The First 'New' Doctor Who.

[Paul Clement]

Macra Terror is one of the stories I seem to have a blank spot with. I haven't seen the recon and listened to the audio quite some time ago. My main memories of it are from reading the Target novelisation which gave me the impression of it being a solid if unspectacular story. The concept of the Macra sounded very good though.

[Wayne]

The Faceless Ones

This story definitely seems to hit the ground running. Just a couple of minutes into Ep.1 & Polly is witness to the murder of the police inspector, & it's immediately apparent that something sinister is going on at the 'Chameleon Tours' hanger. Before long Polly is kidnapped, whilst the Doctor & Jamie encounter Commander Andred at passport control, after which they try to persuade the airport commandant as to what's going on.
The intrigue builds throughout the episode, & the Doctor & Jamie encounter Polly, who claims not to know them, & we see a scarred, alien looking humanoid as the ep goes into a creepy cliffhanger. It's a good start!
It's over to audio for Ep.2, & perhaps it has some impact on the story for me, because it already seems to drop in pace a little bit, & starts to feel like a bit of a runaround, & by the end of the Ep, things don't seem to've advanced all that much by the time the episode finishes, aside from the introduction of Samantha & her missing brother, & the mystery of the postcards, reinforcing the central concept of the alien abduction of people on Chamelion flights.
I was looking forward to watching Ep.3 from the 'Lost In Time' set, but the story is already starting to flag for me after a fairly enthusiastic start. Similarly to Ep.2, events don't feel as though threy've progressed all that much further, even with the advantage of being able to actually watch the story. The Doctor is still trying to convince the commandant of his theories, Samantha is still wittering about her brother, Polly & Ben are sadly absent to make way for the overated Jamie, but at least by the end of the Ep, we see for ourselves that the Doctor's theory is correct.
Back into audio for the last 3 eps, I have to say that i was struggling with Ep.4. It just seems as that everything's moving at a very slow pace, although just as i was feeling like writing the story off, i did think that Ep.5 rekindled more of a sense of foreboding, paricularly on the sattelite. I liked the atmospheric music during the revelation to Jamie that the Inspector was actually the Director of 'Chamelion Tours'. I also thought the Doctor's plan to infiltrate the sattelite by masquerading as a re-processed Chamelion were good scenes, although he is discovered in time for the Ep.5 cliffhanger. The final episode is reasonable, but as i finish the story, i'm in no doubt that as a whole it's very overstretched over 6 episodes. Even splitting up the viewing/listening doesn't seem to make much difference.
Ultimately, i've got mixed feelings about it - I've ended up slightly disappointed by it, because i thought it started really well, & i thought i was going end up liking it more than i did in the end, before it started to flag. I think it was someone on MacNimon's 'Into the Vortex' thread, who summed it up as a 'great concept', but a far too long a story, & i think that pretty much sums up how i feel about it. I can think of several 6 parters that i thought would make great 4 parters, but this one might even be an ep too long as a 4 parter, IMO. It does have some good bits in it, & i find it difficult to rate, but at my most generous, i couldn't go higher than 7/10.

I will be doing 'Evil of the Daleks' before the end of week, but then will leave it there until after xmas/New Year.

[Logo Polish]

The Faceless Ones

Although the adversaries referred to in the story's title, the Chameleons, keep up a commendably icy and ruthless nature throughout most of the story, this turns out to create something of a false impression ultimately. They may talk a good fight ("I want him dead before Captain Blade returns"), and carry out some devious strategies (for example, replacing Polly with a double who claims not to know the Doctor and Jamie, thus helping to discredit their story) but they seem to become singularly compliant as soon as a definite advantage is established over them. The Chameleon duplicate of Meadows seems to virtually give up entirely once overpowered by the Doctor and company, and apart from one attempt to break free near the end of the story, co-operates fully and without protest. The Chameleon Blade also seems to accept the Doctor's judgement very meekly and resigns himself to the prospect of returning to his original blank form.

