Story 017 - The Time Meddler

This story has 4 episodes in it that aired between the 3rd and the 24th of July 1965

Official Synopsis:

The Doctor, Vicki, and new companion Steven Taylor arrive in Saxon Northumbria on the eve of the Viking and Norman invasions. It is 1066, a pivotal moment in British history. The hand of a mysterious Monk is at work in the nearby monastery, intending that history takes a different course.

My Opinion:

This is Peter Purves's first full story, he learns well that nobody ever listens to the Doctor when he tells them to stay somewhere lol. 

We meet another peron from the Doctor's planet it is a little unclear if he is a time lord maybe he was and was cast out. The character is an early version of the master in some ways although he isn't really evil he really really thinks changing these events in time will make things better. His plan in this is to help the Saxon King Harold win at the Battle of Hastings.

 Would have been nice to uncover a little more about the Doctor/Monk’s perceived shared race/past – at this point. It is a little grey the Doctor says the monk is from 50 years before his time. 

My Rating:

8/10

Story 016 - The Chase

This story has 6 episodes that aired from the 22nd May to the 26th June 1965.

Official Synopsis:

The travellers learn from the Time-Space Visualiser (taken from the Moroks' museum) that Daleks, equipped with their own time machine, are on their trail with orders to exterminate them. They flee in the TARDIS.

The chase begins on the desert planet Aridius and takes in a number of stopping-off points, including a spooky haunted house which is actually a futuristic fun-fair attraction.

Eventually, both time machines arrive on the jungle planet Mechanus, where the Daleks try to infiltrate and kill the Doctor's party with a robotic double of him. The travellers are taken prisoner by the Mechonoids — robots sent some fifty years earlier to prepare landing sites for human colonists who never arrived — and meet Steven Taylor, a stranded astronaut who has been the Mechonoids' captive for the past two years.


The Daleks and the Mechonoids engage in a fierce battle which ends in their mutual destruction. The Doctor's party seizes this opportunity to escape. The Doctor reluctantly helps Ian and Barbara to use the Daleks' time machine to return home.

My Opinion:

We say goodbye to Ian and Barbara at the end of this story, which only leaves the Doctor as the original cast member. We get introduced to a new companion in this Steven Taylor.

The story takes us to very differnt places a haunted house, The Mary Celeste, a future planet with fighting mechnoids.

The Haunted House episode is quite odd and could have just been skipped, I feel this story probably runs a couple of episodes long.

My Rating:

9/10

Story 015 - The Space Museum

This story has 4 episodes which aired between the 24th April and the 15th of May. 

Official Synopsis:

The TARDIS jumps a time track and the travellers arrive on the planet Xeros. There they discover their own future selves displayed as exhibits in a museum established as a monument to the galactic conquests of the warlike Morok invaders who now rule the planet. When time shifts back to normal, they realise that they must do everything they can to avert this potential future.


Vicki helps the native Xerons obtain arms and revolt against the Moroks. The revolution succeeds and the travellers go on their way, confident that the future has been changed.

My Opinion:

 It’s an interesting story. The museum is an interesting place, full of weird and wonderful things. The early time “out of sync” plot line is good. The “trying to avoid becoming a museum exhibit” by changing the future sub-strand. The Doctor’s Dalek escape – is quite funny. When you hear the Doctor giggling and he pops his head out of a Dalek is both funny and a little cringy. 

This story gets a lot of stick from the fans but I did quite enjoy it, the first episode has a mystery to it which is very interesting. He does suffer in the other 3 episodes and they lack a bit of Uniqueness.

The Morok/Xerons story line is very bland and feels like it has been done a thousand times.

My Rating:

7/10

Story 013 - The Web Planet

This story has 6 episodes that aired between the 13th of February and the 20th of March.

