Doctor Who (TV Series) The Masque of Mandragora: Part Two (1976) User Reviews

The battle in Renaissance Italy begins.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 16 October 2019]

The cult of Demnos is infiltrated by the Mandragora helix.

It's a gorgeous looking episode, The BBC always excelled when it came to all things historical, I always big this one up in terms of the production, the sets and costumes, are hard to fault, as is the music. It has some fine performances also, the story is also intriguing. As with part one, I feel it's a story I should love, but for some reason, I don't. I enjoyed this more then the first episode, I certainly enjoy the darker tone, it's a fairly good episode.

The cult of Demnos look great, and provide a truly genuine threat. I understand why people love it, it's a like from me. 7/10

Classic Tom Baker Doctor Who.

[poolandrews · 6/10 · 9 September 2007]

Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora: Part 2 starts as the Doctor (Tom Baker) manages to escape execution & flee into the catacombs & tunnels beneath San Martino where he luckily comes across Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) about to be sacrificed by the Cult of Demnos to their god & manages to save her as the Mandragora energy ball enters the brotherhood's tomb & makes itself known. The Doctor & Sarah are then captured by Giuliano's (Gareth Armstrong) guards & taken to him, as a man of science Giuliano is intrigued by the Doctor & is prone to believe what he says. Back at the brotherhood of Demnos the Mandragora energy speaks to the evil Hieronymous (Norman Jones) & promises together they can take over the world. The Doctor realises that what the Mandragora wants is to use 15th century superstition to invade & take control of the world unless he can stop it...

Episode 2 from season 14 this Doctor Who adventure originally aired here in the UK during September 1976, directed by Rodney Bennett I think this story has lost a bit of momentum since Part 1 but is still more than watchable. The script by Louis Marks has gone a bit dull, the first episode was bright & interesting but this one hasn't had that same feel about it. The Mandragora energy ball starts to talk in perfect English & some of it's menace & mystery is definitely taken away while not that much actually happens. In fact the episode begins with the Doctor & Sarah in the catacombs & ends with both of them there not having done a whole lot in between apart from talk to Giuliano. The resolution to the cliffhanger ending isn't that great either, the Doctor just luckily stumbles across Sarah & takes her from the sacrificial altar in front of all the Demnos worshippers, one of them is literally standing over here, without any of them noticing for what seems like ages! The political angle about Count Fedirico wanting to assassinate Giuliano isn't really going anywhere & feel superfluous to requirements although some of the dialogue remains amusing like Giuliano's insistence to Sarah that the Earth isn't flat but a sphere! Still a decent episode though & a worthwhile way to pass 25 minutes.

The production design on this one has been impressive & the special effects kept to a minimum. The costumes are good but what on Earth is Sarah wearing? The boots are OK but why that horrible dress? The Masque of Mandragora was in fact Elisabeth Sladen's penultimate Doctor Who & she would leave the show during the next story The Hand of Fear (1976).

The Masque of Mandragora: Part 2 is a good episode & obviously part of a larger story but I must admit I didn't quite like it as much as Part 1 as an individual episode in it's own right.

The Darkness Wages Fear...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 2 July 2022]

Hieronymus connects with Mandragora, it's like he's won a prize from someone called Pandora, can the Doctor shut the box, set in motion all the blocks, before the world becomes a place just like Gomorrah.

Avventura Italiana

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 9/10 · 3 December 2014]

Review of all 4 episodes:

This is a very good pseudo-historical story which is rather overshadowed by the superior quality of the rest of season 14.

Portmeirion, the village in North Wales made famous as the setting for TV series The Prisoner here doubles for 15th Century Italy very effectively indeed. The period setting and most production values are very good giving a nice historical context for the adventure. There is good action and dialogue with plenty of humorous moments.

The Doctor and Sarah arrive at a time when the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci are changing the thinking of the world and bringing about 'the Renaissance'. This period is targeted by an alien intelligence, the Mandragora Helix, which uses the TARDIS to take it there. It plans to change the course of history and prevent the renaissance (in which civilisation and science took huge strides forward), keeping humanity in the dark ages of superstition and ignorance. It aims to then dominate them easily and stop them from spreading their civilisation through the galaxy threatening its domain.

There is an interesting touch in this story when The Doctor explains that languages are translated for him and his companions by a "Timelord gift" (in other words a telepathic translation power) and suggests that Sarah would not have usually questioned her ability to understand unless something had interrupted the telepathic process.

Tom Baker and Lis Sladen are on great form as usual with lovely interplay between them and sparkling performances. There is some nice dialogue with themes of science versus superstition and civilisation versus barbarity. There are some decent characters acted well by the guest cast. The adventure is very good quality and good fun. It is not as exceptional as most of the preceding season (Season 13) or the remainder of season 14 but that is not really a criticism as the standards of this era were just so high.

My ratings: Part 1 - 8/10, Part 2 - 8.5/10, Parts 3 & 4 - 9/10, Overall - 8.63/10.