#29 (4.5 - 4.8): The Tenth Planet.

The Cybermen's first appearance - and the First Doctor's last...

4 episodes. Running Time: Approx. 94 minutes. Written by: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis. Directed by: Derek Martinus. Produced by: Innes Lloyd.


THE PLOT:

The Doctor and his companions find themselves in mid-1980s Antarctica, near an international space tracking station. The stations' commander, General Cutler (Robert Beatty) is annoyed by their unexplained appearance, but has no time to question them - The space capsule his crew is tracking has been drawn off course. Though Cutler refuses to listen, the Doctor is able to correctly predict the cause of the problem: the appearance of the planet Mondas, a world remarkably similar to Earth. He also, rather ominously, adds that its appearance means that "soon we shall be having visitors."

The visitors are half-biological, half-mechanical beings known as Cybermen. They invade the tracking station and announce that their world is absoring the Earth's energy. Earth will soon be destroyed as a result, but the Cybermen plan to save those at the station - by taking them back to Mondas to transform them into Cybermen!

The Doctor insists they can weather the crisis if they can just buy sufficient time. But the toll Mondas is taking on Earth seems to be mirrored in the Doctor, who collapses from exhaustion and complains to Polly that "this old body of mine is wearing a bit thin..."


CHARACTERS:

The Doctor: William Hartnell's final story, written and produced after the decision was made to recast the role. Hartnell remains a dignified presence, but the script deliberately minimizes his role, leaving him relatively few moments to shine. He does make the most of what he gets. In Episode Two, he transforms what is on the page a simple inquiry about the Cybermen's lack of emotions into a surprisingly strong moment, full of life and meaning. At the start of Episode Four, he negotiates with the Cybermen - partially a genuine negotiation, hoping for a peaceful settlement, but largely stalling for time as he works out their true intentions.

Ben: Initially acts impulsively, foolishly going for a gun when the Cybermen are holding them hostage. He finds his brain fairly quickly thereafter, however, and ends up becoming the hero of the story. He outwits the Cybermen in Episode Two, a desperate gambit that ends with the defeat of the initial wave of Cybermen. With the Doctor out of action in Episode Three, it falls to Ben to sabotage a missile launch; and he again takes centerstage in the latter half of the final episode, deducing the Cybermen's weakness to radiation and coming up with a plan to exploit it.

Polly: Mostly acts as a sounding board for the Doctor and Ben. She does get a nice role in Episode Three, playing on the doubts of scientist Barclay to get him to help sabotage the missile. Outside of that, she is mostly there so that others can deliver dialogue to her, and to act as a "damsel in distress" when she is taken hostage by the Cybermen near the end.

Cybermen: The Cybermen's first appearance may not be their best story, but it remains one of their most effective characterizations. These Cybermen are genuinely creepy, with cloth wrapped around their human faces and with eerie sing-song voices. They do not seem evil so much as amoral. The initial wave of Cybermen seem genuinely confused when the emotional humans insist on making a futile effort to bring the space capsule back to Earth. When Polly berates them for not caring, the lead Cyberman observes: "There are people dying all over your world, yet you do not care about them."


THOUGHTS:

The Tenth Planet is one of the most significant stories in Doctor Who's run. It would already have a strong place in the series' history as the first Cybermen story, but it is also the first regeneration story, before the process even had a name, with the First Doctor's ending transformation paving the way for a run of successors. Doctor Who's ongoing existence can be traced directly to the success of this story and the one that follows.

The serial gets a boost from the creepiness of the Cybermen and from an above-average overall production. The tracking station looks reasonably authentic by the series' standards, and the ways in which the personnel communicate with the astronauts and with other parts of the world feel passably realistic. Guest performances are well above average, with veteran character actor Robert Beatty lending more depth to his stubborn military commander than the cardboard character actually merits.

It would be nice to be able to say that it is a masterpiece. It is not. The first two episodes are extremely strong, setting an effective atmosphere while moving the plot along nicely. The second half just isn't as good, however. Episode Three suffers somewhat from Hartnell's unplanned absence, but even more from the subplot of General Cutler's determination to "launch the Z Bomb" at Mondas. That realistic atmosphere I mentioned? It's shattered in an instant, as I start giggling and looking around for Dr. Strangelove. Episode Four gets back on track with Hartnell's return and some effective Doctor/Cybermen confrontations. But the resolution feels a bit rushed and overly easy - a problem that would recur (in fact, worsen) in many future Cybermen stories.

