#17 (2.36 - 2.39): The Time Meddler.

The Doctor demands answers from 

The Meddling Monk (Peter Butterworth).

4 episodes: The Watcher, The Meddling Monk, A Battle of Wits, Checkmate. Running Time: Approx. 98 minutes. Written by: Dennis Spooner. Directed by: Douglas Camfield. Produced by: Verity Lambert.


THE PLOT:

The TARDIS materializes on an English beach in the year 1066, but this time its appearance does not go unnoticed. Unbeknownst to the Doctor, a mysterious Monk (Peter Butterworth) observes the timeship's landing, and does not seem particularly startled by it.

The Doctor's temper is tested by an argument with new companion Steven Taylor (Peter Purves), who is skeptical that the TARDIS travels in time. He decides to explore alone, telling Steven and Vicki to join him at the top of a nearby cliff. By the time the Doctor finds a Saxon village, his irritation has faded - but he is intrigued when he hears a strange "skip" in the chanting of the local monastery, and he can't help but investigate. Inside the monastery, he discovers the source of the chanting: Not monks, but a gramophone!

Steven and Vicki make some a strange find of their own - a wristwatch, discovered on the ground by a Saxon villager.  Their path also takes them to the monastery, where they become convinced that the Monk is holding the Doctor prisoner. They break in that night, only to find the Doctor has already escaped. More than that - the Monk's authentic Saxon sarcophagus isn't a sarcophagus at all.

"It's a TARDIS!" Vicki exclaims. "The Monk's got a TARDIS!"


CHARACTERS:

The Doctor: He clearly finds it exasperating that Steven refuses to believe they've traveled in time. When they discover a Viking helmet and Steven scoffs at it, the Doctor snaps, "What do you think it is - A space helmet for a cow?" He clearly misses Ian and Barbara, and voices concern that Vicki is choosing to stay with him just to look after an old man, none of which helps his mood.  When he discovers the anachronisms caused by the Monk, he is delighted to have a mystery to sink his teeth into... until he discovers the Monk's intention to meddle with history, that is, at which point the lightness is replaced by a stern, angry authority. Hartnell is magnetic, and his interactions with Peter Butterworth's conniving Monk are hugely entertaining.

Vicki: "Either let us go or do whatever you're going to do, but make up your minds!" Vicki is fantastic in this story. Captured along with Steven by Saxon villagers, who fear they are Viking scouts, she more or less berates them into believing her.  When they agree to let them go, with some food in the bargain, she forcefully glares at Steven until he takes the hint and gives thanks. Her interactions with Steven are entirely different than with Ian and Barbara. There, she was essentially a surrogate child, allowing (if occasionally chafing at) their protectiveness. Here, she mostly takes the lead, treating Steven like a slightly dim-witted older brother. Her scenes with the Doctor remain charming, as she spends the opening moments of the story reassuring him that she genuinely wants to stay and travel with him.

Steven: His first proper story shows that he is very different than Ian was. He still fulfills the action man role - But with a lot less judgment and restraint. When they see a Saxon villager picking the Monk's watch up off the ground, he ignores Vicki's protests and jumps out of hiding to basically tackle the man, simply to see what it is he is holding. Despite being headstrong and stubborn, however, he is not stupid. When he and Vicki search for the Doctor at the monastery, he knows immediately that the Monk is lying to them, and comes up with a ploy to make the man reveal himself. Peter Purves is an agreeable screen presence, and he and Maureen O'Brien spark instantly together.

The Meddling Monk: The first time we meet one of the Doctor's own race - A rival, whose agenda the Doctor feels duty bound to fight against. No, the Monk isn't the Master - But you can pretty easily see him as a sort of less sinister prototype. Unlike The Master, he doesn't come across as evil so much as irresponsible. He doesn't want to rule the planet, he has no visions of galactic conquest. The sense is of a child, stirring things up just to see what will happen, so that he can sit back and enjoy the chaos. When he reveals his "master plan" to the Doctor, he seems to genuinely want the older man's approval - And is disappointed when he doesn't get it.


