BOOK OF LISTS: RANKING THE MASTER - PART 4

THE CORPSE MASTER (PETER PRATT/GEOFFREY BEEVERS)

"What?!!" you may be saying to yourself, right now, "Is he really trying to say he liked the Corpse Master better than Roger Delgado?!!"

There is something delightful about the unabashed earnestness of the Corpse Master. Particularly since he follows Delgado. While Delgado waltzed about acting charming most of the time and only hinted at being an evil sadist, Corpse Master does the exact opposite. He makes no pretenses. You need only glance at him to see he's rotten to the core. The contrast between him and the previous incarnation we've seen makes clear the point of desperation that he's reached. He's truly at his bottom.

Because he's so desperate, he is more treacherous and ruthless than he's ever been (and ever will be, for that matter). His manipulation of Gallifreyan politics and complete meglamania as he seizes control of the Eye of Harmony just to extend his lifespan are great spectacles to behold. For once, the Master really does seem effective. The Doctor beats him out of luck more than anything (if that service shaft hadn't been there - he would've been done for!).

Yes, there is one big problem with his first appearance. The fright mask does get in the way of things a bit. But, really, Peter Pratt acts his socks off so much that I don't think it's much of a problem. And I really do love the Master in this story. He is so consumed with hatred that we really do buy into what the Doctor says when he claims him to be "the quintessence of evil". His appearance and attitude are downright Satanic. I would have been more-than-happy to see this Master several more times. It's certainly implied at the end of Deadly Assassin that we will.

Unfortunately, he only returns one more time. Confusingly enough, he's played by a different actor. Fortunately, Geoffrey Beevers does an equally effective performance.

While there are slight changes in the interpretation - this is definitely the same Master. His M.O. remains constant. Once more, he's playing a Long Game in which he's taking advantage of delicate political situations. And it's all being done to get close to an enormous source of power that will enable him to artificially extend his lifespan. This is, perhaps, the one advantage to only two appearances of this incarnation. The story is, more or less, the same on both occasions. But, because it's not five Delgados in a row, we can actually enjoy the consistency.

Beevers goes for a slightly subtler performance because he doesn't have to shout through a mask. But he is still just as chilling and genuinely unsettling as his predecessor. Sadly, we don't see him properly revealed as the Master until Keeper of Traken is nearly over. But that voice! It gives such presence to an art-deco statue with glowing eyes! Melkur is actually a pretty good villain even before we find out the truth of him. The fact that it was actually the Master all along makes the whole thing that much more awesome!

Those final few moments between the Beevers Master and Doctor Four are very brief but still gripping. Both actors seem to do so much with so little. Both seem to really understand the history between the two characters and play it up to its fullest. Beevers' escape in a nearby grandfather clock is great fun (only when writing about Doctor Who, can you use terms like "escape in a nearby grandfather clock"!). Watching him take over Tremas' body at four minutes to midnight is the most fantastic of codas.

I love this Master. I wish he had been explored more on television. I understand that Big Finish has done a lot more to develop him - but I am a purist about these things. I like to see legitimate screentime rather than audio plays and suchlike. Both versions of the Corpse Master were utter delights to watch. A great incarnation that should have gotten more attention than it did.



Previous installments: 

Part 1: 
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-1.html

Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/11/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-2.html

Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2017/12/book-of-lists-ranking-masters-part-3.html


How is it possible for this incarnation of the Master to be played by two different actors? I explore this idea a bit here: 

http://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of.html