Reviews

Mission Report by UNIT Agent Bill Filer to Trap One - Subject matter: The Power of the Doctor

I love this one. It came out right at one of those times where life had decided to continuously kick me in parts best left unmentioned. Things changed in my life right around then and left me able to enjoy things I hadn't in a long stretch of time and watching Jodie Whittaker's swansong just rekindled my love for Doctor Who in the best way possible. I love the way stories sometimes just gets intertwined with your life, stories becomes more than the sum of their parts.

This is roughly the same storytelling technique Chibnall used in Flux. It's a great big tapestry of scenes like puzzle pieces that you have to do some of the work yourself in piecing together.  It is filled with delightful scenes, moments, lines and cameos, almost to the point where the narrative becomes secondary in nature. Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding were so fantastic, they really portrayed their characters as having lived full lives after their individual travels, while remaining true to the core personality of their roles. If I were to write out all the positives I find in this story we would be here for a while. But I will say, seeing Ian in the companions' support group brought a tear to my eye.

"The Blossomiest Blossom" surely would get most Classic Who fans thinking of Jon Pertwee and the "Daisyest Daisy", but it is also a quote from a playwright called Dennis Potter. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer he used that phrase to describe how he saw the beauty in the little things knowing the end was near - what could be more apt for a regeneration scene? And Jodie's Doctor saying "Tag you're it!" before exploding in regeneration energy in what I think is the most visually stunning regeneration in Doctor Who history was sheer perfection for me. It was Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall passing the baton to a whole new era in the best way possible - with joyful expectation of the future, it might be the end but the moment had been prepared for.

End of report. Logged and filed at The Black Archive.

Well that was difficult. It was a story that was great in concept - but absolutely failed in the execution. Even if you put the infamously bad CSO aside (with great difficulty), this story just has nothing to it. The guest cast don't stand out, the action doesn't stand out, the few sets there are are fairly basic, not bad but again, they don't stand out. The only thing that really stands out in this serial are the model shots, they are absolutely incredible. It's reminiscent of "The Space Pirates", brilliant model shots in an absolute slog of a story.

It started to pick up a bit towards the end of part 4, and I liked the Doctor's speech about how the people on the ship were Jackson's people, not the race banks, and that he should take them with him. Unfortunately, one good speech is not going to save a dreary story.

6/10.

This starts out with Benny recording a message for her baby, Peter, and it seemed that it would be the explanation of what's happened since the last audio, but no. Adrain is the father, who we've met before in the audios (but I did have to do some research to remember). With Benny having began in the Doctor who novels, then having her own novels, and then audios; her timeline is a little mixed up, if like me, you've only been following the audios it can be a little confussing. But though it feels like I missed a bit, it wasn't enough to cause a problem.

The story here is Benny, once again, is contacted to authenticate some relics. The system she's going to is plagued by the fact that a leader is needed to united the fractions. The leader in fact being twins, who, if they are the real deal, their eyes will glow green in the presence of the artifatcs. Simple yeah.

Of course that's not so straight forward. Also Adrian wants to involved with the baby but then so does Bennys ex Jason, and they get left holding the baby while Benny goes off to do her thing.

So gererally quite enjoyable, Bennys adventure has some twists. There are some really nice bits with Adrain and Jason. There are references to the stories or story that's been missed, and does make me what to go and find out what happened, but you get the gist anyway.

I did laugh out loud at one point, its unusual for me, so that was nice.

There's little here that hasn't been done before. Issues with a new born, men having to look after a baby. The twin prince's, though adults, have the mental capacity of a 5 year old. But its a light hearted, enjoyable romp and as a hours entertainment it does the trick.

Though I liked the setting of Lost Hearts better, I think in terms of story, Slow Beasts was my favourite from this boxset. I love the gothic, but I felt that Slow Beasts comment on colonialism was a much tighter concept.

The gang arrive on the planet of the 'slow beasts' - monolithic creatures whose hearts beat once every thirteen days. We are then treated to a thrilling tourist ride around the beasts, showing them off as an attraction rather than as a living, breathing species in their own right. Which is the whole point of the episode - the creatures, in fact, were artificially slowed down in order to let the human colonists take advantage of the land.

