The series' opening story is, in fact, very distinctly two stories. We have the episode 'An Unearthly Child', effectively the series pilot, serving to establish Ian, Barbara and Susan. Then we have a three-part caveman story.

The first episode itself is a thing of wonder. Generally, a lot is expected of first episodes of any show, and to be fair they tend to deliver within the science-fiction genre, especially compared to their immediate successors [The Prisoner's 'Arrival', Blake's 7's 'The Way Back' and Survivors' 'The Fourth Horseman' are all towards the business end of each series' quality ratio, and even something like Star Trek - The Next Generation's 'Encounter at Farpoint' compares favourably with much of the first series of TNG]. Doctor Who's bow fails to disappoint.

It's directed imaginatively by Waris Hussein, and the steady build-up is most effective, especially as Ian and Barbara attempt to justify their curiosity about Susan to each other and themselves. Susan herself is the only bum note in the opening episode. Carole Ann Ford tends towards over-earnest stagey performance more often than not, and she's not helped by being given some silly scenes. The flashback sequences are the big problem. The idea seems to be that she's so naive and intelligent she can't help letting slip with her huge knowledge. However, it makes her look stupid as she sits in a classroom arguing that the country will have a decimal system in the future. Meaning she knows it doesn't have one now. So why is she saying it? And can you imagine even the first Doctor, arguably the most bumbling of the lot, allowing his grand-daughter to enrol in a local secondary school without telling her she wasn't to tell people about the future and the secrets of time and space?

Now, can you imagine this first Doctor doing it? This isn't the giggling, "Hmm"-ing old duffer the first Doctor that would later come along. This is a sinister, sharp-witted man. Hartnell is really having to work at his performance, and the result is an edgier and arguably more interesting Doctor. His verbal sparing with Ian and Barbara in the junkyard is an electrifying scene, as is his arrogant behaviour once they're inside the TARDIS. The episode introduces the four main characters efficiently, establishing a healthy measure of mystery in both the Doctor and Susan. One of the unusual things about the first two seasons compared to all of Doctor Who up until the Christopher Ecclestone story is that the series very much has three leads - the Doctor, Ian and Barbara. The scripts are generally split up this way too, which leads to a pair of very well-rounded characters. It helps that William Russell is a fantastic actor, regularly outshining Hartnell. Jacqueline Hill does less well, mainly through Barbara being written rather weakly, especially as Ian pretty much takes being thrown back to the stone age in a police box in his stride.

The crew dynamic is excellent, with the Doctor vaguely sinister but seemingly out of his depth, Ian definitely out of his depth but resolute and decisive, Barbara trying to back up Ian despite her inadequacies, and Susan forming a bridge between Ian and the Doctor. This dynamic basically carries the last three episodes. The plot is tedious, and the tribe of cavemen are a dull bunch. While there's a commendable stab at giving them unusual speech patterns, most of them have rather civilised English accents, just depending on missing elaborate words out of their dialogue. There seems to be a lot of the travellers being thrown into the Cave of Skulls and bemoaning their fate going on, and the likes of Kal and Za are uninteresting. The viewer is left rapidly not caring for the fate of the tribe.

If it wasn't for the near-constant arguing between the leads, this would be very uninteresting. However, the Doctor swings from arrogant to self-pitying to callous [his attempt to kill the injured caveman is shocking viewed in retrospect], with Ian battling against him. The perfomances from the regulars are excellent, though Susan isn't left with a huge amount to do but whine "Grandfather!" as the plot meanders around.

Overall, it's a mixed, unbalanced story. Aside from the first episode, the main interest is the development of the leads, and if nothing else the slight plot gives the characters plenty of space to grow. It's worth seeing, though, for a startlingly different Doctor, largely concerned with his own survival. While the sixth Doctor in Season 22, or the seventh Doctor in Seasons 25-26 were both had a different set of morals to what had gone before them, this Doctor is another, quite different Time Lord.

If пїЅThe SensoritesпїЅ has been relatively underexposed to fandom, then пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ certainly has; with two of the six episodes missing, it has not only not yet been released on video, it has also not been repeated on UKGold. This is a shame, as it is a strong ending to the Season One. Several things are of note regarding пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ. Firstly, it is the first historical not written by John Lucarotti, and SpoonerпїЅs different style is obvious, especially in the black humour on display (more on that below). Secondly, the seriesпїЅ first use of location filming gives the story a feel of scale and realism not yet seen in Doctor Who. Whereas пїЅMarco PoloпїЅ gave us a journey, this was demonstrated via the use of maps and voice-overs, with the main events taking place at waystations and towns along route, all recreated as studio sets. пїЅThe AztecsпїЅ on the other hand was localized to the Temple of Yetaxa and surrounding areas, thus avoiding the need to create a sense of scale. пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ largely takes place in locations recreated by studio sets, but the location footage of the First Doctor (although not William Hartnell) walking through the countryside supposedly around Paris and the opening shot of a wind-swept forest, both help the viewer to believe that this is actually taking place in France, over a period of several days. This realistic feel is enhanced by the superb sets depicting various natural looking interiors, with the squalid cells at the prison looking particularly, and unpleasantly, real. The third thing of note about пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ is the absence of a single main villain пїЅ whereas пїЅMarco PoloпїЅ had Tegana and пїЅThe AztecsпїЅ had Tlotoxl, пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ has nobody to compare with either. The treacherous Leon Colbert is the closest we get, but he is little more than a plot device, and once his true allegiance is exposed, he is swiftly dispatched. Robespierre is more a historical background detail than a chief protagonist, and the only other candidates are the jailer and the imposing Le Maitre. The former of these is basically half-witted comic relief, and the latter is ultimately revealed to be an ally. Nevertheless, this lack of a key baddie is crucial to the success of пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ, since the threat to the Doctor and his companions does not come from any one source; instead, they are under threat from numerous hostile parties, each with different motivations, from the aforementioned Colbert and the jailer, to the bullying manager of the road digging party who forces the Doctor to join them at gunpoint, or the physician who reports Barbara and Susan to the authorities in order to protect himself from the ruling regime. The shopkeeper who reports the Doctor to Le Maitre is a similar example, although he is also clearly hoping for the financial reward that Le Maitre provides. This results in a feeling of constant danger throughout, perhaps more so than in any previous Doctor Who story, since the Doctor and his friends do not know who they can trust. 

The comedy element brought by Spooner to the series is fairly restrained here, with that which is on show being fairly black comedy thanks to the overall feel of the story. The most obvious source of comedy is the stupid jailer, who is easily manipulated by the Doctor to great effect. This is helped by the fact that he is a well-realized character in his own right, concerned solely with his own survival and happy to change allegiances after Robespierre is arrested, in order to preserve his own life. His suggestion to Barbara that having sex with him will buy her freedom from the prison (probably a common enough event in real life at the time) gives him a unpleasant air beyond that lent simply by his job and his slovenly, unkempt appearance, and serves to destroy any sympathy that the viewer might otherwise have for him. This makes it all the more satisfying to see the Doctor making him look foolish. The second source of comic relief comes during the scene between the Doctor and the dig overseer. This is purely a comic interlude, serving no other purpose in the context of the plot except to show that the Doctor has not yet reached Paris. The Doctor easily outwits the man, and the bit where he picks the manпїЅs pocket and then smacks him over the head with a shovel is one of my favourite scenes from the season. This is largely due to the expression on HartnellпїЅs face, as he spits on his hands, rubs them together and then brains the man with obvious relish. From a character point of view, it is interesting since it shows that despite the DoctorпїЅs general tendency to avoid violence, he does occasionally resort to it, often with some glee. It shows the childish side of him, which offsets nicely his more serious side, even if it does set a rather bad example . All of this balanced by the bloodthirsty peasants who kill DпїЅArgenson and Rouvray and who are obviously keen to see Ian, Susan and Barbara guillotined, and Robespierre being shot in the jaw to stop him talking to anyone in the final episode, which is extremely unpleasant.

