CHAD MOORE'S JOURNEY THROUGH TIME & SPACE
Regular site contributor Chad Moore has begun his own personal journey through the entire series of Doctor Who, starting at the very beginning.
"An Unearthly Child" (4 episodes, 23 Nov 63 - 14 Dec 63)
Written by Anthony Coburn
Directed by Waris Hussein
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
"An Unearthly Child" is an impressive start to the
series! The first episode is the strongest of the
four, expertly building up an air of mystery before
that first magical moment when Ian and Barbara force
their way into the TARDIS. It is easy to overlook now
what an effect this brilliant, futuristic set must
have had on viewers in 1963, but it still looks
impressive today, and emphasizes the fact that this is
going to be a show in which anything is possible.
William Hartnell is astonishing. He comes across as
alien, cranky, mysterious, smart and sympathetic all
at once—with plenty of arrogance, selfishness and a
brief moment of murderous intent—but even in this
first story there are hints of the kindlier, warm hero
who will eventually emerge, particularly in "The Cave
of Skulls" when he shows genuine remorse for leading
his companions into this dangerous situation. But the
real treat is watching his first real "Doctorish"
moment, where he tricks Kal into showing the knife he
used to kill the Old Woman and then encourages the
tribe to drive Kal out using stones. Hartnell plays it
just right, giving a wonderful, commanding
performance.
The other three regulars all have their moments to
shine. Ian and Barbara are the easiest to empathize
with, and both William Russell and Jacqueline Hill do
a very good job of making their characters believable
and sympathetic in what for them is a bewildering and
terrifying situation. The tension between Ian and the
Doctor is also very well handled, and indeed all four
leads work well together throughout the story. Also of
note is Barbara's very real meltdown during the
travelers' escape in "The Forest of Fear". Susan is
probably the weakest character out of the four.
However, Carole Ann Ford plays an underwritten part as
well as she can, and on the evidence of this story at
least I don't think Susan is as bad as fans often
claim.
What of the maligned Stone Age episodes? It is true to
say they lack the magic of the first episode, but I
think they are immensely better than many suggest. The
actors playing the cavemen are surprisingly convincing
in what are largely thankless roles, and given that
this is supposed to be a family show the themes and
the dialog are surprisingly adult; from the beginning,
Doctor Who was definitely not just for kids. The sets
are pretty good too—particularly the titular Cave
of Skulls—and the character development of the
regulars is maintained right through the story.
Of the guest cast, Derek Newark is excellent as Za,
the would-be leader desperately trying to learn the
secret of fire, and Alethea Charlton is great as Hur,
Za's woman. She's Lady MacBeth, whispering plans and
conspiracies in Za's ear in order to have him lead the
tribe. Za may lead the tribe, but Hur leads Za. Eileen
Way's Old Woman is the original Luddite, afraid of
fire because she knows it'll change everything about
the tribe. She pays the price for progress with her
life, a theme that Doctor Who would return to over the
years.
Last but not least, there's one of the best fights
ever in "The Firemaker", when Kal and Za battle it out
for supremacy in the Cave of Skulls. The action is
fast, furious—director Waris Hussein nicely
intercutting this sequence with the horrified
reactions of the time travelers—and ends with a
nasty neck-breaking and skull-crushing.
"An Unearthly Child" has aged quite well and stands up
as a good, solid Doctor Who story. It also shows what
makes Doctor Who great: well told stories with
interesting characters.
"The Daleks" (7 episodes, 21 Dec 63 - 1 Feb 64)
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Christopher Barry, Richard Martin
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
This story is a true classic in every sense of the word, and one that still stands up amazingly well after more than forty years. The Daleks themselves, of course, have a lot to do with this. They were the main factor in making Doctor Who a hit, and in their debut appearance they are convincingly devious, ruthless and evil, with none of the self-parody that would mar later Dalek stories. A standout moment is the Daleks' interrogation of the Doctor, which is incredibly creepy, as the ailing Doctor is forced to kneel in a pool of harsh white light, with the Daleks simply willing to let him die.
Raymond Cusick's Dalek city set is magnificent, giving a real sense of an alien culture, while also belying the miniscule budget the production team had to work with. Indeed, all the different landscapes of Skaro are well-realized, from the petrified forest to the dank caves and the murky swamp, and it is very easy to forget that it was all recorded in a cramped and primitive studio at Lime Grove.
A lot of credit for the story's success must also go, of course, to Terry Nation. Aside from creating the Daleks, Nation provides an extremely intelligent script whose centerpiece is the debate about pacifism versus war. How far will the Thals go to keep their values while fighting off the Daleks? The Daleks, merely paranoid in the beginning of the story, quickly become ruthless when they realize that they'll have to flood Skaro with more radiation in order to survive... even though all life remaining on the post-apocalyptic world will die. Notable are Ian's attempts to teach the Thals that "some things are worth preserving". On the other side of that argument is the Doctor (and a vengeful Barbara), who merely want to turn the Thals into a disposable army, so the Doctor can retrieve his lost equipment from the city and leave the Thals to chance. It's a long argument, and a risky one, and, in the end, neither side is right, as the Thals' death toll mounts quickly. However, Ian's plan (stealth and intelligence, not violence) wins the day.
The direction of the story is very good, with Christopher Barry in particular providing some atmospheric shots of the Daleks and their city in his four episodes. As far as I'm concerned, the "quest" portion of the story in episodes five to seven is just as gripping as the first half, and the death of Antodus is a nail-biting and well-executed moment. However, having said that, the most memorable parts of the story are early on, particularly Barbara's legendary first encounter with the Dalek in the famous cliffhanger of "The Dead Planet", the travelers' growing weakness as they succumb to radiation sickness, and the later cliffhanger where the Dalek's hand emerges from under the Thal cloak. One of the story's strengths is to keep the Dalek creatures out of sight, and to leave the viewer guessing about how horribly mutated they are; the Doctor and Ian's horrified reaction when they first set eyes on one of the creatures is convincing, and allows the viewer to imagine an appearance more terrible than could probably have been presented on screen.
The other great plus point of "The Daleks" is the way it continues to develop the relationships between the four regulars. William Hartnell once again shines as the Doctor, who goes from callous scientific interest at the beginning to desperately bargaining with the Daleks for the Thals' lives - even going so far as to offer them a duplicate of his TARDIS, which would be an incredibly dangerous thing to do. "This senseless, evil killing!' is a superbly delivered line. A hero is born.
Ian and Barbara continue to impress, but it is really Ian who comes to the fore here, taking the lead role in both the TARDIS crew's escape from the Daleks and the subsequent attack on the city. William Russell plays Ian with confidence and elan, and his clashes with the Doctor early in the story are very well played both by Russell and Hartnell. Once again it is Susan who is the weak link, but she does at least get something useful to do when she is sent back to the TARDIS to get the anti-radiation drugs, even if she can only do so with a lot of gutless whimpering, moaning and falling over. Thankfully, however, Carole Ann Ford doesn't overdo the hysterics too much.
There is not really much I would criticize about the story, other than the rather lackluster final battle with the Daleks and its blink-and-you-miss-it resolution, although given the budgetary constraints this latter problem is forgivable. It's just a shame the original title of "The Mutants" didn't stick as said theme is explored throughout the story. Overall "The Daleks" is a thoughtful, exciting and atmospheric adventure, and it is no surprise to me that it made Doctor Who into a huge success.
"The Edge of Destruction" (2 episodes, 8 Feb 64 - 15 Feb 64)
Written by David Whitaker
Directed by Richard Martin, Frank Cox
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
It's rather famously known that David Whitaker was
forced to write this two-parter off the cuff to fill
Doctor Who's initial 13 episode order. If "The Daleks"
had not been the ratings success it turned out to be,
this could very well have been the end of the series.
With that in mind, "The Edge of Destruction" is an
interesting and surreal character piece. Although not
as strong as the previous two stories, it does have a
lot to offer as all of the regulars are well drawn—particularly Barbara and the Doctor.
Jacqueline Hill is superb and clearly relishes
Barbara's confrontation with the Doctor. The high
point has to be when she tells him he should "go down
on your knees and thank us!" I cannot think of another
time when he is so clearly in the wrong. For those of
us familiar with his later incarnations, a Doctor who
is willing to sacrifice his companions in a fit of
irrational paranoia is very unsettling. By the end,
however, the Doctor realizes how much he has
underestimated and hurt the two teachers and, in what
is arguably the story's best moment, apologizes and
makes things up with Barbara.
After an excellent first episode, what lets the side
down is what followed in the second. Ian's
justification for throttling the Doctor makes little
sense. Barbara's leaps of logic are incoherent. And
while the final explanation of the threat—a broken
spring jamming the Fast Return Switch—is
anticlimactic to say the least, the idea that the
sentient TARDIS was the cause of the time travelers'
psychotic behavior is simply not well enough explained
to be believable.
This story is unlike anything else Doctor Who has
produced. It feels, looks, and sounds more like live
theater than television. It is fascinating to see what
can be done with four actors, three tiny sets, and a
little stock incidental music. Or rather, what could
have been done...
"Marco Polo" (7 episodes, 22 Feb 64 - 4 Apr 64)
Written by John Lucarotti
Directed by Waris Hussein, John Crockett
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
With all seven episodes of Doctor Who's first true historical adventure tragically missing from the BBC Archive, I've enjoyed "Marco Polo" via Loose Cannon's excellent fan-made reconstruction. John Lucarotti's brilliant scripts offer an epic journey from the Roof of the World in the Himalayas to ancient Cathay (China) with adventure, political intrigue and sparkling dialog throughout. As no footage exists from the story, the wealth of production photographs and telesnaps reveal a lavish production, with superb sets and beautiful period costumes. Another nice touch is Polo's narration of the journey overlayed on a map. This only adds to an outstanding Doctor Who story.
All of the regulars get a good slice of the action: The Doctor, magnificently played by William Hartnell, and his frustration with Polo over having the TARDIS taken from him; Ian plays confidante to both Polo and Ping-Cho, whilst also getting the role of a hero, in taking on the villainous Mongol warlord Tegana; Barbara mistrusting Tegana and seeing through his schemes; and Susan's relationship with Ping-Cho gives a rare insight into her thoughts. It is arguably one of Susan's strongest stories, helped no end by her endearing friendship with the young Chinese girl.
