By Ian Potter

Obverse Books, out now

An in-depth peep at the Peepshow…

This is only the second Black Archive to deal with the Jon Pertwee era of the show, and Ian Potter delves behind the scenes of Robert Holmes’ tale to provide some intriguing insights into its creation, using quotes from Holmes’ scripts for chapter headings (including stage directions).

Once the usual reminder is provided of the details of the story, Potter sets the stage for his dissection with a quote that reminds us all not to take this show too seriously, before explaining the many different sources that we have for Carnival of Monsters, including its use in Malcolm Hulke’s textbook Writing for Television in the ’70s, Terrance Dicks’ novelisation, early cuts of the episodes and draft scripts and storylines in the BBC’s Written Archives. This means that we get a more holistic approach, perhaps, than simply examining what’s on screen. (The soundtrack for episode 1 merits its own chapter. Many of them are pretty short.)

The way in which we “read” television is the subject of the first long chapter – the difference between film and studio, and how that might not be the same now as it was for those who saw the show back in 1973. Potter is aware throughout the book that there are those who don’t enjoy this serial and rebuts, or at the very least addresses, their perceived arguments where possible. This chapter also starts the discussion of the re-editing process that this story underwent, a key underpinning of Potter’s take on the tale.

That re-editing started at script preparation stage, with various rewrites, all of which are noted and commented upon. That leads into chapter 7, which looks at the influences on Holmes, and comes up with the most intriguing section of the book – the effect of Holmes’ military service during the Second World War upon this story, something that I’d have loved to read more of, relating it across his whole career in more detail.

The comedy and satire inherent in the story come under scrutiny in the succeeding chapters, both in terms of the characters and their setting, followed by a brief look at the racial element. Interesting, if brief, discussions on the use of “vertical” jeopardy in Doctor Who (with links to the Russell T Davies era), Holmes’ love of languages, and the place of the Time Lords in this story follow.

The assorted repeats and releases of Carnival of Monsters, as well as later appearances by elements from it, perhaps explain why the story has remained popular, and the main text concludes with discussion of some fan theories. The Appendix sets out the differences between the original camera scripts and the final versions so the numerous edits are clear.

Whereas some Black Archives have focused on one or two elements of the story and gone into those in some detail, Potter’s book tries to deal with as many aspects of the serial as he can. It’s a valid approach, but occasionally leaves the reader wanting to know more.

Verdict: Stronger on real world behind the scenes description than analysis, this is an interesting read on the 45 year old story. 8/10

Paul Simpson