Main Range 71: The Council of Nicaea (spoilers)

Now that's technical difficulties out of the way, my thoughts on the story.

It's a powerful story. It's Erimem's best story, where she shows the best and worst of herself. She's honorable and completely willing to throw herself into a cause she feels just, but doesn't recognise when to see both sides of the issue. It's her learning to do this that allows Erimem to develop as a character, and one of the skills in becoming a better leader.

It's a story that could only be told with this TARDIS team. The Doctor's big picture web of time responsibilities clash with Erimem's quest for justice. Peri is just trying to smooth everything over, yet her best efforts make things worse.

There's no obvious bad guy in this, and both sides of the argument are understandable. Constantine just wants to bring the theological conflict to an end, while both Arius and Athanasius are defending the views that they rule their lives by.

The only negative I can think of is that Athanasius's plot to sabotage Arius doesn't reach any resolution in the story. It's mentioned at the start when he and Julius talk about stirring up the mob to vilify Arius's name, and Athanasius starts the Council by raising the motion to exile Arius. None of the other characters realise the plot is happening at all. It does get a resolution at the end when the Doctor gives Peri and Erimem cliffnotes of what happens next.

The greatest strength is how the story gives the listener an emotional stake through Erimem's crusade, and how that crusade causes her to clash with the Doctor (who's veiwpoint we normally share). It's like the Aztecs in how one of the companions tries to change things regardless of how history was meant to play out. And ultimately a minor victory is scored (Constantine promises Arius a fair hearing) while the course of history remains intact.

With all that will result from it. Actually... When you think about it, it's a rather interesting mixture of two classic Hartnell stories: The Aztecs (Erimem attempting to rewrite events) and The Crusade (Constantine/Richard and Arius/Saladin).

I wonder how historicals fell into such bad repute? Was it things like The Myth Makers that people remembered over Marco Polo?

Its the 1st one where Erimem could've gone (this and Son of the Dragon are her best stories IMO).

The story itself is solid human drama. The interference debate is handled sensitively and intelligently, maybe its drawback is that its not her final story and that she didn't stay behind to try and continue Arius's work.

Regards

mark687

Thanks for reminding me of this excellent story. As others have said, it might well be my favourite from the TARDIS team of The Doctor, Peri and Erimem. David Bamber is an excellent guest actor, and the whole thing really sets up a fine moral dilemma for our favourites. A shame we have not heard more from Caroline Symcox.

A word for Peri and Erimem - I loved them and their relationship with Old Fivey. There was the 'community' spirit prevalent for this era, but instead of bickering, there was a real sense of the girls ganging up on the Doctor, in only the most affectionate way. They like him, they want to travel with him and they enjoy each other's company. I wish we could have heard more from them. Apart from anything else, I feel the welcome addition of Erimem gave a new dynamic for Peri in a way that I had hoped getting Mel and Ace back together in 2017 might have done for their characters. This story uses that relationship well, and in some ways tests it to the limits.

A terrific story and well worth another listen.

Another one of my favorites. A truly rich historical taking place in a period I was long interested in, with plenty of character exploration for Erimem (who herself is one of the most interesting companions we've been given).

It's been several years since I did my extensive pass through Roman history, but I think that's pretty accurate though. Once they got (and/or were getting) Arius out of the way, it became less important to destroy him. Constantine only wanted stability. With his failure to interfere in the council recorded, the Christan sect backing Athanasius's interpretation of the trinity was secure.

I don't specifically remember a plot to stir up a mob to vilify Arias, but even if it was artistic license, I think it's fair artistic license that it was dropped part-way through the episode.






Anyway, agree with many comments here. Really loved this one.

Whoops, I wasn't clear.


I meant, historically speaking in real history.

Yeah. I wasn't complaining about it, rather noting how generally accurate it was.