This is one of the themes of an awful lot of BF stories, but pleasingly this one pulled it off well. The land is returned to the creatures, the humans vanquished, and the Doctor, Liv, and Helen fly off again for more adventures. I am perhaps being a little more flippant than I really feel here - as I say, I did genuinely enjoy this episode, and I thought it hit all the right beats without being overly saccharine, or overly forced.

However, it caps off a rather decent-to-average set with another story that sits well within the status quo. And that's not a bad thing, exactly, but coming from a range that has historically had episodes like Scherzo, To The Death, UNIT Dating - well, it feels safe. And safe is enjoyable. But I can't help wishing for more.

The end to the Z'nai trilogy, and probably the strongest out of the 3. Unfortunately I think it works best if you listen to all 3 in a row, instead of the way I've done it. It continues a lot of the plot threads from previous stories and I found that a bit difficult as I struggled to pay attention with the first one. Otherwise it's a stand-out companion chronicle.

There's a lot to say about it, Jameson's performance is extremely good, further cementing Leela as one of my favourite companions so far. I feel like this solves the problem i had with the Doctor feeling mischaracterised in the previous parts, he felt too angry and distant when there was no real threat, this story adds context that really helps explain why the Doctor cares so much. Oh and, the Third Doctor shows up, though he doesn't really play an active role in the story, but I'm always happy to hear more 3.

I think the cyclical storyline leads to quite a sense of reward at the end and I always like stories that aren't afraid to play around with chronology.

This is a strong story and an unexpectedly good ending to a trilogy which I wasn't the biggest fan of, 9/10.

One thing I love about Doctor Who is when they do cults. There have been many, many cults in the history of DW with varying degrees of success (K9 and Company, I love you, but what is that all about...). This episode sees Helen's grandfather, as a student, accidentally getting embroiled in a cult.

Seeing a Sinclair in the cast list, I was very excited to see them dig deep into Helen's family life again as I feel like her family background is something that has more potential than we've really seen so far. However, I confess I found Robert to be underutilised on that front. He was there and we got a little taste of Helen's family, but it was in no way the complicated, messy delve that I was hoping for.

As for the rest of the episode, it was delightfully spooky and gave our cast lots to do, which was appreciated. I enjoyed Liv's attempt at piloting the TARDIS, and the tension of Helen fading away. The episode promised us something ghostly and thrilling, and it did deliver. It very much gave me the vibes of Fairytale of Salzburg, and that is a vibe I love. Certainly, it was one of the more engaging 8DA episodes of recent years.

But - and I hate to say it, because I did like this episode - it felt generic. Was it fun? Yes. Was it spooky? Yes. But was it new? Was it the kind of shake up of the status quo that the 8DA range sorely needs? Did it feel like a real challenge to the characters? Not really. And, unfortunately, I think an explosive change is what this range needs because right now, it's feeling a little bit like going through the motions.

The Spectre of Lanyon Moor is a good story, with some superb acting, that sadly is a little too long. Unlike other stories that feel long, it's not because there are superfluous, 'nothing' scenes. It seems to be a little 'fat'. You could rearrange some scenes, and combine others, and it would feel a bit snappier. At over 2 hours, it could probably use with 20 minutes being cut out.

The plot is an interesting piece, with little twists and turns, that has a comforting feeling like a walk across a damp moor in October. The setting was a pleasant one, all the more because of the return of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, played by Nicholas Courtney. The Brig fits well within this story. He adds another familiar presence that carries a nice chunk of the story. The continued banter between The Doctor and Evelyn really feels like a couple of good friends teasing each other.

There are some good guest actors in this one, mainly the married couple of Susan Jameson and James Bolam, who add a nice energy in their performances.

While I have issues with this one, there is still enough in here to enjoy.

Peak television. Nuff said.