Unusually, "Marco Polo"'s seven episode length is worthy of being this long and gives the tale its epic quality, unlike the usual padding in stories six episodes and over. It's difficult to criticize a faultless production such as this, although (if I had to) Polo's distrust of the time travelers and his refusal to believe their claims against Tegana does go on a bit too long. Because of this, he comes across as an unreasonable bully at times. But this is a minor quibble.
"Marco Polo" is a fantastic adventure, well deserving of its lofty reputation. Truly Doctor Who at its best. Now if only someone would please find it and return it to the BBC... Please?
"The Keys of Marinus" (6 episodes, 11 Apr 64 - 16 May 64)
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by John Gorrie
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
"
The Keys of Marinus" has never been highly regarded, which is a shame but this is understandable. The direction is lacking in places, some of the performances are below par, and Terry Nation's script is a bit sloppy—reflecting that this was a last-minute commission. Despite all that, I can't help loving this story. This is partly due to the fact that it keeps on moving to different locations in each episode, keeping things fresh and giving the viewer a chance to fully explore the alien world of Marinus.
There's a considerable amount of imagination at work here, particularly the scenes set in Morphoton. Director John Gorrie uses clever point-of-view shots to illustrate how Barbara sees through the city's illusion of luxury. The scene where the Doctor goes into his "lab" and starts admiring a broken old mug is hilarious, and the brain creatures look suitably horrible. Indeed, Raymond Cusick's designs throughout the story are very impressive, considering the small budget he was working with.
William Hartnell, William Russell and Jacqueline Hill are all on good form, the latter two doing an excellent job of holding center stage during Hartnell's holiday in the middle two episodes. Upon his return—a punch-the-air moment for me!—in part five, Hartnell turns in a vibrant performance as the Doctor seeks to clear Ian of a murder charge. It's another significant moment in the character's development, as it shows the respect that he has developed for Ian after their initial hostility to each other. His little moral at the end about the dangers of man being controlled by machines is also notable, and has some relevance in our society today. Susan, alas, is back to being pretty much useless here after her improved role in "Marco Polo" (although she does get one moment of bravery restoring the bridge in the ice cavern), and the supporting characters are largely unremarkable, with the exception of the burly, brutish Vasor. He gives off a genuine sense of menace, and the scene where it is implied that he intends to rape Barbara is remarkably dark and bold for a family show.
All in all, there's a lot to enjoy in this surprisingly well-paced adventure. Definitely a guilty pleasure.
"The Aztecs" (4 episodes, 23 May 64 - 13 June 64)
Written by John Lucarotti
Directed by John Crockett
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
"The Aztecs" is—hands down—one of the best Doctor Who stories ever! After his triumphant "Marco Polo", John Lucarotti has written another masterpiece that is brilliantly acted, directed, designed and produced. It may be a lot smaller in its scale than Lucarotti's previous effort, but the reason it works so incredibly well is by focusing strongly on all the main characters and exploring the beauty and savagery of the Aztec civilization.
The story centers itself on the conflict between the traditions of the Aztecs (such as human sacrifices, duels to select army leaders, arranged marriages) and the modern outlook of the four time travelers. This conflict occurs in several different ways, thus allowing each of the regulars their own part of the story. The romance between the Doctor and Cameca, the conflict between Ian and Ixta, Susan's blasphemy of speaking out against the Aztec teachings, and 
Barbara's attempts to persuade the Aztecs to abandon sacrifice and so survive the invasion by Cortez that she knows will come all shine and keep the viewer entranced throughout.
Barbara is of course the star of this story. The situation plays so nicely to both her background and her beliefs, and Jacqueline Hill is magnificent. John Ringham's Tlotoxl dominates virtually every scene he is in, aided by a wonderful costume and make up, and he comes across as far more alien than any monster could aspire to. The conflict between Barbara and Tlotoxl is intense, with each determined to win through despite the warnings of those around them. This gives the story its tragic conclusion, as Barbara realizes she is unable to succeed and the danger of trying to change history hits home. The insight given into the Doctor's outlook on life and time as he attempts to dissuade Barbara is strong and says much about the horrible side of time travel.
One of the more tender aspects of the story is the Doctor's romance with Cameca mentioned above. More than forty years before Rose, here is the Doctor finding love in an Earth woman. The scenes between the two characters are wonderful and convincing, and the ending speaks volumes where the Doctor finds he cannot bear to leave behind the brooch she gave him.
Adding it all up, you come out with what may be one of the most perfect of the William Hartnell stories and one that deserves its reputation as a definitive classic of that era.
"The Sensorites" (6 episodes, 20 Jun 64 - 1 Aug 64)
Written by Peter R. Newman
Directed by Mervyn Pinfield, Frank Cox
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Like "The Keys of Marinus", "The Sensorites" has always been regarded as a story that is less than the sum of its parts. Again, this is a shame as it has a great deal to offer. Peter R. Newman takes great pains in giving us a society of real alien characters drawn out in shades of gray, not black and white. It also explores how a man might be driven mad, the pros and cons of telepathy, the xenophobia and paranoia that can lead to a racist attack in an intelligent way without over-moralizing its subject matter. However, having said that, this story is one of the rare instances in Doctor Who where plot points are repeatedly discussed by characters (often in the same episode!), thus giving the impression of "talking down" to the viewer.
What really hurts the story is its six episode length; there's simply not enough plot to fully sustain it. "The Sensorites" would have been a cracking little four-parter. Also the idea that the identical Sensorites cannot tell one another apart without wearing their rank of office strains credulity to its limits. Disappointingly, the villainous City Administrator gets his comeuppance off screen. He's a really nasty piece of work and a scene depicting him disgraced and exiled from the city wouldn't have gone amiss.
The production is generally of a high standard throughout—the design work of the Sensorite city in particular is worthy of note. The performances are good, and the first episode has a wonderful, eerie atmosphere that builds up to a memorable cliffhanger. Susan, who has had little chance to shine up to this point, is given a good deal to do—her telepathic communication with the Sensorites, defying her grandfather, and longing for a place to call home—and Carole Ann Ford clearly enjoys having more to contribute other than dissolving into hysterics at the drop of a hat.
Overall, it's a good story and the parts that work in its favor shine brightly. And is it just me or is the dress Barbara wearing made from the same material Ganatus gave her back in "The Daleks"?
"The Reign of Terror" (6 episodes, 8 Aug 64 - 12 Sept 64)
Written by Dennis Spooner
Directed by Henric Hirsch, John Gorrie
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Dennis Spooner's first contribution to Doctor Who is a mixture of wit and serious drama. The violence is also strong, such as Robespierre being shot in the jaw when arrested (a true historical fact). The whole tone of the story is downbeat as the time travelers seek to escape from the most radical and controversial phase of the French Revolution. It is very well plotted to provide diverging storylines, and incarceration scenes in the Conciergerie Prison don't drag on too much. The production values are excellent; the costumes, the cobbled streets, and the gritty jail all coming together to recreate 18th century Paris. The far sweeping location work (the first in the series) also adds to the more expansive nature of this story.
Splitting up the TARDIS team works very well here. Ian plays the dashing hero once again, while Barbara protects Susan, much to Barbara's benefit and Susan's failings. Barbara is taken through quite a few emotional journeys here. Fending off the slovenly jailer, having a gentle flirtation with Léon Colbert, lashing out at Ian over the Revolution, and showing supreme motherly tendencies toward Susan. Susan, unfortunately, has little to do besides contracting a mysterious illness (which comes as quickly as it goes) and reverting to hysterics mode again. Twice they are presented with an opportunity to escape, and both times it is Susan who holds them back. I found myself wanting Barbara to shake or slap Susan and say, "Rats or the guillotine...you decide!"
The Doctor is the star though, and William Hartnell is in excellent form throughout. After embarking on a long journey, he uses his cunning and guile to while his way into the confidences of quite a few. Hartnell is heartwarming and brilliant with Jean-Pierre, the scruffy urchin who rescues him from the burning farm house. Another particular favorite is the scene with the chain gang, showing a surprisingly violent streak in crashing a shovel over the work overseer's head. Although this is played for laughs (and wonderfully so), it seems the Doctor has always relied more on his violent streak than originally thought, right from the start in fact.
Despite great performances from the guest cast (notably Edward Brayshaw as Léon), the story suffers from James Cairncross, who plays Lemaitre decidedly wooden. This is unfortunate as Lemaitre is an intriguing character as the story builds up toward the revelation that he is the British agent Ian is searching for. His use of blackmail to manipulate the Doctor rather than immediately trusting him is also highly believable.
All in all, a highly enjoyable adventure, and as Season One draws to a close, we do get a feeling that these four people, initially so distant, have banded together into a very special group. The Doctor's final line sums up the feel of Doctor Who by the end of the superb first season—"Our destiny is in the stars, so lets go and search for it."
"The Planet of Giants" (3 episodes, 31 Oct 64 - 14 Nov 64)
Written by Louis Marks
Directed by Mervyn Pinfield, Douglas Camfield
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
"Planet of Giants" has an interesting history: it began life as a storyline that was considered to begin Doctor Who—C.E. Webber's "The Giants"—but when it eventually made it to the screen, it was shortened from four episodes to three. As a result, the story suffers slightly.
The plot involving Farrow, Forrester, Smithers and DN6 has some great ideas about the dangers of insecticides and the priorities of businesses—highly topical then and now—but isn't really developed very well and has a number of scenes that seem to serve little more purpose than to announce to the viewer that the regulars are in for trouble. The coincidence of the telephone operator being married to the local policeman who just happens to reach the farm house at the right moment is hard to believe. All in all this part of the storyline is underdeveloped with none of the guest cast standing out at all.
By contrast the other side of the story involving the Doctor and his companions as they discover where they are and then seek to return to the TARDIS is the bright side of the adventure. Jacqueline Hill shines yet again in an intense performance. We know that Barbara's been infected, but will her friends find out before it's too late? William Russell is his usual dependable self, Carole Ann Ford is pretty good with only a few moments of hysterics, and William Hartnell is brilliant as always.