THOUGHTS:

Confession time: I loved Barbara, and I liked Ian, and the ensemble of Ian, Barbara, and Vicki was often delightful... But I actually prefer the Steven/Vicki team. Sadly, thanks in part to the arrival of a new producer in Season Three, this team would not last long - But they are an absolute delight, O'Brien and Purves playing wonderfully (often hilariously) opposite each other, and also both enjoying strong rapport with William Hartnell. This is my favorite First Doctor lineup, and I regret that The Time Meddler is their only fully existing story.

That said, if only one of their stories was to survive, I am glad it was this one! The Time Meddler is significant, of course, both as the first story not to feature Ian and Barbara and as the first story to introduce another member of the Doctor's people. But forget all of that - It is a cracker of a story: well-paced, often quite funny but never at the expense of the drama, and constantly imaginative.

Dennis Spooner's script is engaging and well-structured. The first episode takes a bit of time to reflect on the departure of Ian and Barbara, then takes another few minutes to introduce Steven and establish him as a new regular. The first two episodes reveal information in pieces. At first, we seem to be firmly in the familiar "Hartnell historical" territory, with Saxons and an imminent Viking invasion. But the Monk isn't at all surprised by the TARDIS... the Doctor finds the phonograph... Steven and Vicki find the wristwatch. It's made clear in tiny bits and pieces that something more is going on, until the big revelations hit in the final episodes.

It's also a strong visual story. I noticed right away, in the opening TARDIS scenes, how many shots stand out - from Vicki regarding a clock, to the way the Doctor and Vicki are framed when discussing Ian and Barbara. I made a bet with myself and, at the end of Episode One, carefully watched the credits. Sure enough, the final credit popped up: "Directed by Douglas Camfield." As with The Crusade, it just was instantly apparent how much more care was taken to the visual element here than in any of the surrounding stories. This is only Camfield's second full story as director, but I already feel very confident labeling him the series' best director at this stage of its run. There isn't even a close choice for second place!

It falls just shy of full marks because the resolution feels a touch rushed (although the Doctor's final surprise for the Monk is a delight). Still, this is a very good story, possibly one I would label ideal for introducing modern viewers to the Hartnell era.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

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#12 (2.12 - 2.15): The Romans.

Partners in Crime: The Doctor and Vicki.

4 episodes: The Slave Traders, All Roads Lead to Rome, Conpiracy, Inferno. Approx. 96 minutes. Written by: Dennis Spooner. Directed by: Christopher Barry. Produced by: Verity Lambert.


THE PLOT:

An unusually rocky TARDIS landing sees the crew in ancient Rome, during the reign of Emperor Nero (Derek Francis). They are not in Rome itself, however, but in a villa near an outlying village. The owners have left the place vacant, and the TARDIS team have taken the opportunity to enjoy a month-long rest. A rest that Ian and Barbara have fully enjoyed, but that has left the Doctor and Vicki the tiniest bit restless. The Doctor announces that he's going to take a trip to Rome, and Vicki eagerly volunteers to accompany him, while Ian and Barbara decide to stay behind and enjoy their vacation.

Unfortunately for them, Barbara has caught the eye of a gang of slave traders, and both are captured. Barbara is taken to auction in Rome, while Ian is sold to a ship captain. A lucky storm allows him to escape, leaving him determined to make his way to Rome to rescue Barbara... Who finds herself sold to the court of Nero, who finds himself a little too taken with her.

Meanwhile, the Doctor is mistaken for a lyre player who was murdered on the road to Rome. He is also escorted to Nero's court, where he learns why the man was murdered - He and Vicki have found themselves in the center of a plot to assassinate the emperor!


CHARACTERS:

The Doctor: You can really see Hartnell enjoying himself. The Doctor's scenes opposite Nero, in which he flatters the vain emperor to keep out of trouble, are consistently delightful, and Hartnell and Derek Francis make a very funny double act. The story pairs him with Vicki throughout, cementing them as a duo and capitalizing on the two actors' chemistry.