I was quite excited going into this boxset as I always enjoy an outing with Eight and his team. I like Liv and Helen as much as anyone else, and I was pleased at the idea of getting to see more of them. However, I do feel that they, as a team, have not had any real new challenges or developments for a while, and I feel this story suffered for it.

The team show up on this spooky planet with two women who seem to be harbouring secrets and lies, while surrounded by sinister birds. The setting is very well realised, and the sound design of the people turning into birds was very horrible in the best kind of way. It was atmospheric and a little bit spooky. And that's about it.

I found myself zoning out in various places, and though overall I found it to be entertaining enough, it very much felt like a run of the mill, generic story. Nothing overly compelling happened. The monster is defeated. And it ends. It didn't really push the characters forward, and saw Liv and Helen stuck in this little loop of what they usually do which I would love them to break out of.

That said, I did enjoy the conversations about Helen's family - I always like when the 8DAs dig into that, and giving her a space to remember her mother gives her a dimension that she is often not afforded. But while Helen had some nice moments, nothing really happened for Liv. She used her medical skills, and helped save the day. I did like her mention of Tania, though - that, I feel, is a plot that was not used to its full potential. But that is a different review.

Overall, it was fine. But not something I'll be hankering to relisten to.

After leaving defeating the Daleks and leaving his grand-daughter behind him it is understandable that the Doctor seeks out rest, but the TARDIS has other plans. They land in the future on an alien planet and a fairly ordinary two-parter ensues. I think it is true to say that this is more of an introductory episode for Vicki then anything else.

There is some thoughtfulness in the script. Barbara is scared for her life and kills an innocent sand monster, not understanding it had good intentions, as soon as Vicki reveals to her that it was an innocent creature she immediately feels guilty - so it has some stakes. I am glad that over the 11 stories not all the aliens have been evil, showing there is plenty of good in the universe. I am disappointed though that The Doctor played down the tragedy of this creature's death in order to win Vicki round to liking Barbara. It would have been interesting to see Vicki learn to forgive Barbara on her own merits.

There are nice moments, Barbara and Ian have plenty in common with Vicki as a companion - they are both from Earth and trapped outside of time. My main worry with Vicki is that she will take Susan's role directly in the TARDIS and have little to do that we have not already seen.

For the first time the show was working within an epic landscape. The huge sets and real locations look amazing on screen. The bravery in a children's television programme taking on a post-apocalyptic London in the early 1960s is considerable, but pays off massively. They made the Dalek's even more formidable through turning them into a worldwide threat.

All of non-regular cast in this story are fantastic. It gives you a strong idea of how different characters would react to this kind of invasion. Some would group together, some would screw others over.

Sure, susan's relationship with some random character develops a bit to quickly for most fan's liking. After only a couple of days they have to spend their whole life together, but in the context of a show from this time, I can forgive this. Susan's leaving scene is fantastic, a perfect piece of Doctor Who history. It is always odd to hear the Doctor's famous "one day I'll come back" speech within its original context. The first companion leaves, and the show's mechanism for continual renewal is set in motion.

It felt like I was watching The Twilight Zone with the oversized props throughout episode one. This added an extra element of fun, slightly different from the rest of the show around it, which is usually a good sign. I would say though that the 'giant world' novelty does wear off during the second part, somewhat saved by the more engaging storyline.

The Doctor feels more in charge at the start of this season which changes the group dynamic, he feels more like the character we see in later seasons. The sets are the best in the show so far, it feels like they had higher budget to play with (though another tardis.guide user suggests that these are re-used sets from another show - makes sense!)

I liked the idea of the Doctor and his companions were fighting an enemy that did not know they existed, in such a surreal episode a welcome element of realism in the baddies' ultimate plan - to sell unsafe products to the market!

The first of the missing stories has distinct, well developed characters who jump out of the screen despite the lack of the visual cues. I ache to see the visuals for these 7 episodes but thankfully the loose cannon reconstruction shows off the beautiful sets and costumes used for the production. Its a particular shame to miss the sword fight in the final installment. The choreographer for this is credited, so I imagining it took a bit of coordination. I hope at least Marco Polo Part 7 is out there somewhere waiting to be rediscovered.