I love the opening TARDIS scene and the palpable sense of urgency as the doors open while in flight, then the scanner screen exploding after landing. Exciting stuff! Also, the inter-cutting of the Doctor and Susan's realization and explanation of what has happened to them is extremely well done.
Overall it's a simple idea but one that's well executed—the re-editing of the final two episodes into one makes for a rather choppy and stilted conclusion, but the rest of it is fine, if perhaps slightly too talky. The gigantic props and sets are magnificent and impressive, and the fly still looks startlingly convincing even today. An inventive and entertaining adventure. Not a bad start to the second season by any means.
"The Dalek Invasion of Earth" (6 episodes, 21 Nov 64 - 26 Dec 64)
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Richard Martin
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Carole Ann Ford - Susan
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
The second Dalek story remains one of the best. The whole idea of a future Earth decimated by plague with the Daleks ruling over it is a frightening one. Pockets of human resistance are there, but it takes the time travelers to finally do something concrete, to remove the Dalek threat—and give the Earth back to its rightful owners.
Terry Nation's script is one of the best aspects of the production. The introduction of the Black Dalek is a great move, and the whole production works well as an allegory of Nazism (the Daleks raise their sucker-arms in the Hitler salute, and the extermination of humans is referred to as "the final solution"). Although, truth be told, the Daleks' goal really is classic B-Movie stuff with the invaders wanting to build an engine in the Earth's core, so they can move the planet 'round the universe —but this never seems lame, this is science-fiction after all.
Director Richard Martin rather famously didn't like Doctor Who and thus has a reputation for flat, lifeless work (particularly in the three Season Two stories under his care), but especially when filming on location, he's capable of impressive visuals. The Daleks roaming through a deserted London is the lasting memorable image, even if more could have been done with them. The studio work, however, is less impressive, particularly the action sequences, and a few dodgy effect shots (such as the model Dalek saucer in flight) that should have been scrapped. Being in black-and-white is a big help, as always, and throughout there's a sinister, oppressive atmosphere.
So many details contribute to the doom-laden mood—the fact that guns are scarce and everyone uses knives instead. The posters declaring "It is forbidden to dump bodies in the river." Everyone gathering around a radio. A woman crying at the Dalek line: "the males, the females, the descendants," which I found very eerie. All this is important for the story's evocation of Nazi occupation.
The Robomen are an interesting part of the story as well. They are very much the walking dead—slow and lumbering cadavers of humanity—updated for a science-fiction concept. The ultimate scene comes in episode five "The Waking Ally" where Ian's friend Larry discovers that his brother Phil has become a Roboman and dies strangling him. This is a truly heartbreaking and incredibly dark moment.
Being Carole Ann Ford's last story, the plot is partly centered around Susan growing up, falling in love and gradually becoming more independent. Her dilemma of being torn being staying on Earth with David Campbell or continuing her travels with her grandfather is a sentiment motivated by her desire to belong somewhere, which builds upon her feelings first touched upon in "An Unearthly Child".
The climax of the story is a little poor as the idea of Ian simply falling down the shaft and sticking some bundles of wood to block the explosive capsule doesn't give for the most exciting of endings, but the best is to come back at the TARDIS. The final farewell scene between the Doctor and Susan is, simply put, just magical. There's a definite sense of sorrow and sadness to the scenes and William Hartnell pulls it off magnificently. The shot of Susan slowly walking away in David's arms, having dropped the TARDIS key behind her is poignant and serves as a wonderful ending to the story.
"The Dalek Invasion of Earth" is one of the true high points of Doctor Who.
"The Rescue" (2 episodes, 02 Jan 65 - 09 Jan 65)
Written by David Whitaker
Directed by Christopher Barry
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
Coming after the bleak and gritty Dalek epic is this underrated little jewel, which offers up a strong introduction for new companion Vicki. And she's a breath of fresh air!
Doctor Who had undergone its first major change: the departure of regular cast member Carole Ann Ford. What Maureen O'Brien had to do was make certain Vicki is an acceptable replacement for Susan and at the same time ensure she's not just a carbon copy. Not only does she manage to do this, she proves she's so much better! O'Brien makes Vicki an incredibly sympathetic character; her tragic plight and Bennett's sadistic treatment of her help with this. There's a genuine sense of warmth and realism about Vicki, making both her and O'Brien promising additions to the series.
William Hartnell's Doctor is striking both in the script and his performance. We see the Doctor struggling with the loss of his granddaughter in the previous story. Hartnell brings an excellent touch to these scenes and his performance is remarkable. Of special note is the scene in the TARDIS where he calls out to Susan to open the doors before he realizes she is actually gone—it's heartbreaking to see the look of realization on his face. Over the course of the adventure, he is slowly reinvigorated. He's decisive and adventurous on his own, warm and caring with Vicki, and vain in a sweet way ("So good I might have said the same thing myself!").
William Russell and Jacqueline Hill are excellent as always. There's some lovely interaction between the two that shows just how comfortable the characters and the actors are with each other. The first scene in the TARDIS also reflects how great a team they are with the Doctor: his reply to Barbara's "the trembling's stopped" is hilarious!
Christopher Barry's direction is polished and stylish, delivering an atmospheric mood throughout. The shot of Ian and Barbara on the cliff overlooking the crashed spaceship is fantastic. Also highly notable is the climax with the Doctor confronting Bennett in the smoky hall of justice, which looks really eerie and mysterious with an exciting showdown between the two.
Perhaps the story's only fault lies in the appearance of the two surviving Didonians near the end. Where did they come from? Where have they been all this time? It would have been nice if they'd done more than simply frightening Bennett into stumbling backwards to his doom, and later smashing things inside the empty, crashed spaceship. But this is a minor quibble.
"The Rescue" is a nice little tale, which packs a lot into two episodes. Largely overlooked, it stands up as one of the best Season Two adventures.
"The Romans" (4 episodes, 16 Jan 65 - 06 Feb 65)
Written by John Lucarotti
Directed by Christopher Barry
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
One of my all-time favorites, "The Romans" is also one of the best historical stories, shining brightly alongside classic gems "Marco Polo" and "The Aztecs". William Hartnell steals the show, clearly reveling in the wonderful script's comic touches. This amazing actor can always make me smile and forget my troubles by just watching him. "The Romans" features a number of memorable moments for his Doctor, notably a fight scene in which he throws an assassin around a room, then out of a window; the scene where he pretends to play the lyre to an enraptured audience; and his delight at discovering he was inadvertently responsible for giving Nero the idea of burning Rome.
Maureen O'Brien firmly establishes Vicki as being vastly superior to Susan, lighting up the screen with her exuberance alone. She is an absolute delight, clicking wonderfully with the Doctor. I love the moment when Vicki swaps the poisons over—in an attempt to save the life of Poppaea's slave—and nearly kills Nero.
Jacqueline Hill and William Russell are superb. Hill embraces the story and imbues it not only with comedy, but also awkwardness (her scenes with Nero), despair (worrying about the hopelessness of her position as a slave), and an enormous sense of fun, ably demonstrated in her fooling around with Ian. Speaking of which, Ian and Barbara are more in love here than in any other story! Never mind the fridge jokes and coy smiles, it's scenes such as the one in which Barbara stares wistfully out of her prison window, practically willing Ian's safety—that's where we see the spark between these two (and there's only one of them there!). Whether you enjoy picking up on subtext like this or not, it is nonetheless easy to argue that the heart-warming relationship between these two characters helps to make "The Romans" enjoyable not only from a comedic and dramatic perspective, but also a romantic one.
William Russell's Ian is possibly at his very best here. Not only adept at comedy, Russell manages to infuse his character with a certain amount of desperation in evading the law and escaping captivity. There is an animal-like quality to the way Ian hides to the back walls of the Roman streets, his unshaven face and tousled hair painting him less as the resourceful hero he is often cast as and more as the wanted fugitive. Things like this help to highlight the story's more dramatic aspects and balance the comedy and the tension well. Other elements that contribute to this nice balance include the scenes on the slave ship, the underlying seriousness of Tavius' motivations for wanting Nero dead, and Poppaea's plot to murder Barbara.
I simply cannot praise this story enough. Everything gels together into a faultless production—Ray Cusick's gorgeous sets, Christopher Barry's direction, Dennis Spooner's clever and witty script, the stellar cast—and is a testament to the dedication of everyone who worked on it. "The Romans" is a brilliant story and one that I never tire of seeing again and again.
"The Web Planet" 6 episodes, 3 Feb 65 - 20 Mar 65)
Written by Bill Strutton
Directed by Richard Martin
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
"The Web Planet" has the reputation for being the
absolute nadir of the William Hartnell era. But is
that reputation fair? By today's standards, the story
looks rather dated and is a painstakingly slow piece
of Doctor Who. But upon it's original broadcast, it
must have looked very impressive. "The Web Planet" was
obviously an experiment, and one that largely
succeeds.
A few major factors contribute to the story's negative
standing amongst fandom: Richard Martin's inadequate
direction, the fact that it suffers from too much
padding, and the (almost) complete lack of incidental
music. The climax is especially disappointing because
everything seems so quiet; no sound effects for the
Isop-tope weapon or the Animus and (again) no music
score to heighten the tension.
This really is a shame because the story's central
idea is wonderful, a very spiritual theme of evil
poisoning a planet of peace. Bill Strutton tricks us
into thinking that the unappealing surface of Vortis,
all disfigured rock faces and acid pools, is a planet
of nasties so when the Zarbi and Venom Grubs show up
you naturally assume they will be hostile. It is in
fact revealed that the Zarbi are harmless cattle who
were acting under the malign influence of the evil
Animus force. There are other touches of genius in the
story, the Menoptera having their wings ripped off to
stop them escaping, the wonderful mouth metaphor the
grub creatures use when tearing holes to the surface,
Vicki suggesting that taking an aspirin is the equivalent
of being bled by leeches... there is clearly a lot of
intelligence behind the script, the dialog magical in
places.
