"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