There is some interesting dialogue and character development in this, as well as the most coolest water dispenser I've ever seen (I wish they existed). However, nothing really happens story wise across the two episodes. They very much feel like 'spare' episodes when compared to The Daleks but its nice to see various different rooms in the TARDIS and see the seeds sown for the idea of the time machine being a 'living creature'.

Red Dawn was a solid idea, let down by a combination of poor writing and an overdramatic acting choice. The basic premise has a decent amount of things going for it, and to start with everything was good, but about 1/3 of the way through there is a dramatic 'twist' that unfortunately makes the rest of the story almost unbearable. Mostly this is down to the way one character is written and, ultimately, portrayed. The overdramatic performance makes it so about 2/3 of the way through the story, there is little imaginary set left to chew on. There are little gems left here and there, but ultimately it doesn't save this story, which is a shame because the Ice Warriors are well realised in this story.

The Genocide Machine is a fine story, but it does drag on a little too long. That being said, there are quite a few things that I enjoy. The main concept is interesting, with a good twist, and made for an interesting element of the story. My MVP for this story was Sophie Aldred. She had a lot to work with, even if I don't think she managed to stick the landing on one main thing. Also interesting that we get to hear Nicolas Briggs as the Daleks for the first time in an official capacity, and the first appearance of the Daleks at all in Big Finish. Some of the voices he uses still appear in Doctor Who to this day, which is a nice piece of continuity. This is also the first part of a 'soft' prequel to what will be called Dalek Empire. It'll be interesting how this story impacts it. While not the best, this story has enough to keep you entertained for the most part.

would love to write a thoughtful review, but honestly all I have to say is that this episode is here. It's fine. It's setting the threads for the rest of the boxset, and it wasn't bad to listen to. I feel like if I had listened to this one straight away after the first, and then plunged right into the third, I would barely remember this one at all. As I say, it's fine, it's just like half an hour of nothingness.

Nyssa tells the Sultan another story of a posh woman and her butler (who have a very strange romance for some reason), and the person trapped upstairs with a 'demon' in their head. And of course, this person turns out to be Nyssa, and the Doctor exorcises the alien being. Who then jumps into the butler's head. And gets exorcised. And then it's buns for tea.

I feel like this story tried to be more mysterious than it really ever could be - it was too generic for the plot beats to be anything except for what they were. Which was fine. It just wasn't anything special.

✅77% = Good! = Highly recommended!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

THE ONE WHERE THE BEATLES SING ABOUT THEIR DOG!

This cold open masterfully draws you in and establishes the eerie premise of the episode. Jinkx Monsoon, the new instant-classic villain Maestro, immediately steals the show, and Murray Gold delivers one of the most intense and memorable soundtracks of any Doctor Who episode, effectively using music and sound as a narrative tool. I appreciate how well the opening establishes Maestro as a true force of evil, as well as how they take us to the title sequence by playing the theme tune on the piano.

Once again, Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson exude infectious buddy energy, and Gatwa feels a lot like David Tennant in his energetic outings with Catherine Tate. Jinkx Monsoon steals the show with her playfully scary take on Maestro, a god of music and a powerful force invading the Earth in the wake of the Toymaker. At one point, they sound and feel like Ursula from The Little Mermaid!

The four Beatles actors don’t look a lot like their real-life counterparts and don't feel very real either, but I guess that’s the point. The episode barely features the Beatles, and there's no compelling reason to set it in 1963 or feature them at all, given how it's hardly even a historical episode. The episode has a narrow scope, primarily concentrating on the Doctor, Ruby, and Maestro.

The BBC has always been great with historical episodes, and The Devil’s Chord is no exception. The 1963 setting comes alive through great production design and music. The costumes are also great, and I love how the Doctor and Ruby make an effort to blend in.

I appreciate the script's exploration of the complex relationship between music and emotions, a topic never previously explored on the show, and its connection to the piece's villain. And what better way to explore these things than through the music of the Beatles (or the absence thereof)? As such, this is less silly and lighthearted than Space Babies, even if it grows pretty bonkers towards the end.

