuck in more than once. If it wasn't for K9 they may not have made it out at all. I liked Graham Crowden's melodramatic performance as Soldeed. Seemed to fit the bill. The sets are a little drab at times, but it's all right.

I enjoyed both this story and the DVDs special features, which include one called "Who Peter" which documents Blue Peter's promotion of the classic series of Doctor Who, from the 1960s to 1989. It seems there is another part to this documentary, judging by how this one ended, though I'm not sure if it will make it to a DVD... just have to wait and see.

Another classic Doctor who that does a space ship with fantastic sets and the cast of the Sydney Opera Company shows that good acting and be better than great special effects any day. After the Tardis collids with a space ship on route to planet Skonnos The Doctor (tom baker) teams with the 4th doctor's final companions Romana and K-9 to learn that the ship cargo of kids are to handed as sacrifcies to the Nimon. A space Minotaur in a lbabyrinth whose only problem with its creature costume is its eyes. The Nimon is hiding a secret of its own that only comes to light in the final chapter of the multi part story. The main villian dress as he is I would think would of made a good Ming the Mercyless of Flash Gordon stories.

Extras include a commentary that has some good stuff but does get off track of subject now and then, workshop demons, intreviews and more.

"The Horns of Nimon" was another Doctor Who story to draw on Greek mythology, this time the legend of the Minotaur. The Doctor and Romana encounter a spaceship transporting young human sacrifices from the planet Aneth to be offered to the Nimon on the planet Skonnos in exchange for the Nimon's advanced technology. The promise of technology is a ruse, of course. The Nimon are a rapacious race that move from planet to planet, leaving only devastation in their wake.

Anthony Read's premise and the parallels to the Minotaur story are clever enough (the Minotaur-like Nimon's labyrinthine power complex serves as a giant positronic circuit), but the script breaks down in the execution. As Read notes in a brief interview in the Special Features menu, the acting is completely over the top, particularly by Graham Crowden as Skonnos' Ming-like ruler, Soldeed. The Nimon are also sufficiently ridiculous to undermine any sense of menace they might possess (they stagger around on giant platform shoes like refugees from a disco for buffaloes).

Equally disappointing are the Special Features included with this disc. A half-hour documentary on the special relationship between Doctor Who and the BBC children's program Blue Peter simply won't have the same nostalgic charge for American viewers, and the other features are too trifling to mention.

Too bad Dr Who isn't remade on DVD. Tom Baker was the best, and this one was difficult to find. The British know how to act without all the special effects.