LBs Time Team

[Fitz Kreiner]

Galaxy Four:

Episode 1: Four Hundred Dawns
Back to audio now, narrated by Peter (Steven) Purves.
It seems Vicki can cut hair, as she’s giving Steven a haircut. After the highly visual season two, it feels strange to be back on audio.
There’s a strange robot exploring the outside of the TARDIS. It’s got a wonderfully ominous feel to it. Plus it seems to be signalling to someone, I wonder who it can be signalling, as the Doctor has said that the planet is dead yet viable to life. He admits he may have been wrong if the robot is there.
A lovely nod back to Xeros and The Space Museum. The Doctor deduces the “Chumbley” is blind and navigates by sound alone.
The travellers have been rescued by some female warriors called Drahvins, deactivating the Chumbley with a metal mesh. The Drahvins say that they are to take the Doctor and co to their leader, Maaga. Maaga reveals that they are at war with a race called the Rills. The Drahvins are a female lead society, a few men are kept for certain needs, the rest are killed.
These Chumblies are rather interesting. They have an interesting chirping as they communicate.
The Doctor tells the Drahvins that they can tell whether the Rills were right that the planet only has a couple of days before it explodes. However, the Drahvins won’t let all three go back, and Vicki stays behind to let the Doctor and Steven check the TARDIS instruments. Doing so, the Doctor reveals that tomorrow is the last day the planet will ever see.
Episode 2: Trap of Steel
There is more Chumbley trouble as one is approaching the TARDIS with a black tube device. Yup, it’s a bomb! Hehe, I like Hartnells line here; “I think Guy Fawkes must have been resurrected!”
Vicki is trying to plead with Maaga to let her go look for Steven and the Doctor. Maaga is eating a meal of leaves!
Hartnell is on great form again, muttering and rambling to himself. The Doctor and Steven return to the Drahvin ship. There’s something not right with the Drahvins, saying that the Rills are evil and yet at the same time they’re being rather cold with the travellers themselves. Not painting themselves in the best light.
The Doctor and Vicki are allowed to go to the Rill craft as long as Steven stays in the Drahvin ship, under guard. Steven seems to be trying to trick the Drahvin guard, it’s quite clever and would probably work had Maaga not arrived.
The Doctor and Vicki arrive at the Rill centre. There seems to be an air purifier or something to the outside and a faint smell of something. It kind of gives the impression that the Rills don’t breathe the same atmosphere as we do.
Now that was a good cliff hanger. In the Rill centre, the Doctor and Vicki find a deactivated Chumbley, but something Vicki sees makes her scream in fear.
Episode 3: Air Lock
The Doctor and Vicki are being observed by alien eyes through an observation window, whilst a Chumbley is heading towards them Vicki is separated from the Doctor by a barred partitioning and is taken back into the centre by some Chumblies while the Doctor looks at the air converter with the intention of sabotaging it.
There’s a wonderful scene where Maaga gives a long speech about death and how different species deal with death. At the end of it she sends the Drahvins on patrol, leaving one remaining to guard Steven.
Ooh, now that’s interesting. Vicki shouts at a Chumbley and it analyses her speech allowing her to hear the Rills thoughts. An interesting alien, they have no vocal chords and communicate telepathically. They say that they are peaceful and don’t attack unless they are attacked first. Now this is something I wish I could see, the Rills are showing Vicki the past events through thought projection.
Vickis realisation that the Rills will die if the Doctors sabotage is successful is very well played.
Steven manages to escape, but facing a Chumbley, he dashes back into the airlock. Rather a foolish move really, especially as Maaga is on the other side of the inner door wearing a cruel smile.
There are only four Rills left alive, eight died in the crash.
Now, Steven is a pilot and is stood in an airlock and says to Maaga that she can’t hurt him inside. What an idiot. He must know what an air lock can do!
The Chumbley watching Steven sends a message back to the Rill centre, and the Rills send the Doctor with some machines to rescue Steven.
Episode 4: The Exploding Planet
With the help of the Chumblies, the Doctor and Vicki rescue Steven. Maaga and her Drahvins are held off by some other Chumblies.
There’s a definite sense of urgency in the Rill centre as the Doctor works against the clock to repower the Rill ship. This sense is added to as the Drahvins escape their ship, destroy a Chumbley and head towards the Rill ship.
There’s a rather impressive sounding battle between the Drahvins and Chumblies. Something else I wish I could see. The Drahvins close in on the TARDIS as the planet begins to tremble and break up. I bet it would be a stunning sight to have watched on screen. It’s a shame that I’m limited to audio.
In the TARDIS Vicki has fallen prey to the stereotypical Who-girl cliché, she’s hurt her ankle! Sitting back, she sees a planet on the scanner and wonders what’s going on on its surface.
We’re taken to the planet Kembel and introduced to Jeff Garvey, who has been unconscious. The Jungle sounds are fantastic, and there is something going on with Garvey, as he says that he remembers, he must kill. Sounds an ominous message for next time.

Next Time – Mission to the Unknown.

[Fitz Kreiner]

Mission To The Unknown:

Episode 1: We’re off to a mysterious start on a jungle world, a man called Jeff Garvey has been unconscious and awakes saying he must kill.
There are two more men, Marc Corey and Gordon Lowery. They’re part of some expedition and seem to have run into trouble with their ship. The background sounds are superb. Really feels very jungle-ish.
Garvey is about to attack Lowery but is killed by Corey, who spots him about to attack. Lowery has a thorn from something called a Varga. It seems as though Garvey isn’t as dead as they think. There’s a real sense of horror and intrigue here as Garvey starts moving, his arm mutating into a Varga.
The Daleks! Corey is a member of Space Security Service and mentions the Daleks! Centuries of silence from the Daleks and suddenly they’re back, their ships sighted by Earth freighters.
I really wish I could be watching this, the two men seem to be giving a real sense of urgency, and it’s damned well working. This is really exciting. We’re given an insight to the Varga plants, it sounds nasty and they’re from the planet Skaro, meaning Daleks are on the planet somewhere.
Oooh, that heartbeat sound sends chills down my spine. Ooh, the voice as well. We’re in for something good here. Each time the Daleks have appeared so far has had a changing point for the series. I can’t wait to find out what they’re up to.
Corey is starting to get rather annoyed with Lowery. It’s a lovely piece of interpersonal play. It really seems like the two have had a history and been cooped up together for a while.
A large space ship arrives indicating that there is something big going on. One of the Daleks talks of a “Great Alliance”. This can only spell bad news and it certainly feels that way, something big and terrible is going to happen. The Daleks have found the Lowreys ship and discovering it vacant, destroy it. I wish I could see this.
Uh oh, Lowery has been stung by a Varga plant, and in true dramatic style, doesn’t tell Corey that he’s been infected.
There’s a large gathering of alien forces, allied under the Daleks, seven great powers, seven different alien races. I’ll bet this would have been such a wonderful sight when it was first broadcast. The “greatest war force ever assembled.”
Corey has overheard the announcement via the loudspeaker system and telling Lowery, realises that he’s been infected by the Vargas. It’s quite chilling, especially as he then goes to record the warning message. Hearing it is sending little shivers down my spine. A Dalek war force being assembled. I was wrong, it’s not something big, it’s something huge! Not only that, but Corey is killed before he can launch the warning beacon! The Daleks are massing, unopposed and are about to unleash a massive war force and no one knows.
What a cliffhanger! The war force is going to strike Earth first, and the delegates all chant “Victory!” and you know what, it actually sounds like they could be.
No Doctor either! I didn’t miss him! Such a gripping standalone episode. Something HUGE is coming and I can’t wait!

Next Time – Temple of Secrets

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Myth Makers:

Episode 1: Temple of Secrets
We’re back to audio and outside the city of Troy! Achilles and Hector are fighting outside the walls. Who has a history of great historical stories, and I wish I could see this fight.
Vickis ankle is still sprained from Galaxy Four, so this story follows on directly. The Doctor is on top form, I’m liking Hartnell is this story already, he’s playing his role so well. He’s appeared and is mistaken as Zeus by the two warriors and Hartnell plays this well and seems to enjoy it, especially when told he resembles an old beggar!
I’d love to see the set of Troy that the Doctor and Achilles are stood staring at.
Steven seems to be taking quite the lead role already despite him being the new boy! I like him, and his character.
The Doctor is really getting to grips with his role as Zeus, he seems to be relishing it with gusto, it’s great to hear Hartnell enjoying himself so much.
Episode 2: Small Prophet, Quick return
The TARDIS has been taken into Troy, by Paris and his men. It’s apparently quite heavy, according to Paris. “If, if, if, if, if you knew the weight of this thing!” Hehe, his delivery of this line is rather amusing.
The Doctor and Steven seem to be set for execution. But this doesn’t deter the Doctor, Hartnell is still full of get up and go and is just brilliant. The Doctor is given two days to come up with a method of ending the war and helping the Greeks capture Troy.
About to burn the TARDIS as an offering to the Gods, Vicki steps out to much awe. Cassandra is rather dubious of Vicki, who has adopted the name Cressida
Wahey! Steven mentions the Wooden Horse as an idea to get the soldiers into Troy. The Doctor seems to pooh-pooh the idea as fantasy. Steven plans to disguise himself as a Greek soldier to be captured as a POW to rescue Vicki. I admire his pluck, especially as I don’t recall any talk about POWs during the Trojan wars. Oooh, he’s challenging Paris to a dual now.
Haha, I’ve got to laugh at Paris; “I say, that’s not the done thing. I’d have thought you’d want to die!” He seems the proper English gent. It’s fantastic! It seems Steven’s plan has worked though.
Vicki almost tells King Priam about the wooden horse of Troy before she changes the subject to his son Triolus. Paris arrives stopping Vicki on Priams delving into the story she was about to tell.
Paris certainly seems to be like the comic relief in this story, having some greatly amusing lines and some perfect comedy timing. However, his bringing Steven seems to set Cassandra convinced that Vicki is a spy and orders them both to be killed.
Episode 3: Death of a Spy
Paris saves Vicki and Steven, but seems to be patronised by his father, Priam. The family politics are rather amusing.
The Doctor has come up with the idea of using giant paper aeroplanes to catapult Greek soldiers over the walls of Troy, which are swiftly shot down, pardoning the pun.
Steven manages to get a message to the Cyclops messenger to send back to the Doctor, just before Troilus arrives bringing food for Vicki.
The Doctor seems to relent and suggests the idea of the wooden horse, a large object that will allow many Greeks to hide inside as the Trojans wheel it into the city.
Vicki seems to be getting very close to Troilus, and rather friendly with him, much to Stevens amusement.
Uh oh, the Cyclops has been killed whilst leaving Troy to deliver his message to the Doctor!
The Doctor is inside the Horse with Odysseus and his Ithican soldiers. It really is a shame I can’t see Hartnell here, he does seem to be really enjoying himself and getting into the historical swing of things. Although he seems to be having second thoughts, but it’s too late as the Trojans are coming to collect the horse.
Priam seems delighted that the Greeks have gone and that Vicki must have done something to rid them of the Greeks. Vicki recognises the Horse and Cassandra notices, but Paris, Priam and Troilus will hear nothing of it. It really does have an ominous feel to it as the Horse is wheeled into Troy.
Episode 4: Horse of Destruction
Priam believes Vicki summoned the Horse to frighten the Greeks away. Cassandra, however, sends her servant, Katarina, to find Vicki and bring her to Cassandra.
Haha, I’ve got to laugh at the Doctors moaning that if he’d been given another day he could fit shock absorbers!
Vicki is trying to get Troilus to leave Troy before the Greeks emerge from the Horse, under Stevens bequest, who’s clearly concerned about her. It’s rather touching.
Its nightfall and the Greeks are pouring out of the Horse and massacring the Trojans. The Doctor has found the TARDIS and Vicki who asks Katarina to go and get Steven, who has been stabbed in the shoulder. But Vicki is staying! She’s going off with Troilus.
The Doctor has a faceoff with Odysseus and Hartnell seems to love his role.
Vicki finds Troilus on the plains outside the city, it’s a beautiful and wonderful scene, and it’s the end for a rather underrated companion. Vicki has gone!
The Doctor seems rather concerned about Steven, who is getting feverish and delirious due to his wound. It’s a lovely moment when Hartnell laments on Vicki’s departure. But he also tells us he’s neither a Dog or a God! Oops, slip there Bill! Haha. But it’s a good cliff hanger to end on, Steven really isn’t well and the Doctor is concerned about landing somewhere to help him.

Next Time – The Nightmare Begins.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Daleks Master Plan – Part one:

Episode 1: The Nightmare Begins
We’re starting off on audio here, escaping the carnage of Troy with Steven having contracted blood poisoning from his battle wound.
We’re back on Kemble and there’s another pair of people trapped. They’re talking about “Them” and if they don’t get a message to Earth the solar system is finished.
On Earth there’s a disagreement between two technicians about what they want to watch on television. It’s giving a good background and human connection with the characters. We’re in the year 4000 as well. Nice way into the future.
Kurt Gantry and Bret Vyon are arguing about where Marc Corey is, Gantry tells Bret to go on without him. Gantry seems to be looking for something; a Dalek! They know that there’s one member of the team left.
The TARDIS has arrived and the Doctor has found a city in the distance. Another great piece of Hartnell muttering to himself.
Katarina is trying to explain to Steven what is going on. I feel kind of sorry for the poor girl, she’s really out of her depth and struggling in her new setting. Bret has got the key from the Doctor and gained entry to the TARDIS. Hehe, Hartnell is great chuckling his way through the episode.
The Doctor, heading for the city again, discovers a skeleton in scraps of clothing and pockets a spool of tape. The Doctor sees a spaceship arrive and then the Daleks. Harntells reaction is fantastic. You really get a sense of horror from him towards the creatures.
The Daleks have found the TARDIS, after Bret has given Katarina tablets to help Steven.
Ooh, that’s a twist, the Daleks new ally is Mavec Chen, guardian of the solar system. Corruption of the highest calliber. Rushing back to the TARDIS, the Doctor is horrified to discover the door ajar and three Daleks outside it.
Episode 2: Day of Armageddon
Back to video, finally! It’s great to see the Daleks again. They’re about to engage “Operation Inferno” which doesn’t sound good at all.
The way Chen writes is somewhat bizarre! I can’t say I’ve seen anyone write like that before. Hello, who’s this chap. Ah, Zephon, Master of the fifth galaxy; a rather sinister looking figure in a dark cowel. Kevin Stoney is rather superbly sinister as Mavec Chen.
Now that’s interesting, the Daleks have called this large alliance, but once their usefulness is over, they’re to be eliminated.
The Doctor has found Steven and Katarina in the jungle, their having escaped the TARDIS and the Daleks. Katarina is quite the interesting companion, a real child out of time.
That’s impressive, Daleks with flamethrowers instead of their sucker arms. Nation really had some great ideas with his creations. They seem a lot more terrifying than they were back in The Chase.
The Doctor and Steven are arguing over the Daleks. It’s a really good scene, especially with Bret looking on and telling them to shut up. Hartnells reaction to that is just fantastic. This is not the same man we saw back in An Unearthly Child, he’s developed fantastically.
The Daleks are burning down the forest trying to trap the travellers. And we’re given a date for the Dalek Invasion of Earth; 2157.
Chen and Zephon are having a good discussion about the alliance and the Daleks. Each seem to think they are the most important member of the meeting. The Meeting is getting under way and all the delegates look fantastic! The designs for each alien race are superb and the actors playing them give them each a wonderful different style.
The Travellers find the space port and Bret recognises Chens ship in the landing bay and realises that he is part of the Daleks plot. Bret and the Doctor manage to overpower the lone Zephon and the Doctor plans to attend the conference disguised as Zephon.
These sets are just beautiful.
The Daleks have built something called a Time Destructor and have acquired the delegates to tell them this. It seems as though they have all had a part in building it. Chen has supplied the core of the Time Destructor; Taranium, a rare element only found in the solar system.
Zephon manages to raise an alarm causing panic amongst the delegates and allowing the Doctor to make off with the Taranium core.
Episode 3: Devil’s Planet
We’re on audio again.
The Doctor arrives on the Chens space ship in the nick of time.
The Daleks are tracking them, the Supreme Dalek rather miffed at their escape. They plan a gravimetric randomiser to disrupt their flight.
The Doctor on Chens Spa tells his friends of the Daleks plans to invade and conquer the universe, starting with Earth. Interesting little bit where Bret asks “What’s the matter” with Katarina, asking where she’s from.
Zephon says that he believes the travellers to have been from the Solar System, trying to throw distrust on Chen. In a wonderful moment, the remaining delegates gather round Chen and the Supreme Dalek as the latter gives the order for his execution. So wonderfully Dalek and ruthless.
Another wonderful Hartnell moment where he says that Steven is always asking questions and making a “nuisance” of himself, whereas Katarina just quietly looks and learns. Hartnell is showing a wonderful protective and grandfatherly feel over Katarina. The Daleks randomiser hits the Spa, sending them hurtling to Desperus, a planet Bret recognises as the penal planet of the Solar System.
There’s an interesting power struggle on Desperus, leadership confirmed by ownership of a crude knife. The criminals see the Spa arrive and make their way to it, seeing it as a way off the planet.
The travellers have affected repairs to the Spa and leave just as the Dalek pursuit ship arrives and crashes into a swamp.
Episode 4: The Traitors
The travellers escape but are unaware of a stow-away; Kirkson who has escaped Desperus and taken Katarina hostage inside the airlock. Now that is a shocker, as Katarina activates the airlock control and flushes both her and Kirkson into space. Its a shocking and harrowing scene and beautifully played by Hartnell and Purvis;
"She didn't understand... She couldn't understand. She wanted to save our lives. And perhaps the lives of all the other beings of the solar system. I hope she's found her perfection. We shall always remember her as one of the daughters of the gods. Yes, as one of the daughters of the gods."
Trantis is arguing against the Dalek supreme on Kembel, saying that they’ve failed in their attempt to return the Taranium core. The Dalek Supreme assures Trantis that nothing will stand in the way of the Daleks or their allies. It’s a chilling speech from the Supreme Dalek.
Chen has made it back to Earth and figures out that Bret Vyon is the man who helped the Doctor and Steven, calling him a dangerous traitor and must be caught. Chen decides that both Bret and Gantrey are the two traitors and must be shot on sight.
The Doctor and co have arrived back at Earth, crash-landing at the experimental section. Bret leads them to an office of a friend of his unaware they are being watched.
Chens ruthless SSS agent has arrived; Sara Kingdom. She’s described as a rather ruthless and efficient agent and has a rather ominous presence.
Bret and the Doctor tell Daxtar, Brets friend, about Chen and the Daleks and he can’t believe it. There’s something about Daxtar that doesn’t ring right and the Doctor spots it too. Daxtar gives away the game by revealing he knows the Time Destructors core is made of Taranium. It’s a rather good scene and wonderfully acted by Courtney (I can only hear his actions) as he realises that his old friend has betrayed him. The Doctors reaction to Brets killing Daxtar is brilliantly played and quite accurate, now they won’t know who they can trust.
Sara arrives and confronts the travellers, Bret struggles with her giving the Doctor and Steven a chance to escape but is shot down by Sara, who then calls to her colleague Borkar and tell him that the others are to be shot on sight and “aim for the head”.
Episode 5: Counter Plot
Back to Video.
The Doctor and Steven have taken refuge in a strange room with a rather bizarre cage of mice emitting a strange noise. It could well be linked to some scientists conducting a Dissemination experiment.
Sara finds the Doctor and Steven just as a loud noise and blinding light fills the room. Theres a rather trippy scene as images of the cage transmitter, Steven and Sara are superimposed over a space backdrop.
Now that’s impressive. Another alien jungle scene with bubbling misty swamps.
Chen and Karlton are plotting and it seems pretty clear that Chen is wanting to oust the Daleks and is already a little unhinged.
Some invisible force is moving Sara’s arms and there’s a sinister growling sound. Its quite an effective use of what must be a mysterious alien race. Yep definitely invisible as there are some rather large and sinister looking footprints appearing.
The Dalek pursuit ship has arrived on Mira, the planet the travellers have arrived at. I’m loving the Dalek scenes, they really seen a terrifying and unstoppable force waiting to be unleashed.
The Daleks on Mira have discovered the Mice transmitter cage and destroyed it. They also encounter one of the aliens and deduce it to be invisible. They really are playing a great role, the Daleks.
The Doctor has realised that they’re on the planet Mira and the aliens are Visians. How he recognises I don’t know, maybe he’s been here before.
Chen is planning with Karlton his usurpation of all power to outwit the Daleks. He’s got high hopes, I must say, planning to outwit the Daleks.
A Dalek patrol blasts their way through a group of Visians and capture the Doctor and his party, this can only be bad news.
Episode 6: Coronas of the Sun
And back to audio again. I get the feeling there are going to be a fair few of these switching to and from audio to video.
The Daleks recognise that the Doctor has the Taranium, which the Doctor realises is a stalemate as the Daleks won’t dare fire on them whilst holding the Taranium. Now this is something interesting that could be good to be seen as the Visians attack the Daleks with rocks and sticks, especially as the Visians become briefly visible as they die.
The Doctor, Steven and Sara are planning to steal the Dalek ship to escape. Steven says the Doctor has had dealings with the Daleks before. It’s got me thinking, both the Doctor and the Daleks have progressed so far in the past two years since they both appeared. Both the Doctor and the Daleks have become a lot more rounded and fleshed out.
The Doctor and Steven manage to overcome the Dalek guard as Steven blinds it with some mud. It’s getting exciting as you can hear the Daleks outside preparing to board the ship and exterminate the travellers along with their hurried preparing to leave before the Daleks arrive.
Chen is getting rather arrogant and really riling the Daleks. The Dalek supreme calls him incompetent whilst Chen blames the Daleks for the Doctor stealing the Taranium.
The Doctor is planning to create a fake Taranium core, however, the Daleks influence the pursuit ship pulling it back to Kemble until Steven smashes a control box. Whilst trying to sort the fake core, Steven tries to use his own methods with gravity force and collapses in a rather terrifying scream.
Steven is trapped in a self contained force-field and the Doctor gives him the fake Taranium. Chen and the Daleks are waiting for them, but the Doctor insists that he will hand over the “Taranium” outside the TARDIS. Steven, although blank faced, does as the Doctor instructs, the Daleks opening fire and dissipating the force field allowing Steven to escape with the Doctor.
There’s a great bit of Hartnell as he chastises Steven for his dangerous experiment. However, it’s cut short as the TARDIS lands on a planet with a poisonous atmosphere.

Next Time – The Feast of Steven

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Daleks Master Plan – Part two:

Episode 7: The Feast of Steven
Audio again.
The poisonous atmosphere turns out to be nothing more than a northern English city. Complete with two jovial policemen full of the Christmas spirit. I’ve never seen policemen singing Carols before!
This has certainly got some comic elements to it, as a break from the normal story as the Doctor ducks back into the TARDIS after leaving and bumping into a police sergeant. There’s a nice touch as Sara suggests that they’ve landed on the Doctors home planet, saying that police is written on the TARDIS.
Now I think that’s the most perfect summing up of the Doctor that I’ve heard so far; “I’m a citizen of the universe and a gentleman to boot!”
Steven turns up in a borrowed police uniform, sporting a rather amusing northern accent. Which the Doctor picks up on when he sees Steven.
This is definitely a comic relief episode as the TARDIS has now landed on a Hollywood Movie set. Even the music is of the early years of celluloid as the travellers run from film set to film set. There seems to be some rather slapstick chase scenes that do seem a little silly and rather out of place of the rest of the story, which seems to be going the way of the Chase, and this episode is rather reminiscent of Flight Through Eternity and Journey into Terror from said story.
Although there are some amusing lines and double entendres, such as “A strange man kept telling me to take all my clothes off!” and “This place is a madhouse, it’s full of Arabs!”.
The constant chasing is now starting to get a little tiresome, I must say. I know this was broadcast on Christmas Day but still.
Oh, that was something I never picked up on before, the Doctor was chatting to a clown who is saying that all his routines have been taken by Chaplin and he might as well take up singing; “But who’d use a singer with a name like Bing Crosby?”
The Doctor has brought out some drinks to celebrate a happy Christmas and then breaks the fourth wall to say Happy Christmas to everyone at home. I’m actually glad that it’s the end of the episode now as it was getting a little too over the top and silly, but it was an interesting break in an otherwise really dark and very atmospheric story.
Episode 8: Volcano
Were back on Kembel and the Daleks have finished constructing the Time Destructor. The members of the Daleks alliance are discussing the Doctor and wondering who he may be.
The Time Path indicator is registering on the console again and the Doctor wonders whether the Daleks have tested the Taranium already.
Oooh, that’s evil, the Daleks are going to test the Time Destructor on Trantis, one of the delegates. Chen is rather cold about the whole thing, as though it’s another obstacle being removed for him. The Daleks notice that the Destructor is not working and the fault is in the Taranium.
I’m so immature. I can’t help but laugh when Chen protests that the Core is genuine; “It came from Uranus!” *ahem* Chen is trying to pass the blame onto the Daleks once again. The Daleks are getting a time machine sent to them from Skaro, it looks like they’re going to give chase again.
Another wonderful Dalek moment as the Daleks kill Trantis as he leaves the testing chamber.
The TARDIS has landed at the Oval! And interestingly, one of the commentators sounds like one of the voice artists from Thunderbirds!
I recognise that sound, the Dalek Time Machine has arrived, ready for the Daleks to pursue the Doctor through time and space. Chen is to go with the Task Force, and warned, if he fails the Daleks, he will be destroyed.
The TARDIS has landed on a volcano world, and so, according to the Doctor, has their pursuer. It’s the Monk! He’s escaped 1066! Great to see him back again! (Well, hear at the moment!) The Doctor seems to have an idea as to who has been following them, but doesn’t say.
The Monk is doing something to the TARDIS lock, and seems happy with what he’s done. The Doctor is calling out to someone and Steven wants to know who. The Monk reveals himself. It’s great to see the two back together as the Monk explains his escape. The Monk seems delighted to say that he’s marooned the Doctor on Tigus. A brilliant show from Butterworth. He’s great to listen to as the Monk, he really seems to enjoy the role.
Somehow the Doctor has used his ring to un-fuse the TARDIS lock, much to the Monks annoyance. The Daleks and now the Monk. These next episodes are going to be fantastic, I’m really looking forward to them!
The Daleks have found the TARDIS, Earth at new years eve 1966 and the countdown is on for their Time Machine to depart. Interesting that the Doctor comments that the New Year’s celebrations resemble the celebrations of the relief of Mafeking.
The Daleks chant that conquest is assured, and it sounds like there are hundreds of them. And it’s fantastic.
Episode 9: Golden Death
The TARDIS has arrived in ancient Egypt whilst the Doctor conducts repairs on the TARDIS lock. Steven goes to keep a look out for the Monks TARDIS. And it sounds as though Hartnell is suffering a cold, his voice is rather croaky this episode.
The Dalek time machine arrives, and is spotted by Steven. He and Sara go off to investigate whilst the Doctor is observed by Tuthmos, an overseer of the pyramid. Sara and Steven are caught by Hyksos as Chen and some Daleks emerge and shoot down the remaining terrified Egyptians.
The Doctor has finished his work and goes in search of Steven and Sara, tiptoeing past a sleeping guard. Whilst resting from the heat, he spots the Monks TARDIS arrive and the Monk emerges, wearing sunglasses! That’s something I wish I could see. I’d imagine it would be rather amusing. The Doctor suddenly realises that it must have been the Daleks that arrived originally. A great realisation from Hartnell that mirrors his reaction to seeing them originally in episode one.
Hyksos leaves to get more men to deal with the “fighting machines that throw fire”.
The Monk is looking for the Doctor, unaware that he is being followed by the Doctor. The Monk recognises the Daleks, by reputation and is confronted by a patrol with Mavec Chen. The Monk seems to be bluffing it out with the Daleks, saying that he is after inflicting a vengeance on the Doctor and that he is an enemy. Chen offers the Monk a deal; retrieve the Taranium core from the Doctor and he will be allowed to live. The Monk agrees.
The Doctor sneaks into the Monks TARDIS and changes its shape into many things before it becomes a Police Box. That’s something that would have been impressive to have seen.
The incidental music is rather impressive and really suitable for the time. And another wonderful scene between the Doctor and the Monk. They always seem to bounce off each other very well. The Monk knows of the Doctors Time Curve indicator, that’s interesting. He seems to be double crossing everyone as he warns the Doctor about the Daleks. Interestingly the Doctor seems about to attack the Monk.
Steven and Sara discover the TARDIS, in the tomb of the pyramid, as well as a sarcophagus, from within which, a bandaged hand reaches out to them.
Episode 10: Escape Switch
And we’re back to video!
The Egyptian sets look fabulous and are wonderfully ornate. The beauty of the scenery doesn’t come out well on audio. The Bandaged figure stands up and turns out to be the Monk! It’s actually a rather amusing resolution to the cliff-hanger.
The Daleks are about to disembark their time ship and treat all life forms as hostile. This can only mean bad news!
The Monk is trying many ways of getting into the TARDIS but Steven isn’t having any of it. I’m really enjoying seeing Butterworth back, he’s great to see.
The Daleks have found Steven, Sara and the Monk and the Monk says that he has brought them to the Daleks as hostages. It really makes you wonder whose side the Monk is on; The Doctors, the Daleks or his own.
Now that was a nice bit of editing, the camera pans up to the sun which then fades to the shine on the top dome of a Dalek. A wonderfully arty piece of editing that is probably overlooked very often.
Now prisoners on the Dalek ship, the Monk is saying that he saved Steven and Sara’s lives by “fooling” the Daleks. Meanwhile the Daleks have Chen give an ultimatum over a loudspeaker system.
Now that is an impressive set, an aerial view of the pyramids and buildings. It really is quite beautiful. Full credit to the set designers.
The Daleks emerging from their Time Machine is actually rather chilling. The doorway is low enough for a Dalek, causing any human character to stoop. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about their appearance. The Doctor arranges a rendezvous with the Daleks to hand over the Taranium and get back Steven and Sara. He’s also included “that Monk fellow”.
The Doctor gets the “hostages” released before handing over the Taranium, just as the Egyptians attack, drawing the Daleks attention. There’s a spectacular battle as Egyptians face off against the Daleks, the majority of whom being shot down.
Steven, Sara and the Doctor are reunited at the TARDIS, where the Doctor admits that he handed the real Taranium core to Chen, but has stolen the Monks directional unit to help them.
The Monk escapes and finds his TARDIS, and discovers that the Doctor has changed its appearance. He makes his escape as the Daleks arrive. I really hope we get to see him again, he’s such an underrated character. Now stuck wandering aimlessly, like the Doctor.
Interesting; the Doctor admits that there is a chance that the directional unit could blow out and destroy the centre column. There is a chance, however and he instructs Steven to pull the main switch, causing a bright glare to fill the control room.
Episode 11: The Abandoned Planet
The Dalek Time Machine arrives back at Kembel and Chen presents the core to the Dalek Supreme, his arrogance now seems to be out of hand, he seems to think he’s untouchable. The Supreme Dalek still has plans for Chen, and using his arrogance against him.
The unit hasn’t damaged the TARDIS but the directional unit has burnt itself out. The TARDIS seems to have arrived at Kembel, the unit burning itself out after the journey. Another wonderful Hartnell moment where he says that they’re in trouble then turning round and telling Sara that he told her they would have made it.
The members of the galactic council are debating whether to keep Chen in the alliance, saying that they no longer need him. The remaining delegates want to know why Chen has information they have not been given. There’s clearly some dissention in the ranks as the remaining delegates denounce Chen and turn on him, Chen killing one of them as they go to attack him. Interestingly, the Dalek Supreme remains silent, and it’s making me wonder, are the Daleks planning all this?
Steven and Sara are making their way to the Dalek city and en route lose track of the Doctor. Things seem to be coming to ahead here and its feeling like we’re starting to build up to a climactic ending.
The Dalek Supreme has left the council room unnoticed and left the delegates inside locked in, Chens vanity saying that all delegates will rule their respective galaxies, but ultimately be answerable to the Daleks and him! His arrogance is going to be his downfall, it seems most likely. The Daleks return and lead the delegates off somewhere. Presumably to holding cells.
Steven and Sara are still making their way to the Dalek city, and still arguing, while the Daleks commence the countdown to the invasion. Steven and Sara manage to slip inside the city and soon realise something isn’t right, it’s deserted. It’s rather spooky, a deserted Dalek city, bearing all the sounds you’d expect from previous Dalek stories, but nothing else. It’s almost like the TARDIS crews exploration of the Dalek city in The Dead Planet!
It’s really turned into quite the mystery as the pair of them reach Dalek control and realise that there aren’t any Daleks about at all. Using the Dalek loudspeaker system, they inadvertently make contact with Chen and the delegates who reveal that they are held in a detention cell.
Chen is clearly deranged, thinking Sara has returned out of loyalty for him, regaining his arrogance and self inflated superiority. Steven and Sara arrive and release the delegates so they can go and warn their own peoples.
Steven and Sara retreat to a distance and watch the delegate ships as they leave, however Chens ship explodes as it rises into the skies. Not only that, but the Daleks are still on Kembel, hidden underground. And the Doctor is still missing. And to add insult to injury, Chen is still alive, having arranged for his ship to explode and still under the delusion that he will become ruler of the galaxy.
Episode 12: The Destruction of Time
Things really are getting quite tense now, I’m really excited listening to this, and I’m typing like fury! I really wish that this hadn’t been lost, it sounds such a wonderful story and the three existing episodes are just fantastic.
Chen is pressing Steven and Sara for information on where the Doctor is, but neither knows and are protesting the fact, held at gunpoint by a madman. He believes that the Daleks need him and that the Doctor is trying to take his place.
An assault division of 5000 Daleks is to spearhead the attack it seems, with the Time Destructor in the lead ship. That’s quite a formidable force and it feels like one.
The Daleks have caught Chen, Sara and Steven and tell Chen to take them onto the Dalek Supreme, before saying quieter that they are still to escort them. It gives a rather amusing image of a Dalek engaging in a conspiratorial whisper.
Stoney is really engaging as Chen as he is told that their alliance is at an end and the Daleks simply stand and stare at the manic human. He believes that he is now the ruler of the Daleks. This is getting rather intense as the Daleks encircle Chen, who is shouting that he is immortal. He’s really flipped his lid. It’s getting ever more gripping as the Doctor emerges and tells Steven and Sara to get to the TARDIS and do as he says.
The incidental music is really heightening the tension and just fantastic. Such tension that I don’t remember experiencing in Who before as the Daleks exterminate Chen and return to the control room to discover that the Doctor has activated the Time Destructor. Interestingly the Doctor instructs Steven to use a Dalek as a shield and then tells him to take Sara to the TARDIS.
This is really getting edge of the seat stuff! Sara has returned to help the Doctor as the Time Destructor slowly increases its operations. There’s a new wind effect on the planet that we’ve not heard before. The Destructor seems to be affecting the elements as the Doctor and Sara rush to the TARDIS to neutralise it.
Ooh, that’s nasty; Sara is starting to age rapidly before the Doctors eyes. I can imagine it would be a horrible way to go. The Daleks are closing in as the planet becomes more desert-like as the Time Destructor does its work.
This is getting so gripping and rather shocking as Sara is aged to death and the Doctor starts struggling against the effects of the Time Destructor. Steven leaves the TARDIS in time to see Sara turned to dust as he struggles to destroy the Time Destructor and help the Doctor.
This has been a really harrowing episode as Sara is now gone and Steven has turned the Time Destructor into rewinding time, it now affecting the Daleks themselves as they are buffeted by the effects of the machine. It’s even a horrible and harrowing way for the Daleks to go as they cry out, their casings melting away and the Dalek mutants being regressed to embryos. This is turning out to be one dark episode.
The ending is now leaving me rather cold as the Doctor and Steven sadly recount the effects of the devestation, with mixed feelings of sadness and anger on Stevens part, and the Doctor summing it up; "What a waste... What a terrible waste."
And what a journey. An epic 12 parter that is probably the darkest that Doctor Who has ever been since it started. The Daleks have heralded a change in direction for the series each time they’ve appeared and here, they’ve heralded a really dark story and several deaths of people travelling with the Doctor, whether you class them as companions or not. Wow, that’s all I can say. The Daleks Master Plan, it’s a master peice.

