65: The Three Doctors - Certainly A Celebration

Written by: Bob Baker and Dave Martin.

Companions: The Doctor, The Doctor, The Doctor, Jo Grant, Brigadier, Sergeant Benton.

Monsters/Villains: Omega, Jell guards, Time Lords.

Brief Synopsis: The Time Lords send the First and Second incarnations of the Doctor to aid the Third in stopping the infamous time lord Omega from causing universal destruction.

Rating: 4.5/10.

So here we are in the 50th anniversary year and I'm looking back to 1973 and the 10th Anniversary story, The Three Doctors. This one isn't the best, but it's certainly a celebration; it almost feels like a party. The Three Doctors boasts many impressive traits: there's yet another new TARDIS interior redesign, we're introduced to the Time Lord figure Omega, we learn a lot more about the Time Lords and their origins, we see the end of the third Doctor's exile to earth, but most excitingly, and as the title suggests The Three Doctors is the first multi-Doctor story. Which if you hadn't worked it out means, in this case: three incarnations of the Doctor all in one place and one time.

Unfortunately like most multi-Doctor stories, we don't quite get what's promised by the title; this one is more 'The Two Doctors.' Fans we're thrilled to see the return of Patrick Troughton to his role as the Second Doctor, and yes William Hartnell does make an appearance but only a disembodied one on a screen in the TARDIS.

The Time Lords with their weird circular note paper.

The Doctor should never meet another incarnation of himself as one of the Time Lords in this story remarks, "it goes against the first law of time!" So what disaster exactly would deem this extreme transgression necessary? Here is where the story gets interesting: We learn that the way that the Time Lords gained their mastery of time was owing to the efforts of Omega. 

Omega's costume is bad ass.

Omega was a steller engineer who caused a star to go super nova which enabled the Time Lords to harness enough energy to achieve time travel. Omega was believed dead but in actuality was pulled through the black hole created by the super nova where we lived as lord of the world of antimatter. The Time Lords call on three incarnations of the Doctor when Omega drains their power and threatens to destroy the universe. Fair enough.

Troughton and Pertwee. Brilliant!

So we get to see Pertwee and Troughton interact. Which is wonderful. They fight and bicker and work excellently as a comic duo. I can't help but wonder though: wouldn't you be more upset to know that at some point your version of yourself is going to effectively die and you'll be another person? Troughton doesn't even seem to consider it. The bickering is sorted out when the First Doctor gets on the scene, well sort of...

RIP William Hartnell.

Sadly this story would mark William Hartnell's last appearance as the Doctor and his final ever performance as an actor before his death in 1975. Hartnell was too ill to play a more active role in the story. Instead his scenes were filmed separately while he read his lines from cue cards. The script was rewritten with the explanation that the First Doctor was stuck in a "time eddy" due to the power drain caused by Omega.

I can't help but question: how ambiguous is the Time Lord's explanation of the 'power loss?' "Cosmic energy is being drained away, leaving the Time Travel facility in danger. Unless the energy losses can be stopped the whole fabric of space time will be destroyed." Ummm, why? Also why does it have to be the Doctor(s) who come to the Time Lords aid? Because: "No one [else] can be spared. Everyone is needed to combat the energy losses." Oh, okay! That makes sense...

These are called Gell Guards. I have no idea why.

UNIT HQ is assaulted by monsters that look like ear wax. Eventually The Doctor, the Doctor, Jo, the Brigadier, Benton, Bessie, the TARDIS and UNIT HQ itself all end up in the universe of antimatter, dragged there by some matter/antimatter-combo-time-bridge-organism-thing. Each one undergoing a conversion process allowing them to survive in the anti-matter world, which, of course, is a quarry! It feels like the regulars have gone on holiday, but they let Benton make the reservations. 

"I'm fairly sure that's Cromer."

The Doctor is brought before Omega, whom he respects and reveres, and knows from legend. Omega's reason for bringing the Doctor to his domain is simple. Someone must remain there in order to maintain the universe of antimatter or he cannot leave so he wants the Doctor to take his place.

Omega/Doctor silent disco, sexual wrestling match?

Jo then comes up with their escape plan. The Doctors' combined wills are greater than that of Omega so they could overpower him. Then there is this mega weird silent, black lit, sexual disco wrestling match between Pertwee and the dark side of Omega's mind. It's p-retty strange. The Doctor loses and agrees to take Omega's place, until he learns quite shockingly that underneath Omega's protective clothing there is literally nothing left of him. He is only alive because he wills it so.