The Doctor's own lack of vindictiveness is also noteworthy. Once the struggle is over, and the advantage with him, he says nothing about punishing the Chameleons further, and even offers to help come up with an alternative solution to their problem. This although they have still caused a small number of deaths (what exactly did Crossland report after finishing his investigation into Gascoigne's disappearance?), and kidnapped thousands in their cause.

Indeed, the mass kidnappings pose a bit of a question which is never quite satisfactorily answered, that being, why did no-one else apparently notice that their loved ones were missing? Samantha turns up to enquire into her brother's disappearance, but we never hear anything to suggest that any of the others have been missed. Are they all supposed to be still on holiday? Of course, that raises the issue of how long the Chameleons have been carrying out their operations in the first place (not all that long, presumably).

Apart from the supercilious coolness Donald Pickering brings to his Captain Blade, the actors who make the most impression here are Pauline Collins as Samantha (Sam), Colin Gordon as the Commandant, and Bernard Kay as Crossland. Sam has an engagingly chipper quality, and is very brash and self-confident for this part of the series' history. Like Dodo, although more successfully, her "working class authenticity" is denoted by a strong regional accent (Liverpudlian, which the various Merseybeat groups of the time had helped make fashionable), and she throws herself into the story with unabashed enthusiasm. Jamie seems rather taken with her as well, and she isn't shy of taking the lead in sharing a kiss or two with him. Whether this more upfront side of character would have lasted had she become the full-time companion that was originally intended is difficult to say, so while she might have been a missed opportunity in one sense, it may also be as well that the character was never in a position to be diluted.

Colin Gordon gives a particularly well-judged performance in his role, managing just the right sort of fussy pompous charm. As the story's main sceptic (fulfilling a similar function to the authority figures who turn up in the various base-under-siege stories of the era), he is deliciously sarcastic towards the Troughton Doctor's wildly improbable and unconvincing claims, and it's easy enough to understand his evident exasperation with the latter. Although it's also quite charming that once the whole story is out in open, he becomes as loyal and steadfast in his support as anyone could wish for, even managing to take the initiative and both buy the Doctor time and help save the day. Bernard Kay is also quietly impressive as the stolid and well-intentioned policeman, even if he seems remarkably ready to accept the Doctor's outlandish claims.

The Doctor's own status as an outsider and non-conformist are brought to the fore here in various ways, most notably his dismissal of passports as "some sort of official mumbo-jumbo" and his unwillingness to tolerate having to meet the various bureaucratic requirements of the airport when trying to report Gascoigne's murder through legal channels. Very much the free spirit who is used to travelling when and where he likes, he is often in need of an official representative of the authorities to intercede for him (Crossland fulfils that function in this story's case), but on the other hand it does hive him the advantage of having a much wider frame of reference than the others and make deductions they would never think to (such as when working out what the aircraft's stationary status on the radar signifies). Although even then this can cause problems as to how likely anyone is to believe him.

The story tends to ramble a little and is possibly overlong (there are a lot of escapes, captures, near captures, traps sprung and evaded), as well as being slightly spoiled by the regular use of naive-sounding terms like "ray gun". As a variation on the concept of aliens stealing bodies or identities, it's one of the more interesting in the series, and benefits from some assured acting, and appropriately sinister music and sound effects. In some ways the (for its time, unusual) contemporary setting makes it seem more, rather than less, fantasy-based than its immediate neighbours.

[Stephen Morgan]

Excellent reviews there from Wayne and Logo.

I tend to agree with Wayne on this one, it's not one of my favourite Troughton's. After a good first episode the story quickly begins to run out of steam, picking up only for the final episode.
Odd that neither of you noted the departure of Ben and Polly, the last links with the Hartnell era, and how the show has quickly changed in the few months since Troughton took the helm. Dr. Who as a series has changed and evolved and is no longer a "childrens" show. I note that at this time it was transmitted in a later time slot too, ten to six, definately not a childrens slot anymore.