This episode continues to explore the Doctor and Ruby's personalities. The Doctor’s granddaughter Susan is referenced, and the Doctor admits he doesn’t know where she is since the Time Lords were wiped out by the Master.

It takes longer for this episode to get going than it did for Space Babies, as there is a greater focus on the characters and the emotional beats (such as during the exceedingly lengthy scene with Ruby playing the piano), leaving the main plot and Maestro brewing in the background. The middle part feels like a lengthy build-up, leaning on Maestro's strengths and building on what happened in The Giggle, but not moving the plot forward all that much.

Finally, the episode delivers a great battle between the Doctor and Maestro, fought through music. The Devil's Chord isn't a musical episode per se, but music plays a pivotal role, which makes it stand out effectively.

I must concede that the "twist at the end" was a reasonably amusing comedic device, despite the peculiar manner in which it concluded this episode with an elaborate dance routine. They then go overboard with this with that Big-inspired piano crossroads moment at the very end.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

I always love a reference to Finland in Doctor Who!

It’s creepy to hear the Maestro laugh with the same pattern we heard in The Giggle!

Composer Murray Gold makes his first uncredited cameo appearance as the pianist during the end song.

We meet the Arbringer here, a character looking like a child, killed by Maestro, and then suddenly popping up again at the end.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

With a striking villain performance and some of the best use of music in any Doctor Who episode, The Devil's Chord proves to be a whimsical adventure with a twist at the end!

Rise and Fall is a must listen for all fans of Doctor Who (particularly as it’s available on Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud, the latter being completely free and without a subscription). It’s a genius concept executed incredibly well and, in my opinion, is a pinnacle of the audio short story format.

🙏🏼65% = Fine! = Skippable!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

THE ONE WITH THE MONSTER MADE OF SNOT!

They’ve improved the title sequence, fixing pretty much all the problems I had with the one from Church on Ruby Road! It's not perfect, but it's much better!

I quite like the opening scene, which is a traditional Doctor Who crash course meant to explain to the new companion and the audience what the show and the lead character are all about.

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson feel like old mates already. Gatwa’s playful take on the Doctor is infectious, and Gibson is charming with her youthful energy and constant awe. They carry the episode very well, and Gatwa finally feels like the Doctor here, as he brings out a wide range of emotions, from happy energy to true fear and intense determination.

I don't find the first TARDIS trip, where Ruby steps on a butterfly and transforms into an alien, to be particularly funny. Additional jokes that fail to resonate include Gatwa's repetitive use of the episode's title and the snot and poop jokes (which feel so 2005! ), whereas the nanny filter gags are genuinely amusing.

It feels weird how quickly the Doctor and Ruby get into trouble after materialising onto the spaceship. They immediately begin exploring and encounter the monster, which is only glimpsed through quick cuts (a classic horror trope that is used rather effectively). This is the Bogeyman, a pretty traditional Doctor Who monster made effecively scary by the realistic rubber suit, the clever direction, and good editing whenever it appears on screen.

The entire idea of a spaceship run by babies and with a baby farm is equally creepy, bizarre, and silly, and somehow it feels a bit too weird, even for Doctor Who. These are also parts of RTD's political commentary on refugees and abortion that don't pop up too obtrusively.

The spaceship design is simple and effective (you can sense the scale and level of detail), and the visual effects are top notch (though the effect used for the babies' lip movements doesn't look right at all). The voice acting for the babies also feels a bit off, but that might be deliberate.

Space Babies has a simplistic plot that finds time to develop the mystery around Ruby's past while also developing the main narrative around the babies and the Bogeyman.

After a very rushed start, the middle of the episode takes some time to flesh out the setting and the reason for the space babies—a simple and logical reason. It then focuses on solving the monster's mystery, making good use of the characters and setting. I quite like the clever solution of why the Bogeyman exists, as it has been created by the spaceship computer, who has interpreted the Bogeyman fairytale literally (it’s a monster made of snot or bogies—only on Doctor Who!). It’s almost as silly as the Kandyman from The Happiness Patrol.