As with a lot of villains in Doctor Who, the voice was
just as important as the appearance of the creature it
belonged to. Catherine Fleming goes one better making
the Animus sound more threatening and ultimately more
evil than it appears. The Zarbi were bulky creatures,
causing the actors inside them to crash into the
camera, sets or each other. The Menoptera were more
successful, largely due to the fact that an emphasis
was made to make them appear more alien: their
gestures, odd speech patterns and movement are
actually conveyed rather well. Roslyn de Winter,
especially, is absolutely superb as Vrestin; little
touches, like calling Ian "Herron", adding to the
alienness. The Optera were perhaps the biggest
failure: their voices tended to grate and they were
portrayed in a comical way out of keeping with the
rest of the tale.
William Hartnell gives a wonderful doddery
performance, barely managing to get one single line
right (bless him!) but glowing with good humor that
makes him irresistible to watch. His interaction with
Ian is marvelous ("ECHOES DEAR BOY!", "Chesterton what
are you doing over there? Stop flapping and gaping
over there and come over here and learn something!",
"You nearly had the remnants of a Coal Hill School
teacher in there instead of this wretched old ragged
old tie!"). I love his laughter when he can't wait to
get out of the TARDIS and explore Vortis, then his
conversations with the Animus under the "hairdryer".
It's great to see him manipulate the Animus and
working everything out in a way later Doctors often
didn't get time for.
Ian and Barbara get their own mini-adventures, Ian
helping Vrestin and the Optera underground, while
Barbara is the role model we expect, rallying the
troops and planning an invasion.
Vicki is the Doctor's sidekick throughout, in case he
needs someone to explain things to or hold his walking
stick. However, she does get some interesting
character moments. Learning of Barbara's adventure in
Rome, her line to the Doctor: "I've told you before
not to judge by appearances", and inventing the
nickname Zombo for the "tame" Zarbi. Naming aliens is
a running quirk of hers, rooted in her backstory in
which her only real friend on the planet Dido was a
gigantic sand beast she called Sandy. It goes to
illustrate that Vicki is comfortable with aliens,
particularly alien monsters.
"The Web Planet" features quite a number of parallels
to The Lord of the Rings which I'd never noticed
before. And speaking of rings, this is the first story
in which we learn that the Doctor's blue stone ring is
something rather special. But, sadly, this was never
elaborated upon and it's as much a mystery now as it
was 40 some odd years ago!
I really like this story despite its faults. Overall
it is an enjoyable, atmospheric and imaginative tale.
It isn't classic Doctor Who, but it's a grand attempt
at something different. Watch it in the right mindset.
"The Crusade" 4 episodes, 27 Mar 65 - 17 Apr 65)
Written by David Whitaker
Directed by Douglas Camfield
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
A superb script by David Whitaker combined with a stellar cast, Douglas Camfield's polished direction, Barry Newbery's excellent sets and Dudley Simpson's beautiful incidental score makes "The Crusade" one of Doctor Who's finest productions ever. Mesmerizing, sophisticated and adult in all aspects, majestic, poetic and Shakespearean in its dialog. This is exactly what a good, solid Doctor Who story should be.
It offers a fascinating insight into Arabic culture without managing to be racist or demeaning. Indeed, it's handled with integrity and sensitivity. Interestingly, Saladin is actually presented in a better light than Richard the Lionheart - the former being calm and reasonable while the latter is hot-headed and stubborn.
There are brilliant, memorable moments throughout the story: "There is something new in you, yet older than the sky itself," Princess Joanna says about the Doctor. The Doctor reassuring Vicki he wouldn't leave her. Ian knighted by Richard. The Doctor confronting the Earl of Leicester—"You stupid butcher! I hate fools!", Barbara faced with killing Safiya and herself, staring at Haroun's knife: "Life... is better than this!" Doctor Who doesn't get much better than this.
The regular cast, especially William Hartnell and Jacqueline Hill, all turn in wonderful performances. 
Julian Glover as King Richard and Jean Marsh as Joanna are two of the strongest guest stars up to this point in Doctor Who's history. Both shine and give particularly impressive, highly-charged performances. The plot surrounding Richard's plan to have Joanna marry Saphadin in an attempt for peace might not be terribly complex, but the characterization and dialog layered many levels into this seemingly simple storyline. And the Doctor and Vicki were woven into it magnificently.
Walter Randall plays the villain of the piece, El Akir, with a Blofeld scar across his eyes, as a masterpiece of casual evil. The ending to episode three, "The Wheel of Fortune", with him telling Barbara, "the only pleasure left for you is death - and death is very far away", is one of the most genuinely frightening cliffhangers ever.
"The Crusade" is one of the absolute gems of the Hartnell era, and the true highlight of Doctor Who's second season.
"The Space Museum" 4 episodes, 24 Apr 65 - 15 May 65)
Written by Glyn Jones
Directed by Mervyn Pinfield
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
The Space Museum" has never been rated very highly, and I find that sad because it is actually one of my favorites. I will admit that it is not the strongest of stories, but it is certainly not the weakest. But any other adventure might also suffer from having followed "The Crusade", one of the classics of the Hartnell era. However, there's a great deal to enjoy, especially in the superb and surreal opening episode with its memorable image of the time travellers discovering themselves as exhibits inside the museum.
The regular cast are all on top form, with William Hartnell's Doctor given several wonderful moments. I particularly enjoyed the scenes where he appears out of a 
Dalek exhibit, and later when he was being interrogated and turned the tables on Governor Lobos. "How did you come here?" and the mind-reader showed a picture of a bicycle. I thought that and the image of Hartnell in an Edwardian bathing costume was hilarious, but I guess I'm easily amused. The Doctor's laughter and his whimsical attitude in the face of a dire future were refreshing compared to the gloom and uncertainty that seemed to permeate Ian and Barbara's attitudes. Vicki was cautiously optimistic and wound up saving the day. In many ways, this is Vicki's story and Maureen O'Brien is wonderful, organizing the rather wet Xeron rebels into action. She really proves what a great, proactive, self-confident and determined companion she is.
Of the guest cast, Richard Shaw is passable as Lobos, while Jeremy Bulloch (the future Boba Fett of "Star Wars" fame) is actually quite good as Tor, especially in his scenes with Vicki. The rest, unfortunately, come across as being a bit faceless and seemed to be going through the motions.
The Morok oppressors are a bunch of washed-up has-beens. But then I don't suppose that the Moroks would assign their best soldiers to guard a museum on a dead planet that nobody ever visits, would they? Lobos certainly acted as if he thought he had importance. This is the kind of assignment that you give an idiot if you are the ruler of the people. You want to keep the territory, but it really is not important strategically. He definitely lived up to the idiot part.
I just had to laugh at the soldier that Ian caught. When Ian was making sure that the Doctor was recovering, the soldier bravely made a lunge for Ian's gun. But when Ian turned the gun back on the guy, he just stopped, turned around, and looked at Lobos with that, "Help! What do I do?!" look.
The rebels are a disappointing bunch of boys with funky eyebrows. Nothing to them at all, really. Granted, the remaining Xerons were all pretty young so I wouldn't expect but so much out of them as far as organized resistance goes. And they were supposed to be a peace loving race, so they may not be too familiar with the art of 
war. On the other hand, you would think they had learned a thing or two from watching the Moroks massacre their parents! Just goes to show that you can give some people a gun and they assume that they are grown up. I guarantee that there were many problems getting things together after the TARDIS crew left. Not to mention the fact that there is nothing to stop the Moroks from coming back and wiping out the remaining Xerons after they lose contact with the museum! The Xerons better hope that the Moroks just don't care enough about that planet anymore to get it back.
Despite its faults, "The Space Museum" is a fun adventure to watch. It is the first time that Doctor Who really did anything creative with time travel beyond just using it to transport the characters from story to story. Therefore, I think it stands up very well amongst its contemporary stories. I think if either the Moroks or the Xerons had been somewhat interesting, then the story would be regarded much better.
"The Chase" 6 episodes, 22 May 65 - 26 Jun 65)
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Richard Martin
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jacqueline Hill - Barbara
William Russell - Ian
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Oh dear. I really wanted to find something good to say about "The Chase", but it's difficult to find anything of worth in this very silly mess. Basically what we have is a camp rehash of "The Keys of Marinus", except this time with Daleks. And the depiction of the Doctor's arch enemies leaves much to be desired.
The poorly executed premise is hindered by Richard Martin's pedestrian direction (thank heavens this was the last story under his helm!) coupled with the production values, which really hit an all-time low, resulting in an overwhelming amount of technical errors (cameras appearing in the background, actors left waiting for their cues, boom shadows, a poorly concealed Dalek, etc.) as well as the flimsiest-looking Dalek time machine prop imaginable, a crew on the Mary Celeste who jump overboard for no apparent reason (the Daleks never fired a shot), a Count Dracula robot who cannot lip sync to his own dialog, and a robot double of the Doctor who looks nothing like William Hartnell, just to name a few.
None of the aliens are particularly effective, Daleks aside. The Aridians, based on silverfish, are especially dire, the Mire Beasts look like giant testicles, the less said about the fungoid plants the better, and the Mechonoids, while an interesting idea on paper, are a little too cumbersome to be thoroughly convincing.
On the plus side, what holds the whole thing together is the regular cast. William 
Hartnell is on good form, clearly enjoying the comedic content in the dialog. Likewise, Maureen O'Brien's Vicki is also well-handled here—the highlight undoubtedly being her bravery in stowing away on the Dalek time machine when the TARDIS unwittingly dematerializes without her, and her mistrust of who is the real Doctor on Mechanus. But the real plaudits must go to the departing William Russell and Jacqueline Hill. Still being resolutely staid and unruffled in the presence of danger, the viewer shares the Doctor's sadness at their somewhat abrupt but understandable exit.
Hill, Russell, and Hartnell break your heart—and one wonders how much of the Doctor's reluctance to say farewell is genuine emotion on Hartnell's part. Ian and Barbara's return to London sequence is marvelous, bittersweet stuff—and it was nice to see these two likeable people getting exactly what they wanted—to finally go home.
New companion Steven Taylor's introduction is excellent. Surviving on Mechanus alone (with only his Panda mascot HiFi, a nice character touch), Peter Purves successfully portrays a man delighted to see human beings again. It's a great introduction for a character who, like Vicki, is very underrated in Doctor Who fandom.
