The first episode is kinda great. The next 3, well they aren't great. I can't give a bad rating to a serial that has that first episode. But, seeing as 3/4s of this serial are pretty uninteresting and somewhat repetitive, I can't go higher than 3 stars either.

I've seen this serial 3 times now, and I'm always surprised by how antagonistic Hartnell's Doctor is in it. This is a compliment though. I find it refreshing and the fact that he butts heads with Ian and Barbara (mostly Ian) so often really makes him unlike most tv heroes. The way he sees things logically but at times unempathetically really sets him apart as different and dare I say, a little alien.

The other characters are fine, but none of them stand out like the Doctor. They're likeable enough, they're smart, capable and do have somewhat distinct personalities. My only complaint with the characterisation of these characters is that Susan is so odd and otherworldly in the first episode. I'd have liked to have seen this continue, as she feels distinctly more human once they go back to the cavemen era. Also the female characters are both shown to become a little hysterical and scream when in danger, which feels reductive and a little annoying. But this is the 1960's and this is sadly a common female character trope of the era.