The climax and solution are pretty standard fare for Doctor Who.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

I love the new way the TARDIS materializes, sort of shooting onto the scene as if shot from a cannon, as it looks so cool!

The “phone your mom” scene is a wonderful hark back to The End of the World (2005).

So, we get new Time Lord names: the Bishop, the Conquistador, the Sag-ishi, and so on! Now we wait for the Big Finish spin-offs featuring these characters!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Space Babies is silly, bizarre, and uneven; new viewers run the risk of being put off, while old fans are left wondering whether or not this is the weirdest season opener in Doctor Who history.

I think there are some really cool ideas here, but the episode doesn’t stop and take the time to fully explore any of them. The result is a fun episode with some funny moments, but ultimately it feels rushed and somewhat underdeveloped. I also don’t think this was the best introduction for a new fan. There was a lot of exposition piled on quite heavily and, while Ruby does a good job acting as a stand-in for the viewer, I don’t think it is the best way to ease people into the show. I enjoyed the opening gag a lot and only wish it could have been explored a little further.

Well that was, disappointing. It's such a shame aswell because I love 2 and Jamie, but they could have easily not been in this and nothing would have changed. Briggs took such a good first part and then completely fumbled it.

They spent the first half of this story making tea on Krelos, absolutely nothing was happening. I will admit the solution to the problem was fairly clever but that's minor.

This story does have a redeeming quality in the form of the soundtrack, it perfectly captures the sound of 'The Tomb of the Cybermen' and I have to give credit for that. Unfortunately very little else in this story is redeemable and it's made all the worse by being a complete waste of 2 and Jamie.

6/10.

✅70% = Good! = Recommended!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

THE ONE WITH THE GOBLIN SONG!

I don’t like the new title sequence; it’s too rushed and a bit messy (at least that strange zoom-in effect on the TARDIS), and the logo reveal animation looks like a PowerPoint effect. I like the colours and the animation, though. Murray Gold’s new rendition of the theme tune is a grower.

This is a fun introduction to the new Doctor, the new companion, and the new era of Doctor Who, with just enough holiday spirit to feel like a Christmas special, but not so much that it hampers the set-up of the upcoming series. The entire foundling/adoption theme that runs through the episode is heartwarming (and easily the best aspect of the episode), and the script naturally gets through all the basics of the show to ease in new viewers.

Ncuti Gatwa is bubbling with energy, joy, and flair from the word go. He might not feel like the Doctor yet, but he is definitely comfortable in the role and boldly makes the character his own. Gatwa finally captures the essence of the Doctor in the scene inside the goblin ship, where the Doctor and Ruby are tied up. Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday is the story's focal point, and RTD does a great job of establishing her personality and family, with Gibson wonderfully bringing out her different sides.

Ruby’s mother and grandmother are lovely people who I love to learn more about in future episodes. But the most intriguing character is Mrs. Flood, who goes from your typical nosy neighbour to an enigmatic character by the time the end credits roll, and I cannot wait to find out who she really is.

The goblins are cute and pesky monsters, though very underdeveloped and underused. The Goblin King serves as the primary antagonist, appearing sparingly before his or her or its gruesome demise.

The production design certainly has a Disney fantasy feel, but the goblin design and the ship set are pretty good. Gold's incidental music is jolly, and the Goblin Song is undoubtedly a catchy tune with pretty bleak lyrics (even if it feels weird to have the Doctor and Ruby actually sing in the episode).

While it sets up potential timey-wimey mysteries for future episodes, the entire episode has that whimsical, family-friendly fairy tale feel that RTD has been hinting at; it doesn't quite feel like the sci-fi we're used to, and we might need to get used to this new tone going forward. The episode flows well, though, and moves every aspect of the plot along nicely without feeling too rushed.

Despite its overwhelmingly lighthearted tone, there are also surprisingly bleak moments, such as the Christmas tree murdering Davina McCall or the Doctor technically impaling the Goblin King. The latter part of the episode amps up the tension and tightens the atmosphere as Ruby suddenly disappears from time.

