Crisis, What Crisis? Or... The Urge To Live

I rather enjoyed the 'reconstructed' episodes on the DVD release of this story even if it was a bit clumsy and hammy in places.  Lovely to see William Russell and Carole Ann Ford so enthusiastic and, uniquely for this story, still alive!

However, after watching the transmitted version of 'Crisis' there's no doubt in my mind that Donald Wilson's decision to edit them down was the right one.  The murder plot is long and dull and the telephone exchange scenes are just plain annoying.  Plus we're spared the trauma of the poor dead cat!  Wilson's reasoning in his letter seems odd though...

Unless he simply means that they'd have liked to have had more of the miniature scenes and a lot less of the others which is, of course, what he got after the edit.

Crisis

"PUT...US...THROUGH...TO...POLICE!"

The early scene (from the original part three, directed by Mervyn Pinfield) where Ian and Barbara drop down into the enormous sink is superbly done and utterly convincing.  So is the simple but highly effective notepad set...

This episode feels extremely slick and tight, no doubt as the result of being skillfully cut down from the two recorded episodes.  Most of the scenes involve the series' four regulars with the contributions from the guest cast reduced to the bare minimum.  This works for me as the Doctor and co grappling with huge telephones and matches is far more compelling that the murder sub-plot.

"There's nothing like a good fire is there?" says the Doctor, delightedly.

And returning to the superb TARDIS set at the end of the story still gives me a frisson of pleasure and excitement.

Next episode: World's End

(Squee)

Dangerous Journey

"Whatever killed those insects could easily kill us."

Now, given the erratic nature of my updates to this blog (was the last episode I watched for it really in February?) I don't want to make any grand proclamations about carrying on.  But I am.  Carrying on I mean.

It's rather good.  Anyone tuning in around five minutes in to this episode could easily be forgiven for thinking that they were watching 'Dixon of Dock Green', another Saturday night favourite, as Forester and Smithers discuss how to dispose of poor Farrow's body.  These are the first contemporary episodes of Dr Who since the very first, 'An Unearthly Child'.

The oversized sets continue to enchant; the drain pipe, the litmus paper and the spectacular sink.

The scene where Barbara has already touched the insecticide-covered wheat is beautifully played.  

"A reel of cotton... It's all so ridiculous Ian!"

The fabulous model fly is on screen for far too short a time.  (Oh look, our first GIF.)

It's ostensibly a very simple story, but one where the visuals give it great depth.

I love how the end titles play out over a shot of the slowly emptying sink.

Next episode: Crisis

(And they're not referring to the production.)

Planet Of Giants

"These things haven't been made bigger; we've been made smaller."

A new season and a very fresh feeling start, which is odd given that this story was recorded directly after 'The Reign of Terror'.  I confess that this is one of my favourite early Dr Who stories.  It's a concept I adore, it's by one of my favourite writers Louis Marks (who, I've just noticed, isn't credited in the above listing) and realised by one of my favourite directors, Mervyn Pinfield.  Both of whom may well deserve a column of their own.  It also features the first music for the series by Dudley Simpson (another column), fabulous design by Ray Cusick (one more) and some direction by Douglas Camfield (how long have you got?)

Right well, on with the motley.  The Doctor has a new cloak...

and the others are all back in sixties gear.  With the dialogue, the TARDIS doors opening in flight, and the exploding scanner screen we're straight back in the realms of the very first episode and 'The Edge of Destruction'.

Ray Cusick's sets are wonderful...

The confrontation between Forester and the smoking Farrow makes Dr Who suddenly feel very grown-up and contemporary.  And in a few lines of dialogue we have back story for both characters, one keen to get away and go sailing in France, the other desperate because he is about to go bust.

Ian survives his trip in the matchbox...

...but poor Farrow is not so lucky.

"That's not thunder, surely," says Susan.  And it wasn't.

As a child this shot would surely have given me nightmares. Fantastic. 

So, we have a very technically ambitious and well realised episode with a strong environmental theme.  Worth noting, because it's still a good five years before Barry Letts takes over.

Next episode: Dangerous Journey

The Return of DR. WHO

Where Is Who?

Prisoners of Conciergerie

"Funny, I get the impression they don't know where they're heading for."

Very perspicacious of you, Monsieur Lemaitre er.. Stirling.

Seeing Barbara and Ian dressed up as an inn keeper and a serving wench is a delight and instantly put me in mind of 'Allo 'Allo.  I half expected Rene to turn up at any moment.  Instead, it's Napoleon! Funny old day.

I like the scene at the end using, very effectively, a small part of the TARDIS set...

"Our Destiny is in the stars and we must go and search for it."

And so ends the first and wholly memorable season of Doctor Who.

As a child, and particularly after a historical story, the title of the next episode would have had me squirming with anticipation.  For six weeks as it turned out.

Next episode: Planet Of Giants

A Bargain of Necessity

"I flew here with three friends in a small box.
When I left England it was 1963."

Wonderful, wonderful stuff.  If all else fails, tell the truth.

Meanwhile, the Doctor is in his absolute element as he wholeheartedly enters into the schemes and machinations going on around him in order to manipulate people into doing what he wants. As Barbara observes to Ian, "He's dressed up like he's running the revolution.  From what I can gather half the people here take orders from him."

Barbara is visibly upset at the news of Leon's death and lashes out at the idea of taking sides,  "You check your history books, Ian, before you decide what people deserve."

