Stories Television Doctor Who Season 4 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Highlanders Original Story TV Soundtrack Original Story TV Soundtrack 1 image Overview Episodes Characters Reviews 11 Statistics Related Stories Quotes 3 Transcript Overview First aired Saturday, December 17, 1966 Production Code FF Written by Elwyn Jones, Gerry Davis Directed by Hugh David Runtime 100 minutes Story Type New Companion Introduction Time Travel Past Tropes (Potential Spoilers!) Authority Figure, Doctor imprisoned, Doctor Who?, Pure Historical, War Inventory (Potential Spoilers!) Recorder Location (Potential Spoilers!) Earth, Scotland Synopsis The time travellers arrive in Scotland just after the Battle of Culloden. The Second Doctor gains the trust of a small band of fleeing Jacobites by offering to tend to their wounded Laird, Colin McLaren. While Polly and the Laird's daughter, Kirsty, are away fetching water, he and the others are all captured by Redcoat troops commanded by Lieutenant Algernon Ffinch. Watch Watched Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved Edit date completed Custom Date Release Date Archive (no date) Save 4 Episodes Episode 1 Missing First aired Saturday, December 17, 1966 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Elwyn Jones Gerry Davis Directed by Hugh David UK Viewers 6.7 million Appreciation Index 47 Synopsis The Doctor, Polly and Ben arrive in 1746, in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, and are captured by a group of Highlanders shortly before they themselves are captured by redcoats. Episode 2 Missing First aired Saturday, December 24, 1966 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Elwyn Jones Gerry Davis Directed by Hugh David UK Viewers 6.8 million Appreciation Index 46 Synopsis Polly and Kirsty capture Lieutenant Ffinch to try and enlist his help while the Doctor tricks Grey in order to escape. Episode 3 Missing First aired Saturday, December 31, 1966 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Elwyn Jones Gerry Davis Directed by Hugh David UK Viewers 7.4 million Appreciation Index 47 Synopsis With the Highlanders imprisoned aboard Trask's ship, the Doctor attempts to expose Grey's plan. Episode 4 Missing First aired Saturday, January 7, 1967 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Elwyn Jones Gerry Davis Directed by Hugh David UK Viewers 7.3 million Appreciation Index 47 Synopsis Ben manages to join up with the Doctor, Polly and Kirsty and together they work to free the Highlanders from Trask's ship before Grey sells them into slavery. Show All Episodes Characters Second Doctor Patrick Troughton Polly Wright Anneke Wills Ben Jackson Michael Craze Jamie McCrimmon Frazer Hines First Appearance Trask First Appearance Solicitor Grey Kirsty Show All Characters (7) Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Date (Newest First) Date (Oldest First) Likes (High-Low) Likes (Low-High) Rating (High-Low) Rating (Low-High) Word count (High-Low) Word count (Low-High) Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 11 reviews 7 May 2025 · 216 words Review by RandomJoke 1 I really like this Story! Is it as good as many other Second Doctor Stories or Pure Historicals? No. But it really doesn't have to! It knows it wants to be a fun romp and I think it does success at it. Two is still in his more 'wacky' early phase and while a Side effect of Throughton still trying to figure out what kind of Doctor he wants to play, I find it more than amusing here! I think we get some hilarious Moments here, be it some great Slapsticks ('Your Eyes') or 2 taking a new Role as "Doctor Wer". Not to mention that we got Jamie out of this, seeing how he was portrayed here is very interesting, since it's such a drastic change compared to what we ended up getting later down the line. I will say I agree with one Point that was brought here, which is that Polly is really not well characterized here at all, she just comes across as too mean and that's not my Girl Polly! Outside of that, I don't have many complaints. Sure it does suffer from being a Recon, some of its comedic Moments don't come across as well as they otherwise would, but I still think this is a very fun one for sure! RandomJoke View profile Like Liked 1 6 May 2025 · 908 words Review by MrColdStream 1 Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! “THE HIGHLANDERS: THE BIRTH OF JAMIE IN A DYING GENRE” The Highlanders is something of a landmark in Doctor Who history—not because it breaks new ground, but precisely because it doesn’t. It marks the final "pure historical" story of the