I like it. It does feel at times like a parody
(Purves poor american Accent, the fact he plays a different guy just a few episodes apart, the whole part with the daleks in the monster house or on that boat etc). But while it feels like a parody, I feel like our leads still feel very much taken seriously (for the most time). The changing in location and the much more “fluffy” feel makes this one quite easy to watch, yet it does have its problem, because it’s part of Doctor Who and not just a parody series. Personally I enjoy it, since I view it much more as a parody for the most part and as parody? Hell yeah, amazing stuff! As a serious entry for the Daleks Serial? Ehh…
I am kinda surprised seeing so many dislike it but I can’t blame many for that, the Story very much offers some good stuff yet the tone feels a bit wrong for the Daleks. Part of me wonders if the Mechanoids taken the place of the Daleks in that Story, if it had worked better

The Directing can be quite wonky at times, but overall this is one of those stories where I change my mind often if I like it or not. A very flawed Story, but with a stunning ending, I just can say… LONDON 1965!!!

The Chase is just a lot of fun

I think Vicki really gets a chance to shine here, so does William Hartnell as his evil robot self. I'll miss Barbara and Ian, but their departure was really well done

“London 1965 !”

The Chase est une course sacrément folle. 

Maintenant que tout est possible, tout ce que l’univers compte de champignons géants, de trucs à tentacules, ou de monstres de foire, poutre joyeusement du Dalek !

Mais c’est aussi tellement foisonnant d’idées, de concepts, de moments d’anthologie, que c’est pas seulement imprévisible, c’est souvent brillant. 

Puis il y a la fin toute douce. Certes deux des compagnons les plus importants s’en vont … 

Mais on se rend compte avec eux du sacré voyage qu’on vient de vivre. 

So, after watching the episodes composing this serial semi-regularly (one or two a day, with a nice addition of Doctor Who and the Daleks between 5th and 6th), I can definently say that I overall enjoyed it. It is not a flawless story, there are some ploblems here and there, but… idc

This serial just feels really… Doctor Who. Like, you got everything here: some classic sci-fi of the Daleks vs Mechanoids, some comedy (certain episodes just outright feel like a light-hearted spoof), then there is adventure, danger and a early step into that would eventually become The Land of Fiction (lk it’s not technically The Land of Fiction, but the Nation’s idea for that place certainly have similarities with that would eventually become The Land of Fiction).

The first episode is literally just our protagonists chilling in the TARDIS and watching some historical scenes that bear practically no relevence to the plot of the story! Gotta love the story that manages to be everything Doctor Who is about. It is trying to be sci-fi, in some ways it is trying to be a horror, in some ways it is trying to be a comedy, but in all ways… It is trying to be Doctor Who. And I love this show. So it was impossible for me to not like it I think. 10/10

📝6/10

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

“The Chase: Laughs and Farewells in a Chaotic Romp"

Terry Nation’s The Chase takes the Doctor and his companions on a zany six-episode adventure across time and space, culminating in the heartfelt departure of Ian and Barbara. A wildly uneven affair, it blends slapstick humor, scattered sci-fi ideas, and touching character moments in a way that’s both maddening and oddly endearing.

Not only does the opening episode of Nation's anthology epic include some rare scenes of life inside the TARDIS, but it also includes an extended sequence with the Time-Space Visualiser (never to be seen again, sadly, although it does pop up again in other media), allowing the TARDIS crew to watch such historical events as The Beatles playing "Ticket to Ride" on Top of the Pops (the only surviving clip of that gig, ironically), and Ian jamming delightfully to the tune; Shakespeare talking with Queen Victoria (both to be seen again!) or the Gettysburg address—scenes that are completely irrelevant to the rest of the plot but somehow very fascinating nonetheless.

Terry Nation’s Greatest Hits—Recycled

Nation’s penchant for self-plagiarism is on full display here. The structure of constantly changing settings is borrowed from The Keys of Marinus (1964), while the cliffhanger reveals and jungle settings echo his work for The Daleks and The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Even the Mechanoids feel like a less effective rehash of the Daleks, their awkward design and grating voices failing to replicate the menace of their predecessors. To top it off, the cringe-inducing episode titles (The Death of Time, anyone?) don’t help matters.

Parody or Adventure?

From the outset, The Chase doesn’t take itself seriously, leaning heavily into self-parody. Nation likely aimed for a lighthearted romp, but the bizarre mix of nonsensical plotlines, tongue-in-cheek performances, and a jazzy circus-like score makes this feel more like a spoof than a canonical Doctor Who adventure.