Official Synopsis:

 On the planet Vortis, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki are swept up in the struggles of the butterfly-like Menoptera, the original denizens of Vortis who were forced to flee the planet for the moon Pictos to escape the encroaching web of the Animus and its mind-controlled minions, the ant-like Zarbi, and their living weapons, the larvae guns.

My Opinion:

Errm I'm not sure what to make of this, it is crazy and trippy stuff. The story is quite good, the costumes look a little ridiculous.

I thought the Menoptera were supposed to be Bumble Bee Men but apparently they were supposed to be Butterfly like lol. 

This episode is also what I like about Doctor Who every story can be different you go from Rome to proper Sci-Fi stuff like this.

My Rating:

Well I'm gonna go 7/10 I did enjoy this some people will hate it I guess it will very much divide opinion.

Story 012 - The Romans

This Story has 4 Episodes that were aired between the 16th of January and the 6th of February 1965.

Official Synopsis:

Landing in Rome, A.D. 64, the travellers take a rare holiday. While Ian and Barbara are happy to relax, the Doctor and Vicki set off to pursue adventure.

However, adventure soon finds Ian and Barbara too as they are kidnapped by slave traders, and the Doctor's imitation of Maximus Pettulian sees him taken to the court of Emperor Nero where he inadvertently plays a part in deciding the course of history...

My Opinion:

I didn't really like the comedy they tried to put in this story it felt a little bit like a Carry On film in parts. 

The Doctor tells everyone not to interfere with History and yet he causes some of biggest events in History to happen. 

They make good use of the Beeb’s period costume and prop department.

This is TV from a much slower age, so obviously shouldn’t be judged by today's standards but you can judge it by its own standards and when taken in contrast to one of the other better Who period numbers; it doesn’t stand up.

My Rating:

2/10 

Sorry I really didn't like this one and won't be one I will be rushing to re-watch.

Story 011 - The Rescue

This story has 2 Episodes that were aired between 2nd and 9th of January 1965.

Official Synopsis:

The Doctor, Ian and Barbara arrive on the planet Dido. They find a crashed spaceship, the only two survivors of which are terrorised by the monster Koquillion. But who is Koquillion?

My Opinion:

We meet new companion Vicki in this episode.

Twisty and interesting plot. Short and brisk pacing. More emphasis on character development. Koquillion is cooly designed.

I think this story could have easily been made into more episodes I did enjoy it and I maybe a complete numpty but I didn't really guess the obvious twist at least not straight away.

The Rescue really just serves as an introduction to Vicki and is short at 2 parts. It is nonetheless quite entertaining and gets straight down to business – with a fun brisk twisty plot and good character driven moments.

My Rating:

9/10 I really enjoyed this just wish it was a bit longer Hmmm I don't know maybe should just be 8/10 for that reason.

Story 010 - The Dalek invasion of earth

This story has 6 episodes that were aired from the 21st of November to  the 26th of December 1964.

Official Synopsis:

The TARDIS returns to London; however, it's the 22nd century. With bodies in the river, and quiet in the Docklands, the city is a very different place. The Daleks have invaded and it's up to the Doctor to thwart them once again.

The Dalek Invasion of Earth was the second serial of season 2 of Doctor Who. It's most notable for featuring the first departure of a companion. Carole Ann Ford retired, leaving her character, Susan Foreman, to be with a man. Not only did this lead to children and a number of storylines in other media, it also forced the story to end with an especially meaningful speech between the Doctor and his granddaughter. Perhaps the best-remembered of all of William Hartnell's speeches, it has often been seen in other Doctor Who-related programmes and was memorably used as the prologue to The Five Doctors.

My Opinion:

One of the very best Doctor Who Quotes Ever!!!

One day I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.

I enjoyed this story a lot the team are spilt up again which happens in most Doctor Who Stories. It has a very sad end when Susan leaves the Tardis and the show :(  It felt a little rushed she fell in love and stayed with this random bloke, why not the week before lol. It felt like a very sudden departure.