Next time – War of God.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Massacre (of Saint Bartholomew’s Eve)

Episode 1: War of God
Another audio story, and we’re back in Earths’ history, France again. The Doctor says that he and Steven have arrived in the middle of the 16th century and wants to try to get to see Preslin. The pair get some appropriate clothes, giving a great double entendre from Hartnell; “You’d be surprised what I have in my wardrobe!” Oh eck!
There is clear religious prejudice going on in this time between the Catholics and Protestant Huguenots. I must admit to not knowing much about this period, and so I don’t fully understand all the religious banter.
There’s clearly something underlying going on here. The Doctor leaves Steven in an inn, where he is apparently befriended by someone from the inn.
The Doctor has found Charles Preslin, who is pretending that he isn’t himself, he’s clearly scared of something.
Fear seems to be a key element in this story as a young girl is running scared from some pursuers. Interestingly, this French peasant girl has a Cornish accent! And she’s over heard a plot relating to the slaughter at Vesey of Huguenots by Catholics.
Oh, now that is a rather good twist, it appears that the villain of the piece, the Abbot of Amboise is the Doctor!
Episode 2: The Sea Beggar
There is a very strong sense of mistrust amongst the characters and very few seem to trust others. It’s certainly different to The Daleks Master Plan, and quite a lot of the previous stories.
Someone is searching for Anne, the girl who ran from the house and bumped into Steven, talking of the massacre of Vesey. The Abbot is out in the street and Steven spots him, astonished that he resembles the Doctor and throwing suspicion on himself as a spy.
I’ve got to say that this seems a much slower story that TDMP, and after the epic scale of the former, this story really feels rather different.
Steven is getting quizzed about how he knows the “Abbot”. The Huguenots seem to recognise him as the Abbot and Steven recognises him as the Doctor. We’re as much in the dark as Steven as we haven’t heard from the Doctor since he met Preslin. Is the Abbot the Doctor in disguise?
Someone called The Sea Beggar is to die tomorrow night. There’s a rather great sense of mystery and it seems this order comes from a high authority; the Queen Mother.
Steven has overheard this and going to tell the Huguenots gets involved in a sword fight with Gaston, who is highly distrustful of him. Trying to find out what’s happening, he is joined by Anne Chaplet, who has been following him.
Episode 3: Priest of Death
Steven is planning to return to the Abbots house to find out the truth, and is disguising himself so that he is not recognised.
The King seems unwilling to ally with the Netherlands in a war against Spain, but is told that it is looking likely that it will happen.
Steven meanwhile is convinced that the Doctor has taken the place of the Abbot and is going to confront him. He pretends to have brought Anne back and whilst the Abbot is distracted the pair escape, and Steven warns of the attempt to kill the Admiral, who is the Sea Beggar.
Stevens’ information proves useful and the Admiral escapes wounded, but alive and the Abbot is placed under arrest for his failure. And he’s only recently arrived. Is he really the Doctor?! He’s been ordered to be executed now.
Steven still believes the Abbot to be the Doctor, even more so now he’s seen him. Purvis’s reaction to hearing that the Abbot has been killed is wonderful. If the Abbot was the Doctor, has the Doctor really been killed?
The King has confronted the Queen Mother and called her his enemy, having arranged at the murder of his Admiral.
On the streets, the Catholics seem to believe that the Huguenots are responsible for the death of the Abbot and are rallying round, wanting to ban the Huguenots from entering Paris, swearing to revenge the dead Abbot. Stevens protestations on the Huguenots behalf cause him to be turned on and he has to flee for his life.
Episode 4: Bell of Doom
Steven has spent the night on the run, and finally gets back to Preslin’s shop. He still is under the impression that the Abbot was the Doctor and that he’s dead.
Marshall Tarvanes is still after Steven, knowing that he could well evade them in the revalry of St Bartholomews day the following day.
Steven is disparing after finding the Doctors stick. He believes he can’t leave until he’s found the TARDIS key. And the Doctor has returned; he wasn’t the Abbot! It’s the first time we’ve seen him since the first episode.
The Doctor explains that he was held up and ready to leave with Steven. The Doctor seems suddenly interested in the year. It’s 1572 and the Doctor has suddenly become urgent. The Doctor sends Anne home, asking her to leave Paris if at all possible and urgently hurries Steven out to the TARDIS, not telling him why he is so urgent to leave.
Tarvanes and the Queen Mother are planning a mass murder of Huguenots in the city, and she orders him to close the city gates. She warns that the prince is not to be killed as it could spark a holy war. Despite my earlier comments, this story is getting quite dark, with the talk of religious purging and a massacre.
The Doctor and Steven leave Paris as guards swarm the streets and start carnage and slaughter. It’s just audio but it still sounds horrifying. This last episode has gone really dark.
In the TARDIS it’s taken a very sombre mood as the Doctor explains the massacre to Steven, who is very angry over their abandonment of Anne. I think this is the first time we’ve dealt with the consequences of the Doctors actions and Steven is fuming, saying that he’s leaving when the TARDIS next lands. Surely he can’t leave this way? The Doctor seems really sad over the whole thing, including Stevens departure. Hartnell delivers a wonderful speech here;
"My dear Steven, history sometimes gives us a terrible shock, and that is because we don't quite fully understand. Why should we? After all, we're too small to realise its final pattern. Therefore don't try and judge it from where you stand. I was right to do as I did. Yes, that I firmly believe. " [Steven leaves the TARDIS] " Steven... Even after all this time, he cannot understand. I dare not change the course of history. Well, at least I taught him to take some precautions; he did remember to look at the scanner before he opened the doors. And now, they're all gone. All gone. None of them could understand. Not even my little Susan. Or Vicki. And as for Barbara and Chatterton - Chesterton - they were all too impatient to get back to their own time. And now, Steven. Perhaps I should go home. Back to my own planet. But I can't... I can't..."
It’s a wonderfully touching and brilliantly delivered speech and it’s enough to bring a lump to the throat. It’s wonderfully lamentful. And why can’t the Doctor go back to his own planet? Is he going to continue alone?
Oh no, a young girl has just run into the TARDIS, looking for a telephone. So do we have a new companion here? The Doctor seems wanting to get rid of her. And Steven has returned! And two police are on their way. With this new girl on board, the TARDIS takes off. This new girl is rather cheeky and sarcastic it seems, and rather disbelieving that the TARDIS is a ship. The Doctor remarks that she resembles Susan. And Steven is wondering whether Dodo Chaplet is an ancestor of Anne.
It’s quite a light ending to an otherwise dark and deep episode. And it was great to see Hartnell in a dual role, he really seemed to be getting his teeth into both. But I think credit here goes to Steven, for carrying the story again. It seems like he’s been doing a fair bit of that of late and I’m glad he didn’t leave here.

Next time - The Steel Sky

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Ark:

Episode 1: The Steel Sky
Back onto good old VHS!
We’ve got a familiar incidental music opening as an eagle lands on a Lizard. It’s a wonderfully creepy start as there’s a strange reptilian alien with a Beatles hair-do and one eye!
Stevens getting annoyed with Dodo, who’s swanning about not believe that they’ve moved far, thinking they’re at Wipsnade Zoo. Although her “Earth? Earth?” is rather warranting a slap. Although the Doctor is still calling Dodo, Dorothea, much to her annoyance.
The aliens seem to be servants to humans and are called Monoids, and they’re mute. The Humans here are wearing some rather strange clothes, it must be said. The sets are beautiful though, a real sense of scale. We’re in the middle of a trial it seems and the prisoners sentence is to be that of Miniaturisation, where he’s to be held at micro size.
It’s not quite clear where we are yet, as the travellers spot and pet an Indian Elephant. The Doctor has noticed that the jungle doesn’t have a sky, merely a metal roof. And the ground is trembling, like a mechanical vibration. Unknowingly, they’re being watched by a Monoid.
There’s really a feel of a grand scale here. as though something has happened or is about to happen. The Monoids have found the TARDIS, and Steven says he doesn’t like the look of what’s found it, “If it is Earth, then it’s no longer inhabited by human beings.”
The Doctor realises that they’re on a space ship as they escape the Monoids only to be caught by a large group of them. Interestingly they seem to be fairly warmly welcomed by the human populace. Well, except a few who are distrustful of Steven and the Doctor, accusing them to be from Refusis II, the destination of the space ship and it’s going to take 700 years to get there.
Dodo is an interesting companion. A typical teenager type, when asked if she’d like to see a Statue, she says that “it Depends”.
I must say, I’m rather bemused by the Guardians clothes. For such an advanced and future form of humanity, they seem to have a severe lack of fashion sense.
A strange fever is spreading through the ship, affecting hum an and Monoid alike. Dodo and the Doctor believe it to be from Dodo’s cold, however, it was wiped out millennia ago, the Doctor says, and it could be fatal to these humans, and the Doctor confirms that it would be their fault.
Episode 2: The Plague
That’s a good effect, a planet passing through a window. Either that, or it’s the Earth awaiting it’s doom from the Sun going Nova.
An interesting conversation between Steven and the Doctor where they discuss the possibility of their spreading diseases and infections from planets the planet and time to time. As the Doctor says, it’s a horrid thought.
There’s a rather spooky funeral procession as the Monoids carry their fallen kin throughout the corridors of the ship to an eerie drumbeat.
The Travellers are to be tried for the “terrible crime” that they have committed. Unsurprisingly the trial is called by those who were initially suspicious of the travellers. Steven states that he will give evidence on their behalf primarily because he is stifling in the cell. There seems to be something wrong with him. Although he’s certainly holding his own against the accusations, turning the accusations against his accusers, telling them that they fear the unknown and are narrow minded and paranoid.
One of the guardians has now died of the fever. The effect this news has on the Doctor is fantastically played by Hartnell. It’s a subtle and simple act of his reaction, but it’s more than effective. Not only that, it seems that Steven has caught the virus also, collapsing in the stand.
The Commander of the Guardians has regained enough coherence to overturn the court verdict and allow the Doctor to try to work on a cure.
Montage time! As the Doctor works for a cure. Apparently it’s derived from animal membranes, although we don’t know which animals. And it works, much to the jubilation of the Guardians.
Oh, from Jubilation to shock. The Earth smoulders as the sun expands! The end of the Earth, and this time the Doctor didn’t do a thing. Well, I suppose all good things come to an end.
With the guardians and Steven now all better, a Monoid takes the Travellers back to the TARDIS after they bid farewell and receive an apology for the mistrust shown in them. Nice, I don’t think anyone else has ever apologised for threatening to kill them!
Now that’s interesting, the TARDIS dematerialises only to rematerialise straight away! Although there doesn’t seem to be anyone about when they get back from the jungle. And they’ve finished the statue, we’re 700 years in the future!
And that is worrying, the statue has been finished with the head of a Monoid! What a cliff-hanger.
Episode 3: The Return
The travellers seem to confirm that they have indeed arrived 700 years after they were last on the Ark, as Dodo dubbed it. There have been more changes than just the head of the statue. There is now an automatic guidance system and it seems that the Guardians have become slaves to Monoid overlords, who now have weapons and can speak.
There’s been a revolution and the Monoids have taken over and enslaved the humans. The Monoids now have a strange neck adornment that has a speaker grille and a number, denoting their position in society.
Ooh, the Monoids are serious, they have a security kitchen!
There are reports of strangers amongst the guardian slaves. The story of the Doctor and co have passed into legend it seems.
The Monoids are planning to start their own culture on Refusis II and destroy the humans. However, they are sending an advanced party of Monoid 2 and the Doctor and Dodo to see what Refusis II is like before the mass landing of Monoids.
In an attempt to seize a heat pod from one of the Monoids, Steven hatches a plan, which is foiled, resulting in the death of a Guardian.
Now this is interesting. It seems as though there is another invisible life form on Refusis II.
Monoid 2 must be a bit of a dimwit, as he rather foolishly gives away that they’re not going to bring the humans down from the Ark and stumbles over himself when he tries to deny it. Dodo manages to trip him up. She’s not as bad as she first seems, she’s got a good brain on her.
One is planning to destroy the Ark with a fission device that he’s concealed in the statue. And he’s overheard by one of the subject guardians. Hurriedly, he runs to tell the rest of the guardians who begin to plan their escape.
These Monoids are quite vicious, killing a guardian who is laying on the floor after scuffling with two trying to prevent him from communicating with the Ark for abandoning the humans. The Refusians seem to greet this act by destroying the travel capsule.
Episode 4: The Bomb
There seems to be some dissent in the ranks of the Monoids. Four is questioning the leadership tactics of One, and Three knows of this it seems.
Stevns plan to escape seems to be working so far. One of the guardians has escaped the Security Kitchen and released the others in the hope of finding the bomb and retaking the Ark.
The Monoids are starting to abandon the Ark, and Four is seeming determined to take over once they get to the surface. Arriving, One and Three discover the wreckage of the first launcher whilst Four decides that One is to be killed.
The Doctor manages to get in touch with the Ark using one of the launchers. Theres a wonderful Hartnell moment as he bumps into Three and the Launcher takes off. Being asked where the Refusians are and who has manned the launcher he seems delighted in his statement that he hasn’t seen a Refusian.
Ooh, Four has confronted one, causing a split in the Monoids. Not only that, but it has given the Doctor the answer he wanted; the location of the bomb. And it seems that there is about to be a Monoid civil war.
That was a good shot, as the camera focuses on one of the guardians talking about the bomb, she moves, revealing the statue in which it’s hidden.
Yep, a Monoid civil war has broken out as the two factions of Monoids start fighting as another launcher arrives, containing two guardians. Rescuing the Doctor, they tell the ark where the bomb is hidden.
On the Ark, the Refusian moves the statue to the launching bay, allowing for the safe ejection of it into space.
A very nice wrapped up ending as the humans agree to treat the Monoids as equals on Refusis and the TARDIS departs. Now that’s an interesting ending as the Doctor slowly becomes invisible, saying that it’s the result of some form of attack. What attack could render him invisible?

Next Time – The Celestial Toyroom

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Celestial Toymaker

Episode 1: The Celestial Toyroom
Back to audio again. And something of great power has ensnared the TARDIS and rendered the Doctor invisible. Not only that, he’s intangible, and can’t touch anything. Something or someone really doesn’t like the Doctor.
I get the feeling that the sets for this story are to be rather interesting. I wish I could see them. And we’ve clowns to deal with. Creepy stuff. Clowns are just sinister, I swear, they’re after taking over the world!
Oh, the Doctor is back. And Steven sees an image of himself on Kemble, and the Doctor knows where they are; the domain of the Celestial Toymaker! The Toymaker certainly sounds rather impressive. It’s certainly a most mysterious start. Nothing is as it seems in seems. Erhm, yeah! The Toymakers games are deadly apparently, he ensnares people and turns them into his playthings.
The clowns are clowning around with Steven and Dodo. One of them seems rather familiar. Ah, that’s it; Edith from ‘Allo ‘Allo! Apparently Steven and Dodo have to play a series of games for the TARDIS, and they have to do that before the Doctor completes his game. It’s like a deadly Crystal Maze!
The Doctor has met the Toymaker before! How interesting. I wonder when it was. The Doctor has to play something called “The Trilogic game”. It seems the Toymaker is bored and wants a good challenge from the Doctor, as perpetual opponents. There’s actually a wonderful sense of menace to the games. Michael Goughs Toymaker is really rather chilling, he’s got a great voice for it.
Steven seems astounded that they have to play “Kids games” to win the TARDIS back. But a warning from the Doctor causes the Toymaker to make him invisible again, bar one hand.
It seems that there is a riddle for Steven and Dodo to solve before they can find out whether they’ve found the real TARDIS or not after their game. This is certainly a very different style of story and it’s very intriguing.
Episode 2: The Hall of Dolls
That accursed Toymaker. He’s now made the Doctor dumb after he offers another bit of help to Steven and Dodo. It seems that we’re in for a little Doctor this story, and again it seems to be that it’s Steven who’s going to be carrying the story again. He really is becoming more than just a companion.
It’s good to see Steven and Dodo working through the Toymakers riddles. They are rather bemusing, and it’s like a twisted nightmare. Almost like Alice in Wonderland, some kind of warped acid trip!
Finding themselves short of dolls to test, the king and queen of Hearts plan to use the joker to test for the deadly chairs, much to Steven’s horror. The Joker sees through their plot and runs off. It’s getting a close call between Steven and Dodo and the King and Queen. But the two cards sit on a chair together and vanish. For their reward, the Toymaker gives Steven and Dodo their next riddle as Dodo notices two cards on the floor.
Episode 3: The Dancing Floor
The Toymaker is clearly impressed with Steven and Dodo, and the fact that they’ve been able to defeat his two teams, before deciding on whom to send next to face them.
Steven is now getting to grips with the Toymakers toys, starting to learn what they are and give some great banter with them.
Oh, this Toymaker doesn’t seem to be playing fair, causing the Doctors game to move faster and faster. He seems determined to make sure that he gets the travellers as his playthings.
Dodo seems to be getting to grips with the Toymakers games as well, manipulating his toys to help them find the key that they need to complete the game. However, Steven is convinced that they’re merely there as a distraction to prevent them from finding the key.
It seems the dance floor makes you dance whether you want to or not, and Steven and Dodo are caught up in it. It’s a shame that I can’t see what their dancing is like. It might be great or it might be worth a good laugh, but they did manage to make it across.
The Toymaker is annoyed with his toys for failing him, and decides to use a more “deadly” character; “A fat, jolly schoolboy.” This is actually a rather chilling story, despite the toy elements. It has a certain something that makes you uneasy.
This schoolboy; Cyril, seems the sort you want to slap. He’s like one of these 1920s/30s cheeky schoolboy types. Almost like Just William, but cheekier. Infact, he could be straight out of the pages of The Beano.
Episode 4: The Final Test
Ah, now we’re back onto DVD. Finally I get to see all of what I’ve been hearing so far.
Steven was right, Cyril does look older than your average schoolboy, although he does look younger than the majority of the cast of Beverly Hills 90210!
Hmm, the Toymaker is dressed like some kind of Mandarin, and yet he has a western European look. It’s a fantastic costume though, and Michael Gough looks rather sinister in the role as well.
There’s something even dodgier about Cyril than there has been in the previous toys of the Toymaker. It’s actually rather sinister, even though he’s slightly an annoying character.
The Toymaker has given the Doctor back his voice, and already he’s grumpy and snappy. Wonderfully Hartnell.
Cyril falls foul of one of his own booby traps, some powder on triangle eleven, causing him to slip onto the highly electrified flooring. He may be a toy but it’s quite a horrible way for him to go. Dodo and Steven manage to complete the game and get back to the TARDIS as the Doctor completes his penultimate move and is now visible again.
The Doctor makes his way back to the TARDIS as the Toymaker comes on a robot monitor to say that the Doctor cannot leave until he completes the last move, and once that is done, the Toymakers domain will collapse, with the travellers stuck inside.
Now that was spooky. The Toymaker appears from the monitor to beside Steven. It actually gave me a slight start, his sudden appearance.
The TARDIS can’t leave until the Doctor makes his last move, and the Doctor only realises as the Toymaker reveals it rather smugly. It’s wonderfully played by Hartnell and Gough, there’s a great chemistry between them. The Doctor is trying to outwit the Toymaker, but he’s having none of it, admitting he’s a bad loser and always destroys the destroyer.
Steven unwittingly gives the Doctor the answer, saying that he can’t talk his way out of the situation, the Doctor saying that’s exactly what they can do as he tells Steven to preset the controls. Emulating the Toymakers voice, the final move is made, and the TARDIS dematerialises as the Toymakers world collapses in on itself. It’s a rather spectacular space scene of destruction.
The Doctor tells Dodo not to talk too soon when she asks if they’ll ever see the Toymaker again. I wonder if there will be another confrontation as the Doctor says there will. It’s quite a nice scene, wonderfully ended with a “final present from the Toymaker”; a bag of sweets. Eating one, the Doctor cries out in pain.

Next Time – Holiday for the Doctor.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Gunfighers:

Episode 1: A Holiday for the Doctor
Back to Video again and straight away we know where we are; the Wild West. Yee Haw! The OK Corral, and you know which historical event we’re going to see at some point! And there is an interesting musical style ballad running along with the story.
The Doctor has a toothache from the sweet he ate and is after a dentist. Steven and Dodo seem rather delighted that they’ve arrived in the mid West and the sets look fantastic, so much so, I already want some Whisky! Although Stevens’ outfit looks rather absurd, as the Doctor points out, rather correctly. Stevens accent is straight from his Cowboy from the Chase, yet the Doctor looks rather fetching with a Stetson added to his costume. It really suits him.
Wyatt Earp has just presented himself, and it’s certain we’re heading for the gunfight, as the Clantons, Seth Harper and Doc Holliday have all been mentioned.
The barman at the Last Chance Saloon sounds incredibly like Brains from Thunderbirds, but then they are played by the same person.
Ba-dum tish! The classic “Doctor Who?” gag is brought out as the Doctor introduces himself as Doctor Calligari to Bat Masterson, the latter asking “Doctor who?” to a “Quite right” response from Hartnell.
A brilliant scene with the Doctor in Hollidays dentists chair and offered a slug of whisky as an anaesthetic responding that he doesn’t touch alcohol. Hollidays’ response of “I do” warrants a fantastic reaction from Hartnell.
The Clantons and Harper believe that Steven and Dodo are friends with Holliday and that the Doctor is the famous gunslinger. Holliday overhears Harper when he finds the Doctor in Hollidays shop and arranges for the Doctor to have his guns, clearly hoping to make him a sacrificial lamb in his place.
Quite an understated cliff hanger as the Clantons prepare to shoot “Holliday” as he enters the saloon and the Doctor unwittingly meanders to the doors whilst Steven and Dodo are forced to play the piano and sing at gunpoint.
Episode 2: Don’t Shoot the Pianist
There’s another understated piece with Stevens annoyance at being made to sing the same song again and again, singing it through his teeth at the gathered Clantons and Harper.
Interestingly, Steven and Dodo can both play piano very well, rather comically revealed by Steven that he didn’t know he could play that well.
The Doctor recognises the name of the Clantons, introduced to them by Harper responds with “Oh dear! I mean, how do you do?”. Hartnells Doctor is on fine form here so far, he’s a joy to watch, a real joy. Even his stumbling about by his confrontation with the Harpers is brilliant, despite the somewhat dodgy “Live that is.” by the lot of them as they close in on him. Even when Holliday, hidden on the stairs, manages to turn the tables in the Doctors favour without showing himself, Hartnell is superb, holding the Clantons up, still a little bemused. Untill Earp and Masterson turn up and take the Doctor into custody.
Earp is giving a good voice of reason, realising the Holliday is using the Doctor to convince the Clantons that he’s Holliday and reveals he’s taken him into custody for his protection.
There are some great characters being played; Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Seth Harper are really fantastically played and totally believable, and the chemistry between Holliday and Earp is great, giving the impression of a real history between the two.
The Clantons are planning with Steven to break the Doctor out of jail, but there is a feeling that they’re not telling him everything, and Steven must be rather stupid to believe them. Although it’s possible he doesn’t as he’s never seemed that dim before.
No, he doesn’t believe them and is planning his own version of an escape with the Doctor. Hartnell is still being fantastic “People keep giving me guns and I do wish they wouldn’t!” And asking Earp if he can twirl a gun on his finger. It seems like he’s really getting into the story.
The Clantons have organised a lynch mob for “Holliday” and if the Doctor doesn’t leave the jail, Steven will be hanged in his place, while the real Holliday is found by Seth Harper who is rewarded by the gunslinger shooting him and preparing to leave town with Kate and Dodo.
Episode 3: Johnny Ringo
The Doctor is determined to go and confront the Clantons to convince them that he’s not Holliday, but Masterson and Earp are determined that he’s to stay in the jail.
The Doctors constant getting Wyatt Earps’ name wrong is rather amusing, calling him “Mr Wearp.”
Earp manages to round the group and rescue Steven as Charlie the Barman arrives telling the Clantons that the Doctor isn’t Holliday as he’s just been in the bar and killed Harper.
Pa Clanton is after Johnny Ringo to join his boys in a posse against Holliday and Wyatt Earp, unaware that Ringo is riding into town after personal business between him and Holliday. Ringo is certainly a nasty peice of work, and not to be confused with the Drummer of the Beatles, as he shoots Charlie for talking too much and knowing his name. Certainly not the sort of person you want to get too acquainted with.
Dodo is certainly showing her worth, pointing a gun at Holliday in an attempt to get him to take her back to Tombstone, although lets herself down by fainting when he says that he didn’t want to have shot her and reveals a concealed gun.
The Doctor recognises Ringo in the saloon and Steven agrees to accompany him to find Holliday. On his way to tell Earp and Masterson of Charlies death, there’s a wonderful moment when the Doctor reveals that Ringo is about by saying that they’ve a photo of him and shows Earp a wanted poster in a wonderfully and typical Hartnell style. Warren Earp, Wyatts youngest brother, is left alone guarding Phineas Clanton, which really leaves a feeling that it can’t end well.
Yup, it seems like it’s not going to as the Clantons arrive to rescue Phineas and shoot down Warren in the escape attempt. This coming gunfight is going to be a rather personal affair, and it’s building up nicely.
Episode 4: The O K Corral
The Doctor is adamant he’s not going to be around when “the shooting starts” as Earp says and he’s adamant he is, by deputising. There are some fantastic Hartnell moments in this first scene, especially when Virgil Earp arrives and when he goes to rest on the bar before realising he’s leaning on Charlie the Barmans’ corpse.
The Clanton brothers are triumphantly boasting that they’ve killed an Earp to their father and Ringo, much to their disgust, saying that they’ve now officially declared war against the Earps. Ringo, who’s brought Kate and Steven to be “guests” of the Clantons ducks under cover as Virgil arrives to tell the Clantons that they’ll be met by him and Wyatt at the OK Corral at sun-up.
Ringo tells the Clantons that they’re to be like the cheese in a mousetrap in order to trap the Earps and allow him to shoot them all.
Holliday arrives back at Tombstone with Dodo, and the Doctor is rather concerned about Wyatt Earp and if he gets himself killed. He’s after a more peaceful solution and getting the Clantons to face trial. It’s interesting after all his concerns about changing history, and a different tact from the Doctor, especially after The Time Meddler and his argument against the Monks actions.
It’s getting even more exciting now as Ringo and the Clantons arrive in Tombstone to face Wyatt and Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday, the latter of whom seems a little hung over.
Either the Clantons are a bad shot or Wyatt and Virgil are immune to their bullets, as they stroll through the street. Despite his meant to be on the “good” side, Hollidays’ announcement to Wyatt that he’s killed Ringo is chillingly cold. Even the Earps and Holliday seem as ruthless as the Clantons as they shoot down one of the last brothers who is now out of ammo and armless.
This has got to be one of the bloodiest historical stories that we’ve seen so far. I’m sure the Reign of Terror and the Massacre were rather bloody, but due to their being lost or having missing episodes, it’s hard to tell. It’s certainly quite an adventure and has some wonderfully understated moments and it’s wonderful to see Hartnell on top form again. Especially as it seems that Steven has been quite a leading character in the series recently.