The Doctor taking offence to Barbara apparently calling his singing awful, answering Morton Dill with "No, it ain’t!” or running scared from a Frankenstein's monster robot; Morton Dill's doofus dialogue (“You have different years here?”); the stuttering Dalek—whether by design or accidentally, Terry Nation provides a script filled with dialogue that frequently makes me giggle—and that’s a rare feat for a Doctor Who story, even today.

A Hodgepodge of Settings

Anthology stories like this often suffer from an identity crisis. The multitude of locations—from deserts to the Mary Celeste to the House of Horrors—makes the narrative feel disjointed. None of these places leave a lasting impression, save for Mechanus, which at least boasts some solid sci-fi design. The pacing stumbles as the story lurches between dull, laughable, and overstuffed segments.

Low Stakes, High Silliness

Despite the Daleks’ pursuit, the tension is almost nonexistent. These once-terrifying foes are reduced to bumbling comic relief, complete with stuttering lines and inexplicable behaviors, like one screaming as it falls into the sea. The story’s ridiculousness does, however, lend it a certain charm, making it an easy, breezy six-parter to sit through.

Standout Moments of Character

What The Chase lacks in plotting, it makes up for in its treatment of the main cast. William Hartnell’s Doctor is sharp, witty, and full of warmth, his chemistry with Ian, Barbara, and Vicki shining through. Ian and Barbara’s camaraderie is at its peak, with their banter and resourcefulness adding levity to the chaos. Their emotional farewell in the closing minutes is a masterclass in understated drama, cementing one of the series’ most heartfelt exits.

Vicki continues to grow into her role, though her characterization wavers between intelligent and Susan-esque, as if Nation hadn’t realized Carole Ann Ford had left the show.

Morton Dill is so bad he's good. The unnecessary supporting role in Part 3 landed Peter Purves the new companion role three episodes later, and that terrible accent and goofy persona are something to remember, for better and for worse. He’s one of the few supporting characters who’ve survived an encounter with the Daleks.

The introduction of Steven, played with gusto by Purves, injects fresh energy, even if his addition feels tacked on.

There's something clever about the impostor Doctor. He is antagonistic and selfish, much like the Doctor was when we first met him in An Unearthly Child (1963), a clever callback to how much the character has developed in just two seasons. How no one noticed the obvious difference between him and the real Doctor is a real mystery, though.

Production Hits and Misses

The production values are a mixed bag. Mechanus stands out for its ambitious set design, but Richard Martin’s direction undercuts its potential. The House of Horrors sequence is laughably bad, riddled with production errors like the infamous out-of-place Dalek. The imposter Doctor concept is clever in theory but poorly executed, with clunky editing and sound design undermining its impact.

The Chase is a strange beast—part anthology, part spoof, part farewell. While it’s riddled with lazy writing, production gaffes, and tonal inconsistencies, it’s saved by its cast’s charisma and the touching departure of Ian and Barbara. Not a classic by any means, but its chaotic charm and heartwarming moments make it a memorable installment.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

• This is the first time we encounter a doppelgänger of the Doctor, something that will reoccur multiple times going forward (in stories such as The Massacre, The Enemy of the World, Meglos, The Arc of Infinity, A Nightmare in Silver, and so on).
• Ian’s cardigan moment (“Oh no, not again!”) is a delightful callback to earlier stories.

“We’ve made it! London, 1965!”

A definition of a mixed bag, but it’s mostly fun, even if very campy and silly at points. The basic plot of the Daleks chasing the crew through time and space is a great idea, allowing for different locales and times, with fun moments at the Empire State and an absolutely bizarre interlude at a haunted house.

The cast are all having a blast, and the ending for Ian and Barbara is nicely done. The Daleks aren’t as threatening as their previous stories but still make a fun appearance here. Perhaps underutilised but enjoyable.

Fun and silly, but with plenty of great moments.

While The Dalek Invasion of Earth is the most iconic Hartnell story, one of the most iconic dalek stories period, this is the winner in my book. There is nothing like The Chase. There is nothing as exciting, as exhilarating, as The Chase. The Beatles are in it, for god's sake. From the Empire State Building in my very own New York City to the best haunted house of all time, this is the precursor to the blockbuster stories of the third and fourth doctor eras, it is is non-stop action and it is non-stop amazing. For some reason Steven is there playing a cowboy (in New York?) for like a full ten minutes. That alone makes it a 10/10. Ian and Barbra are the sweetest companions, and their absences, both of them, will be greatly missed. As I slog through some of my less favored companions, leggy young women, I remember Barbra. The school teacher. As much dramatic action, as much content, as Ian or The Doctor.