The day is saved in a rather odd way. The whole fabric of space time is saved by a recorder. The recorder was inside the forcefield generator on the TARDIS and wasn't processed for the anti-matter world. Omega knocks it out of the Doctor's hands, the recorder falls out of the generator and all the matter and anti-matter atoms combine and annihilate everything.

Everyone is returned to their proper times and place and the epilogue concludes with the Time Lords sending the Doctor a new dematerialisation circuit and restoring his knowledge of time travel which neatly brings to an end the three year story arc of his exile to earth.

This is all well and good, but I can't help but feel like nothing has really happened. The Doctor or even Doctors don't save the day, it's all a bit of a fluke. It's been great learning more about the Time Lords and their sordid beginnings, and getting to see Troughton and Hartnell again, but I can't help but feel in all this jubilation someone forgot to write an actual story. It's a great idea to bring all the Doctors together in a story, but if we go by later examples one can't help but wonder if this orgy of Doctors is somewhat of a poisoned chalice? However, whatever you may think of multi-doctor stories, it can't be denied that The Three Doctors is certainly a celebration.

I wonder if we'll see a multi-Doctor story for the 50th Anniversary and if it'll be any good if we do... Also don't forget to check out my 2 year Bloggiversary Giveaway! There are some great prizes up for grabs. 

For info on how to enter the comp click here.

Join me next time for the rather wonderful story, The Carnival of Monsters.

29: The Tenth Planet - Introduction Of The Cybermen & The Doctor "Regenerates."

Written By: Kit Peddler and Gerry Davis.

Companions: The Doctor, Ben Jackson and Polly.

Monsters/Villains: The Cybermen.

Brief Synopsis: The Earth's long absent twin planet Mondas returns bearing Cybermen - humanoids augmented with machine parts.

Rating: 7/10.

Wow, there it is. I can't believe I've made it this far. It's been, excellent, tough, boring, amazing, surprising, thrilling, informative, and quite a journey thus far. I was aware when I started my epic excursion that Hartnell and Troughton would probably be the toughest stretch to get through, what with all the missing episodes. There is no disagreeing that Doctor Who is incredibly different now than it was in the 60's. Although it didn't have a big budget, impressive special effects, or the attention to detail made possible in modern television it is still just as enjoyable, if not more so. So here we find ourselves at the end of the line for William Hartnell's Doctor.

The story kicks off in the South Pole Base of International Space Command under the command of General Cutler. It's an interesting locale as this story could easily have been set anywhere. Choosing a remote base in the South Pole really cranks up the tension. It's well below freezing, and they are totally isolated. This "base-under-siege" framework really pioneers the layout we will see repeatedly during Patrick Troughton's tenure as the Doctor. 

In the TARDIS, Polly, Ben and the Doctor are donning warm clothes. It isn't long before the Doctor's famous curiosities get the better of him as the trio head out to explore their surroundings and are dragged into the base. After spotting a calendar, Ben and Polly quickly discover that they have arrived in December 1986 (twenty years ahead of their time, and two months after I was born) and are shocked to learn that at this point in time they've sent people to the moon. Being filmed in 1966 this story was three years ahead of it's time as the Moon landing didn't take place until 1969.

Alan White as Schultz and Earl Cameron as Williams.

Two astronauts aboard the Zeus 4 capsule inform Snowcap base of the arrival of a new planet between Mars and Venus; and it's pulling them off course. I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the astronauts was black. During a time when the representation of black people on British television was incredibly poor, the casting directors of Doctor Who had the foresight to see how far the still fairly recent black equality could go.

The scientists notice that the new planet strongly resembles the earth and the Doctor tries to tell them that millions of years ago the Earth had a twin planet and that they should expect to soon be receiving visitors. An alien spaceship lands by the base and three Cybermen emerge. They incapacitate three guards and infiltrate the control room, killing a soldier.

These are the Cybermen at a very early stage in their overall development. They have exposed human hands and fairly humanoid faces. They have huge chest units and a large sort-of headlamp on their heads. Unlike their progeny these Cybermen still have names (including Krail, Jarl, Talon, Krang, Shav, Gern). They are impervious to bullets. Their strange mouths open when they speak but they do not move. I really like the awesome Cyber voices which were provided by the wonderful Peter Hawkins (1924-2006) and the marvelous Roy Skelton, who sadly just passed away today. In Doctor Who he provided voices for the Monoids, Daleks, Cybermen and the Krotons. He also voice Zippy and George in the popular children's television programme Rainbow. He will be sorely missed.

We learn that the new planet is called Mondas. Eons ago it was the twin planet of Earth but it drifted away on a journey to the edge of space. One of the Cybermen describes himself to the humans as, "Exactly like you. Our cybernetic scientists realised our race was getting weak, with shorter lifespans. So our scientists and doctors devised spare parts for our bodies, until we could be almost completely replaced. Our brains are just like yours, but weaknesses [emotions] have been removed. We do not feel pain" They incapacitate the General.