Vicki: Maureen O'Brien continues to impress, as does the character she's playing. Vicki is game in a way Susan never was - She wants to explore, to see sights and go places and have adventures. While the others have enjoyed relaxing in the safety of the villa, she has become bored and restless. I think this is what makes Vicki and the Doctor so much fun together - They essentially fuel each other's worst impulses, but they are also both very quick-witted and able to think and talk their way out of any situations they land themselves in.

Ian/Barbara: They are definitely a couple by this point. It's a family show, so the text doesn't come out and say so - But they are framed and scripted as a couple, most obviously in the scenes in the villa in Episode One. When they are captured, Action Man Ian remains poised and alert for opportunities to escape. Barbara knows her history all too well, however, and despairs, realizing the exact kind of treatment they (most specifically, she) can expect as a slave in the Roman Empire. Ian remains stuck in the least interesting of the story's strands, but Barbara's slapstick evasions of Nero's interest in Part Three gives her a chance to get in on the story's fun.


THOUGHTS:

The Romans seems to have been designed as an antithesis to the stolid, serious historicals that preceded it. Previous historicals have seen the TARDIS team desperate to get back to the TARDIS to escape the dangers of history. This story opens with them on vacation in the past, and in no hurry to put an end to their well-earned rest.

A restless Doctor and Vicki basically deliberately get themselves involved in Nero's court, and seem to be having a whale of a time mentally fencing with the emperor while untangling various plots and plans. And in a final slap to previous historical's insistence that "You cannot rewrite history - Not one line!", the whole thing ends with the Doctor inspiring a historical disaster... and being delighted by it!

That's not to say this isn't as carefully-constructed as previous historicals. Like The Aztecs, it's actually been very tightly scripted. The regulars are divided into three strands, each getting to explore a different facet of Roman society (or at least, Rome as envisioned by a 1960's middle-class Brit, filtered through a "G"-rated family television lens). The Doctor and Vicki mix with the aristocracy and their political games. Barbara gets a taste of slave life, and her friendship with Tavius (Michael Peake) gives a window into the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire. Ian gets a Vikings-style gladiator battle. Each strand allows a glimpse of a different piece of Rome, creating a much fuller picture than if they had all gotten involved in a single adventure.

Spooner's script is also brilliant in the way it moves between the strands. I particularly enjoyed all of the near-misses between the Doctor and Barbara in Nero's court, though it was also effective to see Ian imprisoned next to a woman who previously shared a cell with Barbara. The script manages to bring them just enough together to keep the narrative unified, while still having enormous fun with keeping them apart far longer than Who conventions have led us to expect.

Most of all, The Romans is just great fun to watch. It's well over 50 years since this story's original transmission, and it remains a remarkably entertaining and genuinely joyful viewing experience.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

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#8 (1.37 - 1.42): The Reign of Terror.

The Doctor impersonates a Regional Governor.

6 episodes: A Land of Fear, Guests of Madame Guillotine, A Change of Identity, The Tyrant of France, A Bargain of Necessity, Prisoners of Concierigie. Approx. 148 minutes. Written by: Dennis Spooner. Directed by: Henric Hirsch, John Gorrie. Produced by: Verity Lambert.


THE PLOT

The Doctor holds firm to his edict to put Ian and Barbara off the ship at its next stop. He materializes the TARDIS on Earth, and declares that they are back where Ian and Barbara belong. But when they explore outside the ship, they soon discover that they are not in their own place or time. They are in France, not far from Paris. No great matter - except that they have arrived during the French Revolution, during Robespierre's Reign of Terror!

Separated from the Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan are captured by French soldiers and taken to Conciergerie, to await their turn at the guillotine. Ian shares a cell with a wounded English spy, however, one who passes along information before expiring. When Lemaitre (James Cairncross), a Parisian intelligence officer, learns that Ian spoke with the dying man, he arranges a stay of execution for Ian.

Which doesn't help Barbara or Susan, both of whom are still marked for execution!


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: Though the story is fundamentally a serious one, writer and future script editor Dennis Spooner infuses the Doctor's scenes with a strong comedic vein, particularly when the Doctor disguises himself as a regional governor. The way in which he bamboozles the drunken jailer (Jack Cunningham) is a delight. The Doctor is also cagey in his dealings with both Lemaitre and Robespierre, effortlessly deflecting Robespierre's questions about him in such a way as to actually gain the tyrant's confidence. His best material comes in Episode 5, as he and Lemaitre each try to outwit the other, but Hartnell is on fine form throughout.