I simply love the final few moments, where Ruby puts two and two together to realise who and what the Doctor is, and then runs after him into the TARDIS.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

I love how this new Doctor seems to be a tinkerer, having already invented new intelligent gloves.

The new Doctor speaks rope. That seems like a language that would be good to know in real life!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Doctor Who brings back the Christmas special with a new Doctor, a whimsical fantasy tone, and a newfound energy, setting up the show's new era.

The Marian Conspiracy feels like a classic Pure Historical adventure. While the plot isn't that complicate, it does provide a compelling story that will make the running time fly by. After all the intrigue, by the end of the story I was satisfied, if not a little sad for PLOT reasons. At first I wasn't sold on new companion Evelyn Smythe, her bossy and grating personality was a turn-off, but by the end of the story I was sold on her. Her temperament is a great match for the Sixth Doctor. The rest of the guest cast did an excellent job, with some of them being recurring names. Overall, this was a great flashback to early Doctor Who story telling.

❤️89% = Superb! = Essential!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

THE ONE WHERE THE DOCTOR GETS ENGAGED!

Writer John Lucarotti showcases a huge understanding of Aztec culture, which is why this story feels grounded and believable while also having memorably funny and exciting parts not previously seen on the show.

This story leans strongly on the idea of non-interference during historical events, a principle that the show itself isn't always very good at following; here, it makes for good tension between the Doctor and Barbara.

The light power play and abuse of power are the driving forces behind the plot, proving that these historicals have the potential to rely on character-driven plots.

I love the ominous cliffhanger ending to Part 1, which they somehow dialled up even further for the Part 2 reprise.

This story effectively splits up the TARDIS team and shows different sides of Aztec culture through each of the characters before bringing everyone together again for the conclusion.

It's brilliant how the Doctor isn't in control of anything during this story and actually manages to make things worse for his friends a lot of the time.

The Aztecs marks one of Jaqueline Hill’s finest performances in the series, and it’s the only story that truly allows her to steal the spotlight for once. These four episodes also form a great arc for Barbara, who stands up to the Doctor and Tlotoxl but also learns to admit her mistakes.

Thanks to Carole Ann Ford's holiday, Susan appears gracefully little, and suddenly everything feels so much more bearable.

It's strange to see a companion perform an action so Doctor-like as Ian vanquishing Ixta with his thumb, but it is one of Ian's finest moments.

The little romantic subplot with the Doctor and Cameca allows William Hartnell to showcase his warmer, lovelier side, even if it feels like the least integral part of the plot.

John Ringham provides another memorable and terrifying villain with his almost comically creepy take on Tlotoxl. He is the type of antagonist that one would gladly despise, and Ringham appears to have an authentic affection for the character. I'm happy Lucarotti seems to like Tlotoxl because he has a very sinister presence from the onset and remains at the forefront until the end. He is neither a slow burn like Tegana in Marco Polo nor non-existent like Yartek in The Keys of Marinus (both 1964).

Ixta proves to be a pretty capable supporting villain, which is more than you can say for most of them on this show.

With the way he speaks, I can't get over the fact that I find Autloc actor Keith Pyott to be drunk all the time.

The backgrounds are obviously fake but somehow manage to convey a sense of space during the scenes set on top of the Aztec temple.

Okay, so the actors pretending to move a fake cave entrance stone slab as if it were very heavy is too unconvincing to come across as realistic, even for my imagination.

This story builds a strong atmosphere and introduces its setting convincingly during its opening minutes, also giving Barbara a chance to step up properly for the first time.

Despite being a bit clumsy, the duel at the end of Part 2 is surprisingly long and tense, as well as exciting.

The pacing is slightly off in Part 3, which struggles a bit to proceed the narrative towards the climax.

The latter half of the serial does take some narrative and logical shortcuts to ramp up the tension and race the story towards a finish.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The strongest story of Doctor Who's first season is a fantastically atmospheric historical adventure, with strong performances, production values, and themes to carry the story.