Writer: Terry Nation
Director: Richard Martin
Producer: Verity Lambert
Companions: Ian Chesterton (William Russell), Barbara Wallace (Jacqueline Hill), Vicki (Maureen O’Brienn), Steven Taylor (Peter Purves)
Season: 2, episode 8 (29-35)
Summary: After the events of “The Space Museum”, the Daleks have tracked down the Doctor. They place a device on the TARDIS so that no matter where or when the Doctor and his companions go, they will be right behind.
Review: This episode is a great example of the Hartnell era’s experimental nature. It’s the kind of story that I don’t think would work today. The Daleks are a different kind of villain today from what they were back then. They could get away with a more light-hearted story like this.
Terry Nation is back in the same mode he was when he wrote “The Keys of Marinus”. Like that story, this one has a more episodic feel, as if each part is meant to be separate and only loosely connected to the bigger story. The heroes travel from one place to the next, making it like a real chase across space and time.
Ian and Barbara are given most of the spotlight in this story, as it is their exit. Of the two, William Russell conveys the displeasure they both feel at having had no success in their attempts to return to their own time. I like how their departure is built up.
The story has a lot of goof-ups. Peter Purves actually plays two roles. In the third part, he plays a tourist from Alabama, with an atrocious Southern accent. We then see him in the final part as Steven Taylor. His introduction is very rushed, but I chalk that up to how crowded this story is overall.
Another funny moment occurs in the 5th part. The Daleks have a robot double of the Doctor, who is actually played by William Hartnell’s stunt double. At least, this is the way it’s supposed to work. But in closeup shots, we see that Hartnell has replaced his double because the crew realizes the double isn’t very convincing. They even dub over his voice, but it’s still a very funny sequence.
If you’re not someone who likes Doctor Who’s lighter side, I can’t recommend this. However, if you’re willing to accept the story in spite of its flaws, it can be entertaining.
Overall Review: 7/10
Trivia: Hartnell’s anger at Ian and Barbara’s departure is genuine. He’d become close friends with William Russell and Jacqueline Hill and didn’t want to see them leave. The Region 2 copy of this DVD is the only copy that has the stock footage of the Beatles. Before “The Stolen Earth”/”Journey’s End”, this was the story with the largest number of companions. (although Steven Taylor is more properly introduced in the next serial, “The Time Meddler)
Advertisements Share this:
