Story #2 - The Daleks (1963-64)

Harry -
Nice to see this story start off by showing the main characters settling into a kind of accepted domesticity. All four leads exchange bits of conversation with each other, and look at that happy scene around the food machine. Did the TARDIS perfect a way of making tofu taste like anything? This is the future still to come and I await it eagerly!


Sarah -
So much is packed into this first episode that it's almost overwhelming. The Doctor serves a tasty meal, to the delight of all, and we get to explore our first truly alien world!


Harry -
The first episode really ambles along before the TARDIS crew finally reach the mysterious abandoned city. I love the minimalist architecture and crazy angles.


Sarah -
Honestly, how wonderful are the sets in this entire story? First the jungle with its petrified flora and fauna. I could almost feel the humidity -- although Barbara's rumpled hair probably helped with that. That first walk through the jungle is so creepy.

The big story, of course, is The Doctor's deception -- the old "Oops, the fluid link is broken" ploy. At last, a reason to visit the mysterious city!

And what a city is. LOVE the sloped Dalek-sized doorways that force our travelers to stoop their way through the city. It all feel so cramped and stale after the wonders of the jungle. (Plus, Pac-Man makes a guest appearance -- maybe those ghosts were Daleks in disguise?) Barbara losing her way in the city is disconcerting and my heart beats faster, knowing what's coming.


Harry -
Yes, one of the epochal moments of Doctor Who... the plunger!


Sarah -
Can we just agree now that Barbara faced with the plunger is the lasting image of this story? What a moment.


Harry -
Agreed.

What a fantastic cliffhanger, made effective by showing Barbara reacting to something we cannot see. She screams with gusto. This thing, it must be terrible. And then to have to wait an entire week to see it, what a build up.

And what a reveal. The Daleks are a brilliant piece of design, affirmed by the fact that no similar SF monster of that size and shape immediately springs to mind. They have never been ripped off, they have always stood alone. No wonder they seized the imaginations of the viewing public, and became as iconic as the TARDIS itself.


Sarah -
And it was all new! They had no idea they were creating iconography, which makes it even more brilliant. 10/10 for episode one!


Harry -
You could see from the very beginning that Doctor Who was both a forward looking show, and a show that didn't give two figs about looking forward.

In the previous story, it was correctly envisioned that Great Britain would switch to a decimal-based currency. In this story: the cheeky Pac-Man cameo, decades before his time!

In hindsight, you have to regret those plungers, just a little, no? On the DVD featurette, one of the original designers mentions that the Daleks were supposed to be equipped both with blasters and a kind of pincer device. They did well with the blasters, but the pincers didn't quite make it. Instead, the budget restricted the designers to equipping the Daleks with toilet cleaners. Imagine the scene:

"What's this?"

"The new design for the pepperpot monsters."

"They've been given the name 'Daleks.'"

"Right guv."

"Er, is that a..."

"...Plunger, yes. It's all we could afford in shop."

"Well, I guess it will do. After all, fifty years from now, who the blazes will even remember this show..."

"Pub?"

"Pub."


Sarah -
The poor designers! Still, they made do, and plungers have proven to be surprisingly versatile.

The Daleks willingness to cut deals is interesting, even if they plan to renege. They're cunning and duplicitous, but not quite the exterminating megalomaniacs we've come to know and love. My favorite Dalek moment is the realization, "We do not have to adapt to the environment. We will change the environment to suit us." This evolutionary leap in Dalek thinking will take us on so many adventures -- if they can only make it out of that city!


Harry -
The Thals are a bit silly in comparison. A bunch of blond fellows in sleeveless tops and leather pants might sound appealing, but I can't get past those bizarre wraparound capes. They look like a cross between Flash Gordon and Mutant Ninja Turtles. Their pacifist nature is admirable -- perhaps borne out of their sheer woodenness -- but an obvious counterpoint to the nasties back in the city.


Sarah -
We're not the first to acknowledge that the Daleks are so much more interesting and fun than the Thals in their Buck Rogers' costumes. Good grief, could these people be any more tedious? I was ready to shoot Temmosus myself after his speech in the Dalek City. Perhaps Ian felt the same way and that explains why he waited until the speech was over to warn Temmosus about the Daleks.

It's entertaining to contemplate the mutations that resulted in the Thals' wacky fashion sense. Hardly the most practical clothing for farmers, but it gets Susan's attention. I could almost hear Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing" in the background as Susan ogled Alydon. Speaking of Susan, her swings from Time Lady to hormonal teenager are exhausting. I'm willing to put it down to the times, but it's irritating to watch her scream and faint moments after demonstrating her brilliance.

The Doctor and Ian's alpha dog battle carries on, but their debate about involving the Thals in their scheme to recover the fluid link is enlightening. I especially appreciated William Russell's performance when he goads the Thals. He clearly doesn't want to be doing it, but is willing to go along with the charade, even if it means a sock to the jaw. Favorite line from this episode: "This is no time for morals!" Can you picture any other Doctor saying that?