[Wayne]

Thanks guys.

Odd that neither of you noted the departure of Ben and Polly, the last links with the Hartnell era, and how the show has quickly changed in the few months since Troughton took the helm. Dr. Who as a series has changed and evolved and is no longer a "childrens" show.

To be honest, i was struggling to maintain interest by then, but you're right.

Ironically, i received a narrated recon on disc of this story (amongst others - Thanks Mr.PC) in the post this morning. Had i hung on few days, it might've helped me to appreciate this story a bit more, as i've found the Audio stuff harder going than i expected.
At least i've got a narrated recon for 'Evil'. (Thanks Mr.PM)

[Stuart Wallis]

Ultimately, i've got mixed feelings about it - I've ended up slightly disappointed by it, because i thought it started really well, & i thought i was going end up liking it more than i did in the end, before it started to flag. I think it was someone on MacNimon's 'Into the Vortex' thread, who summed it up as a 'great concept', but a far too long a story, & i think that pretty much sums up how i feel about it.

I think that more or less sums up my general feelings as well. Things do flag during the middle third, though strangely enough, I didn't really miss Ben or Polly; as Jamie really enters his stride in this story, I'd not noticed they were missing til the last scene. Colin Douglas is brilliant - that double take is worth the price of admittance alone. Bernard Kay's as good as he normally is, and Pauline Collins was good, but I'm a bit glad she didn't become a regular, I'd have found her a bit "in-your-face" after a while.

[Logo Polish]

You sort of get the impression that the production team of the day weren't keen to emphasise Ben and Polly's departure, considering, how, apart from one last filmed scene at the end, they're both written out very abruptly in the early stages. Even Polly's double isn't seen after the second episode IIRC. It's been suggested that Innes Lloyd had gone off both of them toward the end of their time, and was keen to feature them as little as possible in their last story. Don't know if that's true or not.

They got a bit forgotten about, those two, in later years, I think (perhaps partly cos not many of the books featured them until the 80s). There seems to have been (among fans) something of a resurgence of interest in them since the 90s. I know some of the Virgin/BBC novels tried to make more use of them.

[Paul Clement]

Odd that neither of you noted the departure of Ben and Polly, the last links with the Hartnell era, and how the show has quickly changed in the few months since Troughton took the helm.

The show changed quickly from The Chase onwards. There was a stability to the show up until that point that was gone for a long time after. Ok, Susan left in DIOE, but was effectively replaced by Vicki in the next story. After Ian and Barbara left, there was a quick flurry of companions with Vicki, Steven and Dodo departing and Ben and Polly arriving within little more than a season.

[Paul Clement]

FACELESS ONES

The final parting of the ties with the Hartnell era with the departure of Ben and Polly in what for them ends up being a very anti-climatic swansong, with both characters hardly featuring and leaving with alacrity at the end of the tale.

That said, the story is another solid, if unspectacular, offering from the Troughton era. Faceless Ones concentrates on the Doctor and his one continuing companion, giving both of the quite a bit to do and Samantha looked like she would have made for a good companion if given the chance.
The general premise of the story is pretty good, with the Chameleons offering a different take on the usual monster. The biggest problem is the inconsistency in the writing of the Chameleons as characters, one minute being ruthless villains who will do anything to see their plans come through to fruition and the next rather weak beings who give up at a moments notice.

[Phillip Culley]

You sort of get the impression that the production team of the day weren't keen to emphasise Ben and Polly's departure, considering, how, apart from one last filmed scene at the end, they're both written out very abruptly in the early stages. Even Polly's double isn't seen after the second episode IIRC. It's been suggested that Innes Lloyd had gone off both of them toward the end of their time, and was keen to feature them as little as possible in their last story. Don't know if that's true or not.

I think that they wanted to keep Polly on as a companion and ditch Ben (since his role had been taken over by Jamie), however IIRC Anneke Wills said that if they were getting rid of Michael Craze, then she was going as well. Also, I know Wills and Craze's contacts were due to expire with The Evil of the Daleks: 2 (I believe they would be left behind when the Doctor and Jamie are taken back to 1866), but for some reason they were pushed out 6 episodes early.