The Chase: 9.5/10 - I have said this about a large amount of stories but this one was just so much fun. The Daleks were extremely entertaining in this story and the main cast really got to shine. Vicki was amazing in this story and her infiltration of the Dardis was really cool. The different settings really made it feel like a grand adventure across time and these locations themselves all felt very lived in. I thought episodes 2 and 5 were a bit slow at points but the other 4 episodes were all quality. The Mechanoids were an interesting new species and the battle between them and the Daleks was also interesting. I thought Steven was off to a rocky start in this story but he still seems very interesting and I’m excited to get to know him more. Ian and Barbara’s departure was honestly so great. They have both been absolutely amazing companions and seeing them so happy to return to their old lives was very wholesome. 

It's hard to get my head around this one, there are good and bad bits.

It's nice to feel there is a linear storyline at work here and that each journey leads off from the previous one. It's just a shame that we spend such little time in each location. It follows a very repetitive pattern: the TARDIS lands, the Daleks land soon after, the TARDIS lands somewhere else, etc. It's almost as if Terry Nation is trying to suggest that it is enough to land on a pirate ship without writing anything more than that. The number of locations does not make up for the lack of ideas.

The writing of the Aridians, Mara and Mechanoids are fantastic. I wish these aspects of the story had more air time. It feels like everything has been thrown at this story and whilst 2 out of 3 things worked, 1 in 3 really don't. In contrast, the Daleks are made too comical in parts - all that effort in making them scary in their first two stories is completely wasted, it becomes a farce. Though the Dalek rising out of the sand has to be one of the best shots in the show. The soundtrack is odd from episode two onwards, something terrible can be happening but this jingly jangly happy piano sound in the background.

Steven is as amazing as he is deranged in this story. I can't wait to see more of him. It is very brave to leave him on the planet. "I need my mascot!"

There is an amazing send off for Ian and Barbara, I'm sincerely going to miss them. There is an odd photo sequence in London, but this is more than made up for by the exploding time machine, the bus ride confusion and the doctor's sad farewell. Who said that classic who couldn't do companion send-offs well?

The Chase is a lot of goofy fun and nothing but a bit of classic Doctor Who. Definitely the kind of story one needs to enjoy with a bit of context for its time, but on the whole I had a lot of fun with this. The Daleks even manage a bit of menace in spite of the silliness with their ability to just keep chasing down the Doctor. Ian and Barbara's departure leaves a lot to be desired just because it is edited so oddly, but still, it was a memorable moment and now has a bittersweet tone to it with so many of these actors lost to time.  I was entertained, and in a lot of ways that's more than enough for a pretty solid Classic Doctor Who adventure.

This is such a fun camp story it shocks me that there are people who hate this story and dispise the haunted house segment I love it it’s what i live for in 2024

A massive story that combines the most successful elements of the show into one big saga. If Doctor Who had stopped after 2 seasons, this would’ve been the finale.

The Daleks are back! Again! But this time, they have mastered time travel. The party might be a little ahead, but their lead is slipping….

First of all, I mentioned in my review of “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” that I wish there were more personal stakes between the Doctor and the Daleks. This story decides to go that route. The Daleks have a clear goal: Revenge. Revenge on the doctor for stopping 3 of their previous plans (How that works timeline-wise, I leave up to you).

Before the titular chase, we have an adventure like any other. The party has some great moments in the tardis with each other. And I just love these party relations. Vicki has fully earned her spot by now too. Everyone reacts to each other in fun way, but there can still be some tension. It’s like a family in a sense.

After some random squabbling in the tardis, we land on a sand planet. It’s fun! Not outstanding, but the party is having a blast, so we join them! Some standard Doctor Who fare happens. 2 party members get lost and hurt and all that stuff. The usual. But this changes once the Daleks come into view. The party has to leave! And quick!

It's a great subversion. All is well in the world. Another adventure with Doctor Who, but then that message is heard, and a Dalek rises from the sand. Very exciting stuff. Especially that dalek appearing in the desert. It’s a great visual.

The next episodes spends some time with the locals. Nothing too noteworthy. Their concept is interesting, but no time for all that! We bring the party back together in the tardis, and we RUN! We Flee through time and space from the most famous enemy. Peak Doctor Who. We go to New York, the Mary Celeste, a horror house and a fungus planet. And it’s a blast! All of Doctor Who is happening in quick succession and this is the most alive the TV show has ever felt. Showing us all the show has done, while at the same time showing us it has loads more potential.