classic era until Black Orchid in 1982, and serves as a bridge between the show’s early educational roots and its evolution into more science-fiction-driven narratives. It also introduces a certain Jacobite piper by the name of Jamie McCrimmon—one of the longest-serving and most beloved companions in the show’s history. That’s a lot of historical weight to carry for a four-part serial that's completely missing from the archives. TO CULLODEN AND BEYOND The story starts strong with an engaging setting: the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, where the defeated Jacobites are being hunted by Redcoats. It’s a grim historical backdrop, but the tone quickly shifts as the TARDIS crew are captured and thrown into a web of prisons, slave ships, and legal trickery. There's a certain romp quality here that jars with the historical tragedy around them, and that tonal mismatch is never quite resolved. The first episode struggles under the weight of character introductions—an issue made worse when watching a recon with few surviving visuals. Keeping track of who’s who becomes a chore, and even a strong cliffhanger (the Doctor and Ben about to be hanged; Polly and Kirsty falling into a pit) doesn’t quite lift it above the murk of confusion. THE SECOND DOCTOR TAKES CENTRE STAGE The real joy of The Highlanders lies in watching Patrick Troughton settle into the role. This is the first serial where his Doctor feels fully formed: playful, cunning, and full of disguises. Whether he’s masquerading as a doddering German physician or donning drag to outwit his enemies, the Second Doctor turns deception into an artform. It’s a far cry from the gruff, irritable First Doctor, and it sets the tone for how the character will evolve over the decades. Troughton’s chemistry with Michael Craze’s Ben is already well-developed, and the pair make a fun team, even if the script doesn’t give Ben much to do. Their dynamic foreshadows the “Doctor and best mate” relationships that become a staple of the show. JAMIE JOINS THE CREW Frazer Hines makes a confident debut as Jamie, even if his actual joining of the TARDIS crew feels abrupt and underwritten. He’s given a solid amount of screen time alongside Ben, and while he doesn’t immediately stand out, his likability and loyalty are established early. It’s no wonder he quickly became a fixture. PLOTLESS WANDERING AND DISGUISED ESCAPISM The actual plot of The Highlanders is thin and repetitive. Characters are captured, escape, are recaptured, escape again, and so on. There are slave ships, taverns, jails, secret documents, legal wrangling, and lots of cloak-and-dagger antics, but none of it really builds to a crescendo. The entire final episode takes place on a ship, and with no moving footage, the climactic battle is left entirely to the imagination—a battle of sound over spectacle. The highlight, again, is the Doctor’s antics. His scenes with Solicitor Grey, particularly the one where he hides the man in a cupboard, are delightful. His theatrical dress-up helps paper over the cracks of an otherwise forgettable historical. A CAST OF FORGETTABLE FOES The supporting cast does little to elevate the material. Polly and Kirsty spend most of the serial plotting and scheming on the sidelines, with Polly’s storyline relying heavily on manipulating the hapless Algernon Ffinch. It’s not her strongest outing. Ffinch himself is a forgettable presence, despite a slight redemption arc (think Norrington in Pirates of the Caribbean). Captain Trask is a cookie-cutter slaver, more memorable than Pike from The Smugglers, but only just. Then there’s Solicitor Grey and his snivelling assistant Perkins (who reminds me of Smee from Peter Pan), who veer close to pantomime. PRODUCTION VALUE IN A VISUAL VACUUM Reports suggest the story boasted strong production values, especially in its costuming and ship sets. Unfortunately, since all four episodes are missing, we’re left with telesnaps, stills, and audio—making it hard to fully appreciate the effort put in. The reconstructions are competent but can’t overcome the repetitive plotting or the lack of visual flair. What might have played as a swashbuckling period adventure on screen often feels more like a plodding audio drama in its current form. A STRANGE NOTE TO END ON It’s fitting, in a way, that the last of the pure historicals feels like a genre on its last legs. With the departure of this format, Doctor Who would fully embrace sci-fi and horror, exploring historical settings only through the lens of alien interference. The Highlanders might not be the best farewell to the historical, but it served its purpose—and gave the show a new direction through Jamie and the evolving Second Doctor. 