Other memorable aspects that prevent the story from being a total travesty include the monkey business with the time/space visualizer, Arne Gordon as the Empire State Building tour guide, Barry Newbery's haunted house set is superb and the Mechonoid city (both model and set) is wonderful. The final battle between the Daleks and the Mechonoids is great as the two sides struggle for supremacy.
"The Chase" is at once lamentably lazy and hopelessly overambitious, and not especially well-produced. However, the best part is episode six—"The Planet of Decision"—a wonderful twenty-six and a half minutes, where there is finally something happening after five episodes of plotless meandering. All in all, it's an unremarkable tale best remembered for its misuse of the Daleks and the departure of Ian and Barbara.
"The Time Meddler" 4 episodes, 03 Jul 65 - 24 Jul 65)
Written by John Lucarotti
Directed by Douglas Camfield
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
"The Time Meddler" is a wonderful little gem of an adventure. This is the first story where we meet another of the Doctor and Susan's people and the first story to blend both historical and science fiction elements in a story, which paved the way for many future episodes. It also features one of the all-time great cliffhangers when Vicki and Steven discover that the Monk has a TARDIS. We're jaded by this moment now, but can you imagine what an impact it had on viewers back in 1965?
William Hartnell is delightful, clearly relishing Dennis Spooner's wonderful script; being reassured that Vicki wants to stay with him, getting angry with Steven, joking along cunningly and eventually outwitting the Monk, and making gloriously delivered asides such as: "A balmy night, a balmy night!"
Matching the domineering comic and dramatic presence of Hartnell, Peter Butterworth is superlative as the Monk; perhaps more comedic 
than dramatic, raising many a laugh, and an amount of sympathy even. And the Doctor/Monk confrontations are pricelessly played by both parties, who are obviously enjoying every minute; the Monk is such a memorably different adversary: he's meddlesome, mischievous and quite callous, what with his plan to destroy the Viking fleet, but never quite sinks to being evil. For the most part he's a big kid. His checklist of things to do is hilarious, as is his sulking when he discovers the Doctor has sabotaged his TARDIS; he's a naughty boy who's finally been punished. It's a joyful rivalry to watch. My favorite scene is when the Doctor holds up a stick to the Monk who thinks it's a real weapon!
Maureen O'Brien shines brightly, giving a wonderful performance as Vicki. Her desperation upon discovering that the TARDIS was swallowed by the tide is well-portrayed; O'Brien excels in the more comedic scenes, and she shares a palpable 
connection with the Doctor, making us believe that these two are really great friends. You know, Vicki has rapidly become my favorite companion of the First Doctor.
Newcomer Peter Purves—enjoying his first full story as Steven—and O'Brien have fantastic chemistry, helped no doubt by the wonderful lines they are given. Steven's initial reluctance to accept the TARDIS as a time ship is woven expertly into the story, and Vicki's exasperated responses to his excuses are excellent. It is a great shame they weren't to have many more stories together as they make a great team. Steven is terrific at the Saxon camp and their exploration of the Monk's ship is hysterical ("And earned a fortune in compound interest!").
Althea Charlton does a sterling job as the spirited Saxon woman Edith, and has some wonderful scenes with Hartnell. The Viking attack on Edith implies strong adult subject matter and harkens back to the straight historicals such as "The Aztecs". Michael Miller is quite good as Headman Wulnoth, but the acting of the other Saxons and the Vikings is risible in places. And the fight sequence in Episode Two is rather poor. What a shame Derek Ware wasn't on hand to choreograph the battle, as his work on "The Romans" and "The Space Museum" is excellent. Still, a minor quibble.
Douglas Camfield's direction makes "The Time Meddler" simply gorgeous to look at. Aside from his usual long pans and zooms, and nice close-ups, the whole atmosphere of the location is terrific. I use the word "location" intentionally; despite this being a studio-bound tale it looks like it's been filmed outside. Barry Newbery's sets are simple but superbly effective, especially as they're enhanced by the fantastic back projections and the use of stock footage, as shots of waves, cliff-faces, seagulls, clouds and Viking ships are seamlessly grafted into the story. Add to this the nice monastery interiors and the main doorway and you have a visual treat.
So, an endearing, warm adventure, imbued with an infectious charm. The shots of the Doctor, Vicki and Steven over the end credits are a sublime way of adding a little extra magic to the story (and closing Doctor's Who second season).
"Galaxy 4" 4 episodes, 11 Sep 65 - 02 Oct 65)
Written by William Emms
Directed by Derrick Martinus
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Possibly one of the most overlooked of all Doctor Who's adventures, "Galaxy 4" is actually a charming tale with a simple moral message: Don't judge a book by its cover.
The Drahvins, a race of beautiful women (with cloned soldiers, which means that this is one of the earliest science-fiction stories of any kind to deal with this concept), may not be as peaceable and helpless as they seem, nor the Rills, ammonia-dependent warthogs, as malevolent and evil as the Drahvins claim. Appearances can be deceptive, and just because someone carries a pretty face does not mean they are your friend, nor does repulsive alieness automatically denote an enemy. What is on the inside is much more important than the out.
The fact that the story manages to deliver this message and entertain is something to be applauded.
The good vs. evil premise gives the regulars some wonderful material to work with: The Doctor is shown is be fallible in his initial judgment of the Rills, and William Hartnell has one of his best moments when he guiltily confesses his sabotage on their ship. Vicki, who pegs the Drahvins within a few minutes of their first meeting, is more independent (a trait first seen in "The Space Museum") and charmingly dubs the Rills' service robots "Chumblies". Steven, mistrustful of the Rills at first but isn't a fool for long, is held captive aboard the Drahvin craft, a role that would have fallen to a female companion in other tales from this period in the series' history. He's afforded a great scene when he attempts to reason with one of the subservient Drahvin clones holding him prisoner.
Stephanie Bidmead is chilling as Maaga, the imposing leader of the Drahvins. Her mistrust and manipulation is highly reminiscent of Tlotoxl from "The Aztecs", which is a very high compliment indeed. I also liked how she was given time to go head-to-head with both Vicki and Steven individually.
The Rills, whilst looking like Jabba the Hutt's grandfather, are very convincing, due largely to the fact that their appearances are kept to a minimum, and the excellent voice work by Robert Cartland, which makes them seem more sympathetic. The 
Chumblies are an interesting idea, and feature some good design work, adding a "cuteness" factor to the proceedings. I'm quite surprised they didn't take off back in 1965, with every child in the UK wanting one.
William Emms' script is crisp and keeps up a good pace, although there are one or two points that could be considered ill-conceived or not thought out properly: Why is Maaga still obsessed with using the Rills' ship to escape when she learns the Doctor has a ship of his own? Also—it's a minor quibble—why is the story called "Galaxy 4"? It's the name of the galaxy from which the Drahvins originated. It had nothing to do with the setting or the plot of the adventure, and is arguably the worst (or most misleading) title in the Hartnell era. Surely "The Exploding Planet" (the title of episode four) or even the original working title of "The Chumblies" would have been better.
"Galaxy 4" might not ever be considered a classic, but it's still a good, solid Doctor Who story. And I for one would love to see all four episodes resurface someday soon.
"Mission to the Unknown" 1 episode, 09 Oct 65)
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Derrick Martinus
Terry Nation's belief that the Daleks could sustain a series of their own was not too far off as this story brilliantly proves. "Mission to the Unknown" holds a very special position in the history of Doctor Who: it is the only episode not to feature the Doctor and his companions. It is the last episode produced by Verity Lambert, the series' first producer. And it serves as a prologue to the forthcoming epic "The Daleks' Master Plan".
Mixing elements of horror and science fiction and setting the story in a bleak, hostile and uncivilized area, Nation creates a gripping prequel to the mammoth adventure.
With the Doctor, Vicki and Steven missing from the action, the role of the hero falls to Marc Cory. 
Edward de Souza is impressive as Cory, a Space Special Security agent on a secret mission to discover what the Daleks are planning on the jungle planet of Kembel. The Daleks, making a triumphant return after their ill-judged appearance in "The Chase", are especially effective in the conference room with the alien delegates, plotting and diabolically ruthless.
Production values are high throughout, with the alien delegates and the jungle benefiting from a great deal of imagination (especially with the make up and costumes), perfectly matching the sinister atmosphere which is present throughout the story.
While the idea of the Daleks broadcasting their plans over a loudspeaker is somewhat risible, it doesn't detract from the tale. This is only a minor quibble, as the episode is really quite excellent. Its absence is another tragic loss to the BBC Archives.
"The Myth Makers" 4 episodes, 16 Oct 65 - 06 Nov 65)
Written by Donald Cotton
Directed by Michael Leeston-Smith
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Maureen O'Brien - Vicki
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Adrienne Hill - Katarina
"The Myth Makers" is another in an outstanding line of historical tales, and is very easy to follow and cleverly written. The blending of humor and drama has more in common with "The Romans" and "The Time Meddler" than such stories as "Marco Polo" and "The Aztecs". It succeeds on almost every level—especially on the dialog and plot front—but Donald Cotton's script also achieves a grand parody based on an even grander work of literature, Homer's "The Iliad".
Characterization is excellent throughout and is brought across brilliantly by a distinguished and well-chosen cast. Max Adrian is assured as King Priam, Barrie Ingham is amusing as the cowardly and foppish Paris, Frances White steals every scene as the paranoid and vindictive seer Cassandra, and Ivor Salter puts across a convincingly boorish and roguish Odysseus.
Although she is mentioned, I do think it would have been funny if Helen had been shown on screen and had her appear less than the beauty she is purported to be. "The face that launched a thousand ships" indeed.
For her final story, Vicki is given a great deal to do, falsely accused of being a prophetess and given the name Cressida, trying to prove her integrity in the Trojan court and out think the Doctor, as well as her growing romance with Prince Troilus, which flows naturally as an integral part of the story.
The Doctor is also afforded some good material, as he is mistaken for Zeus and forced to come up with a scheme to break into Troy, believing the Trojan Horse to be only a literary invention of Homer's, but then having to "invent" it himself.