Harry -
Crazy dialogue, as the Doctor's character still takes shape.

By the end of episode four, the TARDIS crew have fashioned a brilliant escape from the Daleks and fled the city. Who would have thought that the lone piece of abstract art in the entire place would have ended up being used to wreck the Dalek lift? That'll learn em!


Sarah -
No one said art was safe!

The character who really emerged for me in this story is Barbara. Despite the obligatory screams, she has so many strong moments -- facing the Daleks alone, fighting radiation sickness, urging the Thals to fight, rocking the Thal trousers like nobody's business -- and then there are the men in her life. The relationship between Ian and Barbara can be so touching in its formality. They're a walking ad for "No sex please, we're British," which makes their moments of connection so poignant. When she states that there's nothing to rely on, Ian responds, "There's me." Ian crushes Susan's flower when Barbara screams and rushes to her side. When he catches her after jumping the crevasse, they both look so embarrassed by the intimacy of their situation -- which is only complicated by the presence of Ganatus.

The developing relationship between Barbara and Ganatus is unexpected, but perfect for a woman freed for the first time of all the baggage of her life on Earth. The moment when Ganatus asks if she always does what Ian says and Barbara replies, "No. No, I don't." is like a personal revolution. I love when she kisses him goodbye -- so forward for a proper schoolteacher.


Harry -
I don't think Barbara ever kisses Ian. Onscreen that is.  But there’s a fanfic for that…

This story could have been a tidy four-parter. If this was a later-era Who story -- especially from the 80s -- I could see the Thals being slaughtered without a second thought as our heroes made their escape.

Instead, compassion for the Thals keeps the story going. That, and the fact that the TARDIS crew must go back for the fluid link.

I'm not sure how to take the final three episodes. They weren't what I was expecting, all that slow-moving spelunking action. Meanwhile the Doctor and Susan are captured and shackled almost immediately, forced to await rescue for the longest time. This to me is the weaker side of "The Daleks," which I still rank highly because of its epochal status. Was there more to these episodes than I'm giving them credit for?


Sarah -
I don't think there was.

Back to that crevasse. Suns of Gallifrey, that scene nearly killed me. Have I ever mentioned my fear of heights? Thanks to this scene, you get to hear all about it. My palms were sweating up a storm as each of them jumped -- and I've seen this before and knew how it would end! Such effective storytelling. I've always dealt with the scorn of non-fans by explaining that it's about story, not effects. This scene makes the case perfectly. Brilliant!

Do you think Ganatus and Co. were cheesed to arrive in the city right after Alydon and Co.? Could have saved themselves loads of trouble and a couple corpses. And you knew those corpses were coming -- they might as well have been wearing red shirts. (Yeah, yeah, I know I'm mixing universes -- deal with it.) At least Antodus got to be a hero; Elyon¡'s gurgling scream was chilling.

If I'm not mistaken, the final episode gives us our first proper running through corridors as they make their way through the Dalek City. Hooray!


Harry -
Run away!


Sarah -
What the heck are the Daleks chanting in episode six? It seems that they're all shouting the same thing, but not at the same time. And, why are there beds in the Dalek prison?


Harry -
I think the Dalek actors all started shouting at once and the result was unsynchronized garble.


Sarah -
At last, our travelers take off, only to suffer another case of "Oh, what now!" On to our next adventure!


Harry -
Lasting image - Babs & the Plunger.

Favourite moment - the same.

Best line - "Exterminate them." MWA HA HA HA!

Final rankings? I give this one 8/10 because it sagged a bit in the second half, costing it a point.


Sarah - The first four episodes are killer, but the final three knock it down a bit -- 8/10!

Our marathon continues with Story #3 - The Edge of Destruction...

Story #1 - An Unearthly Child (1963)

Harry -
Let's get this out of the way now: Squeee!

The lasting image I have of this story is the very first one: that Bobby moving through the fog, having a look 'round outside I.M. Foreman Scrap Merchant's place. Bobby moves on, the door suddenly swings open, and reveals... the TARDIS.

Squeee!

This is almost like two separate stories, or a prologue and three-part follow-up. What did you think of the first episode?


Sarah -
The opening sequence makes me positively giddy. Seeing the TARDIS for the "first" time is always magical.

I agree; it is two separate stories. In retrospect, it's impressive how much the first episode sets the tone for the rest of the series. As we've discussed, I never saw any of Hartnell's stories back in the public television days, so the First Doctor was actually my last Doctor. I was only able to catch up on the First Doctor when the stories were issued on DVD, so these are still the freshest for me.

We start with Barbara and Ian, the first of many Earthly companions. I remember being surprised by how much I liked them from the beginning. They're both so wonderfully contemporary yet modern -- intelligent, attractive, caring, and oh so curious. Plus, they seem like great teachers. It's not just curiosity that lead them to that junk yard.

Susan is a delightful mix of teenager and alien. One of my favorite moments is when she's rocking out to John Smith and the Common Men, which allows Ian the chance to play the hep cat teacher. The sequences where she squirms before the camera while demanding that D & E be accounted for made me feel like I was back in Freshman Algebra, confused, uncomfortable, and, unfortunately, not brilliant.

