The Curse of Fenric
The Curse of Fenric is the third serial of the 26th season of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 25 October to 15 November 1989.
In it, the ancient evil force Fenric uses the vampiric Haemovores, descendants of humanity from the future, to attack a World War II naval base in England and orders them to destroy life on Earth by poisoning it with chemicals.
The Seventh Doctor and Ace arrive at a British naval installation near Maiden's Point on the Northumberland coast during World War II.
The base contains a supply of nerve gas and the Ultima supercomputer used by Dr. Judson to decode German messages as well as Viking runes in the catacombs.
Exploring the catacombs, the Doctor and Ace find a glowing Oriental vase among the Viking treasures, which is confiscated by the base commander Millington and given to Judson to study.
Sorin arrives and tries to kill Fenric but learns he is one of his "wolves", individuals manipulated by his powers, descendants of the Vikings that brought the Oriental vase here.
Fenric tells Ace she is one of his wolves, having created the time storm that took her to Iceworld to meet the Doctor as he used a similar event to bring the Ancient One, and she furthered her own cycle by making sure Audrey, her mother, was safe.
Ace's faith in the Doctor is shattered but, instead of attacking them, the Ancient One seizes Fenric and chases him into the gas chamber releasing the deadly poison.
Ace takes a moment to contemplate why she hates her mother and to celebrate overcoming her irrational fear of the water, before she and the Doctor depart.
However, after reading the script, director Nicholas Mallett persuaded producer John Nathan-Turner that given the settings involved, the serial could be made more effective and realistic by shooting the entire production on location.
The setting of the story is disputed as either Northumberland[5] or near Whitby, North Yorkshire,[6] although Reverend Wainwright's mention of Dracula coming ashore there indicates the latter.
Club, also commented on its influence on the modern series, but felt it hadn't "aged well visually" and "often looks cheap and feels cheesy, but the way it takes chances and stretches the boundaries of what Doctor Who was about is admirable, even if that might have been too-little-too-late for a show that would be off the air in two months."
This formed part of the basis for Ace's departure in Kate Orman's Virgin New Adventures novel Set Piece, where she chooses to stay in Paris to monitor a time rift and at some point has a relationship with one of Captain Sorin's ancestors.
This version has reworked special effects and music arranged by Mark Ayres based on notes by him and the late Nicholas Mallett; it also has several scenes re-edited to produce a more coherent narrative.
