Marco Polo

If I win, perhaps I can have my caravan back again?

Marco Polo is considered by many to be the holy grail of missing stories. It is the longest and the first in that stretch. It was also done in an era when the show was still focused very heavily on teaching so a great deal of effort was put in to it's visual style. As a story it's not too bad, but watching the recons forces one's attention away from the supposedly impressive set design, costumes and directions and instead towards the story and that is where problems start to crop up.

Plot Summary

The TARDIS arrives on the top of a mountain where the crew discovers large footprints in the snow. The Doctor emerges in a foul mood as one of the power circuits has failed rending them without the ability to heat the TARDIS. The Doctor and Susan examine the damage while Ian and Barbara go to look for fuel to make a fire.

While searching, Barbara sees a man skulking among the rocks. She and Ian head back to tell the Doctor, who is increasingly worried as it will take him several days to fix the circuit. Upon hearing of men, they decide to head down the mountain to find these people and shelter. Reaching the same spot, they are set upon by a group of Mongols. The leader, believing they are evil spirits decides to kill them but his hand is stayed by a European who orders them brought back to camp in the name of Kublai Khan.

In camp, the European is revealed to be Marco Polo and he is on a mission to return to Shangdu with the ambassador warlord Tegana and the lady Ping Cho where she is to be married to a lord of the court. Polo offers the TARDIS crew shelter but Tegana remains wary of them.

Polo orders the TARDIS brought down from the mountain top and into camp. He informs the TARDIS crew that they will be coming with them as they head towards the supply town of Lop. Because of the fears that they are spirits among the Mongols, Polo orders that no one enters the TARDIS while they journey and the Doctor agrees.

The caravan travels along the Silk Road until they reach Lop on the edge of the Gobi Desert. The Doctor attempts to enter the TARDIS but is restricted by the Mongols. Polo then reveals to them that he is homesick but has not been permitted to leave by Kublai Khan. Polo intends to give the TARDIS to Kublai Khan in exchange for his release from service. He offers to take the Doctor and his party back to Venice where they can make another TARDIS. They argue with him but Polo has made up his mind. The Doctor is so aghast that he begins to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Tegana meanwhile hatches a plan to poison the water supply of Polo's caravan and seize the TARDIS for his own use to overthrow Kublai Khan. The caravan sets out across the Gobi desert with Tegana planning to poison the water after three days travel into the desert.

The Doctor continues to pout and his actions upset Susan. Barbara consoles Susan while Ian builds friendship with Polo. Susan heads to her tent but she and Ping Cho leave to go look at the desert stars. While out there, they spy Tegana and follow him. But they soon fall behind and go to turn back but are caught in a sandstorm.

Hunkering down, Ian, Barbara, and Marco discover that Tegana, Ping Cho, and Susan are gone. They call out into storm but cannot find them. However, their yells attract Tegana who finds the girls and brings them back into the camp.

They set off again and that evening Tegana brings attention to the water that he poisoned the previous night. Marco suspects bandits and will not head back to Lop, fearing they will be set upon. Ian suggests heading north to an oasis and Marco agrees, though he doesn't favor their chances. Tegana tries to refuse to go and head back to Lop but Marco orders him to stay. They head north but their weakened condition forces them into a slower and slower pace each day. Tegana rides ahead, promising to bring back water. He reaches the oasis but after refreshing himself remains there to wait for the caravan's death.

The Doctor collapses from the heat and lack of water and the others convince Marco to let him enter the TARDIS to rest. He relents and Susan is allowed to go with him. The rest of the caravan continue on through the night and rest in the morning. In the TARDIS, the Doctor and Susan wake to find condensation has formed on the walls of the TARDIS and they move quickly to collect it. Marco Polo doesn't believe them at first and accuses the Doctor of hording water but he becomes convinced when the Doctor and Susan drink it without harm.

Renewed, they press on to the oasis where they find Tegana. Tegana claims he was forced to wait due to bandits and when he had collected water for them, he saw them coming over the hills and waited there. They opt to stay one day with Barbara and Ian becoming suspicious of Tegana. As a safety precaution, Marco insists the Doctor turn over the TARDIS key to him.