Next Time – Dr. Who and the Savages.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Savages.

Episode 1:
We’re back in the realms of Audio as the TARDIS lands in an “Age of peace and prosperity” according to the Doctor.
It seems that the Doctor has no concept of time, telling Steven and Dodo that he’ll be gone five minutes and as usual, takes longer than his initial outlining.
The incidental music is wonderfully suspenseful as Steven calls after the Doctor, the old man unable to hear his companion. Dodo sees a savage looking figure in animal skins with an axe causing her to scream and a small argument erupting between her and Steven about what the Doctor said about the planet.
The Doctor discovers two guards from the advanced civilisation, a civilisation that seems to have been expecting the Doctor. It’s rather mysterious that someone can predict his travels whereas he cannot himself.
The music is still fantastic; it’s like nothing we’ve heard in the series so far. A really effective and chilling string combination. It’s really adding loads to the atmosphere of the story.
The Doctor is introduced to an Elder called Jano, who tells him of their following of his journeys throughout the galaxies. The Doctor is clearly impressed with the level of technology and their intelligence. It really makes us wonder what this civilisation is like.
Interestingly, some of the guards are suspicious of the Doctor, feeling cheated that he’s being treated like one of the Elders. They’re overwatched by some savages. They seem to fear the Elders and their city dwellers, who are out “on a hunt”.
Again I have to compliment the wonderful incidental music. It’s really effecting and just stunning. It really adds as the two guards hunt down and shoot with their strange guns, Nanina, one of the savages.
This planets civilisation is certainly very interesting as under their advanced and civilised veneer, there seems to be something more sinister happening.
And wow, was that really a full episode?! It just flew by! What a fantastic first part. Genuinely creepy and atmospheric.
Episode 2:
Still retaining the atmosphere and it’s working well. There really is something untoward happening in the Elders city and Dodo seems to have gotten herself lost and most probably mixed up in it knowing Dodo. Even Steven says that something must have happened to her.
It’s not just the incidental musing that’s stunning, the effects sounds for the equipment in the Elders city is fantastic. This story really seems to suffer from being reduced to audio. I would imagine that the visual look of the story was fantastic, especially if the audio is anything to go by.
Dodo has managed to get into a laboratory and is being prepped for transfer, whatever that is. It really doesn’t sound good though!
Steven is looking for her and isn’t allowed down a certain section. That’s suspicious for a start. Maybe Avon (no, not him from Blakes 7!) knows more than he’s letting on.
Dodo has managed to escape, saying that she’s been in some sort of Hospital. Flower thinks she’s imagining things and Avon says that it is a hospital. There’s certainly something going on and what it is, I’m not too sure yet, but it involves the Savages somehow. It’s just a shame that there’s no linking narration with this story.
Steven and Dodo return to the Doctor and are intent on telling him what she’s seen, but the Doctor doesn’t seem too interested, telling them that they can tell him later. It’s another wonderful piece of Hartnell. After the travellers are gone, the guard captain and Jano have a quiet talk about what Dodo saw and what the Doctor could mean to them.
Interestingly, the Doctor has noticed that theres something not too right with the civilisation too. And the incidental music is superbly composed to add to the suspence. The Doctor has an idea what is going on, the Elders have managed to harness the “lifes force” from the savages to add to their own lives, causing the savages to become nothing but husks.
There’s a wonderful confrontation between the Doctor and the captain, the Doctor defending the savage against the “sub-human” behaviour of the so called advanced state of humanity of the guards.
The savages surround Steven and Dodo, after they help Wylda (who was in the “hospital”) and go to spear them before Wylda intervenes and informs them of the Doctor being taken back to the city.
The Doctors confrontation with Jano is just fantastic;
Jano : "We do not understand you, Doctor. You have accepted our honours gladly. How can you condemn this great artistic and scientific civilisation because of a few wretched barbarians?"
The Doctor : "So, the rewards are only for the people that agree with you?"
Jano : "No. No, of course not. But if you are going to oppose us..."
The Doctor : "Oppose you! Indeed I am going to oppose you - just as in the same way that I oppose the Daleks, or any other menace to common humanity!"
...
Jano : "Do you not realise that all progress is based on exploitation?"
The Doctor : "...This, sir, is protracted murder!"
Jano arranges for the Doctor to be taken to the chamber where the Elders extract the life force from the savages and orders that the Doctor is to be experimented upon, to see what the effects are on a “higher” level of intelligence.
It’s getting tense as the transference is conducted on the Doctor, leading to another great cliff-hanger.
Episode 3:
Seeing the success of the experiment on the Doctor, Jano orders that Steven and Dodo are to be taken prisoner and the process is to be conducted on them also.
The Savages reveal that they live in caves in areas of the planet’s surface that the guards daren’t go, giving them relative safety. Not total though, so why they stay near the city is a mystery.
Jano states that the life force taken from the Doctor is to be downloaded into himself. Scientific interest or just greed for power and knowledge? Whatever, he’s certainly proving to be a bad egg.
The guards are persuing Steven and Dodo and their savage guide into the rock face. The incidental music is keeping up its standards and really adding to the suspense. Eventually Steven and Dodo manage to overpower the guard much to the Savages amazement, considering the travellers to be Gods.
Jano has had the Doctors life essence transferred into him and the technicians are now trying to revive him. And he’s now doing a fantastic Hartnell impression. Even down to the “Hmms” and the doddering mannerisms. It’s a fantastic performance.
Steven and Dodo have managed to get into the Elders city and make their way to the lab and discover the Doctor, semi conscious in the tube that drained him of his life force. They manage to rescue him as a gas, released by the guards, starts to choke them.
Episode 4:
The captain accuses Jano of helping the travellers to escape. Jano seems rather outraged at the accusation, saying that the captain is forgetting who he is and then pausing. It’s as if he doesn’t know who he is himself. Most interesting. It’s as though the Doctors influence is showing through.
Steven is making a stand, trying to hold off the guards as Dodo tries to get the Doctor back to the caves. Jano is leading the guards to the caves as the Doctor comes round enough to tell Steven and the others not to harm Jano. The two must be linked somehow.
The Doctor is determined that the Savages must not continue to exist as they do now and is determined to destroy the laboratory and the hold that the Elders have on the savages.
The captain is having doubts over Jano, saying that he’s changed. Janos guard neatly arrives at that time, saying he was forced to return and that he believes they are about to be betrayed.
Jano arrives at the caves and asks to talk to the Doctor. The Doctor says that Jano has got the Doctors intellect as he wanted and a conscience; a stronger sense of right and wrong that he coldly lacked before the transference.
The elders now know of his secret transference as the captain tells them all about it and that he believes that Jano has defected to the side of the savages. Jano arrives with the travellers as “prisoners” and orders the captain arrested and then for the elders to destroy the equipment in the lab. Together, the travellers and Jano destroy the lab and Jano admits that a new leader is needed to unite the elders and savages.
Steven is offered the chance to become the leader of both the Savages and the Elders as both sides agree that he is the man to show them the way. It’s quite a shocker and it seems to take Steven as much by surprise as us, and he gets the Doctors blessing, saying that he’s more than able to undertake this task. Understanably, Dodo is rather tearful as Steven accepts to take up the role to direct the planets new direction. It’s going to be strange not having Steven in the TARDIS now as the Doctor and Dodo make their farewells.
It’s another under rated farewell for a character who has been such a driving force for the series this past season and helped carry it forward, and together with the Doctor has made a fantastic team. Like Ian and Babs, I’m going to really miss Steven. He was a fantastic character and at times, more than just a companion; he actually carried the show alone at times when Hartnell didn’t appear and in the case of The Massacre, was the leading man of the story. Goodbye Steven, and good luck.

Next Time – The War Machines.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The War Machines:

Episode 1:
We’re back onto DVD and treated to a new effect after the title sequence giving the name of the story. And we’re back in London it seems, much to the delight of the Doctor and Dodo.
The TARDIS is in its normal environment it seems, the Doctor putting an Out of Order sign on the door.
The Doctor can sense something alien and powerful coming from the new Post Office Tower. Something like he can feel when Daleks are nearby! War Machines and Daleks? Too good to be true, Daleks in modern London.
We’re now up at the top of the tower and the Doctor seems to be known by Professor Brett. Possibly from when he was in London three years ago? Or did he call ahead? They certainly seem to be treating him with professional kinship, thinking his arrival is something to do with the conference that night. The Doctor recognises the Computer, WOTAN, as the power force that he felt outside. It’s like a primitive internet, linking up with other computers to talk to them.
We’re also introduced to Professor Bretts secretary, Polly, who seems to strike a brief accord with Dodo.
Interestingly, WOTAN knows what TARDIS means. Not only that Dodo seems to be acting odd about it.
The “hottest nightspot in town”; the Inferno! Just a play on words or is it really hip and happening. Certainly Polly and Dodo are off out leaving the men to chat science it seems. It seems as though there’s a certain history between Polly and the owner of the bar; Kitty. We seem to be getting more screen time with Polly than Dodo now. Could there be a companion swap on the horizon?
Polly is asked by Kitty to cheer up a gloomy sailor called Ben, who also rescues her from the unwanted attention of another guy in the bar. This is certainly a new direction from what we’ve had before with Doctor Who, a contemporary Earth setting and dealing with people we could probably meet on a day to day setting.
Something seems to be unsettling Professor Brett up in WOTANs control centre at the top of the Tower. It’s given a rather creepy atmosphere and a rather chilling music. Something seems to be attacking him mentally. Something he finds “quite ridiculous”. Can it be WOTAN?
Dodo still seems to have a headache from when she was at Professor Bretts office earlier in the day.
Interestingly, Professor Brett arrives at the conference and makes a rather flimsy excuse about being late before dragging off an electronics expert, Krimpton, off to WOTAN.
There certainly seems to be something dodgy going on with WOTAN as something happens to Major Green, the security chief, now.
Dodo gets a mysterious call at The Inferno and begins to act rather mysteriously and then turns and leaves the club. There’s something very wrong going on here now.
Brett has taken Krimpton up to WOTAN, where he starts to believe that Brett has gone mad, before he becomes attacked, clearly, by WOTAN itself.
The Doctor has made his way to the Inferno, where he apparently looks “like that Disc Jockey!” Jimmy Saville?!
Dodo has been taken over by WOTAN too! And the computer seems to be able to talk! The Doctor is required and is to be brought to the Tower.
Episode 2:
WOTAN gives instructions that London is to be taken over, and then Washington and Moscow. Seemingly taking over the main powers of the world to halt any attack from either superpower. Then War Machines are to be built.
Dodo has made her way back to the Inferno, but the Doctor is rather confused as to her cover story that some old friends called her. Waiting for a Taxi, Dodo tries to lead the Doctor down an ally where Major Green and two other men are waiting, before Ben and Polly return with a taxi. The Doctor, Polly and Dodo head off to Sir Charles Summers house after Polly arranges a lunch date with Ben the next day before he starts talking to an old tramp who had the taxi first. He’s going to “doss down” in an old warehouse, which isn’t as deserted as he thinks. It’s been taken over by Brett and several scientists who are starting the construction of the War Machines.
Ooh, we’re given a glimpse of a War Machine, and it looks impressive.
The Doctor spots a news article in the paper about the Tramps death, he seems immediately suspicious of it. Sir Charles has had some “more pressing” issues, two of his top scientists have resigned and disappeared.
Polly arrives to Sir Charles bemusement to replace his secretary as Prof. Brett doesn’t need her. Dodo certainly doesn’t seem herself when she arrives. She’s rather cold towards Polly. She suggests to the Doctor that they go to see Professor Brett and the Doctor calls up, flinging the phone away in shock as he’s connected to WOTAN. The Doctors suspicions are confirmed when Dodo starts talking about contact and he realises that she’s been taken over.
The Doctor is adept at reconditioning hypnotised people it seems as he manages to rescue Dodo from WOTANs power. Sir Charles says he’ll send her to his wife in the country to recouperate. The Doctor seems more concerned about the “strategic points in London” Dodo mentioned and where they could be.
WOTAN seems to be getting impatient to get the Doctor in its power, wanting to employ other means. Not long before Polly arrives actually. Another of the Doctors friends to fall under its power.
The Doctor is rather worried about Polly now, especially when Ben arrives, saying that she never turned up for their lunch date. The Doctor certainly seems to have faith in Ben and Polly, sending the young sailor to investigate the area near the Inferno.
Ben finds the warehouse the Tramp was going to sleep in and discovers a War Machine being tested. It’s a really impressive machine and what’s worse; it discovers Ben and starts bearing down on him.
Episode 3:
Ben’s been detected by WOTAN at the warehouse and the technicians are searching for him. In his escape, he bumps into Polly, who’s acting odd as well. In fact she assists in his capture.
The Doctor is getting very frustrated back at Sir Charles’s house, wondering what is going on.
Major Green says that humanity is in the way of mechanised development and machines are the next stage of life for the planet. It’s Terminator, eighteen years early! Ben thinks Polly is stringing Green and the others along as she saves his life, saying that he should help the construction of the machines. Thanking her, Ben discovers that she has indeed been taken over.
WOTAN is preparing to strike at noon tomorrow as Brett and Kripton arrange things at the GPO tower and relay the information to the warehouses.
Ben and Polly are certainly the companion material of this story as Ben manages to slip away, but is spotted by Polly, who mysteriously doesn’t raise the alarm, despite being under WOTANs control.
The Doctor has decided to go and find out what’s happening himself, just as Ben arrives with his tale. He’s quite adamant about what he saw despite Sir Charles’s scepticism. The Doctor is top notch again, suspecting that he and Ben have riled Sir Charles. It’s an interesting turn of direction for the Doctor, siding with the authorities, when earlier in the series he wouldn’t have anything to do with them.
The army are liaising outside a warehouse in Covent Garden with Sir Charles where they are detecting a large amount of radio and electrical readings and preparing to sneak in and check it out. This really is a new direction for the series, dealing with a threat to modern day Earth.
The army go in and are faced with the War Machine in a rather spectacular style as they’re set upon by the technicians and the metal killer, their guns seemingly not firing.
The Doctor and Ben have arrived, the Doctor looking rather an imposing figure, a black cloak added to his normal attire, and the patrol sent into the warehouse to investigate have been forced back as the Machine advances. The armys weapons are jamming as the machine advances steadily causing everyone to fall back. Everyone bar the Doctor it seems, who stands impassively before the War Machine as it bears down upon him in a fantastic cliff hanger.
Episode 4:
Interestingly the machine seems to glide past him without touching him before seemingly deactivating itself.
We’ve an interesting aside into a pub where a television announcement tells of the War Machine and that it’s been deactivated.
There’s another warehouse with another War Machine that is ready to activate its machine, this one fully programmed.
The Doctor is checking out the machine and has accessed it’s programming, concluding that there are 11 other machines. He’s also dropped a key from his cloak that Ben has picked up in a very subtle moment.
The new machine seems to have taken a life of its own and destroyed the transmitter that Brett was ordering instructions to it, and started to kill the technicians working on it.
The remaining workers at the Covent Garden warehouse have no recollection of the machines or working on them while the second machine is now loose on the streets of London in some fantastic scenes, it trundling down streets and killing a man who’s seen it and is reporting it to the police.
Sir Charles receives a call, informing us that the second machine is in the Battersea area and the Doctor is concocting an idea to paralyse the machine using electromagnetics. He’s got a plan to funnel the machine down certain streets into a trap that he’s devised.
Ben offers to close the trap in the Doctors plan, he’s already starting to fill out the role that has been left by Steven, the more active male member of the lead cast.
There’s another brilliant Hartnell moment when the Doctor approaches the confused and trapped machine and it raises its clubbing arm to get a “Ah ah, temper, temper!” reaction from the Doctor.
The Doctor has prepared his machine to attack WOTAN before the computer initiates its attack at noon, prompting Ben to rush off before hand to try to find Polly. Maybe there’s a relationship brewing there? He manages it just in time as the Doctors machine arrives to take out WOTAN, killing Krimpton in the process. The Doctors plan has worked however, as Brett is released from WOTANs control.
When Brett asks about what’s been happening, Sir Charles says he’d better ask the Doctor, turning to find that the old man has gone. He’s waiting outside the TARDIS for Dodo, when Polly and Ben arrive with the message that she’s wanting to stay in London and sends her love. Maybe the Doctor is going on alone as he seems determined to hurry Ben and Polly off. They spot him enter and Ben remembers the key he picked up, deciding to give it back, the pair enter the TARDIS as it disappears from the streets of London.
So, it’s farewell to another companion and we’re welcoming aboard two new ones, in the form of Ben and Polly, who’ve held the companion mantle as opposed to Dodo throughout the story. It’s certainly been a new style of story to the series and has some wonderfully under rated moment, the cliff hanger to episode three for instance.

