The Reign of Terror


Doctor Who continued … The final episode of this serial, and the first season of Doctor Who, is a fast-paced piece with revelations that resolve the plot and plot turns that sync with established history. William Hartnell again has a great scene as the First Doctor rescuing Susan from the […]

40. Prisoners of Conciergerie


Doctor Who continued … The second animated episode of The Reign of Terror. At last the plot really moves on apace.  Ian is captured and shackled for information.  Barbara is allowed to speak to the Doctor so that they can be overhead.  Oddly, Barbara says that Susan had a fever […]

39. A Bargain of Necessity


Doctor Who continued … Some of the early episodes of Doctor Who are missing from the BBC archives.  For this serial, The Reign of Terror, the BBC had the missing episodes animated.  This is the first of those animated episodes. The plot again doesn’t go anywhere.  Ian (back from William […]

38. The Tyrant of France



Doctor Who continued … Ian escapes thanks in part to a convenience of a key being left in the lock and also by intention of being allowed to escape. Again it’s Hartnell that steals the show, both in bluffing the shopkeeper and then at the jail carefully taking things in […]

37. A Change of Identity


Doctor Who continued … An episode that doesn’t really further the plot much.  Susan devolves back into the screamer with alarming ease, apparently not being able to do anything without the men being there.  I rather felt for Barbara at the time, particularly the expression on her face when Susan […]

36. Guests of Madame Guillotine


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 […]

35. A Land of Fear