It is worth noting that the lead astronaut is a black man. Given that previous nonwhite roles in Doctor Who were usually played white actors in blackface (or were one-dimensional idiots like The Smugglers' Jamaica), it represents a visible shift in representation as the 1960s wore on.

The Doctor's negotiations with the Cybermen get animated...

THE MISSING EPISODE

While the first three episodes thankfully exist, and have been remastered into particularly good quality for DVD, the final episode is missing. It is fair to say it is the most desired of all of Doctor Who's missing episodes, featuring the series' first regeneration. Thankfully, several 8 mm clips survive, including a handful of iconic moments ("This old body of mine is wearing a bit thin"; "It's far from being all over!"; and the regeneration itself).

The final episode was animated for the DVD release.  This animation is significantly better than that of The Reign of Terror, with smoother character movement and none of the earlier effort's bizarre rapid cuts to extreme close-ups. It largely looks the way the episode itself probably did, and the sound quality is as clear as that of the existing episodes. As a result, moving from the first three parts to the animated fourth part is surprisingly unjarring.

It's still nowhere near as good as the real thing would be - But in the absence of the actual episode, the animation is a welcome replacement, far more dynamic and involving than even a high-quality static reconstruction.


OVERALL

The regeneration itself is well-done, a mysterious and sinister scene that is all the more effective for having no dialogue until Ben and Polly arrive (thanks to the wise last-minute decision to delete what would have been Hartnell's last line). Exactly what happens goes unexplained, and likely left many contemporary viewers spending the next week speculating about what the series might do next.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

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#28 (4.1 - 4.4): The Smugglers.

The Doctor is menaced by pirate Cherub (George A. Cooper)

4 episodes. Running Time: Approx. 97 minutes. Written by: Brian Hayles. Directed by: Julia Smith. Produced by: Innes Lloyd.


THE PLOT:

Realizing that they still have the Doctor's key, Ben and Polly follow the old man into the TARDIS... at the very moment it dematerializes. Though stunned by the impossible interior dimensions, Ben dismisses the Doctor's claim that they are traveling in time and space. When the ship lands, he and Polly disembark...

Only to find themselves in 17th century Cornwall, where they take refuge with anxious church warden Joseph Longfoot (Terence De Marney). After the Doctor fixes Longfoot's dislocated finger, the man directs the three to an inn - but not before confiding a secret: "This is Deadman's secret key: Smallwood, Ringwood, Gurney."

Unbeknownst to them, the exchange has been witnessed by Cherub (George A. Cooper), a member of a ruthless crew of pirates headed by Captain Pike (Michael Godfrey). After Cherub kills Longfoot, he and his shipmates kidnap the Doctor, determined to get him to share the dead man's secret. Meanwhile, Ben and Polly find themselve under arrest for the church warden's murder, held captive by the corrupt squire (Paul Whitsun-Jones) preparing to do business with Captain Pike...


CHARACTERS:

The Doctor: Hartnell, whose health issues were worsening and who was likely running down at the end of the production block in any case, has more line fluffs than usual - But he's otherwise on pretty good form, as the Doctor uses his wits to navigate the situation. I particularly enjoyed the scenes between the Doctor and Captain Pike, as he shamelessly flatters the captain and plays to the villain's ego. The story also demonstrates how far the Doctor has come morally; he refuses to flee when Ben advises it, insisting on a "moral obligation" to make sure the pirates do not devastate the village. Can you truly picture the imperious old man from An Unearthly Child doing the same?

Ben: His first reaction to the TARDIS essentially mirrors Ian's, as he scoffs at the claims of time travel right up to the instant he is confronted with the 17th century church warden. After being separated from Polly for most of their introductory story, Ben spends most of this story in her company, which helps to establish the team dynamic between them. They continue to enjoy teasing each other, but Ben's protectiveness toward her is clear.

Polly: In contrast to Ben, who is quick to complain about their predicament, she decides to enjoy the adventure, declaring it "exciting," even as they sit in jail. Enthusiasm is largely her guiding trait, as she cheerfully jumps into every situation - often without pausing to think first, such as when she decides to go to the Squire in Episode Two. She has no evidence of her own innocence, and no real plan other than to accuse Pike and Cherub as "villains" when she sees them. She just more or less assumes that since she's in the right, everything will go her way. As in The War Machines, the contrast in personality between Ben and Polly helps to keep both characters engaging.


THOUGHTS:

I have a soft spot for The Smugglers. When I got back into Doctor Who, roughly twenty years ago now, I learned of the missing stories and sent away for the Loose Cannon reconstructions. The original Loose Cannon recon of this story was both my first reconstruction and my first Hartnell story - and while it took me an episode or so to settle into the format, I ended up thoroughly enjoying both the story and the characterization of the First Doctor.

