📝7/10

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

"The Rescue: An Entrance With Charm and Character'

David Whitaker brings us this two-part story to introduce the new companion Vicki, who'll join the Doctor, Ian, and Barbara in the TARDIS.

We see Vicki and the only remaining crew member of her crashed spaceship on Dido at the story's beginning, even before we meet the TARDIS travellers. Vicki's exuberance at potentially receiving rescue is contagious. I also enjoy the warm friendship between the three regulars.

Susan’s exit is touched upon slightly, and we see how it affects the Doctor. This is a nice bit of character continuity, even if it is forgotten by the end of the adventure.

While Susan establishes a friendship with Vicki, the Doctor and Ian struggle to understand the current situation and partake in a cave-climbing sequence that is almost as tedious as the one in The Daleks but thankfully much shorter. If The Rescue does one thing right, it is to properly introduce Vicki and allow us to get a feel for her. She is a bit more well-rounded than Susan and has excellent chemistry with the Doctor from the beginning.

Part 1 ends with a rather weak cliffhanger (the sword trap thing is silly), but at least we see the Doctor and Ian supporting each other much better than before. Although their portion of the adventure aims to create tension and excitement, it lacks the engagement of the Barbara/Vicki plot.

In Part 2, a wonderful scene unfolds between Vicki and The Doctor, as the latter tries to win her over. This is the moment they form an important bond, revealing the new grandfatherly side of this Doctor. Later on, she has another great bonding moment with Ian and Barbara as they discuss the Doctor and the TARDIS.

I like the scene of the Doctor entering the People's Hall and revealing Bennett’s ruse. The moody lighting and Hartnell’s strong acting make it a wonderful scene. The scene also features a rare (and brief!) fight scene for the First Doctor.

Dido's simple setting and small cast (the regulars, the two crashed humans, and Koquillion) remind me of a Big Finish audio, and the cost-cutting measures allow for a greater emphasis on the characters and the story's progression.

This adventure features simple production values, and while some editing and directorial techniques may seem outdated these days, they largely contribute to the story.

William Hartnell is very grandfatherly here, but also quick-witted and well-spoken. Maureen O'Brien is instantly likeable as Vicki, with optimism and a strong sense of justice driving her actions. Jacqueline Hills shows a newfound fearlessness after kicking Dalek ass in the previous adventure, and this is what initially gets her off on the wrong foot with Vicki.

Koquillion's design is simple but effective, but the mystery of his true identity never felt particularly compelling at times, and even less so upon a rewatch. It's pretty obvious what's going on when you think about it. There’s not much time to do much with the character, and he remains somewhat forgettable, even if he turns out to be a murderous maniac.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

• The Doctor has visited Dido before. That’s an adventure I wish we could read about one day.
• Other names considered for Vicki were Tanni, Lukkie, and Millie.