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"AN UNEARTHLY CHILD: A BRILLIANT BEGINNING WITH A CAVEMAN STUMBLE"

An Unearthly Child holds a place of honour in television history as the very first Doctor Who serial, launching a sci-fi phenomenon that would endure for decades. While its opening episode remains an all-time classic, the remaining three parts struggle to maintain the same intrigue, bogged down by repetitive caveman politics and primitive squabbles.

The first episode is a near-perfect introduction, dripping with mystery and atmosphere. It masterfully sets up the show’s premise, drawing viewers into the eerie world of the Doctor, his granddaughter Susan, and their unsuspecting schoolteachers, Ian and Barbara. The unearthly aura surrounding the TARDIS, the Doctor’s enigmatic persona, and the reveal of the ship’s inner dimensions are all executed brilliantly. It’s an episode that still holds up today, capturing the sense of the unknown that defines Doctor Who.

CAVEMAN POLITICS AND REPETITIVE PLOTTING

Unfortunately, after this stellar beginning, the serial shifts gears dramatically, and not for the better. The prehistoric setting feels uninspired, and the drama among the cavemen quickly becomes repetitive. The story devolves into a cycle of capture, escape, and recapture, padded out with endless debates about leadership and fire-making. While the idea of a "pure historical" adventure had potential, it isn’t realised here—the setting lacks depth, and the guest characters are one-note. Later historicals, like the missing classic Marco Polo, would handle the concept far more effectively.

That said, there are still highlights in the latter episodes. The first-ever action scene in Doctor Who—a fight to the death in Episode 4—is clunky but carries a raw energy, enhanced by strong lighting and music choices. The escape sequences, while repetitive, occasionally build tension, and the Doctor’s growing ability to manipulate events in his favour is a glimpse of what’s to come.

A STRONG LEADING CAST

Where An Unearthly Child excels is in its central cast. Ian and Barbara are immediately likeable as the grounded, inquisitive schoolteachers thrown into an impossible situation. Ian, in particular, takes on the role of the de facto protagonist, while Barbara’s initial horror at their predicament provides an emotional anchor.

Susan, initially intriguing as the Doctor’s alien yet childlike granddaughter, unfortunately loses much of her depth as the serial progresses, reduced to screaming and being frightened by cavemen.

William Hartnell’s Doctor is a far cry from the hero he would later become. Here, he is grumpy, mysterious, and even morally dubious—at one point nearly resorting to killing a caveman to escape. However, his intelligence and trickery ultimately shine through, and by the finale, he has firmly established himself as the leader of the group, setting the stage for his character’s evolution.

ATMOSPHERE OVER BUDGET

The low budget is evident in the cavemen’s simplistic costumes and the occasionally overacted performances, but the serial is buoyed by its innovative use of sound. The eerie electronic theme by Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire remains one of the most iconic in television history, while the incidental music helps sell the prehistoric setting despite its limitations.

Compared to contemporary sci-fi efforts like Star Trek, Doctor Who was operating on a shoestring budget, but it compensated with creativity and strong storytelling—at least in its first episode.

📝VERDICT: 7/10

An Unearthly Child is a tale of two halves. The first episode is essential viewing—a textbook example of how to introduce a sci-fi universe, brimming with mystery, tension, and unforgettable moments. The remaining three episodes, however, are a slog, filled with repetitive caveman squabbles and a lack of narrative momentum. A must-watch beginning… but you might want to stop after the first episode unless endless fire-making debates spark your interest.