In many ways, it was an ideal story to start with. Shot at the end of Season Three, but aired as the start of Season Four, The Smugglers' opening scenes are carefully crafted to serve as a quick re-introduction to the series, with the core concepts (the TARDIS, the Doctor's lack of control of its flight, and the time/space travel) all neatly explained to an incredulous Ben and Polly in the opening minutes. It is a bit of serendipity that this was shot before the decision was taken to replace Hartnell, as that allows the established Doctor to reintroduce the series alongside new, younger companions, just before the changeover.

The Smugglers is generally not considered one of the better missing stories, being a minor historical adventure yarn that openly pilfers elements from both Robert Louis Stevenson and Daphne Du Maurier's Jamaica Inn. As silly as it seemed for characters to mistake Vicki for a boy in The Crusade, it's downright hilarious when Anneke Wills' Polly is mistaken for one here. "See Paul? The curvy one with the long blonde hair, the wavy eyelashes, and the perceptible - ah - 'Dalek bumps?' Very boyish, isn't he?"

Despite, and in part because of the silliness, I still find The Smugglers enormous fun. The guest characters are almost all varying shades of corrupt, with each group trying to beat the others to the treasure, and that provides an entertaining rogue's gallery.  Performances range from standard to quite good, with George A. Cooper's Cherub cutting a particularly vicious figure.

The final episode is the weakest, as the various plots and ploys descend into an all-too-predictable fight scene. This is even worse in a missing episode, as the generic grunts, gunshots, and battle noises don't translate well to either still reconstruction or audio form. Even so, I continue to enjoy The Smugglers, and I suspect the story's reputation would improve if any of the episodes were to be discovered. It's certainly not the best of Doctor Who - but it's better than its repuation, as well as being worthwhile as a final chance for William Hartnell to shine in the title role.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

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#27 (3.42 - 3.45): The War Machines.

The Doctor stands his ground.

4 episodes. Running Time: Approx. 97 minutes. Written by: Ian Stuart Black. Directed by: Michael Ferguson. Produced by: Innes Lloyd.


THE PLOT:

The Doctor and Dodo arrive in 1960s London. They instantly notice the Post Office Tower, the tall communications tower in central London, which Dodo is surprised to see is now complete. She is even more surprised when the Doctor announces there is "something alien" coming from that tower, and insists on investigating.

He passes himself off as a visiting scientist, and he and Dodo are able to meet with Professor Brett (John Harvey), creator of WOTAN, a thinking computer. In four days' time, Brett proudly announces, WOTAN will be linked up with other major computers in allied countries. While Brett's secretary, Polly (Anneke Wills) takes Polly to a nightclub, the Doctor attends a press conference about WOTAN led by Sir Charles Summer (William Mervyn). Sir Charles is baffled when Brett appears at the very end of the conference to insist that an electronics expert accompany him to the tower for an unspecified emergency.

The emergency is WOTAN itself. The machine has calculated that humanity has advanced the Earth as far as it can. The machine has hypnotized Brett, and in short order hypnotizes the electronics expert and the tower's chief of security. It puts its mechanized humans to work, hypnotizing others to build war machines at strategic areas around London. A phone call to the nightclub, and Dodo falls under its influence as well.

Dodo's instructions are simple: To bring the Doctor to the Post Office Tower, to bring him under WOTAN's sway. "He has advanced knowledge which WOTAN needs," Brett announces. "Doctor Who is required!"


BECOMING THE DOCTOR:

In a real sense, the First Doctor's era is about the gradual transformation of a selfish, arrogant exile into the hero of later incarnations. He is certainly no hero in his first few stories, sneering down at his human companions and clearly valuing his own life far above theirs. In one memorable instance, he even threatens to eject them straight out into space. Over the first season, he ceased looking at his companions as inferiors, nuisances to be thinly suffered, and even formed a family dynamic with them. The second season saw him growing more active in his adventures, more interested in actively stopping evil where he found it as a goal in itself, rather than just a means to return to the safety of the TARDIS. By the third season, he had become recognizable as the Doctor we will know in later years.

A new series viewer who sat down to watch those first three stories could be forgiven for wondering how this could even be the Doctor; that same viewer sitting down to watch The Time Meddler or The War Machines would feel comfortable in recognizing him as very much the same character.

