3.10: The War Machines
- 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)