It was a year of change, it was a year of great sadness, it was a year of... Oops wrong franchise, this is about Doctor Who right? The season that saw elderly Hartnell give way to sprightly Troughton and entrenched the programme's move away from educational, improving drama to space adventures. There are no real themes or overall feel to this collection of adventures, only a continuous round of evolution and practical necessities. Unfortunately this season has suffered more than most from the mass junking of episodes, leaving an unrepresentative assortment of bits and pieces on video and deceptive audios. Nevertheless we shall plow ahead.
As a season opener The Smugglers is a disappointing story. It comes across as a routine capture and escape plot with the TARDIS crew being the innocent party at the centre. The Doctor harrumps a lot and drops Billyfluffs all over the place before disappearing and leaving the likeable duo of Ben and Polly to sort it all out satisfactorily. Yet it is interesting to see how different this historical story is to those of the first two seasons. Would such melodramatic characters as pike-handed pirate Captain Pike and the evil Squire have been allowed in earlier, more earnest, well-researched stories? As it is, the Doctor's adventures owe more to romances such as Jamaica Inn and Treasure Island than the history books.
Hartnell's obvious frailty in The Tenth Planet adds an extra dimension to his final story. His scene in episode two where he rouses himself to confront the Cybermen is touching because that is the last time we see the character we met in Totter's Lane scrapyard. But this story belongs to the Cybermen. At first I used to think their first design was ridiculous but lately I have realised that it is an ingenious look that emphasises their organic origins. The cheesecloth bodystockings harks back to the butcher's shop while the skullcap is eerily reminiscent of the electric chair. Only their voices let them down. I understand why they chose that style but the effect is ultimately too comical. When the silver giants are not on screen the story does become a little static, too much earnest listening to radio conversations or discussing the plot. Ben benefits from the Doctor's absence because it allows him to be a more active hero. The recently discovered cine footage of the regeneration scene suggests a superbly atmospheric sequence that may be equal to the Logopolis ending.
Even though the videotape of The Power of the Daleks is virtually non-existent it is an easier missing story than most to judge because of its extensive photo record and audio. It enjoys an exceptionally intelligent script courtesy of David Whittaker which not only populates the colony with three dimensional characters but also returns the Daleks to their clever, manipulative origins. The conveyer belt sequence looks like one of the programme's great special effect highlights. On the other hand it seems slow moving in the middle section and this stops it being a lost "classic". Troughton makes a stunning debut. His Doctor has passion, brilliance and a subversive sense of fun that enlivens all his scenes. It is as though the whole programme, rather than just the Doctor, has regenerated into a more grown-up affair recalling the halcyon days of the first few stories.
The historical era comes to a fine conclusion in the fast moving The Highlanders. Despite the reputation historicals have for being dull and unpopular, the evidence points to this Scottish tale being very enjoyable and frequently witty. The series of disguises that the Doctor adopts are all entertaining and it is a shame that this aspect of his character was quickly dropped. The famous sequence where the Doctor convinces the secretary that he is ill by banging his head against the table is a comedy gem. Both Ben and Polly get a chance to shine in their individual sub-plots, though Jamie makes a fairly subdued entry into the series. Polly in particular is very entertaining, frequently blackmailing or seducing the hapless Lieutenant Ffinch.
Going from the sublime to the ridiculous, The Underwater Menace seems a pretty appalling story. It has Professor Zaroff, a villain with no motivation or characterisation except for the fact that he is mad. Then there are the laughable Fish People in their sequinned leotards whose underwater sequences are straight out of a school pantomime. None of the regulars come out of the story with any credit. The plot just plods from one unexciting cliché to another. One of the biggest turkeys in the history of Doctor Who because it is not even enjoyable.
The Cybermen are back looking a lot more sleek, robotic and straightforwardly monstrous. The Moonbase is frequently described as a remake of The Tenth Planet but in fact it introduces a lot of new Cyberlore such as the disease weapon and the robotic voices. This is a much faster moving story as well, with the Doctor actively involved throughout. It features the famous "some corners of the universe..." speech, one of the defining statements of the programme. The Moonbase is a very good looking production as well.
In principle The Macra Terror sounds great, linking satirical comment about the work ethic and factory communities with a spectacular monster. Unfortunately the photos indicate that the Macra are very unimpressive and static. Not only that, the audio drags in places after a promising first episode that not only sets up an exciting situation but shows the regulars relaxing for a change. The dialogue contains some gems from Troughton and a good dual role for Ben but somehow this is an unmemorable story.
The Faceless Ones would seem to be a very interesting story that is much more in tune with The Avengers than the preceding adventures. The glossy backdrop of the airport is well used and the cast is unusually strong, giving the show a much more adult feel. Pauline Collins is the best companion we never had and her surviving scenes with Jamie show a lot of chemistry. Unusually for a six parter the tempo does not flag midway but the plot just keeps on deepening. It is a pity that Ben and Polly's departure is so muffled with their kidnappings in episode three and a hurried goodbye at the end.
The season ends on a high point with The Evil of the Daleks. Once again David Whittaker provides an inspired script that combines intelligent Daleks, Jules Verne styled science-fiction and a believable cast of characters, all with their own motivations. The changes in location from sixties London to a Victorian mansion and finally Skaro in the far future give the story a real epic quality. Making the Doctor appear more ambiguous, even amoral, while turning some of the Daleks good is a masterstroke. We get some rare conflict between the Doctor and Jamie and an unexpected reference to the Doctor's past. Victoria enjoys a good entrance into the series by being integral to the plot. The photographs of Skaro make the final pair of episodes look wonderful. The Emperor Dalek is a natural extension of the monsters and it gives the Doctor a good protagonist to confront.
Season four is an odd affair. The programme transforms itself within it and perhaps because of that there is little consistency. With so little remaining in the archives it will remain an ambiguous season. It could be as strong as season five but might just as well turn out to be a disappointment away from the David Whittaker stories. Thought for the day: Wasn't Pat Troughton just a damn fine Doctor?