[Pip Madeley]

I know Wills and Craze's contacts were due to expire with The Evil of the Daleks: 2 (I believe they would be left behind when the Doctor and Jamie are taken back to 1866), but for some reason they were pushed out 6 episodes early.

Well, I'd rather they'd left happily than if the Doctor and Jamie lost them and never saw them again...

[SiHart]

I agree with everything Iain had to say about The Faceless Ones. He said it all for me!

Polly and Ben are great companions. They make a really good team and they're both very likeable and capable. A big favourite with me, like Season 4 in general.

Si xx

[Stuart Wallis]

IIRC Anneke Wills said that if they were getting rid of Michael Craze, then she was going as well. Also, I know Wills and Craze's contacts were due to expire with The Evil of the Daleks: 2 (I believe they would be left behind when the Doctor and Jamie are taken back to 1866), but for some reason they were pushed out 6 episodes early.

IIRC Anneke said that on her MythMakers interview.

I think the instability of companions was due to instability in the production team 1965-68; new producers coming in every 10 minutes and not liking the companions they were left with. John Wiles is more or less known not to have liked Vicki, Innes Lloyd certainly didn't like Dodo (many agree with him!); and somewhere I remember reading or hearing that Debbie Watling was only kept on on a story-by-story basis.

[Wayne]

Evil of the Daleks

I've seen criticisms/observations recently that this story is a bit long winded & i'd certainly say that of the Daleks' plan, which doesn't seem very direct to say the least. But i must admit that i enjoyed the opening couple of episodes, particulary once we go back to Victorian times. They're very atmospheric, helped by some excellent incidental music (which sounds remarkably like stock footage music used in 'Outer Limits' & 'Twilight Zone'), & the supporting characters are very convincingly acted, which helps a lot. John Bailey/Waterfield in particular stands out for me. His concern for his daughter, & his fearful, hateful descriptions of the Daleks are very well played.
The Dalek voices sound at their best so far in the chronological history of Who, & the Dalek that we see in Episode 2 conducts itself with total arrogance, as any good Dalek should! Unfortunately, Victoria has always been one of my least favourite companions, but at least she looks pretty in Ep.2. Meanwhile, we get a chance to see Troughton really on form as the Doctor in Ep.2's vidfired glory. I particularly enjoy his confrontation scene with the Dalek towards the end of the episode. "DO NOT QUESTION!" - "I will not be your slave!".
Hmmm....... Episode 3 feels a little bit patchy what with virtually the whole ep taken up with Kemel's tests, & chit chat with the maid etc.., Although it's quite funny to see/hear Windsor Davies mixed up the proceedings as Toby. The best bit is probably the 'argument' between the Doctor & Jamie, as Jamie is primed to try to rescue Victoria.
Episode 4 is a bit on the dull side, i reckon. Mostly concerned with the fight & consequent 'coalition' between Jamie & Kemel, as they are manouvered into trying to rescue Victoria, this ep just seems to plod along. And i have to say that Episode 5 feels much the same. There's a few nice atmospheric moments like the disembodied Dalek-ish voices affecting Terral, & Maxatable's hypnotism scene, but aside from that it all feels a bit long & drawn out. There's another bit of a good scene between Jamie & the Doctor though towards the end of the ep where Jamie berates the Doctor for being callous. Troughton is good here, but unfortunately Hines is wooden & unconvincing as usual; IMO anyway.
Episode 6 is a much better ep, even though i don't really like the childish daleks, although i concede that they fit with the overall concept of the story. Also, the Doctor's child-like delight doesn't really do it for me either. Having said that, i think the episode picks up in the latter half, as things get more interesting once we arrive on Skaro. The highlight for me though is the iconic appearance of the Emperor Dalek with it's awesome booming, grating voice, & that excellent confrontation with the Doctor that brings the episode to a close.
The final episode is a good one as well. Especially for us dalek fans, as there's plenty of good Emperor Dalek, & Black Dalek dialogue. And of course the concept of giving the 'dalek factor' to the whole of humanity is a chilling idea....... But the Doctor tricks the daleks & switches the factors over so that some of the daleks get the human factor, resulting in a huge conflict between the two dalek factions, which ultimately causes the destruction of the emperor in an exciting final battle in which everything is destroyed!
All in all, i think i'd agree with those that see this story as a bit overated. For my money, it definitely flags in the middle, big style. But i do think that the the good things about this story outweigh the not so good things, at the end of the day. I personally think that 'Power of the Daleks' is the better of the two Troughton dalek stories, but neither is as good as my favourite story of the season, IMO:- 'The Moonbase'.
I'll be carrying on with Season 5 after xmas, but i'll finish here with some season rankings for the Troughton stories so far, & the two Hartnell stories of the season in brackets accordingly.
Merry Xmas!

