The two Yeti Stories are the best ones for me during Troughton's Era. Though I think The Web Of Fear is slightly better, I still adore The Abominable Snowmen. Like many stories of this period, it is the atmosphere that makes it a good one, especially the scenes in and around Padmassambhava's Chamber. The location filming in the Welsh Hills of Tibet() also give the story a little extra as well.

Wolfe Morris's vocals in portraying the character as normal and possessed are just brilliant and the I also love the constant switching as he struggles between the two.

Travers is also a good character, played superbly by Jack Watling. I like his journey from suspicious Traveller to Ally. Norman Jones is great as Khrisong, the first of three great characters that he plays in the show.

The only criticism I have of this story is that the Yeti themselves are a little bit too cuddly, did prefer their design in The Web Of Fear, though to counter my own argument that may have made them more scary to look at as they did look that way.

Aside from that, can't find any other fault with the story. I so wish this one would be discovered. I think the Telesnaps for it are the best ones out of the missing stories. At least we have one episode to enjoy.

The Web of Fear is a better story, but Wolfe Morris is one of the forgotten Great Performances of DW.

(Saw Wolfe Morris in Nigel Kneale's Beasts on DVD, recently, and he's just as fantastic).

What I remember from this one is being annoyed by Victoria, which I'm normally not. She seemed to disrespect the monks and their customs for no particular reason, which is odd for a usually-deferential Victorian girl. It's good that we still have the scene where the Doctor plays his recorder.

What you've mentioned really flies in the face of those who say Victoria is a weak companion. I said yesterday how much she stood up for herself in the Tomb story, in this one she is very much an independent spirit who does her own thing and goes to Padmassambvha's Chamber against advice to keep away from it. In my view a weak companion wouldn't do that. I think despite all the screaming she could act brave if she needed to.

never saw this as i wasn't born when it came out but i had the target book and i LOVED it

i wish they would bring the great intelligence and yeti back. having them on the underground was such a brilliant idea, 2 things that should never go together.

I love this story, very atmospheric and bleak. And boy do I love my bleak stories.

The Great Intelligence competes with Sutekh for having the coolest villain voice in Dr Who.

This is good but not first class Who, certainly Web Of Fear is the better of the two Yeti/Great Intelligence stories.

Watling is even less convincing being feisty than she is being her usual wet self.

The novel was an asbolute b***h to get hold of when I was younger but when I did read it, I concur it is a brilliant novel. I think the Troughton Novelisations are the best around with the exception of The Dalek Masterplan ones. Also agree it would be great to have the Yeti back in the New Series.


I get the impression even if Watling have put in an Oscar Winning performance you still wouldn't like her......

I dunno about convincing, but I thought the 'feisty' Victoria just came across as irritating. I sort of like her usual self but don't claim to know how wet she is.

How wet is Victoria/Deborah Watling? Not wet enough, certainly not in the remaining footage.

Oh for a bit more surviving footage of Victoria.

What a cracking story this is on audio which I listened to this week Agree with a lot of your comments Daveyboy. There are three main things that make this story an interesting one to listen to and watch..
1) I love the way sound is used in this story. There is very little incidental music which is a blessing these days and instead you get the sounds of the monks chanting, the howl of the constant wind, the beeps and buzzes of the spheres and the voice of Wolfe Morris as the Great Intelligence/ Padmasambhava which exudes completely sinister and chilling overtones. .

2) . Playing with the history and mythology of the Abominable Snowman which seems to have been a recurring mystery through the years. it really makes a change to have a story set in an exotic eastern location such as Tibet rather than London.The Yeti look as cuddly as can be ( I agree) and I don't mind that as we do see the sinister side as to how they are controlled.

Allowing for clashes between different characters, Professor Travers ' He is an Englishman' so Khrisong believes his claims of being attacked by the Doctor. Of course he softens towards the Doctor and its a nice touch to have Deborah Watling's actual father there,all the monks are such different characters, Thomni's naivete, Khrisong's steadiness to protect the monastery, Songsten trying to prevent Khrisong being violent.. Meetimng the lama master you gradually realise and feell Padmasambhava's pain as he begs for release from his controller.


The regulars are excellent. Jamie, Victoria and the Doctor make a good team. Jamie very protective of Victoria, Victoria quite headstrong but also quite traditional and girly. The Doctor's concern for his companions, being pleased to see his old friend. I quite like that we get to see the Doctor using hypnotism again.

The direction I know it was Wales really but it looks very real and I like some of the action shots in episode 2 very much.

If I have a criticism I thought 6 episodes was slightly too long and I didn't really understand all the plot with the pyramid in the cave but I loved all the moving spheres, the 2nd doctor, the general atmosphere and the shapeless GI channelled though the lama.

bringing the yeti back is my one thing the new series hasn't done that i wish they would. i haven't really liked any of the GI's latest henchmen - the CGI snowmen, those spoonhead things, and the whispermen.

after his first story in the nuwho i felt he wasn't utilised that well, but i think that about a lot of the returning monsters.

The novel to this is an excellent read and you can really believe you are in a snowy tibet. Watching the existing episode had me thinking yes that's just a hill in wales.

I totally agree. Modern Who (& other shows) use far too much incidental/ background music, & when they do it is far too loud & OTT/ bombastic at times. I've been watching The Avengers (& 60's Who) & it is far & away better than modern shows. Subtle, spooky & used sparingly. Simple single instruments (used well) can really add to building atmosphere. To say "oh but it wouldn't work with a modern audience" -BS I say

I do agree with you on this on LOT!

I think 6 episodes is okay if it doesn't sag in the middle. I always thought this kept it going the whole way through.

I agree also about the novel. It was on of the first Who Novels I read as a kid and really gave a sense of atmosphere just by reading it.

I dont think we ll beable to give a fair judgment on Victoria given most of her episodes dont exist.

Yes, but the audios do and I base it on that.

I'm very happy. Just brought a first edition of the book on ebay. ☺ Looking forward to a good read.