An old man in a junk-yard with a police-box that's bigger on the inside than the outside: a mysterious school girl and a couple of nosy teachers (plus some stupid cavemen) combine to make one of the best introductions to any TV series ever.

Doctor Who arrived on our TV screens the day after Kennedy was shot ... Sod this. You all know this. Why am I telling you what you already know? No, I'm going to avoid giving you yet another historical perspective on the series (Kenny Davidson's Companions article has already done this), so instead I am going to give you my own personal opinions on the first season. I may give you a bit of behind the scenes stuff, but that's not my main objective. One other thing I do want to make clear from the outset is that Season One is one of my favourites. So here goes:

An UnearthIy Child (I'm referring to the first episode) is fantastic. The air of mystery begins with the title sequence. I love the way that the theme continues to play throughout the first scene with the policeman looking around the junk-yard etc. Then the stuff with Ian and Barbara discussing Susan is, in my opinion realistic, making them instantly likeable. As far as I'm concerned they're the most realistic companions (aside from Bernice and Ace). The fact that they were meant to represent the audience worked well.

I really like the scene when they stumble into the TARDIS and they cannot believe that they are inside the Police Box. In the same scene Hartnell delivers those great lines comparing the TARDIS to a TV. And also his put down of humans as being stupid compared to the children of his world.

Hartnell gives a really good performance (I don't think there's a single fluffed line!). I like the way that the audience is unsure whether to trust him or not. (Actually, weren't Ian and Barbara supposed to be the heroes?). Anyway, Hartnell is fantastic in this episode, he impressed me enough with his performance to get me back into the programme with the broadcast of the previously unshown pilot and the repeat of The Time Meddler. (More of that later).

The rest of the story with the cavemen is complete pants. (Actually, the cliffhanger for part one is fantastic.)

The Dead Planet / The Mutants / The Daleks, whatever you want to call it, is probably the best story of the season.

For a start to say that its as long as it is (7 episodes) I don't think it really loses it's pace. The whole adventure aspect of the story appeals to me, the stuff with Ian and Barbara going the back way to the Dalek city (well, the idea is good, but the production wasn't up to it). Another thing I liked was the way that in every story this season, the time travellers had no more idea about where they were than the viewer

I really liked this, making it a wonderful surprise when watching it to see where they would end up next. So, I really like the bits with them looking around the city and it being deserted. (Even though the set's weren't as impressive as the big-screen version, this version is still better!).

Once again Hartnell shines. I really liked the way that he pretended that he needed mercury to repair the TARDIS. This is also helped by the way that he feels guilty about it later. This is hard-hitting character driven drama here, no BEM'S. (Actually, there are some BEM's, but let's forget about them, eh?). Terry Nation and David Whitaker had some interesting scientific ideas on power sources and the effects of nuclear war. Aside from Genesis this is Nation's finest script for the series.

I suppose I should mention them, the Daleks. I really like them in this story, they are uncompromising, nasty, conniving. cheating, backstabbing. I've noticed that in the sixties the Daleks were filmed from below to make them look more imposing, which I think worked really well.

The Edge of Destruction / Beyond the Sun / Inside the Spaceship is not a bad little Space-filler. (Why can't we just settle on one title for these stories?). The Doctor and co seem to go psycho on each other, doing things like planning to throw Ian and Barbara into space and stabbing beds to death (or something like that). Not much happens and despite being only two episodes it seems to drag.

I can't say much about Marco Polo, only having read the novel and watched the scene with them throwing snowballs at each other (which is a good scene, actually). I wasn't even born when it was broadcast so I'll restrict myself to saving that the travel aspect of the story is good.

The Keys of Marinus is basically a quest. A sort of precursor to The Key To Time season, collecting one part of the Key to the Conscience of Marinus per episode, being set in a different location for the middle four episodes. The various locations and plots are quite original and the budget just about manages to portray them. The futuristic city idea was a really funny way of not showing us high technology and the Morphotons are okay. The episode with the Doctor on trial is quite good. Okay, we know that he'll get away, but it's still interesting. The part set in the arctic-like place (can't remember it's name) features the only attempted rape scene in Dr Who. Which was quite well handled and seems to show that the series wasn't aimed primarily at children.

Going back a bit to the beginning of the story, I like the way that we learn about the setting of the story from what the TARDIS crew discover. A good story, overall, once again it highlights the idea of visiting diverse locations. Which I feel is one of the most appealing aspects of this season. Just remembered, the Voord remind me of The Teletubbies. (A sado-masochistic version, obviously!)

I've always found the Aztecs an interesting civilisation. I'm not sure how much of The Aztecs is historically accurate, but its still fascinating stuff.

The fact that apart from the Doctor and co are the only sci-fi elements of this plot do not detract from the story, it is really fascinating, all of the guest performers are believable. The best thing about the story are the impressive sets designed by Barry Newberry which really give the impression that we are indeed in the Aztec era. Especially the impressive temple set. The way that we get the impression of being high up without even seeing down is really good.

Another good thing is that this is really Barbara's story. Jacqueline Hill gives a magnificent performance. In particular the scenes between her and Autloc when she is trying to get him to change the Aztecs ways, and those between her and the Doctor about changing the past. I also liked the stuff between the Doctor and Cameca. And. (final thing I promise) the time travellers means of getting back to the TARDIS is pretty good.

The Sensorites is boring. Nuff said!

No, all right then, I will try and justify that comment. The plot seems to be incredibly dull, and just drags on and on. The human's uniforms look stupid, for example the rocket badge. It was good to see that Susan was an alien, her psychic skills are put to good use, it's a pity the character wasn't better used in other stories.

The actual Sensorites themselves look silly with their big disc shaped feet and their stethoscopes to speak with. Still, it was a neat idea, again beaten by the age-old problem with Who: lack of budget. Not a bad story, just don't watch it all in one go.

Dennis Spooner makes his mark on the series in The Reign of Terror, namely his use of comedic characters and situations in what it meant to be a drama series. For example, the Jailer in the Concierge is a Yorkshireman. What is a Yorkshireman doing in Paris? I have no idea. I suppose he's just meant to be a stereotype yokel-type person. Also the stuff with the Doctor becoming part of a road gang is mad!

Then, to counter-point this humour you have Susan and Barbara locked up in prison cell, and awaiting execution. This is not comfortable teatime viewing.

Also, the historical setting of the story is (if my GCSE History is up to scratch) more or less accurate. Although everyone seems to think that Napoleon's appearance couldn't have happened, because he was somewhere else at the time of the story. Who cares? It's supposed to be funny that in all of the goings on in this story Napoleon Bonepart turns up and is offered the leadership of France. And Ian and Barbara get to run a pub as well, this is really funny stuff.

The main thing that struck me about The Reign of Terror is it's grim nature, mixed with that Dennis Spooner style humour. Also I can't work out why, if the story's set in France, all of the actors speak with English accents? They, don't even bother trying to put on accents! Was this because the director realised that he couldn't get anyone to do convincing accents? Or was this more of Spooner's humour, as witnessed in the Jailer from Yorkshire?

A good end to the season, then. On a whole the season is really good because of the serial nature, of going from one place to the next without any respite (which raises problems for Missing Adventure authors. Mind you that didn't stop Venusian Lullaby being written, did it?). The main thing to remember about the season is that it took a lot of risks and chances with it's style of storytelling and production techniques, which I don't think any other series had done before (well, apart from anthology series). It's a pity it doesn't all exist. But we can enjoy what survived (apart from The Sensorites of course!).