It’s a syndrome I-tells-ya. Let’s call it OFS or Old Fan Syndrome. It’s an affliction borne of too many years watching and more importantly remembering all too well our favorite TV program. When you begin spotting elements from other stories, too many other stories, within the story you’re watching, it could well be the onset of OFS, or it could be The Vampires of Venice. The THT Brain Trust have been struggling with what to think of this story and have delayed putting forward our remarks for this very reason. In the Dynamic Ratings we have originally put this story 4th out of 6th but have now reluctantly moved it down below The Beast Below because whereas the latter was trying to do something different and had elements which recalled earlier stories in some degree, The Vampires of Venice ramped this up to a distracting degree.
The whole of the story exceeds the sum of it’s parts, but ask yourself if you also saw elements of The Idiot’s Lantern, School Reunion, Tooth and Claw, to name just a few. Matt Smith was his usual excellent self and the addition of Rory showed he was certainly no Tin Dog. It should also be noted that the slightly longer running time was used well to let the story breathe in a well that The Beast Below and Victory of the Daleks simply couldn’t.
This proved to be a sumptuous story to cap so there’s a larger set to move through this time. Images and caps for The Vampires of Venice are now online. Next up the surreal Amy’s Choice. Can’t wait!
