Airdate: January 3, 1970Jon Pertwee, Caroline John
Written by Robert Holmes
Produced by Derek Sherwin
Directed by Derek Martinus
This may be the beginning of Season Seven, but this story (and this episode in particular) is best viewed as a pilot. Just the other day, I got together with some friends to watch it, and when I arrived with my precious DVD in hand, I discovered our little band of nerds had been infiltrated by two attractive young women with basically no "Doctor Who" background. This is never a good sign. If I wanted to try to interest an attractive young woman in "Doctor Who", I certainly would not start with anything from the classic series. But this episode is probably the least bad classic episode to show a new viewer. There's practically nothing here that needs to be explained beyond what the script does explain.
Consider that this story not only has to introduce a new Doctor, but also a new companion, and on top of that a completely new format. This is no longer a show about an eccentric scientist aimlessly wandering through time and space. It's now about a dynamic action hero defending the Earth from alien menaces. And this first episode makes an interesting choice to completely sideline the Doctor. We really don't get to see a lot of him, and even when we do see him, he's not quite himself. Instead, the episode is dedicated to reintroducing UNIT and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, and using the Brigadier to introduce new companion (or "assistant", which was the favored term at this point), Elizabeth Shaw. Pay special attention to these scenes. It's textbook exposition... one person basically explaining the premise of the show to another person. But it's very well-written, and gives Caroline John ample opportunity to craft a compelling and believable character in Liz Shaw.
Although the Doctor doesn't contribute a great deal to this episode, he is very much a major focus of the story. There's a story thread here about the Doctor being treated for unknown injuries in a cottage hospital. This is the episode where we learn that the Doctor has two hearts, a non-human blood type, and apparently a very low heart-rate. He also seems to have the ability to put himself into a deep coma at will. He's unconscious for much of the episode, but even when he's awake he's not entirely lucid. He's groggy and erratic. This episode will become the template pretty much every subsequent debut of a new Doctor. It makes an interesting comparison with Troughton's debut, which was basically just hand-waved away almost immediately so the series could carry on more or less as before. Here it's presented as an event.
6 comments:
That's very sweet to call my sister & cousin attractive young women - but forget that they are also nerds.
I've really never gotten much of a nerd vibe from your sister, but I'll take your word for it. Your cousin?... yeah, total nerd. And my kind of nerd, too, willing to flaunt it in front of total strangers. Respect.
Hey Sarah! Tell Neal (sp?) I said hi too.
Anywho, (sorry) is this the first time it was established that he had two hearts?
I feel a little weird saying this now, and I hope this is age appropriate, but I would imagine that the swingin Doc would be the best of the old/classic/not nowish Dr. Whos to show to an "attractive young woman."
Can't wait for Firefly and Twin Peaks to start. You'll have the Brownshirts virtually marching on here in no time! (I know)
Hey Shaun
Karen is and always will be the world's biggest fan of Highlander & Xena Warrior Princess. Not our kind of nerd, but a nerd none the less.
Do you think she has a Fruedian thing about swords?
I won't comment on her feelings about swords, but I do try to be accepting of all types of geekery. I personally hated those damn LotR movies, but I appreciate your cousin's enthusiasm.
For me, the worst crime that a nerd can commit is to attempt to "pass". That really upsets me. Although I don't know her very well, I've met your sister on many occasions over the last few years, and she's never mentioned Highlander or Xena to me. That makes me suspicious.
Basically, I don't care what you love, but you've got to really love something, or else you have no soul.
Sorry Shaun, missed your question. (I'm not used to having this many comments... it's great!) Yes, this was the first time the two hearts thing was established. It's one of those things like "Time Lord" that today looks like it was built into the show's premise, but was actually only created a good long way down the line. Here in Season Seven, we're still years away from the first use of the words "regeneration" or "Gallifrey".
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