Stories Television Doctor Who (1963-1996) Classic Who S4 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Highlanders 1 image Overview Episodes Characters Reviews 7 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!) Pure Historical, Doctor Who? 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 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: Newest First Oldest First Most Likes Highest Rating Lowest Rating Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 7 reviews 13 November 2024 · 77 words Review by Dogtor Spoilers This review contains spoilers! “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 ! Like Liked 0 18 October 2024 · 4 words Review by jkl 1 I love Jamie <3333333333333333333333333333333333333333 Like Liked 1 16 August 2024 · 101 words Review by 15thDoctor Spoilers This review contains spoilers! We've been well overdue a pure historical, the second Doctor proving just how different he is from his first incarnation by disguising himself as an old lady and a mustached sailer within 10 minutes of each other. It's a shame I couldn't see Jamie's debut performance here, as it doesn't come across via audio, but was obviously strong enough to get him signed up as a full time companion. As most fans can sympathise with, I found myself badly wanting to actually see what the episode was like. I have a feeling I'm going to experience a lot of that throughout Season 4. Like Liked 0 25 May 2024 · 36 words Review by Rock_Angel 1 Really struggled with this story mainly cause the recon is probs imo the hardest too get into so I really hope it get an animated release in the future just so I could enjoy it more Like Liked 1 14 May 2024 · 649 words Review by Joniejoon Spoilers This review contains spoilers! A decent historical that could’ve done with a bit more background and details. The Doctor, Ben and Polly land in the middle of a battlefield in the Highlands of Scotland. Soon, they come across a small party of Scots that are hiding from the English army. Together they will face the odds as they get captured, split up and make new alliances. First things first: This story is missing with no animation in sight. There is some fan stuff, but nothing too exciting, that leaves you with three real options: The Target novelization, the telesnap reconstruction, or the narrated soundtrack. For this one, I decided to combine the telesnap reconstruction and the target novel. Overall, I’d recommend the target novel as the best way to experience this story, as it adds a few more character insights. It’s also a bit easier to follow. That being said, I wouldn’t call this story a powerhouse by any means. The structure is fine, there are plenty of memorable moments, but it doesn’t really stand out as anything noteworthy. Except, of course, for the introduction of Jamie. But even that noteworthy tidbit feels like an afterthought. It just sort of happens. It actually reminded me a lot of my experiences with “The Crusade”. It is one of the more serious historical stories, but it never really bothers giving you the actual history. From my perspective, it puts stories at a disadvantage. I am not British and I am not too familiar with British history, so I do not know what fight I am even watching. On top of that, the story is missing, so what am I even left with? Of course, part of that is on me. I am not a British kid from the 60s, so I am not the target audience. But on the other hand, shouldn’t this make kids curious too? Shouldn’t this be the bait to get kids into that history? There are some interesting parts that show why this is a setting worth exploring: Jamie has a job his entire family has had. The Highlanders have all kinds of honor codes. The “medical” art of bloodletting gets a short mention and we have several mentions of the game whist. All these things make the setting a bit fuller. A bit more realized. But I think it could still have had a bit more meat on its bones. The story also has its fun moments. Especially surrounding Polly, who is blackmailing a lieutenant in the British army. But all these little parts do not make the story complete. They add little dots to an otherwise blank canvas. It helps, but doesn’t make the total picture more convincing. But on the other hand, I don’t feel like I have the chance to be entirely fair to the story. It is missing! How am I going to complain about a lack of depth and detail when the story cannot even show me what it had? That’s why I read the novel. I wanted to see if the story had more to show me when it was completely in prose. But even then, it still left me a bit hollow. Like it could’ve done more. For example, I really don’t know anything about Jamie yet. He’s a piper and has a bit of a temper. I’d love to see how he develops, but as it stands, there’s really nothing to latch on to. Nothing that defines him. And I think that conclusion carries over to the entire story. It is by no means bad, insulting or terrible, but it also gives you practically nothing unique or charming. It just happens and then it is over. Far from the worst, but nowhere near the top either. Like Liked 0 Show All Reviews (7) Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating254 members 3.08 / 5 Trakt.tv AVG. Rating233 votes 3.30 / 5 The Time Scales AVG. Rating113 votes 3.30 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 487 Favourited 18 Reviewed 7 Saved 3 Skipped 2 Owned 4 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: 3.52 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 a reconstruction or an omnibus edition. BBC Audio Soundtracks The Highlanders (BBC Audio Soundtrack) Rating: ??? Story Skipped Soundtrack Reviews(1) 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