The success of пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ rests also with the quality of the supporting cast, all of whom are well characterised and well acted, from the buffoonish jailer, the initially intimidating but later dashing Le Maitre/James Sterling, the equally dashing Leon, the honourable Jules, the paranoid Robespierre, and even Napoleon and Barras who are only briefly in the final episode. Edward Brayshaw (later the War Chief in пїЅThe War GamesпїЅ) is a particularly well-scripted character, genuinely believing in the revolution and passionately telling the captive Ian that he would understand how France had been prior to it. His obvious attraction to Barbara, which seems to be reciprocated, makes his death far more effective, since she is clearly upset by it and angrily tells Jules that not everyone who supports the revolution is evil. James Cairncross (later Beta in пїЅThe KrotonsпїЅ) as James Sterling a.k.a. Le Maitre provides another great character, who cuts an imposing figure made all the more impressive by his ability to match wits with the Doctor. Even the boy who rescues the Doctor from the burning farmhouse at the start of episode two is reasonably well acted!

Finally, there are the regulars, who just about get equal exposure during the story (itself unusual in season one). Despite this, the Doctor manages to steal the show, not only out-witting both the overseer and the jailor, but also calmly disguising himself as a provincial regional officer and casually discussing the revolution with Robespierre, who would certainly have had him guillotined had he known that he was an imposter. It is also interesting to note that Ian and Barbara are clearly not very disappointed that they have not returned home yet, which is something that was picked up on at the end of пїЅThe SensoritesпїЅ пїЅ despite the dangers they keep facing, they are both enjoying their journey, and Susan is also obviously glad of their presence. WeпїЅve seen the TARDIS crew develop to this point since the beginning of пїЅ100,000 BCпїЅ, through the mistrust and paranoia of пїЅThe MutantsпїЅ and пїЅInside the SpaceshipпїЅ, after which they have steadily grown closer and become a tight-knit group of friends. The DoctorпїЅs final line sums up the feel of Doctor Who by the end of season one пїЅ пїЅOur destiny is in the stars, so lets go and search for itпїЅ. 

So overall, пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ is a cracking story and a strong end to the season. My copy is the Loose Cannon recon, which is one of the best recons IMO and which I heartily recommend to anyone who has never seen this story. And hopefully the recently-announced First Doctor video box set will include the four surviving episodes and a Tenth Planet episode four-style recon of episodes four and five, bringing пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ to a much deserved wider audience.

When this story was released on video in November 2003, I wonder just how many Doctor Who fans had actually ever seen it? It had never been released on video previously, or even broadcast on UK Gold because of the missing episodes. As I hadn't been born in the summer of пїЅ64, the anniversary release of пїЅThe Reign of TerrorпїЅ box set was my first chance to get up to speed on the first DoctorпїЅs exploits in revolutionary France. Whilst I canпїЅt say that I was completely disappointed with it, as historical TV stories go I have to rank this as one of the worst. 

The bad? Well, nothing really happensпїЅ at all. Capture, escape, rescue; capture, escape, rescue. Only the angle about Stirling, the spy, managed to really grab my attention and the pay off to that was predictable and disappointing. Barbara and Susan are both used appallingly; Susan is scared of rats for heavenпїЅs sake! I know sheпїЅs supposed to be a young пїЅteenageпїЅ girl, but cпїЅmon! SheпїЅs faced Daleks and Sensorites! Most disappointing of all though is the reconstruction of the missing fourth and fifth episodes. To be fair, weпїЅve been spoiled of late with superb efforts like пїЅThe Tenth PlanetпїЅ and пїЅThe Ice Warriors,пїЅ and of course the Restoration Team had far less to work with here. The existing clips are used well, and combined with Carol Anne FordпїЅs narration they do bridge the gap satisfactorilyпїЅ but not amazingly. Animation looks like the way to go for stories like this where there just isnпїЅt enough photographic material available to make a good reconstruction. Of course, we wonпїЅt get that until the BBC have also sold us the soundtrack CDпїЅ

The good? William Hartnell is superb, enjoying his own private little adventure in episodes two and three. The plot may be absolute pants, but the Doctor is a laugh a minute. The scenes with the slave driver, the shopkeeper and in the prison are all absolutely priceless. William Russell is also impressive, as always. HeпїЅs very Ivanhoe in the story, every bit the dashing Saturday afternoon hero in his big French shirt. Moreover, I particularly enjoyed the opening episode, пїЅA Land of Fear,пїЅ as it dwelt on the rift that developed between the Doctor and Ian during пїЅThe Sensorites.пїЅ ItпїЅs tantamount to soap opera! I can see why so many fans say that the 2005 series is more similar to Season 1 than to any other. Interestingly, I love the little scene where Ian and Barbara are actually quite glad they havenпїЅt landed in sixties England; it shows just how much they are enjoying their amazing travels even if they donпїЅt always show it. The final episode also has a nice, rather sentimental ending; the regulars are all friends again and are shown heading off into time and space for more adventuresпїЅ

The verdict? Quite a touching end to the season, but nevertheless an end which just doesnпїЅt cut the mustard when compared to the rest of the season. Just about worth the пїЅ20 for the VHS box setпїЅ although this cynic wouldnпїЅt recommend forking out another fifteen notes for the BBC Audio CD!