Steven's role in the story is far more minor, yet his rapport with the Doctor and Vicki is brought across well. He gets to play the hero, masquerading as Diomede and charging in to rescue Vicki. The way in which he persuaded Paris to capture him and take him into Troy by playing up on Paris's ego was hilarious, and it was interesting to see hints of jealousy over Vicki's attraction to Troilus.
New companion Katarina is shoehorned into the last episode, and little is made to distinguish her character before she enters the TARDIS, and it is a shame that the scene in which Cassandra foretells the handmaiden's death ended up on the cutting room floor. However, her belief that the Doctor is one of the Gods taking her to the Underworld is quite charming and innocent.
Sadly we don't get to see Vicki saying goodbye to the Doctor. The pair have shared a close friendship ever since her introduction in "The Rescue"—with both the Doctor and the TARDIS being Vicki's only home—and her leaving happening off screen made me feel sad and a little bit cheated. There is clear indication that the Doctor will miss Vicki with his comment at the end of the story where he hopes she will be safe.
Upon its original broadcast, viewers must have been curious as to why they were being treated to a Trojan War adventure and not the Dalek story which had started the previous week. However, "The Myth Makers" is certainly a worthy, highly entertaining tale. And I still wish they had used the "Zeus Ex Machina" and "Is There A Doctor In The Horse?" episode titles!
"The Daleks' Master Plan" 12 episodes, 16 Oct 65 - 06 Nov 65)
Written by Donald Cotton
Directed by Michael Leeston-Smith
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Adrienne Hill - Katarina
As epic stories go, "The Daleks' Master Plan" is one of the very best. It starts with a bang and doesn't let up. "Mission to the Unknown" is a dark little prologue which ends with everyone dead, after which the main story hits the ground running. The stakes are high from the beginning, with the Daleks plotting to destroy the Solar System and the Doctor fighting to save Steven's life from wounds sustained in "The Myth Makers".
Terry Nation, Dennis Spooner and Douglas Camfield pull no punches with this one, the death toll being grim and unparalleled in Doctor Who. Katarina's death is heart breaking, particularly with the Trojan handmaiden wishing to see more "mysterious wonders" only minutes beforehand. Bret Vyon is gunned down with shocking abruptness as we were just getting to know and like him. His sister and new companion Sara Kingdom is his murderer, and then she is snatched nastily away from us at the very end. Unbelievable!
William Hartnell is superb throughout, proving adept at both comedy and drama. There are so many standout scenes with his Doctor—his sadness over Katarina's self sacrifice, being righteously moralistic and disgusted at the Daleks' actions, facing off against Mavic Chen, his banter with the Monk, and the final scene with him and Steven musing over the death and destruction they've witnessed—all are played to perfection by Hartnell.
Peter Purves is excellent as ever as Steven, particularly the way that his robustness and courage compliments the Doctor. The idea of Katarina as a companion was an interesting one, which was used as much as it could have been in the context of the story. To the credit of the late Adrienne Hill, she was played very well. Nicholas Courtney and Jean Marsh give strong performances that bring their characters to life and make the audience feel genuinely sad at their deaths. The revelation that Bret and Sara are siblings is highly effective, although it is not developed as well as it could have been.
Kevin Stoney, however, steals the show, with his portrayal of the cold, calculating Mavic Chen, Guardian of the Solar System. Watching his arrogance grow as the story progresses is a real treat. His interrupting the Dalek Supreme, and the Dalek 
getting more and more agitated as it tries to talk over him, is a sure sign that he will soon overstep the mark. Also, his swatting aside of a Dalek's eye-stick in "Escape Switch" is brilliant and adds to that scene beautifully. His descent into insanity at the end of the story is quite disturbing as well.
Special mention must also be made of Maurice Browning, who plays Chen's Peter Lorre-esque sidekick Karlton. Scary and intense, he dominates virtually every scene he is in, and I wish we'd seen far more of him.
The Daleks are at their absolute best here. They're cunning, ruthless and more ambitious than in any earlier story. Their callousness is best demonstrated in "The Traitors" when the Dalek Supreme orders the destruction of a Dalek pursuit ship for failure. The cold way in which they execute so many of their alien allies, even those such as Trantis who have contributed nothing to the immediate failure at hand, shows how little regard they have for non-Dalek life. Oh, and I love the Dalek Supreme's line to Chen: "You make your incompetence sound like an achievement"—Terrific stuff!
The final episode—"Destruction of Time"—is superbly tense. The scene in which Chen gives the Daleks an order and they all stand silent and impassive is very chilling. Sara's demise is shocking, and her bravery very moving.
THE DOCTOR: The Time Destructor is affecting you!
SARA: Do you think I don't know?
It's very refreshing, too, for a sixties story to have the male companion stand on the sidelines while the female companion takes the initiative and rescues the Doctor. Sara was an amazing character, way ahead of her time, and clearly based on Honor Blackman's Cathy Gale from "The Avengers", which is no bad thing. It's a shame this would prove to be her only story.
In all honesty, the Christmas episode—"The Feast of Steven"—is superfluous, providing a bit of light relief. It feels out of place, and the scenes set in the Hollywood film studio are more grating than enjoyable. Having said that, I really like the Doctor's infamous "And a Merry Christmas to all of you at home" to camera at the end. In fact, it's the highlight of the Christmas episode for me.
Quite possibly the most successful of all the Hartnell Dalek stories, "The Daleks' Master Plan" is a bleak and highly entertaining tale—the more so for featuring the return of Peter Butterworth as the Monk, who really should 
have been brought back for a rematch with Patrick Troughton's Doctor. Douglas Camfield's direction is exemplary throughout the entire epic, Barry Newbery's design work is excellent, and Tristram Cary's incidental score provides a suitably atmospheric mood to the proceedings. All in all, this is a production that has had much attention on it to produce a highly effective and memorable adventure.
"The Massacre" 4 episodes, 05 Feb 66 - 26 Feb 66)
Written by John Lucarotti, Donald Tosh
Directed by Paddy Russell
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
It is interesting to note that this tale was not one of John Lucarotti's favorites, as the storyline was thrust upon him—his original idea for an Eric the Red adventure being swept aside—and he did not see eye to eye with script editor Donald Tosh. Despite that, "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve" is another well crafted piece of historical drama.
In all honesty, few Doctor Who stories are as downbeat as this, depicting history at its most mysterious and darkest in which we see the circumstances leading up to one of the bloodiest events in the French Wars of Religion. This is not one of the popularly remembered moments of the past and so Steven has little idea of what is about to occur until the very end. It provides a wonderful and highly revealing scene in which the Doctor's tragic position is exposed—forced to witness the horrors of human history and unable to do anything to change it.
William Hartnell takes on the additional role of the Abbot of Amboise. The Doctor having a double is an old cliché that's incorporated into the story quite well: we're not sure if the Abbot is the Doctor or not; Tavannes's accusation against him: "that since you came, everything which had been so carefully planned has gone wrong" fuels the red herring, implying that he is the Doctor in disguise. It is a remarkably shocking moment for both Steven and the viewer when the Abbot is murdered and his body is left lying in a gutter.
Perhaps the only disappointing aspect of this is that Hartnell's appearances as the Abbot are all too few but they show a stark characterization that contrasts heavily with the Doctor and highlights the actor's versatility.
With the Doctor missing, the bulk of the action falls upon Steven and so this is the first story to revolve solely around a companion. Steven reacts as most people would do in such a situation—try to save what lives he can and escape. There are some great moments when Steven wonders if he has been abandoned in 16th century Paris, and Peter Purves delivers a marvelous performance, showing the strength of this criminally overlooked companion.
The guest cast are remarkable, with André Morell (Marshal Tavannes), Leonard Sachs (Admiral de Coligny) and Annette Robertson (Anne) shining brightly, each character as tragic as the other.
The closing moments of the story sees the arrival of Jackie Lane as new companion Dodo Chaplet, who mistakes the TARDIS for a real police box. Her cockney accent makes a nice change from the norm and it is a pity that this was not continued into subsequent episodes. She's funny, and quite pushy compared to Barbara and Vicki.
The limited visual material for this story makes it difficult to judge but the handful of publicity photographs show impressive costumes and sets. The action is well paced and laid out over four successive days, with each episode taking place on a different day and having no cliffhanger reprises. To its detriment, however, it is lacking on action; the assassination attempt on de Coligny adding some much needed excitement.
Although the Doctor rarely appears, Hartnell puts in one of his best performances. His soliloquy after Steven storms out of the TARDIS is one of Doctor Who's greatest ever moments. He's afforded some wonderful character development, with Steven's leaving almost terrifying him, and his reaction to Dodo is almost over the top in its relief. "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve" might not be the best remembered Hartnell story, but it is highly enjoyable and a terrible shame that no footage whatsoever exists.
"The Ark" 4 episodes, 05 Mar 66 - 26 Mar 66)
Written by Paul Erickson, Lesley Scott
Directed by Michael Imison
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Jackie Lane - Dodo Chaplet
"The Ark" is a diamond in the rough, overlooked amongst so many other classic First Doctor adventures, and actually tells two stories: the beginning and end of the Ark's journey, separated into the first two and last two episodes.
It is, however, best remembered as the first full story for Dodo, who boarded the TARDIS at the end of "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve". She starts off in an annoyingly chirpy manner, baiting Steven and giving the impression of being a bit of a know-it-all, but she eventually settles down and becomes plucky and rather more likable actually. It's a nice touch that the tale's main crisis is inadvertently caused by Dodo's cold, and the severe repercussions the virus has on the human Guardians and the alien Monoids on board the Ark. The guilt and grief that Dodo displays is nicely handled, as is the Doctor's genuine pity and compassion towards her.
William Hartnell gives a wonderful, commanding performance, and it is interesting to note that the Doctor is the only one who suspects the intelligence of the Monoids when one of them helps him out with his experiments for a cure. I love the scene toward the end with the Doctor fairly pointing out some of humanity's flaws, including intolerance and how they treated the Monoids as slaves in the first place.
Peter Purves goes from strength to strength, proving Steven to be one of the best companions. His role is limited in the first half of the story as he becomes a victim of the virus, but he does get a lot more to do in the last two episodes, having been separated from the Doctor and Dodo, he displays his leadership skills amongst the rather insipid Guardians aboard the Ark.