The Moonbase
Power of the Daleks
(The Tenth Planet)
Evil of the Daleks
The Faceless Ones
The Macra Terror
The Underwater Menace
(The Smugglers)

The Highlanders


So what's Planet Skaro's concensus on 'Evil of the Daleks'?

[Paul Clement]

The Moonbase
Evil of the Daleks
The Tenth Planet
The Faceless Ones
The Highlanders
The Macra Terror
The Underwater Menace
Power of the Daleks
The Smugglers

[Paul Clement]

Evil of the Daleks may not be as good as it was once cited as being, but it's still one of the best stories on offer during the first Troughton season. The story is long winded and the plot insensical, but the Humanised Daleks was a great concept as was the idea of the Dalek Civil War at the end of the story. The Dalek Emperor looks excellent too.

[SiHart]

I think Wayne is pretty spot on about Evil of the Daleks. It's shame that the plot doesn't quite stretch to 7 episodes because there's a lot of very good stuff in the story, it's just that it meanders around in the middle episodes too much to make it truly great.
The mystery and clues the Daleks/ Waterfield leave for the Doctor in part 1 are a bit tenuous too. It feels like David Whittaker being very, very clever, but making it just a little too oblique to be truly believable.

So a very worthy story, but not really deserving of classic status.

I'm very fond of season 4 overall. It's a nice diverse season and very definitely better than the following one which has far too many samey stories. I shall save my no doubt controversial thoughts on that season until the new year.

Si xx

[Ralph]

Excellent! I haven't missed anything I can't contribute to..I thought perhaps Wayne would have this done and dusted - good to get back in time for the bits I know! Bit of back reading to do though..

[MacNimon]

I'm like you, Ralph...Season 5 is much more familiar to me than Season 4...I'll be able to contribute a bit more from here on!

[Wayne]