Ian: Sensing the Doctor's resistance to even checking to make sure that they are in the right place and time, Ian tries a different tact. Instead of questioning him, he expresses confidence in the Doctor's abilities and offers that it would be best to part over a friendly drink. In this way, he keeps the Doctor close, in case they need to get back to the TARDIS. Beyond that, Ian largely fulfills his typical "action man" role, which William Russell does effectively enough but which by this point is starting to feel very ordinary.

Barbara: Refuses to allow either herself or Susan to meekly accept their death sentence. She spends the story searching for opportunities to escape (at least two of which are scuttled by Susan). She also shows a gentle but firm protectiveness of Susan, endangering her own welfare to make sure the younger girl receives help for her strange, Plot-Required illness. Episode Five sees another benefit to Barbara's background as a history teacher, as she sees the French Revolution in its full context. When Ian tries to dismiss the revolutionaries as black & white villains, Barbara angrily responds him that from their point of view they are patriots, reacting against an oppressive ruling class.

Susan: Not content with simply reducing Susan to "useless baggage," this story goes one better and makes her an active liability! Episode Two sees Barbara come up with a reasonable hope of escape, by shifting a loose stone to get to the sewers. But Susan sees a rat, and collapses into a whimpering ball until Barbara agrees that they won't dig anymore... They'll just stay put and get their heads cut off. In Episode Three, while they're on their way to the guillotine, Barbara sees a chance to escape. Susan protests that she has a headache, and effectively refuses to even try to make a break for it. Don't worry, Susan - The French Revolution offers up a 100% effective headache remedy. After being rescued in spite of all her whimpering, she comes down with a deathly case of Plot Contrivance, and has to be taken to an Evil Physician (the excellent Ronald Pickup) in order to be safely recaptured, at which point her illness instantly vanishes.  Given that we have seen her whimper at rustling plants, it is quite an achievement for The Reign of Terror that it marks the absolute nadir of Susan's time in the TARDIS.


THOUGHTS

The second TARDIS materialization effect is a substantial improvement over the first.  The effect's still not fully formed, and it seems strange looking back from decades later to watch a silent TARDIS materialization (I suppose A Time of Angels provided a likely-unintended retcon for why these early materializations don't have the sound effect). But the now-traditional TARDIS materialization is well on its way, and will be perfected the following season.

The story, the series' first offering by the man who would become script editor the following year, is a good one. It benefits from the usual high production standards of the historical stories, a handful of good guest performances, and a terrific, showboating performance by Hartnell.

Except for the misuse of Susan, the first five episodes work a treat. The various plot elements are intertwined effectively, and Dennis Spooner's script pulls off rapid turns from comedy to surprisingly gritty material. Episode Five is particularly strong, with Barbara's outburst in defense of the revolutionaries as people given a thoughtful counterpoint by Jules (Donald Morley)'s speech about anarchy vs. reason, while LeMaitre proves an intelligent adversary for the Doctor.

The momentum is broken by a static Episode Six. It's not that the final episode is bad. The portrayal of Robespierre's fall and the beginning of Napoleon's rise sees gives us a snapshot of important events while maintaining the TARDIS travelers' priority as getting away safely. But it is anticlimactic, with the regulars suddenly reduced to observing the action rather than participating in it. It works adequately, buoyed by Robespierre's end, the Doctor's final showdown with the jailer, and the last moments of the Doctor's closing speech, which run over a visual of the stars. But I can't help but feel that this final part doesn't quite fit with the five episodes preceding it.

Even so, The Reign of Terror is a good entertainment. It's well-made by the standards of the series at that time, with some good performances and a handful of standout scenes. I'm on the border between a "7" and an "8," but the issues with Susan's Plot Illness and the flat finale leave me rounding it down to the lower, but still respectable, score of:


Rating: 7/10.

Reign of Terror Missing Episode Notes

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