Doctor Who ends its first season on a high note with the third historical. "The Reign of Terror" is a relatively new story for me. It was part of "The End of the Universe" collection in the US, which contained the last ten stories not yet released on VHS. The story itself is missing episodes 4 and 5 of course, so it hadn't been syndicated like the other Hartnell stories had back in the 80s. I enjoyed these four new Hartnell episodes tremendously, but also somewhat wistfully, since these were the last of the existing episodes that I had yet to see. Once I watched them, there were no more "new" classic episodes to experience, barring some more missing episode finds. 

Let me take a moment here to comment on the quality of the picture and sound. The tape opens up with the 40th anniversary montage, which for those who haven't seen it is a series of clips from throughout the show's history accompanied by the Orbital version of the Doctor Who theme song. It's a great little bonus, but it becomes immediately clear after watching and listening to this that the sound during the opening titles for the first episode are somewhat muffled in comparison. After awhile I didn't notice the decrease in sound quality, but the pictures are a different story. Despite a nicely cleaned up and VidFIREd picture, the story suffers visually from the fact that it's a suppressed field recording, meaning that while horizontal and vertical portions of the image look fine, diagonal lines are jagged, due to the fact that every other line in the picture is gone. This effect distracts badly from what is otherwise fairly good picture quality, though after the excellent Aztec DVD and the Sensorites VHS, the lesser quality of the Reign of Terror is pretty obvious. It does appear that the copy of "Reign of Terror" retained by the BBC is not as good as the quality of other stories from the same period in the show's history. It's a pity, but the story is still watchable, and better than a number of the old VHS releases which had no restoration at all done to them. I'm sure that for the eventual DVD release, technology will allow for further improvements. 

This story benefits greatly from the small amount of location filming afforded it. There's a bit of forest and field seen on the scanner screen at the beginning of the story, and some great scenes from part 2 where the Doctor is making his way up the road and across some fields as he walks to Paris. I believe this is the first time that Doctor Who left the studio, and it certainly opens up the scope of the story and helps to paint a more convincing picture of the setting. 

I'd forgotten how brutal the first episode really is. Set down in a calm bit of forest, there's nevertheless a sense of unease right off the bat. The gunshots and the ragged looking boy only raise more questions. Within a few minutes of entering the farmhouse, it's revealed in that the crew has been set down in the French Revolution, a nasty piece of history to be sure. The Doctor is clubbed on the back of the head and locked in a room. Then the soldiers turn up, and some pretty brutal events follow, including the gunning down of the two men that Ian, Barbara and Susan have just met. To top it off, the Doctor is left trapped in the burning house, overcome by smoke. 

The four regulars are again used well, with all four having their own plot strands. The Doctor in particular comes across very well. "The Sensorites" started the trend of the Doctor taking more of a central role in the story, and "The Reign of Terror" continues that trend. As the only one not captured by soldiers, the Doctor walks to Paris in the hopes of rescuing his friends. Lest we forget, he was prepared to abandon them several times at the beginning of this season. He's come a long way since then. The interlude with the work gang is hilarious, especially when the Doctor whacks the overseer on the head with the shovel. I laughed and laughed. And of course, the Doctor takes a pretty big risk in impersonating a regional official in order to bluff his way into the prison and hopefully rescue his friends. He's become quite an admirable figure, and it's a pity that his scenes with Robespierre are missing. 

Barbara and Susan are split up from Ian. I notice that Ian only appears on film for episodes two and three, so presumably William Russell was on vacation. Everyone else had their two weeks off, so now it's his turn. Unlike Susan in "the Aztecs", he still gets a good chunk of the action rather than a scene or two. Ian befriends the dying spy who shares his cell and learns some crucial information which he needs to pass on to James Stirling. He effects an escape from his cell, and delivers his message during the missing two episodes. Episode 6 allows him and Barbara to witness the beginnings of Napoleon's rise to power, and Robespierre's downfall. If time travel were possible, surely many of us would choose to witness great historical events like these, and it's enjoyable to see such a scenario played out. This is one of the advantages presented by the historical stories, and it's a pity that this type of story was dropped. 