The Doctor and Polly meet the Cybermen.

The chief scientists Barkley and Dyson's immediate concerns are the safety of the astronauts in the Zeus 4 capsule. The Cyberman say it is impossible for the capsule to make it back to earth, but allow Snowcap to contact them. Mondas' proximity is draining power from Earth and the capsule. Zeus 4 tries to land using it's retrorockets but the ship accelerates away and explodes.


Ben ties to escape using one of the soldiers guns, but the Cybermen catch him, bending the gun as if it were rubber and lock him up. The Cybermen explain that Mondas' power has nearly been depleted and that it will drain all the power from Earth until it is destroyed. They say they will take the humans with them and then give us the imortal line, "You will become like us." Ben manages to blind one Cyberman with a film projector. He grabs the Cyberman's light weapon and kills it. He enters the command room and hands the General the weapon who kills the other two Cybermen. There is some truly epic dialogue in this story including, "If cutler is right, we are probably going to fight the first interplanetary war."

We learn that Cutler's son is up in another capsule, Zeus 5 and the base pick up signals on their radar of hundreds of ships flying toward Earth in formation. Sadly due to illness William Hartnell is totally absent from episode three so the Doctor inexplicably collapses.

Robert Beaty as General Cutler.

The General's solution is to destroy Mondas by using the Z-Bomb despite concerns that the radiation effects might kill everyone on the side of the Earth facing the explosion, and that the planet targeted might go supernova. It would also certainly destroy the space capsule carrying his own son. Barkley is against this desperate measure and shows Ben what he needs to do to disarm the Z-Bomb, but the General catches Ben and the countdown begins.

9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!

Fortunately the rocket doesn't work. Now into episode four Hartnell' Doctor is back in the mix. When Polly questions the Doctor's sudden collapse, he replies saying, "This old body of mine is wearing a bit thin." It's the beginning of the end and both the Doctor and Hartnell know it.

Snowcap lose contact with Lieutenant Cutler. General Cutler believing his son to be dead, is about to kill the Doctor when more Cybermen land, enter the base and kill the General. Mondas is absorbing too much power. The Cybermen take control of the base and plan to use the Z-Bomb to blow up the Earth, thus saving their own planet from the effects of the energy transfer between the two worlds. They order Ben, Barkley and Dyson to move the warhead. The Doctor offers the Cybermen to stay on earth and live in peace with the humans, as their planet will be destroyed.

Barkley and Dyson.

Ben questions why the Cybermen have forced the humans to move the warhead instead of  using their obvious strength and doing it themselves. He discovers their weakness to radioactivity. Ben brings rods from the reactor and the radiation immobilises the Cybermen. Mondas breaks up and the Cybermen go with it. Contact is regained with Lieutenant Cutler and they begin the process of bringing him home.

We then get what really must be described as the best cliffhanger ever: After the Cybermen have decomposed, Ben goes to the Cyber Ship where the Doctor and Polly were being held prisoner and frees them. Polly is unharmed but the Doctor is groggy. "What did you say my boy? It's all over, that's what you said. It's far from being over. I must get back to the TARDIS." The Doctor returns to the TARDIS locking Ben and Polly outside. He uses the controls. The central column goes up and down, then he collapses. We hear the dematerialisation sound and there is a very bright light, which intensifies, and when it lessens there is a different man lying there and the credits roll. Best cliffhanger ever!!!

The Doctor's changing...

This is the first "regeneration"; although that term will not be used until 1974 in Planet Of The Spiders. The pivotal episode four of The Tenth Planet is missing from the BBC archives and only a few short clips of footage exist. Fortunately the regeneration sequence itself is among these. It only exists as it was used on a contemporary entertainment news program to discuss the transition to the new Doctor. It is sad but true that William Hartnell left Doctor Who due to bad health, but upon leaving he did say "If there is one man in England who can replace me as the Doctor it's Patrick Troughton!"

A considerable number of fans don't fully accept the fact that the Doctor died of old age. Theoretically Time Lords can live forever, barring accidents, and this incarnation was the youngest of all the Doctors. One theory is that the Daleks' Time Destructor shrunk the Doctor's lifespan and it was always going to lead up to this moment. Another is that Mondas plundered not only Earth's energy but the Doctor's as well, shrinking his lifespan even further.

