Tom Baker trapped in a lighthouse with a body-snatching sea monster? Classic Who does The Thing.
The cursed island of Fang Rock off the south coast of England is a place of rumour and tales of beasts from the sea. Three lighthouse men at the turn of the century face their fears when something comes from the sea to bring death to all it touches.
Acting
Tom Baker's manic energy elevated by actual fear.
Production
One set, four walls, maximum tension—BBC thrift store genius.
Director
Paddy Russell
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Paddy Russell was the first woman to direct Doctor Who; she made the lighthouse feel genuinely inescapable on a shoestring budget.
This serial directly rips off The Beast with Five Fingers and The Fog—Hinchcliffe-era Who shamelessly looted horror canon and made it family-friendly terrifying.
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