Barbara and Susan spend episode two trying to escape, only to be taken to the guillotine. Barbara again impresses with her "never-say-die" attitude in the face of a pretty horrible death, and also in her compassion for Susan when the younger woman can't even find the strength to run for it during the trip through the streets of Paris. Barbara also gets a bit of a romantic subplot for the second time this season, but the object of her affections isn't as admirable as Ganatus, and is ultimately exposed as a traitor. 

The sense of danger is everywhere in this story. Until the refuge of Jules' house is revealed in episode three, there really is nowhere safe for the Doctor or his friends, and no one that can be trusted. "A Land of Fear" is a very appropriate title for episode one, and arguably applies to much of the story. Enemies are everywhere, from the deserted farmhouse, to the seemingly safe clothing shop, to the prison, and even on a country road miles from Paris. Even Jules' house hides a traitor who would sell out innocents to the revolution. A tense atmosphere is maintained throughout the story because of this, and it's only in the final few minutes of the episode that we can relax as our heroes make their escape in the carriage. 

Overall, I was very impressed by "The Reign of Terror", and by the first season as a whole. I can only judge the four existing episodes, but based on those I'd say that the story merits at least 8.5 out of 10, if not more. It doesn't quite hit the dramatic heights of "The Aztecs" or the sheer epic quality of "Marco Polo", but it's a good, tense and gripping historical. 

The first season itself generally maintains a high level of quality. It starts strong with "An Unearthly Child", introduces the alien monsters that would ensure the show's success with the Daleks, gives us three good, solid historical stories, and only drops a bit with the light adventure of "Keys of Marinus" and the uneven "The Sensorites". Only "The Edge of Destruction" stands out as an oddity, and it was a last minute filler. The first season was a fine foundation on which to continue the series.

OK, so he created the Daleks, but let’s face it – Terry Nation was never a particularly sophisticated writer. The scientific concepts he presents are often extremely tenuous, his writing often lacks sparkle, and barely a scene goes by without someone tripping over. The Daleks were a fantastic idea but, thinking about it, not one that came particularly out of left field; there would have been a reaction to men-in-suit monsters sooner or later. Point of fact: how does Nation follow up his hit Daleks? With monsters that go against everything the Daleks stand for. Monsters that not only look like men in suits, they are men in suits. With a more advanced writer I’d call this postmodernism, but in Nations case I have to wonder what was going on to make him back down on his principals so.

That’s not to say that The Keys Of Marinus is particularly bad, simply that it’s uninspired. In terms of visuals though the first impressions are extremely positive as some excellent model and design work is on display from the ever-dependable Raymond P. Cusick. It’s when the characters open their mouths that Nation’s incredibly dated attempts to be modern and cutting edge (this is the man who proudly brought us magnetic tape recorders in the year 4000), in this case the TARDIS having colour television, now just seem funny.

I know it’s irrelevant, but I couldn’t help but notice in the first episode that William Hartnell’s wig is absolutely rock-solid in this episode, like it’s been moulded to his head. I refused to believe for a long time that he ever wore a wig at all; I should have watched this episode when I was younger. Barbara knocking Susan’s shoe into the acid pool is a very stagy moment, an obvious and somewhat lazy attempt to reveal this particular plot point, but it does lead to a truly amazing fluff from Hartnell (“you could have lent her hers”) that is delivered with such confidence that initially I didn’t realise he’d made a mistake and spent ages trying to work out the logic of what he had said. The further revelation of the acid sea is another example of Nation’s haphazard grasp of science.