Next Time – The Smugglers.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Smugglers:

Episode 1:
We’re back to audio with the season four opener; The Smugglers.
Ben and Polly have burst their way into the TARDIS, much to their amazement and the Doctors outrage it seems! Ben doesn’t seem to quite believe that they’re travelling through time. Interesting, the Doctor admits to not having any control over the TARDIS. Also he mentions he thought he was to be alone again. So he must have been travelling alone at some point.
Ben and Polly certainly seem to accept that they’ve moved somehow although they’re not sure how. The Doctor suddenly seems rather enjoying having to chase after Ben and Polly, chuckling away to himself. It seems as though all his grumpiness and bluster is a front and he enjoys having some company with him.
Heh, the Doctor can “foresee oodles of trouble” telling Polly she may know where they are but not when. What a lovely phrase, and I don’t remember ever hearing it by anyone other than Hannibal Lecter!
The Doctor suggest that they’re in the 17th century, and that seems to be founded as they come across a chap who can give them sustenance but not shelter. Ben is astounded by his clothes, still dubious that they’re in the past.
The man identifies himself as Joseph Longfoot and tends the church. It’s slightly amusing that he thinks Polly is a boy travelling with the Doctor. He seems to be more accepting once the Doctor fixes his dislocated finger. It’s a horrible sound, it’s something that’s always made me wince, I must admit.
The travellers depart and the Doctor gets a most mysterious comment from Joseph as they leave. Something to remember, the church warden says.
The Doctor and co have arrived at the inn, and are told that strangers are not welcome, until they mention that they’ve met Longfoot, when they’re welcomed as guests. The travellers are already enjoying quite a friendly banter , and it’s quite enjoyable. I think this could make for a good TARDIS team.
There is some mysterious talk of a man called Pike as some smugglers enter the church and accost the churchwarden. Joseph isn’t telling anything to his attackers and is rewarded by being stabbed to death. His cries are rather chilling.
The innkeeper is told of Longfoots death and they instantly suspect the travellers, not knowing of anyone else in the area. Clearly they don’t know about the smugglers.
Ben is already very protective over the Doctor as Joseph Longfoots murderer arrives at the Inn and grabs hold of him before knocking Ben unconscious and forcing the Doctor to go with him, leaving Polly distraught. The squire arrives and is immediately suspicious of Ben and Polly, who are demanding for help in getting the Doctor back, and arrests them for the murder of the churchwarden.
The Doctor is brought before Samuel Pike, who is adamant the Doctor will talk to him, and slams what should be his hand down on the table, revealing it to be a rather viscous looking spike.
Episode 2:
The Doctor says he can’t tell them anything and hasn’t been told anything, unaware that he was one of Pikes men. He recognises their old captain; Avery, who apparently made the Pirate Morgan look tame.
Ben and Polly have developed quite a good relationship already and Ben is rather enjoying teasing her, especially when she sees a rat in the jail cell.
The Doctor is actually doing a good job of sweet talking Pike as a gentleman, causing Pike to respond to treat him with dignity. He’s sitting and drinking wine with Pike, which is interesting as he didn’t touch alcohol in The Gunfighters.
Polly has a plan to escape and they’re trying to play on the superstitions of Tom who’s guarding them. It seems like Ben is enjoying stringing Tom along.
The Innkeeper is making his way to Pikes ship offering black trades. There’s certainly something afoot. Pike decides to keep the Innkeeper on his ship with the Doctor whilst he engages in his own agenda.
Ben seems convinced that the Doctor will already be back at the TARDIS as they look through the church, but bump into someone lurking about the church and jump on them and tie them up, suspecting them to be the murderer of the churchwarden. Ben doesn’t trust that his prisoner is a kings revenue man called Blake. Blake tells him about a smuggling ring and secret tunnel which Ben goes to explore.
Pike and Cherub meet up with the Squire and take wine with him, plotting a smuggling route together it seems. Polly soon arrives and recognises Cherub as the man who attacked the Doctor as the three smugglers turn on her.
The Innkeeper and the Doctor are conferring on board Pikes ship, plotting an escape to warn the village.
I’m rather sad that I can’t watch this. The BBC are renowned for good period dramas and I would imagine that the costuming and sets for this story are fantastic.
Ben returns for exploring the tunnel, finding it does go to the beach and determined to find the Doctor and Polly runs into the Squire and Cherub with a bound and gagged Polly.
Episode 3:
The Squire recognises Blake as a revenue man and tries to get him to take Ben and Polly under arrest. Freeing Blake, Squire ensures Ben and Polly are taken away.
The Doctor knows Tarot it seems, showing the Innkeeper a tarot reading from a deck of cards. And it was part of a ploy to trick Jamaica for their escape, but the innkeeper asks about his reading and the Doctor seems to pass it over, not wanting to admit whether he actually was telling his fortune.
Away from the Squire, Blake admits that he trusts their word against the Squires, telling that he has heard that the Squire leads the smuggling ring. The Doctor soon arrives with Kewper, the Innkeeper. Blake is worried as he knows Kewper and that he’s deeply involved in the smuggling. Is there anyone here who is what they seem?
Pike rather brutally runs Jamaica through with his spiked hand when he learns that he allowed the Doctor and Cooper to make a break for it.
The Doctor says he has a moral obligation to stay as he feels that he’s going to be responsible for the village’s destruction and he wants to stay to try to prevent that. It’s an interesting insight into the Doctors character, especially as three seasons ago he’d have just upped and left.
Ben and Polly seem to be amusing themselves looking at the gravestones and reading aloud the names and poems on the stones. Much to the Doctors astonishment as it allows him to work out the riddle that the Churchwarden told him. On the verge of discovering the secret that the churchwarden told him, the Squire and Kewper arrive and try to force the Doctor to tell them by threatening Polly.
Episode 4:
Cherub arrives and kills Kewper, with the Squire laying on the floor having been shot, he wants to discover the secret of Averys gold from the Doctor. The Doctor reveals the riddle the churchwarden told to him and Cherub recognises the four names as now dead sailors.
Pike arrives as Cherub is pressing the Doctor for more information and confronts the mutinous Cherub as the two start to fight.
With the two smugglers fighting, the Doctor sends Ben and Polly to hurry back to the TARDIS so that they can’t be used as hostages to sway his hand. Already there’s a wonderful sense of loyalty and comradeship between them as Ben promises to return for the Doctor if he’s longer than fifteen minutes.
The Doctor arranges new terms in his contract with Pike; they can have the gold if they keep the village safe.
Dear oh dear; Ben tells Polly to put the kettle on! *groan* What an old joke!
Telling Pike the names, which he recognises to be old members of Averys crew, the Doctor reveals that there is a flagstone in the centre of altered tombs of the four. Digging at the spot, Pike finds the gold, only to be met by the sounds of fighting from outside.
There’s an impressive sounding battle between the revenue men and Pikes crew and more emerge from the tunnel with Blake and Ben, who has returned for the Doctor. It really is impressive sounding and I imagine it would be quite a bloody one as well. Pike shoots at the Doctor as he makes his mistake, missing him and dying in the crypt.
The Doctor and Ben arrive back at the TARDIS and meet Polly and swiftly depart. There’s a lovely line from the Doctor; "Superstition is a strange thing, my dear. Sometimes it tells the truth."
Again the Doctor admits to having no control over the TARDIS when Ben and Polly ask when they’re going to land. Also it seems as though the outside can have an effect on the temperature in the TARDIS as Polly and Ben say they’re getting cold and the Doctor reports they’ve arrived in “the coldest place on the Earth.”
Well, I’m really enjoying Ben and Polly being aboard and they seem to work well with the Doctor. I hope that this is going to be a strong team for the TARDIS.

Next time – The Tenth Planet.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Tenth Planet:

Episode 1:
We’re back on video for a rocket launch and an interesting video style manner of giving the story title. We’re also at the south pole, at a tracking control station. There are some fantastic scenic shots of the Antarctic as well.
I like the little touches of the watch room having pictures of girls cut out of magazines pinned to the walls.
Ben and Polly seem to be settling into the TARDIS well already, and interestingly the Doctor says he’ll be warm enough just wearing a cloak and hat.
The crew in the watch room are rather well played, especially their reaction to being told that there’s a woman outside the base, although they’re initially sceptical. We’re at the south pole base of International Space Command and the base is run by a General Cutler. Unsurprisingly, the crew are finding it rather incredulous that the travellers have arrived.
A wonderful moment as the Doctor tells Cutler he doesn’t like his tone, for the General to reply he doesn’t like the Doctors face... or his hair!
We have a date; December 1986, and an expedition has just returned from the moon.
There’s something wrong with the space mission currently underway, the capsule is over 100 miles off course. And Bluey, one of the astronauts aboard takes a reading off Mars, only to discover that the planet in his scope isn’t Mars, it’s a new one. The incidental music is wonderfully slow and creepy and adds a lot to the atmosphere. It’s wonderfully chilling.
Something odd is happening on the capsule, there’s a powerloss and their radio isn’t working well.
Back on Earth, the Doctor has written down what they’re about to see and demands to speak to Cutler, who’s having none of it. Barclay and Dyson agree that the new planet is affecting Zeus Four up in space.
There’s a wonderful sense of urgency played by both the Doctor and the crew of Snowcap as they try to save the space mission. Zeus Four is really starting to suffer the effects of something, the two astronauts seemingly being drained of their energy.
Barclay is now turning to the Doctor for assistance and they take the new planet into sight. The landmasses on the new planet have familiar landmasses, they resemble Earths continents. And the Doctor wrote it down and gave it to Barclay before. This is getting wonderfully spooky. The Doctor mentions a twin planet from millions of years ago. He also believes that they are to get visitors soon.
Cutler is very suspicious of the Doctor and his friends and orders his crew to investigate the TARDIS.
Now that’s fascinating; an alien space ship is landing outside the base. I don’t mind admitting, I’m getting rather excited.
Tito and the Sergeant discover they’ll need cutting gear to get into the TARDIS, Tito is sent to get it while his Sergeant examines the lock.
Now that is scary! Some strange figures are moving slowly towards the Seargent, clubbing him to the ground as his gun proves ineffective. They look a bit cumbersome but are actually really spooky, a cloth mask for a face, and metallic and plastic bodies, with human hands on show. Great ending to the episode.
Episode 2:
The Doctor has told Cutler that they’re going to get visitors from the other planet, and the General refuses to believe it, calling his story ridiculous.
The strange figures have stolen the teams parkas and enter the base, leaving the bodies freezing in the Antarctic waste.
A news program is broadcasting news of the new planet, saying that there is no agreement yet as to whether the planets land masses resemble those on Earth, although it does look very likely.
The Doctor is adamant that they capsule must be brought down, saying the astronauts won’t last another orbit. This seems to peeve Cutler off somewhat, he really doesn’t like the Doctor, going to the Sergeant who has just entered, before he pulls back the Parka revealing the strange figure. They’re really rather impressive and look quite chilling and have a weird computerised voice.
The figure lets us know what’s happening, the planet is called Mondas and they are called Cybermen. They’re the product of Spare Part Surgery, having human brains, their emotions removed, and it’s a terrifying prospect. You can see remnants of humanity inside them and wonder what horrors would be under the masks.
The Cybermen seem to be able to disable people through touching them on the head. They also tell the team that they cannot bring the capsule down, but they can speak to them if they wish. These Cybermen are really chilling.
Ben tries to get the Doctor and Polly to escape and grabs hold of a dead soldiers gun, only for the Cybermen to spot him and twist the gun into a useless piece of metal. They really seem quite the formidable force and one to be reckoned with. Ben is taken away and locked inside a projector room in the base.
In space, the capsule is in danger ass they spin out of control into space. The screens at Snowcap go blank as the capsule explodes; it’s a rather sombre moment. The Cybermen reveal that Mondas is draining the energy from the Earth in a process they cannot stop and they are going to transport the human race to Mondas.
Ben calls his Cyberman guard in and blinds him with the projector, stealing his weapon. The Cyberman smashes his way through to Ben demanding the return of his weapon as Ben tries to reason with the creature. The sense of sadness that Michael Craze displays after shooting the Cyberman is wonderful; a great moment of humanity.
There’s a wonderful moment of confrontation between Polly and the Cyberman Krail, about emotion as the Cyberman says that humanity will become like they are. It’s quite a chilling coldness from the Cyberman against rage and frustration on Pollys part. It’s a wonderful and beautiful scene and one of the best in the series so far.
Ben arrives in the tracking room as Cutler wakes and takes the Cybergun from the sailor and shoots the two Cybermen before getting on the radio and tells Secretary General Wigner of the Cyber threat. Wigner informs the General that a rescue mission was sent up, the astronaut is Cutlers son.
Cutler seems almost as cold as the Cybermen when he tells Ben not to apologise for killing the Cyberman “He’s dead, isn’t he?”
We’re given another wonderful cliff hanger; there are now hundreds of Cyberman spaceships in orbit around Earth.
Episode 3:
Things are getting a wonderful sense of urgency and fear. And then the Doctor goes and collapses. Polly is rather concerned that the old man is somehow completely worn out.
Cutler says that they can destroy Mondas to stop the energy drain, using something called a Z-bomb, a doomsday weapon. Secretary Wigner forbits Cutler to use the Z-Bomb, but gives his authority to use anything in his power to stop the Cybermen, and orders the Z-Bomb to be prepared.
Ben takes a stand against Cutler to be rewarded by being sent to be locked up with the Doctor, protesting that all they have to do is wait because the Doctor said Mondas may absorb too much energy and disintegrate.
Snowcap seem to be working against time to help Zeus Five and Cutlers son, and prepare the Z-Bomb under Cutlers urging them to work harder.
The Cybermen are landing another ship near the Snowbase and Cutler prepares to ambush the Cybermen with their captured weapons from their first attack.
Polly manages to convince Barclay to work with her and Ben to stop the launch of the Z-Bomb as he has his doubts over the effectiveness of the weapon and the three of them plan for Ben to climb through ventilator shafts to disable the rocket.
The Cybermen land and it’s a chilling sight; seeing the figures move slowly and deliberately through the Arctic waste against the snow. Although Cutlers plan to ambush them is a good one as the giant figures can’t tell where the deadly beams are coming from.
Cutler watches as the troops collect the fallen Cybermen’s weapons and then notices Barclay is gone. He rushes to the rocket launcher and discovers Ben conducting the sabotage Barclay told him, and attacks him, pulling him over a barrier. He’s somewhat furious and has Ben and Barclay taken to the tracking room.
Polly tries to rouse Ben as the rocket countdown commences, Ben unable to remember whether he managed to stop the rocket from launching. The countdown is getting to a rather tense one, we’re unsure if the rocket will fire and it’s not like the typical countdown where we know it’s going to be stopped somewhere in the last three seconds.
The shot of the rocket being raised through the ice caps is fantastic. In the tracking room, the crew gather round in anticipation as the countdown progresses and the sound of the rocket motors increases. And we’re left with a third brilliant cliff hanger as the countdown reaches zero and the rocket jets fire.
Episode 4:
We’re not into a reconstruction of the fourth episode with photos, surviving clips and the soundtrack. It’s lost nothing yet though as we reprise the rocket countdown. The urgency and suspense has carries over fantastically.
The rocket doesn’t fire, much to Cutlers anger, who says that Ben and the Doctor don’t have a chance of life. He’s gone madder as the story has progressed. Polly asks what’s wrong with the Doctor and he replies that it comes from an outside influence and maybe “this old body of [his] is wearing a bit thin.”
Cutlers son reports from Zeus Five that Mondas is brightening like a sun and then darkening again. It must be something to do with the energy absorption. The signal is lost as the Cybermen space ships descend from orbit.
Cutler has flipped, calling the Doctor, Ben, Polly and Barclay the enemy and raises his gun about to shoot the Doctor as the Cybermen invade the base again, shooting Cutler dead. The Doctor says that he knows why the Cybermen are here, and suggests that they live on Earth in peace. Is it a real suggestion or are they playing for time? The Cybermen say they can’t talk while the missile is aimed at Mondas, and the Doctor suggests to Barclay, Ben and Dyson that this is the delay they need.
The Cybermen take Polly hostage and take her out to their ship. The Doctor seems willing to let her go as the Cybermen say she isn’t to be harmed, much to Pollys’ horror.
Wigner tries to contact the polar base and the Doctor is forced by Krang to answer the radio. A Cyberman arrives behind Wigner announcing himself controller of Earth and orders Krang to conduct the second objective before evacuation. The Doctor realises that this objective is the destruction of the Earth. The Cybermen have arranged for the bomb to be taken deep into the base for this eventuality.
In the radiation room, Ben suggests that they continue to play for time, realising that the Cybermen are getting them to move the bomb for them as the Cybermen could do it in half the time. Barclay sees this also and agrees that it could be the Cybermen are vulnerable to radiation. They test the theory on their guard realising it works and agree to hold the room and play for time.
The Cybermen say they can’t allow Mondas to be destroyed and that they will take humanity to Mondas and the Doctor is taken to the Cyber ship. The ship is getting its power from Mondas, which is absorbing too much. Polly is concerned that it will explode.
Ben and Barclay extract radioactive reactor rods to trap the Cybermen, as the mechanical creatures start to gas them. Dyson and Haynes come up behind the Cybermen with the radioactive rods causing them to collapse.
They use the Cybermens communication device to bring the Cybermen from the ship so Ben can rescue the Doctor and Polly as the lights go out. When they come back on, more Cybermen have arrived. It’s quite chilling that they can appear like that.
Mondas has absorbed too much energy as the Doctor suggested and starts to dissolve in space and the Cybermen are affected by this too, collapsing and starting to disintegrate. Contact is re-established with Zeus Five and Geneva Control as Ben remembers Polls and the Doctor and runs off to find them.
In the Cyber ship, the Doctor is almost unconscious, as though he’s no energy left at all. Has Mondas had a detrimental effect on him? Ben tells him it’s all over and he delivers a wonderfully enigmatic response of it being far from over and he must immediately return to the TARDIS. He’s acting odder and more aloof than he has in a long time. It’s strangely touching his last words to Ben and Polly; “Keep warm.” I’ve actually gone cold, something doesn’t feel quite right.
The Doctor is hunched over the controls of the TARDIS as Ben and Polly arrive. He doesn’t look very well at all, and then collapses onto the floor. The TARDIS is making a strange noise we’ve never heard before.
The Doctors face begins to glow eerily and as the TARDIS takes off, his features merge into that of a new man!
The Doctor is gone. Really. What has happened there. Astounding, this story has four of the best cliff hangers in Doctor Who’s history so far. Each one has been strong and really tense and left you on the egde of the seat, or behind it in shock/horror. We’ve a fantastic enemy in the shape of the Cybermen and then the Doctor goes and collapses and seemingly changes his face.
Imagine this back in 1966; we think our heroes have just survived a terrible ordeal and then it seems to go and get worse as this unknown thing happens to the Doctor. Hartnell is no longer the Doctor, and it’s going to be hard to accept. I’ve been used to the idea of many Doctors since I was aware of the show, but watching them in order like I am, I’m actually speechless and yet there is so much I want to say. For three years we’ve been kept company by Hartnells stern and grandfatherly Doctor Figure; and now he’s gone. It’s the end of an era, and just as I was really getting used to the team of the Doctor Ben and Polly.

Next Time – Power of the Daleks

[Fitz Kreiner]

Power of the Daleks:

