Episode #129 : The Five Doctors

"A man is the sum of his memories. A Time Lord even more so."

Episode 129: The Five Doctors.
Companions: 1st Doctor, 2nd Doctor, 3rd Doctor, 4th Doctor, 5th Doctor, Susan, The Brigadier, Sarah Jane Smith, Romana, Tegan, and Turlough.
Air Date: 25th November 1983.

The Doctor's past incarnations are taken out of time by a forbidden time scoop device. The fourth Doctor becomes trapped in the vortex but the others find themselves, together with a number of their old companions, with the fifth Doctor and his companions in the Death Zone on their home planet Gallifrey. Here they face a Dalek, a Yeti, a quicksilver Raston Warrior Robot and numerous Cybermen. Also present is the Master, who has been summoned by the High Council of Time Lords to help the Doctor. It turns out that President Borusa is the mysterious operator of the time scoop. He aims to use the Doctors to breach the defences of the Dark Tower - Rassilon's tomb - so that he can enter there and claim immortality.

The Five Doctors was commissioned for the show's 20th anniversary and the BBC pulled out all the stops with this one. We get four out of the five Doctors taking part (the 4th Doctor and Romana get stuck in the time vortex for the duration of the story), cameo's by a Dalek and a Yeti, and the Cybermen with the Master as a major element of the story. Lots of Who elements and references, even spectral former companions, coupled with a fast punchy script makes this story just awesome for any fan of the show. There are so many references I could write a whole page just about them.

The interaction between the different incarnations of the Doctor are just awesome. You get a strong vibe that the different versions really don't like one another, and their banter comes off as a familial grieving which anyone with siblings can relate to.

By the time of the 20th anniversary William Hartnell had passed away so the role was given to Richard Hurndell who did such a good job as the 1st Doctor that I think he did better than Hartnell. Some may consider that heresy but that's how he comes across to me.

The 4th Doctor and Romana only appear in shots from the the unfinished Shada. Tom Baker felt that it was too soon since his departure from the show to make a return even for the anniversary episode. A great shame but four Doctors were enough really. had he taken part I wonder whether the script would have allowed enough screen time and dialogue for all of them.

I really cannot shout the praises of this story enough. If you haven't seen it hunt it down on DVD and watch it. I'm sure you will agree how good this one is.

Tegan: "You mean you're deliberately choosing to go on the run from your own people, in a rackety old TARDIS?"
Fifth Doctor: "Why not? After all, that's how it all started."

Episode #10 : The Dalek Invasion of Earth

"One day I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine."

 



Episode 10:    The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Six episodes. 21st November to 26th December 1964.

The TARDIS returns to London; however it's the 22nd century. With bodies in the river, and quiet in the docklands, the city is a very different place. The Daleks have invaded and it's up to the Doctor to thwart them once again.

Here we have the return of the Daleks and this time they have invaded and defeated the Earth. Their plan is to core out the planet, insert an engine of some kind and pilot it about the galaxy. Just where are they doing the nessecary mining for this? Bedfordshire. Since I live on the Bedfordshire border I find this rather amusing.

The story itself isn't a bad one and has enough pacing to keep the viewer interested. Since the characters get split up almost immediately you get a lot of scenes in different places across London, the countryside and at the mine site. All of which prevents the monotony of a lengthy story run.

The Dalek Invasion of Earth also sees the first time that we lose a companion. In this case, Susan. I would love to know the reasoning behind it at the BBC because I can't think of any reason for doing so. Shame too though because Susan is one of the characters I quite like from the early days of the show and now with Doctor Who in its modern incarnation I keep hoping that they will bring her back. She has reappeared once in The Five Doctors, but I would really like to see her make an appearence and perhaps be a companion again for a while.

This story was also turned into a cinematic movie as a sequal to Doctor Who and the Daleks, both films starring Peter Cushing. As with the first film adaptation I think the movie does a much better job of carrying the story than a six part serial manages.

On the DVD release of this story there is a rather cool option to either watch it with the original special effects or with new CGI that replaces the old style Dalek saucers with the design from the current series of the show.

Episode #9 : Planet of the Giants

"I wonder what sort of a world could produce an insect that size."

Episode 9:      Planet of the Giants.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Three episodes. 31st October to 14th November 1964.


The doors of the TARDIS open of their own accord just before it materialises, running out of control. On emerging, the travellers find the ship has been reduced in size and they are now only about an inch tall. As tiny people, they stumble across a plot by a ruthless businessman, Forester, and his misguided scientist colleague, Smithers, to launch a new insecticide, DN6 - a product so destructive that it would kill not only those insects harmful to agriculture but also those vital to it.


