1St Doctor - Hartnell Era

[Sindatur]

Been rewatching from the Beginning, just watched The Keys of Marinus last night.

The first episode, is fantastic, an excellent Pilot to lay the groundwork for the Series premise, and shows the First Doctor is no Teddy Bear, as he took off, with Barbara and Ian, against their will, knowing he couldn't control the TARDIS and couldn't guarantee he would ever get them home again.

Poor Carole Ann Ford, what were they thinking? I could see her palying anywhere from a 16 year old to a 26 year old, but, the character acts like she's no more than 12. She's a highly intelligent girl from an advanced civilization, who's obviously been around the block with The Doctor at least a few trips in the TARDIS, considering London in the 1960s has been her favorite place of all. So, why is she still a shrieking mess by the time the Series starts? Ian and Barbara stop freaking out so bad after just a couple adventures. If they wanted a 12 year old Grand Daughter, they should have cast a 12 year, it's no wonder Carole Ann Ford wanted out.

After the First episode, the first story is not good at all, IMHO, it establishes the Doctor has always been an influence on Earth's Mankind's history, and again shows he's no Teddy BEar, when he considers bashing the Caveman's head in, but, it's not really worth much more than that, a definite let down after the Superb first episode.

The first Dalek's story, while perhaps a bit too long, doesn't feel nearly as padded when you watch the whole thing at once, rather than an episode a day (or once a week).

Didn't listen to Marco Polo, but, pretty much enjoyed everything else from the First episode through Keys of Marinus (With the exception of the other 3 episodes of the first story).

Up Next is the Aztecs, this is one I've seen several times in the past, and I know I enjoyed it, so looking forward to rewatching it.

 

[PorthosShadow]

I only watched the pilot episode a few months ago and I did think it was quite good but something occurred to me shortly afterwards. I wondered if my opinion would have been different had I not seen anything else of Doctor Who before hand. I mostly certain that I like it because I know a lot about the TARDIS and The Doctor that isn't revealed but is in the fabric of the show. So yeah, do I like it because I know what's behind the curtain or do I like it based on it's own merits. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever know but it is a good first episode.

 

[Rowan Sjet]

Just came across this series charting a fan's attempt to watch through every Doctor Who story from the beginning with his wife, who's only seen a few eps of Classic Who. Very amusing read, and I'm now using it to pick out stories to watch myself. So far I've watched The Time Meddler, and I'm about to start on the Myth Makers. However, because I've read their opinions on the episodes I'm a bit spoiled so I'm debating whether to just look at the scores at the bottom.

But that will spoil the commentary!

 

[Sindatur]

Just came across this series charting a fan's attempt to watch through every Doctor Who story from the beginning with his wife, who's only seen a few eps of Classic Who. Very amusing read, and I'm now using it to pick out stories to watch myself. So far I've watched The Time Meddler, and I'm about to start on the Myth Makers. However, because I've read their opinions on the episodes I'm a bit spoiled so I'm debating whether to just look at the scores at the bottom.

But that will spoil the commentary!

I'm especially looking forward to The Time Meddler (and The Chase) as I've never seen it.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Been rewatching from the Beginning, just watched The Keys of Marinus last night.

The first episode, is fantastic, an excellent Pilot to lay the groundwork for the Series premise, and shows the First Doctor is no Teddy Bear, as he took off, with Barbara and Ian, against their will, knowing he couldn't control the TARDIS and couldn't guarantee he would ever get them home again.

Poor Carole Ann Ford, what were they thinking? I could see her palying anywhere from a 16 year old to a 26 year old, but, the character acts like she's no more than 12. She's a highly intelligent girl from an advanced civilization, who's obviously been around the block with The Doctor at least a few trips in the TARDIS, considering London in the 1960s has been her favorite place of all. So, why is she still a shrieking mess by the time the Series starts? Ian and Barbara stop freaking out so bad after just a couple adventures. If they wanted a 12 year old Grand Daughter, they should have cast a 12 year, it's no wonder Carole Ann Ford wanted out.

After the First episode, the first story is not good at all, IMHO, it establishes the Doctor has always been an influence on Earth's Mankind's history, and again shows he's no Teddy BEar, when he considers bashing the Caveman's head in, but, it's not really worth much more than that, a definite let down after the Superb first episode.

The first Dalek's story, while perhaps a bit too long, doesn't feel nearly as padded when you watch the whole thing at once, rather than an episode a day (or once a week).

Didn't listen to Marco Polo, but, pretty much enjoyed everything else from the First episode through Keys of Marinus (With the exception of the other 3 episodes of the first story).

Up Next is the Aztecs, this is one I've seen several times in the past, and I know I enjoyed it, so looking forward to rewatching it.

In my mind, at the end of "An Unearthly Child", when Ian sets the TARDIS in motion, they wind up on Skaro and have their very first adventure there, instead of in 100,000 BC.

