"We're always in trouble! Isn't this extraordinary - it follows us everywhere!"
Episode 4: Marco Polo.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date: Seven episodes. 22nd February to 4th April 1964.
Arriving in Central Asia in 1289, the Doctor and his companions join the caravan of the famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo as it makes its way from the snowy heights of the Pamir Plateau, across the treacherous Gobi Desert and through the heart of imperial Cathay.
Unfortunately I have been unable to watch this story as I believe that it no longer exists except in isolated fragments and stills. Even so I have read numerous plot and story write ups about it on several different fan sites.
The story is the first to feature an actual historical character in this case the titular Marco Polo. As I have mentioned previously the show was supposed to be an educational tool not just a science fiction story. In this case it tries to show some backstop to the character of Marco Polo. Thankfully there aren't too many historical stories as I find in general those from this era tend to be overly long and in general not all that interesting. The show works better when it incorporates some horror or science fiction into the historical.
Not having been able to watch the story I can only go by what I have read of it. If I am honest I think I would have been quite bored with this one as it seems that nothing much actually happens. There is no real plot other than Polo taking the companions and the TARDIS to Cathay and interactions with the Mongols.
No comments:
Post a Comment