That transformation is perfectly encapsulated by the Episode Three cliffhanger. As a War Machine cuts through a group of highly trained soldiers like a knife through butter, the order is given to pull back. Everyone else flees - the officials, the armed military men. The Doctor stands his ground and, as the deadly machine approaches, actually steps toward it, head held high in a posture of defiance. The man we met at the beginning of the series would have been the first to flee; the Doctor, as he has become, is the one man who does not run.

The actual transformation of the character was completed some time ago, by the end of Season Two, maybe even by as early as The Rescue. But I don't think there's a scene that encapsulates it as completely as this one does... And it's a pretty fantastic episode ending, as well!


CHARACTERS:

Dodo: Jackie Lane's contract expired at the end of Episode Two, leading to Dodo's offscreen companion exit, a final insult for an actress who was largely let to struggle gamely against characterization that was inconsistent when it wasn't outright nonexistent. I can't help feeling a bit bad for Lane, who often showed that she could have been decent had the writing been there to support her. Still, it's clear the instant Polly is introduced that Anneke Wills far outshines her.  The most damning indictment of Dodo is that, in the story's second half, I not only didn't miss her - I genuinely didn't notice that she wasn't there.

Ben/Polly: The War Machines introduces two new companions, immediately coding them as a pair in a way that hasn't been done since Ian and Barbara. Ben is introduced at Polly's nightclub, with Polly making faces at him to cheer him up, then clashing with him after he (groundlessly) blames her for "encouraging" a boorish customer. The two are deliberately contrasted. He's a Cockney sailor, rough around the edges and a bit surly. She's gorgeous, effortlessly refined, and speaks with upper-class properness. He's wary of others and skeptical in every situation. She's warm and compassionate. They are designed to fit as a pair, and they do, with Craze and Wills showing instant chemistry. It's telling that Ben's priority throughout the story is Polly's safety, while others (including the Doctor) brush that off as a lesser concern. He aids the Doctor in resolving the threat - But the instant the Doctor has put his final plan in motion, Ben is off to the Tower to rescue Polly.

Pompous Bureaucrat of the Week: William Mervyn's Sir Charles is wealthy and influential, and thoroughly proud of it. He is stubborn, refusing to believe Ben when he talks about the War Machine he observed, and as Ben grows more insistent, he actually says, "I don't like your tone." He is also... an ally, a genuinely useful one. In the Troughton era, he would be a fool who would provide reluctant help at most. In the Pertwee era, he would be an imbecile and an active impediment. Here, since the template hasn't yet been set, he actually does believe the evidence of his own eyes and ends up using his influence to put the Doctor effectively in charge of the assorted forces.


THOUGHTS:

I've observed before that pretty much anything Doctor Who ever did, at least during its classic run, was first done in the Hartnell era. The War Machines is the first UNIT story in all but name. Make Sir Charles into a useless buffoon, give all of his "good" material to the Brigadier, and replace Ben and Polly for Mike Yates and Jo Grant, and you'd have a standard-issue Pertwee story.

The War Machines is an enjoyable contrast to the bulk of the Hartnell era. It's the series' first story to take place during the present day, even making a plot point out of the real-life Post Office Tower (known today as the BT Tower). At a time when most Doctor Who stories were dialogue-driven, this story is action-driven. It's a good thing this one exists, as the final two episodes would be challenging to properly capture in either a still reconstruction or a narrated audio.

The War Machines themselves are effectively designed, though it's a little too clear that the production was only able to create one working War Machine. The machine is reasonably intimidating, and director Michael Ferguson shoots from below to make it appear more formidable. On the down side, Ferguson is a little too fond of showing the War Machine breaking through stacks of boxes. By the end of Episode Three, it's actually unintentionally comical; any stray box you might see is guaranteed to be knocked over by the War Machine at some point.

The story is fueled by a very of-its-time theme of distrust of technology. The promise of WOTAN forming a very crude Internet results in people being essentially mechanized themselves. A weapons test is performed on a hypnotized man, who does not even flinch as he is killed by the War Machine. Hypnotized humans work on an assembly line, basically reduced to cogs in a machine as they prepare for WOTAN's attack. The human workers are referred to in mechanized terms, as well; it is announced that "all human beings who break down will be eliminated."

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The War Machines. Sure, some of the action scenes look a bit stilted, even silly, to modern eyes - not helped by the need for the DVD release to patch over missing material in the Episode Three warehouse battle. Still, there's no denying that the action is more ambitious than the average Doctor Who story of the time. Better still, that action is in support of a well-paced and enjoyable story.


Rating: 8/10.

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