While the sets are very well designed it does show the limitations of the time that we are expected to believe that the characters have not noticed the giant pyramid that dominates the island. The picture quality of my VHS is extremely good and while it does show up the painted backdrops designed to lend a sense of perspective and distance for what they are, it’s not a particularly big problem and the improved quality more than justifies it. Less forgivable though is the stagehand clearly visible when a Voord falls through the revolving wall. I should mention now that, from the neck down, the Voords look ridiculous. Although the cardboard cut-out that falls into the acid pit is more amusing than anything else, it is quite painful to watch them galumphing about tripping over their flippers (and in the final episode Stephen Dartnell’s features are clearly visible underneath his mask). I do wonder how anyone thought they would match the Daleks in terms of popularity; as one of only three major monsters present in season one, it has to be said that the programme’s debut season does not score highly in terms of monsters. They are not helped by some poor direction from John Gorrie that sees one hiding in plain sight waiting for Susan.

Maybe it’s the politically correct time we live in, but casually referring to foreign natives as Indians does seem a little tasteless to me. Such concerns are blown away by the presence of George Colouris, as mighty as he had been in Citizen Kane two decades previously, although here he has to fight against some dialogue that, while not terrible, can best be described as staid. Orson Wells – Terry Nation. You decide. It is very interesting that, like in The Daleks, Nation refuses to commit to a moral standpoint and the ethical questions raised by the existence of the Conscience machine are left unanswered until a single token line from the Doctor right at the end. The split-screen effect for the dematerialisation of the travellers is smooth if a little obvious, but the on screen death of Arbitan is an immensely foolish piece of storytelling as it removes all purpose to the quest to find the keys, as well as eliminating any suspense as to what will be found when the characters return.

Nation’s stories are always very clearly divided up into episodic chunks, rather than having the episode breaks not particularly disrupt the narrative as was (and always has been) the norm. Hence, this episode begins in the new location of Morphoton. While it is a nice idea to present a varied and complex planet it is always a bit uncertain how the different areas of Marinus relate to each other, and the total absence of the Voords raises the question of exactly how much of a threat they pose thereby undermining the urgency of the quest. All the locations share a common feature though in that while they all present some interesting ideas they are explained in unconvincing terms (perhaps because Nation has allowed himself so little time to introduce each one). For example, while I am prepared to accept a city where the population are being hypnotised, Morpho, when revealed, is absurd beyond my wildest imagination.

Altos is a drip (and is a bit posh to be an adventurer really), but Katharine Schofield’s looks compensate adequately enough. It is interesting to hear sound effects that would eventually be used in The Moonbase (a story I’m much more familiar with), and the cuts between the hypnotised characters’ and Barbara’s point of view is excellently done and more than makes up for the directorial lapses in the first episode. However, not letting us see the Doctor’s P.O.V. when in his laboratory is a cheap (but effective) cost cutting measure, a clever way of getting round the expense of having to kit out an expensive set. Oh, and the smashing of Morpho is a cringe-inducing scene sure to put any newbie off the series for life.

Episode three could have benefited from a reprise, as it would have helped the atmospheric cliffhanger tally up with the rest of this part. This and the fourth episode are the best parts of the story, perhaps because the natural world is much better than the thinly-sketched pictures of civilisation. The terrified Darrius warning about the “tempo of destruction” is genuinely creepy, but Susan is truly useless and it’s well that she is written out of the episode as quick as possible. Nation tends to write Susan badly, although Barbara comes off well. 

The booby-traps in the forest are the first signs of the Voord threat for some time, but the sight of Darrius being strangled is a bit silly. The plant attack on the building is well realised, but I wonder why Ian and Barbara didn’t look in the jars sooner. They really carry this episode: most of it consists of them avoiding traps and looking for the key, and while there is little of substance it is still an atmospheric and enjoyable episode.

The fourth episode is set on a wintry mountain, and the incidental music immediately buckles under the weight of convention so we get to hear an enigmatic woman going “oooooeeeeoeoooeee” in the background (see also: The Ice Warriors). It is very daring of the series (a tribute to the confidence of Verity Lambert) to have a character like Vasor who wants to rape Barbara, and this is generally an excellent episode and is visually impressive, like the rest.

The chance meeting with Altos is a contrivance repeated throughout this story, but this particular episode gets by like the last one on its atmosphere. The rope-bridge scene is good, as Gorrie shoots it on a horizontal plane and so by not letting us see down below he maintains a sense of genuine depth (it’s just a shame that can’t be said about the script). The Ice Soldiers are poorly explained although nicely enigmatic – which more or less sums up the entire episode. I’m not sure how realistic it is to think that the key would ever be found, and we also get the typically Nationesque touch of one of the girls gratuitously tripping over.