The acting of the guest cast is fair, with only a few characters making an impact. Eileen Helsby (Venussa) is positively charming as Steven's underplayed love-interest in the story's second half. Roy Spencer (Manyak) plays his limited role well, as does Terence Bayler (Yendom).
Micheal Imison's direction is impressive and stunning, leaving nothing to the ordinary: from the live animals (including a baby elephant!) to camera angles, he put his stamp on the series just as he'd intended. It's a shame he never worked on Doctor Who again. Imison makes "The Ark" look massive, and the story also benefits from Barry Newbery's effective set designs.
"The Plague" (Episode Two) features one of the more chilling moments from the Hartnell era, when a vision of Earth is shown burning up as it approaches the sun, and the cliffhanger is also very cleverly devised, with the head of the giant statue supposedly meant to represent humanity, is shown to have been completed with a Monoid head atop it.
The costumes for the Guardians and the hapless, waddling, Ringo’s-bad-hair-day Monoids are what seem to put most fans off "The Ark". But the story's failings ultimately come down to the script, with the courtroom trial scene being tiresome and predictable, the fact that the oppressive treatment of the humans toward the Monoids is sadly glossed over, and it is not fully explained properly why the Guardians (who seem to vastly outnumber the Monoids) have their "spirits" broken by the more severe outbreak of Dodo's cold, but it does serve as an excellent example of how the oppressed can become the oppressors.
Intriguingly, humanity is not celebrated in this vision of the far future and are depicted in a less than flattering light. For example, their aggressive determination to colonize Refusis II is worrying in the extreme. The Refusians are willing to share their world, but this is only made clear later in the story. The humans we meet in "The Steel Sky" know that their intended new home is already inhabited, and Zentos is paranoid the Doctor, Steven and Dodo are Refusians sent to stop their journey. So he's concerned they might not be welcome. But it's evident the Guardians intend to land—whether the inhabitants welcome them or not. In any case, their plan smacks of arrogance and great aggression.
It may not be perfect but "The Ark" is an extremely entertaining and thought provoking story. It suffers from similar pitfalls as other science-fiction stories of the time—clunky dialog and a wooden guest cast—but it is very well directed and has an enthralling central premise.
"The Celestial Toymaker" 4 episodes, 02 Apr 66 - 23 Apr 66)
Written by Bryan Hayles, Donald Tosh
Directed by Bill Sellars
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Jackie Lane - Dodo Chaplet
Despite numerous production problems, including last-minute rewrites, "The Celestial Toymaker"—Doctor Who's first foray into the realm of science-fantasy—still manages to be a good adventure.
Due to William Hartnell's ill health, the Doctor is mostly absent from the story, rendered mute and invisible and forced to play the Trilogic Game. This helps to add a sense of urgency as Steven and Dodo have to finish all their games before the Doctor does, but the Toymaker is determined this will not happen and routinely speeds things up a bit. What doesn't come off as well is Hartnell's aforementioned absence as his presence is greatly missed, and it would have been a treat to see more confrontations between the Doctor and the Toymaker.
It is interesting to note here that the production team briefly considered replacing Hartnell with a new lead actor when the Doctor reappeared in "The Final Test" (Episode Four), leaving both Steven and Dodo (and the viewers) wondering if it really was the Doctor after all!
With the Doctor missing, thanks to the Toymaker's machinations, it was therefore left to Peter Purves and Jackie Lane to carry the majority of the action—an unenviable task. But what a good job they did. Although there are no great character revelations, Steven is his usual reliable self, and Dodo slips into the Toymaker's surreal world really well.
Michael Gough excels as the Toymaker, dominating every single scene he's in, even when his appearance is on a monitor or merely his voice. The ever present threat of the Toymaker gives depth to the simple games played and the accompanying incidental music manages to strike the right balance between childishness and death traps. The story is also successful in turning images such as clowns, playing cards, dolls and naughty schoolboys into things of menace.
The remaining guest cast are good, with Campbell Singer and Carmen Silvera both taking on no less than three separate roles, each distinct from the others. Of the three the best is the King and Queen of Hearts in "The Hall of Dolls" (Episode Two), concealing their menace as they try to trick the Jester into testing one of the deadly chairs and eventually forcing each other to sit down in one together. Peter Stephens succeeds in making Cyril a malevolent and dangerous schoolboy, even if he is greatly annoying; although this is obviously intentional if Steven's reaction is anything to go by.
Visually "The Celestial Toymaker" is a great triumph drawing on the imagery of seemingly innocent children's toys, and designer John Wood uses this to great effect. Of particular note are the deaths of the characters, especially Cyril's which is both shocking and effective.
The plot is a little simplistic and it's a shame that the darker elements and more ambitious ideas didn't make it to the screen. But each episode manages to spring a whole set of new surprises on the viewer. Overall this is an enjoyable and whimsical slice of Doctor Who.
"The Gunfighters" 4 episodes, 30 Apr 66 - 21 May 66)
Written by Donald Cotton
Directed by Rex Tucker
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Jackie Lane - Dodo Chaplet
Every time I see "The Gunfighters" it sweeps me away on a wave of charm. "The Ballad of the Last Chance Salon"—a love-it-or-hate-it narrative ballad (sung by Lynda Baron) that weaves its way throughout the story—gives the tale a unique vibe, even if it does knock down the show's dramatic fourth wall. It might have been better if used more sparingly; there are times when the verses don't work and lyrics ill thought out ('Bells on their toes' anyone?) but when used to underscore dramatic moments (like the cliff-hangers) the results are wonderful.
Barry Newbery's production design is top-notch, with Tombstone itself looking great, and director Rex Tucker employs cinematic touches, such as shots over banister rails, from beneath a cart, through windows, even directly into William Hartnell's mouth!
In general the American accents are good, nothing that would win awards but Doc Holliday, Kate, Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp's are fine. It's the Clanton gang and Johnny Ringo that stink! The TARDIS crew's scene in the barn is wonderful—the Doctor in a foul mood and in need of a dentist, Steven play-acting and the Doctor's cowboy hat. Would a Sixties British girl like Dodo have a thing for Wyatt Earp? (A middle aged writer possibly…) And after her first gush it's never touched upon again.
William Hartnell is on top form, obviously loving every minute. I love his cover story and 'Come fellow thespians!' cracks me up. So does his constantly calling Wyatt 'Mr. Werp'. His attack of nerves upon seeing the big tooth outside Holliday’s rooms ('I don't think that's a very subtle form of advertising') and learning he's Holliday's first customer. His reaction to finding out the men around him are the Clayton brothers. His attempt at gun twirling and asking Wyatt if he can do it. His 'disgusting habit!' when Ringo spits. I *love* the Doctor's cheeky line 'My dear Dodo. You are fast becoming prey to every clichéd convention in the American Midwest'. Just delicious!
Jackie Lane and Peter Purves are also great, particularly the former, who gets to hold Doc Holliday at gunpoint, 'have a bash' at the piano, and generally act like a bit of a brat while being endearing and charming—no mean feat, might I add! Purves is strong as well, displaying a surprising flair for comedy, unknowingly showing off his cowboy skills in front of the Clantons, and growling at them when he is forced to sing at the saloon.
Doc Holliday is a rather morally dubious character, painted in shades of gray instead of black (evil) and white (good). He sends the Doctor to be killed in his place, kidnaps Dodo and casually shoots someone in a hotel and steals their dinner. There's an interesting moment when Kate's said something rude to him and he raises his hand, at first it hovers near her cheek—like he's going to slap her—then he pats her shoulder.
Oh, and for trivia's sake, did you know Doc Holliday was from my hometown of Valdosta, Georgia?
The few onscreen deaths in this story—Charlie the Barman and Warren Earp—pack real punches as they're both innocent bystanders. "Don't Shoot the Pianist" (Episode Two) cliff-hanger with Steven facing a lynching has to be one of Hartnell's greatest. Things look so bleak. Either the Doctor leaves Steven to be hanged or comes out and is hanged instead. And the resolution doesn't cheat; I liked the bit where the Doctor simply unlocks his cell door.
Earp: 'RINGO!'
Doctor: 'Yes (hands him Ringo's WANTED poster) you've got a photograph of him.'
That WANTED poster is risible, and it seems a shame after the trouble the art department went too. It's not just the quality photo but the idea a dangerous outlaw would consent to having his photo taken!
'Johnny Ringo and Katie. They were lovers they say...'—Well, 'they' were obviously wrong! No wonder the poor girl's got engaged to a man old enough to be her grandfather on the rebound from dating the Wild West's gayest cowboy. Then there's Wyatt's other brother Virgil with the Village People mustache. And the innuendo 'I'll take em from behind' 'Never figured you for a back shooter, Ringo' and 'He's gone kinda mental under Earp's heavy blow'. Well, who wouldn't...
The final culminating battle at the OK Corral is a bit of a let down, with the implausible notion that the Clantons can't shoot two men walking down a street falling particularly flat. That said, shooting it on film gives it a little more style, Johnny Ringo gets a good death, and the final shot of the fight, the legs of the victors, is highly effective.
"The Gunfighters" might not be to everyone's taste, but I think it's absolutely wonderful. If you're looking for a rootin'-tootin' good time, settle back and watch it, and have a few shots on me at the Last Chance Saloon.
"The Savages" 4 episodes, 28 May 66 - 18 Jun 66)
Written by Ian Stuart Black
Directed by Christopher Barry
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Peter Purves - Steven Taylor
Jackie Lane - Dodo Chaplet
What a wonderful little adventure "The Savages" is! It's a shame it is often overlooked as it has a great deal going for it. On one hand it can be seen as a morality tale, which hints at ideas such as possession and control; and on the other hand it is a simple story of good versus evil (in the same vein as "Galaxy 4") . However, what it does do is succeed, largely because of its simplicity. It is essentially a story about racism and slavery, incorporating themes and situations touched upon in the first two Doctor Who stories. The idea of a role reversal by making the Savages white and the leader of the Elders black is a good one; unfortunately the message doesn't come across quite as well as it could have.