One of the wonderful aspects of Doctor Who has always been it's ability to turn a weakness into a strength. When the show was originally conceived there was a never an intention to replace the leading character by giving him the ability to change his form. But what a wonderful way to ensure a series' legacy, by taking the weakness of an ailing leading man and turning it into the strength of allowing new blood to take over. Forty five years later in Doctor Who we take it for granted but just imagine how shocking and exciting this must have been when it aired.

The Tenth Planet is a truly wonderful story, it boasts, the first appearance of the Cybermen, some excellent characters, lines & cliffhangers, and of course the 'regeneration.' Hartnell will always have been the first Doctor. We wouldn't have the show without him. And at times he may have fluffed his lines, or taken too many holidays, but he helped put Doctor Who on the map; and for that he shall always have my gratitude. It  certainly is a shame to see Hartnell go, but I am very excited to see what Patrick Troughton will do with the role.

Join me next time for a new story The Power of The Daleks AND a new Doctor...

28: The Smugglers - A Loveable Swashbuckler With Ties To The Recent Episode 'Curse Of The Blackspot.'

Written By: Brian Hayles.

Companions: The Doctor, Polly & Ben Jackson.

Monsters/Villains: Pirates.

Brief Synopsis: The Doctor gets caught up in a seventeenth century treasure hunt.

Rating: 8/10.

Another corker! We've got a new crew with Polly and Ben, and although they don't particularly get to stretch their muscles in this first outing I am confident that they will become a productive part of the TARDIS dynamic. There's a lovely and poignant moment after Polly and Ben's shock of being trapped in another time and place has calmed when the Doctor says "And I thought I was going to be alone again."

The new TARDIS Crew.

Polly and Ben's initial reaction is to want to go home. After the Doctor explains the TARDIS and his inability to steer it, Polly is more open to accepting her fate whereas Ben refuses to acquiesce. 

The TARDIS trio meet Longfoot (Terence de Marney).

They've arrived on the shoreline in Cornwall in the 17th century. After some exploring the gang discover an old church and a man comes out brandishing a revolver. After some discourse he softens and offers the trio some brandy. We then get what now is an exciting name drop as the man, Longfoot, the church warden, questions whether the Doctor knows of Avery. The Doctor claims ignorance and asks if Longfoot is expecting Avery? To which he replies "he's been buried theses long years past. But his spirit rides and the dark souls of those who follow in his wake."

Hugh Bonneville as Captain Henry Avery in The Curse of the Black Spot.

For those who haven't been watching the new series; The Doctor, Amy and Rory recently arrived aboard the Good Ship Fancy in the episode The Curse of the Black Spot. The ship belonged to none other than infamous pirate Captain Henry Avery. Avery was played by Hugh Bonneville as a 17th century man turned space pirate. Although the programme doesn't explicitly connect the character with his historical namesake there is a clear likeness with that of the real life pirate Avery. The fictional Avery is depicted as having started his career in the Royal Navy before turning pirate, being dedicated to his wife and children, and having captured a great treasure from an Indian Mughal. It also provides a fictional aetiology for his supposed disappearance. Perhaps the character's legacy can be discovered here in the Doctor's past. Although Avery does not appear in The Smugglers he is mentioned repeatedly. Ironically Pike says Avery died a pauper, but one of the historical accounts of the real Henry Avery states that he famously retired with his loot, without being arrested or killed in battle.

A depiction of the real Avery.

Longfoot is clearly expecting danger and so passes on to the Doctor a 'secret worth remembering.' "This is dead man's secret key. Ringwood, Smallbeer and Gurney." As the Doctor, Ben and Polly leave for the village we see a man pulling a knife and entering the church.


Longfoot's body is discovered and the village inn keeper Jacob Kewper thinks the Doctor and his companions are responsible and sends for the Squire to act as magistrate. A pirate named Cherub arrives and the Doctor is kidnapped, tied up and taken away to face Captain Samuel Pike. Cherub batters Ben and passes over Polly. The Doctor is taken to the Black Albatross for an audience with Captain Pike (clearly a pun on Captain Hook). 

Michael Godfrey as Captain Pike.

We learn that Longfoot used to be a member of Avery's crew along with Cherub, and Pike. I know it obviously wasn't intended, but I enjoyed this story even more imagining Cherub, Pike and Longfoot as some of the courageous (Hugh Bonneville) Avery's crew who outlasted their captain and turned to the darker side of pirating. The Doctor's even heard of Avery the Pirate, unbeknownst at this point in his life that he will make him the man of legend he will become. 

George A Cooper as Cherub.

