Doctor Who continued …

I thought the early scenes in the TARDIS were superb, with Hartnell in particular being really on form.  The only trouble is that he’s suddenly gone back to being this irrational grumpy Doctor that we saw in the first episode, as though his mellowing, trust, and reliance on the likes of Ian over so many weeks just hasn’t happened.  Still, it was captivating to watch and it demonstrates that this is how the first Doctor should have been since the beginning.

The story (once outside the TARDIS) then begins like most others with events happening around them without them getting chance to take control – as it should be for episode one.  The happenstance of finding the right place with the right clothes and them to suddenly decide to wear those clothes is a bit of a stretch, but a necessary one for the story to continue without everyone asking what the strange clothes are that they’re wearing.

At first I thought we were due for another couple of weeks off on Hartnell’s part, as his scenes towards the end had him separate from the rest of the crew.  Him going upstairs to look around, and then only being seen on his own.  It felt like a filmed-insert such as the type used when Carole Ann Ford took a holiday.  But I think it’s Ian’s turn to have some time off during this story, which made me realise that they needed to film that bit as an insert because of the fire (which they wouldn’t have been able to do in the studio).  Bit of a distraction, then, but nothing to be worried about.

It’s a good start to the story, and leaves me keen to see the regulars getting stuck into some historical shenanigans.

Next time … Guests of Madame Guillotine