We get Robomen in this which by design look like early Cybermen.

For the first time Doctor Who went on locations for most of the story (Some of Reign Of Terror was on location) Using locations and landmarks across London that are iconic.

The BBC had obviously given this story a bigger budget it just looks so much better than any of the other William Hartnell Era Who.

The scene where the single Dalek comes out of the Thames is really creepy the Dalek coming at them in slow motion. 

The Support cast in this story is also really strong.

The Dalek Invasion Of Earth benefits from some really nice early suspense and mystery, especially when the Doctor and Ian are searching the deserted Thames docklands area. This is helped in part by the atmospheric music and slow paced buildup.

The Dalek Invasion Of Earth was later remade as the bombastic and colourful Peter Cushing adventure; The Dalek Invasion Of Earth : 2140 in 1966.

An entertaining Earth invasion tale, which benefits from some strong cast performances, outside location shooting and for taking the Daleks seriously as a threat.

My Rating:

10/10

Season One Review

Best Story:

The Aztecs

Worst Story:

The Reign of Terror

It was unfortunate for me that Season 1 ended with my least favourite story. I am a little disappointed in how under used Susan is. William Hartnell as the Doctor does mellow a little bit I didn't really care for the grumpy old man in the beginning, I'm not sure what Season Two has in store.

There is probably gonna be a bit a gap before I get to reviewing Season Two.

 Season Rating, (Taken from the Average rating I gave to each story) :

7.5/10

Story 008 - The Reign of Terror

This story has 6 episodes in it and was aired from:  8 August–12 September 1964.

The Reign of Terror was the last story from the first ever series of Doctor Who. 

Currently, the original master copies of episodes 4 and 5 remain missing from the BBC archive. However, the missing episodes have been reconstructed in animated format for the 2013 DVD release of the serial. Though the actual footage is yet to be recovered, both episodes retain the full-length audio soundtracks originally recorded during the original transmission.

Official Synopsis:

The TARDIS materialises not far from Paris in 1794 — one of the bloodiest years following the French Revolution of 1789. The travellers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up in the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling — alias Lemaitre, governor of the Conciergerie prison.

My Opinion:

I found this episode quite slow and a little boring. I don't know how many times the characters have to say guillotine :(  lol. 

Susan again in this is sidelined the people behind the scenes seemed to have no faith in Susan preferring to give the better parts to Barbara and Ian.

My Rating:

5/10

Story 007 - The Sensorites

This story has 6 Episodes in it and was aired from:  8 August–12 September 1964.

Thoughtful, genteel, and afraid of the dark, The Sensorites were never going to be as popular as other Doctor Who aliens such as the Daleks, Cybermen or Sontarans. Yet the issues explored in this story were arguably pivotal in the moral and ethical development of the Doctor's character, and of Doctor Who itself.

In 2008 episode Planet of the Ood the Doctor mentions that the Ood -Sphere is a near neighbour of the Sensorites home world. The Ood and the Sensorites share common characteristics: Essentially intellectual and gentle being, they reveal the true nature of the human beings who come into contact with them.

Official Synopsis:

The Doctor and his companions land on a spaceship orbiting a distant and mysterious world, where a human crew lie frozen somewhere between life and death. The planet is the Sense-Sphere, home of the Sensorites, beings of immense intelligence and power. Unable to leave, the Doctor and his companions must deduce the Sensorites' intentions: Are they friendly, hostile, or frightened?  And what is the deadly secret at the heart of the Sense-Sphere?

My Opinion:

I enjoyed the first 3 episodes it has mystery and a little chilling, but once we meet the Sensorites the story falls off abit and isn't as interesting when they go down to the planet.

My Rating:

7/10 

Story 004 - Marco Polo

Marco Polo is the first Doctor Who story to be lost in it's entirety.

It had seven episodes in the original story, Marco Polo was aired From: 22 February–4 April 1964.