Before murdering Longfoot, Cherub saw him whispering to the Doctor. Pike believes that the Doctor holds the key to Avery's lost treasure. The Doctor gets around Pike by flattering him and calling him a gentleman and in asks for a reward in return of his secret, a share in the treasure. Meanwhile Ben and Polly are locked up, but the duo quickly use their historical advantage as Ben pretends to use voodoo magic on Tom, their guard in order to obtain their freedom.

Ben meets Blake (John Ringham).

On behalf of the crooked Squire, Kewper meets with Pike (who has left the Doctor aboard his ship) about selling him some smuggled materials. Ben and Polly meet Blake of the King's revenue (played beautifully by the returning John Ringham) who has been sent to find smugglers operating in the area and they procede to tie him up. Pike and the Squire are rumbled when Polly comes across their meeting and recognises Cherub. Pike, wanting to take the smuggled goods for himself captures Kewper and goes to meet the Squire. Ben discovers a route right to the TARDIS from the crypt. The Squire draws his gun on Ben, who is rescued by Blake, who forces Ben and Polly back to the inn but then frees them. He trusts them but not the Squire as he believes that he is possibly the head of the smuggling ring.


Under the watch of Jamaica (the pirate left to guard the Doctor) The Doctor offers to tell Kewper's fortune. Jamaica wants his fortune told but the Doctor drops the cards and Kewper clubs Jamaica on the back of the head enabling them to escape. When Pike returns to discover this he is angered at Jamaica and kills him in cold blood. 

Jamaica and Captain Pike.

Ben tells the Doctor about the route to the TARDIS but the Doctor says they cannot leave as he is responsible, he could be the reason for the destruction of the village. The squire and Kewper join together and plot to get the treasure. Meanwhile Blake goes in search of reinforcements.

Ben and Polly play the age old kids game of find the oldest grave stone, and as the laugh at some of the funny names on the headstones the Doctor grasps the puzzle left to him by Longfoot. The names are graves in the crypt that will lead them to the treasure. Just as they discover a secret entrance in the crypt, Kewper and the Squire enter in search of the treasure only to be killed and wounded respectively by Cherub, who has come to claim the treasure for himself. Then Pike shows up and fights and kills Cherub for his mutiny. The Doctor stalls just long enough, eventually even giving Pike the treasure before Blake arrives with his militia, who kill the pirates. Just as Pike is about to kill the Doctor, the still kicking Squire redeems himself by using his lapsing energy to distract Pike allowing Blake to shoot him dead.

The Doctor and Ben leave unnoticed finding Polly waiting for them at the TARDIS. The three enter, dematerialise and almost immediately arrive at what the Doctor says is the coldest place in the world. Oddly the trio appear to be able to feel the cold even though they're inside the TARDIS.

What a great story, the ties to Matt Smith's current series definitely enhanced my enjoyment of this tale, but it was marvelous regardless. Just one left to go now, Hartnell. I hope you're ready to go, I'm not sure if I'm ready for a new Doctor. Join me next time for the introduction of the Cybermen and William Hartnell's last story, The Tenth Planet.

27: The War Machines - The Doctor's First Step Into The Here & Now.

Written By: Ian Stuart Black & Kit Pedler.

Companions: The Doctor, Dodo Chaplet.

Monsters/Villains: WOTAN, War Machines.

Brief Synopsis: At the top of the Post Office Tower, super computer WOTAN brainwashes humans to build War Machines in order to take over the world.

Rating: 9/10.

Now this is more like it! This present day (for the time), pre internet scare story really blazes the trail for future Doctor Who to come. Set in London, 1966 the Doctor saves earth from a super computer called WOTAN (Will Operating Thought ANalogue) that creates War Machines in order to take over the world. The architectural centre piece of the story is the Post Office (now BT) Tower. I guess this must have been appealing at the time. If they made this story today it would probably be the Gherkin.

The journey continues with the Doctor and Dodo. The story kicks off with a great opening shot of the TARDIS materialising at Fitzroy Square, London which was shot from the top of the Centre Point building. This story's got some great comic touches, like in order to keep any unsuspecting Bobbies away from the TARDIS, the Doctor hangs up an "out of order" sign. We get some great first time moments that will recur frequently in the future. Like the Doctor's modesty when he's introduced as a computer expert, he replies, "I dabble." The Doctor being able to sense danger or certain alien life forms. His disregard for authority in the form of Sir Charles, whom he describes as "The official mind [who] can only take in so much at a time." It's almost an early version of the relationship the Doctor will have with the Brigadier.

In many ways The War Machines is very ahead of it's time. It's 1966 so it's obviously pre-internet. However, here we have a super computer, WOTAN, connected to other computers all over the world. It's creator Professor Brett, it's chief engineer Professor Krimpton and Major Green claim that WOTAN knows everything and can answer any question posed to it. It even knows what T.A.R.D.I.S stands for and sounds like the early connection noise for the internet.

