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“THE WAR MACHINES: WHEN THE DOCTOR FOUGHT THE INTERNET”

Season 3 of Doctor Who closes with a timeless piece of Orwellian science fiction, introducing new companions while letting the Doctor save Earth once again. Written by Ian Stuart Black—his second script in a row and the middle instalment of his three contributions to the show—The War Machines is deceptively simple but undeniably compelling. It blends a contemporary setting with eerie but believable sci-fi concepts and a chillingly prescient look at the dangers of artificial intelligence.

The story’s Orwellian atmosphere is one of its strongest assets, with a powerful supercomputer, mass mind control, and the eerie hum of WOTAN’s hypnotic influence. Even the story’s title screen is something special—this was the first time Doctor Who experimented with stylised title cards, a technique that would appear again in later serials. The opening scene, in which the Doctor and Dodo marvel at the newly completed Post Office Tower, offers a rare moment of warmth before the tension sets in. From there, we are immediately introduced to WOTAN, the computer system that will soon turn against humanity.

THE STORY THAT PREDICTED THE INTERNET

One of the most fascinating aspects of The War Machines is how much of its science fiction has since become reality. Black effectively predicted the internet with WOTAN’s interconnected computer network, making the story even more unsettling when viewed today. The idea of machines developing independent thought and taking control of society remains an ever-relevant warning about the dangers of AI and technological overreach.

As WOTAN exerts its influence, the story masterfully builds tension. Much like The Savages, Black takes a basic sci-fi concept and crafts an engaging, well-paced narrative around it. The way WOTAN quickly takes control of multiple people and begins construction of the War Machines is deeply unsettling. The Part 1 cliffhanger—featuring the now-iconic line, “Doctor Who is required”—is delightfully eerie, proving that even the silliest moments in Doctor Who can still send shivers down your spine.

Unlike many four-part serials, The War Machines flows effortlessly, keeping the stakes high and the momentum strong. It serves as a prototype for the Earth-based invasion stories that would later define the UNIT era of Doctor Who, complete with the army battling mechanical invaders in the streets of London. Seeing the First Doctor in a contemporary setting, working alongside politicians and military figures, is both refreshing and slightly surreal. The nightclub scenes, in particular, feel unusually grounded for Doctor Who, capturing the spirit of 1960s London in a way the show rarely did before or after.

NEW COMPANIONS, HYPNOTISED FRIENDS, AND A SUDDEN EXIT

Dodo is given a unique role in this story, but it’s not exactly a flattering one. Strongly affected by WOTAN’s mind control, she spends most of the serial under its influence, working against the Doctor before being abruptly written out. Her final exit is one of the worst in Doctor Who history—she simply disappears after Part 2, with a throwaway line explaining that she has gone to the countryside to recover. Jackie Lane delivers a solid performance, convincingly portraying Dodo’s mental struggle, but it’s clear that the production team had little interest in giving her a proper farewell.

Polly fares slightly better, following a similar trajectory as Dodo but sticking around to become a new companion. Ben Jackson, a dashing young sailor, also gets a strong introduction. Their first meeting is natural and well-integrated into the plot, making their eventual recruitment into the TARDIS crew feel organic. Both prove to be clever and proactive—Ben’s attempt to snap Polly out of her hypnosis in Part 3 is particularly well-handled, as is Polly’s unsettlingly cold betrayal of him under WOTAN’s control.

The Doctor himself is given a few standout moments, particularly in the way he resists WOTAN’s influence. His superior intellect is once again highlighted, as he clearly feels the pull of the machine’s hypnosis but is too strong-willed to succumb to it. William Hartnell’s performance is a mixed bag—his illness is starting to show, leading to a few line flubs and instances of him talking over other actors. But when it counts, he’s as commanding as ever, particularly in the climax of Part 4, where he takes charge of the fight against the War Machines with a passionate energy that reminds us why he made such a brilliant Doctor. His fearless stance in front of a War Machine at the end of Episode 3 is an iconic image from the Hartnell era.

This story also marks the first time the Doctor uses hypnosis—calming Dodo with his ring in a method that would later be used by other incarnations (and, more commonly, by the Master).

WOTAN, WAR MACHINES, AND 1960s INVASION ACTION

For a supercomputer, WOTAN is deliciously sinister—cold, calculating, and eerily emotionless. Unlike the later BOSS computer in The Green Death, which had an eccentric personality, WOTAN is pure logic-driven menace. The eerie sound effect accompanying its mind control sequences adds an extra layer of creepiness.

The titular War Machines themselves are clunky, but their bulky design, complete with unsettlingly face-like features, makes them feel genuinely threatening. The battle sequences, particularly in the final two parts, are ambitious for 1960s television, with the army struggling to take down the seemingly unstoppable machines. The fact that this all unfolds in recognisable London locations—rather than a distant alien planet or futuristic city—adds to the realism and makes the threat feel immediate.

The supporting cast is strong across the board. John Harvey’s Professor Brett and Alan Curtis’s Major Green make for solid allies, while Sir Charles Summer serves as an interesting bridge between the political and scientific sides of the story. Anneke Wills slightly overacts in some of Polly’s hypnosis scenes, but she still makes an impression as a lively and intelligent new companion.

📝VERDICT: 8/10

With its Orwellian undertones, forward-thinking sci-fi concepts, and gripping execution, The War Machines stands out as a landmark serial. It effectively introduces new companions, establishes a template for Earth-based invasion stories, and provides one of Hartnell’s last great moments as the Doctor. The mishandling of Dodo’s exit is a glaring flaw, but the strength of the story ensures its place as a classic of the era. Its vision of a world controlled by supercomputers may have once seemed like pure science fiction, but in 2025, it feels more relevant than ever.