Next episode: Prisoners of the Conciergerie*

*Yes, that is what is says on the caption!

The Tyrant Of France

"Death, always death..."

Yay, it's cartoon time!  I've always loved cartoons.

Yes, of course I'm sorry that the original episodes are missing, but these animated episodes are rather fun and, I suspect, somewhat moodier in appearance than the television versions.  Interesting too to see a very different style of animation to 'The Ice Warriors' and again to the sublime 'The Invasion'.

This image on the interweb confused me for a minute...

Until, of course, I remembered the telesnaps from the episode.  I've just watched the first five minutes of a telesnap reconstruction and it's very dull and clunky compared to the animation.  Still, it's good to see what Keith Anderson, the actor playing a rather haunted Robespierre, actually looked like.

More cartoons next week...

Next episode: A Bargain of Necessity

A Change Of Identity

"Did Webster give you a message for James Stirling or not?"

In which the Doctor goes shopping for a new set of clothes...

He's going up in the world too, choosing the insignia of a Regional Officer of the Provinces.  They're on 20th Century coat hangers, but we'll overlook that because of this exquisite colour photo.

The highlight of this episode for me is the rather flouncy, it has to be said, arrival of Mr. Meaker from Rentaghost.  In this story he seems to be called Leon.  Anyway, Edward Brayshaw is fab as always and livens things up considerably.  He certainly puts a spring in Barbara's step. Perhaps it's the tights.

I hope you're all impressed that I've resisted using the phrase 'gallows humour' through all this so far.  Bugger.

Apparently when it came to recording, the director Henric Hirsch had an attack of the vapours and so John Gorrie directed it instead using Hirsch's shooting schedule.  Coincidentally, I was struck by a marked improvement in picture quality for this episode on the DVD.

Anyway, next week get ready to meet....

Next episode: The Tyrant of France

Guests of Madame Guillotine

"You saved me, my boy, so I must rescue them."

I like this hand drawn map of Paris, we've got one on our wall here at home.  The freeze-frame of the guillotine behind the episode title is a bit grim, particularly when the film suddenly starts and it falls to the sound of cheers from the crowd...

The Conciergerie Prison set is great and poor Barbara is propositioned yet again!  How many times is that now since the start of the series? This time it is by the Jailor who does a mean Johhny Vegas impression forty years early.  He is promptly slapped, of course. Good old Barbara.

Oh, sorry, you're still worried about the Doctor, aren't you?  Don't worry, he's smoked, but alright after being rescued by the boy, John-Pierre...

"You're a very brave boy," says the Doctor.  Isn't he just.

William Russell is on holiday for two weeks during this episode and the following one, but you'd never know because look, here he is. 

The production office attempt something much more ambitious than covering for his absence in the script and instead record film inserts of him to be played in during the recordings.  I wonder if this extensive use of film reflects their growing confidence.

Talking of ambitious, get ready for a Doctor Who first.  Location filming!

Now I know it may not look like much, but it bolds very well for the future, and there's a seamless cut from the film to the Doctor in the studio.

Hartnell is fabulous in his scenes with the overseer of the work gang...

"You've come a long way."

"Yes, further than you would think."

With some relish, the Doctor belts the overseer over the head with his shovel, "Common fellow."  Fabulous stuff.

Next episode: A Change Of Identity

A Land Of Fear

"I have the universe to explore..."

Well, here we are...

True to his word, for once the Doctor looks like he's actually brought Ian and Barbara back to England in 1963.  Susan hugs the schoolteachers goodbye and they begin to speculate that they may actually be home. 

Unlike the close of the previous episode, there is a warmth and humour to this scene with Ian suggesting that they all part over a drink and Barbara dusting the old man's lapels, to his obvious delight. Despite everything, the characters have obviously grown very fond of each other.

I think this scene owes everything to new writer Dennis Spooner who will quickly become Dr Who's Script Editor.

"Mmm, still here...?" says the Doctor, brilliantly.

Fabulous.  As is this glimpse of some of the elements of that astonishing first TARDIS set.

I love the treasure chest in the house they find that offers up so much plot exposition: clothes that can be dated, maps, daggers, wine, bread and official documents....

"This is a stopping-off place; a link in some escape chain."

"The Doctor's put us down right in the middle of the French Revolution."

"The Reign of Terror...."

We are introduced to Rouvray and his companion D'Argenson who quickly fills in the horrors of the Terror.  The arrival of the soldiers to the sounds of the Marseillaise is really well done, although when Rouvray says, "You can give them uniforms, Lieutenant, but they remain peasants underneath," I'd probably have shot him myself.

Poor D'Argenson is shot off-camera.  I suppose it is half past five on a Saturday teatime.  That sort of thing would put you off your fish fingers.

Ian, Barbara and Susan are, literally, carted off to Paris.  Ian realises the implications of the Doctor being killed, something echoed years later by Donna in 'The Sontaran Strategem' when she too is marooned without him.

But where is the Doctor?

Oh-oh, Chungo!

Still at least the others are ok...

Ah.  It never reigns.....

Next episode: Guests of Madame Guillotine

'One day I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back.' William Hartnell's #desertislanddiscs: http://t.co/OrpJcDJF4v pic.twitter.com/Y1j0FgsrQ5
— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) January 31, 2015

Next episode: A Land Of Fear