A scale model of WOTAN.

We are then introduced to the fabulous twiggy-esque Polly, played beautifully by Anneke Wills. Dodo is thrilled to be back on her home world and her home city and wants to go to the hotest night spot in town. So suddenly we're transported to the Swinging Sixties club: The Inferno; where we also meet down on his luck sailor Ben Jackson played by the vigorous Michael Craze.

The Doctor getting complimented on his "fab gear," with Polly & Ben.

There's a press conference scene which really reminds me of Jon Pertwee Who. People are starting to feel oddly. Brett feels like he's being watched and Dodo feels sick. WOTAN takes control of Brett, Major Green, Dodo, and Krimpton. I was particularly impressed with John Cater as Professor Krimpton. The last to succumb to WOTAN, his portrayal of a man fighting for control was performed with elan. 

John Cater as Professor Krimpton.

Then we hit the one huge glaring mistake with this story, WOTAN has decided that the Doctor is it's only threat and so should be captured, controlled and made to lead the invasion. If it wasn't for this one glaring error I'd give The War Machines a 10/10. As we reach the end of the first episode WOTAN declares: "Doctor Who is required... bring him here." 

A War Machine.

It gets serious fast as Brett suggests that War Machines must be built immediately, and they must enlist 'Doctor Who.' For anyone who hasn't worked out what I'm driving at here. His name isn't Doctor Who, it's the Doctor. The Show is called Doctor Who. This problem is easily solved by adding a comma. "The Doctor, Who is required, bring him here." And if you don't like that explanation, you can always just ignore it. 

I'm not particularly well-versed in it myself but apparently this story is quite heavily influenced by The Avengers which ran from 1961-69. The swinging sixties which has been fairly absent thus far smashes it's way on to the screen in this episode. There's tons of location shooting, including a fair amount in Covent Garden; which is where I work. It was a real treat to see Hartnell walking down streets I walk down everyday. They even have a genuine Covent Garden tramp. Who after attempting to doss in an "abandoned" warehouse ends up dead and somehow on the front page of the newspaper hours later.

WOTAN tries to control the Doctor over the phone but fails, Dodo is ordered to bring the Doctor to WOTAN, but the Doctor, Who realises that she is being controlled hypnotises her in order to break her conditioning. Dodo then gets sent away to the country to recover, never to be seen again. What a shame! I love how everyone just thought she was so rubbish they just ditched her in a really brief and unsubtle way.

Major Green and other brainwashed workers.

The Doctor asks for Ben's help to reconnoiter the area where the homeless man was last seen, but he is discovered by the War Machine. Polly gets taken over too and helps the rest of the brainwashed to capture Ben. Brainwashed Polly orders that Ben is to kept alive and used for labour. However her conditioning is clearly starting to break as she sees Ben escaping and doesn't try to stop him. 


Ben gets back to the Doctor and tells him whats happening so Sir Charles calls a minister who gets the army involved. They're not quite UNIT but they're definitely laying the groundwork for their impending introduction. The army surround the Covent Garden warehouse but most are killed by the War Machine, with only a few men retreating. The soldiers guns won't fire. They seem to be magnetically jammed. It was only during this action sequence that I realised the near total lack of music throughout the story. This was apparently due to budgetary restrictions. It seems like all is lost as everyone takes cover from the War Machine, except the Doctor who slowly moves toward it. There's an odd moment of bad continuity for the "previously..." section of the last episode as not everyone is under cover. The Doctor survives as this particular War Machine is unfinished.

We then have another great first that will recur many times in the future in as far on as David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor. A television report. In this instance anchored by real life newsperson Kenneth Kendall. We also get a radio announcement. It's wonderful to see, this possible dystopia realised as the audience of the sixties would have experienced it through various medias.

Ken Kendall as himself.

The Doctor forms a plan to capture one of the War Machines. With the aid of Ben's bravery the Doctor creates a magnetic field around one neutralising it. The Doctor reprograms it to destroy WOTAN. He irresponsibly sends 'his' machine to take out WOTAN even though he knows Polly, Brett and Krimpton are there and might be in danger. Fortunately Ben goes to rescue Polly and manages to pull her from the room against her will before the re-programed war machine destroys WOTAN and Professor Krimpton in the process. With WOTAN's destruction all of the conditioning is broken.

By this point I have one question that has constantly niggled at me all the way through the whole of the story: Why is it pronounced VOTAN instead of WOTAN? Is it a German computer?

