A Journey Of A Thousand Eons...: 59. The Zarbi (The Web Planet Part Two)

So once again, we're at a point where our quartet is trifurcated.  The Doctor and Ian go in search of the Tardis and learn from...well, literally stepping into a dead carapace...that they are on the planet Vortis (although, oddly, there are moons in the sky of what the Doctor remembers as a moonless planet).  Barbara is saved from a dunk in the acid pools by a Menoptran, who are explicitly supposed to be butterfly-like humanoids, even though the costumes make them look more bee-like.  The three Menoptrans are trying to contact their 'invasion force,' but they are attacked by the Zarbi and seemingly killed save for Hrostar, who gets an off-screen wing-ectomy.  The Zarbi also grab the Doctor and Ian and bring them to the weirdly organic Carsinome, reuniting them with Vicki before a helmet descends on the Doctor and demands to know why they're here.

On one hand, I have to give credit to costumer Daphne Dare and choreographer Roslyn de Winter (who also plays Vrestin) for trying to make the Menoptrans seem so alien.  They have this weird body language that I find really appealing, even though their high piping, start-and-stop voices get on my nerves quite easily.  On the other hand, we're becoming more and more aware that this serial has ambitions way bigger than its budget will allow it, and that there are long stretches of just Le Structure Sonare just letting loose with beeps and boops to represent Zarbi communication.  I am very much aware that these people are striving hard to achieve a truly alien feel and failing because all they have is some fiberglass ant puppets and some high school play bee costumes.

So far, this serial is wearing a little bit on me, but it still promises to be a good story.  Of course, at this point it's still paced like a four episode serial...and as we'll learn, its length is going to bite it on its ass soon enough.