And it is just some great visual variety. We meet an Alabama guy on a roof, We throw a Dalek off a boat, Dracula is there and a monster dunks a dalek on the ground. It’s dynamic, surprising and just plain fun.

The Daleks even decide to make a robot clone of the Doctor, which leads to some fun shenanigans. The way they discover who the real doctor is, is really fun too. The robot suddenly calls Vicki “Susan”, and everybody knows what’s up. And it makes sense! How would the Daleks know she left? Great callback that makes sense in context.

Sadly we are running out of steam a bit though. Even with the fun Doctor duplicate, the last location is a bit of a dud. It’s a fungus planet and we spend a lot of time in a cave. Not the most exciting. The show has just hyped us all the way to Mars, so having to slow down is a bit sad and could be a bit smoother. Suddenly going back to being captured and locked up feels like a downgrade.

It's not all bad though! We meet Steven! A guy who has been left alone in a cage for 2 years. They present him really well. Barbara says his name and he almost begs to hear it again. Lovely stuff. Makes him immediately endearing.

Sadly, the appearance of Steven also marks the end of an era for the show. Ian and Barbara will be leaving. They’ve been with us for over 50 adventures, and it will be a shame to see them go. While I will miss them, I do think they could’ve been handled a little better this story. Nothing hints at this being their final story, and the goodbyes feel a bit too short. We get a slideshow of them being back, but I’d rather have a more clear throughline in the story. Some hints along the way. Oh well, it was nice for what it was and we do get some emotional moments with the Doctor. Those do feel earned.

And that’s “The Chase”. It’s breakfast, lunch and dinner in one. Everything happens. It’s up to you to keep up. And it’s a joy. While I have my qualms with it, like the last location and the final moments of Ian and Barbara, I still had an amazing time. While not perfect, it’s one of the most Doctor Who episodes ever. That’s worth seeing.

The Chase is basically a better-written version of The Keys to Marinus with Daleks, and it's quite fun actually. A nice breezy watch, with the first couple of parts functioning like a Universal Studios attraction, which is very fun. Every part seems to just fly by, honestly can't believe it's a 6-parter, cause it feels like a short 4-parter, definitely, I'd say it's the most 'fun' Dalek story, whether that's something you'd want is a different matter, though I will say things like Barbara imitating a machine gun with the long torch and Peter Purves' introduction being a funny country bumpkin is absolutely lovely.

Mind you, it isn't the best-written story, more than a little mediocre throughout, and is at its best when it is light and fun, however, some things are too silly to be enjoyable, I don't care much for a Dalek whose quirk is saying, "umm, umm" a lot, or the Daleks nodding with their eye-stalks.

I quite like the idea of the Daleks making a clone of the Doctor to sow chaos and disorder and ultimately try to kill the TARDIS team (classic Dalek manipulation going forward) and if memory serves, this is the first instance that really shows their great strategic mind, though if they did this in future they'd probably give the robot a better weapon than a stick, in fact, when they do this in the future they give the robots a better weapon than a stick, still a good idea though.

I quite like the Mechanoids, they're good fun, this is my first time seeing them, and I'm already sad we don't see them more, I know they're basically just spherical Daleks that only attack when provoked, but I think they could still be a lot of fun to revisit from time to time, like the Judoon or the Ood.

Now, I am not usually big on male companions, call me a lesbian, but I don't really like it when men talk, but despite this, I already like Steven quite a lot, Peter is a magnetic performer and I feel like I'm going to have a lot of fun watching Steven be a good-hearted, ridiculous fool.

I must admit I got quite emotional watching Ian and Barabara leave, I used to think that they were little more than caricatures, but as I have warmed to Classic Who, looking past the shoddy effects and instead looking at the writing, engaging with the story as it is, I have grown quite fond of those two lovelies, I shall miss them, silly old fusspots. I think their farewell was handled very well and I especially like the fun photograph montage of them having fun and going home and especially, especially that it cuts to The Doctor and Vicki watching it on Time-Space Visualizer set up in part 1, which is actually quite a modern technique of filmmaking, quite impressed with how well that all fit together.

I guess it is nice to have 1 Dalek story that isn't about the horrors of war or racism, but the light tone makes them feel like much less of a threat than I believe they should be, it's an experiment to be sure, just not one I feel quite works, it is weird to see the Daleks in what can best be described as a 'space romp', with funny characters and cooky locations, it's an odd fit yet despite that I still quite like the story. it isn't the best-written story, it isn't the best utilization of the Daleks, or the Mechanoids, but all-together it is just very likeable in the same way that a lot of Nu-Who manages to be.
8/10