The nature of the Elders' villainy is quite well presented though; initially, it seems that the Elders are a benign, highly advanced people who have created an Utopian society, whilst the primitive Savages are an uncivilized threat to this. Indeed, the cliff-hanger to Episode 1 plays on this assumption, with Dodo screaming in terror at the sight of a Savage inside the city of the Elders. Additionally, the Elders are so technologically advanced that, uniquely in Doctor Who at this time, they are expecting the Doctor's arrival, having tracked his travels through time and space. However, our initial impressions soon prove false, as it turns out that the Savages are victims of the Elders' parasitic, life-draining technology, which creates their utopia at the cost of human suffering. Nobody dies in this story and yet there is a palpable sense of wrongness about the Elder's actions.
William Hartnell is superb, as always. The Doctor's confrontation of Jano when he realizes how the Elders' society is maintained is marvelous, and my favorite moment of the story. His impassioned "This, sir, is protracted murder!" seethes with suppressed rage. Later, after his life energy has been transferred into Jano, he spends the latter half of the story weak and disorientated, and thus we are denied the clash of personalities that we might expect; instead, as the Doctor recovers, he quietly waits for Jano to turn to his way of thinking, clearly realizing what the transference would do. This is an effective plot device, but results in the Doctor being sidelined.
Although she is the first to suss out the true nature of the Elders, Dodo has significantly less to do here than in other stories. However, she does have some shining moments: fending off the scientists when she's mistaken for a Savage, enjoying smashing the transference machinery in Episode 4, and her heartbreak over Steven's decision, which reduces her to tears.
Really this story belongs to Peter Purves, which is fitting as it is his last story. Steven has come a long way since "The Chase", and his departure here is entirely in keeping with his development into a leader and someone who clearly wants to help people. One of his finest moments occurs when he lures Exorse into the caves, as he proves to the Savages that they are capable of fighting their oppressors and throwing off the shackles of slavery under which they effectively live. During both "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve" and "The Ark" we saw him railing against the injustices around him; now, finally, when he is nominated as a new leader to unite both Elders and Savages, he is surprised, but readily accepts. I love the moment when the Doctor tells him how proud of him he is; he genuinely believes that Steven is ready for the task ahead of him.
Frederick Jaeger's performance of the chief Elder Jano is absolutely flawless, especially when he has absorbed the Doctor's life energy and takes on his personality. Indeed, for a while, I wondered if the lines were actually being dubbed by Hartnell, until you realize Jaeger's simply doing a wickedly accurate imitation of the Doctor. The rest of the cast are less memorable apart from Clare Jenkins (Nanina) and Ewen Solon (Chal).
It's always difficult to judge a story's merits when the episodes themselves no longer exist, but the Telesnaps and production photographs reveal good set designs, and as Christopher Barry is an extremely capable director, I'm sure he made the most out of the script. The location is cleverly used, being a sandpit which actually reflects the dwellings of the Savages. One of the high points is the incidental music, with Raymond Jones' use of woodwind instruments giving the tale a sense of atmosphere and mystery.
Watching the series in order, I do find it sad that producer Innes Lloyd did away with the individual episode titles. "Episode 1" doesn't have the same sense of excitement gained from the imaginative "Guests of Madame Guillotine", "The Death of Doctor Who" or "Destruction of Time", to name a few.
All in all, "The Savages" is a great, well paced story, with an entertaining central premise, and provides a good departure for the criminally underrated Steven Taylor.
"The War Machines" 4 episodes, 28 May 66 - 18 Jun 66)
Written by Ian Stuart Black
Directed by Christopher Barry
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Jackie Lane - Dodo Chaplet
Michael Craze - Ben Jackson
Anneke Wills - Polly
What a shock to the system "The War Machines" is! After so many exciting adventures in time and space, how wonderful is it to see the First Doctor on the loose in 1960s London? Even now it's surprising to watch William Hartnell's Doctor aiding the military to destroy a threat to mankind, almost a blueprint for the later Jon Pertwee adventures. As is usual with these things, Hartnell got there first and it's another example of how diverse his era was, especially Season Three.
The plot, concerning the WOTAN computer and its plan to conquer the Earth and replace humanity with machines, seems very oddly paced - the nature of WOTAN's scheme is established early in Episode 2, therefore the remaining episodes seem like padding. WOTAN is not particularly brilliant in itself, it's just a box of flashing lights but it is the way it pulls in its victims that gives it that extra chill factor. Hypnotism by phone... quite a creepy concept and it works magnificently when Dodo falls under the spell. By turning humans into mindless slaves the threat seems painfully real, never better demonstrated by the War Machine turning on one of the slaves just to prove how effective its weaponry is. Frightening stuff.
Belying his ill health, William Hartnell gives a wonderful, commanding performance - charming grandad, scientific genius, and a Holmesian master of deduction all rolled into one. I love his reaction to Kitty's assessment of his clothing—"Fab gear"—and his chiding of the captured War Machine—"Temper, temper!"
Dodo is given one of the worst ever exits in the history of the series, disappearing halfway through Episode 2, and her good-bye to the Doctor being relayed to him via Polly. No wonder he was miffed! Jackie Lane is quite good, especially when Dodo is hypnotized. The scene where she thinks the Doctor has fallen under WOTAN's influence and tries to explain the plan to him being chillingly portrayed.
Despite the shabby treatment of Dodo, the introduction of Polly and Ben is well handled, and the pair prove to be instantly engaging and effective companions. It also doesn't hurt that they're both drop-dead-gorgeous, and Ben's down-to-Earth Cockney attitude and Polly's posh and playful personality are quite wonderful to watch. They have excellent chemistry, and Ben obviously knows which side his bread's buttered on - his immediate loyalty to the Doctor is excellent. Michael Craze is superb throughout, becoming the Doctor's mobile eyes and ears, while also being concerned about Polly. Ben calling the Doctor "Sir" is a lovely little piece of characterization.
The story also features some great touches, and one of them is the excellent, stylish direction from Michael Ferguson who would go on to give greater things in later years. The story looks extremely polished from the inventive location work (lots of slanted shots of the Post Office Tower and the terrific opening shot of London with the TARDIS arriving). It's given a fabulous realistic and dramatic feel as we see the War Machines being welded together and parts being delivered. Even better are the cuts to the pub regulars watching television news bulletins on the attack, a police car roaming the streets broadcasting "stay indoors" messages, and a great scene where a member of the general public is killed in a telephone booth, helping to add to the atmosphere.
Although the story features army soldiers (later to be superseded by UNIT troops) battling an enemy impervious to gunfire, they are very faceless indeed. The best character is William Mervyn's Sir Charles Summer—a more senior establishment ally to the Doctor than his later successors. As for the War Machines themselves—well, in a series that produced the Daleks, it is hard to accept less, and something that looks like an enormous shoebox with spinning tapes and bellowing dry ice hardly seems threatening.
"The War Machines" is badly paced in parts, and, of course, it's got the startling and jarring references to the Doctor as "Dr. Who", but it is redeemed by some great work from William Hartnell, Michael Craze and William Mervyn; superb scenes of public warnings and ongoing reports; the boarding of the TARDIS by Polly and Ben in a great closing scene; and the utterly brilliant Episode 3 cliff-hanger. A patchy, but very enjoyable tale.
"The Smugglers" 4 episodes, 10 Sep 66 - 01 Oct 66)
Written by Brian Hayles
Directed by Julia Smith
William Hartnell - The Doctor
Michael Craze - Ben Jackson
Anneke Wills - Polly
It's sad that "The Smugglers"—the last William Hartnell historical and his penultimate story—is absent from the BBC Archive, save for a few clips. The location footage looks wonderful from the limited production photographs available. The extensive use of various Cornish landscapes and buildings adds a real depth and credibility to the story; the beach scenes, in particular, look wonderful, as do those aboard the Black Albatross. Even the studio interiors of the church and the crypt look exquisite. The authenticity this achieves is essential, especially as "The Smugglers" is Doctor Who's own version of Treasure Island.
Brian Hayles's second script for the series is a fairly simple, swashbuckling tale. But it oozes charm in bucket loads. Yes, there's a fearsome pirate captain with a spike in place of a hand, with underlings who make plenty of aaarhs. There are secret tunnels, a dead pirate's curse and a buried treasure, complete with a cryptic riddle as to its whereabouts. With factors such as these, Hayles knows he can't avoid the clichés of the genre, so he doesn't pretend this is anything else, and accordingly 
provides us with a good old-fashioned escapist adventure. Previous historical adventures were primarily educational; the intent was to inform the audience of a particular culture ("The Aztecs") or a particular event ("The Crusade"). Some stories took a light-hearted approach, applying comedic license ("The Romans") but were all fundamentally a history lesson wrapped in a story. But in "The Smugglers", we've just got a plain old adventure, with the historical setting largely incidental.
The story is filled with magical moments—Pike's interrogation of the Doctor, and the latter's attempts to gain the upper hand (and avoid being tortured) is one such example; the conversation between the Squire, Pike and Cherub as they connive away is another. All of the dialog has a rich feel to it, and there's a wonderfully sparkling exchange between the Doctor and Kewper as they play their card game whilst being held prisoner on the Black Albatross.
As with the previous story, it's hard to believe William Hartnell was ill during the making of this one. He seems as lively as ever, giving a great performance. Whether the Doctor is playing trickery with cards or refusing to leave the villagers because of his moral obligations, he's an absolute delight.
Anneke Wills and Michael Craze continue to impress, making Polly and Ben an excellent team. They're both vibrant and enthusiastic, and have resourcefulness and loyalty rolled into one. I love the scene when they escape from the local gaol by taking advantage of the native superstitions. However, it must be said that Ben's constant moaning about returning to his ship/barracks does grow tiresome after a while. You're having an adventure in time and space, mate—enjoy it!
Michael Godfrey is marvelous, relishing his lines as Pike, and maintaining a ruthless and bloodthirsty determination. Paul Whitsun-Jones is also excellent as the Squire, a corruptible man, but one who won't resort to murder and redeems himself at the end. George A. Cooper as Cherub makes a memorable villain, and John Ringham, although a tad overly theatrical as Blake, makes a good ally. Some of the roles are a bit overacted however, the pirates Jamaica and Gaptooth in particular.
What hurts the story is the complete lack of incidental music—which would have added to the proceedings greatly—