Doctor Who, season 2 continued …

The Doctor gets the Monk to lead him to his TARDIS, where they meet up with Vicki & Steven.  Hartnell is clearly revelling in working with an actor of Peter Butterworth’s standard, and is enjoying the scenes they have together.

There’s talk about not changing history, with the Monk asking who made those rules because he’s already changed a few things.

The Monk turns the tables when the two Vikings get free, leaving the Doctor and the others tied up.  Steven ponders how history will change if the Monk is successful in his plan to destroy the Vikings in a very intelligent piece of writing that doesn’t require a “timey-wimey” dismissal.

On learning of the Vikings at the monastery, the villagers attack.  The Monk and the Vikings do a runner, chased by the villagers, while the Doctor and co are freed.  The Monk tricks the Vikings in order to delay the villagers, and so secures his getaway.

The Doctor fiddles with the Monk’s TARDIS controls before they return to the Doctor’s TARDIS, which is still on the beach now that the tide has gone out.  The Monk returns to the monastery, planning to leave, only to find a letter from the Doctor atop his sabotaged TARDIS.

A great final episode to a great serial, helped enormously by Hartnell clearly having a lot of fun with the role and really enjoying his character (which seems at odds to some of the behind-the-scenes disharmony).

The episode, the serial, and the season ends with a space scene mixed with the faces of the three TARDIS travellers.  With The Time Meddler, season 2 ends on a high note.

Next time … Four Hundred Dawns