The continue and arrive at the next city, a tourist destination with the Temple of a Thousand Buddhas and the Cave of 500 Eyes. The Doctor prepares to work in repairing the circuit, revealing to Ian that he gave Marco a fake key while he kept the original. They are all distracted at that moment as Ping Cho settles in to tell a story of the Hashashin, inspired by the tale of the Cave of 500 Eyes.

Tegana slips away and meets messengers from his lord in the Cave of 500 Eyes. He learns that his lord has assembled an army and is awaiting a time to attack. Tegana informs the messenger of the TARDIS and believes it can be used as a weapon. Tegana suggests that they attack the caravan on the road posing as bandits to take the TARDIS and kill the rest. They are interrupted when one detects Barbara in the outer cave, having followed Tegana out. She is captured and Tegana returns to the inn.

The group discovers Barbara missing and Marco organizes search parties to look for her. Susan and Ping Cho inform the Doctor that they think Barbara may have gone to the Cave of 500 Eyes. The three set off to the cave using information supplied by the innkeeper. The innkeeper then goes and tells Tegana that the Doctor, Susan and Ping Cho have gone to the cave. Angry, Tegana sets off after them. The innkeeper also tells Ian and Marco who also set out after them.

In the cave, they find Barbara's scarf and begin calling out for her. Tegana find them and suggests they leave to avoid the evil spirits. The Doctor laughs him off and shows him Barbara's scarf as proof she was here. Ian and Marco arrive shortly after and they to are shown the scarf. Susan points out a point in the cave where she saw the eyes move and Ian and Marco discover a hidden room in the cave.

They find Barbara being held by a man with a knife to her throat but they kill him before he can strike her down. They return to the inn where Tegana suggests they rid themselves of the TARDIS crew as they are diving the loyalties of the caravan. Tegana also suggests that the Doctor is lying to Marco about not having access to the TARDIS. Barbara enters and tells Marco that she followed Tegana to the cave though he denies it. Fearful of Tegana's warning, Marco refuses to believe Barbara and separates Susan and Ping Cho form rooming together.

They continue on, following the river. The Doctor makes progress in the circuit repairs but is fearful that Ping Cho will inform on them. Ping Cho herself is also sad as she does not want to lose Susan as a friend. At the next stop, Ping Cho recalls Tegana's words about never having visited the Cave of 500 Eyes before, despite his knowledge of the passage. She tells Marco but he reacts angrily and dismisses her.

In town, Tegana meets with the messengers again. He sets up an ambush in the approaching bamboo forest with promises to kill the Doctor and to deliver the TARDIS.

The Doctor sneaks into the TARDIS to continue his work but is observed by Tegana. Barbara sees this and tells Ian and Susan. Ian moves to distract Marco and appeals to him against Tegana. Tegana approaches and tells Marco that the Doctor has reentered the TARDIS with a second key. The trio head out in front of the TARDIS and catch the Doctor locking the door as he leaves, having finished the repairs. Tegana wrestles the key away and gives it to Marco. The Doctor refuses to tell Marco how to enter the TARDIS, even with the key and the TARDIS crew is placed under guard.

The TARDIS crew plans an escape. Breaking a plate, Ian uses the shard to cut a hole in the tent allowing him to slip out. Ian moves to knock out the guard but finds him already dead. Ian runs out to Marco's test to tell him that bandits are preparing to attack. They deploy the remaining guards and the Doctor urges them to escape in the TARDIS. Tegana, already thwarted in his ambush attack, urges Marco not to go into the TARDIS. Marco agrees and refuses the Doctor. Ian suggests they pile bamboo on the fire to create a noise to scare the bandits off.

Tegana's allies grow impatient and decide to attack at moonrise whether Tegana signals them or not. Tegana continues to scoff as Ian and Marco make preparations. Ian also confesses to Marco that they intended to escape. Despite Tegana's protests, the soldiers attack and Tegana kills the leader to cover his involvement. The exploding bamboo and the leader's death drive off the other soldiers.

