After leaving defeating the Daleks and leaving his grand-daughter behind him it is understandable that the Doctor seeks out rest, but the TARDIS has other plans. They land in the future on an alien planet and a fairly ordinary two-parter ensues. I think it is true to say that this is more of an introductory episode for Vicki then anything else.

There is some thoughtfulness in the script. Barbara is scared for her life and kills an innocent sand monster, not understanding it had good intentions, as soon as Vicki reveals to her that it was an innocent creature she immediately feels guilty - so it has some stakes. I am glad that over the 11 stories not all the aliens have been evil, showing there is plenty of good in the universe. I am disappointed though that The Doctor played down the tragedy of this creature's death in order to win Vicki round to liking Barbara. It would have been interesting to see Vicki learn to forgive Barbara on her own merits.

There are nice moments, Barbara and Ian have plenty in common with Vicki as a companion - they are both from Earth and trapped outside of time. My main worry with Vicki is that she will take Susan's role directly in the TARDIS and have little to do that we have not already seen.

📝7/10

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

"The Rescue: An Entrance With Charm and Character'

David Whitaker brings us this two-part story to introduce the new companion Vicki, who'll join the Doctor, Ian, and Barbara in the TARDIS.

We see Vicki and the only remaining crew member of her crashed spaceship on Dido at the story's beginning, even before we meet the TARDIS travellers. Vicki's exuberance at potentially receiving rescue is contagious. I also enjoy the warm friendship between the three regulars.

Susan’s exit is touched upon slightly, and we see how it affects the Doctor. This is a nice bit of character continuity, even if it is forgotten by the end of the adventure.

While Susan establishes a friendship with Vicki, the Doctor and Ian struggle to understand the current situation and partake in a cave-climbing sequence that is almost as tedious as the one in The Daleks but thankfully much shorter. If The Rescue does one thing right, it is to properly introduce Vicki and allow us to get a feel for her. She is a bit more well-rounded than Susan and has excellent chemistry with the Doctor from the beginning.

Part 1 ends with a rather weak cliffhanger (the sword trap thing is silly), but at least we see the Doctor and Ian supporting each other much better than before. Although their portion of the adventure aims to create tension and excitement, it lacks the engagement of the Barbara/Vicki plot.

In Part 2, a wonderful scene unfolds between Vicki and The Doctor, as the latter tries to win her over. This is the moment they form an important bond, revealing the new grandfatherly side of this Doctor. Later on, she has another great bonding moment with Ian and Barbara as they discuss the Doctor and the TARDIS.

I like the scene of the Doctor entering the People's Hall and revealing Bennett’s ruse. The moody lighting and Hartnell’s strong acting make it a wonderful scene. The scene also features a rare (and brief!) fight scene for the First Doctor.

Dido's simple setting and small cast (the regulars, the two crashed humans, and Koquillion) remind me of a Big Finish audio, and the cost-cutting measures allow for a greater emphasis on the characters and the story's progression.

This adventure features simple production values, and while some editing and directorial techniques may seem outdated these days, they largely contribute to the story.

William Hartnell is very grandfatherly here, but also quick-witted and well-spoken. Maureen O'Brien is instantly likeable as Vicki, with optimism and a strong sense of justice driving her actions. Jacqueline Hills shows a newfound fearlessness after kicking Dalek ass in the previous adventure, and this is what initially gets her off on the wrong foot with Vicki.

Koquillion's design is simple but effective, but the mystery of his true identity never felt particularly compelling at times, and even less so upon a rewatch. It's pretty obvious what's going on when you think about it. There’s not much time to do much with the character, and he remains somewhat forgettable, even if he turns out to be a murderous maniac.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

• The Doctor has visited Dido before. That’s an adventure I wish we could read about one day.
• Other names considered for Vicki were Tanni, Lukkie, and Millie.

This is a fun two-parter that introduces us to Vicki. With Susan leaving, this is our first companion changeover, but production and the cast do a great job at making this all feel like a realistic part of the universe where this is fluidly happening. No awkwardness, Vicki is introduced and shows off a lot of potential out of the gate. What is less remarkable is the story itself, which I found a pretty simple affair with the whole "fake monster" angle. It works enough, even if I am very glad it wasn't dragged out beyond two episodes.

I like this serial. It benefits from being on the shorter side. The story is concise but interesting. The twist reveal is  set up nicely and done very well.

I immediately like Vicki, and not just because she looks like my favourite cousin. This is a great introductory episode for a new companion. I love how she immediately trusts the Doctor, how much she cares for the local wildlife, and her willingness to forgive Barbara despite killing her pet.

Unlike most classic stories yet to come, this serial doesn't immediately forget about Susan. The Doctor is clearly still feeling her loss. I appreciate that.

Another short one from the same writer as “Edge of Destruction”. One thing is clear: David Whitaker knows these characters inside out.

We land on the planet Dido and start of with a small rescue ship. After a huge explosion among locals, the 2 passengers are the only creatures left alive, but are threatened by another local force.

This story introduces us to Vicki, the new companion that will replace Susan. In some ways, it might be justified to call her a bit of a Susan clone, but I think this story makes the differences quite clear.

Vicki seems, at first glance, different from Susan in a few ways. She’s quite temperamental, way more than Susan was, and at the same time isn’t as knowledgeable as the girl that was there from the start. This connect wonderfully to the changes our main character has had in the last season. He always had a parental role, but with Vicki, he has to take more time, take her through the steps way slower than Susan and make time for emotions. It’s lovely, because it allows him to use the skills he has now learned through his travels.

The other characters shine bright as well. Ian and Barbara get some fun moments together, which is surprisingly rare. Their dynamic is great. Ian still has a little sternness, but it is less pronounced this time. Maybe the doctor rubbed off on him a little. I wonder if we get back to that.

The doctor, as mentioned, also gets some new stuff to do. There are several highlights for him in this episode. He gets a fantastic opener, where he dances around the tardis, gets a bit forlorn about Susan, and immediately pick himself back up when he gets help. His more energetic self is a joy. That energy also gets channeled later on. For the first time, it is the doctor that gets an actual fight scene, which is great.

The best moment by far, however, is the meeting with Vicki. He’s the grandpa who just lost his granddaughter and meets the girl who just lost her parents. It’s a great dynamic and immediately feels comfortable. Like a family has already been formed. I can’t wait to see more.

The overall story is fine too. It’s clearly a character tale first and foremost, but it is serviceable. Has a neat mystery that allows for fun moments, more than being strong on its own. That’s completely okay!

The Rescue and Edge of Destruction are like two peas in a pod. Both are small scale, short, but with leaps in character growth that are some of the best moments in the show. I hope we get tons more of this, because it is fantastic.