The thoroughly enjoyed watching this story. At three parts it was just the right length. It was also very well written both in plot and in interaction between the characters. At the actual story itself is a mixture of classic science fiction with the characters being shrunk and the dangers presented, and a plot relevant even more in the modern day; the impact of insecticides. In this case it is blended very well. Due to the science elements of the story Ian gets a chance to shine, much like Barbara did during The Aztecs.

One thing I find unusual is during one episode Barbara comes face to face with a "giant" fly. The model is animatronic (sort of) and looks very realistic. Jump forward to the 3rd Doctor story The Green Death and we have yet another giant fly but then the models effect is fairly poor. Just strikes me as odd as that an earlier story can pull of the effect better than a later one.

Episode #8 : The Reign of Terror

Our lives are important — at least to us — and as we see, so we learn... Our destiny is in the stars, so let's go and search for it.

Episode 8:     The Reign of Terror.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Six episodes. 8th August to 12th September 1964.

The TARDIS materialises not far from Paris in 1794 - one of the bloodiest years following the French Revolution of 1789. The travellers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up in the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling - alias Lemaitre, governor of the Conciergerie Prison.

The Reign of Terror is a story that I have not been able to watch thus far. I believe that some of the episodes are still missing, so I have resorted to reading through episode guides to put this one together.

Unfortunately I think that this is another historical story that is just a little too long. By the episode guides it feels that the writer tried to showhorn as much as he could about the French Revolution into this story. Hopefully, if I get the opportunity to watch this episode in the future I may change that mind set.

What sets this story apart from those that came before is that it is the first episode of Doctor Who to be filmed partially outside of a studio, with Buckinghamshire and the Isle of Wight doubling up for France.

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.

Episode #6 : The Aztecs

"You can't rewrite history. Not one line!"

Episode 6:     The Aztecs.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.

Air Date:        Four episodes. 23rd May to 13th June 1964.

The arrival of the TARDIS in 15th century Mexico leads the crew to the doomed Aztec people, a mixture of high culture and brutal savagery. Matters are further complicated when Barbara is mistaken for a god and the Doctor becomes engaged to be married.

Another reasonable historical tale dealing with a clash of cultures and mind sets. In this story we learn than Barbara is an expert on the Aztecs so we get some nice insight from her. Where this takes us is her idea of trying to prevent the downfall of their civilisation and it conflicting with the Doctor who warns her that she can't change history... not one line! This particular approach from the Doctor changes later on especially in the new series.

As much as this is watchable story it is let down somewhat by the pacing of the plot. There is a little too much going on around each character and things drag a little. Also I would guess that with The Aztecs we are looking at another attempt to use the show to teach history to children watching at home. Had the writers just worked this one as another time travel story it probably would have turned out better.

The best thing about this story is the focus on Barbara over the other characters. In The Aztecs Barbara comes across, even with the naivety of trying to alter established history, as a much stronger role model than the she has been before.

Episode #5 : The Keys of Marinus

 

"I don't believe that man was made to be controlled by machines. Machines can make laws, but they can not preserve justice. Only human beings can do that."

Episode 5:      The Keys of Marinus.

Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.

Air Date:        Six episodes. 11th April to 16th May 1964.

 

The TARDIS arrives on the planet Marinus on an island of glass surrounded by a sea of acid. The travellers are forced by the elderly Arbitan to retrieve four of the five operating keys to a machine called the Conscience of Marinus, of which he is the keeper. These have been hidden in different locations around the planet to prevent them falling into the hands of the evil Yartek and his Voord warriors, who plan to seize the machine and use its originally benevolent mind-influencing power for their own sinister purposes.

 

The Keys of Marinus is a really good story for the era. The story is well written and I think still holds up now though six parts might turn modern viewers off from watching it. One of the reasons why I think it works so well is not just the writing, but that each part takes place somewhere completely different thus preventing the viewer from getting bored of the same studio backdrop. Watching all these episodes of the show has proven to me that a constantly changing back drop does do a lot to keep each story interesting.

 

The story does have something of a flaw for me and that is in it's world continuity. To start with we are introduced to an island surrounded by a vast sea of extremely unpleasant acid but it is never explained how or why. Secondly we seem to be introduced to a culture that is reasonably advanced technologically, having invented a machine to prevent criminal or violent thoughts across the planet and prevents it being invaded by the warlike Voord. But as the story unfolds we find that the planet seems to have a simple 20th century style civilisation as well as medieval knights which are never explained. However I find that it does not detract from the enjoyment of the story.

 

The Keys of Marinus is certainly a story I would recommend to a modern viewer interested in watching the better stories of classic Doctor Who. Not just because of the entertainment factor but because again we have excellent interaction and communication between our characters. We have reached a point where the agitation and distrust that they started out with has gone and though they are trying to get back to 20th century Earth, the companions are enjoying their adventures through time and space.

 

 

Episode #4 : Marco Polo

 

"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.

Episode #3 : The Edge of Destruction

"As we learn about each other, so we learn about ourselves."