Marco repeals the restrictions on the TARDIS crew in gratitude but keeps control of the TARDIS keys. Tegana is increasingly hostile towards the TARDIS crew and their suspicions of him are confirmed with the Doctor sure that he is after the TARDIS.

A courier arrives from Shangdu summoning Marco Polo to the summer palace. The group heads to the next city and the baggage, including the TARDIS are separated to travel with a trade caravan. Polo and the rest of the group will travel via horseback at a faster pace starting the following morning.

Tegana arranges with a local bandit to steal the TARDIS that night. Ping Cho meanwhile heads to Marco's room to inform him of dinner and steals one of the TARDIS keys. She gives it to Susan but is observed by Tegana heading to meet the bandit captain.

The TARDIS crew sets out from the inn with Ian first distracting then knocking out the guard. Susan doubles back, looking to say goodbye to Ping Cho. The other three make it into the TARDIS and realize that Susan is gone. Susan meanwhile is trapped trying to avoid Tegana but he grabs her as she tries to make a dash for the TARDIS. Ian comes out to help her but Tegana holds a knife to her and orders the Doctor and Barbara to come out as well. Marco arrives to see the situation and Tegana notes their escape attempt. Marco has the Doctor hand over the key in exchange for Susan. When pressed about where they got the key, Ian covers for Ping Cho by claiming he stole it.

In the morning, the group departs for Shangdu. While stopping at a rest area, Ian attempts to persuade Marco to give them back the TARDIS by telling him the truth about it. Marco doesn't believe him but does figure out that Ian lied about stealing the key and that Ping Cho was responsible.

Ping Cho, fearing the discovery and desperate to avoid her arranged marriage, sneaks away in the night to head back to Samarkand. Discovering her disappearance, Ian offers to go back for her and Marco agrees as he must push on for Shangdu. Ian discovers Ping Cho at the previous inn, having just lost her money to the same thief that Tegana hired to steal the TARDIS. Ian discovers that the TARDIS has been stolen when the real caravan driver shows up.

Tegana quarrels with Marco, desiring to go and look for the TARDIS and Ping Cho himself. Marco refuses until he learns that Barbara and Susan oppose Ping Cho's marriage. Learning that all of them oppose it, Marco authorizes Tegana to go after her, fearing that Ian has abandoned the search for Ping Cho and only gone after the TARDIS.

Ian and Ping Cho suspect that the bandits have taken the TARDIS to Karakorum. They set out after it along that road. On the road, they discover both the TARDIS and the bandit leader. Ian gets the drop on the bandit leader who confesses that he stole the TARDIS on orders from Tegana. At that moment, Tegana arrives, prepared to kill all three of them and take the TARDIS for himself.

Marco and the rest of the Doctor's party arrive in Shangdu and are allowed audience with Kublai Khan. The Doctor objects to bowing before Kublai Khan and is unable to fully bow before Khan due to his ailing back. Khan becomes sympathetic to the Doctor due to sympathetic pains. Marco also learns from Khan that Tegana's master Nogai has assembled his army at Karakorum and that they are to leave for Peking in the morning.

As Tegana moves to kill Ian, Kublai Khan's soldiers arrive. Tegana kills the bandit leader as he tries to flee to avoid exposure. Ian and Tegana accuse each other of attempting to steal the TARDIS but the guard captain, who is the same man as brought Khan's summons to Marco, orders that all three and the TARDIS be brought to Peking for Kublai Khan to judge.

In Peking, the Doctor plays backgammon with Kublai Khan and the Doctor keeps winning. They are interrupted by the arrival of the empress, who henpecks her husband over his losses. The Doctor offers to play one more game where he would give all that he has won back in exchange for the TARDIS. Khan reluctantly agrees and informs Marco of this as he informs Khan that Tegana has arrived. Unfortunately, the Doctor loses.

Marco is informed that Ian and Ping Cho are being held under suspicion of theft, accused by Tegana. Marco goes to Ian to hear for himself. Ping Cho validates Ian's story but the captain cannot. Ian is informed that he will have to stand with his word against Tegana as Ping Cho's fiancé has promised to take her away after the marriage ceremony tomorrow.