The Doctor leaves the scene in a hurry and back at the TARDIS he is just about to leave without Dodo; who we haven't seen since episode two when Polly and Ben show up with a message from Miss Chaplet, "She's feeling much better, she wants to stay here in London and she sends you her love." Ben and Polly bid their farewells - but at the last minute they go to give the Doctor back his key, and enter the TARDIS just as it dematerialises. I think we've got two new companions on our hands.

So long to the awful Dodo. Hello to the more promising Ben and Polly.

Aside from the terrible misjudging of the name of our protagonist, this has to be one of my favourite Hartnell stories. It's so much stronger than a lot of the other early stories, and although for most of Pertwee and a lot of Russell T Davis regime we were far too often earthbound it is a pleasant change for Hartnell to be defending the earth.

And that's the end or Season three. What a mad ride it's been. We met the Drahvins and the Rills, the Monoids, WOTAN and it's War Machines, the Celestial Toymaker, and once more the Meddling Monk and the Daleks. We went to ancient Greece, 16th Century France and the American Wild West. We lost 3 companions and gained 4. We saw just 17 out of 45 episodes with a whopping 28 missing ones. My favourite story from this season is this very story The War Machines, my least favourite is definitely The Celestial Toymaker. Out of a possible 100 I scored this season 65/100. Giving it an average score of 65/100. With just one point less than season 1, things are clearly back on track after a bumpy season 2. But can season 4 prevail in besting season 1 for the top spot?

Join me next time for the start of Season 4 and Hartnell's penultimate story The Smugglers. 

26: The Savages - A Genuine Moral Metaphor But Ultimately Forgettable.

Written By: Ian Stuart Black.

Companions: The Doctor, Steven Taylor & Dodo Chaplet.
Monsters/Villains: Jano, The Elders.
Brief Synopsis: The ruthless Elders are sucking the life force from the helpless Savages.
Rating: 7/10.

Maybe I was having an off day when I listened to The Savages but I was rather underwhelmed. I had read mainly good things about the story, and although I though it posed an interesting question it was ultimately forgettable. Having perused the internet for images, I have to say that the story fails to stand out as it lacks a strong visual hook. The Savages is the first story to have an overall title. I will miss each episode having an individual title, it must have always been a nice clue as to what was going to happen next week. With the current series of Doctor Who, I am so excited to discover what will happen in saturday's adventure, The Almost People. It must have been much the same for an audience back in 1966, except much bigger as there were only three channels to choose from. What an event it must have been each saturday!

I'm also sad to be saying goodbye to the wonderful Peter Purves. He has been such a strong figure in Doctor Who for a while at this point and although his departure is handled fittingly, it's a shame he goes out on a fairly unmemorable story.

The other contentious point in The Savages is that of 'blacking up.' The leader of the Elders, Jano, played by German born white actor Frederick Jaeger who blacked up for this role. Being a story that has none of it's episodes available in the archives, this issue obviously didn't bother me greatly. I don't think it's necessary to get into this one in great depth, the character didn't need to black, things were different back in the 1960's, it was an odd choice. 

However it's not all bad, we get the rather unusual choice to have the main players of the story not just knowing who the Doctor is but they've been expecting him. The Elders know of the Doctor, calling him 'The Traveller From Beyond Time'. They say they have watched his progress through Time and Space and awaited his arrival. The planet, run along similar lines to the Capitol, could be a Gallifreyan colony, similar to Minyos (Underworld), Dronid (Shada), or the planet of Mawdryn (Mawdryn Undead). 

When the Doctor arrives they offer him the position of high elder, and present Steven with a ceremonial dagger and Dodo with a diamond encrusted mirror (sexist presents?). I like the ironic statement Dodo gives, saying "the Doctor has no idea of time." The Elders claim to have granted all of their people greater energy, intellect and talent with just one simple discovery. They have discovered how to transfer the energy of life directly, like recharging their batteries. They do this by absorbing a special type of animal energy which turns out to be the life force of the Savages. They don't kill people, because they take their power from the living. The Elders use light guns which capture their prey and enables them to effect their movements like a puppeteer.

Once the Doctor learns of this barbaric process he commands them to stop. They take him to the laboratory to transfer him and take the Doctor's life force. Jano decides that he will take the doctors intransference. Steven and Dodo join with the Savages and rescue the Doctor. Jano starts to sound and behave like the Doctor.

Along with his life force, Jano received the Doctors conscience and wants to put an end to the evil that has been done. Jano smashes the control panel destroying all the machinery, ending the energy transference process forever. Steven elects to stay behind to help rebuild the civilisation. The Doctor and a tearful Dodo depart as the TARDIS Dematerialises.