 

[Sindatur]

Been rewatching from the Beginning, just watched The Keys of Marinus last night.

The first episode, is fantastic, an excellent Pilot to lay the groundwork for the Series premise, and shows the First Doctor is no Teddy Bear, as he took off, with Barbara and Ian, against their will, knowing he couldn't control the TARDIS and couldn't guarantee he would ever get them home again.

Poor Carole Ann Ford, what were they thinking? I could see her palying anywhere from a 16 year old to a 26 year old, but, the character acts like she's no more than 12. She's a highly intelligent girl from an advanced civilization, who's obviously been around the block with The Doctor at least a few trips in the TARDIS, considering London in the 1960s has been her favorite place of all. So, why is she still a shrieking mess by the time the Series starts? Ian and Barbara stop freaking out so bad after just a couple adventures. If they wanted a 12 year old Grand Daughter, they should have cast a 12 year, it's no wonder Carole Ann Ford wanted out.

After the First episode, the first story is not good at all, IMHO, it establishes the Doctor has always been an influence on Earth's Mankind's history, and again shows he's no Teddy BEar, when he considers bashing the Caveman's head in, but, it's not really worth much more than that, a definite let down after the Superb first episode.

The first Dalek's story, while perhaps a bit too long, doesn't feel nearly as padded when you watch the whole thing at once, rather than an episode a day (or once a week).

Didn't listen to Marco Polo, but, pretty much enjoyed everything else from the First episode through Keys of Marinus (With the exception of the other 3 episodes of the first story).

Up Next is the Aztecs, this is one I've seen several times in the past, and I know I enjoyed it, so looking forward to rewatching it.

In my mind, at the end of "An Unearthly Child", when Ian sets the TARDIS in motion, they wind up on Skaro and have their very first adventure there, instead of in 100,000 BC.

Yea, there ya go, straight from the Junk Yard to Skaro, that works

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

The caveman story is fantastic. It strikes me as something like an impressionistic tv play about the birth of modern man, the discovery of fire represents the dawn of knowledge and reason, and indeed we see Kal grasp something that Ian says and remember it, making a logical rational connection for the first time in the history of the species. Magnificent. It's also much better directed than many of the other stories in the early years.

 

[The Wormhole]

Been rewatching from the Beginning, just watched The Keys of Marinus last night.

The first episode, is fantastic, an excellent Pilot to lay the groundwork for the Series premise, and shows the First Doctor is no Teddy Bear, as he took off, with Barbara and Ian, against their will, knowing he couldn't control the TARDIS and couldn't guarantee he would ever get them home again.

Poor Carole Ann Ford, what were they thinking? I could see her palying anywhere from a 16 year old to a 26 year old, but, the character acts like she's no more than 12. She's a highly intelligent girl from an advanced civilization, who's obviously been around the block with The Doctor at least a few trips in the TARDIS, considering London in the 1960s has been her favorite place of all. So, why is she still a shrieking mess by the time the Series starts? Ian and Barbara stop freaking out so bad after just a couple adventures. If they wanted a 12 year old Grand Daughter, they should have cast a 12 year, it's no wonder Carole Ann Ford wanted out.

After the First episode, the first story is not good at all, IMHO, it establishes the Doctor has always been an influence on Earth's Mankind's history, and again shows he's no Teddy BEar, when he considers bashing the Caveman's head in, but, it's not really worth much more than that, a definite let down after the Superb first episode.

The first Dalek's story, while perhaps a bit too long, doesn't feel nearly as padded when you watch the whole thing at once, rather than an episode a day (or once a week).

Didn't listen to Marco Polo, but, pretty much enjoyed everything else from the First episode through Keys of Marinus (With the exception of the other 3 episodes of the first story).

Up Next is the Aztecs, this is one I've seen several times in the past, and I know I enjoyed it, so looking forward to rewatching it.

In my mind, at the end of "An Unearthly Child", when Ian sets the TARDIS in motion, they wind up on Skaro and have their very first adventure there, instead of in 100,000 BC.

So basically, what the novelization did?

 

[Valin]

I'm especially looking forward to The Time Meddler (and The Chase) as I've never seen it.

I enjoyed "The Time Meddler, " quite a bit.

 

[Sindatur]

The caveman story is fantastic. It strikes me as something like an impressionistic tv play about the birth of modern man, the discovery of fire represents the dawn of knowledge and reason, and indeed we see Kal grasp something that Ian says and remember it, making a logical rational connection for the first time in the history of the species. Magnificent. It's also much better directed than many of the other stories in the early years.

I've tried several times to look at it intellectually, but, it just fails to draw me in and be entertained or engaged.