With episode five the sense of high adventure grinds to a halt in favour of a murder mystery, and it has to be said that the guilty-until-proven-innocent idea is a gimmick that doesn’t make much sense really, not really standing up to much scrutiny. This episode is buoyed up though by the superb performance of William Hartnell, who reappears after an absence of two episodes. The plotty dialogue is intelligently written here, although it is sometimes difficult to follow who is who. There are some lapses in tone here as the futuristic city of Millennius houses a fusty old library, and the dйcor of the living quarters is very mid-’60s. The wife beating is again a daring moment, even though it is only heard. Episode six initially carries on along the same lines: it is compelling to listen to, but is still to an extent a one trick pony. Kala though is a good villain, and the revelation of the murderer is a genuine surprise. 

The Voords turn up again – hardly an omnipresent threat, although Stephen Dartnell as Yartek does his best behind his mask, although it is very unconvincing how he manages to pass himself off as Arbitan (or does he…). The explosion is small and simple; the limitations of studio-bound practical effects of this period are forgivable, but there is no need for such a build up to it if it is going to be so small. And then, with only the requisite goodbye, it’s all over.

I don’t hate The Keys Of Marinus and in kinder circumstances I might have been more forgiving – but there’s a lot to criticise and you come to expect something from a man who invented a monster like the Daleks. Sandwiched between two sublime stories from John Lucarotti, this one doesn't stand a chance.

The third story of Doctor Who ever made, the Edge of Destruction is one of the most bizarre and surreal stories produced during the Hartnell era, and pales into insignificance compared to the adventures surrounding it (The Daleks and Marco Polo), however one should be more forgiving of it’s shortcomings, considering that it was made with virtually no budget and was an rushed script by season one story editor David Whitaker. It also delves into the fear and mistrust emanating between the alien Doctor and his granddaughter Susan, and the human school teachers Ian and Barbara, and as such it does add some much needed character development and exposition, as well as proving that the Doctor is an hero with faults, and that he is not always right.

Having said that, the plot for Edge of Destruction is shallow and superfluous and features some incredibly poor acting from the cast (main offender being Carole Ann Ford as Susan). 

There are still many things from the plot to me, that doesn't make sense to me, such as the short term memory loss that occurs at the start of the serial, to why an intelligent rational person such as the Doctor could honestly accuse Ian and Barbara of sabotaging the TARDIS without any real tangible shred of evidence ?

It could be argued that the only villain in this serial is the Doctor, he is extremely rude and arrogant to his travelling companions on Earth (in a similar vein to the 6th Doctor to Peri in Twin Dilemma), at one point threatening to eject them out from the TARDIS, and drugging them with sleeping tablets. Susan has some incredibly inexplicable moments, such as the infamous scene with the scissors in episode one. And Ian, normally such an stoic and reliable figure, is prone fits of irrationality. About the only character who remains consistent is Barbara, except for that scene with the melting clock (which again isn't satisfactorily explained) which causes her to go into uncharacteristic hysterics)

The main reason this story fails, is because of the ludicrous explanation at the conclusion, the fast return switch being stuck, is an cop out, and frankly still doesn't explain why the characters (and the TARDIS for that matter) have acted so indifferently throughout this short saga. It would have been a far better resolution to this story if there was indeed an invisible alien presence in the TARDIS, and that the four crew members worked together to flush the entity out of the TARDIS. 

The story only serves to alienate the audience away from the main hero (the Doctor) whose brusque and unfair treatment of his companions is unsettling, although it is perhaps redeemed in the ending, where it’s nice to see the likeable Ian Chesterton being so forgiving of the old time traveler, for all his eccentric ways, and showing the depth of Barbara’s hurt and anger at the Doctor’s earlier behavior was well displayed by Jacqueline Hill, and it is a nice moment when the Doctor finally manages to mumble his way uncomfortably to an apology, and the coldness of Barbara melting in the light of the Doctor’s sincerity. 

At the end of the day though, this serial can only be adjudged as the only real weak link in an otherwise excellent debut season of Doctor Who.

Regrettably, the biggest highlight of Edge of Destruction, comes at the end of the serial with the sole surviving footage of Marco Polo as the cliff hangar to Roof of the World.