Tomb of the Cybermen

Oh, how nice to have a complete story to enjoy! I've seen plenty of expressions of disappointment with this story since it was returned to us from the 'Missing' void, & i've never really understood why; because i loved it as soon i saw the video upon it's release.
Episode one is a great opener i reckon. The pace of the story builds nicely throughout this intriguing & atmospheric episode. Troughton's opening scene in the Tardis is classic 'Doctor' stuff. I'm happily hooked in from the outset as we meet all the various characters of the expedition, & the suspense increases after the base is entered. I love the whole feel of it. Right down to little things like the very 60's hypnotic/kaleidescopic effect, just before the effective cliffhanger.
The pace continues nicely throughout Ep.2, & characterization of the guest cast is fleshed out a little. I very much enjoy the guest characters in this story. Particularly Klieg & Kaftan who's little plan gets put into motion in this episode. Debbie Watling/Victoria is not too annoying so far (& there's the bonus of her still looking very attractive at this point) , & even Frazer Hines/Jamie is satisfactory. I still love those iconic scenes of the Cybermen waking up & breaking free from their tombs. Brilliant stuff! And the emergence of the Cyberleader at the end of the episode is especially effective. I love that cliffhanger - You belong to us. You will be like us - in that splendidly chilling, totally emtionless voice!
Episode 3 i really like, for similar reasons to 'The Moonbase' Ep.3. Obviously, now they're awake, there's a lot more cyberman dialogue, & cyber action. It may look vaguely ridiculous, but i love the fights with Toberman, (both in this ep & Ep 4) & another fave moment is the cyberman trying to withold the hatch from closing. I also enjoy Klieg's increasing delusions of grandeur, & the Cybermat attack, which is accompanied by some great incidental music; as is the rest of the episode/story. Troughton is on form. I always laugh at the 'metal breakdown' gag, & Jamie's groaning reaction! And of particular note, is that lovely scene where the Doctor comforting Victoria by talking to her of family. There's much to enjoy in Ep.3.
The final episode is another great ep, which i enjoy for similar reasons as the previous third episode. Top cyber dialogue/action & some great Doctor moments. I love the Doctor egging on Klieg's meglomania, only to say: 'Well now i know you're mad!' This story never loses pace from beginning to end IMO, & it just goes to show how well the 4 part story format works when compared with some of the 6 parters around this period.
I'm an unashamed fan of 'Tomb', & watching it again today, has only consolidated my appreciation of it. I'll be surprised if by the time i get to the end of this thread, that any other story topples this as my favourite Troughton story! 10/10!
Meanwhile, i'll be continuing on with 'The Abominable Snowmen' sometime after New Years Day.
So come on then! Why is 'Tomb' such a let down?!!

[Ralph]

I watched Tomb for the first time in 2004 and I really wasn't sure what to expect, I didn't have any expectations of the story. My first impression was that it had a good atmosphere and I was thrilled to see how the Cybs looked back then. Given that I've got a couple of days before the next story I think I'll give this one another look.

I rated it before as 8/10 and I'm pretty sure on viewing again I'll be giving it a good score

[Anthony Williams]

So come on then! Why is 'Tomb' such a let down?!!

Tomb is really poor. For a story that's been hyped up beyond belief, it's a major let down. Sure, it has it's moments, but the two villains have comedy accents, everyone's a massive stereotype (the slave being a big black man being one of them). Further, the Cybermen are for the most part, useless. They make bizarre noises for no apparent reason, and actually do very little.

I just feel that the story is a huge let down, and would rather that Fury from the Deep or The Web of Fear had been the recovered story from Season 5.

Ant x

[Paul Clement]

Tomb of the Cybermen

Why's this story so great? Lot's of reasons!!!

1. The Doctor and Victoria's conversation about family and memories left sleeping in the mind.
2. The Doctor and Jamie holding hands as they enter the tombs.
3. The Cyber Controllers voice and just how good he looks
4. The best incidental music in the shows history.
5. The Cybermen breaking out of their tombs as they revive is extremely creepy.
6. The Doctor conversation with Klieg,

"Yes, yes, I can see that, but how did you know in the first place?"

"Oh, I use my own special technique."

"Oh, really, Doctor? And may we know what that is?"

"Keeping my eyes open and my mouth shut."

7. Toberman's fight with the Cybermen and his final end.
8. 'You belong to us. You will be like us' Real brown trouser time, I can tell you.

[Wayne]

Tomb is really poor. For a story that's been hyped up beyond belief, it's a major let down.
Ant x

What hype? I'm guessing you're talking about DWM? I wouldn't know about that. I've only become aware of the story's 'let down' reputation since joining on-line fandom. All people ever seem to do is diss it, & then claim they'd prefer another missing story in it's place. Which might equally prove to be a 'let down' once we see such a story for what it is?
Some fair points though. The characters are a bit like stereotypes. But i still enjoy them!

[Anthony Williams]

What hype? I'm guessing you're talking about DWM?

didn't read DWM until a couple of years ago.

I'm referring to all the hype from fans that I saw online when I first started using forums a few years back!

Ant x