It's odd that this story didn't grasp me. The music throughout is very atmospheric. It presents an interesting point. The Leader of the Elders Jano asks the Doctor, 'How can you condemn this great, artistic and scientific civilisation because of a few wretched savages?' In our society today there is a large part of the population who work in order to make the country a better place. They are poorer, less healthy and have fewer privileges, but the country and those closer to the top of the economical hierarchy would crumble without them. The Savages presents this dilemma at a critical and exaggerated level. Is it wrong to cause a few lower-class 'savages' to suffer (but not die) in order to maintain a "great, artistic and scientific civilisation?" The Savages (a story in which nobody dies) plays intelligent games with witless science fiction clichés and whilst not aspiring to greatness it does create an effective atmosphere. 

After some reflection I feel I have been quite harsh on this story, it did a lot and has a valid place in the Whoniverse.


Join me next time for a story that will define a whole new era of Doctor Who: The War Machines. 

As for the Hartnell era it's 26 down and 3 to go.

25: The Gunfighters - The Ballad Of The Last Chance Saloon.

Written by: Donald Cotton.

Companions: The Doctor, Steven Taylor, Dodo Chaplet.
Monsters/Villains: Johnny Ringo.

Brief Synopsis: Arriving in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881, the Doctor and his companions get caught up in the infamous gunfight at the O.K Corral.

Rating: 7/10.

Hello faithful blog-o-teers! I really quite enjoyed The Gunfighters and I thought what better way to express my feelings for it than through the medium of song. I herby present for your reading pleasure:

The Ballad of The Last Chance Saloon

We start off our story,

The Doctor, he got an ache.

His tooth is a hurting,

It's a pain he can't take.

The Tardis, it's arrived,

Where? I'll tell ya soon.

In Tombstone, Arizona,

At the Last Chance Saloon.

Steven and Dodo,

Wearing Cowboy clothes and hats,

The Doctor dons a Stetson,

Matt Smith just did that.

The crew meet some locals,

What a happy fortune.

Doc Holliday's the Dentist,

Near The Last Chance Saloon.

With no anesthetic,

Holliday takes the tooth.

A rap on the head or whisky,

That won't help! It's the truth!

It's Miss Dodo Dupont,

And Steven Regret,

It's Doctor Caligari,

They're the best names they can get.

The Doctor gets mistaken,

For Doc Holliday.

Then the Clanton Brothers gang,

Make Steven and Dodo sing and play.

Guess which song they choose?

You'll recognise this tune,

It's maybe getting old now.

Yes, The Last Chance Saloon.

To break up the hubbub,

In comes Wyatt Earp,

He arrests the Doctor,

The authority, he'll usurp.

The Clantons form a Lynch Mob.

Doc Holliday is their prey.

For killing their brother,

They sure will make him pay.

They're about to hang Steven,

He's going to his doom.

This is really meant for kids?

Yes! The Last Chance Saloon.

Johnny Ringo he's in Tombstone,

He too's after the Doc.

He murders poor Charlie,

The last tick of his clock.

The Clanton's come to rescue,

Their poor brother from the jail.

They kill Warren Earp,

Then they all turn tail.

Earps: Wyatt and Virgil,

'll send the Clantons to their Tomb.

They'll all have their shootout,

At The Last Chance Saloon.

Holliday joins the Earps,

The Clantons they get Ringo.

Thanks to Dodo's intervention

Holliday kills him dead as a dingo.

Then bang, bang, bang,

Three dead Clantons at high noon.

Once more, where did it go down?

Duh! The Last Chance Saloon!

Back in the Tardis,

A new planet or a city?

The Doctor knows where they are:

"An age of peace and prosperity!"

They've gone to the future.

But what an afternoon!

Neither of us will soon forget,

The Last Chance Saloon!
Ye-Hah!

I really couldn't agree more that this story is unfairly judged. I'm not hugely into Western stuff, but I still really enjoyed this one. Like a lot of early Who it's oddly violent in places. The Doctor certainly challenges Wyatt Earp's necessity for violence when it comes to law enforcement, but doesn't do a huge amount to stop it. The Sheriff asks the Doctor to go and speak to the Clantons and persuade them not to fight and to promise them a fair trial for killing Warren Earp. They refuse and the Doctor can do nothing but let history play out and see Ringo and the Clantons get killed. I can't help but feel like this isn't a battle of good triumphing over evil but merely rough justice. All of my problems in that vaine can be solved with the simple solution that they are attempting to show how things really were in the wild west in the 1880's.

After the TARDIS departs at the end of the story the Doctor gives a fairly bold statement, "I know where we are: The future. An age of peace and prosperity." Ironically the next story is titled The Savages.