Episode #7 : The Sensorites

"It all started out as a mild curiosity in the junkyard, and now it's turned out to be quite a great spirit of adventure."

Episode 7:     The Sensorites.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Six episodes. 20th June to 1st August 1964.

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan arrive in the TARDIS on board a spaceship. Their initial concern is for the ship's human crew, who are suffering from telepathic interference from the Sensorites, but Susan communicates with the Sensorites and finds the aliens fear an attack by the humans and are just defending themselves. Travelling to the Sense Sphere (the Sensorites' planet) the Doctor seeks to cure an illness the Sensorites and Ian have succumbed to, but finds it has been caused by deliberate poisoning.

The Sensorites is a very good story with a well written plot. Like a lot of science fiction it revolves around a familiar story. In this case it is human greed, desiring to capture a planet to mine it for a rare mineral. Coupled with some political intrigue among the Sensorites and you have a rather good tale. Also, as a story that has plenty of sceneary changes it doesn't get too dull.

The only problem I have with this story is the length of it. Six episodes is just a little too long. As much as I enjoyed it, it could have easily been dropped down to a four part and the story would have benefited for it.

As a nod back to this story, later on in the modern incarnation of the show it appears that the Ood Sphere is in the same solar system as the Sense Sphere, or at least the systems are in close proximity.