Going Through Doctor Who (Spoilers all Eps aired on BBC/BBCA)

[rushy]

An Unearthly Child
The beginning of an era...

William Hartnell is a bit more active in this(being the introduction and all). I particularly liked some of his more Time Lord-y bits in the unaired pilot. He comes across as arrogant, absent-minded and very alien. Unlike later Doctors, we have no clue what this guy is thinking about or who he even represents. This mystery quality is one I favor.

Carole Ann Ford does a much better Susan here than in the Daleks. In the unaired pilot, I was shocked by how intelligent she appeared(as opposed to the personality they eventually went with). You could really see parts of the Doctor shining through her.

I liked Ian a lot more in this serial because 1) Very little visible cardigan and 2) He's far more realistic. Unlike the Daleks, he's not in charge, but is simply trying to survive. I like how calm he appears throughout the whole thing.

Barbara hasn't made much of an impact on me. She starts out sort of okay and then has a mental breakdown in the later part and that's pretty much it. I hope she gets some character development.

Overall plot: The last three episodes of the serial(read: all but the first) were useless. It started out great, with Ian and Barbara discovering the TARDIS(looking almost like Matt Smith's version in the unaired pilot and like an old piece of junk in the regular). But then the story degenerated into some stupid cavemen politics schtick. It was well acted(except when they make it look like a school play here and there) so I sort of got into it, but still worthless.

The first episode should've just kicked off the Daleks and continued from there. But I'm not one to complain... as the beginning of Doctor Who, it was pretty brilliant and mysterious.

I didn't mention this in the above review, but I do like the TARDIS console room. The furniture is a bit out of place(fitting much more in McGann's room), but it mostly looks okay. The console's pretty cool-looking for the 60s.

I will get back to Series 6 as soon as possible, but you can definitely expect some more Hartnell serial reviews in the near future.

[rushy]

The Edge Of Destruction
This one is just confusing...

It seems that the writers felt the need for some character development, so here comes Doctor Who's very first bottle show. The story itself is very simple: the TARDIS's rewind switch has gotten stuck, sending the ship back to the Big Bang(not explicitly, but probably). The crew have to figure out what's going on before the ship gets blown up.

Despite that simple premise that could've easily fitted into one solitary episode, we get a large amount of filler(mainly the Doctor and Susan being paranoid plus some nonsensical clues given by the TARDIS) which really drags it down. And it's only two episodes!!

On the plus side, the Doctor finally starts warming up to his companions and I'm really beginning to enjoy William Hartnell as the First Doctor. Man, was he awesome. When he's good, he's a grandfather role model. When he's evil, he drips with malignancy. Awesome.

William Russell(Ian) didn't have much to do in this episode except look confused, but his performance was fine as usual. I've even gotten used to that cardigan.

Barbara... just as weird as before. She's really creepy at the end when she looks into the distance. It's supposed to signify that she's insulted, but... still.

Susan was mostly okay, especially towards the end, but in the first episode, she acts completely OOC and starts threatening people with scissors... I mean, if she thinks Ian, Barbara and the Doctor are possessed, why doesn't she just ask who they are? Instead, she goes nuts. I don't like the way her character is written at all.

What I did love about this ep was that we got to see more of the TARDIS than we've seen in the new series, the Doctor's speech at the end and getting to know about the Heart of the TARDIS so early on. We even found out how the time rotor works.

I'm already halfway into series 6, so that WILL be the next review. See ya!

[cosmichobo]

The Edge of Destruction was created as a 2-parter specifically because at the time, Doctor Who had gone from basically a "yes, go make us 52 episodes - one for every week of the year", to "err well... This looks bloody expensive... Let's try 13 first". AUC (4), Daleks (7)...

There had also been some story ideas fall through... and the budget concerns... making this 2 parter fit the bill.

No one seems to quite remember WTF was going on, but one story is that during episode 1, the director told them to act like they were being possessed... Then in ep2, that was scrapped!

Yes... Odd, weird, but I like it... I think.

--

Oh - And, I just was reading over on doctorwhonews.com... Around the time of filming Edge, there was concern that the actors may be getting cold feet due to the shadow over the show's future (ie only 13 episodes guaranteed), and Barbara actress, Jacqueline Hill, for instance was considering a film role... all of which may have caused the actors to perhaps not "give their all"... (So the higher echelons were hassled into giving a firm commitment to at least 26 episodes, with maybe 39...)

[rushy]

The oldest question in the universe... doctor who?

It's a little difficult to come up with an opinion for Series 6. I'll just start with what I loved.
First of all, the running mystery was my favourite so far. The Doctor's deathdate was scary and the idea of him running from it(again) would've made material for more than one series.
The episodes weren't as interesting as usual though. I just can't put my finger on it, but everything felt different than Series 1-5. Perhaps more complicated. Too complicated. I could barely follow it at times, we just jumped from one place to another(Moffat has an obsession with paradoxes) so fast.