Tegana attempts to undermine Marco by noting that the Doctor attempted to steal the TARDIS back several times which Marco did not mention. Khan calls Marco out and Marco confesses his hope to bribe the Khan for his freedom. Khan laughs him off and orders the key brought to him, informing Marco that he won the TARDIS in a game of chance with the Doctor.

Ping Cho is informed that during the celebratory banquet, her fiancé died during the feast. Ping Cho is offered the chance to stay at court or to return to Samarkand. Ping Cho accepts the chance to stay. As she leaves, Khan orders Marco to give him the key and bring the Doctor after he meets with Tegana.

The Doctor and his friends realize that the Tegana is planning to kill Khan and allow Nogai to march his army into Peking and take over the empire. To warn Khan, they subdue the guard and rush to the hallway where they are rearrested by Marco. They warn him just as another guard informs him of Nogai's army approaching Peking. They are returned to their room while Marco runs to the throne room.

In the throne room, Tegana attempts to kill Khan but Marco interrupts. The two men fight in the chamber. Khan comes to and summons the guards who try to arrest him. Rather than be caught, Tegana falls on his sword.

Marco slips Ian the key in the confusion and the Doctor and his friends head quickly into the TARDIS and disappear. Marco apologizes to Khan but the Khan waves it off believing that the Doctor would have won it back eventually. Marco, finally believing Ian, idly wonders where they have gone.

Analysis

I've heard this story described as a road trip story and that does apply. It's a series of adventures that happen as the crew travels across China with not a lot of connective tissue in between each installment. Your enjoyment of that is going to be directly tied to whether you are in for an one episode at a time bit or if you are going to try and absorb the story as a whole. I tend to prefer taking the story in larger chunks and in doing so it goes over fairly well but it is not without issues.

Before delving into anything else, I would be very curious to know if this story existed, would it get the same treatment as The Talons of Weng Chiang from a race angle. Despite being set in China, there are almost no Asian actors in the entire story. The only Asian actor in any significant role is Ping Cho. All other actors are European. However, unlike The Talons of Weng Chiang, there is no real attempt to "yellow" any of the actors apart from the facial hair style. There also seems to be less effort to make an attempt at any stereotypical Asian accents either. Kublai Khan does a little vocal trick, but the actor is Eastern European and some of the accent may be native to him. The innkeeper does an accent as well, but it's more of the sycophantic fop rather than anything attempting Chinese. But Tegana, the guards and nearly all the other secondary characters merely speak in their proper theatrical voices.

So does that make the story more or less racist? There were probably east-Asian actors that could have been found but would they have performed as well as the ones they got? Given that you have European actors playing Asian roles, is it better to leave them European looking or would be better to go the Li H'sen Chang route and "yellow" them to make it appear more authentic? I don't know. I think the performances were fine and stressing too much over these type of things diminishes the overall take of the story. If it is something that others do have problems with, then note it as such and pass over the story.

On to the actual story. I think things worked out fairly well but even with the road trip aspect, I think the story goes on too long. The big hang up I have is Marco's continued trust of Tegana, juxtaposed with his on and off trust of Ian. I think it is quite clear that he never really trusts the Doctor and only Ian gains his actual friendship. The story does a fairly good job of showing why Marco trusts Tegana initially and Tegana's constant failures to kill the party or capture the TARDIS are given fairly believable reasons both in why they fail and why he suffers no significant suspicion from Marco.