But, The Doctor, Oh, The Doctor! How magnificent is Hartnell? Swinging back and forth -- charming, angry, confused, terrifying. His simple, "No" when he refuses to let Barbara and Ian go is chilling.


Harry -
My first exposure to Hartnell's Doctor was in the early 90s on a Canadian network called YTV. Brilliant programming, but horrible scheduling. I remember having to creep downstairs in the early hours of the morning to watch. Sadly, it didn't last long and the network abruptly pulled the plug on Who. I actually wrote an outraged letter!

Speaking of outrage, how would you feel if a couple of your high school teachers followed you home for a stakeout? Holy...

If someone was watching this story for the very first time, they might mistake Hartnell for the villain of the piece. He's mysterious and elusive. He condescends, he mocks. Then he kidnaps Ian and Barbara. Where does this old bastard get off?!


Sarah -
The initial TARDIS travel montage is wonderfully disorienting. One thing I love about this story is how much of it is told in closeups. There's a perfect claustrophobic feeling to the storytelling. As a viewer, I almost feel trapped.

Every single time I hear the Doctor Who theme, I feel a chill down my spine -- but even more so when it's the very first time!


Harry -
The extended TARDIS takeoff sequence is brilliant. And I agree the direction is excellent. It consistently feels as if we are watching over someone's shoulder. Sometimes there's an actual shoulder in the shot!

If we are looking at this story in two parts, here are my thoughts on the first part:

Favourite moment: Susan's funky dance moves. Totally alien.

Best line: Ian's simple exclamation, "It's a Police Box... It's alive!"

Lasting image: The Bobby in the fog, leading us to the TARDIS.


Sarah -
I can only concur.


Harry -
Let us turn to the second, third and fourth episodes, whose alternative title could have been "Quest for FIRE!"

What's this? Oh my! The Doctor and Susan have transported Ian and Barbara to the land of viking metal. Shaggy men in furs beating each other to death, flaming skulls, dead animals, stones, bones and crones, wow!

For three fairly straightforward episodes, they were very pacey and never dull.


Sarah -
I can't help but feel a bit of a disappointment at going from the excitement of meeting The Doctor to the middle of a Stone Age Soap Opera. Still, it does the job of convincing Barbara and Ian that The Doctor is an alien. Our time travelers are bit players in this story, and I want more of them! As you point out, the story does move along briskly, which is its saving grace.


Harry -
Did you catch the Ayn Rand bit? It's early on, in the exchange between Za and Old Mother:

"My father made fire."

"They killed him for it. It is better that we live as we have always done."

Ooh, right out of The Fountainhead, that one.


Sarah -
Ayn Rand would have been right at home in the Stone Age.


Harry -
I like stories.


Sarah -
Our cavefolk ancestors are more fickle than the American electorate, as they swing from Za to Kal and back again. Hur's desire to not be given to Kal is at least consistent, not that Bachelor #1 seems to have all that much going for him. Still, the gene pool was fairly shallow, so what's a girl to do?

Fortunately, for everyone except the doomed Kal and acolytes of Ayn Rand, Barbara and Ian rise above self interest and cannot set their humanity aside. With Susan's help, they give The Doctor a lesson in being human, perhaps kindling his love affair with Planet Earth.


Harry -
Yes, there was a lesson learned for the Doctor, even though he spent most of this adventure as a kind of anti-hero, unconcerned with those around him except how they might be used to achieve his own ends. Even after everyone had scampered back to the safety of the TARDIS, it was hard to warm up to this enigmatic figure.

Didn't they all look fabulously disheveled by the end?


Sarah -
Love the disheveled look as they re-enter the TARDIS! I felt slightly exhausted after this story.

The episode cliffhanger four is beyond exciting, as the radiation detector moves to "Danger." The occupants of the TARDIS with the busted chameleon circuit don't know what awaits them, but of course we do...

Favourite moment: Ian telling Barbara that her "flat must be littered with cats and dogs" when she says they must help Za. It's a sweet, touching moment that leaves so much unsaid. This viewing found me especially focused on their relationship.

Best line: "Doctor Who? What's he talking about?"
(The Doctor, when Ian calls him Dr. Foreman.)

Lasting image: Closeups of Old Mother warning Za of the dangers of fire. Scary!


Harry -
Fascinating cliffhanger indeed. I'd forgotten that most of the early stories did this kind of segway into the next one.

Favourite moment: the Doctor getting called out by Ian for picking up the stone as if to use it as a weapon.

Best line: the Ayn Rand bit.

Lasting image: the TARDIS sits somewhere on prehistoric Earth, and a human shadow emerges from offscreen.

Sarah -
Episode one is a 9/10 for me. The rest would be a 6 or 7/10 -- I guess that would average to 8/10.


Harry -
I'll give it a 9 overall, fuelled with exhuberance for our quest!

Our marathon continues with Story #2 - The Daleks...