I watched a condensed 30 Minute version of the story which was made up of a tantalising glimpse of this lost story using an off air recording of the soundtrack and stills and production photoraphs.

Official Synopsis:

Arriving in Central Asia in 1289, the Doctor and his companions join the caravan of the famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo as it makes its way from the snowy heights of the Pamir Plateau, across the treacherous Gobi Desert and through the heart of imperial Cathay.

Having witnessed many incredible sights and survived a variety of dangers, they arrive at the mighty Kublai Khan's Summer Palace in Shang-tu, where the Doctor strikes up an extraordinary friendship with the now-aged ruler.


They move on at last to the even more sumptuous Imperial Palace in Peking, where the travellers save the Khan from an assassination attempt by the Mongol warlord Tegana — supposedly on a peace mission — before departing once more in the TARDIS.

My Opinion:

I think I would have really liked this story, it is a shame I will probably never get to see the original recording. You do get the jist of the story from what I watched and even from this I thought Mark Eden was really good as Marco Polo.

My Rating:

It is hard to give a rating for this as I haven't seen it in it's entirety but it showed a lot of potential so I will give it 7/10 I have a feeling it would have been higher.

Story 003 - The Edge of Destruction

This story was a short one compared to they first two it only has 2 episodes.

The episodes aired from: 8–15 February 1964.

The Edge of Destruction was the third serial of season 1 of Doctor Who. The story is unique in the original series in that it is set entirely inside the TARDIS and features only the regular cast members.

Narratively, the story was crucial as its events bonded the travellers so they were no longer just mismatched people forced together but a group who could trust one another. It also offered the first hint that the Doctor's TARDIS was not his own, shown by his lack of understanding of its abilities. Finally, it was also the first instance of the Doctor namedropping historical figures.

The second episode of this serial, "The Brink of Disaster", is as far as viewers can watch the Hartnell era, and the series itself from the very beginning in televised format, before running into a single missing episode: the following serial, Marco Polo, remains absent in its entirety.

Official Synopsis:

As they slowly recover from the shock of being thrown to the TARDIS floor, the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara all seem to be acting strangely. Unexplained events occur and suspicions are raised that an alien force may have entered the ship. The Doctor even accuses Ian and Barbara of sabotage.


It gradually dawns on the travellers that what they have been experiencing is an attempt by the TARDIS itself to warn them of something. The Doctor finally realises the fast return switch he used when leaving Skaro has stuck, and the ship has been plunging back to the beginning of time and its own destruction.

My Opinion:

The BBC commissioned 13 episodes to be made, well originally 4 which I think is what caused the probablems. The first two stories came to 11 episodes so they needed a small story of two episodes to get to 13, and with NO budget they had to use existing sets and only use the 4 main actors for the series with no guest stars. 

This is a very good character piece which helps to fill in some gaps and explore the TARDIS more. I am not sure what Susan is doing in this episode it doesn't go anywhere and makes very little sense, scissor attack. We do get the Doctor with his head bandaged up (Classic Iconic Who) The ending of this is terrible a switch had got stuck?  lol. But I suppose for having no money they did well to put anything together. I did enjoy this and it shows you can get away without spending on Monsters and Guest Stars, sometimes a minimalist approach works.

My Rating:

8/10

Story 002 - The Daleks

This story has 7 episodes in it which aired from 21 December 1963–1 February 1964

The Daleks was the second serial of season 1 of Doctor Who. Initially titled The Mutants, its most obvious contribution to the Doctor Who mythos was the introduction of the Daleks, along with the Thals and the planet Skaro. It also continued and deepened the antagonistic relationship between the First Doctor and his new human companions, Ian and Barbara, which would come to a head in the next story.

The serial was writer Terry Nation's first for the programme. Its reception led to his recommissioning for The Keys of Marinus later in the season, as well as the return of the Daleks every season until season 5. It also was the proximate cause for Nation's financial success, since his agent had cunningly negotiated Nation's co-ownership of the Daleks.