📝 VERDICT: 53/100 The Highlanders is more important than good. It marks the farewell of the pure historical and the introduction of Jamie McCrimmon, while showcasing Patrick Troughton’s emerging brilliance as a playfully deceptive Doctor. The story itself is thin, repetitive, and tonally inconsistent—leaning more on farce than the drama its setting deserves. While the Doctor’s disguises and comedic turns shine, the lack of visual material and a dragging pace make it difficult to recommend as anything other than a historical curiosity. Fun in patches, but very much a story lost to time—both literally and figuratively. MrColdStream View profile Like Liked 1 11 March 2025 · 23 words Review by Scottybguud 1 Sad that this story is all lost as it introduces Jamie. Not a fan of telesnaps, so i can't really enjoy this one. Scottybguud View profile Like Liked 1 29 January 2025 · 22 words Review by greenLetterT 1 A bit of a nothing of a serial, with all characters making truly baffling choices. Ah well, at least Jamie is here greenLetterT View profile Like Liked 1 13 November 2024 · 67 words Review by Dogtor Spoilers This review contains spoilers! Original (French) Translation (English) “Now, we want weapons” L’épisode est juste une bouffée d’air frais. Déjà c’est gauchiste à donf, et du coup ça poutre du tunique rouge dans une ambiance joyeuse, avec le Docteur qui s’éclate à tourner en bourrique les oppresseurs et organise carrément une guerre de libération ! Mais en plus de ça c’est carrément drôle car Troughton s’approprie chaque instant avec un Docteur plus vivant que jamais ! "Now, we want weapons" The episode is just a breath of fresh air. Already it’s excessively leftist, and because of that it strikes hard against the red tunics in a joyful atmosphere, with the Doctor who has a blast outsmarting the oppressors and even organises a liberation war! But on top of that, it's extremely funny because Troughton owns every moment with a Doctor more lively than ever! (Translation generated by AI, so mistakes are possible). Dogtor View profile Like Liked 0 Show All Reviews (11) Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating366 members 3.09 / 5 Trakt.tv AVG. Rating233 votes 3.30 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 687 Favourited 38 Reviewed 11 Saved 9 Skipped 12 Related Stories Other adaptations of this story: We define an adaptation as a recreation of a similar story but on a different medium or with different characters. Target Collection Doctor Who: The Highlanders Rating: 3.58 Story Skipped Book More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Target Collection Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Other variations of this story We define a variation as another way of experiencing the exact same story - like an autiobook, a reconstruction or an omnibus edition. BBC Audio Soundtracks The Highlanders (BBC Audio Soundtrack) Rating: 2.75 Story Skipped Soundtrack Reviews(2) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: BBC Audio Soundtracks Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Quotes Add Quote Link to Quote Favourite Tags: Funny DOCTOR: A gentleman at last. Doctor von Wer, at your service. SERGEANT: Doctor who? DOCTOR: (sotto) That's what I said. — The Highlanders Show All Quotes (3) Open in new window Transcript Needs checking (Transcribers note - this story only exists in audio form.) Episode One [Culloden moor] (1746. Scottish Highland clans, loyal to Bonnie Prince Charles Edward, battle with the English and German regiments loyal to the English monarch, King George. Finally overpowered by superior forces, the Highlanders break ranks and leave the battlefield. The leader of Clan McLaren, Colin, is badly injured. His son Alexander, daughter Kirsty and a young piper called Jamie McCrimmon, accompany him. Confronted on the path by two Redcoats, Alexander engages the soldiers in a sword fight. He kills one Redcoat and the other flees, allowing the small group to move on seeking refuge. The TARDIS materialises in small hollow, concealed from view by bushes and brambles. Ben comes out, followed by Polly and the Doctor.) POLLY: It's so cool.BEN: Hey, Polly.POLLY: What?BEN: Where does this remind you of?POLLY: Oh, it's cold and damp.BEN: No, where does it remind you of?POLLY: Ouch! Prickles! What?BEN: Where else could it be? We're home, Duchess!POLLY: Oh, you never give up hope, do you? We'll ask the Doctor. Hey, Doctor.DOCTOR: Listen. Show Full Transcript Open in new window