Episode 1:
We’re onto a reconstruction of a missing story now (Graciously supplied by Wayne)
Ben and Polly are confused by the sudden appearance of a strange new man laying on the TARDIS floor. Polly remembers something the Doctor said about his “old body wearing a bit thin”. Ben is still really dubious as to whether the Doctor could get himself a new body. Polly seems to think it’s the only option.
The new Doctor seems to be in pain, screaming to concentrate on one thing before chuckling that “it’s” over. He’s certainly acting strange and not like the Doctor at all. He gets a mirror out of a chest and gets Ben to hold it as he studies his image. It seems to temporarily fade into the image of the Doctor.
“I’d like to see a butterfly fit into a chrysalis case after it’s spread its wings.” The strange man says prompting Polly to suggest that the Doctor has been renewed. She still seems to think that the man is the Doctor, but Ben still isn’t sure.
The TARDIS seems to have landed on a strange swampy planet complete with Mercury geysers. The Doctor seems to be navigating his way about the Mercury swamp whilst engaged in the diary that he has found. A newcomer appears, greeting the Doctor before quickly being shot dead. The Doctor, examining the body, comes across a large badge. The man was an Earth Examiner.
Polly has succumbed to mercury vapour and collapses. Ben rushing to her aid calls for the Doctor, who is clubbed down by a white suited figure. Ben sees another white suited figure as he’s overwhelmed by the fumes. The figures are from a human colony who saw the examiners rocket overshoot and think the travellers are the Examiner and his team.
A large space capsule is dominating most of a laboratory belonging to a scientist called Lesterson.
The Doctor seems to be annoying Ben greatly, answering Ben and Pollys questions through his recorder. Ben is angry that the Doctor knows what happened at the TARDIS and yet isn’t telling them. The Governor, Hensell, and Bragen chief of security arrive to talk to the travellers. The Doctor is certainly acting very odd. Nothing like he used to be. More clowny than before. The Doctor conspiratorially leans in to talk to Ben and Polly about the conversation they had saying he was checking Bragen to see if he followed his story. He certainly seems to still have full use of his faculties, even if he is a strange new man.
In Lestersons lab, the Doctors attention is drawn to a strange bit of metal, that is identical to a piece of Dalekanium that he found in the TARDIS earlier. The Doctor agrees with the Governor and Lesterson that a laser will open the hatch and allow them access, which it does so, leading to an entrance chamber. Still pretending to be the Examiner, the Doctor halts further investigation of the capsule for a while.
Ben and Polly follow the Doctor, later that night, into Lestersons lab and from there into the capsule. Using the piece of metal he picked up from Lestersons lab, he inserts it into a slot by the side of an inner door revealing two Daleks, covered in dust and cobwebs. Its really spooky seeing them like this. Almost as worrying as seeing them alive. Especially as the Doctor notices that there were three in the capsule. Not only that, but there’s a mutant alive in there.
Episode 2:
The Mutant disappears into the shadows. Ben describes it as a disembodied hand, like a claw. The Doctor searches with a light Ben has brought him but doesn’t find anything. The Doctor says that “all is not well” with the colony, and add to that one Dalek, which Ben suggests Lesterson removed.
Ben mentions “the Real Doctor”, saying he was always talking about the Daleks. Lesterson barges in confronting the Doctor, who turns on him saying he didn’t even give the Daleks a glance because he’s seen them before. The Doctor demands that the Daleks be destroyed to Bragen, who enters, Lesterson protesting they’re quite harmless.
When he’s alone, Lesterson opens a hidden alcove and brings out the third Dalek, intent on bringing it back to life.
Back in their quarters, the Doctor uses a penknife to open a peice of fruit, revealing a microphone. Ben suggests that it was why the Doctor was talking nonsense. The Doctor, almost hurt, says he never talks nonsense, well, almost never. I’m rather getting to like this new Doctor. He’s very manic and despite his clownish moments, he does convey a good sense of horror and urgency when talking about the Daleks.
In Lestersons laboratory, he, Janley and Resno are providing power to the Dalek, and its limbs are starting to respond. What’s more worrying it, it seems to be watching those about it. We’re also treated with some brilliant Tristram Carey incidental music from Hartnells Dalek stories, adding to the atmosphere of the story.
The Doctor makes his way to the radio room, where he discovers all communications within the colony and between the colony and Earth have been severed. The Doctor finds Quinn in the gloom as Bragen appears. The button that the Doctor got from his attacker in the swamp is Quinns and Bragen has the man taken away
The Dalek is still being flooded with power, and Resno is recording it on camera. The Dalek seems to be fascinated with Resno, who believes it to be intelligent. Lesterson is still refusing to believe it. The Dalek has more life than it seems to be letting on, it shoots down Resno before Lesterson cuts its power. Janley tells him that Resno is unconscious, but there’s something not right with the woman, she’s not telling Lesterson the truth, that’s obvious, but what her real motives are, we don’t know.
Ben and Polly are discussing Quinn, Polly convinced that he’s innocent, whereas Ben isn’t so sure; he had a headmaster who was one “nicked for not paying his bus fare”.
At the inquirey, there’s a nice moment where Hensell says to the Doctor that he seems to be in two minds and Ben responds with a “Yeah, and two bodies.” Lesterson bursts in and brings his Dalek, which has been disarmed, with him, to the Doctors horror. The Dalek seems to recognise the Doctor, and the Doctor knows it. Interestingly, the Dalek is obeying Lesterson. Then it speaks probably the most chilling words we’ve ever heard a Dalek to say. Chanting “I am your servant.” again and again.
Episode 3:
Hensell and Lesterson are astounded and overjoyed at the Dalek, considering the effect it could have on the colony and on Earth, to help them progress. They seem to believe that it could benefit them greatly, confused at the Doctors horror and insistence that the Daleks pose a threat.
Bragen seems convicned that Quinn is trying to cause trouble to undermine Hensells position so he can become governor. Hensell seems to believe it. Bragen is certainly up to something and it could it be what the Governor has just offered him; the position of deputy Governor.
The Doctor is putting together a technological hotchpotch in their quarters, watched by Ben and Polly, saying that it’s something that will put pay to the Daleks.
In Lestersons lab, Lesterson is shooting questions at the Dalek, which it is responding with the answers almost immediately. The Doctor arrives, much to Lestersons clear annoyance. The Doctor says he wants to patch things up with Lesterson and stay and watch Lesterson. When the Scientist isn’t watching, the Doctor connects his device to the machinery, causing the Dalek to spin crazily. The Doctor really isn’t winning friends here at all. The Dalek also appears to try and shoot him, it’s weapon removed makes it very difficult.
Bragen and Janley meet in Hensells office and talk about taking over the colony. Clearly Bragen must have engineered things to get Quinn out of the way so he could step up to Hensells position. Janley has brought something with her from Lestersons lab; it’s the Dalek gun. Bragen is concerned about the Doctors presence, another problem that the Doctor is no doubt going to have to overcome.
Polly is kidnapped by Janley and Valmar, one of the rebels, whilst looking for the Doctor. Is this Bragens doing or something Janley plottedherself? Valmar is impressed with the Dalek gun, hoping to use it to win the revolution.
The Doctor is still deeply concerned over the Daleks. More concerned about them that Pollys’ absence.
The Dalek is being rather worrying, there’s obvipously something wrong about it wanting to be a servant of humanity. It’s querying equipment about the Lab, saying it can build better if it is given materials and power. Lesterson, delighted, leaves and the Dalek adjusts the level of power it is receiving and disappears into the capsule.
Ben is getting more and more frustrated with the Doctor, who is lagging behind on their way to the Governors’ office. When Lesterson passes them, the Doctor decides that they will investigate the lab and discover that the two Daleks from the capsule are active and armed. The travellers run from the lab. The Daleks are planning to use the power to conquer. Clearly their servitude is a ploy, and quite a chilling one.
Bragen and his men arrive at the Doctors quarters after their meeting with Hensell saying that they’ve discovered the body of the Examiner in the swamp. There’s certainly knowledge between the two that they’re not what they’re claiming. Bragen knows the Doctor isn’t the Examiner and the Doctor knows Bragen murdered him, but neither is willing to prove it at the moment.
Lesterson reveals to the Daleks that they are to receive their power and the three Daleks begin to chant “We will get our power” causing some concern from Lesterson for the first time.
Episode 4:
Concerned, Lesterson shows his first bit of sense and cuts the power to them, causing the Daleks to become sluggish. Lesterson agrees only to reactivate the power if they obey him, which the Daleks agree to.
Bragen is now acting Governor, sitting in Hensells desk in the uniform of deputy Governor. The Doctor and Ben arrive and the Doctor is still being rather foolish. Is he really now a fool or is it just a bluff? It seems that the Daleks are given the run of the colony as there’s one in Bragens office, carrying a tray of drinks. Hensell calls from the perimeter of the colony and Bragen tells him that he is keeping everything under control as the Dalek comes back in. Bragen is rather cautious about them it seems.
Three Daleks pass the Doctor and Ben, the Doctor thinks it’s madness letting them run around before the pair realise that the number of Daleks don’t tally. There are now four Daleks!
The Daleks have used all the materials Lesterson got for them. He’s starting to have doubts about the Daleks, admitting the Doctor may be right, saying their thinking terrifies him. Telling Janley he’s going to talk to the Doctor about them, Janley seems to panic, telling him Resno is dead, saying he was the cause of it. Blackmail, she’s certainly up to something, but what?
The Doctor asks Lesterson if he’s been building Daleks, the scientist says he wouldn’t know where to begin. The Doctor says the only answer is the Daleks are reproducing, and “nothing is beyond them, given the right materials”. This seems to send Lesterson over the edge, he’s been supplying the Daleks with the materials. Janley sedates him.
It’s a shame that this is a missing story. It’s rather chilling seeing the Daleks in this setting.
The Doctor has discovered a secret message on the notice board for a rebel meeting, and the two hide in the meeting room early. In the meeting, Janley and Valmar bring a Dalek, it’s gunstick fitted and attached to a control device. There’s a figure at the head of the table, in the shadows, he seems to be the leader, but who he is, we don’t know.
Ben is discovered after he knocks over a box and is dragged away. The figure speaks up, knowing the Doctor is there. It’s Bragen. He claims to be leader of the rebels and the Daleks. The Doctor plans to confront the governor, but Bragen says that Hensell won’t believe him, saying he can prove that he’s an imposter whereas the Doctor can’t prove he’s a murderer.
The Doctor is locked up with Quinn, telling him Bragen is the leader of the rebels and also admitting he’s not the real examiner. There’s a rather lovely moment as the Doctor tries to trip the sonic lock with a dog whistle and a dog can be heard barking outside the jail.
Lesterson has regained consciousness and sees four Daleks together and carefully approaches the Dalek capsule to discover a new section has been opened. It’s rather spooky, the capsule is bigger inside it seems, and sounds like a processing plant. Lesterson looks through a glass window in the new section and sees a construction line making the lower part of a Dalek casing moving through its line. The effect is rather diminished only on audio, but the sounds of the Dalek creatures is still quite horrible, as is the description of how the Dalek mutants are placed into the machines. It’s a Dalek factory ship, producing one after another of the monsters, it’s not reproduction, it’s mass production.
Episode 5:
I was wrong about the Doctor pushing Lesterson over the edge. This seems to have done that pretty well! He tries to block off the entrance to the capsule. He’s determined to wipe out the Daleks, crying out like a madman, shutting off the power. A Dalek appears saying they can store power and will soon produce their own. The Daleks are certainly seeming a lot more terrifying here than their last appearance. “We are not ready yet, to teach these Human Beings the law of the Daleks.”
Janley brings Polly and Valmar to the laboratory, telling the Daleks that no one now stands in their way. Polly thinks Janley is a fool for trusting the Daleks. And rightly so. The Daleks certainly aren’t the type to honour any bargain.
The Doctor certainly seems strange, almost ignoring Lesterson as he fights his way into the cells to talk to the Doctor, who merely asks for more water. He’s cleverly trying to duplicate the cell door locking sound by running his finger round a glass of water.
Lesterson is taken to Bragen, and it seems no one wants to listen to him as he tries to warn people that the power line the Daleks are laying is a trick and nothing to do with emergency power as the Daleks say.
Polly tries to reason with Valmar and Kebble about the Daleks but the two rebels don’t seem to be wanting to believe her.
Hensel has returned from his tour of the perimeter and is astounded by the changes; armed guards and Daleks laying power cables. It seems as though Bragens’ attempt to gain power is well under way.
The Doctor and Quinn have managed to escape their cells with the Doctors trick of using the water in glass method.
Hensell confronts Bragen, who acts very coldly towards the Governor, showing him no respect at all. Hensell is rather understandably enraged, even more so when the guards don’t respond to him. Bragens’ power lust seems to be fulfilled as he says that Hensell is no longer the governor and a Dalek enters. Bragen attaches a gunstick to the Dalek and orders it to kill Hensell. It seems he’s now the dictator of the Vulcan colony (no, not that one!), gleefully repeating “obey” when the Dalek says the word.
The Doctor and Quinn hide in Lestersons lab, overhearing some conversation between Janley, Valmar and a Dalek. Overpowering Kebble, they rescue Polly and flee a Dalek, jamming the doors shut with a wrench.
There’s a wonderful army of Daleks massing in the Dalek capsule. Some may be cut outs, but I don’t care; it’s a hella lot of Daleks, and they’re going to swarm over the planet. It’s going to be exciting and there’s probably going to be quite a battle.
The Doctor, Polly and Quinn discover Hensells body, before they are discovered by Bragen, who says Hensell wanted to destroy the Daleks and he is now implementing Marshall Law. The typical first steps of a dictator.
The Daleks are readying in their capsule, and it’s chilling, I’ve actually got goosebumps as the metal creatures start chanting; “Daleks conquer and destroy.”
Episode 6:
The Daleks are swarming through Lestersons lab and given orders to kill before swarming into the colony.
The Doctors party are confronted by a group of Daleks who refuse to permit them access to a certain part of the colony and the small group run from the armed creatures.
Bragen is concerned about Valmar, Kebble and the other rebels and plans to crush them, his former allies. Janley is concerned about Bragen, and that he seems willing to kill her if she disagrees with her.
Now there certainly seem to be lots of varying allegences flying about and now it doesn’t seem certain who is on whose side. Kebble now seems to be helping Ben, but still holds the young sailor at gunpoint.
Bragen gives a colony-wide announcement saying the rebels killed Hensell and that they will be captured. This is followed by a Dalek announcement that all Daleks will commence extermination. It may be audio only, but it’s still rather harrowing to know that the Daleks are massing throughout a defenceless colony, killing all humans at will. Strangely, the Daleks are still pretending to be “friends” to Janley and Valmar.
The Doctor arrives back where Quinn, Ben and Polly are and they escape out the window as a Dalek chases Kebble in, killing him before firing after the Doctor.
Janley and Valmar arrive at a battle between rebels and guards with a Dalek, which starts to shoot mercilessly at both rebels and guards. The Dalek states their usefulness is over as it starts killing everyone in sight. It’s a horrible thought about the innocent colonists who are dying at the Daleks “hands”.
Janley is killed by a Dalek as she escapes with Valmar, who is pulled to safety by Quinn. Polly is in hysterics in Lestersons lab as the Daleks outside massacre everyone. The Doctor leaves to find Valmar, who knows about the Dalek power cable, narrowly avoiding Daleks as they move through the carnage, killing anything that moves.
Bragen is trying to raise his guards, unaware that his guards are either dead or have run. There are some horrific shots of Daleks patrolling corpse strewn corridors of the colony. It’s terribly chilling and I think this is the coldest and most evil we’ve seen the Daleks since their introduction to the series in the second serial.
Bragen still thinks he can control the Daleks, trying to reach them by the colony’s communications system. Quinn arrives and orders him to bring his guards in from the interior, to act as a distraction to allow the Doctor time to conduct his plan to disrupt the Daleks power.
The Doctor seems to know what he’s doing, he’s certainly still got his faculties and I’m getting used to the new Doctor. He’s so different to Hartnell, but there’s still something Doctorish about him.
Lesterson approaches two Daleks, telling them he gave them life in a harrowing scene as they shoot the emotionally maddened scientist dead allowing the Doctor the time to reach the generator and plug in his cable. The Daleks turn on Valmar, who escapes before turning to Ben and Polly as they suddenly lose control and begin to smoke and burst into flames.
The effect hits the Daleks throughout the colony as they explode and burst into flames as they face down Bragens guards and surviving colonists. The Dalek ship begins to feel the effects as the reproduction chamber explodes and the remaining Daleks are destroyed inside the capsule.
Valmar bursts into Bragens office, shooting down the would-be-dictator as he corners Quinn. The two return to Lestersons lab to find Ben and Polly tending the Doctor, who is coming round from the explosion. Valmar is strangely angry at the Doctors actions, as it’s ruined the colony’s power supply.
Quietly, the travellers make their way back to the TARDIS, Ben and Polly lamenting over all the colonists who lost their lives. Polly asks what we’ve all been wondering; did the Doctor know what he was doing all the time? The Doctor responds with a mysterious wink.
We’ve a new Doctor in the TARDIS, and he’s vastly different to the old one, in appearance and method, often giving the appearance that he’s a buffoon or clown, but deep down, he still retains that intelligence and urgency that Hartnell could bring across. He certainly did have such a wonderful reaction to the Daleks.
That’s something else; the Daleks. Probably the most terrifying and evil we’ve seen them ever; working their way into the naive colonist’s lives by acting as servants before turning and massacring them. So far, they’ve prepared to wipe out the Thals by releasing radioactive materials, invaded and decimated the Earth, persued the Doctor through time and prepared to invade the Galaxy, but a lot of their evil has been mentioned and implied. Here for the first time, we see them conducting a massacre and actively killing a large number of people, and we can assume that there were many more they killed we did not see. No wonder they’re the most evil and feared life form in the universe...

Next time – The Highlanders.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Highlanders.

Episode 1:
Back into the realms of audio with linking narration by Frazer Hines.
We open at the Culloden battlefield and already we’re involved in the fighting.
The TARDIS arrives and Ben is already convinced that they’re home. Ben thinking that the distant noise is the cup final.
In a cottage, some Highlanders are sheltering, the head of the clan badly injured.
The Doctor has found a hat, which he would like. Second story and the second time he’s said “I would like a hat like that!” The travellers are found by Alexander and Jamie outside the cottage and brought inside.
There’s a British patrol approaching the cottage. Alexander bravely tries to lead the Red Coats away from the cottage, being shot down.
Kirsty and Polly have gone to fetch the Laird water and returning back to the cottage see the red-coats preparing nooses at a tree to hang the prisoners. The two girls lead the Lieutenant away in the hope of saving their friends.
The Sergeant prepares to hang the travellers and highlanders regardless before his is stopped by solicitor Grey.
Polly and Kirsty reach a cave in search of sanctuary and soon argue over selling personal possessions to survive and get food. Polly leaves the cave in anger hoping to find her friends and in the darkness falls into an animal pit. A hand holding a dagger appears over head.
Episode 2:
The hand holding the dagger turns out to belong to Kirsty. The Highland girl attempts to help Polly before falling into the pit herself. The two girls attempt to escape the pit before spotting some soldiers approaching and shelter in the pit.
That’s a bit harsh. Lt. Ffinch threatens his men with 300 lashes a piece if his men don’t return with his horse within an hour.
Polly manages to lure Ffinch over and he falls into the pit where upon she and Kirsty set upon him.
The Doctor, Ben, Jamie and the Laird are thrown into a jail cell, where the Doctor is attempting to help him. Bens response to Jamie asking about blood-letting is rather interesting. It’s a lovely piece where Ben talks about modern medicine much to Jamies bemusement and the Doctor trying to mediate between them. “Germs? Germ-man?”
The Doctor manages to get himself out of the cell, causing Jamie to become suspicious of both him and Ben. Ben explains that it’s a ruse from the Doctor so that he can escape and rescue them.
Polly and Kirsty blackmail Ffinch by taking a medallion and a lock of his hair saying they’ll tell the Colonel how two girls took him prisoner if he doesn’t help them.
The Doctor manages to wrest a pistol from Grey distracting him with the standard of Bonnie Prince Charlie. And also comes up with a great line; “I’ve never seen a silent lawyer before.” He then tries another trick with Perkins, the clerk, telling him to rest his eyes for an hour and that the knocking coming from Grey is all in his mind.
Eluding the soldiers, the Doctor takes refuge in the kitchen, while Ben, Jamie and the Highlander prisoners to a boat to be taken to a ship called the Annabelle. There’s a rather graphic and horrible scene where Trask informs the prisoners that the only way off the Annabelle is straight down, and throws a man overboard, who sinks without a trace to illustrate his point.
Episode 3:
Trask speaks like a proper pirate. I’m half expecting him to say “Avast” or “Shiver your timbers”!
Polly and Kirsty disguise themselves as orange sellers to try to find their friends and find Ffinch, whom they continue to manipulate.
On the Annabelle, the prisoners are offered either being hanged or sold to work at His Majesties colonies in the Indies. The prisoners move to where they want, except Ben, Jamie and MacKay.
The Doctor goes to where Polly and Kirsty are being “chatted up” by Perkins, and using Grey’s pistol, bargains for them to leave the inn with him in safety. It’s followed by a lovely scene where the Doctor aims the pistol at the barn wall and fires it, proving it to be unloaded saying that guns are “nasty things”.
Trask, owner of the Annabelle, is preparing a ducking for “the London deserter”; Ben.
The Doctor spots the ring on Kirstys finger, it bears the Stewart seal. It was given to her father from Bonnie Prince Charlie himself, because he saved the Princes life on the battlefield.
Ben is bound and hoisted over the side of the Annabelle before Trask signals for him to be dropped below the surface, leaving nothing but a few bubbles.
Episode 4:
Trask signals for the rope bearing Ben to be raised, but the young sailor has disappeared. He resurfaces on the other side of the ship and starts swimming to land. He reaches the quay to find himself on the wrong end of a redcoat musket. The soldier turns out to be the Doctor. He’s preparing to take some arms to the prisoners in the Annabell.
Haha! Yes, brilliant! Trask said the word “timbers”! Arrr, avast!
Ben reveals his escape; the “old Houdini trick” of flexing his muscles when he was tied up, and so when he relaxed the ropes were loose.
And that’s twice in the same story! Ben pulls a Tom O’Shanter over his head causing the Doctor to say “I would like a hat like that” again. Could this be becoming his catchphrase? Hartnell had the “hmm”s.
The Doctor is brought in front of Grey by Trask, having found him coming over the side of the Annabell. The Doctor produces Kirstys ring, presenting it to Grey saying he got it from the hands of Prince Charles himself in the gaol, pretending the Prince disguised himself as a highlander and was taken prisoner.
Polly and Kirsty start to pass the weapons through a gun port in the ship to Colin and the other highlanders as the Doctor says that the Prince is actually aboard the ship.
As the sailors, Grey and Perkins enter the cells the highlanders take them prisoner as Trask puts up a fight. The Highlanders escape the cells to try to take the ship as Trask wounds MacKay and runs to join his men.
Another Piratey moment from Trask, saying “scurby” this time. He really would be more at home aboard the Black Pearl as opposed to the Annabelle!
The Doctor, Ben and Polly arrive back on port with Grey as prisoner, wondering what happened to Jamie, who appears saying they’ll need his help traversing the moors. Grey manages to shout a warning causing three red-coats to arrive. There’s a scuffle during which Grey escapes.
The travellers arrive back at the cottage, where Grey is waiting for them. The Doctor manages to convince the soldiers that Grey was engaged in an illegal slave trade and he is arrested and marched away, the Doctor having picked Greys pocket and stealing the contracts.
Polly asks if Jamie can leave with them, the Doctor saying only if he can teach him the Bagpipes. Jamie is rather suspicious of the TARDIS, as Polly takes his hand and leads him inside.

Next Time – The Underwater Menace