However, the constant level of coincidence does build and the real breaking point comes after the incident with the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes in Episode Four where Susan and Ping Cho accuse Tegana. Marco may have no good reason to trust Susan, but he should trust Ping Cho and himself. Ping Cho and Susan point out a fallacy in Tegana's own story. I can buy that Marco would not have immediately moved against Tegana as this is only a small bit of evidence. But there is no reason not to believe them and he certainly shouldn't have lashed out at them as if they were accusing his best friend of treachery. Marco should have taken their statement with quiet contemplation and it would have added to the slow deterioration of relations between Marco and Tegana as well as fueling Tegana's own mild hysteria against the TARDIS crew. But instead, things keep reverting back to where they were at the start of the story with Marco fully trusting Tegana and not trusting the Doctor and his companions. It is wheel spinning at it's worst and it just doesn't make sense. A slow build of trust between Marco and the TARDIS crew coinciding with a distrust of Tegana would have paid off better and made complete sense as to why Marco finally gives Ian the TARDIS key in the end. As is, Marco is suddenly repaying Ian for being right all along and that somehow overrules his desires and the Khan's right of ownership? It does not feel earned in that way.

A second issue noted about this story is the number of little threats teased at here and there that just don't pay off. Ping Cho's arranged marriage does nothing except provide a reason for her and Ian to be back at the inn to see the TARDIS stolen. The Doctor losing the TARDIS at backgammon does nothing except keep them in Peking for another day to stop Tegana from assassinating the Khan. Even Tegana's own machinations seem overly complicated. His job is to delay Marco to give Nogai time to move his army. He alters these plans in order to steal the TARDIS, but if he is open to killing the party as is implied in the first couple of episodes, why does he continue to create elaborate schemes to hide his own complicity? Tegana should have just gathered his men, laid an ambush and killed everyone there. He comes closest to this in the bamboo forest in Episodes Four and Five, but even there, he is trying to hide his own involvement and possibly keep Marco alive so that he can continue with his mission to kill Kublai Khan. They work as little adventures to be thwarted by the TARDIS crew but make no sense in the long run.

On the plus side, I can say that this story is clearly well acted with everyone giving their all in various roles. This is also the story where you can see the Doctor shift from being a grump to being a bit more open and friendly. This makes his character much more pleasant to be around although he still doesn't get a whole lot of focus in the story apart from the TARDIS repairs. But all the other characters get nice moments throughout, with the focus of the story mostly on Marco and Tegana, both of whom play their roles well.

I can't speak to the direction of the story as their are only still pictures, but the costuming and set design seem quite well realized. The sets seem fairly elaborate, even when out in the desert and especially at the Khan's palace. Likewise the costuming is elaborate and well tailored. Perhaps it was because this is still the first season, but the show seems to have a lot more money than we are used to seeing them work with. It might also be that they were able to poach some things from other productions to cut costs. But it does make for some nice visuals, what little you are able to see in the recons.

One last gripe about this story is something that is unfortunately common: the rushed ending. With seven episodes to play with you would think that some set up could be made towards the ending as noted earlier with the potential build between Marco and Ian. But instead, we get a first half of the Doctor losing the TARDIS playing backgammon and Tegana ingratiating himself in court. It is only when we get the offstage death of Ping Cho's fiancé that the ending begins. There is the dawning realization between the TARDIS team that Tegana is about to assassinate the Khan (something they should have realized before then) and then the rush to tell Marco, the fight and the departure. All of this is compressed into a span of less than ten minutes and it feels just as rushed as described.

This rush off not only feels like a bit of a cheat at the end, but it leaves a hollow feeling. Tegana dies quickly after a fight and after he has actually made an attempt to kill Kublai Khan. Likewise, Marco slips Ian the key without any real reason given except that it is the right thing to do. This completely undercuts the whole premise that we have gone through the last six episodes four. It gives the viewer the impression of being cheated. Why go through so much if it ultimately didn't matter because of how slipshod things finished?

I think the proper summary of this story is actually best shown in the Wife in Space blog entry for Marco Polo. Neil shows Sue a 30 minute reconstruction of the whole story. She gets it and enjoys it. If you compress the whole thing, there is a lot more to enjoy with this story, but as is, it is long and it drags at times. If you put some space in between each episode, the enjoyment factor will probably go up, but trying to take it in only one or two sittings is a bit much as the wheel spinning becomes very apparent. If this were found I would not hesitate to watch it again to see what is missing by not having moving pictures, but in recon form, it's just too much padding to take in and properly enjoy on any kind of regular basis. It just feels like something to be gotten through.

Overall personal score: 2 out of 5