My head ached after every episode, I kid you not.

The Silence are a brilliant enemy species(finally we replace the Daleks). I thought the way people forgot them instantly after seeing them was really cool(where did they get a marker to count every time it happened?). I hated Madame Kovarian. In fact, she is the first villain I ever actively hated(usually I love them). Good writing, I suppose.

It was nice to see more of Ian McNeice(since I'm a big fan of him) as Winston Churchill. Especially when he became a Roman Emperor.

Matt Smith is absolutely dashing in his role as the Eleventh Doctor, always hyperactive and switching costumes. I haven't seen Patrick Troughton yet, but I can guess that this is supposed to be him on steroids.

Karen Gillan as Amy and Arthur Darvill as Rory are a lot more likable this season now that Amy is fully committed to her relationship and their baby. Rory is much more confident and has fully grown out of his proto-Mickey role. I do like the way the Doctor finally has a family(a much more believable one than the Tylers). The Pond Life episode made me cackle.

Craig from the Lodger was fun to see again. He's a really nice friend to have.

Steven Moffat brings the universe of Doctor Who to life in ways that have never been seen before(and we are finally done with the stuck-on-Earth-jinx) with aliens and technologies that aren't explained, making it very realistic. My second favourite moment was when the Doctor explained that the reason our lives can be weird is because time is being rewritten all around us(can't time travelers mess with the future for a change?)
And here comes my favourite moment: "Hello Dalek." Just so epic and creepy.

Now come the things I DISliked.
*The random prophecies that go nowhere. They sound good in theory but where did "A Good Man Goes To War" and "Tick-tock, Goes The Clock" originate from anyway? Who wrote the songs?
*Forgettable episodes. Unlike previous seasons, I really don't have any episodes I'd go back to and enjoy just for the sake of it other than the Almost People. Because I'd likely just hurt my head again. I wanna watch some straightforward Hartnell, damn it!
*Not enough GERONIMOOOO!!!!
*The Doctor obliterated several races and he's not feeling 'sorry, so sorry'? He sounds lighter, but I think he is or at least, is becoming a much darker Doctor than the Tenth.
*I've gotten more than used to the new TARDIS, but why can't we still see more of it?
*What was with the Apollo astronaut suits?
*And the point of Canton Edward Delaware the Third was...?

[cosmichobo]

*And the point of Canton Edward Delaware the Third was...?

Meh - pure and simple cross sci-fi-show gratuity...

But yes, the character is pointless. Both in his normal form, and his aged form.

But it meant I got to see Mark Sheppard live in the flesh here in Australia, as host of the WHO Symphony, so - I don't mind!

[Flyboy]

Meh - pure and simple cross sci-fi-show gratuity...

But yes, the character is pointless. Both in his normal form, and his aged form.

But it meant I got to see Mark Sheppard live in the flesh here in Australia, as host of the WHO Symphony, so - I don't mind!

... I really don't get that...

How was he a pointless character...? How can any character be pointless, even if they only have a small roll...

"Over 900 years of time and space and I've never met anyone who wasn't important..."

[cosmichobo]

I think it's just that he starts out with a lot of promise, but seems to be discarded along the way...

He's a Dibber...

[rushy]

It's really a shame that Marco Polo only exists as a recon. This is definitely the best serial I've seen so far(yes, better than the Daleks). The story flows nicely, the pacing is some of the best I've ever seen and it feels like a long and fulfilling journey(the Indiana Jones-esque maps + Marco's voiceover helped).

I loved the fact that the story had no alien influence in it whatsoever. The Doctor and his companions merely get caught up in the events of the past and spend the entire time working their way back out. Just what a proper historical should be like(not giant bees and invisible monsters).

My one complaint is that the Doctor is virtually non-existent in this story. I can see this incarnation prefers to work behind the scenes and here it's literal. He barely even showed up and when he did, it was usually in the background.

The main focus of the story is on Ian and Marco Polo. And that's not bad in itself since Ian is a very strong character and this story reinforces it tenfold. His heroism is believable and he's a great role model for kids.
Marco is presented very believably. He isn't exactly the most likable person and he never actually becomes friends with the crew, but you can see he's got big morals and tries to follow them to the best of his ability. He also represents the way people thought back then.

Tegana was a chilling, slippery villain. His picture should be in the dictionary next to the word insidious. If only I could've actually seen him act... great casting here. You just see him and you know, "that's a villain, man."

Susan had some character development here with a girl named Ping-Cho who was forced to marry an old guy. That was rather nice. She also became a bit braver and learned a few lessons about wandering off.

Barbara... still nothing.

Overall, I thought it was brilliantly done. It seemed a bit slow at times and the ending was very rushed, they sort of just got into the TARDIS after the final action scene and disappeared.

Despite what I said above about pacing, it seemed like a few episodes too long, just like the Daleks. However, this one never got boring.

