The Unwilling Warriors

"I think that they're as afraid of us as we are of them."

Well, what did you think? I thought it was an extremely good second episode (ah, that difficult second episode) that really built on the first. This story so far really reminds me of 'An Unearthly Child', the very first episode of the series. It has a modern feel and gives us a lesson in chemistry from Ian and one on cats eyes from the Doctor.

Stephen Dartnell is great as John who, it turns out, is the ship's meteorologist and has discovered something the Sensorites would rather keep secret. It's very effective when he's with Barbara and Susan and looks upward, straight to camera, when he's communicating with the Sensorites (rather like Turlough and the Black Guardian years later) and I like the way their motivation is partly explained. It makes them curious and three dimensional. It's amusing the way John has the same unkempt scarecrow look as Richard Hammond and there's a great gag about there being nothing wrong with having white hair from the Doctor.

Based on these episodes, it's a great shame that there was never another story from Peter R. Newman who, from I what I can gather, seems to have committed suicide in the late sixties. Perhaps John's turmoil reflects his own struggle with depression in some way, I don't know.

There are a couple of cruel bits of dialogue for the actors. Of all the minerals that could have been found on the Sense-Sphere fancy giving William Hartnell molybdenum! Everyone's hearts must have been in their mouths the whole story. Equally harsh was requiring someone in a monster mask to say "a fearful affliction"! I had to rewind just to make out the line. Did you?

It's great when Ian says "Come on, Barbara, let's find them." Here we have the two teachers taking control of a situation and going monster hunting. The slow mime that Ian does when he encounters the Sensorites preserves their mystery even longer. I hate it when baddies cough up the plot on their first encounter. I'm really not sure whether 'The Unwilling Warriors' of the title are the humans on the ship, our friends from the TARDIS or the two Sensorites sent up to investigate.

Finally, the Sensorites enter the bridge,

Susan and the Doctor reveal telepathic abilities, and there's a glorious scene when the Doctor demands the lock to the TARDIS back from them. Here we are again, another physical barrier to their escape. The episode ending feels believable and a natural next step in the plot - Susan is to be taken to the planet below.

Next episode: Hidden Danger

Strangers in Space

"We must be careful. There's been some kind of catastrophe here."

So says the Doctor during a lovely opening scene in the TARDIS as our intrepid foursome review their past adventures and we hear about the Doctor's encounter with Henry VIII. "Do you know, he threw a parsons nose at me!" "What did you do?" asks Barbara. "Threw it back of course!" is the glorious reply. Here our travellers look relaxed and refreshed; some time has obviously elapsed since their hurried exit from Mexico and the Aztecs. They talk easily and warmly and you have the sense, really for the first time, that they have become friends.

I love new stories and first episodes and I really, really like this opening episode. It has menace and atmosphere and genuinely surprising moments. It's the first story ever to be set on a spaceship (not counting the TARDIS itself in 'Beyond the Sun') and the new setting is well utilised with bulkheads and corridors, vibrating control decks and near misses with the planet below.

This episode is directed by Mervyn Pinfield, the show's Associate Producer who was there because of his technical knowledge. He directs this brilliantly and my absolute favourite scene, amongst many, is when the camera literally follows the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara through the TARDIS doors and into the spaceship beyond. Genius.

The tone of the piece is not technological, as it might have been, but creepy and mysterious as we try to learn what has happened to the crew. And what exactly are the Sensorites? What do they look like, what do they want, and where are they?

The moment where the Sensorite eventually appears, not through an airlock as we might expect, but outside the spaceship's window with no spacesuit or other protection, is a genuinely surprising and frightening moment.

Next episode: The Unwilling Warriors

The Day of Darkness

"You couldn't save a civilisation, but you did save one man."

I have the same bitter-sweet feeling on reaching the end of The Aztecs as I did with Marco Polo. Some relief at being able to move on from a historical story, but regret at leaving such well drawn characters as Cameca, Autloc and Tlotoxl. All of these characters are still alive at the end of the story. Cameca's farewell to the Doctor is so moving, "Think of me, think of me." William Hartnell later acts beautifully in the scene in the tomb where the Doctor puts down what Cameca has given him, only to snatch it up again as he enters the TARDIS.

Autloc, delicately and intelligently portrayed by Keith Pyott, maintains his dignity throughout and effectively leaves the Aztecs to their fate as he begins his secular life in the wilderness.

And Tlotoxl finds himself in a stronger position than ever.

I was pleased that Ian had the presence of mind to scoop up the pulley that the Doctor makes to open the tomb; I wonder what the Aztecs would have made of it? Not being able to change history is the main tenet of the story and so, perhaps, they would just have seen it as a meaningless symbol of a false god, who knows?

This story is another example of all elements of the production coming together to make a wonderful whole. Costume, lighting, set design, music, writing, acting and direction all combine admirably. With hindsight, this is unsurprising when you look at the calibre of the people listed in the end credits.

If you've been watching the DVD as I have, do make a cup of tea and enjoy the extras. Barry Newberry is delightful, and insightful, and 'Remembering the Aztecs' is very revealing. Walter Randall, by his own admission, can't act and isn't very engaging, but John Ringham more than makes up for it and does a great turn as an experienced thesp. I most enjoyed lovely Ian Cullen who is engaging and positive and really 'gets' Dr Who. Recorded a few years before the astonishing revival of the series, his last comments prove very apt.

And so it's a rather sad goodbye to the Aztecs for us, but a very welcome one for the occupants of the TARDIS, who have rarely looked keener to escape a situation.

Now, for me at least, this is where it gets really interesting. I have a love for the earliest Dr Who stories which has, as I've mentioned before, resulted in a little overfamiliarity with them. This is no bad thing, but now I start to enter less well known territory. The next escapade is a science-fiction story which adds to the excitement. And, as I recall, it has one of the best opening episodes. I have a huge fondness for parts one of classic Dr Who stories which I shall explore with you as this blog progresses. Join me soon for,

Next episode: Strangers in Space

The Bride of Sacrifice

"In all humility, I beg you. Do not deceive me or prove false to me."

What a cracking episode. It brims with clever and dramatic dialogue, and there are some marvellously touching moments between Barbara and Autloc as we all come to realise that it is Tlotoxl who is the norm in Aztec society and Autloc the exception. Barbara is deflated by this and sad to deceive Autloc, but our four must do everything now to gain entrance to the tomb.

The Doctor does his bit by charming Cameca; a little too much as it turns out as he unwittingly becomes engaged. It's amusing to see him take this in his stride and even be prepared to use it to his advantage. Another hint of his alienness here, he is entirely focused on getting to the TARDIS with little thought for the sincerity of Cameca's feelings.

It's great to see the gloves come off between Barbara and Tlotoxl - she confesses to him alone that she is false and then dares him to face ruin by revealing her. He in turn tries, rather clumsily, to poison her.

At last there is an, albeit watery, tunnel into the tomb and we sense that everything is drawing to a climax in:

Next episode: The Day of Darkness