In the time-honored tradition of genre-show stories that feature major cast members playing different characters, there are all kinds of possibilities for bringing about this added acting showcase. One such well-worn trope is the introduction of a doppelgänger. “The Enemy of the World” isn’t the only Doctor Who story to play around with doppelgängers (other memorable examples include “Black Orchid” and “Rise of the Cybermen” / “The Age of Steel,”) but it’s a good one.
The Second Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria, arrive in the far future of 2018 (I love old-timey sci-fi,) where they’re quickly drawn into a conspiracy of people who rally together behind an important truth: Ramón Salamander, the renowned scientist and philanthropist poised to become a global autocrat, is in fact a ruthless man who kills his enemies to safeguard his rise to power. And wouldn’t you know it, he happens to look just like the Doctor! The Doctor is rather unwillingly conscripted into the rebels’ plot to take Salamander down, agreeing to pose as the dictator for clandestine purposes.
That last bit is the real beauty of the acting gems on offer in a doppelgänger episode. It’s not just a main actor playing a different character, it’s the resulting hijinks of our hero then trying to pass themselves off as that figure. When are we seeing the Doctor, Salamander, the Doctor pretending to be Salamander, or possibly Salamander pretending to be the Doctor? It’s a nice chance for Patrick Troughton to stretch his acting muscles a bit, and he does a fine job. It’s a bit weird that Salamander is apparently from Mexico, but in this far-flung future, the cultures of the world appear to have shifted and rearranged themselves somewhat, and besides, he’s still written as being identical to the Doctor, so this doesn’t blunder into the same racism that a few other classic Who stories get into. Troughton does well projecting a completely different air as Salamander, and I really enjoy watching the Doctor pose as his doppelgänger.
The Doctor’s uncanny likeness puts him deepest in the belly of the beast, but Victoria and Jamie aren’t about to miss out on the action either. Both of them join the conspiracy in their own ways, taking part and taking risks. Jamie puts on a pretty impressive act—he’s not always the sharpest or the subtlest, so it’s cool to see him play a slightly longer game here. And while Victoria doesn’t get as much to do, it’s through her that we meet Fariah, who makes a good ally for our heroes.
And apart from all that, it’s just an enjoyable story. Even in this early era of the show, when they played around with the format more, it’s uncommon to see a story set in the future without any alien or robot presence. Instead, it’s all human schemes and political intrigue. There’s even more to Salamander than meets the eye, Astrid is a cool badass of a one-shot character, and it’s neat to see all the moving pieces of the various plans come together. Our heroes are in a tricky spot because, even though they quickly see that Salamander is as bad as the rebels say he is, the rebels are prepared to go much farther than they are in stopping him. Oh, and the final scene is great!
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