3.10: The War Machines

January 05, 2014 by Ronald Hayden

Doctor: William Hartnell
Companions: Dodo Chaplet, Ben, Polly
Creators: Innes Lloyd (Producer), Michael Ferguson (Director), Ian Stuart Black (Writer)
Season 3

What's the rating?

Must See.

What's interesting about it?

The story is inspired by the recently completed (from the 1966 point of view) post office tower in London, which is rather a monster in its own right.

I recommend, before you watch the story itself, that you watch the seven minute special on the DVD, "One Foot in the Past", which provides some interesting background on the tower that will enrich the story without spoiling anything.

The story is a pretty interesting take on the long-standing fear of what would happen if computers were linked together and decided to take over the world. The result is WOTAN, an early version of SkyNet, and WOTAN builds an army of robots that seems like another attempt to replicate the success of the Daleks. I don't think these robots ever returned to the series, but they seem very practical and personally I think they'd kick the ass of the pepper pots...

Ultimately this is a retelling of The Dalek Invasion of Earth, what with robot-like machines taking over by turning humans into unwilling puppets (without the silly helmets this time). While the story provides an excellent sense of menace and dread and is worthwhile, it can't quite touch the original.

In particular, they really drop the ball on the departure of a companion. In Dalek Invasion the best scene is the final one where we endure the heart-rending departure of the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan. Here, Dodo simply disappears in the middle of the story, never to return; it's considered possibly the most heartless ejection of a companion in the series. She does at least get some of her most interesting moments before vanishing, so it's not a total loss for actress Jackie Lane.

If you watch TV and game shows from the 60s, there's often a sudden and sometimes shocking change in clothing and attitude at the point where the producers decide they can no longer pretend it's still the 50s and that the world isn't changing dramatically. It's time to "get with it" or risk losing the youth audience. And so this is the story where Doctor Who gets groovy.

Out with the boring old companion and hair...

And in with the hip new kids who know how to dance and wear "fab gear".

Doctor Who is no longer square, you got it, Daddy-O?

How has your opinion changed?

I originally rated this as Worth Watching, but on a third viewing of the story I found that this is one that really moves. The story gets going, has interesting elements and good character actors, and leads to a satisfying conclusion (except for how they handled Dodo's departure). Combined with the departure of one companion and the addition of two others, I'm now calling it a Must See.

What are others saying?

The writer of this story incurs the wrath of the fans (and me!) by lazily and repeatedly having characters refer to "Doctor Who", as well as by the unfortunate nature of Dodo's departure (though not many like her character anyway).

Doctor Who: The Writer's Room podcast #10
Wife in Space (score: 6/10)

Where can I get it?

3.9: The Savages

December 22, 2013 by Ronald Hayden

What's the rating?

Wiped.

What's interesting about it?

The departure of Steven, apparently to the surprise of all, including actor Peter Purves, who would go on to be a member of the Blue Peter crew. Steven is left to be the benevolent ruler of a planet, somewhat against his will. In an interview, Purves says he always thought the show should return to the planet sometime to discover he'd become a despot. No one has taken him up on this.

3.8: The Gunfighters

December 21, 2013 by Ronald Hayden

Doctor: William Hartnell
Companions: Steven Taylor, Dodo Chaplet
Creators: John Wiles (Producer), Rex Tucker (Director), Donald Cotton (Writer)
Season 3

What's the rating?

Worth Watching.

What's interesting about it?

It's Doctor Who. It's a Western. It's a joke.

They have fun. They have terrible American accents. They recreate the shootout at the O.K. Corral.

You really don't have a choice but to check it out, am I right?

What are others saying?

This story has been loathed by fans for decades as one of the worst ever, with a swing more recently to reconsidering it as a potential classic. The key is realizing that the story isn't intended to be taken seriously. Probably the most controversial element is the almost constant song that is sung throughout the story, with the lyrics narrating the events in real-time; it's experimental and interesting, though also overdone.

However, if you watch the outstanding movie High Noon, you'll see/hear the inspiration for the song. It's not just an experimental blot -- the song that is thread throughout The Gunfighters is a clear reference to other Westerns.

This is one where you have no choice but to make up your own mind!

Where can I get it?

3.7: The Celestial Toymaker

December 10, 2013 by Ronald Hayden

What's the rating?

Wiped.

What's interesting about it?

Apparently pretty bad, and racist at that. No one seems to be crying over the loss of this one, at least these days. For a long time it was considered a classic; this story and The Gunfighters have switched places in that regard, it seems...

Also the beginning of the inevitable end for the first Doctor. The producer so disliked William Hartnell, and his progressive illness was interfering enough, that they actually made him invisible and took away his voice for this episode. Not satisfied with that, they contemplated, as part of the story, having the Toymaker magically change his appearance so he could be played by another actor.

Which, after all, is basically what they do a few stories later, but thankfully we got a couple more interesting Hartnell outings before that occurred.

What are others saying?

Wife in Space (score: 0/10)

3.6: The Ark

December 10, 2013 by Ronald Hayden

Doctor: William Hartnell
Companions: Steven Taylor, Dodo Chaplet
Creators: John Wiles (Producer), Paul Erickson & Lesley Scott (Writers), Michael Imison (Director)
Season 3

What's the rating?

Worth Watching.

What's interesting about it?

Yes, finally, this is the first of the season that wasn't wiped.

It's not a great story, but the many and varied pieces seem to form a stew of something that's more interesting than it should be, with many surprises.

I suggest watching the story with the idea that it's a retelling of The Sensorites. There are many similarities: aliens with wacky feet; a virus is killing everyone and strikes at the male lead, Steven (as happened to Ian previously); The Doctor has to find a cure so he plays around with some test tubes (differently sized and colored than before, I think)...and after a mere two episodes, having saved everyone our time travelers are back to the TARDIS and gone....

...to find themselves returned to the same location 700 years later, where they get to see the results of their previous influence, something that's never occurred before. And the similarities to The Sensorites continue, with numbered aliens in a strict hierarchical relationship and doors that open at a wave.

The story is almost too strange to recount here, and in any case it's better to be surprised.

The "Riverside Story" special feature is worth watching for a view into how studio space worked at the BBC, and the challenges of producing a story like The Ark.