[rushy]

P.S. In the original timeline, how did Tegana's assasination attempt on Kublai Khan play out?

[cosmichobo]

I must admit to never having watched this full recon... despite the allure of colour... though I did get through the 30 min terribly abridged version that's... on... one of the DVDs (I forget which - didn't even know I had it til someone told me).

Which is a shame, as I remember loving the novelisation when I was a kid!

Let's hope the latest rumours are true, and the story has been recovered... even a few episodes from it would be great... and of course, thanks to those colour telesnaps... We'd have the only real viable potential to see a Hartnell story in colour... Shame the other telesnaps weren't done in colour too.

(Actually, it's a shame they didn't make WHO in colour right from the start. Might have helped to sell it to the States... and potentially have averted the current missing episodes saga altogether, with more prints potentially out there to track down...)

[rushy]

I'm not sure about Hartnell in color. It just doesn't feel right.
However, I hope the rumors are true. Marco Polo just might be my favourite DW story so far.

Next on Going Through Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus

[rushy]

Despite creative writing and the varying stories, The Keys Of Marinus just doesn't have the same sense of adventure and progression that stories like Marco Polo can boast.

The story involves five keys that the crew has to gather all around the planet to reactivate a planet-managing AI. It's a very nicely thought out story that uses its sci-fi elements well, but still focuses more on the characters and simple predicaments(like 60s Doctor Who usually does). My favourite episode was the one where Ian was held on trial. It's a constantly reused story, but this one played out almost as well as an Agatha Christie novel.
The downside is that the serial wasn't very interesting. Most of the episodes bordered on being boring(with the exception of the last two) and the characters were all forgettable.

William Hartnell was top-notch in this, showing off his character's wide knowledge of technology as well as his intellect in something as simple as figuring out a crime. It's the best of him I've seen so far. I do wish we'd get a little insight into the Doctor's feelings. He's very secretive.

William Russell is a little too suspicious this time around as Ian, bordering on paranoia, but since he's correct every time, I guess I can write it off as instinct. And even paranoia would be expected after what he's been through. I like the show of continuity by having him wear his clothes from China.

Barbara has elevated herself to decent, which is good. Her motherly relationship with Susan is rather touching.

I really, really liked Susan in this serial. Her crybaby moments have been reduced to simple cuteness and while she's still not the Time Lady I'd like to see, she's doing just fine.

Overall, not bad, but could've been much better. I look forward to The Aztecs, known to be one of the best Hartnell serials, with glee.

[rushy]

Hey guys, little help?
I'm just watching the Aztecs and there's a scene where the Doctor says something like "not a healer. I'm a scientist, an engineer!"
Okay, how does that work with everything that's been said in the new series? You know, stuff like: "Before the war I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither, but I am still a doctor."
or
"Never cruel or cowardly. Never give up, never give in."
or
"Looks like you need a doctor."
Et cetera, et cetera. They keep hitting us with the fact that he's a healer, but here he says he's not a healer! If he made a promise as his FIRST self to never be cruel or cowardly, well, why is he frequently cruel and cowardly at the start? This wouldn't bug me so much, but Moffat says that he chose to be The Doctor in his first self. So how come he keeps going against his promise? Why did he even make it? Explain! EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN!!!!!

[The Flyattractor]

Doctor WHO and continuity ..... they don't MIX!

[Flyboy]

Hey guys, little help?
I'm just watching the Aztecs and there's a scene where the Doctor says something like "not a healer. I'm a scientist, an engineer!"
Okay, how does that work with everything that's been said in the new series? You know, stuff like: "Before the war I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither, but I am still a doctor."
or
"Never cruel or cowardly. Never give up, never give in."
or
"Looks like you need a doctor."
Et cetera, et cetera. They keep hitting us with the fact that he's a healer, but here he says he's not a healer! If he made a promise as his FIRST self to never be cruel or cowardly, well, why is he frequently cruel and cowardly at the start? This wouldn't bug me so much, but Moffat says that he chose to be The Doctor in his first self. So how come he keeps going against his promise? Why did he even make it? Explain! EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN!!!!!

Clearly, this is just my interpretation...

When stating those lines, it's always been when there's been a medical emergency. For much of the Classic series, the Doctor has always denied being 'that kind of doctor'. Just because he denies being a medical man, it doesn't make his promise null and void. At the end of the day, it's a totally different skill set - it would be reckless to go around claiming to be physician when he clearly wasn't one. It would appear that somewhere down the line, The Doctor picked up some medical qualifications - as certainly by The God Complex he's happy to be regarded as 'that kind' of Doctor.

I wouldn't say The First Doctor was ever cruel or cowardly. At times he may have been rude, or crotchety, or snippy... but he was always brave, and - bar one moment where he *nearly* killed a caveman he's never ever been cruel. I'd suggest that during that particular scene far more was going on in The Doctor's mind than we know...