The one where the TARDIS crew have a holiday near Rome and then rollick around Nero’s court as lyre players, slaves and gladiators.

The Romans is well known as the first ‘comedy’ episode of Doctor Who and I love it. It is truly hilarious – the regulars sparkle with a comedy script, especially Hartnell and the slapstick/farcical elements play out really well. The slightly darker aspects – mainly Ian’s storyline – don’t seem at odds with what else is going on and we end with the beautiful pay off of the Doctor inspiring Nero to burn Rome.

Some of the jokes are wonderful: the Chesterfield/Chesterton/Barbara’s calling you; the ‘she looks after the liars’; and ‘close your eyes and Nero will give you a big surprise…Pardon' (Jacqueline Hill’s delivery of that single word is hilarious).

The concept of the Doctor and Vicki having a parallel storyline to Ian and Barbara and the two pairs never knowing how their paths have nearly crossed is original and a lot of fun. Vicki unwittingly saving Barbara from poisoning and the Doctor constantly foiling Nero’s attempts to accost Barbara in the third episode are well played. Although Ian’s storyline relies on a number of coincidences everything else is too much fun to care.

Ancient Rome, and the nearby areas, are well depicted – Nero’s palace; a Roman villa; a Roman market; a countryside lane; a Roman galley, beach and cells. The costumes are, probably, accurate and look stunning, particularly the Doctor’s and Barbara’s.  This historical characters are depicted as one would expect for this time - sure that there may be historical myths being perpetuated and the rough edges of history shaved off for a children's TV show.  The official court poisoner, Locusta (who was definitely a real person - she's even referenced in the final episode of I, Claudius) is a brilliant inclusion.   The rest of the Romans are, I think, fictitious but it is an interesting touch to have Tavius revealed to be an early Christian.

The Doctor lectures Vicki on interfering with history when she nearly poisons Nero (and does, technically cause the death of comedy servant Tigilinus). The entertaining exchange at the close of the story when Vicki accuses him of influencing history by inspiring Nero to burn Rome is an interesting twist on his rather more serious discussions with Barbara in The Aztecs.

A great story and one of the highlights of the Hartnell era – the regulars are all on top form and the guest cast is practically faultless – with special mention for Ian’s surrogate companion Delos (played by Peter Diamond) and Locusta. Dennis Spooner’s script is brilliant and is proof that Doctor Who, as a series, can do practically any genre when in the right hands.