Official Synopsis:

The TARDIS has brought the travellers to the planet Skaro where they meet two indigenous races — the Daleks, malicious mutant creatures encased in armoured travel machines, and the Thals, beautiful humanoids with pacifist principles. They convince the Thals of the need to fight for their own survival.


Joining forces with them and braving Skaro's many dangers, they launch a two-pronged attack on the Dalek city. The Daleks are all killed when, during the course of the fighting, their power supply is cut off.

My Opinion:

Really good Sci-Fi story which also has Horror elements to it.  This has a really effective closed in claustrophobic quality to the camera work, especially in the lead up to the meeting with the Daleks. The Doctor shows he always gets what he wants when he pretends he needs a part from the City to fix the TARDIS, when there was nothing wrong with it. The others didn't want to go, so he manipulated them into doing what he wanted. Ian in particular is against going to the City and is mad when he discovers what the Doctor did to get them to go.

They remade this episode into a big budget film, the same year; Doctor Who & The Daleks – starred Peter Cushing as the Doctor. It used almost exactly the same script and setup as the television episode but none of the TV actors.

Overall though, the simple and claustrophobic appeal of The Daleks is left intact because it takes it’s time to build to a slow and suspenseful conclusion. If you like Daleks and want to witness their evolution from small beginnings, then this is for you.

My Rating:

I'm gonna go 9/10 I really enjoyed most of this story.

Story 001 - An Unearthly Child

An Unearthly Child had 4 episodes in it and was aired from:
23 November–14 December 1963 

An Unearthly Child was the first serial of Doctor Who. It was the first televised Doctor Who serial and the beginning of the Doctor Who franchise in general.

It saw the first appearances of the Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, played by William Hartnell, Carole Ann Ford, William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, respectively. Ian and Barbara became the Doctor's first companions, unwillingly whisked away on the Doctor's TARDIS. At the end of the fourth episode, "The Firemaker", the jungles of the recurring alien world of Skaro (not named in this story) were briefly seen before its first full appearance in the following serial.


This adventure also introduced the Doctor's TARDIS, which, in spite of it usually possessing the ability to change its outward appearance (having already previously disguised as an Ionic column and as a sedan chair), was stuck in its most recognisable form of a police box after leaving London in 1963.

Official Synopsis:

Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton, two humble teachers during 1963, are surprised by a bright student named Susan Foreman. Confused by the contradictions in Susan's knowledge, Barbara had decided to visit her home, only to learn that the address on record is a junkyard. She and Ian decide to wait at the location until Susan or her grandfather show up. There, they discover a junkyard inhabited by her grandfather, simply known as "the Doctor", and he doesn't want them lurking about.


When the teachers refuse to leave, they discover that an ordinary police box is actually bigger on the inside. The Doctor decides they know too much about his and Susan's otherworldly origins and takes them on a journey across space and time in his TARDIS, the place he and Susan now call home.

My Opinion:

It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to watch this first ever episode of Doctor Who. I liked the mystery behind the characters at this stage. It is a little uncertain exactly what the show wants to be. I liked the fact that Susan named the TARDIS. I also liked the way the first episode is told through Ian and Barbara's eyes which you can really feel like you are one of these two characters learning everything about the Doctor and his world. I thought the whole Cave Man Story in this was very cringe worthy. I liked episode 1 then the next 3 for me were a bit hard to watch.

My Rating:

Episode 1  -  7/10
Episodes 2 - 4  -  4/10

Introduction

So for this Blog I have decided to Review Every Story from Doctor Who. Stories included a different number of Episodes in each for example Story 001 An Unearthly Child had 4 episodes in it. Some of these stories I have seen before, others it will be my first watch of them. It is going to be an ongoing project which could take me awhile lol. So I will just jump into my TARDIS to see this task complete :)   I wonder where we are going to begin ?