Episode 3:     The Edge of Destruction.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Two episodes. 8th February to 15th February 1964.

The Doctor, while attempting to correct the TARDIS's faulty navigation circuits, causes a small explosion. The Doctor, Barbara, Ian and Susan are all temporarily rendered unconscious. After they awake, Ian and Susan appear to have slight cases of amnesia and everyone begins to act strangely. Unexpected events are happening in the TARDIS, the travellers are becoming suspicious of each other's motives, and the Doctor even accuses Ian and Barbara of sabotage.

The Edge of Destruction is the first story to be set entirely inside the TARDIS and featuring only the main characters. Through that medium we get to understand the characters a little more as they interact with one another and the crisis growing around them. For example, by the end of this story we have the Doctor go from the grumpy, paranoid grandfather to someone who realises what he has been like and now cares for and respects his new companions.

The story is essentially that the TARDIS seems to be breaking down around the characters and slowly time seems to be running out for them. The cause is eventually explained as the fast return switch has become stuck and is sending them into the explosive birth of a new star system. You also get more hints that the TARDIS is alive and aware due to this.

It is nice to have a short story in this era of overly lengthy ones. The acting seems a little off but I wonder whether that it is true or it is party of the story that isn't quite revealed. After all, some of the characters do go a little crazy during the events around them. But sometimes a spot of bad acting helps with the enjoyment.

Episode #2 : The Daleks

"I never fight against the inevitable, it's a vain occupation. But I would advise you to reconsider what you consider to be inevitable. It is amazing how often apparent defeat can be turned into victory."

Episode 2:     The Daleks.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Seven episodes. 21st December 1963 to 1st february 1964.

The TARDIS lands on Skaro, a seemingly dead world with high levels of radiation. Seeing a deserted city, the Doctor deliberately sabotages his TARDIS in order to force Ian, Barbara and Susan to explore further. But the city is not as dead as it first appears. The TARDIS crew are captured by sinister metal creatures that silently glide through the corridors and walkways - Daleks!

A fairly lengthy story that was also turned into a popular movie of the 1960's starting Peter Cushing in the title role. It is a shame that the movie actually does a better job of telling this story in 90 minutes than the seven episodes presented here do.

This is the story that first introduces us to the Doctor's archetypal villains, the Daleks. There are some differences in this story the Daleks of later ones. For example, in this story the Daleks can only move on metal using static electricity something they must have learnt to overcome. Either that or the Daleks presented here were of a type no longer used and abandoned on Skaro. The other thing is that rather than exterminate people the Daleks use a type of weapon that paralyses the legs of the target.

As a story goes it isn't a bad one and thrusts the show firmly into the science fiction genre rather than the historical which was what I understand the show to have originally been (to teach children I suppose). A move that has done the show very well over the last fifty years. But with all that I find that the story doesn't lend itself well to seven episodes (just over three hours!) and this is something that haunts the show in my opinion for a good deal of the early episodes.

Episode #1 : An Unearthly Child

"Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you?... to be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet, without friends or protection. But one day we shall get back. Yes, one day. One day."

Episode 1:      An Unearthly Child.
Companions: The 1st Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
Air Date:        Four episodes. 23rd November to 14th December 1963.

Schoolteachers Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton are intrigued by one of their pupils, Susan Foreman. They visit her home address - a junkyard at 76 Totter's Lane. There they meet her grandfather, the Doctor. The Doctor and Susan are aliens who travel through time and space in their ship, the TARDIS. It looks like an ordinary police box but actually houses a huge, gleaming control room. The TARDIS takes them all to a Palaeolithic landscape where they encounter a tribe who have lost the secret of fire.

I first saw this story way back in about 1982/83 and then again a couple years ago. In both instances I wasn't much impressed. However rewatching it in preperation for doing this write up I found that my opinion had largely changed. Especially in regards to the first part of the story which has a great introduction to the characters and has some fantastic dialogue between them which makes up for some of the shortfalls in the story itself.

Unfortunately despite such a great first part, the story declines as it goes along into a standard set of rotes. The characters encounter cavepeople, get captured, escape, get captured again and so on. It feels like writer had some good ideas to start with but then had to pad out a further three episodes.

The best thing about this story other than the character interaction is the set ups for what would become standard canon in the show. Specifically that the Doctor and Susan are exiled or far from their home planet/time, and that the TARDIS is somehow alive. All things that would get explained or padded out as the show goes along.

The characters of Susan, Ian and Barbara are immediately very likeable. The Doctor on the other hand is far from. He is portrayed as a grumby, almost arrogant, figure far from what he would eventually become. In fact at one point in the story he seems quite willing to commit murder on a wounded caveman in order for everyone to escape back to the TARDIS. Very different again from what he would become but I suppose given the situation (he's no temporal adventurer yet) it makes some small sense.