The Aztecs was as awesome as I remembered it to be maybe moreso...such a revelation of their true character for both Ian and Barbara, they change at this point and become the characters they were for the rest of their time (and the next couple companions, from what I understand, who were playing Ian/Barbara scripts , Steven, I guess got beat up by a woman in a lost story, that was originally scripted to be Barbara being beat up).

 

[Whofan]

I think there's some books out there-including the novelizations of the episodes-that imply that Ian and Barbera fell in love (or even were in love during their travels) got married and started a family (Of course, this was all before "Death of the Doctor" was made). Of course we don't really get companion matchups until the new series, although plenty of companions ran away with people they just met in that story.

Jacqueline Hill of course returned to WHO as a different character in Tom Baker's "Meglos". William Russel was also going to play Ian again in Mawdryn Undead, but was unavailable or ill and the Brig became the schoolteacher instead....

 

[Sindatur]

I think there's some books out there-including the novelizations of the episodes-that imply that Ian and Barbera fell in love (or even were in love during their travels) got married and started a family (Of course, this was all before "Death of the Doctor" was made). Of course we don't really get companion matchups until the new series, although plenty of companions ran away with people they just met in that story.

Jacqueline Hill of course returned to WHO as a different character in Tom Baker's "Meglos". William Russel was also going to play Ian again in Mawdryn Undead, but was unavailable or ill and the Brig became the schoolteacher instead....

Yea, I just watched Meglos recently when I went through the Tom Baker years, and looked up to verify it was her.

About William Russel intended to be in Mawdryn Undead, I never knew that one, thanks.

Speaking of Tom Baker, hard to escape the similarities between Keys of Marinus and the Key to Time Arc

 

[DWF]

More trivia about The Keys Of Marinus is that Fiona Walker who played Kala also appeared in Silver Nemesis as the Lady Peinforte. Donald Pickering was also in it and later appeared in Time And The Rani the first seventh Doctor story. It was also one of the two stories written by Terry Nation for Doctor Who that wasn't about the Daleks.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

I'm especially looking forward to The Time Meddler (and The Chase) as I've never seen it.

I enjoyed "The Time Meddler, " quite a bit.

The Time meddler is Who at its best, fantastic serial, right up there with the Aztecs.

 

[Sindatur]

So, I've now watched:

The Sensorites - I had a cruddy VHS copy before, and seeing a copy that's actually watchable, this is better than I remember

The Reign of Terror - Eh, not much thrill me here.

Planet of the Giants - Not bad at all, could've been ruined if they'd stretched it out though

Dalek Invasion of Earth - Loved it, never seen this one before. "Dumping of Bodies in the river is forbidden", LOL

The Rescue/The Romans - Eh, not the best Classic Who has to offer. I'm not real fond of the Historicals so far, aside from The Aztecs, which I like a lot.

Next up the Web Planet, with the Butterflies and the Bees. Don't remember if I liked this one or not previously

 

[Chaos Descending]

So basically, what the novelization did?

Novelization of what? My novelization of "An Unearthly Child" had the full cave man story in it.

I've never read the novelization of "The Daleks".

 

[Davros]

In my mind, at the end of "An Unearthly Child", when Ian sets the TARDIS in motion, they wind up on Skaro and have their very first adventure there, instead of in 100,000 BC.

Yea, there ya go, straight from the Junk Yard to Skaro, that works

iirc That's how the Target Books novelization goes.

[somebody beat me to it.]

 

[jbny67]

Next up the Web Planet, with the Butterflies and the Bees. Don't remember if I liked this one or not previously

The trick with that episode is getting past the costume & set design. If you can do that, there's a decent story buried in there.
If you can't, it tends to come off as a bad high school production of a play.

 

[Sindatur]

Next up the Web Planet, with the Butterflies and the Bees. Don't remember if I liked this one or not previously

The trick with that episode is getting past the costume & set design. If you can do that, there's a decent story buried in there.
If you can't, it tends to come off as a bad high school production of a play.

Heh, I have no problem with the cheezy/poor costumes/effects of 60s and 70s SciFi, doesn't ruin a thing for me. Heh, even the Tom Baker era has some terrible constumes/effects.

Blake's 7, I absolutely love, and those effects are about as bad as it gets. I just chalk it up to making whatever it is as being more alien

I'm always so surprised by people who are "taken out of the moment" by "bad CGI" or other effects not up to the latest standards

 

[Chaos Descending]

So basically, what the novelization did?

Novelization of what? My novelization of "An Unearthly Child" had the full cave man story in it.

I've never read the novelization of "The Daleks".

In my mind, at the end of "An Unearthly Child", when Ian sets the TARDIS in motion, they wind up on Skaro and have their very first adventure there, instead of in 100,000 BC.

Yea, there ya go, straight from the Junk Yard to Skaro, that works

iirc That's how the Target Books novelization goes.

[somebody beat me to it.]

WHICH BOOK?!?!?!??!